| Delta, Northwest merger on the runway
But the combined carrier also is unlikely to add service because the money-making routes from Boston have already been taken. "If neither Delta nor Northwest could make money today by shifting a plane into Logan today as separate companies, that route won't suddenly become a profitable opportunity tomorrow after they merge," said Hubert Horan, an independent airline consultant in Phoenix who was the Northwest manager responsible for shutting down the carrier's unprofitable hub at Logan in the mid-1990s. Competition at Logan is among the fiercest in the country. Delta was the second-largest carrier last year with 16.2 percent of passengers - slightly more than US Airways' 16 percent market share and slightly less than American Airlines' airport-leading 16.7 percent.
'MAD' JIM CRAMER LOSES GOLDEN $50K BET
The host of CNBC's "Mad Money" now owes $50,000 after losing one of the worst wagers of his entire career to rival trading wiz Eric Bolling. Cramer, who favors the phrase "Boo Ya," made an on-air bet with Bolling about a year ago that financial services would be the hottest sector of 2007. Bolling, a former trader at the New York Mercantile Exchange, placed his money on oil and gold. Investors who took Cramer's advice would have taken a 30 percent hit to their portfolios as the stocks of financial titans such as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch got hammered by the mortgage crisis. On the other hand, investors savvy enough to follow Bolling's bet on gold and oil would have hit the jackpot, as the hot commodities jumped over 60 percent in the same period. Cramer, through a spokesman, blamed his loss on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's failure to cut interest rates more aggressively.
Shock for food prices as wheat futures rocket
THE price of wheat on the JSE futures exchange broke through R4000 a ton yesterday to a new record on supply concerns, making increases in the price of bread and other foodstuffs inevitable. After hovering around R3900 a ton for some time, the future prices for delivery in May broke the psychological barrier of R4000 a ton, and the price for delivery in July closed at R4000, although it was as high as R4030 during the day yesterday. Wheat prices have now more than doubled from R1878 a ton a year ago, and further increases are expected. Milling and bread companies warned yesterday that with the steep hike in the price of wheat, further increases in the price of bread were unavoidable.
Mersey beat?
A couple of seasons ago we looked capable of winning it what with Garcia coming in off the wings to get goals, Cisse hitting 22 in that season and our defence solid(7 home goals conceded all season) we've already conceded more this season than then! Torres has been a bonus but he has come to late, with our team now, the worse since our champions league win in 2005. Other than Gerrard who is absolutely TOP draw, Torres who is a quality young lad who has even more to come and the reliability of Cara at the back, we really do lack quality which the rest of the top 3 have. I really rate Alonso and Agger who are the 2 players this season who have been missed most, Mascherano is useless and 17 million is an absolute discrace of a price when even 5 would be a joke in my opinion. I think we need a real shake up because right now the only way is down for this team! Posted 01:13 22nd January 2008 .
Pork producers have opportunities to lock-in profits
With feed prices high and headed higher, pork producers may continue to see losses at least through the first quarter of 2008. That's according to USDA's Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, which the Agency released Friday. But a noted hog marketing expert says the futures market is providing opportunities for pork producers to avoid red ink next year.
The USDA report said for the first quarter of 2008, hog prices are expected to average between $38 and $40 dollars a hundredweight, more than 15% below a year ago. USDA estimated production costs in the low-to-mid $50's per hundredweight and also said most hog producers are likely to lose money in 2008. But University of Missouri livestock economist Glenn Grimes told Brownfield taking advantage of strength in lean hog futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) may help pork producers avoid that prediction.
|
