From BBC, with many caveats including that bankers are not necessarily trained in statistical analysis: "There is an 'unhealthy correlation' between the building of skyscrapers and subsequent financial crashes, according to Barclays Capital. Examples include the Empire State building, built as the Great Depression was under way, and the current world's tallest, the Burj Khalifa, built just before Dubai almost went bust. 'Often the world's tallest buildings are simply the edifice of a broader skyscraper building boom, reflecting a widespread misallocation of capital and an impending economic correction,' Barclays Capital analysts said. The bank noted that the world's first skyscraper, the Equitable Life building in New York [pictured], was completed in 1873 and coincided with a five-year recession. And Malaysia's Petronas Towers in 1997, which coincided with the Asian financial crisis." Full article here, and Barclays Capital Skyscraper Index here.