The beleaguered New York City Opera, cut to a fraction of its former size and self-exiled from its former home at Lincoln Center, got an 11th-hour reprieve when its unions agreed to a deal that would allow the 2012 season of four operas to go forward.

WSJ: Prima Donna | La Traviata | New York City Opera Makes a Case for Its Own Demise | Opera Review by Heidi Waleson

But for all their ability to cut costs, Chinese manufacturers are earning a fraction of the margin that U.S.-based marketers and retailers collect by selling Chinese-made goods.

FORBES: The U.S. Isn't Encouraging Chinese Investment