THE NUMBERS 4.3 billion- value in euro of the extra sum that the British government has had to plug into the nationalised Northern Rock, after it was revealed that the troubled bank's finances were far worse than previously thought.
4.5 billion- estimated value in euro of the Government's tax shortfall in 2008 after poor rates of consumer spending led to a "breathtaking" drop in VAT receipts in July, revealing that the troubled public finances are far worse than had been thought.
60 - age at which special protective measures could apply to prevent the mis-selling of financial services to elderly people, an age that is "patronising and unjustly discriminatory" to 60-year-olds, according to brokers.
60 million - seats that the global airline industry is cutting back on this Christmas, as high oil prices and economic gloom force a 7 per cent cut in flights.
GOOD WEEK
Rentokil
The pest controller is cleaning up in Beijing, winning contracts to rid the Olympic cycling arena, archery centre and other venues of rodents, cockroaches and mosquitos. It will use a "wind curtain" to keep out flying insects, a Bond-esque infra-red device it describes as "the world's smartest mousetrap" and 150 staff, none of whom will be taking performance-enhancing drugs.
YouNoodle
The world's first free business start-up valuation tool has turned its forecasting powers on itself with happily pleasing results. YouNoodle thinks YouNoodle will be worth $96 million (€62 million) in 2010. Venture capitalists can visit the Californian firm's website to discover the "hottest" early-stage companies - like, say, YouNoodle.
BAD WEEK
Chinese fund managers
A "harmonious and successful Olympic Games" depends not, as you might expect, on negative drug tests, gloriously clichéd commentary and perhaps a dramatic intervention by human rights protesters in the closing stretches of the marathon. Instead, it all hangs on China's fund managers keeping any views that might "negatively affect" the stock market strictly to themselves, says the China Securities and Regulatory Commission.
