John Stepek (Money Week UK):
Deal making is back!

That was the general reaction from the press when US food giant Kraft launched its first bid for British confectioner Cadbury less than two months ago. Pundits spewed out potential target prices like bingo numbers – £8, no £10, no £12! – and analysts scribbled out scenarios involving white knights and rival bidders from across the globe.

Everything happens at the margin, said a dead economist. Americans alone probably drive millions of marginal miles – to places they really don’t really need to go…when they don’t really have to be there. At over $3.50 – they’ll drive less.

Last week, General Electric — one of the finest companies in the world and an American icon — announced a major fall in earnings. Amazingly, the bad news surprised Wall Street. GE shares fell 13 percent in a single day. Some surprise!