WE end the year roughly 2 percent ahead of last year. No mean feat considering the tough market conditions in the first half of the year. Eagle-eyed readers will know that we've already reported a strong second half more than making up for a weak first half. We're not sure why. We put it down to sentiment. As George Orwell said in 1984: the proletariat are a fickle bunch. Quite. But if that was the second dip in our double-dip recession, then we're left feeling optimistic.