1. From the US National Accounts, you find that in 2006, the share of Personal consumption expenditure in real GDP was 69.9 per cent and by 2008 it had fallen to 69.8 per cent. Similarly, the share of Gross private domestic investment on real GDP was 17.2 per cent in 2006 and by 2008 had fallen to 14.9 per cent (and further to 11.8 per cent in 2009). The net export deficit over the same period (2006 to 2008) fell from -5.7 per cent of real GDP to -4.9 per cent in 2008. Finally, the share of Government consumption expenditures and gross investment in real GDP rose from 18.8 per cent in 2006 to 18.9 per cent in 2008 (and 19.7 per cent in 2009). These relative changes tell you that real GDP was lower in 2008 compared to 2006 because the increase in Government spending and the falling negative contribution of net exports were not sufficient to offset the declining contribution from consumption and investment.

2. The solvency risk facing Eurozone nations such as Italy at present is sourced in the restrictions imposed on fiscal deficit and debt ratios by the Stability and Growth Pact and the Fiscal Compact, which member states voluntarily agreed to when they entered into as part of their membership of the common currency.

3. Take the following situation reported in a nation's Labour Force data. Employment grew by only 400 in net terms in the previous month. Other highlights were that unemployment rose by 10,700 and that the labour force participation rate fell by 0.1 per cent. Taken together this data tells you that:

The labour force grew faster than employment but you cannot tell what happened to the working age population from the information provided.
The labour force grew faster than employment but not as fast the working age population.
The working age population grew faster than employment and offset the decline in the labour force arising from the drop in the participation rate.