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Government support to agriculture in OECD countries fell to 18% of total farm receipts in 2010, a record low linked to high commodity prices, according to a new OECD report.

Gender equality matters in its own right, but is also smart economics: Countries that create better opportunities and conditions for women and girls can raise productivity, improve outcomes for children, make institutions more representative, and advance development prospects for all, says a new World Bank flagship report.

A global study on visionary organizations conducted by consultancy firm &samhoud shows that American organizations fall behind in creating an inspiring vision, and in the implementation of that vision throughout all layers of the organization, compared to their Asian counterparts. Organizations in fast-growing Asian economies, especially, demonstrate a tendency to fully embrace their company vision. Asian managers indicate that the effects of a vision-based organization include a clarity of targets, the growth of customer satisfaction and creativity, and a greater focus on performance.

People with university degrees have suffered far fewer job losses during the global economic crisis than those who left school without qualifications, according to the latest edition of the OECD’s annual Education at a Glance. Good education and skills are crucial to improving a person’s economic and social prospects.

The OECD area unemployment rate was steady at 8.2% in July 2011, unchanged for the fifth consecutive month. The Euro area unemployment rate was also unchanged at 10.0% for the second consecutive month and has hovered around this level since December 2010.

Investors expect Europe to fall into recession in the next 12 months, according to the BofA Merrill Lynch Survey of Fund Managers for September.

Composite leading indicators (CLIs) for July 2011, designed to anticipate turning points in economic activity relative to trend, continue to point to a slowdown in economic activity in most OECD countries and major non-member economies. The CLI for the OECD area fell 0.5 point in July; the fourth consecutive monthly decline.

Brazil will return to dominating the global ethanol market, but sharp growth in internal demand and challenges in adding new production in the country will mean less export supply availability through 2020.

Economic recovery appears to have come close to a halt in the major industrialised economies, with falling household and business confidence affecting both world trade and employment, according to new analysis from the OECD. Growth remains strong in most emerging economies, albeit at a more moderate pace.

Customer satisfaction slips for the first time in two years, according to the National Customer Satisfaction Index UK, produced in partnership with CFI Group and the American Customer Satisfaction Index. After stalling in the first quarter, the index is down .2% to 74.5 on a 0-100 scale.