Financial institutions have losses and write-downs of 330 billions dollars due to the sub-prime crisis initiate in the US. That gives a dimension of the storm out there; since them financial institutions had fired dozens of thousands employees to adjust. Factbox below:

FACTBOX-Global write-downs and credit losses | Reuters

And now compare with what is going on with the BRIC, remember, Brazil makes the B:

BRICs helped by Western finance crisis: Goldman | Reuters

This speaks by itself, at least I think.

If you agents in Brazil, have to justify your offerings under these comparatively good situation, I don't know what you will have to do when things gets a little difficult.