Planet thrift

Available for over a year

Business Daily takes the pulse of a planet in thrift mode. Belts are tightening; pennies are pinched, and coats are cut according to cheaper cloth. How is this affecting the mindset of rich Africans, poor Indians - and middling Americans? Some say thrift has become not just the need of the hour, but a long-term fashion. In the words of a rich Nigerian businessman, "love is all that matters" - so perhaps this recession is making us all slightly nicer people.