GM to Keep European Opel Unit (As a Result of Economic Reflation)
Edward Harrison submits:The sale to Canadian auto parts maker Magna International (MGA) and its partner, Russian lender Sberbank is off. With bankruptcy now behind it, General Motors now feels confident it can proceed with Opel under the GM umbrella. From the GM press release:Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Daimler to Raise Stake in Kamaz
Zacks.com submits: Daimler AG (DAI - Analyst Report) plans to increase its stake in Russian truck manufacturer OAO Kamaz from 10% to 15%. The automaker is in negotiation with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development [EBRD] to jointly acquire the additional 5% stake in the truck maker. Initially, Daimler will increase its holding in Kamaz by one percent to 11%, while the remaining 4% would be bought by EBRD. In late 2008, the Daimler Truck division bought a 10% stake in the leading truck company of Russia (with a market share of about 30%) for $300 million. The acquisition was part of a strategic cooperation agreement that brought together Daimler, Kamaz and the two of latter’s shareholders -- the state-owned conglomerate Russian Technologies (includes aircraft, defense and car manufacturing holdings) and Moscow-based investment bank Troika Dialog.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Why Is Baltic Dry Index Falling if World Is Recovering?
Stephen Rosenman submits:Why would the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) fall if the world's economy is really recovering? After all, growth should be accompanied by an increased demand for ships to transport iron, coal, fertilizer, and other commodities. The answer is that the BDI is heavily weighted to the cost of leasing the large Cape ships, the ones that are too large to squeeze through the Panama Canal and, therefore, must go round the Cape. Traditionally, Capes carry huge iron loads. Capes have their own "index", the Baltic Cape Index (BCI), which tracks their spot rates. Both the BDI and BCI have performed poorly.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Johnson Controls F3Q10 (Qtr End 06/30/2010) Earnings Call Transcript
Johnson Controls (JCI) F3Q10 (Qtr End 06/30/2010) Earnings Call July 23, 2010 11:00 am ETComplete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Auto Sales: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
Wall Street Strategies submits:by David SilverAs we approach the end of yet another month (by the way, 2010 seems to be flying by, it is about to be October!), auto sales releases are just around the corner. From some of the dealerships I speak with around the country, the month has been "one of those months." When I asked about what type of sales they were seeing compared to the same time last year, dealerships were positive, bragging that even despite the cash for clunkers program, they are still seeing higher sales. However, when I bring up the last few months, their mood takes on a much more somber tone. Since topping out in April and May of this year, auto sales have been trending down as the strength of the economic recovery was questioned and the fear that another wave of job losses would afflict the country increased. Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |