The tensions were obvious from the start of the Asia crisis.

The profit vise in which these companies are caught will only tighten as the Asia crisis deepens.

"We feel such a huge discount is unwarranted given the significant change in corporate and government balance sheets since the Asia crisis," he said.

The Asia crisis was the main topic - its causes, cures and how to prevent another.

People thought the Asia crisis was taking a step back, but it reawakened.

Economists couldn't predict the Asia crisis; why should they suddenly have become more prescient?

But economists said the performance still showed the economy's resilience in the face of the Asia financial crisis.

"The best estimates show that manufacturing survived the Asia crisis just fine," he said.

Why didn't it see the Asia crisis coming?

The meaning of the Asia crisis has been self-evident to those who believe that the free market can do no wrong.