| 30/08/08 | Bob Shallit: Write an essay, win an ice cream store (Sacramento Bee) |  |
Published 30/08/08 09:00:00
Business for sale: Forty-year history. Annual profits of $80,000. Yours for $150. Here's the Scoop! owners Ron and Melinda Rucker were unable to sell their business by traditional real estate means. Now, they are pinning their hopes on an essay contest with a $150 entry fee. "Who wouldn't want" an ice cream shop?" asks Melinda Rucker. She and her spouse no longer do. A winning essay could make it yours. |
| 30/08/08 | Where will Sacramento city-county auto sales tax pact lead? (Sacramento Bee) | |
Published 30/08/08 09:00:00
The city of Sacramento has been the biggest loser when it comes to auto sales revenue. |
| 30/08/08 | Nintendo raises forecast; credits Wii, game sales (Seattle Times) | |
Published 30/08/08 08:27:53
Nintendo on Friday raised its fiscal-year profit forecast by 26 percent from an earlier figure, citing healthy sales of its Wii home console... |
| 30/08/08 | Ski stores gear up for holiday sales (Salt Lake Tribune) | |
Published 30/08/08 08:27:45
This being Labor Day weekend, another ski season has begun. At least it has in retail stores and on resort Web sites, where sales of equipment, apparel and season passes are in full swing - continuing a holiday tradition of stoking enthusiasm early for another winter of carving |
| 30/08/08 | Gold Sale Spurs Manipulation Talk (Mish's Global Economic Trend Analys) | |
Published 30/08/08 08:20:00
MarketWatch is reporting Gold Sale Spurs Manipulation Talk Recent heat from Congress and regulators, along with public speculation, over whether commodity prices are being manipulated has also reached gold pits, where the debate was stirred by a surge in bets last month that gold prices would fall. "Congress is already investigating allegations of manipulation in the oil market, and it seems likely that it is only a matter of time before a similar investigation will be required in the precious metal markets," said Mark O'Byrne, executive director at Gold and Silver Investment. "The data in the bank participation report is so clear and compelling that it is hard to conclude anything but manipulation," said Theodore Butler, a precious metals analyst, in a note. But the fact that three big banks were singled out in the CFTC report is nothing new. The regulator's reports always show the largest three players in futures markets in any given month. Jeffrey Saut, market strategist at Raymond James, also believes that the commodities bull run may have run out of steam, even if only temporarily, because of the upcoming elections. "There is a lot of nervousness, especially in energy pits, about the efforts underway to propose wrong-footed legislation from politicians who want to bring down the price of gasoline," said Jeffrey Saut, market strategist at Raymond James. "I don't believe we have a speculative bubble, but these moves are going to drive a lot of hot money out of commodities pits between now and the elections," he told MarketWatch back in July. Fundamentals Many analysts also point to fundamental factors that helped bring down prices in commodities over the past month and a half. "There is indeed a rational explanation for the decline in the price of gold and silver: the dollar has staged one huge rally, and fundamentals suggested the dollar should rally," wrote Mike Shedlock, an investment advisor at Sitka Pacific Capital Management, in an online blog post on Wednesday. Banks and markets As for the banks involved in the recent short selling of gold, they are only market makers, taking orders from large money players, such as hedge funds, said Jeffery Christian, founder of commodities research firm CPM Group. Banks "stand to buy or sell the commodities, taking the other side from other people or institutions entering a market," said Christian. Gold and silver prices slumped recently "because investors, particularly short-term, technically-oriented funds, were selling." Short-term funds tend to use over-the-counter channels to trade gold and silver and their positions were therefore not recorded by the CFTC. "What you have here is the footprints of hedge funds exiting the commodities markets en masse," said Kitco's Nadler. Banks, playing as a market maker to buy contracts from funds, hedge their risks by doing opposite trading in the futures market: They sell, or short, gold and silver contracts in the futures markets. That explains the recent jump in banks' short positions, said Christian. "Banks are the passive agents usually in markets," Christian added. "They make the markets, and take what is coming at them." "Banks are the passive agents" Indeed, banks are the passive agents, acting as market makers. I want to reiterate what Trosky said in The Great Gold, Silver Conspiracy Explained . Also, I would emphasize the CFTC's explanation - one that has been confirmed by the former CEO of PAAS, who took on Butler's claims as well - that the large commercial shorts do in fact have offsetting positions in both physical and OTC derivatives markets, where they act as middlemen for a much larger group of customers. Therefore, the apparent 'concentration' comes from the fact that these traders (the 10 biggest) tend to aggregate offsetting customer positions and hedge them in the silver futures market. The fact remains, Butler and others have ZERO proof because if they had proof, they would present it. Time and time again Butler and others point out the "massive concentrated short position" as if that was proof of something in and of itself. What they fail to acknowledge (because believers in conspiracy theories can never look at any situation logically) is that the alleged conspirators try to remain market neutral. It is the precious metal bulls who are leveraged long, not the commercials who are leveraged short. The huge irony in all this is that Butler and other conspiracy theorists have the situation completely ass backwards from reality. Furthermore, and as I have pointed out before, Butler better be careful of what he wishes. If the CFTC does act on this, it will be to reduce speculation in the markets. And hedge fund speculation is one of the factors that has been driving commodity prices higher. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike Shedlock / Mish is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com to learn more about wealth management for investors seeking strong performance with low volatility. |
| 30/08/08 | Viper sale disheartens ex-exec Stallkamp (Detroit News ) | |
Published 30/08/08 08:12:37
Two former Chrysler veterans disagree sharply over the Auburn Hills automaker's decision to put its Dodge Viper brand up for sale -- the latest move by Chrysler's owners to raise cash and concentrate on its core products. |
| 30/08/08 | Sagging Organic Food Sales (RoguePundit) | |
Published 30/08/08 07:47:33
We've been hearing for awhile now that with the slowing economy, sales of organic foods and beverages are dropping. The same thing is happening in the UK. ...the British love affair with organics has stalled in the face of rising... |
| 30/08/08 | Super-Premium Juice Market Soars in the United States (Avenue Vine) | |
Published 30/08/08 07:36:58
Superpremium juice drinks have proved to be a dynamic part of the US beverage market showing ? phenomenal growth ? in just a few years, according to a new report. A push towards the use of superfruits and antioxidants in drinks, driven by the health and wellness trend, has seen sales of superpremium juice go from nearly half a billion dollars in 2005 to $75.2m in 2007, the report from the Beverage Marketing Corporation said. The superpremium group includes fresh packaged juice, which is typically 100 percent fruit juice, or drinks that are similarly positioned in the market. |
| 30/08/08 | Yard sale to provide critter aid (NewsObserver.com - Local & State) | |
Published 30/08/08 07:30:00
Clothing, furniture, clocks, household items and collectibles will be available at a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Singing Grove in downtown Benson to raise money for the Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation. The foundati |
| 30/08/08 | BuBoVille.com - Online Marketplace For Collectors (KillerStartups.com) | |
Published 30/08/08 07:27:00
What it does If you?re thinking of buying and selling things online, you can try out Buboville.com. On the site, you?ll be able to post up items you have for sale, whatever they may be. If you?re only in it for buying things, you can do that too. This is like a much smaller version of eBay, through which you?ll be able to buy and sell anything. There?s a whole section dedicated to collector?s items. There, you?ll find great things that might otherwise be hard to find in regular online stores. Managing your account and sales is just like in any other online marketplace, so if you?re used to using eBay you shouldn?t have a problem trying this out. Over all, this is the right place for anyone looking for items that they haven?t been able to find through eBay. In their own words ?Sell your items here. Find and buy items. Open shop and sell your products.? Why it might be a killer People who are tired of eBay?s cluttered market will definitely enjoy this new online marketplace. Some questions Isn?t the product selection much wider through eBay? Why would people choose this over eBay? Link: http://www.buboville.com Our Review: http://www.killerstartups.com/eCommerce/buboville-com-online-marketplace-for-collectors |
| 30/08/08 | New and used car buyers choosing VW - Netcars (Driive) | |
Published 30/08/08 06:38:40
New and used car buyers choosing VW Netcars, UK - 54 minutes ago Volkswagen (VW) has overtaken Ford to become the third biggest automaker in terms of new and used car sales, it has been reported. According to the firm, ... Germany: Volkswagen Group confirms number three spot in global sales Automotive World (subscription) all 2 news articles |
| 30/08/08 | Georgetown's Revival Home and Garden throws a garden sale starting Saturday 8/30 (Shopping Articles) | |
Published 30/08/08 06:10:55
Summer gardening may be at it's ebb, but if you've got a gardener on your gift list, now is the time to stock up on cool accessories to wow them with. Revival Home and Garden is having a 25% off sale on all garden related stock starting Saturday 8/30 and running until sunday 9/7. read more |
| 30/08/08 | Auto Sales Rev Up By Small Margin (Tampa Bay Online) | |
Published 30/08/08 06:00:00
With gas prices still near record highs, the economy in a slump and continued trouble in the credit markets, just about everybody expects August vehicle sales to be down significantly from a year ago. |
| 30/08/08 | Post-War and Contemporary Editions for Sale at Christie's South Kensington (Artdaily) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:58:53
LONDON.- Christie's South Kensington's upcoming Prints sale offers a wide array of prints from contemporary artists, many of whom have become as iconic as the images they create. Including stunning works from the likes of Damien Hirst, Banksy, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley, and others, and crossing a wide spectrum of themes, the sale provides the opportunity for people |
| 30/08/08 | 7 Valuable Customer Service Tips That Increase Sales (Article Archive) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:06:01
Providing great customer service puts you ahead of other competing businesses. It's what your business needs to develop a loyal customer base. |
| 30/08/08 | burlesque_today @ 2008-08-30T03:57:00 (Burlesque Revival) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:03:38
Holiday weekend sale, all items 20% off currently listed price Take me to Etsy Thankyou for looking |
| 30/08/08 | Fire-Sale Prices on SUVs Make Up for Pain at Pump (Washington Post) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:02:29
Steve Musser, an Atlanta restaurant executive, wasn't planning to part with his 2001 sport-utility vehicle -- not when he and his wife pack three sons and two dogs, plus gear, into it for frequent trips to a vacation home in Florida. But he couldn't resist incentives offered by Steve Rayman... |
| 30/08/08 | David B. Armstrong (Washington Post) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:02:29
The benefit of selling investments in taxable accounts that have incurred sizable losses is that the losses can be matched against current or future realized gains to offset taxes. However, it is important to be aware of the wash sale rule. It prevents investors from claiming the loss if they... |
| 30/08/08 | Yard Sale Tomorrow? preparation. (decloned) | |
Published 30/08/08 05:01:38
Tomorrow is our Yard Sale. Everything? well almost? must go. We are going to have to move pretty soon as the house we are living in is up for sale. We don?t want to get put in the even more awkward position of finding something on really late notice. It?s strange how much you seem to accumulate over [...] |
| 30/08/08 | World Briefing | Asia: Nepal: Adoption Abuses Seen (New York Times) | |
Published 30/08/08 04:50:28
The abduction and sale of children in purported adoptions are rife in Nepal, a United Nations study released on Friday said. |
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