tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66268312414800633412024-03-13T12:34:37.834-07:00786 INTEL786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-77279976245115963282009-12-25T07:06:00.001-08:002009-12-25T07:06:54.444-08:00Thailand’s SET May Rise 4.5% Next Week, Bualuang Says (Update2)<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="margin: 0pt 5px 0pt 0pt; float: left; text-align: justify;"> <div id="newsphoto"> <img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=iL8XgqzqsdkM" alt="" width="220" border="0" height="165" /></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> Thailand’s <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SET%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SET:IND' ))">SET Index</a> may rise 4.5 percent next week, extending its biggest gain in six years, as individual investors buy more mutual funds to meet a year-end tax deadline, Morgan Stanley’s Thai partner said. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SET%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SET:IND' ))">measure</a> may rise to as high as 760 by the end of the year from yesterday’s close of 727.21, according to Bualuang Securities Pcl, which has a tie up with Morgan Stanley for Thai research. That would be the highest level since July 2008. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“There should be more money inflow into the equity market next week as it’s the last chance for local individuals to buy mutual funds for tax savings,” Pongrat Ratanatavanananda, an investment strategist at Bualuang, said by phone from Bangkok. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SET%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SET:IND' ))">SET</a> has gained 62 percent this year on expectations the economic recovery will boost earnings. Southeast Asia’s second- largest economy shrank 2.8 percent last quarter, the smallest contraction in a year, as it pulls out of the global slump. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Local individuals are expected to invest at least 5 billion baht ($151 million) in mutual funds that provide tax breaks, Tisco Securities Co., Deutsche Bank AG’s partner in Thailand, said in a report on Dec. 22. The gauge today rose 0.4 percent to 730.41, the highest close since Oct. 19. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Thai individuals may invest more in the so-called long-term equity fund and the retirement fund as the government offers tax breaks for as much as 1 million baht on these investments. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">More Local Buying </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Local institutions, which include mutual fund and insurance companies, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=THIVINSN%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'THIVINSN:IND' ))">bought</a> 484 million baht of domestic stocks more than they sold yesterday, an 14th straight day of net buying, according to the exchange’s data. Overseas investors sold a net 64 million baht of the stocks, the first net selling in three days. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">A court decision to lift a suspension on construction for some projects in the Map Ta Phut industrial complex has also “dramatically” boosted investor sentiment, Pongrat said today. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">On Dec. 22, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said 19 projects of the stalled 65 may be allowed to proceed. The Administrative Court said on Dec. 23 a project of Siam Yamato Steel, an affiliate of <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SCC%3ATB" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SCC:TB' ))">Siam Cement Pcl</a>, can proceed because it obtained an environmental impact assessment certificate before the 2007 constitution was promulgated. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Pongrat recommended shares of <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=PTT%3ATB" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'PTT:TB' ))">PTT Pcl</a> and Siam Cement, whose projects have been suspended by the court, on expectations that the court may allow construction of their plants to proceed soon. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-44685283632545411722009-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:002009-12-25T07:06:20.129-08:00China’s Stocks Drop for First Time in Three Days; Zijin Falls<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SHCOMP%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SHCOMP:IND' ))">China’s stocks</a> dropped for the first time in three days, paring a weekly gain, on concern new share sales will divert money from existing equities. <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=601899%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '601899:CH' ))">Zijin Mining Group Co.</a> and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=601088%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '601088:CH' ))">China Shenhua Energy Co.</a>, the nation’s largest producers of gold and coal, lost at least 1.3 percent as eight companies debuted in Shenzhen’s ChiNext market for start-up companies today. Pharmaceutical companies <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=600380%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '600380:CH' ))">Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industry Co.</a> advanced as investors sought so-called safe havens that aren’t easily affected by the economic swings. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SHCOMP%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SHCOMP:IND' ))">Shanghai Composite Index</a> fell 12.06, or 0.4 percent, to 3,141.35 at the close. It added 0.9 percent in the past five days, its first weekly gain in three weeks. The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SHSZ300%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SHSZ300:IND' ))">CSI 300 Index</a>, measuring exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, declined 0.4 percent to 3,424.78. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“The market will be in a fluctuating pattern until the end of the year,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Wu+Kan&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Wu Kan</a>, a Shanghai-based fund manager at Dazhong Insurance Co., which manages about $285 million. “The market won’t have a strong performance, unless the government slows down new share sales.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Shanghai gauge has rallied 73 percent this year as government spending and a credit boom helped the nation’s economy recover from its steepest slump in more than a decade. The index has dropped 1.7 percent this month as a flood of share sales diverted funds from existing equities and the government raised down payments on land purchases. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Zijin, Jiangxi Copper </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Zijin Mining lost 1.9 percent to 9.47 yuan after rising 4.7 percent yesterday. Shenhua fell 1.3 percent to 32.79 yuan. The stock gained 4.8 percent yesterday. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=600362%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '600362:CH' ))">Jiangxi Copper Co.</a>, China’s biggest producer of the metal, lost 1.7 percent to 37.93 yuan. Zhongjin Gold Corp., the country’s second-largest bullion producer by market value, slid 2.6 percent to 56.21 yuan. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Eight companies including <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=300029%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '300029:CH' ))">Jiangsu Huasheng Tianlong Photoelectric Co.</a> and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=300030%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '300030:CH' ))">Guangzhou Improve Medical Instrument Co.</a> jumped on the first day of trading in the ChiNext market for technology-heavy start-ups. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">They are the second batch of companies that have been listed on the market, adding to the first 28 companies that went public at the end of October. ChiNext has less stringent rules for listing compared with the nation’s two main exchanges. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Mainland companies have raised 194 billion yuan ($28 billion) from initial public offerings this year, 87 percent more than the whole of 2008, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, as an improving economy lures investors. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">New Listings </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Anhui Xinhua Media Co., the biggest publishing house in the province, said it plans to raise 712 million yuan in an initial public offering in Shanghai to fund its expansion. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Joincare Pharmaceutical advanced 6.3 percent to 12.17 yuan, rising for a fifth day. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=600436%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '600436:CH' ))">Zhangzhou Pientzehuang Pharmaceutical Co.</a>, a manufacturer of Chinese traditional medicine, gained 3.1 percent to 39.08 yuan. A measure tracking health-care stocks gained 1.5 percent today, the second biggest among the CSI 300’s 10 industry groups. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The following companies were among the most active in China’s markets. Stock symbols are in brackets after companies’ names. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=002051%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '002051:CH' ))">China CAMC Engineering Co.</a> (002051 CH) rose 3.4 percent to 25.70 yuan after the company said 2009 net income may rise 30 percent to 50 percent. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=600382%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '600382:CH' ))">Guangdong Mingzhu Group Co.</a> (600382 CH) rose by the 10 percent daily limit to 8.55 yuan after saying it received a 78.8 million yuan dividend payment from Guangdong Dading Mining Co. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=601139%3ACH" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '601139:CH' ))">Shenzhen Gas Corp.</a> (601139 CH), a supplier of bottled gas, more than doubled to 15.17 yuan in its Shanghai trading debut after raising 903.5 million yuan in its initial public offering. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-38970689476625581632009-12-25T06:18:00.001-08:002009-12-25T06:18:30.259-08:00U.K. Stocks Gain; FTSE 100 Reaches Highest Since September 2008<div style="margin: 0pt 5px 0pt 0pt; float: left; text-align: justify;"> <div id="newsphoto"> <img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=ic98tPJTTTd8" alt="" width="220" border="0" height="165" /></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> Dec. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=UKX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'UKX:IND' ))">U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index</a> rose to the highest level since September 2008, with the benchmark gauge extending its biggest annual rally since 1997, as shares of mining companies advanced. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=FRES%3ALN" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'FRES:LN' ))">Fresnillo Plc</a>, Rio Tinto Group and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=BLT%3ALN" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'BLT:LN' ))">BHP Billiton Ltd.</a> gained at least 1.3 percent as metals prices climbed on the London Metal Exchange. RSA Insurance Group Plc, the U.K.’s biggest non-life insurer, led declining shares. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=UKX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'UKX:IND' ))">FTSE 100</a> gained 30.03, or 0.6 percent, to 5,402.41, bringing this year’s rally to 22 percent. That’s the highest closing level since Sept. 12 last year, the final trading session before Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. filed for the world’s biggest bankruptcy. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The measure has rebounded 53 percent <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=UKX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'UKX:IND' ))">since March 9</a> as central banks cut interest rates to record lows and governments worldwide committed about $12 trillion to revive the economy. The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=ASX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'ASX:IND' ))">FTSE All-Share Index</a> rose 0.4 percent today and Ireland’s ISEQ Index slipped 1.1 percent. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“It’s been a good few weeks” for equities, said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Manoj%0ALadwa&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Manoj Ladwa</a>, a markets strategist at ETX Capital in London. “Whether momentum can be maintained in 2010 is a tougher question.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Fresnillo, the world’s largest primary silver producer, surged 6.1 percent to 793.5 pence. BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest mining company, advanced 1.3 percent to 1,970 pence. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=RIO%3ALN" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'RIO:LN' ))">Rio Tinto</a>, the third largest, gained 2.3 percent to 3,370 pence. Copper, lead, nickel and tin prices climbed in London. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">RSA Insurance slipped 1.5 percent to 119.1 pence, leading declining shares on the FTSE 100. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Trading on the London Stock Exchange closed at 12:30 p.m. for the Christmas holiday. All markets in Europe are closed tomorrow and the U.K. market will also be shut on Dec. 28. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-53740645622317329262009-12-25T06:16:00.000-08:002009-12-25T06:18:01.934-08:00European Stocks Advance for Second Week on Economic Recovery<p style="text-align: justify;"> European stocks rose for a second week, with the benchmark <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SXXP%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SXXP:IND' ))">Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index</a> heading for its largest annual increase in a decade, amid signs the global economy is recovering. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=RDSA%3ALN" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'RDSA:LN' ))">Royal Dutch Shell Plc</a> and <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=FP%3AFP" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'FP:FP' ))">Total SA</a> led gains among oil producers as crude advanced after stockpiles of the commodity fell more than expected. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=ALBK%3AID" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'ALBK:ID' ))">Allied Irish Banks Plc</a> rallied after saying it is looking at ways to raise capital next year. The Stoxx 600 gained 2.3 percent this past week to 251.9, extending its 27 percent rally this year. Most equity markets across Europe were closed yesterday and all are closed today for Christmas vacation. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">A 59 percent surge on the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SXXP%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SXXP:IND' ))">regional benchmark</a> gauge from March has been spurred by record-low interest rates in the U.S. and Europe and by governments worldwide that have committed about $12 trillion to revive credit markets and stimulate economic growth. Sales of existing homes in the U.S. topped forecasts Dec. 22, the latest sign the world’s largest economy is emerging from recession. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Markets still look to be reasonably good value and we expect profits are going to grow pretty quickly next year,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Kevin+Gardiner&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Kevin Gardiner</a>, the London-based head of investment strategy at Barclays Wealth, in a Bloomberg Television interview. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Earnings for companies in the Stoxx 600 are expected to climb 29 percent next year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with a forecast for a 7.4 percent increase in 2009 profits. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Earnings Growth </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">European equity strategists said earnings growth can push stocks 11 percent higher in 2010 following this year’s rally, according to a Dec. 22 survey. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank of America Corp., which underestimated the strength of this year’s gains, predict shares in the region may climb more than 20 percent over the next 12 months. Morgan Stanley is the only brokerage among 16 surveyed by Bloomberg to estimate a retreat by year-end, saying the withdrawal of government stimulus will weigh on equities. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Lower than normal trading volumes this week may continue next week, according to market analyst <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Cameron+Peacock&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Cameron Peacock</a> at IG Markets in Melbourne. All western European equity markets will be closed Jan. 1 for a holiday and the U.K. market is closed Dec. 28. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The U.K.’s FTSE 100 climbed 4 percent this week, while France’s CAC 40 rose 3.1 percent. Germany’s DAX gained 2.2 percent as <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=IFX%3AGY" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'IFX:GY' ))">Infineon Technologies AG</a> surged on a revised sales estimate. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Shell </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Shell, Europe’s largest oil producer, gained 6.7 percent and Total, the third-biggest, added 5.8 percent. Crude oil climbed as a government report showed a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. stockpiles and amid the latest signs the economy is recovering from its recession. Oil and gas companies rose more than any of the other 19 <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SXX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SXX:IND' ))">industry groups</a> on the Stoxx 600. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Sales of existing U.S. homes rose more than forecast in November, to the highest level in more than two years, a National Association of Realtors report showed Dec. 22. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=ALBK%3AIR" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'ALBK:IR' ))">Allied Irish Banks</a> surged 15 percent and Bank of Ireland soared 19 percent, the two biggest movers on the Stoxx 600 this week. Allied Irish shareholders approved its participation in a so-called bad bank that will buy loans from lenders at an average 30 percent discount, reflecting a fall in land values over the past two years. The bank said it may need to rely on the government after it transfers loans to the bad bank. The government already has a 25 percent stake in each of the two largest Irish banks. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Infineon, Debenhams </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Infineon Technologies climbed 5.9 percent after Europe’s second-largest chipmaker said revenue will grow by a better- than-expected “high single digit” in the quarter ending Dec. 31 on improved sales in the automotive and industrial units. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=DEB%3ALN" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'DEB:LN' ))">Debenhams</a> lost 1.5 percent, paring its rally this year to 234 percent. UBS AG added the U.K.’s second-largest department-store chain to its “least preferred” list of stocks. UBS said “we see a higher risk to Christmas sales performance given the strong showing last year, a mild autumn and the recent cold snap which we think may have affected footfall,” according to a report sent to clients. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-20637972420349512412009-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:002009-12-25T06:02:31.857-08:00U.S. Stocks Rise, S&P 500 Reaches 15-Month High on CommoditiesU.S. stocks rose, pushing the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SPX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SPX:IND' ))">Standard & Poor’s 500 Index</a> to a 15-month high, as higher commodity prices boosted metal producers and reports showed the economy is improving. <p style="text-align: justify;">Alcoa Inc. and U.S. Steel Corp. helped lead a measure of raw-material producers in the S&P 500 up 4.2 percent, the biggest gain in six weeks. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=AIG%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'AIG:US' ))">American International Group Inc.</a> added 6.9 percent, the most since September, after people familiar with the matter said the insurer halted an initial public offering of its Chartis property-casualty unit. </p><div> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SPX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SPX:IND' ))">S&P 500</a> rallied 2.2 percent to 1,126.48 this week, surpassing 1,120.84 to recover half its loss from the 17-month bear market that ended in March. The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=INDU%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'INDU:IND' ))">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a> advanced 1.9 percent to 10,520.10. U.S. exchanges closed three hours early yesterday and are shut today Christmas. Trading at the New York Stock Exchange yesterday was the slowest since Dec. 24, 1998, with 319.3 million shares changing hands. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“I’m optimistic on the market, at least for the first half of the year,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Ethan+Anderson&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Ethan Anderson</a>, who helps oversee $900 million as a senior money manager for Rehmann in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Investors and the stock market are making up.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SPX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SPX:IND' ))">S&P 500</a> has risen five straight days, the longest winning streak in almost two months, after sales of existing homes topped forecasts and consumer spending rose. It has added 67 percent since March after governments around the world enacted stimulus measures and the U.S. lent, spent or guaranteed more than $11 trillion to end the recession. The S&P 500 is up 25 percent this year, the largest annual gain since 2003. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Economic Barometer </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=.USYIELD%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, '.USYIELD:IND' ))">Treasury yield curve</a>, a barometer of the health of the U.S. economy, widened to a record this week as investors bet an accelerating recovery will fuel inflation and hurt demand for unprecedented sales of government debt. The difference between 2- and 10-year Treasury note yields increased to 285 basis points on Dec. 22. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=AA%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'AA:US' ))">Alcoa</a> soared 12 percent to $16.34 for the biggest gain in the Dow average. Morgan Stanley lifted the largest U.S. aluminum producer to “overweight” on speculation metal prices will keep rallying. U.S. Steel increased 16 percent to $56.86. Copper and oil prices climbed, helping send the Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index of 19 raw materials up 1.7 percent. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“There’s still a lot of buying power out there,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Peter+Sorrentino&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Peter Sorrentino</a>, who helps manage $13.8 billion at Huntington Asset Management in Cincinnati. “It’s a market that’s transitioning from being liquidity-driven to being earnings- driven, and the big search now is for who has got that earnings power.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">No IPO </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">AIG gained 6.9 percent to $30.12. The company stopped preparations for an IPO of Chartis after <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Robert+Benmosche&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Robert Benmosche</a>, who started as AIG’s chief executive officer in August, told employees that he considers the business a core holding, according to two people who declined to be identified because an announcement hasn’t been made. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Economic growth in the U.S. is accelerating even more than previously anticipated as business investment picks up and stockpiles fall at a slower pace, according to economists at Morgan Stanley in New York. The economy is poised to grow at a 5.1 percent annual rate from October through December, according to a revised forecast by Morgan Stanley following the Commerce Department’s report on durable goods yesterday. The new estimate is a percentage point higher than their earlier projection.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Excluding demand for <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=TRAN%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'TRAN:IND' ))">transportation</a> equipment, which is often volatile, bookings for long-lasting goods climbed a greater-than-forecast 2 percent in November, figures from the showed yesterday. Initial jobless claims also fell by 28,000 to 452,000 in the week ended Dec. 19, the fewest since September 2008, according to the Labor Department. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Cintas Corp. tumbled 11 percent to $26.37 for the biggest decline in the S&P 500. The largest U.S. supplier of uniforms reported quarterly earnings that <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=CTAS%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'CTAS:US' ))">missed</a> the average analyst estimate by 8.7 percent. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-13316811156317057052009-12-25T05:58:00.002-08:002009-12-25T05:59:37.600-08:00Electronics for Imaging, Sunrise, Qualcomm: U.S. Equity Preview<p style="text-align: justify;"> Shares of the following companies may have unusual moves in <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SPX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SPX:IND' ))">U.S. trading</a>. Stock symbols are in parentheses. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=EFII%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'EFII:US' ))">Electronics for Imaging Inc.</a> (EFII US): The digital- printing company said its tender offer was oversubscribed and that it had accepted orders to buy about 5.5 million shares at $12.75 a share. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=QCOM%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'QCOM:US' ))">Qualcomm Inc.</a> (QCOM US): The world’s biggest maker of chips for mobile phones said that Len Lauer, chief operating officer, has resigned and accepted a role as chief executive officer at another company. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=SRZ%3AUS" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'SRZ:US' ))">Sunrise Senior Living Inc.</a> (SRZ US): The manager of retirement communities said its Sunrise Connecticut Avenue Assisted Living unit amended its credit line, making a $5 million payment on the principal of $29.5 million of outstanding borrowings and suspending or amending some covenants. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-24163048198160694322009-12-25T05:58:00.001-08:002009-12-25T05:58:32.971-08:00Dollar to Gain on Fed, European Ratings Concern, Thin Says<div style="margin: 0pt 5px 0pt 0pt; float: left; text-align: justify;"> <div id="newsphoto"> <img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=iY6Ccrd3CmvI" alt="" width="220" border="0" height="165" /></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> Dec. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar will recover against its major counterparts as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates and European nations face credit-rating reductions, according to Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Standard & Poor’s cut Greece’s rating on Dec. 16 to BBB+, three steps above high-risk, high-yield status, and said the ranking may drop further. Concern about a default among the 16 sovereign nations making up the euro area helped push the common currency down from its highest this year against the greenback. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain are really coming under stress,” <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Win+Thin%2C&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Win Thin,</a> a senior currency strategist in New York at Brown Brothers, said in a Bloomberg Radio interview. “It’s one thing we think will weigh on the euro over the medium term.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The dollar has rallied 5.4 percent since trading at $1.5144 per euro on Nov. 25, the fastest 21-day appreciation since January. The U.S. currency gained against the yen and 12 other of its 16 most actively traded counterparts since then as traders added to bets the Fed will raise rates next year. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“The dollar can turn around versus the majors and pick up some lost ground,” Thin said. “Once the Fed starts hiking, the yen resumes its role as the major carry trade currency.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">In the carry trade, investors borrow in one currency to invest at higher yields in another. The trade earns a profit based on the difference between the two rates and may lose money should the funding currency strengthen. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Fed funds futures on the Chicago Board of Trade indicate a 91 percent chance the U.S. central bank raises rates by November, up from 84 percent a month ago. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-46042625585336002502009-12-25T05:57:00.000-08:002009-12-25T05:58:07.016-08:00Central Banks Avoiding Dollar to Kill 2010 Rally, Barclays Says<div style="margin: 0pt 5px 0pt 0pt; float: left; text-align: justify;"> <div id="newsphoto"> <img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=isxNc2eS0fmw" alt="" width="220" border="0" height="165" /></div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> U.S. dollar’s gains may end in the middle of 2010 as central banks shy away from adding greenbacks to their reserves and the Federal Reserve raises rates at a slower pace than investors expect, Barclays Plc said. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Long-term demand for dollars is set to weaken after the currency’s share of global reserves added in the third quarter slid to less than 30 percent, a decline “unprecedented in a period of U.S. dollar weakness,” Barclays said in a note to clients. The dollar stemmed 11 months of declines versus the 16 most-traded currencies in December, gaining against all but two, after investors increased bets the Fed will remove monetary <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=FDTR%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'FDTR:IND' ))">stimulus</a> next year as the economy recovers. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“We see the dollar strengthening in the first six to nine months of 2010 when the focus is on liquidity withdrawal and tightening of rates,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Steven+Englander&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Steven Englander</a>, chief U.S. currency strategist at Barclays in New York, in a telephone interview. “Once the market gets past this initial fear of tightening, the reality will be that the Fed isn’t going to be tightening very fast and we’ll see dollar selling again.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Dollar Index -- which measures the currency against the euro, yen, pound, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc and Swedish krona -- has dropped 4.2 percent this year. It has climbed 4.1 percent in December and traded at 77.928 as of 9:28 a.m. in Tokyo. The U.S. dollar has registered its biggest declines against the Brazilian real, Australian dollar and South African rand dropping by more than 25 percent this year against each. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Global Reserves </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Global reserves probably gained by about $180 billion in the third quarter with U.S. dollar-denominated reserves accounting for about $50 billion or less than 30 percent, Barclays estimated, using data from the International Monetary Fund and U.S. official reports. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The bank adjusted for changes in the value of currencies over that period to capture “actual buying and selling, rather than passive gains and losses” Englander wrote in the note. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The dollar declined against all but the yen among the 16 most-active currencies this year. That prompted China and Russia, holders of the world’s biggest and third-biggest currency reserves, to express concern about their U.S.- denominated investments. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Emerging market central banks are selling their local currencies and buying U.S. dollars to prevent appreciation of their currencies,” Englander said. “They’re avoiding having a bigger concentration of U.S. dollars in their portfolio by turning around and selling dollars against the euro and other currencies.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Canadian Dollars </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Canada’s Finance Minister <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Jim+Flaherty&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Jim Flaherty</a> said this week that China, may be poised to buy Canadian dollars as it seeks to shield its $2.3 trillion worth of reserves against the U.S. dollar’s decline. Russia’s central bank said last month it will add Canadian dollars to its reserves and may include more currencies to reduce its dependence on the U.S. dollar. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Declines in the greenback mostly stalled this month as traders bet on a 48 percent chance that Fed Chairman <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Ben+S.%0ABernanke&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Ben S. Bernanke</a> will increase the target rate for overnight lending between banks by June. Policy makers will end most emergency lending programs and debt purchases by March because of “improvements in the functioning of financial markets” and stabilizing labor markets, the Federal Open Market Committee said on Dec. 16. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Unemployment, Retail </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Reports this month showed the U.S.’s <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=USURTOT%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'USURTOT:IND' ))">jobless rate</a> unexpectedly fell, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=RSTAMOM%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'RSTAMOM:IND' ))">retail sales</a> beat forecasts and purchases of existing homes rose to the highest level in almost three years in November. Benchmark rates are as low as zero percent in the U.S. compared with 8.75 percent in Brazil and 3.75 percent in <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=RBACTR%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'RBACTR:IND' ))">Australia</a>. They are 0.1 percent in Japan and 1 percent in the Euro region. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Barclays forecasts that the Federal Reserve will begin raising rates at the end of the third quarter of next year, while the European Central Bank’s tightening cycle will begin at the start of 2011. The Fed’s target rate will reach 2 percent by the end of 2011, Englander said. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Barclays on Dec. 10 forecast the euro will fall to $1.40 in six months before rallying to $1.45 by the end of 2010. The euro traded at $1.4333 today. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-37458225879315528882009-12-25T05:56:00.001-08:002009-12-25T05:56:33.531-08:00Dollar Set for Weekly Drop on Speculation Fed Will Keep Easing<div style="text-align: justify;">The dollar was poised to end three consecutive weeks of gains against the euro on speculation the Federal Reserve will maintain stimulus measures to secure the U.S. economy’s recovery. </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The greenback traded near the lowest level in one week against the 16-nation euro before reports forecast to show a slide in U.S. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=CHPMINDX%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'CHPMINDX:IND' ))">business activity</a> and a rebound in initial <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=INJCJC%3AIND" onmouseover="return escape( popwQuoteShort( this, 'INJCJC:IND' ))">jobless claims</a>. The yen was set to break a two-week advance against the euro after a government report showed Japan’s consumer prices slid in November, backing expectations the Bank of Japan will keep interest rates near zero. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Speculation about an early exit from credit easing in the U.S. may weaken if incoming data confirm a patchy recovery,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Keiji+Matsumoto&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Keiji Matsumoto</a>, a strategist in Tokyo at Nikko Cordial Securities Inc. “It looks to be premature to conclude that the dollar carry-trade will come to a full end.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The dollar was at $1.4390 per euro at 4:33 p.m. in Tokyo from $1.4338 a week ago and $1.4380 yesterday in New York. It appreciated to $1.4218 on Dec. 22, the strongest level since Sept. 4, and fell back to $1.4418 yesterday, the lowest since Dec. 17. The dollar lost 0.4 percent this week following a 1.9 percent advance in the previous week. The dollar traded at 91.45 yen from 91.54 yesterday. It rose 1.1 percent this week. The euro was at 131.65 yen from 131.63 in New York. It gained 1.5 percent this week following a 0.4 percent decline. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Many global markets, including those in the U.S., Singapore and Australia, are closed today for Christmas. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Jobless Claims </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc. will report on Dec. 30 its barometer of U.S. business activity fell to 55.1 in December from 56.1 the previous month, according to a Bloomberg News survey. Readings above 50 signal expansion. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits in the week ending 27 probably rose to 460,000 after dropping to 452,000 in the previous week, the lowest level since September 2008, according to a separate survey ahead of the release of the data on Dec. 31. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Fed Bank of St. Louis President <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=James+Bullard&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">James Bullard</a> said he sees interest rates remaining near zero in 2010 as the central bank tries to keep the recovery on track, the Wall Street Journal reported this week. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Clear Picture </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Unless we see a more clear picture about the withdrawal of dollars by the Fed, there is a good chance of investors tapping excess dollars again and resuming investments on higher-yielding currencies,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Yuichiro%0AHarada&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Yuichiro Harada</a>, senior vice president of the foreign-exchange division at Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd., a unit of Japan’s second-largest lender. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The dollar pared weekly losses on speculation Treasuries will draw buying interest from global money managers. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The difference in yields between 2- and 10-year Treasuries reached a record 2.88 percentage points on Dec. 22 and was at 2.84 percentage points yesterday. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Investors can generate stable returns just by re- investing funds raised in the U.S. back into Treasuries, and thereby avoiding the risks of currency fluctuations,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Akio+Yoshino&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Akio Yoshino</a>, chief economist in Tokyo at Societe Generale Asset Management (Japan) Co., a unit of France’s third- largest bank. “The dollar will benefit from this change of investment strategy.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The spread between 10-year Treasury yields and the same maturity Japanese government bonds reached 2.53 percentage points yesterday, the widest gap since December 2007. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">November Deflation </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The yen was headed for a 5.2 percent drop against the dollar this month, the biggest since February. The Japanese government said today consumer prices, excluding fresh food, fell 1.7 percent in November from a year earlier, matching the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Bank of Japan Governor <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Masaaki+Shirakawa&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Masaaki Shirakawa</a> said in an interview with TV Tokyo this month that the central bank will “persistently” keep interest rates at “virtually zero” to fight deflation. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">No Fast Exit </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“The BOJ can’t possibly seek an exit from stimulus anytime before other central banks do so,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Masahiro+Ito&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Masahiro Ito</a>, senior manager of foreign-exchange sales and marketing at Central Tanshi FX Co., a unit of Japan’s largest money broker. “This will keep a lid on the yen.” </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Japanese currency traded as weak as 91.87 yen on Dec. 22 and 23, the lowest level since Oct. 27. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Losses in the yen were tempered on speculation Japanese exporters were taking advantage of this month’s decline to bring home foreign earnings. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“Exporters seem to be buying the yen in a last-minute attempt before the new year,” said <a href="http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Kazutoshi+Yasuda&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1" onmouseover="return escape( popwSearchNews( this ))">Kazutoshi Yasuda</a>, general manager of the markets department in Tokyo at FX Prime Corp., a foreign-exchange unit of Japanese trading house Itochu Corp. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Large Japanese manufacturers expect the yen to average 91.16 per dollar in the six months to March 2010, according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan survey. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-83061790225407365472009-12-25T05:54:00.000-08:002009-12-25T05:55:04.407-08:00Dollar Rebounds on Jobless Claims<div style="text-align: justify;">After having its winning streak halted yesterday and earlier today on a negative housing report and as the Fed insisted that economic stimulus will be maintained, the dollar rebounded slightly as an employment report brought optimism back to the currency’s outlook.<span id="more-3132"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The U.S. dollar started today’s session losing specially versus the euro after touching the lowest level in December, and also dropped versus the pound and the Canadian dollar as stocks surged globally, but as a jobless claims reports indicated a lower level of new applications for the past week, the dollar pared some of its losses and is currently trading near the highest levels for this month versus the yen and the pound, as retail sales also increased in the U.S., bringing optimism towards the economic recovery in North America for the next year.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Even if the <a href="http://www.federalreserve.gov/">Federal Reserve</a> frustrated traders avoiding to comment interest rate hikes for anytime soon, the economic recovery in the U.S. and pessimism in other economic regions is still allowing the greenback to maintain the levels it reached this month, and may extend its gains for early 2010.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">EUR/USD traded at 1.4363 as of 15:56 GMT as of 16:01 GMT from as high as 1.4415 before the unemployment report was published. GBP/USD followed the same trend, trading at 1.5926 after touching 1.6020.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-10294882988958430372009-12-25T05:53:00.000-08:002009-12-25T05:54:37.708-08:00South African Rand Advances on Demand for Metals<div style="text-align: justify;">The South African rand touched a one-week high versus the U.S. dollar today as demand for several commodities produced in the country emerged, providing support for the African nation’s currency to advance despite negative speculations.<span id="more-3137"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Despite analysts overview for the rand, suggesting it may decline as interest rates are likely to be raised in U.S. in 2010, the rand rose today to a <nobr>one-week</nobr> high versus the greenback as demand for metallic commodities as the gold and the platinum rose globally, consequently bringing capital to the African nation.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">USD/ZAR traded at 7.5915 as of 17:48 GMT after trading as high as 7.6150 yesterday.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-40930502404223085592009-11-10T06:21:00.001-08:002009-11-10T06:21:40.247-08:00USD / JPY Technical Forex Analysis for Forex Traders<p style="text-align: justify;">After stopping on Monday, at Fibonacci <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">resistance</span> 90.68 down to the pip, Dollar-Yen stopped yesterday at the <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">moving average</span> SMA100, with the same kind of accuracy. And as you know, stopping near Fibonacci resistance levels (and moving averages as well) is an evidence that the trend in down. That’s why we find ourselves favoring a continuation of the short-term downtrend as long as we are below 90.68. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">And we will await a break of short-term Fibonacci support 90.21. If we break this support the downtrend will resume, and will target 89.61 first, then 89.07 and may be the important 88.64. The price behavior for the past two days, and the amazingly accurate reversal at the Fibonacciresistance (90.68), makes it the most important resistance , and to add to that, the upper limit of the short-term downtrend (the trendline drawn on the chart), is currently at the same level. And only if it is broken, we will change our negative outlook for this pair. If this surprise happens, we will expect price to reach 91.28 then the importantresistance 91.63. </p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-66611534056843176692009-11-10T06:20:00.000-08:002009-11-10T06:21:14.673-08:00USD / JPY Technical Forex Analysis for Forex Traders<p style="text-align: justify;">Dollar-Yen broke Fibonacci resistance 90.68 and reached 91.28 as we accepted, with accuracy (yesterday's high 91.30), before retreating fast. This behavior redefined the rising channel on the hourly chart to make its bottom at 90.18. And when calculating Fibonacci 61.8% resistance for the short-term (for the drop from yesterday's high), we find that it is at the resistance level of 90.90. </p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">In case of a break of either of those levels, we believe price will move in the direction of the break. If the bottom of the channel at 90.18 is broken, the price will move down and target 89.61 first, and may be 89.07 as well. While if we break Fibonacci resistance at 90.90 we expect a rise to surpass yesterday's high, targeting the important 91.63 first, and only if it is broken we can expect 92 to appear on the price screens when the price targets the obvious resistance on the hurly chart 92.17.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Support:</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 90.18: the bottom of the rising channel on the hourly chart.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 89.61: previous support & Oct 12th low.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 89.07: previous intraday support.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Resistance:</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 90.90: Fibonacci 61.8% for the short-term.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 91.63: a well known support area that contained a number of daily tops and bottoms, the last of which was Oct 29th high.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">• 92.17: obvious resistance on the hourly chart.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-55958685926071507772009-11-10T06:19:00.001-08:002009-11-10T06:19:45.218-08:00SpamTitan Technologies launches powerful web filtering product for SMBs<p style="text-align: justify;"> SpamTitan Technologies, a division of Copperfasten Technologies, today announced the launch of WebTitan, a powerful web filtering solution. WebTitan is designed to be the most comprehensive filtering solution for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), requiring a powerful, easy-to-manage and cost-effective solution that ensures online employee activity is protected from threats and adheres to corporate internet policies.<br /><br />WebTitan allows businesses to tightly control which websites can be accessed at work and when. WebTitan also adds value by reducing cost, increasing productivity, improving network security and reducing bandwidth demands along with flexible reporting and tight firewall integration.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The product is available in two formats: as a software image suite with its own complete operating system for self-build (WebTitan ISO); and as a virtual appliance (WebTitan for VMWare). Real-time content filtering of images and text and strict application controls help WebTitan to block access to inappropriate content. Another key feature is WebTitan’s ability to reinforce company defences by providing URL filtering of up to 53 customisable categories including tens’ of millions of URL’s. The product uses a cloud-based database and real-time classification system to provide an unmatched combination of accurate and scalable coverage.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">”Organisations need to adopt a multi-layered web defence strategy that can protect their users and networks from increasingly sophisticated threats,’ said Ronan Kavanagh, CEO of SpamTitan Technologies. “We were one of the first vendors to offer a virtualised anti-spam appliance for SMBs and now we are one of the first to offer virtualised content filtering. Advantages such as ease of deployment, streamlined redundancy and backup, and the key benefits of scalability and mobility, have made virtual appliances increasingly popular with customers.”</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“This virtual aspect in conjunction with extensive functionality, in-depth reporting and unmatched accuracy sets WebTitan apart from all other web filtering solutions,” he added.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The product is available for free download from the WebTitan website at <a href="http://www.webtitan.com/">http://www.webtitan.com</a>. WebTitan offers organisations protection for their data from malware and other internet threats such as viruses, spyware and phishing as well as providing user policy browsing tools to ensure corporate internet policy is adhered to.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-85066897799852283972009-11-10T06:17:00.000-08:002009-11-10T06:19:11.160-08:00ServInt Expands with New Data Center in Los Angeles<div style="text-align: justify;">ServInt, a pioneering provider of high-reliability, managed <a title="web hosting" href="http://www.thehostingnews.com/">web hosting</a> for businesses worldwide, today announced it has expanded its operations with the opening of its first data center in Los Angeles. The new data center, known as ServInt LA, represents a strategically important addition to ServInt’s existing data centers in the Washington, D.C. metro area, known as ServInt DC. </div><p style="text-align: justify;"> ServInt LA takes advantage of the vast network infrastructure of the Los Angeles metro area. This new resource enables ServInt to offer its customers a convenient choice between two geographically diverse server locations.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">ServInt CEO & Founder Reed Caldwell has relocated to to supervise the development and implementation of ServInt LA and its corresponding network enhancements.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">“As demand for our web-hosting service increases worldwide, ServInt LA enables us to provide more options for our customers by leveraging the massive Los Angeles bandwidth hub. It also supports our aggressive international growth objectives. It is my privilege to personally manage this major company milestone,” said Caldwell.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Caldwell explained that the geographic location of ServInt LA is ideally suited to meet the web-hosting requirements of both new and existing customers in the western United States, western Canada, Latin America, Asia and Oceania. He said most ServInt customers in the eastern and midwestern United States, eastern Canada, Europe and Africa will continue find ServInt DC to be the best location for their content.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Caldwell concluded, “ServInt LA enables us to meet the demanding data requirements of selected clients in the fastest, most economical way possible. ServInt LA is directly connected to ServInt DC, to ensure an optimal customer experience. Customers utilizing any ServInt data center will continue to benefit from our unwavering commitment to high security, 24/7/365 support and on-site technical expertise.”</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Climate Positive & Community Focused<br />The operation of ServInt LA will reflect ServInt’s commitment to Green IT services. In accordance with ServInt’s policy of climate-positive hosting, the new data center will leverage ServInt’s industry-leading, energy-efficient virtualization implementation. It will also practice 100-percent recycling of recyclable vintage hardware components. ServInt will also offset the carbon-footprint of ServInt LA by 110 percent through reforestation projects, as it does with all its facilities.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> To demonstrate its commitment to the Los Angeles community, ServInt has made a donation to United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ “Creating Pathways Out Of Poverty” plan</div>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-89437470699739768222009-11-10T06:16:00.000-08:002009-11-10T06:17:35.803-08:00Toshiba starts sample shipping of SpursEngine<div style="text-align: justify;" class="caption2"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced the start of sample shipping of the SpursEngine™ SE1000 (SpursEngine), a high-performance stream processor integrating four Synergistic Processing Element (SPE) cores derived from the "Cell Broadband Engine™" (Cell/B.E.™). Sample shipping started from today, and Toshiba expects sales of 6 million units within the first three years of the SpursEngine’s release.<br /><br />SpursEngine is a co-processor that integrates a hardware codec for Full HD encoding and decoding of MPEG-2 and H.264 streams with four SPEs derived from Cell/B.E. These advanced processing elements offer high performance media streaming capabilities, with a clock frequency of 1.5GHz, while achieving low power consumption range of 10W to 20W.<br /><br /><br /><br />"We are very pleased to have started sample shipping of SpursEngine" said Yoshio Masubuchi, Director of Toshiba’s System LSI Division, Advanced SoC Development Center. "The design of this powerful co-processor is dedicated to bringing the advanced capabilities of the Cell/B.E.™ to consumer electronics, particularly video processing in digital consumer products. We are sure that SpursEngine will accelerate the market for full-HD applications."<br /><br />Toshiba will support developers working on SpursEngine applications with a comprehensive reference kit that includes a reference board and essential middleware APIs. The reference board has a PCI-Express edge connector that can connect to an x1 layer slot in a PC. Toshiba will also provide an integrated development environment (SPE compiler, SPE debugger, and performance monitor) and sample applications that demonstrate how to use the provided middleware. With the reference kit, customers can quickly and easily construct an evaluation and development environment and accelerate product development.<br /><br />Toshiba will further boost the performance and cut the power consumption of the SpursEngine, towards supporting further innovation in products offering new levels of functionality.</div>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-58590058809471392162009-11-10T06:15:00.002-08:002009-11-10T06:16:14.755-08:00The Gory Details of NY's Antitrust Suit Against Intel<p style="text-align: justify;"> On February 16, 2006, <a title="Intel Corporation" href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Intel%20Corporation&s=201,00.asp">Intel</a> took note of a service report in which <a title="Dell Inc." href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Dell%20Inc&s=201,00.asp">Dell</a>'s chief executive, Kevin Rollins, had said that Dell had "made no plans to begin using" <a title="Advanced Micro Devices Inc." href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Advanced%20Micro%20Devices%20Inc&s=201,00.asp">AMD</a> chips. "Finally, something positive," commented one Intel executive. On the contrary, Intel CEO Paul Otellini returned: "The best friend money can buy." </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Minus a few minor changes, this anecdote not only spells out the relationship that New York State Attorney General Andrew S. Cuomo alleges Intel had with its OEM partners, but the level of detail of the <!-- start ziffarticle //--><a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355358,00.asp">antitrust suit that the State of New York filed last Wednesday</a><!-- end ziffarticle //-->. Unlike the clipped anecdotes at the heart of the <!-- start ziffarticle //--><a href="http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2346984,00.asp">European Union's case</a><!-- end ziffarticle //-->, New York's suit almost reads like a John Grisham novel. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Intel has already been investigated and/or sued for antitrust violations in South Korea, Japan, and the European Union, which fined Intel the equivalent of $1.45 billion. Unlike the<!-- start ziffarticle //--> <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2353081,00.asp">supporting documents the EU provided</a><!-- end ziffarticle //-->, however, the New York suit not only makes allegations, it backs them up in detail.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> To be fair, this is only part of the story; Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy told me that the company can't comment on the allegations in detail, due to a protective order. He did characterize the evidence as "one-sided," however, and said that "exculpatory" evidence will be released at the trial. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Until the trial begins next March, however, one side is all we have. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> According to the suit, Intel's behavior was predicated on marginalizing AMD in the market. Intel's actions, the suit contended, harmed New Yorkers by eliminating true competition. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> "Intel knew that if it could exclude AMD from the most lucrative segments of the microprocessor business, AMD could never become a genuine threat," the suit says. "For AMD to make sales was not sufficient; if it were to challenge Intel's monopoly power, it would have to make substantial high-value sales to major corporate customers. Only by raising the average selling price of its products could AMD challenge Intel's leadership. Intel therefore argued to OEMs that Intel would 'continue to pigeon hole AMD to the bottom 10 percent of segment.'</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> "Intel's Paul Otellini believed that AMD units which were sold on 'the backstreets of beijing [sic] are wonderful...[T]here is really no question that in the long run, I would like to see amd [sic] output spread round the world as a low cost/low value, unbranded brand…' Accordingly, in the following years, Intel focused on barring AMD's access to this vital high ground – the corporate market and its gatekeepers, the major OEMs," the suit added.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> To achieve this, Intel first began eliminating its paper trail, taking sensitive conversations out of e-mail and onto the phone or via instant-messaging applications, the suit alleged. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> And then there was the language: Partners were "aligned" with Intel, in a "strategic" sense. Those that weren't were "transactional" partners, and paid the open-market price for processors. Those strategic partners were privy to special deals: CAP (Customer Authorized Price), or ECAP (Exception to Customer Authorized Price). In Dell's case, the acronym was different: MOAP, or the "Mother of All Programs." </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Dell, HP, Intel, and IBM are all part of the investigation, and few escape being tarred by Cuomo's brush.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> First, there's Otellini's quote above. The evidence Cuomo's team amassed portrays Dell as a company hooked on Intel's marketing dollars, with executives begging Intel for more money to meet Dell's quarterly earnings forecasts. From Feb. 2002 until Jan. 2007, Intel paid Dell $6 billion in "rebates." "Bid buckets" discounted the CPUs Dell purchased to 500 percent of the purchase price—yes, Intel paid Dell five times the price of each CPU to allow Dell to win business using Intel parts. A Dell spokesman declined to comment on the suit. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> And, when Dell finally caved and bought AMD chips, Intel took the same subsidized deal to Lenovo, the suit alleged. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Intel has previously denied that Dell was intimidated into buying exclusively from Intel. "One important OEM, Dell, which the Decision says was coerced by fear of Intel 'punishment' to buy exclusively from Intel, has confirmed publicly that it always considered itself entirely free to choose to buy from AMD, without fear of reprisal or punishment," Intel said, in a published response to the EU's decision. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> In some ways, HP's relationship is even more bizarre. On one hand, Intel convinced HP to restrict the sales of AMD-based PCs to just 5 percent of its total output, through a combination of strict sales practices that limited HP from selling an AMD SMB machine directly from HP, rather than its massive sales channel. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> But the stick that Intel wielded was none other than the Itanium, the oft-maligned enterprise server chip that Intel spent billions developing. Internally, this is what HP concluded, according to the suit: "Itanium is more important to HP's future server and workstation business success than it is to Intel." </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The suit quotes Otellini, then chief operating officer at Intel, as threatening to shift its resources into developing 64-bit extensions for its chips, a path Intel later took, and away from Itanium. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> IBM also was not immune to Intel's marketing dollars. In 2004, IBM was prepared to launch the e350, a 4-way server based on AMD's Opteron chips. Instead, according to the suit, Intel paid IBM $130 million over three quarters, during a time when IBM's annual, Intel-based server revenue was about $500 million. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> New York's suit is detailed enough that it's impossible to include all of the anecdotes and relevant facts. Here, however, are some of the highlights. Quotations are taken from the New York filing.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-47287109875488253372009-11-10T06:15:00.001-08:002009-11-10T06:15:40.404-08:00New Processors: 32nm or Inexpensive Quad-Cores?<div style="text-align: justify;"><span id="intellitxt"><p>This week has seen both <a title="Advanced Micro Devices Inc." href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Advanced%20Micro%20Devices%20Inc&s=27884,00.asp">AMD</a> and <a title="Intel Corporation" href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Intel%20Corporation&s=27884,00.asp">Intel</a> make big strides with their processors, with Intel teasing information about its new 32nm processors, and AMD announcing an inexpensive quad core chip.</p> <p>Earlier this week, <a href="http://blogs.intel.com/idf/2009/09/">Intel started posting</a> videos about its upcoming line of 32nm processors, which are slated to be unveiled at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) next week. These chips, which use the "Westmere" cores are expected to be very small dual-core processor dies, which will be paired with 45nm integrated graphics to create the "Arrandale" mobile chip and the "Clarkdale" desktop one. ExtremeTech has <a href="http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2352794,00.asp">a preview of IDF</a> currently on the site.</p> <p>I expect we won't see Arrandale systems until later this year, but the technology is actually quite amazing, and I'm certainly interesting in hearing more about them.</p> <p>Although AMD is a bit behind on process technology - it released its first 45nm chips early this year - it is instead focusing on value, today introducing new Quad-core processors that start at less than $100. The Athlon II X4 620 runs at 2.6 GHz and has a list price of $99, while the 2.8GHx Athlon II 630 lists at $129. These chips, part of the "Propus" line have 2 MB of Level 2 cache per core, and a total desktop power of 95 watts.</p> <p>What this means is that you can get a quad-core chip for less than $100, and when paired with the company's new 785 chipset, should mean for much less expensive quad-core systems. On Intel's current price list, its lowest-price Core 2 Quad chip is the 2.33GHz Core 2 Quad with 4 MB of Level 2 cache at $163. (All processor prices are typically quoted for a quantity of 1000.)</p> <p>Whether you really want a quad-core desktop depends on your application, of course. For running a single application, you can find a faster dual-core system at the same price and thus get better performance in most cases. For high-end gaming, you want a system with discrete graphics. But for lots of multitasking, a quad-core system is often the right choice, and these new AMD systems should perform well at that. These won't be the fastest systems on the market, but they seem to offer good price/performance. (For more details, here are reviews from <a href="http://www.techwarelabs.com/athlon-ii-x4-620-630/">Techware Labs</a> and <a href="http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1073/1">Legit Reviews</a>.</p> <p>For more of Michael Miller's take on the world of Tech, read his blog, <a href="http://blogs.pcmag.com/miller/">Forward Thinking</a>.</p></span></div>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-5998174387360015422009-11-10T06:13:00.000-08:002009-11-10T06:15:15.522-08:00The release of Intel's Core i5 and i7 Lynnfield processors<div style="text-align: justify;"><span id="intellitxt"><p>The release of Intel's Core i5 and i7 <a title="Lynnfield" href="http://www.extremetech.com/topic/0,2944,t=Lynnfield&s=1598,00.asp">Lynnfield</a> processors and the matching P55 chipset has been followed by a new round of DDR3 memory offerings from memory manufacturers big and small. These kits all use DDR3 memory, of course, and DDR3 brings several notable improvements to the game over its predecessor DDR2. Here's a cheat sheet of what's new:</p> <bl><li>DDR3 can prefetch 8 bits per clock cycle compared to DDR2's 4 bits, A 100% improvement.</li> <li>DDR3 uses less power, with 1.5 Volts nominal power supplied to chip modules compared to DDR2's 1.8 Volts. (Note that is a guideline. You will find DDR3 chip modules rated from 1.5 volts all the way up to 1.8 volts so check the manufacturer's specifications carefully).</li> <li>DDR3 uses a "fly-by" topology where each chip module is connected directly to the memory controller, as opposed to the DDR2 star topology, allowing each chip module to be calibrated separately for superior performance.</li> <li>DDR3's top speed (non-overclocked) is twice that of DDR2—1,600 MHz versus 800 MHz respectively—and as you'll see, DDR3 can go even faster.</li></bl> <p>You can find a detailed article on DDR3's benefits and features at <a href="http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=2">Benchmark Reviews</a>. I would like to point out an important note the article makes about the benefits of DDR3's fly-by topology:</p> <blockquote>With DDR3, the signal integrity is individually tuned to each DRAM module rather than balanced across the entire memory platform. Now both the address and control line travel a single path instead of the inefficient branch pattern T topology in DDR2. Each DDR3 DRAM module also incorporates a managed leveling circuit dedicated to calibration, and it is the function of this circuit to memorize the calibration data. The Fly-by topology removes the mechanical line balancing limitations of DDR2, and replaces it with an automatic signal time delay generated by the controller fixed at the memory system training.</blockquote> <p>The article also highlights an important new development for overclockers that comes straight from Intel. It's called XMP, which stands for eXtreme Memory Profile. Overclocking with an XMP-compatible motherboard and XMP-enhanced memory modules is a breeze, since it manages the CPU multiplier, voltages, and FSB frequencies, removing a lot of the guesswork, tweaking, and testing required when overclocking.</p> <p>For the hard core techies, <i>Chip Design</i> magazine covered in depth many of the other <a href="http://www.chipdesignmag.com/print.php?articleId=1446?issueId=0">improvements that make DDR3 chip modules more robust</a>. These help provide better performance when compared to previous memory architectures, especially when it aacomes to improving signal integrity and managing impedances.</p></span></div><span id="intellitxt"> </span>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-23734929234106656822009-11-09T12:14:00.002-08:002009-11-09T12:15:10.557-08:00Risk Appetite Drives Canadian Dollar Up<div style="text-align: justify;"><img class="alignleft" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px 6px; float: left;" src="http://www.topforexnews.com/images/Canadian_Dollar.jpg" alt="Canadian Dollar" width="123" height="82" />The Canadian dollar rallied today versus several currencies and specially against its U.S. counterpart, as stocks and commodities climbed worldwide after the Group of 20 affirmed that is relaxed policy to stimulate the world economy will be extended, increasing risk appetite in trading markets.<span id="more-2691"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Canada is one of the most commodities and stocks linked currencies, as the country is a main exporter of its natural resources surplus specially to its neighboring U.S., which has a much higher demand for energy than Canada. Today, stocks and commodities rose sharply after the G-20 affirmed that its measures to stimulate the global economy will continue to be a part of the group’s policy to the process of global economic recovery, providing support for the loonie to rose versus most of the 16 main traded currencies, and specially versus the greenback, gaining almost 2 percent as the U.S. currency fails to remain attractive as risk appetite is on the rise.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Even if the <a href="http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/en/">Bank of Canada</a> affirmed in multiple occasions that a strong loonie is an obstacle for the nation’s economic recovery, analysts indicate that the scenario is so favorable for the Canadian dollar, that it will be hard to stop it to grow further, specially versus its U.S. counterpart, as optimism is driving the commodities prices up constantly.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-45184364282875460362009-11-09T12:14:00.001-08:002009-11-09T12:14:43.213-08:00Gold Hits Record High Pushing South African Rand Up<div style="text-align: justify;"><img class="alignleft" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px 6px; float: left;" src="http://www.topforexnews.com/images/ZAR.jpg" alt="South African rand" width="131" height="75" />South Africa is one of the world’s largest precious metals producers, and today, as the gold and platinum rose in a session of strong risk appetite, the African nation witnessed a strong bullish pattern in its currency’s chart, as optimism among traders increased.<span id="more-2697"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The South African rand reached its highest rate in two weeks after the price of gold reached a record and platinum had its first rate rise in 3 days, attracting traders to purchase assets in South Africa, one of the main suppliers of gold in the world.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">USD/ZAR traded at 7.39 as of 17:03 GMT from an opening rate of 7.44 today.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-80739163766750623292009-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:002009-11-09T12:14:26.035-08:00Brazilian Real Rises on G-20 Stimulus<div style="text-align: justify;"><img class="alignleft" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px 6px; float: left;" src="http://www.topforexnews.com/images/Brazilian_Real.png" alt="Brazilian Real" width="156" height="71" />The Brazilian real was one of the most benefit currencies today with the Group of 20 statement indicating that stimulus measures to support the global economic recovery will be extended, increasing risk appetite among traders today that opted for assets in emergent markets.<span id="more-2702"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian currency climbed today to the highest level in 2 weeks, flirting once again with the $1.70 psychological level with the the U.S. dollar, as several commodities abundant in Brazil rose following G-20 statements that helped another day of optimism to induce investors to inject capital in the South American nation.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">USD/BRL traded at 1.7085 as of 16:38 GMT from an opening rate of 1.7175.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-29214558379229567512009-11-07T08:24:00.002-08:002009-11-07T08:25:07.209-08:00Dollar Gains Slightly as Unemployment Rises<div style="text-align: justify;">Risk appetite suffered a significant impact towards the end of this week’s session after both U.S. and Canada published grim employment figures, forcing investors to take more cautions positions and bet once again in the relative safety provided by dollar-priced assets.<span id="more-2676"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">The U.S. dollar gained versus several currencies towards the end of this week session, and specially versus its Canadian counterpart as employment figures were published in both North American countries, indicating a surprising aggravation in unemployment in both U.S. and Canada, fact which raised risk aversion among North American traders, and to a lesser extent globally. Even if higher unemployment shift risk appetite levels among traders, the U.S. dollar is ending this week once again negatively versus the euro, after the <a href="http://www.ecb.int/home/html/index.en.html">European Central Bank</a> affirmed yesterday that measures to stimulate the economy will be gradually phased out, creating speculations that the Eurozone economic health is considerably better than the North America’s current situation.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Unemployment is raising worldwide, and its almost a sure shot to expect negative reports regarding job figures every time data is published, according to some analysts. Even if these North America reports brought investors to safety, it was not enough to erase dollar losses this week, as investors still prefer to maintain their bets in <nobr>higher-yielding</nobr> markets.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">USD/CAD traded at 1.0678 as of 14:55 GMT from a previous rate of 1.0626 in the intraday comparison</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-85805825991804518232009-11-07T08:24:00.001-08:002009-11-07T08:24:47.103-08:00Yen Gains on U.S. Job Losses<div style="text-align: justify;">Demand for safety rose towards the end of this week’s session as U.S. payrolls were cut beyond analysts expectations, suggesting that the economic recovery in North America will take longer than previously imagined by economists.<span id="more-2679"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Both the United States and Canada surprised traders posting worse than expected unemployment figures, shifting confidence in markets and attracting traders towards the safety of the Japanese currency, making the yen to gain versus the Swiss Franc, emergent market currencies and <nobr>higher-yielding</nobr> options like the Australian dollar.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">CHF/JPY traded at 88.36 as of 16:07 GMT from a previous rate of 89.25 in the intraday.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6626831241480063341.post-5386775473073873682009-11-07T08:23:00.002-08:002009-11-07T08:24:17.294-08:00South African Rand Top Weekly Currency on Gold Rise<div style="text-align: justify;">The South African rand was the best performing among 16 main traded currencies in foreign-exchange markets, as demand for metallic commodities exported from the African nation rose globally, increasing their rates and influencing positive the rand’s price and attractiveness.<span id="more-2682"></span> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">This week gold and platinum, the biggest South African metal exports rose significantly as risk appetite reigned during most of the past five days, providing support for the rand to top the rank of best performers currencies, and causing the sharpest weekly rally in 3 months. Another positive point favoring the rand this week was a decline in foreign currency reserves growth, which could be interpreted as a neutral position from central bank policy makers regarding the current high levels of the rand. The South African rand is ranking among the top 5 best performing currencies in 2009, with other currencies from countries with similar profile as the South African nation, with high interest rates and a commodity export driven economy, such as the Australian dollar, and the Brazilian real.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">Analysts affirm that the <a href="http://www.reservebank.co.za/">South African Reserve Bank</a> position towards the rand’s strength is favorable for the currency to rally, as in other countries, like Canada, a strong currency is being highly unwelcome, which is affecting the Canadian dollar profile, differently from the rand, which still has a favorable scenario to grow further.</p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;">USD/ZAR closed the week at 7.54 after being traded to as high as 7.91 during the week.</p>786 INTELhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00078728898211977130noreply@blogger.com0