If the price system is allowed to function without interference and a surplus occurs, quantity demanded will _____________ and quantity supplied will _____________ until the price falls to its equilibrium.

The key factor leading to the financial crises in Mexico and the East Asian countries was

A) a deterioration in banks' balance sheets because of increasing loan losses. B) severe fiscal imbalances. C) a sharp increase in the stock market. D) a sharp decline in interest rates.

Which of the following is not a part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002?

A) the establishment of a Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to supervise accounting firms and thus insure that audits are independent and controlled for quality B) increased penalties for white-collar crime and obstruction of official investigations C) requires a CEO and CFO to certify that periodic financial statements and disclosure of the firm are accurate D) requires investment banks to make public their analysts' recommendations