The economy seems to have dropped off a cliff, as last year's poor economic performance has turned into something akin to a crisis. Estimates for the change in real GDP have been revised on multiple occasions and are now showing a decline of at least 6%. Domestic demand is holding up, but exports and investment demand are real disasters. Key export-markets are in the grips of a major downturn and are hurting the economy's big picture. The housing market appears doomed as well; last year's rosy forecasts were not realized and the prices fell more than 5% across the spectrum. For this year, expectations are in for a double-digit decline with remote areas bearing the brunt, but some more pessimistic forecasts are calling for an earth-shattering event in housing markets. The once-booming corporate market has practically shut down. Some relief is brought by the need for companies to raise financing but the outlook for the segment remains bleak at best