But Mr Noda's optimistic assessment appears to have been premature.

Spain itself is predicting a half-percent contraction in 2013, a probably overly optimistic assessment.

The optimistic assessment is that the ECB has at least done enough to mend the banking system.

Let's say that your optimistic assessment is wrong, and they're even prepared to detect and destroy a single ship.

By Thursday, 11 days into the latest crisis, authorities in all three states were delivering a notably more optimistic assessment.

A shot at a golden hat-trick at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 remains a target, according to his most optimistic assessment.

However, the economic data that emerged over the summer months have led analysts and financial commentators to jettison this optimistic assessment of global economic trends.

That was Michael Howard's optimistic assessment yesterday as he and Tony Blair clashed over Iraq, immigration and the proposed British referendum on the European constitution.

Dennis Kelleher, who heads the Better Markets pressure group, which is pushing for Wall Street reform, gave a cautiously optimistic assessment of the new rules.

Such optimistic assessments, however, are typically based on unrealistic assumptions that all countries will benefit equally.

Behind-the-scenes talks mediated by Egypt and, recently, by Germany have seesawed from optimistic assessments a deal was close, to reports the negotiations may have failed.

Over the past five months, the app seems to have exceeded even those optimistic assessments -and Twitter's rivals seem to finally be taking notice.