Skyscraper economics

Available for over a year

Are tall buildings a harbinger of global recession? We talk to Andrew Lawrence from Barclays, whose Skyscraper Index shows how the completion a new world's tallest building is often followed by a global slowdown. Lesley Curwen visits London's own record breaker, the soon to be completed Shard, with William Murray of Wordsearch, a marketing agency for tall buildings. And from Italy, the BBC's Alan Johnston reports on how Italy is dealing with its debt crisis. (Image: The Shard is a new feature on London's skyline. Credit: Jeff Overs / BBC)