Now however, relative stability has returned and that is a positive sign for equities.
After a period of relative stability, the British pound is now caught up in the latest market upheavals.
Europe, in contrast, is in the unusual position of being a place of relative stability in a wobbly world.
The relative stability brought by over three years under President Vladimir Putin has attracted foreign investment and reduced capital flight.
Malawi, one of the world's poorest countries, has enjoyed a vibrant economy and relative stability compared to others in the region.
Overall NAEP trends since 1970 show declines or relative stability in math and science in the early 1970s, followed by improvements thereafter.
It is easy now to be complacent about Europe's current relative stability, forgetting just how unlikely this seemed not so very long ago.
As it came into being and strengthened in the 2004-2008 stage, the novelty of relative stability and economic growth was still fresh, and people overlooked its faults.
But after 2002, a year overshadowed by the Panorama scandal involving allegations of race-fixing and betting scams, a period of relative stability for the sport was most welcome.
BBC: SPORT | Other Sport | Horse Racing | Racing: Stars repeat success
For the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable said that while there was now "relative stability" in the banking system, "another round of bad debts" could produce a "double-dip recession".
Fiscal challenges aside, the dollar is increasingly seen as offering relative stability at a time when alternative governments face difficulty in maintaining the recovery thanks to external challenges.
At this point I think building on the Facebook application environment on Facebook is too volatile, at least for my current uses and prefer the relative stability of tabs.
Meanwhile, the bank has continued to attract more depositors in Spain, as it benefits from an image of relative stability compared with the country's many deeply troubled regional savings banks.
The sale reflects the relative stability of Syria's government.
Markets fell hard and wide Tuesday, as a combination of bad news and low volume reminded Wall Street of the uncertainty plaguing investors, despite the relative stability of the past few days.
However, a period of relative stability began with Mr Lobo's election and many governments, including the US, proceeded to recognise the Honduran government's legitimacy and re-established the ties cut during the height of the crisis.
There were fears at the end of 2001, when Argentina was again in an economic pickle, that the army might put in its boot once more, but the current relative stability has eased such tensions.
But unlike the painful memories of 2008 big banks are holding their own (for now) considering the pressures, and at least some of the reason behind the relative stability has to do with: (brace yourselves) recent regulations.
Moreover, looking back, the 20 years to 1938 were by far the most volatile in economic history, yet the average growth rate in developed economies was 3.8%, well above the average growth of 2.7% during the past two decades of relative stability.
Their analysis of extinction speeds over the last 500 years is 12 times greater than during times of relative evolutionary stability.
There was general agreement at the Kennedy School conference that more transparency was required to understand the relative financial stability of various institutions.
Several European companies are waiting to launch IPOs, although market watchers caution that whether these deals go forward will depend on relative market stability.
The outside world also has a stake in its (relative) stability.
While the government has managed to achieve relative financial stability through the introduction of the currency board and the economy itself grew at a robust 5.8 percent in 2000, daily life remains difficult for many average Bulgarians.
Saudi Arabia spent 80 years building its oil industry amid relative peace and stability.
The relative level of stability in portfolio holdings is not surprising given that our Sentiment Survey has been showing a cautious level of optimism, with both bullish and bearish sentiment near their historical averages.
So why don't more people go home now that Kenya has reverted to its traditional role as an island of relative peace, stability and economic growth amid other East African nations plagued by chronic violence?
CNN: Thousands remain displaced months after Kenyan violence
In the wake of recent elections, which ushered in relative peace and political stability, major investment companies have flocked to Cambodia.
If Pakistan now has a window of relative political and economic stability, could Malakand prove to be a turning-point in Pakistan's flagging war with extremism?
There is thus a risk that price stability may make relative wages even more rigid.
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