While Europeans remain cautious overall, many consumers seem to think economic confidence has either hit a plateau or increased slightly.

Socially and economically, India continues to develop at a galloping rate compared to the rest of the world. Indian consumers are enjoying greater spending power today than at any time in their recent history. Life continues to get better for Indians and consumer confidence is at an all time high.

Giorgio Armani and Gucci clearly understand that strong brands make for profitable businesses. They are not merely selling fashion, they are selling an image: Something consumers are willing to pay a premium for.

He's got ability, and he's got confidence,

That first at-bat was real big just to give her the confidence, to know that she can play here.

It's tough to come out of non-conference play with any confidence. We need to be a little realistic about what we're attempting to accomplish in these games. You want to create exposure, but winning will also do that. It's tough to win when you're coming in as 20- or 30-point underdogs each week.