Get Ahead by Greening Your Company

by Larry Buhl, for Yahoo! HotJobs


Green is not only mainstream, it's now considered a good business strategy, as companies large and small are pursuing sustainability and eco-friendly policies in a big way.

Whether or not "green" is among your job duties, you can boost your own career prospects by making the company look environmentally friendly and lightening its environmental footprint.

Ways to Effect Change

Experts point out four ways you can affect change on the job:

1. Take your green habits to work. At home, you may turn off lights when you leave a room, recycle religiously, and eschew Styrofoam, but does your behavior change in the office?

"Setting a good example is a first step toward encouraging eco-friendly policies at work," said Linda Sorrento of the U.S. Green Building Council.

2. Do the homework. Companies may want to do the right thing, but they're daunted by the amount of effort they think is required.

"If you can do the legwork for them -- and present a compelling case -- they're more likely to adopt changes," said Jennifer Hattam, green living editor for Sierra Magazine.

3. Quantify the benefits. "Because many of green policies have a direct cost benefit, share your ideas the person who's responsible for cutting costs," said Monique Tilford of the Center for the New American Dream.

4. Turn your job green. If you're in IT, you might be able to buy more efficient computers.

"If you're in purchasing, ask suppliers about the environmental impact of their products," said Gwen Ruta, director of corporate partnerships at Environmental Defense. "Just asking the questions makes a big difference."

Build Consensus at Work

Unless you're a department head or CEO, you probably can't affect big changes without getting buy-in, so the types of policies you want to implement will determine your approach:

• Talk to the office manager about changing printer paper to a brand with more recycled content and replacing printers with duplexers.
• See if your facilities manager will switch to CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) or put lights on a timer.
• Convince your IT department to set computers to go to sleep mode automatically.
• Notify HR about bike parking, carpooling, or telecommuting.
• Tell your department head about posting materials online (where they're easier to update as well) versus print copies.
• Ask the meeting planner whether they could buy reusable dishes and silverware.
• If your suggestions are implemented, tell the company's press or PR department; they'll be glad to position the company as eco-friendly.

If your ideas get a lukewarm reception, see if it's OK to circulate environmental tips to coworkers, or start an informal employee group. "Working with employees to brainstorm changes is an effective way to promote sustainability and also to find solutions for 'sick office syndrome,'" said Sorrento.

Experts agree that saving your company money and greening its reputation will put you in a good light. It can also build your initiative, creativity, and negotiation experience, among other skills.

Hattam adds that, since green business is a growth industry, "having some eco-action on your resume will make you a more attractive job candidate in the future."

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

AARP Names Best Employers for Workers Over 50

by Tom Musbach, Yahoo! HotJobs


A leading advocacy group for older Americans has placed packaged goods company SC Johnson at the top of its 2007 list of 50 best employers for people over 50.

The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) began the annual list seven years ago in recognition that more people than ever before are working into their 60s and beyond. The group honors companies that support an aging workforce by providing flexible work schedules, health insurance options, and other benefits to retain and attract baby-boomer candidates.

"It is important that more employers -- both large and small -- recognize what tremendous assets 50 and over employees represent because of their experience and motivation," said AARP CEO Bill Novelli in announcing this year's winners.

The Honor Roll

The employers honored by the AARP in 2007 include Mercy Health System of Janesville, Wis.; Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa; West Virginia University Hospitals; Volkswagen of America Inc. in Auburn Hills, Mich.; John Deere of Moline, Ill.; and George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (The complete list is available at AARP.org.)

SC Johnson, based in Racine, Wis. and known for brands like Shout and Windex, topped the list for its onsite medical center and wellness, fitness, and education programs. The AARP also saluted the company's comprehensive financial benefits and retirement planning tools for employees.

Health care and education were the most visible industries on the AARP list in 2007, which was similar to 2006. More than 110 companies participated in a comprehensive application process to be considered for the honor.

No Short Cuts

Roberta Chinsky Matuson, principal with Human Resource Solutions based in Massachusetts, cautioned that lists like the AARP's are only one type of resource that job-seekers over 50 should consult.

"Job seekers should keep in mind that many organizations have large public-relations departments that help their companies make it onto these lists," she said. "There are many great companies that never even apply."

She added that baby-boomer candidates should do their own research on companies and consult with friends and others in their network to get a sense if an employer is supportive of mature workers.

What Boomers Want

"Many workers over 50 have expressed interest in jobs to help improve the quality of life in their communities, jobs that connect them to their passion in life, a purpose bigger than themselves, and other people," said Stefanie Weiss, spokeswoman for Civic Ventures, a think tank devoted to boomers and their contributions to work and society.

Monique A. Dearth, president of Incite Strategies, an Atlanta-based human resources consulting firm, agrees that many employees over 50 have different priorities on the job.

"They are experienced employees who generally aren't looking to develop a high profile career," she said, "but rather want to leverage their past experience, feel valued in the organization, and contribute at a meaningful level."

Job Info , Career Sources , Employment

Is Your Job Putting on the Pounds?

by Robert DiGiacomo, for Yahoo HotJobs!


While your job can't be blamed directly for your putting on the pounds, the potent combination of too much work stress, too little sleep, and not enough physical activity can lead to weight gain.

The best offense against work-related flab, experts say, is the often-repeated mantra of exercising regularly and eating right. Start by understanding why you're at risk of gaining weight on the job, so you can take steps to avoid it.

The Stress Connection

Too much stress causes your body to produce more of a hormone called cortisol, which not only triggers your appetite but cues your body to store fat cells and produce less testosterone, which results in less muscle mass, according to Shawn M. Talbott, a nutritional biochemist, author and consultant.

"It's just as important to get the stress under control as the exercise and diet," says Talbott, author of "The Cortisol Connection -- Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health." He adds, "If people do each of those three, they get a lot better results than if they have one of the three."

A Practical Diet

The size of your hand can serve as a practical guide to how much you should eat, according to Talbott.

For each 500-calorie meal, your fist represents the desired amount of carbs and your palm is the amount of protein, while your hand opened up is the portion of fruits and veggies and the circle you make with the OK sign between thumb and forefinger is how much added fat you should take in.

"It's a way to count calories without counting calories," Talbott says.

Smart Snacks

Stay away from the vending machines by bringing to work your own healthy snacks, such as nuts, popcorn, or granola bars, in pre-portioned packages, according to Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

"The key is not to bring the entire box or package," Moore says. "If you bring the entire box, you're tempted to eat more than one."

Maximum Exercise, Minimum Time

For his busy corporate clients who find it hard to squeeze in a workout, Talbott recommends a three-times-a-week program of 28 minutes of interval training, combining intensive activities with cool-down periods.

"If time is the big issue, [this is] the shortest amount of time we can have someone exercise and see results," he says.

Healthy Riding

If you have a long commute, you can avoid having the car become a filling station by having breakfast before you leave for work, and a light snack prior to returning home.

"Everything looks good when you're hungry," Moore says. "You don't want to stop by a fast-food restaurant on the way to work or home, because you'll fill up with 1,200 calories before you know it."

Employer Assistance

Several companies, including General Mills, Florida Power and Light, and Pitney Bowes, are helping employees stay fit, says LuAnn Heinen, director of the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity at the National Business Group on Health. Efforts include encouraging employee fitness, including adding walking paths to corporate campuses, making sure lunch meetings include salads and low-fat items, and giving discounts on salads and healthy items at the company cafeteria.

"These are employers who are consciously improving the environment to make it a downhill slide to stay healthy," Heinen says. "It's really about supporting the people who already have tried to be healthier."

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Employment

Stop the Gossip, Save Your Career

by Heather Boerner, for Yahoo! HotJobs


Getting ahead at work may hinge on resisting the urge to spread the latest news about your coworkers.

"You may think gossip is harmless, but you might just be shooting yourself in the foot as far as your credibility goes," said Rachel Weingarten, author of "Career and Corporate Cool: How to Look, Dress and Act the Part at Every Stage of Your Career." She continues, "Let your work speak for itself. You don't need to be the one making yourself look better by talking down someone else."

Consider the Damage

Sure, gossip can be almost too enticing to keep to ignore -- but consider these consequences:
You lose your reputation. "My reputation is my business," said Weingarten. "If someone says something bad about me, or I become known as a gossip, that could affect my entire career."
Coworkers avoid you. "If people view you as a gossip, they may stop sharing information with you," said April Callis, president of Gossip Stoppers, a program designed to create positive workplaces. "Then instead of being the one with all the power and information, you're out of the loop because no one trusts you."
Your work suffers. The negativity spread by gossip makes people hate their jobs. "They miss work, they get less done while they're there, and they feel unappreciated," says Callis. Suddenly, you're not giving your best, and your boss may notice.

There's a better way to deal with water cooler talk. First, and perhaps most obvious: Keep the information to yourself.

It's one thing to learn the office scoop -- it's another to share it. Even asking someone else at work to verify what you've just heard counts as gossip, said Callis. If it's something criminal, tell your boss. If not, let it drop.

Resist the Urge

Next, teach your coworkers not to gossip with you. Use these techniques:

• Replace gossip. Sometimes gossip is the only thing you have in common with coworkers, said Weingarten. So find something to replace it. Do you both knit? Are you both sports fans? If you must gossip, do it about movie stars or soap operas, she said. Just leave the office out of it.
• Set a timer. If a coworker or employee comes to you determined to gossip, set a timer for five minutes, and let the person spew. When the time's up, so is the gossip. You don't have to respond, said Callis. You can just listen.
• Write it down. When a coworker runs to your desk with the latest juicy gossip, get out a pad and pen. Writing down the facts serves two purposes: It shows the gossip that everything she says is being documented. And it helps you focus on facts instead of feelings.

What you may find is that you and those around you feel happier as they gossip less, says Callis.

"When I walk into a positive workplace, people are engaged and they feel valued," she says. "They stay."

Job Info , Jobs Sources , Career Opportunity

Jobs in Kenya - Why Kenya's Best Brains Do Not Take Them

There is no doubt that Kenya has the best human resource capital in the region if not in the continent altogether. It is now almost certain that thousands of graduates will be churned out of our public and private Universities in any one week. However, the best jobs in Kenya are not being filled by Kenyans and this should be cause for alarm or human resource professionals and experts.

It appears that the country has no doubt very good brains that could help solve the myriad of problems bedeviling the economic, political and social spheres of our lives. However, many bright youngsters would rather take up job offers abroad than in the country.

The first reason of course has to be the salary issue. Many jobs offer such low salaries that workers have to keep on moonlighting in order to sustain their livelihoods. This seriously curtails their productivity in the workplace and leads to an overall poor performance.

Secondly, it is very hard to secure a job using a fairly straight means. This means that the best brains are put off as they would have to bribe there way up the corporate ladder. They would also need to come from the same tribe if not family of the owners of the company and this seriously impedes their professionalism.

The other problem is that the working conditions and the opportunities for professional and career progression are simply aren't there. Many people think that our best and brightest choose to take overseas jobs mainly for money but this is not true. Provide the best working conditions, and you would see these brains trooping back. I'm reminded of a Kenyan engineering graduate who came back with a couple of firsts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and on getting a job at a parastatal, he was given golf tickets to a country club by his boss who explained that the tickets would help him more than staying at the office. Well, he packed up his bags, returned to Chicago as Vice President of a multinational engineering company where he earns astronomical salary. Do you think he will ever return home again?

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Mountain Towns - Finding a Career Position

Finding a career position in a mountain town can be somewhat of a challenge. That's because mountain towns are generally small in population. However, this is not to say that there are no career positions available, in fact quite the opposite.

One of the great advantages to living in a mountain town is that they are often close to some great skiing and other outdoor activates. That means that there will be many visitors coming and going and you may find that your small mountain town has just as many visitors in it at one time as it does permanent residents. This also means that there will be a number of career job opportunities for you to discover such as:

• Restaurants: After all, those who come to play in your mountain town must also eat. Working at a restaurant is one of the easiest ways to break into a very rewarding career. Even if you only start out busing tables or as a line cook, working in the restaurant industry always offers up a lot of choices and a lot of room for advancement.

• Hotels: Another great place to seek a career opportunity is with a hotel. The large number of guests that will be visiting your town will of course need a place to rest their weary heads and this means you have a wonderful opportunity to find a great career as an employee of one of the hotels in your mountain community. Working for a hotel can be done in several different areas and much like the restaurant business, there is plenty of room for advancement. While you may only start out working the front desk, if you work hard enough you can eventually become a manager with great pay and great benefits.

• Tour Guide: Many mountain towns may be small in population, but they are typically big on tradition and history. This is the perfect opportunity for you to land a wonderful career job as a tour guide and show off your local knowledge to those who visit your town. Because of the constant inflow and outflow of people every year, you will have a job that is both secure and rewarding.

• Wildlife: Okay, this one has little to do with all those tourists, but working with wildlife conservation is an excellent opportunity to find a great career for yourself even in a smaller mountain town. The mountains are going to be filled with all sort of wildlife that will need to be protected so you could find yourself working in animal conservation or in animal tracking. With wildlife, you will need to ensure that they stay safe from the tourists and likewise. This type of career position is wonderful for you if you are a person who loves being outside while you make money.

While the job market may be just a bit more contested in a small town versus a big city, there are still plenty of opportunities to find a good career job. This is especially true if your mountain town is one that gets its fair share of visitors throughout the year.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Free Health Care

And it's not in Canada or the U.K....it's right here in the United States. 

Job Interviews: How to Answer "Problem" Questions

One of the most common job interview questions is, "What is the toughest problem you've had to face, and how did you overcome it?" Here's how to give a winning answer.

First, realize that this popular interview question provides you with an excellent opportunity to shine. Everyone wants to hire people who are good at solving problems. Think of a good example concerning a problem that faced your company and not just you personally. The bigger the problem, the better.

Give specific examples of the skills and techniques you used to resolve this problem. Emphasize the successful results.

Be generous in sharing credit if it was a team effort, but be sure to highlight your specific role.

Sample Answer:

"When I assumed the role of Chief Dog Groomer at Mutts R Us, team morale was low, sales were lackluster and customers were dissatisfied. I immediately took action to identify the specific problems, analyze alternative solutions and pick the best options, and set a timeline for implementing the corrective actions. I reorganized the team structure and established written goals that focused on teamwork, improved customer service and increased productivity. One specific example is that I implemented a 'satisfaction guarantee' for quality and timeliness with each grooming service, and tied in performance-based rewards for employees. These actions greatly improved morale and increased our sales by 48% in the first three months."

Here's another interview question that is very similar...

"Describe a situation where you used your own initiative to solve a problem."

It's unlikely that you'll be asked both, but have two different problem-solving examples ready just in case, with one emphasizing initiative.

Sample Answer:

"I once received a last-minute request from the General Manager to prepare a letter to residents of a neighborhood that was undergoing emergency sewer repairs by our agency. My boss was on vacation, but she had asked that I attend an off-site meeting that same afternoon. There was no way I would be able to get the letter done and also attend the meeting. I decided, of course, that the General Manager's request took priority. But the off-site meeting was on a very important topic and I knew my boss was relying on me to attend. So I immediately called the chairperson of that meeting and made arrangements to participate via speakerphone. By eliminating the 45-minute travel time, I was able to complete the GM's letter and still participate in the off-site meeting."

Preparing for these types of questions in advance is very important. It'll get you thinking about your specific accomplishments. Even if these particular questions are not asked, you'll probably be able to use versions of your prepared answers in response to other questions.

For any job interview: anticipate likely questions, prepare answers that are specific (and as relevant to the position as possible), and practice, practice, practice!

Bonnie Lowe

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

  

Morning Market Review 08-31-10

Morning Market Review
Greek Factor: -1

You'll want to pay close attention to the Chicago PMI data today, as it will be the report that carries past morning trading. The slight uptick in consumer confidence was nice, but is negligible and not important when placed into context. Simply put, the reading still sucks, however better it may be than the last. The "Greek Factor" ranges from +3 to -3, and is a subjective measure of The Greek's view of the market impact of individual and aggregate news and the day's scheduled events.

Our founder earned clients a 23% average annual return over five years as a stock analyst on Wall Street. "The Greek" has written for institutional newsletters, Businessweek, Real Money, Seeking Alpha and others, while also appearing across TV and radio. While writing for Wall Street Greek, Mr. Kaminis presciently warned of the financial crisis.

Tickers: NYSE: MS, NYSE: BA, NYSE: HON, NYSE: NOC, NYSE: DHR, NYSE: GR, NYSE: HNZ, NYSE: ABM, Nasdaq: ARAY, Nasdaq: APSG, AMEX: BLD, NYSE: BNS, Nasdaq: CHOP, Nasdaq: CCUR, NYSE: CPY, NYSE: CFI, NYSE: DAC, NYSE: DG, NYSE: DSW, Nasdaq: ENER, NYSE: ENV, Nasdaq: FTLK, Nasdaq: ISLE, NYSE: KSP, Nasdaq: LLEN, OTC: LUKOY.PK, OTC: PSKNY.PK, Nasdaq: SGI, NYSE: SQM, Nasdaq: UNFY, NYSE: BEM, NYSE: SKS, NYSE: SKH, NYSE: LGF, NYSE: GG, NYSE: ETM, NYSE: CT, NYSE: MCP, NYSE: HL, NYSE: WLT, NYSE: CPY, NYSE: PRM, NYSE: RBS, NYSE: ANR, NYSE: CMA, NYSE: QTM, NYSE: PCX, NYSE: ABV, NYSE: IAG, NYSE: JCP, NYSE: CBC, NYSE: IOC, NYSE: SWC, Nasdaq: FCFL, Nasdaq: BNVID, Nasdaq: FSGI, Nasdaq: ZNWAW, Nasdaq: ARSD, Nasdaq: KONA, Nasdaq: AFOPD, Nasdaq: ENER, Nasdaq: EDAP, Nasdaq: SPSC, Nasdaq: RBNF, Nasdaq: KFED, Nasdaq: NSEC, Nasdaq: MPAC, Nasdaq: BLDR, Nasdaq: EFOI, Nasdaq: CASEYV, Nasdaq: KGJI, Nasdaq: TATT, Nasdaq: ICAD, Nasdaq: ALIM, Nasdaq: SCSS, Nasdaq: ARMH, Nasdaq: MEOH, Nasdaq: LGND, NYSE: DIA, NYSE: SPY, Nasdaq: QQQQ, NYSE: DOG, NYSE: SDS, NYSE: QLD, NYSE: NYX, NYSE: ICE, Nasdaq: NDAQ

Morning Market Review

Tuesday is a busy day my dear traders, with six total reports scheduled, so your morning market review should come in handy in helping you make heads or tails of it all. Premarket releases came in the S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index, ICSC Weekly Sales data, and Canadian GDP. By 10:00 AM, we had another 4 reports, including Chicago PMI and Consumer Confidence.

S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index
Greek Factor: OUTDATED DATA

That's right, this is the best the producers of this data can do, June. By now we've seen pricing trends from the Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales report, and so the data is relatively worthless, except maybe for popular financial press on a slow day.

In any event, today's Home Price Index for June showed the HPI increased 4.4% in Q2. By now, you're all well aware of the fact that the tax incentive unnaturally boosted the second quarter data, and so you have nothing to look forward to based on Q2's rise. I would go so far as to say it's misleading to even publish this information so late, without qualification in that regard.

By the way, Q2's increase came after Q1's decline in prices of 2.8%. The report promotes the fact that quarterly prices are 3.6% higher than last year, but fails to note that last year marked generational low economic activity and that this year benefited from special stimulus.

17 out of 20 MSAs showed price increase in June. Also, the 10-City Composite rose 5%, while the 20-City measure increased 4.2%. Be careful folks, because you're learning about the past here, while studying irrelevant comparisons versus year ago; and every data point since has been miserable for housing. So before go believing popular press this morning, put this into perspective. The Chairman of the Index Committee even says so in the report, and I quote: "The monthly Composites cover June and the national index covers the second quarter, when the government's program for first time home-buyers was winding down. While the numbers are upbeat, other more recent data on home sales and mortgages point to fewer gains ahead."

I'm not wasting any more time on this data point, until it is relevant and timely, and neither should you. At least keep it in perspective and pay more attention to the Home Sales data, and pricing info therein.

ICSC Same-Store Sales
Greek Factor: 0

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported today on weekly same-store sales for the week ending August 28. After falling 0.4% last week, same-store sales increased 0.1% week-to-week. Warning sirens keep sounding on the news, and the year-over-year comparison gained 2.8% this week (low), versus last week's 2.3% rise. Back-to-school activity may be skewing things now, so be careful in reading too much into the activity of the next several weeks (on a weekly basis). Rather, look at the monthly data combined for August and September for a solid read. Redbook showed a 3.0% sales increase year-to-year, versus last week's +2.6% rate.

Chicago PMI
Greek Factor: -2

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index was reported at 9:45 AM. Chicago offered bad news folks, and a few of the data points were down right dire within the report. Quoting ISM: "The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the CHICAGO BUSINESS BAROMETER stumbled, marking an eleventh month of growth but indicating a decreasing breadth of expansion. Six of seven Business Activity indicators echoed the slowed expansion."

The seasonally adjusted index fell to 56.7, from 62.3 in July. This still reflects economic expansion (above 50). Economists were looking for the Chicago PMI's Business Barometer Index to mark 56.0 in August. Six of seven indicators reflected the headline index decline in pace. Production marked its biggest drop since October of 2008. New Orders fell to 55.0, from 64.6, which is highly concerning to me. Employment eased as well as inventories. Prices paid fell, so you deflation demons have fuel to fire. Capital equipment investment dropped sharply too. This is a negative report folks, and the market will likely grab a hold of it once economists get through with the release.

Consumer Confidence
Greek Factor: +1

Put this into perspective fellas. So what, the Conference Board's measure rose a bit to 53.5 in August. 53.5 sucks! I can't say it more clearly. This is a subjective survey, and so we cannot read too much into small changes. Economists were looking for 51.0, so stock traders took the report positively in the early go. I give it a positive mark because it beat expectations and traders have to trade on it a certain way in the short-short term. It should have no positive impact past today.

Canada's Q2 GDP

Canada reported its Q2 GDP figures Tuesday. Our northern neighbor's gross domestic product increased only 2%, versus economist expectations for a 2.5% increase. The Canadian dollar weakened against the USD on the news, down about a half a percentage point.

Investor Confidence

State Street (NYSE: STT) reports on Investor Confidence today. Last month's read saw global confidence increase 4.8 points to 96. Investor confidence improved in North America as well, rising 5.4 points to 99.9. This month's data is still not available.

FOMC Meeting Minutes
Greek Factor: This Release Matters Greatly

At 2:00 PM, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) posts its meeting minutes for its latest gathering. The August 10 meeting purportedly featured some heated debate over starting up Bernanke's helicopter. This should make for an interesting read, as investors mull over the need for more help from the Fed.

Farm Prices

Agricultural goods prices for August are due at 3 PM.

Corporate News Drivers

Morgan Stanley's (NYSE: MS) Global Industrials Conference kicks off Tuesday. Look for presentations from Boeing (NYSE: BA), Honeywell (NYSE: HON), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Danaher (NYSE: DHR) and Goodrich (NYSE: GR). H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) has a shareholders meeting scheduled.

Look for EPS from ABM Industries (NYSE: ABM), Accuray (Nasdaq: ARAY), Applied Signal Technology (Nasdaq: APSG), Baldwin Technology (AMEX: BLD), Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS), China Gerui Advanced Materials (Nasdaq: CHOP), Concurrent Computer (Nasdaq: CCUR), CPI Corp. (NYSE: CPY), Culp (NYSE: CFI), Danaos (NYSE: DAC), Dollar General (NYSE: DG), DSW (NYSE: DSW), Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq: ENER), Envestnet (NYSE: ENV), Funtalk China (Nasdaq: FTLK), Isle of Capri Casinos (Nasdaq: ISLE), K-SEA Transportation (NYSE: KSP), L&L Energy (Nasdaq: LLEN), Lukoil (OTC: LUKOY.PK), Polski Koncern ADR (OTC: PSKNY.PK), Silicon Graphics (Nasdaq: SGI), Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile (NYSE: SQM) and Unify (Nasdaq: UNFY).

Today's biggest gainers so far: NYSE Gainers: Structured Product Capital (NYSE: BEM), Saks (NYSE: SKS), Skilled Healthcare (NYSE: SKH), Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF), Goldcorp (NYSE: GG), Entercom Communications (NYSE: ETM), Capital Trust (NYSE: CT), Molycorp (NYSE: MCP), Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL), Walter Energy (NYSE: WLT), CPI Corp. (NYSE: CPY), Primedia (NYSE: PRM), Royal Bank of Scotland (NYSE: RBS), Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR), Comerica (NYSE: CMA), Quantum (NYSE: QTM), Patriot Coal (NYSE: PCX), Companhia de Bebidas das America (NYSE: ABV), IamGold (NYSE: IAG), J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP), Capitol Bancorp (NYSE: CBC), Interoil (NYSE: IOC), Stillwater Mining (NYSE: SWC); Nasdaq Gainers: First Community Bank (Nasdaq: FCFL), Bionovo (Nasdaq: BNVID), First Security Group (Nasdaq: FSGI), Zion Oil & Gas (Nasdaq: ZNWAW), Arabian American Development (Nasdaq: ARSD), Kona Grill (Nasdaq: KONA), Alliance Fiber Optic (Nasdaq: AFOPD), Energy Conversion (Nasdaq: ENER), EDAP TMS (Nasdaq: EDAP), SPS Commerce (Nasdaq: SPSC), Rurban Financial (Nasdaq: RBNF), K-FED Bancorpo (Nasdaq: KFED), National Security Group (Nasdaq: NSEC), MOD-PAC (Nasdaq: MPAC), Builders FirstSource (Nasdaq: BLDR), Energy Focus (Nasdaq: EFOI), Casey's General STore (Nasdaq: CASEYV), Kingold Jewelry (Nasdaq: KGJI), TAT Tech (Nasdaq: TATT), icad (Nasdaq: ICAD), Alimera Sciences (Nasdaq: ALIM), Select Comfort (Nasdaq: SCSS), ARM Holdings (Nasdaq: ARMH), Methanex (Nasdaq: MEOH), Ligand Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LGND).



Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

Global Economic Recovery Watch: India +8.8%

Financial Times (free subscription required) -- "India’s economy grew a brisk 8.8 per cent from April to June, its fastest pace in two-and-a-half years, highlighting the strength of India’s economic recovery despite high inflation now acting as a drag on consumer spending.

Growth during the first quarter of India’s April to March financial year accelerated from the 8.6 per cent last quarter, driven by robust manufacturing and services growth, and a pick-up in farm production."

Case-Shiller Home Price Indexes Highest Since '08

New York, August 31, 2010 – "Data through June 2010, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price Index rose 4.4% in the second quarter of 2010, after having fallen 2.8% in the first quarter. Nationally, home prices are 3.6% above their year-earlier levels.

In June, 17 of the 20 MSAs covered by S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices and both monthly composites were up; and the two composites and 15 MSAs showed year-over-year gains. Housing prices have rebounded from crisis lows, but other recent housing indicators point to more ominous signals as tax incentives have ended and foreclosures continue.  In June, the 10-City and 20-City Composites recorded annual returns of +5.0% and +4.2%, respectively."

MP: Both the Composite-10 and Composite-20 Home Price Indexes reached their highest levels in June since December 2008. 

Buy Now or Wait? Check the Airfare Prediction Tool

When booking air travel, the dilemma is often: should I buy now or wait later to try to get a better price?  Now you've got some help. 

The Bing Travel Farecast provides a free airfare prediction tool that allows you to specify your travel dates and destinations, and you'll get a prediction of whether fares for your flight are rising or falling, so you can decide whether you should buy now or wait.

From the Bing website: "According to a third-party audit of our predictive technology, we're about 75% accurate and on average, customers will save over $50 on a typical round-trip transaction."
 
Here are details on Bing's predictive technology.

ECON 101: The Answer to A Housing Recovery is Lower Prices, Not Incessant Government Tinkering

"In order for the housing market to build a firm foundation that does not require government aid we will need to see a reduction in prices.

Congress is currently discussing creative new ways to prop up this market. It should be plain as day at this juncture that the government cannot fix the housing market with their incessant fidgeting. The market needs to correct further before reaching a sustainable bottom. Lower prices will act as an automatic stabilizer by generating significant demand. At this point, more government intervention merely kicks the can down the road by pulling demand from the future. We can continue to deny the simple economics at work here, but at some point the market will prevail and prices will settle at a level that the market can absorb. In my opinion, the sooner this happens the sooner we can get on with the recovery process. Unfortunately, politicians have elections to win so they will continue to use their law degrees to attempt to change the laws of economics. It won’t work."

~The Pragmatist Capitalist writing in the Business Insider

Freelance Writer Jobs at Elance - Bidding Strategies

If you have read my article here at EzineArticles "How to Get a Job on Elance -- Step One, Creating a Powerful Profile" or if you already know how to set up a winning profile at Elance, you are now ready to bid on jobs there.

Once you know how to bid on freelance writer jobs at Elance, you are well on your way to a steady income. Yes, it's true that many writing jobs there pay very little, but if you take the time to fine tune your bidding skills you can land decent paying jobs at Elance.

Most jobs at Elance are copywriting jobs. When you search for projects up for bid at Elance in the "Writing & Translation" category, you will notice "Copywriting" is a very small subcategory; however most of the subcategories in the "Writing & Translation" category are filled with projects that involve copywriting in the sense that it is traditionally defined : writing that promotes.

This includes most of the article writing jobs at Elance. While many of these article jobs tend to pay very little, as low as $1 per article, some pay $25 to $50 each.

The best paying work at Elance is in direct sales writing (sales letters for Internet marketers and direct mail campaigns), lead capture pages (also known as squeeze pages), web content and email campaigns. Copywriters completing these type of projects through Elance often make $50 or more hour. (The jobs are generally done for a flat fee, but this is how much the earings work out to.)

Note: If you're not yet trained in this type of writing do take time to learn the craft. There are many websites and books (probably at your local library) that teach sales writing skills.There is a learning curve, but if you enjoy copywriting, the money you can earn is worth the time spent learning this craft.

Many buyers at Elance are Internet marketers selling informational products, and then there are professionals, from dentists to real estate agencies, as well as a wide assortment of other business owners and management.

Before bidding, get an idea of what the competition's bidding. Most bids are closed, but you can get the low, high and average bid amount at the jobs listing page (the page that comes up when you search for a jobs in a specific category, such as "Writing and Translation." In the far right hand column you will see the number of current bidders. Mouse over one of these and you get the high, low and average bids. Also mouse over the buyer's information. Don't waste time bidding on jobs posted by buyers who rarely award them.

Do not be intimidated by the sheer numbers of the bids you see on many of the projects as they approach closing date. Many projects are posted a week or two in advance of closing date. If you are among the very first to bid you have a better chance of getting your bid at the top of the list. This can help immensely because when the list is long, not all buyers read through all the proposals.

The advantage of bidding late in the game is you can bid more competitively after seeing the high, low and average based on most of the bids.

Unless they are both taken, you can purchase one of the top two slots on the bidding list for an extra connect or more depending on the size of the budget. And there is another way to get noticed sooner...

If you have a legitimate question about the project that wasn't answered in the description or materials attached, you can open a private message board to ask your question and also use that opportunity to work in something that helps the buyer remember you or want to check out your proposal right away.

Buyers can award and close bidding early. Thankfully most don't do this. It it can be very frustrating to write a proposal, and just as you're posting it see the bidding close. This rarely happens though, but do be sure to check and see if it's still open before writing your proposal.

In their "Buyer's Guide," Elance encourages buyers to carefully consider proposals and not simply award projects to the lowest bidders, but more than a few buyers, especially new ones or ones that don't care as much about quality seem to award to the lowest bidder. When new at Elance, you may need to bid on the low end until you get some good feedback.

Quick Tips for Winning Bids

* Bid competitively but don't low ball.

* Remember that not all buyers shop only for bargains. Your proposal, profile page and feedback can win jobs even when you bid higher than most.

* Laser target your proposal for the project. You can create a template for part of the information you provide in each proposal, but don't let it sound generic. Your proposal should not only grab attention and be convincing it should also build rapport and show that you understand the needs of the buyer.

* If you're unclear about something in the project description use the PMB to ask questions, remembering to be respectful of the buyer's time.

* Try to bid early enough that your bid will place near the top, or if you want to wait to see how the bidding's going, consider buying one of the two top placements (if still available). If you have a legitimate question, you may also be able to secure the buyer's attention via the private message board (PMB).

Happy Bidding!

Robert Leichter

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Real Writing Jobs That Pay Are Fast Becoming The New Online Money For 'Home-Grown' Writers Today!

Article Writers: Real Writing Jobs That Pay Are Fast Becoming The New Online Money For 'Home-Grown' Aspiring Writers Today!

Real writing jobs or paid article writers are fast changing the face of online money and forming a whole 'home-grown' industry on its own for new writers on the net today.

Internet forums and ezine and blogging cultures are already birthing new forms of online income and wealth for the dedicated article writers willing to work from the desks and basements of their homes or at their local wifi cafes.

Unlike the dark days of the early Internet (only about a decade ago), the number of companies and websites owners offering paid writing opportunities today is only slightly outmatched by the growing army of self-taught writers, wishing to write for a living online.

Part-time writers are making a quick $5 an article to earning $100, $200 or even up to $500 a day, churning out articles and re-writes from home. Some of these 'home-made' writers have reinvented themselves to come out of the unemployment lines and are enjoying a good gig earning some part-time cash or creating full-time real writing jobs that pay well.

Small to medium size businesses and larger corporations like 20th Century Fox, Paramount Entertainment, Ford Motor Company, and including other major search engines such as the big G are hungry for good material and good writers.

These companies are jostling for exposure on the Internet and they know that the more people blog about them, the more exposure they are going to get, and eventually the more money they are going to make.

These companies are simply after honest and genuine feedback and opinions from writers who are willing to write for them or make blog entries about their company.

Many of these real writing jobs are easy online writing projects, such as blogging about a book or about a new movie that you recently saw, commenting on a product you've used, proof reading simple documents, re-writing an article, creating a simple 500-word article or a blog post, to creating content for brochures, flyers, websites, ebooks, and other mediums. It looks the sky is not the limits when it comes to making money from real writing jobs online.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

End of the Year Is Prime for Job Hunting

by Robert McCauley, Robert Half International


According to conventional wisdom, there's no worse time to search for a job than when the year is winding down. But sometimes conventional wisdom isn't entirely accurate.

The truth is that the end of the year may be the best time to find a new job. Here are five reasons:

1. You face less competition. Buying into popular theory, many job seekers halt their quests for employment in November and December, choosing to save their efforts for when the calendar changes. But take a glimpse at the want ads, and you'll see that employers haven't stopped looking for talent. With fewer candidates vying for the same number of positions, you may have an edge over the competition, unlike no other time during the year.

2. More employers are hiring. Many firms, especially retail companies, increase their hiring efforts in winter to meet rising demand for their products and services. Even though seasonal jobs are often temporary, many hiring managers view these positions as extended, on-the-job interviews and offer full-time employment to promising hires.

3. Companies have budget surpluses. Some employers hire new workers at the end of the year because they have not yet used all of the funds they set aside earlier for adding new personnel. If the hiring managers don't increase headcount during the final two months, they may lose that portion of their budgets and be unable to bring aboard new employees at all.

4. It may be easier to secure an interview. Things often slow down at the end of the year due to vacations and the winter holidays. As a result, hiring managers may be less busy than usual and have more time to review your resume or call you in for an employment interview.

5. You'll get a jump on things. Even if some firms wait until the beginning of the year to add headcount, that doesn't mean they've stopped collecting resumes and considering candidates. By submitting your application materials now, you'll be first in line when the hiring process gets in full swing again.

As 2007 comes to a close, remember that employers are always on the lookout for strong professionals, especially in fields such as accounting and finance and information technology, where skilled workers are in short supply. That means there's no wrong time to look for your next job, no matter what conventional wisdom says.

Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For more information about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.

Jobs Info , Career Sources , Employment

This Week's Pact Between Friends

The Employment Situation Report falls on the Friday before Labor Day weekend. That creates quite a predicament. Who in their right mind would leave their trading desk early in such a situation? But, what if we made a little pact? Nobody trades after 1 PM! Can I count on you?

Our founder earned clients a 23% average annual return over five years as a stock analyst on Wall Street. "The Greek" has written for institutional newsletters, Businessweek, Real Money, Seeking Alpha and others, while also appearing across TV and radio. While writing for Wall Street Greek, Mr. Kaminis presciently warned of the financial crisis.

(Tickers: NYSE: DIA, NYSE: SPY, Nasdaq: QQQQ, NYSE: DOG, NYSE: SDS, NYSE: QLD, NYSE: NYX, NYSE: ICE, Nasdaq: NDAQ)

This Week's Pact

Oh who am I kidding?! Everybody knows The Greek hasn't been able to vacation for five years now. How much do you think bloggers really make anyway? At this point, you all must be well-aware of the potato famine on the Upper East Side right? Do you think I drink Natural Ice beer for the taste? Do you think I would pay for graphics this bad? Just kidding... I'll catch you on Shelter Island (more like the homeless shelter). Save the mojitos, stock picks and cans of beans for me. I might be a little late, while I enjoy the arbitrage opportunity that your empty trading desks avail to me, or as I rob your empty trading desks (or as I write another prescient report for free). Do I sound bitter? Have me with your tequila then.

Monday

Personal Income & Outlays were reported Monday for the month of July. Income increased 0.1% month-to-month, while spending rose 0.4%. The Core PCE Price Index, the Fed's favorite inflation gauge, increased 0.1%, in line with expectations.

Markets in the UK were closed Monday. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard addressed a group Monday afternoon. Yeah, you get the picture. The most exciting thing about Monday was that it was Warren Buffet's 80th birthday, but all his favorite holdings spoiled the party.

Catch the replay of the conference call regarding Sanofi-Aventis' non-binding offer to acquire Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ). BioLase Technology (Nasdaq: BLTI) held a conference call to discuss its corporate restructuring. The earnings schedule offered news from Astrotech (Nasdaq: ASTC), Donaldson (NYSE: DCI), Elbit Imaging (Nasdaq: EMITF), Empressa Nacional del Petroleo (Nasdaq: ENAP), KU6 Media (Nasdaq: KUTV), Marshall Edwards (Nasdaq: MSHL), Origin Agritech (Nasdaq: SEED), Partner Communications (Nasdaq: PTNR), PowerShares Dynamic Software (PCX: PSJ), Prospect Capital (Nasdaq: PSEC), SWS Group (NYSE: SWS), Winn-Dixie (Nasdaq: WINN) and a few more.

Tuesday

Tuesday is a busy day, with six total reports scheduled. Look for the S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index at 9:00 AM. We expect that eventually the metrics covering home pricing will show a double-dip has begun in real estate. Perhaps this latest data for the month of June might be the one to set the blaze.

Look for the latest same-store sales figures from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Tuesday morning. Last week's report covering the period ended August 21 showed sales fell 0.4%. Warning sirens sounded on the news, and even the year-over-year comparison only gained 2.3% last week. Redbook concurred, with the yearly gain decelerating (trend) to a +2.6% rate.

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index is due for report at 9:45 AM. Economists see the Chicago PMI's Business Barometer Index marking 56.0 in August. That would spot a drop from July's spike up to 62.3. Economists were likewise looking for 56 last month. New Orders came in strong last month too, so the economists' consensus is in question. That said, the highest economists' estimate sets the ceiling at 58.5 (floor at 54.1).

At 10:00 AM, the Conference Board will report on Consumer Confidence again. The measure fell to 50.4 in July, and economists are looking for a similarly dismal 51.0 in August.

State Street (NYSE: STT) reports on Investor Confidence at 10:00 AM as well. Last month's read saw global confidence increase 4.8 points to 96. Investor confidence improved in North America as well, rising 5.4 points to 99.9.

At 2:00 PM, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) posts its meeting minutes for its latest gathering. The August 10 meeting purportedly featured some heated debate over starting up Bernanke's helicopter. This should make for an interesting read, as investors mull over the need for more help from the Fed.

Canada reports its Q2 GDP figures Tuesday. This news might garner some attention for a change, as the market looks for signs of North American weakness. Oh Canada... I'll stop there, while I still have places to stay in BC and Toronto.

Morgan Stanley's (NYSE: MS) Global Industrials Conference kicks off Tuesday. Look for presentations from Boeing (NYSE: BA), Honeywell (NYSE: HON), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Danaher (NYSE: DHR) and Goodrich (NYSE: GR). H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) has a shareholders meeting scheduled.

Look for EPS from ABM Industries (NYSE: ABM), Accuray (Nasdaq: ARAY), Applied Signal Technology (Nasdaq: APSG), Baldwin Technology (AMEX: BLD), Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS), China Gerui Advanced Materials (Nasdaq: CHOP), Concurrent Computer (Nasdaq: CCUR), CPI Corp. (NYSE: CPY), Culp (NYSE: CFI), Danaos (NYSE: DAC), Dollar General (NYSE: DG), DSW (NYSE: DSW), Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq: ENER), Envestnet (NYSE: ENV), Funtalk China (Nasdaq: FTLK), Isle of Capri Casinos (Nasdaq: ISLE), K-SEA Transportation (NYSE: KSP), L&L Energy (Nasdaq: LLEN), Lukoil (OTC: LUKOY.PK), Polski Koncern ADR (OTC: PSKNY.PK), Silicon Graphics (Nasdaq: SGI), Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile (NYSE: SQM) and Unify (Nasdaq: UNFY).

Wednesday

Wednesday starts the monthly employment data parade. Challenger's Job-Cuts Report comes first in the early AM hours. There is no forecast available for this data. Last month's report for July showed announced corporate layoffs totaled 41,676, and compared against June's 39,358.

The market will be more interested in ADP's Private Employment Report for August. Once again, there is no economists' consensus forecast for the data-point. It will instead be compared against forecasts of the Labor Department's data, which will be released Friday. July's report showed private employment increased by a net 42,000, or rather it estimated it did.

Look for the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey in the premarket. Last week's report covering the period ended August 20 showed the Market Composite Index of mortgage applications increased 4.9%. The gains came mostly on the 5.7% increase of the Refinance Index, which benefited from lower contracted mortgage rates. On average, fixed rate mortgage rates for 30-year and 15-year mortgages fell to 4.55% (from 4.6%) and 3.91% (from 3.99%), the lowest in recorded history (1990). Purchase Applications increased 0.6%.

Look for ISM's Manufacturing Index data at 10:00 AM. The report for August is seen showing the index easing further this month, to 53.0, from 55.5 in July. And the manufacturing slide slips on...

Construction Spending will be reported at 10:00 AM as well. This data covering the month of July is expected to show spending fell 0.6%, as activity suffers in the absence of the housing tax incentive.

Motor Vehicle Sales will be reported throughout the day. Economists expect the aggregate level of domestic vehicle sales to run at an annual rate of 8.7 million. That would match July's sales rate, which had increased from June's 8.4 million. Combined light truck and auto sales of domestic and imports gained to 11.5 million in July.

At 10:30, look for the EIA's Petroleum Status Report. The latest data covering the period ended August 20 showed crude oil inventories increased by 4.1 million barrels. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 2.3 million barrels. Both crude and gasoline continued to mark above the average range for this time of year.

The Fed speaker of the day will be Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Richard Fisher, with an address scheduled for 12:30. The Fed's Neighborhood Stabilization Summit kicks off in Washington, as the power mongering independent organization takes on home foreclosures this day.

In corporate news, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) will introduce a few more blockbuster new products and services Wednesday in its usual grandiose fashion. Presenting at the Morgan Stanley Global Industrials Conference, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), Raytheon (NYSE: RTN), Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) and Roper Industries (NYSE: ROP). Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) has its EPS conference call.

The EPS schedule includes H.J. Heinz (NYSE: HNZ), SAIC Inc. (NYSE: SAI), Brown-Forman (NYSE: BF-A, NYSE: BF-B), Borders Group (NYSE: BGP), Collective Brands (NYSE: PSS), Express (Nasdaq: EXPR), American Software (Nasdaq: AMSWA), Casella Waste Systems (Nasdaq: CWST), Charming Shoppes (Nasdaq: CHRS), China Green Agriculture (NYSE: CGA), FuelCell Energy (Nasdaq: FCEL), Genesco (NYSE: GCO), G-III Apparel (Nasdaq: GIII), Global Crossing (Nasdaq: GLBC), Greif (NYSE: GEF), Hovnanian (NYSE: HOV), IntraLinks (NYSE: IL), Joy Global (Nasdaq: JOYG), LTX-Credence (Nasdaq: LTXC), Magal Security Systems (Nasdaq: MAGS), Martek Biosciences (Nasdaq: MATK), Oxford Industries (NYSE: OXM) and Trintech (Nasdaq: TTPA).

Thursday

Thursday's labor market data arrives from Monster World Wide (NYSE: MWW) and the Labor Department. Premarket radar will be fixated on the Weekly Jobless Claims Report, given recent tidal play. Last week's data offered low water, with new benefits filers receding to 473K, down from the prior week's high tide of 504K (revised). Economists always play it safe with this weekly forecast, and the consensus is therefore stuck at 470K (guesswork).

The Monster Employment Index is due for release before sunrise. This metric of online job demand last showed deterioration of three points, to a mark of 138. The decrease was reportedly due to construction and the leisure industry, which makes perfect sense we suppose.

Several other reports will keep media rooms pumping out the interviews Thursday. Retailers will be reporting chain store sales for the month of August throughout the day. With Labor Day again pushed out a bit, the results might not be top of the class this back-to-school season. July's data was mixed, but the total pace of sales left something to be desired. Same-store sales were up only 2% in July.

The Productivity & Costs data is due for release at 8:30. Given the deceleration in Q2 GDP, economists are looking for a decrease in productivity of -1.9%, quarter-over-quarter. As a result, unit labor costs are expected to rise by 1.2%.

Factory Orders will be reported for the month of July at 10:00 AM. Orders fell 1.8% in May and another 1.2% in June. Economists are looking for an increase of 0.3% for July, based on Durable Goods Orders data. Still, the range of views vary widely, with the highest expectation at +0.5% and lowest at -1.2%.

After dropping 2.6% in June, July's Pending Home Sales Index could fall even further, given the sad state of affairs since the expiration of government stilts, err tax incentive. We would look for the index to fall below July's 75.7 level.

The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to keep rates unchanged at 1.0% at its latest monetary policy meeting. Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Pianalto will address the Fed's neighborhoods conference. Remember, Ohio was hard hit by the forced downsizing of the US auto industry.

The EIA reports on Natural Gas Inventory again at 10:30 Thursday. For the week ended August 20, natural gas stocks increased 40 Bcf, and measured 177 Bcf above the five-year average for this time of year. However, they were 198 Bcf below last year's level.

On the corporate schedule, Limited Brands (NYSE: LTD) gives its prerecorded sales call. Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) appears on the Caris & Co. Bus Tour. Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) presents at the Hodges Capital Management Investment Forum.

The EPS schedule highlights news from H&R Block (NYSE: HRB), Aspen Technology (Nasdaq: ASPN), Del Monte Foods (NYSE: DLM), SeaChange International (Nasdaq: SEAC), Sycamore Networks (Nasdaq: SCMR), ArcSight (Nasdaq: ARST), Blyth (NYSE: BTH), Cascade Corp. (Nasdaq: CASC), Finisar (Nasdaq: FNSR), Gazprom (OTC: OGZPF.PK), Krispy Kreme Doughnut (NYSE: KKD), Layne Christensen (Nasdaq: LAYN), Methode Electronics (NYSE: MEI), Movado (NYSE: MOV), Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK), Take-Two Interactive (Nasdaq: TTWO), The Cooper Cos. (NYSE: COO), Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE: TD), Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance (Nasdaq: ULTA), UTi Worldwide (Nasdaq: UTIW), Vimpel-Communications (NYSE: VIP), Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods (NYSE: WBD).

Friday

You probably don't need me to tell you that Friday will be all about jobs. The Labor Department will release its latest Employment Situation Report at 8:30 Friday morning. Unlike "The Situation" from MTV's makes-me-wonder-about-society hit show Jersey Shore, the employment situation should not be rich.

Once again due to the laying off of temporary census takers, the labor market is expected to shed jobs in July (80K). The range of economists tops out at +75K and the most dire forecast sees a decrease of 160K, based on Bloomberg's survey.

Economists see the unemployment rate edging back up to 9.6%, from 9.5% in July (on suspect labor force shrinkage). Maybe that invisible nation will return to the data count this month. What's important here is that most expect bad news, but if we get worse news, it would still play a role in a lightly traded market ahead of the three day weekend. Friday could be choppy folks, so you might want to get your volatility plays into action. Of course, if we come in right in line, perhaps you'll be able to leave the office early. Maybe we can make a pact or something; nobody buy or sell after 1 PM. Somehow I get the feeling some greedy souls among us will take advantage of the pact for profit, don't you...? Yeah, you go ahead; I'll be right there...

ISM's Non-Manufacturing Index is due at 10:00 AM Friday. It measures the critical service sector, so don't take it too lightly. The index improved in July, rising slightly to 54.3, but economists see it back-tracking in August to 53.0. I think this might get uglier than that. After all, if one out of every six Americans really are getting some sort of government support, then we can't expect folks are getting manicures can we? Or bikini waxes? Are you ladies sacrificing these services? Gosh, I hope not...

Atlanta Fed President Lockhard speaks at 10 AM. Have a nice weekend folks.

Friday's EPS schedule includes news from Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB), OceanFreight (Nasdaq: OCNF) and a few others.

Please see our disclosures at the Wall Street Greek website and author bio pages found there. This article and website in no way offers or represents financial or investment advice. Information is provided for entertainment purposes only.

Global Recovery Still on Track, Despite Angst

"At an annual Federal Reserve retreat, angst, not panic, was the order of the day among officials and economists chastened by a deep recession and a disappointing rebound. "We'll slog our way through this," said Thomas Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, which sponsored the symposium, summing up two days of presentations, discussions, dinner-table conversation and hiking.

Several foreign central bankers said they were struck by the unusual degree of pessimism they had witnessed in the U.S., a contrast to typical American optimism. "I can't wait to get back to my side of the world," said Alan Bollard, governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Growth in New Zealand, seen at around 3% this year and next, has been underpinned by strength in Australia and China."

~From today's WSJ article "Global Recovery Is Still Seen On Track, Despite the Angst"

GDP Revision Concerns Us Still

Investors were not surprised when GDP was revised lower Friday, but as the data is digested, we suspect it will be regurgitated. Stocks closed higher Friday, as press and pundits positioned the message positively. We prefer you not rest comfortably though, because there's a bear lurking. In fact, our analysis turns up an interesting aspect with regard to the trade deficit between the US and China, and a conflict between the trade data and lower private inventory investment in Q2. Meanwhile, some of the factors that propped up GDP in Q2 are clearly falling apart in Q3 and Q4.

Our founder earned clients a 23% average annual return over five years as a stock analyst on Wall Street. "The Greek" has written for institutional newsletters, Businessweek, Real Money, Seeking Alpha and others, while also appearing across TV and radio. While writing for Wall Street Greek, Mr. Kaminis presciently warned of the financial crisis.

Tickers: NYSE: BAC, NYSE: JPM, NYSE: GS, NYSE: MS, NYSE: C, NYSE: TD, NYSE: WFC, NYSE: PNC, NYSE: GE, NYSE: LII, NYSE: SPB, Nasdaq: HELE, NYSE: NPK, Nasdaq: IRBT, NYSE: XRX, NYSE: PBI, NYSE: PAY, NYSE: DBD, Nasdaq: CSTR, NYSE: HNI, Nasdaq: MLHR, NYSE: SCS, NYSE: KNL, NYSE: FO, NYSE: LEG, NYSE: TPX, NYSE: AYI, NYSE: ETH, Nasdaq: SORL, NYSE: UTX, NYSE: MMM, NYSE: DHR, NYSE: PPG, NYSE: IX, NYSE: CBE, NYSE: TXT, NYSE: CR, NYSE: HON, NYSE: GD, NYSE: GR, NYSE: LLL, NYSE: ERJ, Nasdaq: FLIR, NYSE: TDG, Nasdaq: BEAV, NYSE: CAE, NYSE: ATK, NYSE: TGI, NYSE: CAT, NYSE: WHR, NYSE: F, NYSE: HMC, NYSE: TM, NYSE: BA, Nasdaq: AAPL, Nasdaq: MSFT, Nasdaq: DELL, Nasdaq: CSCO, NYSE: TSM, Nasdaq: INTC, NYSE: RTP, NYSE: BHP, Nasdaq: VALE, NYSE: CAT, NYSE: LMT, NYSE: COL, NYSE: NOC, NYSE: X, NYSE: AZN, Nasdaq: SCHW, NYSE: BA, Nasdaq: SYMC, NYSE: S, NYSE: IP, Nasdaq: CTXS, NYSE: EK, NYSE: DIA, NYSE: SPY, Nasdaq: QQQQ, NYSE: DOG, NYSE: SDS, NYSE: QLD, NYSE: NYX, Nasdaq: NDAQ, NYSE: ICE

GDP Revision

The Bureau of Economic Analysis published its first revision to second quarter GDP Friday. We were one of the first publishers warning that GDP would be cut in half upon revision, once international trade data were published in early August. Gradually, as economists revised their forecasts lower over the weeks that followed, investor perception was well-prepared for the BEA's news release.

The economists consensus was set for a deep downward adjustment, to +1.3%, from the initially reported 2.4% growth. So, when the data showed a gain of +1.6%, the market was unaffected. Stocks had been moving lower in the days and weeks ahead of the news already. Stocks still dove though once 10:00 AM rolled around, when investors found less than reassuring words in a speech given by Federal Reserve Chief Bernanke in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. However, the Dow moved 1.65% higher by the close.

What investors, or the press at least, liked about the latest take on GDP was that a greater level of imports drove the redesign. However, most of the issues that concerned us about the data detail in the first place were still problematic at its revision.

First of all, there's a misconception about the international trade data that needs to be cleared up. We reported on this upon the early August release. Normally, the deficit is characterized by a higher level of imports-to-exports, but both usually increase. This time around, while imports increased by $5.9 billion, exports dropped $2.0 billion against May levels. The drivers included a seasonal adjustment to petroleum trade, but also a significant deficit expansion between the US and China. Also take note of the fact that the details of the report show that the deficit was mostly driven by decreases in the export of capital goods ($1.4 billion), industrial supplies and materials ($1.0 billion) and increases in the import of consumer goods ($3.1 billion), automotive vehicles and parts ($1.3 billion), other goods ($0.6 billion) and capital goods ($0.5 billion). The decrease in exports helps to create an illusion of stronger imports. And we have a theory on the imports gain as well.

Here's a bit of golden theory you've heard nowhere else, not even from your highly paid economic resources. The increase in import demand from China seems to run counter to signs of decreased consumer spending here at home. I think I know why.

Your Greek Wisdom:

I suspect retailers are demanding more low-priced goods to stock their shelves with and distributors are providing them more Chinese goods as a result. That's not the positive signal the data would seem to offer, and which the popular press and most market strategists promoted Friday. Yes, reporters were painting the drop in GDP with a bright color, saying it was due to higher imports. We're saying that's not the case at all, that there is simply a shift toward lower priced goods that has fogged the view of the novice audience. Our theory makes perfect sense and fits the broader economic puzzle better. Need a market strategists or representative partner for your investment or consulting firm?

Take note also that the BEA said the second most important factor in the GDP revision was a sharp drop in private inventory investment. Might that have had more to do with the lower price of the inventory being added (from China) versus the aggregate inventory investment in terms of quantity? I think this is probably partly to blame, and is the only way I can tie the two conflicting components of GDP together. How else could imports be rising and inventory investment be decreasing? Demand for US goods is slipping too, as seems clear by the manufacturing slow down.

Here's another crack in the foundation you should note. GDP growth was greatly aided by an upturn in residential fixed investment. That's right, so the market's hopes were propped up by second quarter housing strength. Well, we know that temporary strength, if we can even call it that, hinged on the special tax incentive. We also know very well that housing has collapsed since the expiration of that deadline. So, what then does all this information portend about Q3 and Q4, if not serious trouble? Also, federal, state and local government spending helped fuel growth, and we do not see that lasting either.

Thus, the market's high hopes expressed Friday by the Dow reversal seem based on unstable footing. This portends serious economic trouble for Q3 and Q4, so beware the bear. The economy, including both real estate and the stock market remain vulnerable, and so double-dip recession or something similarly sinister threaten. Here's some more good news. With the Iraq draw down about to get going, and with oil prices relatively low, the president's men might soon get the bright idea to begin a war with Iran.

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GSEs Prevented Private Secondary Market

"A private secondary market for prime mortgages should have been a natural market development. Why did it never develop? The answer is obvious: no private entity could compete, or can now compete, with the government-granted advantages, and now the huge explicit subsidies, of the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs). There can be no evolution of a private prime mortgage loan market while the GSEs make private competition impossible.

The core issue about GSEs is this: You can be a private company, with market discipline; or you can be part of the government, with government discipline. But you can't be both."

Read more of AEI's Alex Pollock's article "To Overhaul the GSEs, Divide Them into Three Parts" here.

Promoting Homeownership Is Not Only Un-American: It Contributed to the Housing Bubble

From the Forbes.com article "The Un-American Dream":

"For nearly a century it has been the policy of the U.S. government to increase American homeownership. Its efforts include (but aren't limited to) bouts of easy money from the Fed, the mortgage-interest deduction, the exclusion of capital gains on primary residence sales, direct and indirect subsidies from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and artificial liquidity pumped into the mortgage market via government sponsored entities Fannie and Freddie.

Policymakers assure us that the next generation of government housing programs will be "carefully designed" (bring on the next five-year plan, Comrade!). But the real question is why the government should be doing anything to promote homeownership.

"I do believe in the American Dream," said President Bush in 2002. "Owning a home is a part of that dream, it just is. Right here in America, if you own your own home, you're realizing the American dream." Bush was echoing a theme that reaches back at least to Herbert Hoover: When the government encourages homeownership, the story goes, it strengthens individuals and communities and thereby fosters the American Dream. They're wrong. A government crusade to promote homeownership is un-American.

America's distinction is that it was the first nation founded on the principle that you have a right to pursue your own happiness without government interference. But the government's homeownership crusade means it gets to decide how you should live, and stick-and-carrot you into living that way.

Here's the real lesson: The American Dream is not some government-subsidized house foisted on you by George W. Bush or Barney Frank. It's the undiluted freedom to decide how you want to live--and, if you want to own a home, it's the freedom to work, save, establish credit, and earn one. In America, the government's job is to protect our freedom to pursue our values, not to dictate what our values are. Its homeownership policy should be the same as its toaster oven policy: laissez-faire.

Government intervention in housing runs deep, and it can't be eliminated overnight. But the government should make its long-term goal to fully extricate itself from the housing market. It can then start gradually dismantling Fannie, Freddie, tax preferences for homeowners, and every other government housing program."

MP: You can add the government's role in promoting fixed-rate 30-year mortgages, and subsidizing FHA mortgages that only require a 3.5% down payment to the list of policies that the government has used to increase homeownership. 

The chart above shows how the political promotion of homeownership in the U.S. may have contributed to the housing bubble.  The blue line is the quarterly homeownership rate from the Census Bureau (data here) going back to 1991, which went from 64% in the early 1990s to a record high of more than 69% in 2004.  During that same time period, the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) Home Price Index (data here) doubled from 100 in 1991 to 200 in 2005, before reaching a peak of more than 222 at the height of the real estate bubble in 2007. 

In the aftermath of  the real estate bubble's crash, the homeownership rate has fallen to a 10-year low of 66.9% (QII 2010) and the FHFA home price has fallen back to 2004 levels.   Promoting homeownership is not only un-American, but it helped create an unsustainable real estate bubble, which turned the "American dream" into an "American nightmare" for millions of Americans by turning "good renters into terrible homeowners."

Lessons on Trade, U.S. Manufacturing from Chile

1. WEST CHESTER, PA — "With the world captivated by the plight of 33 Chilean miners trapped in a mine more than 2,300 feet below the surface, a local manufacturer of drill rigs is involved in the rescue effort. Schramm Inc. is a major manufacturer of drill rigs and the manufacturer of the particular rig — the T685 — that reached the trapped miners a few days ago.  There are 40-plus Schramm drill rigs in Chile right now, said Edward Breiner, president and CEO of Schramm, in an interview Friday."

2. MILWAUKEE, WI --  "If not for a tiny camera system developed by Aries Industries of Waukesha, the families and rescuers of 33 trapped Chilean miners might not have caught a glimpse of their loved ones.  Aries manufactures pipeline inspection and rehabilitation equipment for water, wastewater, natural gas, oil and disaster recovery services. The company manufactures a camera system that has been used many times in coal mine disasters in this country and was available to Chilean rescuers."

A few points:

1. Chile has achieved a great deal of economic success in the last twenty years, largely because it has pursued free market policies that include very open free trade policies.  The OECD recognized Chile's economic success last December by inviting it to be the first South American country to join the club of developed countries, see CD post here.  With a more protectionist approach to trade with high tariffs, Chile may not have had access to the drill rigs and camera systems manufactured in the U.S. that are now helping in the rescue of the 33 miners.

2. We hear a lot of news about the "death of American manufacturing sector," the "loss of millions of manufacturing jobs," and how this will contribute to some permanent decline in the U.S. economy.  And yet the data show that manufacturing output was reaching historical all-time record highs before a sharp recession-related decline, and manufacturing output is gradually increasing and will probably be at record levels again within a few years (see CD posts here, here, and here).   The manufacturers highlighted here are probably just two examples of the thousands of successful American manufacturers that are world-leaders in high-tech manufacturing equipment.  

HT: Colin Grabow