We managed to see same store sales from McDonald's (Another Strong Month; Global Comparable Sales Up 5.5% in October) before the market opened (darnit, a whole hour later than last week) which actually blew the market expectations away. Austerity means that you are more likely to eat less fancy food and more affordable food. Aspirational purchases might include an indulgence at a McDonald's. Weird that, not so? US sales were up 5.2 percent year on year, Europe up 4.8 percent and Asia/Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (that is us) was up 6.1 percent. Thanks for smiling and eating cheap affordable food. Even if it is not for you (the food that is), the value for money proposition is hard to argue with, cheap, not nasty, and you get the same thing every time. The share price initially indicated pre market that the stock was going to trade higher, but the stock settled a little lower in the normal trade. Like the story, like the company, like the stock.