business phrase (update 2)

--leverage finance's cash engine has ground to a halt --worldwide sellof accerlated and concerns spread beyond financial companies and homebuilders --the cost of financing has skyrocketed, imperiling the raft of corporate buyouts that has fueled the bull market. --stock markets across Asia were pulled down sharply July 27 by the previous day's rout on WS that saw DJ and S&P500 fall 2.3% and register their biggest declines since late Feb. --WS woes hit hard. --China toughens stance on food safety --the bear event is a watershed event --Speculation has run rampant in recent years in real estate, private equity, merging market and levreage loans. Subprime is the first category to collapse. --Joe wrote a 23-year stretch that ended in 1958. For me, this lap on the track is sweet and bitter. Sweet because I relish a quest to become FORBES' longest-running columnist. Bitter because I've always believed that Joe was the best FORBES columnist. --As businesses of all sizes expand overseas, Asset backed lenders are following along...