S.Africa’s rand firmer vs dlr, volumes to increase

July 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

JOHANNESBURG, July 6 (Reuters) – South Africa’s rand firmed slightly against the dollar on Tuesday in a market seeking direction from global trading patterns, with little news on the domestic front to drive the currency.

At 0641 GMT, the rand ZAR=D3 traded up 0.43 percent at 7.72 to the greenback after ending Monday’s session at 7.7530.

Traders were expecting business to pick up after a quiet Monday, when U.S. markets were closed for Independence Day.

“Markets did very little (yesterday), including dollar/rand. If you look at the action overnight, it was very thin,” a currency dealer in Johannesburg said.

“Everyone’s back today but we need to get a bit of momentum going and see where the flow is. It seems towards 7.76 there seem to be some pretty good offers, and to the lower 7.70s, good bids.”

Government bonds ticked up marginally, pulling yields a bit lower. The yield on the benchmark 2015 ZAR157= dipped 1.5 basis points to 7.905 percent, and that for the 2036 bond ZAR209= bond was down one basis point at 8.905 percent.

The JSE stock exchange’s blue-chip blue chip Top-40 September futures contract ALSIc1 was up 0.67 percent ahead of the 0700 GMT start of trade, after ending weaker on Monday.

(Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; Editing by John Stonestreet)

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China IPOs seen hitting record high in 2010-PwC

July 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

July 5 (Reuters) – Chinese companies may raise a record 500 billion yuan ($73.86 billion) via IPOs this year after a record first half as companies race to tap the stock market for funds, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said on Monday.

The first-half saw 176 IPOs raising as much as 212.7 billion yuan as compared to no listings in the year-ago period, PwC said.

PwC, which raised its full-year projection from 320 billion yuan previously, expected the number of new listings in China to reach 300 this year, including 25 listings in Shanghai and 275 on the Shenzhen exchange.

Chinese companies raised a total 187.9 billion yuan from the IPO market for the whole of 2009, it said.

“China’s economic growth is expected to continue in the second half of the year. Unless some negative factors emerge, IPOs in Shanghai and Shenzhen will maintain the momentum and are likely to reach historical heights this year,” Charles Feng, PwC Beijing lead partner, told reporters.

China will likely see the world’s second biggest IPO this month when Agricultural Bank of China [ABC.UL], the country’s third-biggest lender by assets, completes its giant dual-lising in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

AgBank’s IPO could raise up to $20.2 billion, excluding a greenshoe, or overallotment option, just a tad smaller than Industrial and Commercial Bank’s (1398.HK) (601398.SS) record $21.9 billion offering in 2006. [ID:nTOE66102S]

AgBank is scheduled to price its IPO later this week.

Other sizeable IPOs expected this year include Industrial Securities’ planned Shanghai listing which will raise roughly $500 million, and Ningbo Port’s planned $1.9 billion offering.

($1=6.770 Yuan)

(Reporting by Soo Ai Peng; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

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TREASURIES-Inch up, but 10-yr yield off 1-mth low

June 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 25 (Reuters) – U.S. 10-year Treasuries inched higher in Asian trade on Friday, pushing the 10-year yield back towards a one-month low hit the previous day.

Bonds

* Treasuries seem to be caught in a tug-of-war between traders betting that the 10-year yield could drop towards 3 percent and other market players that think the rally has gone far enough, said Junji Kojima, senior deputy manager for Sompo Japan Insurance’s global securities investment department.

* “I don’t think it would be a surprise if the 10-year yield makes a try for 3 percent, given the way momentum has been picking up,” Kojima said, referring to the recent rally in Treasuries.

* But Kojima added that he doubted that any such drop in yields would last that long. Current Treasury yield levels seem to be factoring in the possibility of a double-dip U.S. recession, he said, adding that such a scenario seems unlikely at this point.

* Ten-year Treasury notes rose about 3/32 in price to yield 3.123 percent US10YT=RR, down around 2 basis points from late U.S. trade on Thursday. The 10-year yield hit a one-month low of 3.065 percent on Thursday. A fall to below 3.064 percent would take the 10-year yield down to its lowest since April 2009.

* The 10-year yield has declined roughly 10 basis points this week, partly on concerns that the U.S. economy may be relapsing into weakness after a short and tepid recovery from the worst recession since the 1930s.

* Ten-year note futures edged up 2.5/32 in price to 121-13/32 TYv1. (Reporting by Masayuki Kitano; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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UPDATE 1-Halma profit rises; ups dividend

June 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 22 (Reuters) – British safety equipments group Halma (HLMA.L) reported a 9 percent rise in full-year adjusted pretax profit, helped by cost cuts, and said it looked forward to the new year with confidence.

The company, which makes smoke detectors and automatic door sensors, also raised its final dividend by 8.6 percent to 5.19 pence, amounting to a total dividend of 8.50 pence.

“Coming into 2010/11 we have greater momentum than a year ago, particularly in terms of order intake, and are well positioned to achieve growth,” Chief Executive Andrew Williams said in a statement.

For the year to April 3, Halma posted an adjusted pretax profit of 86.2 million pounds ($127.2 million), compared with 79.1 million pounds a year ago.

Revenue rose marginally to 459.1 million pounds.

Halma ended the year with net cash of 9 million pounds.

Shares of the company closed at 271 pence on Monday on the London Stock Exchange. ($1=.6775 Pound) (Reporting by Aditi Samajpati in Bangalore; Editing by Aradhana Aravindan)

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Seoul shares rise 0.9 pct on foreign buying, techs

June 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 14 (Reuters) – Seoul shares ended up 0.9 percent on Monday as steady buying by foreign investors sustained upside momentum, with gains led by retail and technology issues including Samsung Electronics (005930.KS).

Financials

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished up 0.91 percent at 1,690.60 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

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Analysis: Slow Afghan gains weigh on Obama strategy

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – The slower pace of U.S. military advances in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar may weigh heavily on President Barack Obama’s efforts to sustain public support for the war in Afghanistan.

World

Obama has ordered a review of U.S. strategy in December and had been counting on progress in Kandahar, the Taliban’s birthplace, to show momentum is shifting and troops can start to pull out in July 2011 as planned.

But the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, said on Thursday that after lessons learned in neighboring Helmand province, he wanted more time to shore up Afghan support for the Kandahar operation and to build up local governance and capacity to get the job done.

McChrystal said he expected there would be progress by year-end but warned of “very, very difficult days” ahead and that the pace would be slower in Kandahar than expected.

The balance between military priorities and political agenda will become harder to manage as pressure mounts on the U.S. government to stick to its July 2011 pullout deadline.

Obama needs to show progress by December to bolster his case for a continued U.S. commitment and ask for more time to consolidate gains, said Lisa Curtis, an expert on Afghanistan at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative thinktank.

“But if the situation seems unchanged and there is still a stalemate then it will be much more difficult. The withdrawal date will them loom much more heavily,” added Curtis,

Kandahar had been billed as the linchpin to turn around war in Afghanistan but U.S. officials say it has been tough to win local support and show the public the Afghan government is not corrupt and can be trusted to deliver services.

“Ultimately the equation is not how many schools can we open by July of next year or how many miles of tarmac can we lay, but what is the governance situation and do people believe that the government that is there has their long term interests at heart,” said Alex Thier of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

“That is very much an open question,” added Thier, who is joining the Obama administration next week to work on Afghanistan and Pakistan issues.

KARZAI FACTOR

One big risk factor for Obama is how President Hamid Karzai handles Kandahar, where his half-brother is a powerful political figure. Karzai is set in the coming weeks to hold joint community meetings there with McChrystal.

Eyebrows were raised last weekend when Karzai fired his interior minister and intelligence chief, two cabinet members who were broadly respected by Washington and some in Congress are worried about that as well as the slowdown in Kandahar.

“I think there is some cause for concern there both to that (the slowdown), and with the firing,” said Democratic Senator Ted Kaufman.

Karzai has had prickly relations with the White House and before his visit to Washington last month there was a war of words between the two, particularly after the Afghan leader made a string of anti-Western statements.

But U.S. officials say they planned now to keep criticism of Karzai behind closed doors so that diplomatic spats did not sour activities on the battlefield.

Karzai said during his Washington visit that the issue of his brother had been “resolved”.

Kimberly Kagan, president of the Institute for the Study of War, said that despite these assurances, Karzai’s brother complicated the situation in Kandahar and NATO forces needed to serve as a buffer between the population and the government.

“The fundamental list of grievances of Afghans is that the government is predatory and they need a system of justice and they need to be able to have a say over how their community is organized,” said Kagan.

JULY PULL-OUT LOOMS

Another concern of the Afghan population is the July 2011 pullout date and whether the United States is committed long-term to the country’s interests.

“I think one of the biggest problems is the president’s continued statement that we’re leaving in the middle of next year. It gives a degree of uncertainty to our allies and gives encouragement to our adversaries,” said Arizona Sen. John McCain, ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee.

Another circle on Obama’s political timetable will be U.S. congressional midterm elections in November where his own Democratic Party is expected to lose some seats.

However, several experts said that could actually work in Obama’s favor as Republicans tend to be more supportive of the Afghan war effort than some Democrats are, particularly the more liberal wing of his party.

(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell)

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ANALYSIS-Slow Afghan gains weigh on Obama strategy

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON, June 11 (Reuters) – The slower pace of U.S. military advances in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar may weigh heavily on President Barack Obama’s efforts to sustain public support for the war in Afghanistan.

Obama has ordered a review of U.S. strategy in December and had been counting on progress in Kandahar, the Taliban’s birthplace, to show momentum is shifting and troops can start to pull out in July 2011 as planned.

But the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, said on Thursday that after lessons learned in neighboring Helmand province, he wanted more time to shore up Afghan support for the Kandahar operation and to build up local governance and capacity to get the job done.

McChrystal said he expected there would be progress by year-end but warned of “very, very difficult days” ahead and that the pace would be slower in Kandahar than expected.

The balance between military priorities and political agenda will become harder to manage as pressure mounts on the U.S. government to stick to its July 2011 pullout deadline.

Obama needs to show progress by December to bolster his case for a continued U.S. commitment and ask for more time to consolidate gains, said Lisa Curtis, an expert on Afghanistan at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative thinktank.

“But if the situation seems unchanged and there is still a stalemate then it will be much more difficult. The withdrawal date will them loom much more heavily,” added Curtis,

Kandahar had been billed as the linchpin to turn around war in Afghanistan but U.S. officials say it has been tough to win local support and show the public the Afghan government is not corrupt and can be trusted to deliver services.

“Ultimately the equation is not how many schools can we open by July of next year or how many miles of tarmac can we lay, but what is the governance situation and do people believe that the government that is there has their long term interests at heart,” said Alex Thier of the U.S. Institute of Peace.

“That is very much an open question,” added Thier, who is joining the Obama administration next week to work on Afghanistan and Pakistan issues.

KARZAI FACTOR

One big risk factor for Obama is how President Hamid Karzai handles Kandahar, where his half-brother is a powerful political figure. Karzai is set in the coming weeks to hold joint community meetings there with McChrystal.

Eyebrows were raised last weekend when Karzai fired his interior minister and intelligence chief, two cabinet members who were broadly respected by Washington and some in Congress are worried about that as well as the slowdown in Kandahar.

“I think there is some cause for concern there both to that (the slowdown), and with the firing,” said Democratic Senator Ted Kaufman.

Karzai has had prickly relations with the White House and before his visit to Washington last month there was a war of words between the two, particularly after the Afghan leader made a string of anti-Western statements.

But U.S. officials say they planned now to keep criticism of Karzai behind closed doors so that diplomatic spats did not sour activities on the battlefield.

Karzai said during his Washington visit that the issue of his brother had been “resolved”.

Kimberly Kagan, president of the Institute for the Study of War, said that despite these assurances, Karzai’s brother complicated the situation in Kandahar and NATO forces needed to serve as a buffer between the population and the government.

“The fundamental list of grievances of Afghans is that the government is predatory and they need a system of justice and they need to be able to have a say over how their community is organized,” said Kagan.

JULY PULL-OUT LOOMS

Another concern of the Afghan population is the July 2011 pullout date and whether the United States is committed long-term to the country’s interests.

“I think one of the biggest problems is the president’s continued statement that we’re leaving in the middle of next year. It gives a degree of uncertainty to our allies and gives encouragement to our adversaries,” said Arizona Sen. John McCain, ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee.

Another circle on Obama’s political timetable will be U.S. congressional midterm elections in November where his own Democratic Party is expected to lose some seats.

However, several experts said that could actually work in Obama’s favor as Republicans tend to be more supportive of the Afghan war effort than some Democrats are, particularly the more liberal wing of his party. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell)

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Buba sees German GDP +1.9 pct in 2010, +1.4 pct in 2011

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 11 (Reuters) – Germany’s economic recovery picked up in the spring after a sluggish winter but joblessness is likely to rise, the Bundesbank said on Friday.

In its bi-annual forecasts, the German central bank said it expected exports and inventory cycles to support economic growth in the euro zone’s biggest economy, which it saw expanding by 1.9 percent in 2010 before slowing to 1.4 percent in 2011.

“Since early spring the world economy has increasingly shown positive momentum,” the Bundesbank said. “Initially the main drivers (for Germany) will be exports and momentum from inventory cycles.”

In a staff projection released on Thursday, the European Central Bank raised its forecasts for economic growth in the euro zone for 2010 but lowered them a little for 2011. [ID:nLDE6591UR]

Further job losses in Germany are likely, as industry continues to reduce staff although the number of people employed in the services sector should increase, the Bundesbank said.

The jobless total should rise from 3.3 million this year to 3.4 million in 2011 — equivalent to an unemployment rate of 8.0 percent, from 7.9 percent this year.

Inflation pressures were seen as “restrained”, with harmonised annual inflation rates of 1.2 percent this year and 1.6 percent in 2011. (Reporting by Brian Rohan)

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‘Beasted’ Broad backs ‘fearless’ England for Ashes, World Cup glory

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, June 11(ANI): England fast bowler Stuart Broad has said that he spent his time out of the national team on working on his fitness, and announced that he is now prepared for the Ashes and the World Cup.

Broad, who was dropped for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, was named in the 13-man ODI squad to play England in a five-match series.

“I’ve spent the last few weeks at Loughborough getting a serious beasting in the gym — it’s been knackering, but I feel stronger and have put on about a kilogram of muscle. This isn’t a short-term thing, this is so I am still going strong by the end of the Ashes in January and through to the World Cup,” The Sun quoted Broad, as saying.

“By being dropped for that reason, I at least have the confidence that I”m in the long-term plans,” he added.

The 23-year-old said that he was unhappy with the selectors’ decision to drop him for the Bangladesh Test series.

“It was a hard phone call to take when the selectors told me. They gave their reasons and were adamant it wasn”t form. So if I”m taking wickets during an Ashes win in Australia and the World Cup, it will have been worth it,” Broad said.

He further insisted that the current England one-day side is different from the one that lost 6-1 to Australia last summer.

“These five games against Australia this summer are important — it”s crucial we continue the momentum we”ve built up in one-day cricket. Now we back ourselves and each other to play fearless cricket. We look a different team and that”s why we won the World Twenty20,” Broad said.

“We want to keep beating Australia. We have the Ashes and won that Twenty20 final — it”s hugely important we keep getting these little things over them,” he added. (ANI)

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Industrial growth touches 17.6 percent

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, June 11 (ANI): Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here today that industrial sector registered 17.6 percent growth for the period ending in April.

“17.6 is quite encouraging, and touchwood if the monsoon keeps its date then it would be possible for us to reach the growth agriculture, and industrial manufacturing and service sector is also having a momentum that would have a very positive impact on the overall growth scenario,” said Mukherjee.

Mukherjee added that he would have been much happier if the figures would have reached 20%.

The industrial output grew at a much stronger-than-expected pace in April, reinforcing expectations the Reserve Bank will lift rates for the third time this year at a policy review late next month.

Industrial output rose 17.6 percent in April from a year earlier, the strongest since December 2009, helped by buoyant domestic consumer demand, a revival in exports, and higher infrastructure spending, the statistics showed on Friday. (ANI)

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UPDATE 1-Premier Farnell Q1 pretax profit higher

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) – British electronics components distributor Premier Farnell (PFL.L) said quarterly profits rose 71 percent year-on-year as sales grew strongly and the company benefited from being well prepared for the economic recovery.

The company, which sells items ranging from batteries to microchips, on Thursday posted underlying pretax profit in the three months ended April of 22 million pounds ($31.8 million) compared to 13 million in the same period last year.

Premier Farnell said the focus on its electronic design engineering sector helped to drive growth, while sales in China, India and Eastern Europe were up by 113 percent, 74 percent and 75.6 percent respectively.

“The very positive momentum in sales growth that we have seen in the first quarter has accelerated in all of our distribution businesses in May, with group sales growing 30 percent year on year,” said Chief Executive Harriet Green.

Shares in the company closed at 219.6 pence on Wednesday, valuing the company at 792.3 million pounds. (Reporting by Sarah Young, Editing by Mark Potter)

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US copper falls to 5-month low after jobs data

June 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 4 (Reuters) – The price of copper fell to a five-month below $2.90 per lb in New York futures trade Friday morning, after data showed U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose 431,000, down from analyst forecasts for 513,000.

Basic Materials

Copper for July delivery HGN0 tumbled 6.65 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $2.88 per lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange’s COMEX division, its lowest level since. Selling momentum gathered pace, dragging the price down to an early low at $2.8625, its lowest since early February. (Reporting by Chris Kelly; Editing by John Picinich)

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Brand Neue Corp. Closes $1.265M Private Placement

June 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS, Jun 04 (MARKET WIRE) —
Brand Neue Corp. (OTCBB: BRNZ) (“Brand Neue” or the
“Company”) is pleased to announce that it has closed a
non-brokered private placement (the “Private Placement”) with
multiple accredited investors (the “Investors”) resulting in
aggregate proceeds to the Company treasury of $1.265M USD to fund
inventory purchases, product innovation and general corporate purposes.

The Private Placement represents an investment by the Investors in Brand
Neue comprised of investment purchase financing consisting of 2,530,000
(two million, five hundred thirty thousand) common shares (“Common
Shares”) of the Company at a price of $0.50 per share for aggregate
proceeds to the Company of $1,265,000.00 (one million, two hundred and
sixty five thousand dollars).

“We are extraordinarily pleased by the completion of this
transaction, and also with the quality and enthusiasm of new investors in
the Company,” says Brand Neue CFO, Bev Harrison. “This capital
will be used primarily for inventory purchases related to pending
purchase orders, which should in turn create momentum and expedite a
cash-flow positive position for the Company.”

To receive Company news as it crosses the wire, simply contribute your
email address to the News Signup module found on the homepage of the
Company website at www.brandneue.com. To request investor or product
information, please use the Request Information form on the Brand Neue
website. To submit an idea or product for consideration by Brand Neue
executives, please use the confidential Innovation Submission form on the
Brand Neue website.

About Brand Neue Corp.

Brand Neue Corp. is a product innovation company trading over the counter
on the OTC:BB under the symbol BRNZ. Brand Neue executives and advisors
have more than 300 years of retail, global sourcing and brand experience
and together, are committed to globally sourcing, developing, marketing,
licensing and distributing innovative new products to retail,
manufacturing and industrial application clients worldwide. For further
information, please contact the Brand Neue office at 1.866.922.7972 or
visit www.brandneue.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This current report contains “forward-looking statements”, as
that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act
of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Statements in this current report, which are not purely historical are
forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs,
plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking
statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others,
the inherent uncertainty of financial estimates and sales projections,
industry trends, the competitive and regulatory environment for start up
companies, stock market conditions, unforeseen technical difficulties and
our ongoing ability to operate a business and obtain financing. These
forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release,
and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or
to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those
projected in the forward-looking statements.

Although we believe that our beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions
contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no
assurances that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will
prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set
forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure
outlined in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports
on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act.

Contacts:
Brand Neue Corp.
John J. Ryan III
President
1.866.922.7972
www.brandneue.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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The Impact of the U.S. Service Sector on Jobs

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, Jun 03 (MARKET WIRE) —
www.rothmanresearch.com – The economy in the United States has so far not
faltered on its track to recovery. It has gained momentum with positive
readings from the manufacturing sector, shown consolidation with
construction expenditures soaring to almost a 10 year high, and the
service sector has been surging for the last 17 months. With a pending
fundamental piece of data concerning the Institute for Supply
Management’s non-manufacturing index scheduled for release today,
financial experts are anticipating that the index will cap 55.6 in May,
higher than the readings for April 2010. Growth in the service sector is
a crucial step towards recovery as this sector makes about 70% of the
economy and is also a superlative indicator of the health of U.S.
employment as it accounts for close to 80% of U.S. jobs with the
exception of farm-workers.

www.rothmanresearch.com is a source for investors seeking free
information on the Personal Services industry; investors are encouraged
to sign up for free at

http://www.rothmanresearch.com/index.php?id=6&name=Register.

However, recovery does come with a cost for companies as they strive to
be competitive especially after the level of damage the recent recession
had on the U.S. economy. Cost cutting and restructuring to meet the new
challenges of a changing market environment was and is still common
practice throughout the different business spectrums. Western Union Co.
(NYSE: WU) which falls in the Personal Services industry is currently
restructuring its operations, and this will involve cutting 175 jobs
worldwide, closing and scaling back of facilities and migration of 550
jobs. Whilst restructuring charges is estimated at around $80 million
through 2011, the company is looking forward to save approximately $50
million at the end of 2011. Investors welcomed the news from Western
union as positive.

*Direct & free downloadable research report on Western Union Co. is
available by signing up now at

http://www.rothmanresearch.com/article/wu/23556/Jun-03-2010.html

Another player in the personal services space that has been catching
investors’ attention of late is Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE:
JTX) which has recently forecasted its 2010 revenue above the street
estimates. Jackson Hewitt anticipates its fiscal 2010 revenue to be in
the range of $211 to $214 million which beats industry projection of
$193.1 million for the year. The company has also started to cut about
15% of its work force expecting to save around $5 million pretax in 2011.

*Complimentary downloadable research on Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.
is accessible upon registration at

http://www.rothmanresearch.com/article/jtx/23557/Jun-03-2010.html

Together with the Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing
index data, investors will be watching the much anticipated ADP National
Employment Report and initial jobless claims today. Friday for its part
will shed some light on the non-farm payrolls data and the U.S.
unemployment data. These economic health indicator reports are highly
valued by the investors’ community, and they will set the trading mood
for the next few days and weeks.

Companies looking for additional media or advertising services can call
Blue Chip IR at 1-917-267-8836

About Rothman Research
Rothman Research brings independent company and
sector research together, utilizing top financial advisors and investment
tactics to provide you with a clear picture of investment opportunities.

For More Information Contact:
Jack Benassi
info@rothmanresearch.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Hobbling Date Krumm, 39, stuns Safina in Paris

May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm made a mockery of a 15-year age gap by stunning former world number one and last year’s runner-up Dinara Safina 3-6 6-4 7-5 in the French Open first round on Tuesday.

Date Krumm, 39, made her Roland Garros debut in 1989, when Safina was just three, and with the victory became the second oldest player behind Britain’s Virginia Wade to win a main draw women’s singles match in Paris since the game went professional.

The Japanese player repeatedly called on the trainer to treat a calf problem during the match and lost the first set in 36 minutes, but Safina lost focus and Date Krumm prevailed after two hours and 34 minutes.

“I am very sad for her, very happy for me. I just tried,” Date Krumm said in a courtside interview.

“I was more thinking about her than about myself, what I had to do. I lost the momentum,” Safina, who could barely put the ball in court by the end, told reporters.

“In the first set I think I was doing pretty good, but then I got tight and I lost the motion.”

The Kyoto-born Date Krumm, who had called it quits in 1996 before returning to the tour two years ago, looked set for a quick drubbing at the hands of last year’s finalist when she went 5-0 down in the opening set.

Date Krumm, now 72 in the WTA standings and making her first Roland Garros appearance since 1996, did not panic, however. She managed three games in a row before letting the first set slip.

She went 4-2 down in the second set before reeling off four games as Safina lost her composure, smashing her racket into the ground but sparing the courtside geranium displays.

Safina broke again in the third set to open a 4-1 lead as Date Krumm, her face a mask of pain, stretched at the change of ends and had the tape on her right calf tightened by the trainer.

With her Russian opponent making a string of unforced errors, Date Krumm, who has reached the last four in all grand slams apart from the U.S. Open, simply hung on, waiting for Safina to crack.

The unthinkable eventually happened as Safina fired a forehand long on her first match point.

(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Walcott admits he did not deserve to be part of 2006 Germany WC England squad

May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 26(ANI): England striker Theo Walcott has admitted that he did not deserve his place in the Germany World Cup squad four years ago, but now he does.

Former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson had stunned fans when he named Walcott in his 23-man squad for the 2006 finals. At the time, Walcott was just 17 and had never played in a Premier League clash.

However, the 21-year-old reckons that he has since brushed aside his baby-faced image and has earned his place in the team.

“It feels so much different to last time. I had not played in the Premier League and did not deserve to go to Germany, I knew that. I am now playing in the Premier League and the World Cup qualifiers and am doing quite well,” The Sun quoted Walcott, as saying.

“I feel I am there by rights and, fingers crossed, I will be on that plane. There are a lot of world-class players on the right-hand side for England and it is a great competition to be a part of,” he added.

Walcott further said that he was satisfied with his performance in Monday’s friendly 3-1 victory over Mexico, and insisted that the key is to keep the momentum going.

“Now it is vital that I focus on the training camp in Austria leading up to the Japan game and not look too far ahead, as there is still a lot of work to do,” he added. (ANI)

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Afghan war is at a stalemate: General McChrystal

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kabul, May 14 (ANI): The top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has said the war is at a stalemate.

General Stanley McChrystal said the momentum of the resurgent Taliban militants has been stopped, but for now, nobody is winning.

In an interview on PBS”s NewsHour, Gen McChrystal said he saw significant progress for the allies fighting the Taliban this year.

He said the uprising remains serious, with a reach that spans the country and a large number of fighters. (ANI)

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No govt in UK yet, Brown to quit as Labour leader

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 10 — Four days after a general election produced a hung parliament, efforts by British parties to agree on a power-sharing deal gathered momentum on Monday after PM Gordon Brown offered to step down while urging politicians to form a “progressive coalition government” with his Labour party. “I believe it could be in the interests of the country to form a progressive coalition government,” said Brown as he announced the launch of formal party discussions to negotiate a deal with the Liberal Democratic party on the request of its leader Nick Clegg.

Alongside, Brown offered to step down by the time Labour meets for its annual meet in autumn. “I intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election and would hope that it would be completed in time for the new leader to be in post by the time of the Labour Party conference,” he said.

The British premier’s surprise announcement came as fissures appeared between the centrist Lib Dems and Conservatives over key issues of education, taxation and voting reforms. David Law, a spokesman for the party whose 57 lawmakers are key to forming Britain’s next government, said the parliamentary party had asked for “clarification on details” on these issues.

The demand was made in a marathon two-hour meeting between Clegg and his recently-elected MPs.

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World 20-20: Numb, dumb Proteas could not pace their chase, and have to depart

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Cape Town, May 11 (ANI): When you look back on the World Twenty20 event as a whole, South Africa was not at the races, because they barely even poked their heads out of the stables.

There was only one strong performance that clinically saw off New Zealand, but after that, came successive losses in 48 hours to England and Pakistan.

The South Africans are now packing their bags for home.

The Proteas were uninspiring and failed to learn the lessons of their failed chases against India and then England, when they could not establish momentum at the top of the order and the asking rate climbed and climbed with nobody appearing to give a hoot as the nudging and caressing for singles continued complacently.

It has been a problem throughout the tournament for South Africa. The pacing of the South African innings has been a standout problem through the Caribbean venture and it sealed their fate, reports sports24.com. (ANI)

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Momentum stalls in April clothing sales: SpendingPulse

May 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Electronics and luxury items were the fastest-growing U.S. sales categories in the retail sector in April, but weakness in apparel suggests that a sustained recovery in overall retail may be too soon to call, according to a report released on Tuesday.

“What we saw in April was generally a mixed bag of results, especially compared to the generally strong results in March,” said Mike Berry, director of industry research for MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, which estimates total retail sales across all payment forms.

While high-profile gadgets like Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iPad helped consumer electronics sales to a 9.7 percent rise in April — up from 4.5 percent in March and a 6.9 percent decline a year earlier — clothing sales didn’t see the same increase.

Women’s clothing sales fell 4.1 percent in April, compared to a rise of 4.2 percent in March, SpendingPulse said. The overall U.S. specialty apparel category fell 3.9 percent.

Some of that decline is due to an earlier Easter, meaning many pre-holiday sales were logged in March rather than April.

“Still, we saw a little more softness than I think we expected on the apparel side,” said Berry. “If you combine March and April we’re basically flat year over year, which is slightly disappointing.”

Car sales spurred by dealer incentives may have stolen sales from apparel, Berry said, noting that the first financing payments for vehicles purchased earlier this year may have come due in April.

Analysts, on average, expect April same-store sales to rise 1.6 percent, with a 5.4 percent gain for the combined March and April period, according to Thomson Reuters data.

MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse bases its data on aggregated sales activity in the Mastercard payments network, together with estimates for payment forms like cash and check.

ARE WE BACK?

Luxury retail sales logged their third straight month of double-digit growth during April, according to SpendingPulse. Excluding jewelry, those sales rose 15.5 percent, versus 22.7 percent growth in March and 22.7 percent in February.

The mixed results from the range of categories points to lingering consumer caution that has kept most retail sales still shy of 2008 levels.

“Have we bounced off the bottom? Yes, we’ve definitely bounced off the bottom — but are we back? In most segments the answer is no,” said Berry.

Since the 2009 holiday season, when consumers opened their wallets to spend after a long period of austerity brought on by the recession, retailers have been trying to see if that spending will continue.

“What we saw in March was the beginnings of the indications that that was indeed happening,” said Berry. “But with these April results, that has tempered the enthusiasm a little bit, although some was due to the calendar shift.”

The focus will now move to May, but that low-spending month is dominated by home improvement projects and the start of the summer family travel season.

MasterCard Advisors is the professional services arm of MasterCard Worldwide. (Reporting by Alexandria Sage; Editing by Bernard Orr)

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