| Expect tight supplies of dry edible beans
FARGO, N.D. 2/15/08 - It's looking like it could be a tight year for dry edible beans.The continuing tug-of-war over commodity acres will probably result in a shrinking carryover supply of dry edible beans in 2008 as producers consider switching over to other crops, said John Thompson, dry bean sales manager for Thompson USA, Ltd. .
New highs?
Hi! Welcome to a new day in forex market, the last of the month. And what to say about yesterday? The only positive reading of the US economy, the ADP report that showed U.S. private sector jobs rose by 130,000 in January beating forecasts, was quickly diluted by the GDP, that rose at a seasonally adjusted 0.6% annual rate October, while economists were forecasting a 1.2% rise showing economy continues to slow down; yet it was the 0.50 rate cut by the FED (following a 0.75 cut pass week) that trigger a liquidation of greenbacks, that fell all across the board: Euro rose to 1.4906, barely 60 pips away from it's record high, while Swiss Franc hit an all times maximum (minimum in charts) at 1.0814; GBP lost these last days bullish momentum ending the day pretty much where it started, while Japanese yen, that managed to regain the 107.20 key level following stocks, close the day with winnings against its major rivals.
Degree of difficulty about to increase
Just ask my wife, you have to call my name about 10 times to get a response. But to all the Thrashers fans I did get to meet out there, it was a pleasure chatting with you guys. I wish I could have grabbed a beer and hung out instead of actually working the events. Brendan: You raise a good point and one that has some merit. If the Thrashers decide they have to deal Marian Hossa, don't be surprised if they make another move to bring somebody back in. The Oakland A's are great at that around baseball's deadline. Rather than let someone walk in their contract year, they trade them but also pick up help so they can still contend. I think that's a pretty good strategy. Also, in reading the responses to Mark Bradley, I appreciated your thoughtful response. The same people who get mad about a negative story also get mad when they don't feel like their teams are held accountable.
Public sector funds have most asset growth
PUBLIC sector super funds have the highest asset returns but retail funds are the number one choice for Australians, a report shows. Still, the industry super funds body says its asset returns, which posted the sharpest decline in percentage terms compared with other types of superannuation, are higher than retail funds because it does not pay sales commissions to financial advisers. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)'s Superannuation Performance report, for the September quarter, showed public sector funds had the highest return on assets of 2.3 per cent compared with 2.2 per cent for corporate funds, 2.0 per cent for industry funds and 1.8 per cent for retail funds. The average rate of return on assets across the main super funds was two per cent in the September quarter, down from three per cent in the three months to June.
Australian stock exchanges loses $100bn amid panic selling
THE Australian market ended the day down 7 per cent, losing about $100 billion and facing its biggest losses since 9/11, amid concerns of a global recession. 0The 7 per cent slump was the 12th consecutive day of falls, as bourses across the Asia Pacific region slumped on fears of a US recession. "This has been a crash and it might take a year to get back to where it was last week,'' Michael Birch, who helps manage the equivalent of $140 million at Wallace Funds Management in Sydney, told Bloomberg News. "It might be the second half of the year before people have the confidence to weigh back in.'' Brokers said panic selling was the order of the day, but they still expect the market to stabilise in the near term. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 7.05 per cent or 393 points to 5186.8 - its biggest one-day decline since 1997.
July 2006
Israel, obviously, is but a small dot in the center of a large Arabian circle, a threat to nobody who leaves her alone. Israel, on the other hand, lives in constant peril because of a few general reasons: Hate, the proliferation of advanced technology, distance and demographics. Hatred of Jews is still openly taught in Arabia. The relationships among Russia, North Korea, China, Iran and Syria suggest that the weapons technology, including long-range missiles, possessed by one is potentially available to all – at a price. Russia and China are nuclear powers; Iran, with the help of Russia and China, may soon be; Syria wants to be. Tel Aviv (Israel) is 990 miles from Teheran (Iran), 135 miles from Damascus (Syria) and 135 miles from Beirut (Lebanon). In terms of missile range, these distances are short hops.
A Bullish Call
IN 2007, WORRIED INVESTORS LUNGED for the safety of bonds. Treasuries may hold less appeal next year, the Street's leading strategists say. Many of those we surveyed see the yield on 10-year Treasuries, now near a three-year low of 4%, increasing in 2008, albeit at a genteel pace that won't spook the market. The strategists note, as well, that bull markets rarely end when the earnings yield on stocks -- now around 6% -- is higher than benchmark bond yields. S&P 500 earnings are expected to climb 4%, to an average of $92 a share this year. The Street's 2008 estimates range from a low of $85.65 to just over $100. Corporate profits are likely to decline in the early part of the year, but face easier comparisons with '07 results in the second half. While some fear this year's peak profit margins will wane, Bear Stearns' Jonathan Golub says "margins will prove sticky at a high level" after years of cost-cutting.
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