Month: September 2011

General Motors Co. ( GM ) plans to develop electric cars in China through its joint venture, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (“SAIC”) in order to take advantage of strong demand for EVs, and national and municipal subsidies in the country. GM intends to transfer battery and other electric car technologies for the program as the Chinese government requires foreign automakers to transfer important parts of the technology to a joint venture in the country to become eligible for the subsidies. […]

Yesterday, Aflac Inc. ( AFL ) witnessed a rating downgrade on its senior debt from ratings agency– Moody’s Investor Service of Moody’s Corp. ( MCO ) – based on continued investment risk from its investment portfolio in Europe. […]

As committed to generate renewable energy in California, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ( WMT ) planned to install solar-power panels in more than 60 stores in California, which means that 75% of the stores will have solar power. Further, the state’s largest solar installer – SolarCity will own, install and maintain the new solar power systems for Wal-Mart […]

Symmetry Medical ( SMA ), an instrument supplier to orthopedic devices makers, has introduced a novel arm positioning system geared for improving arthroscopic and open surgical elbow surgeries. The Indiana-based company has launched the new product dubbed ElbowLOC through its fully-owned subsidiary Specialty Surgical Instrumentation (“SSI”). […]

The world’s leading manufacturer of consumer packaged foods, Procter & Gamble Company ( PG ) inked a multiple project collaboration agreement with Baltimore, Maryland based biotechnology company Intralytix Inc. to develop a bacteriophage based technology for a range of applications. The targeted bacteria are infected by a virus called bacteriophage. […]

Duke Energy Corporation ’s ( DUK ) regulated utility subsidiary Duke Energy Carolinas is asking for bids for electricity produced by wind energy and renewable energy certificates from wind generation from facilities located within North Carolina. Bids would be accepted no later than October 14, 2011. […]

Recently, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company ( BMY ) inked a deal with biopharmaceutical company Ambrx Inc. to bolster its diabetic and cardiovascular pipeline. […]

Moody’s Investors Service, the credit rating agency of Moody's Corporation ( MCO ), may possibly upgrade the credit rating of General Motors Co. ( GM ) based on its improved finances and expected ratification of a new four-year contract with the United Auto Workers (“UAW”). Currently, GM has a corporate family rating of Ba2 and a secured credit rating of Baa3 from Moody’s […]

We maintain our ‘Neutral’ recommendation on Companhia de Bebidas Das Americas ( ABV ), also known as AmBev. AmBev is the leading brewer in Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia with a strong portfolio of globally recognized brands, such as Brahma, Skol, Antartica, Quilmes, Labatt, Pilsen and Paceña. […]

I have long maintained that the trade deficit is a more serious economic problem than the budget deficit, particularly in the short-to-intermediate term. It is the trade deficit (or to be more precise, the current account deficit, which is technically slightly different, but I will use the terms interchangeably here) that is directly responsible for America being in hock to the rest of the world. The trade deficit directly lowers GDP […]

Diversified fuel producer CONSOL Energy Inc. ( CNX ) provided guidance for coal exports in the range of 10 to 10.5 million tons for 2011, up from the initial coal exports outlook of 10 million tons. […]