SHAKESPEARE students will remember "When shall we three meet again" from the three witches in Macbeth. Gandon stockbrokers drew a similarity with the US budget talks between Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich. Mr Dole emerged from the latest round of talks saying that some progress had been made . . . and that talks might get underway again next Wednesday . . . or then again a decision might be possible by then that there was no point in continuing talks.

It all sounds like a fudge to the US markets, which are now distinctly nervous about the whole thing and wonder whether anything can be sorted out ahead of the US budget. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, indeed.