Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cogito Ergo Sum who wrote (28765)	1/29/2008 9:01:00 PM
From: elmatador	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 219847

Exactly the trends we should keep watching. Dollar weakness benefits Porvair By David Blackwell Published: January 30 2008 02:00 \| Last updated: January 30 2008 02:00 Porvair, the materials specialist that makes more than half of its sales in the US, reported a 10 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £3.4m in spite of a decline in total sales from £46.2m to £45.5m in the year to November. In dollar terms, sales at the North Carolina-based metals filtration arm were 8 per cent higher at $38.6m (£19.4m) following a restructuring. Ben Stocks, chief executive, said dollar weakness had had a beneficial effect on exports from the US to markets such as Canada, Europe and Latin America. At the same time the company was poised to benefit from a new filter that would cut waste in the production of turbine blades, and the first improved filter for the aluminium industry for 25 years. Altium, the company's broker, is forecasting pre-tax profits of £4.2m on sales of £49.1m this year. The shares, which have fallen from 148½p at the beginning of last year, closed up 4½p at 109p. David Blackwell

To: Cogito Ergo Sum who wrote (28765)	1/29/2008 9:14:48 PM
From: elmatador	Respond to of 219847

High food prices help new push for WTO deal-EU. Reuters Tuesday January 29 2008 BRUSSELS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Soaring world food prices should help a revived bid to clinch a global trade deal this year because they ease the concerns of farmers in rich countries, the EU's trade chief said on Tuesday. "I think it helps and I think we have seen that in the agriculture negotiations in Geneva," Peter Mandelson said, referring to talks at the World Trade Organisation over the Doha round of negotiations for a world trade deal. "I think the consequences are that the arguments in favour of border protection and market price support are not what they were when we started out on the long Doha journey" in 2001. Food prices have hit record highs in recent months, pressured by factors such as climate change, emerging country demand, demand for biofuels and population growth. Mandelson said the high prices should make it easier for the the United States to lower its farm subsidies to within a range proposed by WTO mediators last year, a key part of the puzzle that needs to be put together for the Doha deal to be done. Ministers from several trade powers agreed on Saturday that the WTO should hold a full negotiating session around Easter in a fresh attempt to clinch a long-delayed global trade deal. Such a deal would span agriculture, manufacturing, services and other aspects of international trade, potentially giving a boost to the global economy just as fears grow of a slowdown. After 2008, the change in the U.S. presidency could mean years of further delay of the Doha round, or its collapse. Mandelson was speaking after meeting Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean. Australia, a big farm exporter, still had concerns about the degree to which the EU was willing to open up its markets in a range of farm products that it considers sensitive -- such as beef, dairy and poultry -- but progress was being made, he said. (Reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Charles Dick)