text:
That's it for Markets Live today.
You can read a wrap-up of the action on the markets here.
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See you all again tomorrow morning from 9:30.
Mining stocks led Australian shares lower on Tuesday, with global investors cautious about slowing growth in China and nervous that volatility in emerging markets could spread to developed market.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 65.8 points, or 1.3 per cent, on Tuesday to 5175.1, despite getting a boost from a survey that indicated domestic business conditions are at a two-and-a-half year high. The broader All Ordinaries Index also dropped 1.3 per cent.
Traders returned from the Australia Day holiday to follow a weak lead from offshore.
Moves by the central banks of Argentina and Turkey to intervene in currency markets have sparked fears that emerging market volatility could spread to developed markets.
"Because it is part of the Asia-Pacific region, Australia tends to get caught up in investor nervousness about emerging markets," Fidelity Worldwide Investments Hong Kong-based investment director Catherine Yeung said.
"Negative sentiment about emerging markets could really push the Australian market around over the coming months so the most attractive companies are those with strong balance sheets and free cashflow," Ms Yeung said. "Over-leveraging in this environment could be risky."
Equity Trustees chief investment officer George Boubouras said that if worries about emerging markets caused a correction in developed market equities over the quarter "that would be an ideal buying opportunity".
JB Hi-Fi shot the lights out today after an upbeat profit update sparked what must be called a relief rally in the stock, which finished up 4.9 per cent. The retailers shares were up as high as 11 per cent early.
Downer EDI was awarded two new contracts in Western Australia and was rewarded with a 2.5 per cent jump in its share price.
Arrium shares surged 3.3 per cent, while Myer and Pacific Brands both felt the retail sector love and closed higher.
Lynas was the worst performer on Tuesday, down 6.3 per cent. The Reject Shop suffered another nasty sell-off, while Virgin Australia also dropped like a stone.
Ten Network also featured in the day's poorest, falling 4.3 per cent.
The best and worst performers in the ASX200.
After a sharp fall at open and then a recovery, shares were on a slow march downwards this afternoon before a rush of sell orders finished the day on a down note.
The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 1.3 per cent or 66 points to close at 5175.1, and the All Ords dropped by a similar amount to 5188.
The pain was felt across all sectors in the top 200, with metals and mining names the hardest hit, down 1.7 per cent. The smaller subset of gold producers was the best performing, losing only 0.5 per cent as a group, along with industrials.
BHP was the biggest drag on the market, down 2 per cent to $36.31 a share. Rio was down 1.3 to $64.31. The banks were also big condtributors to the market pain, with ANZ the worst hit, losing 1.7 per cent to finish the day at $30.14.
Macquarie and QBE shareholders had a day to forget, with the stocks falling 2.7 per cent and 2.9 per cent, respectively.
Telstra had a relatively good performance, down only 0.6 per cent to $5.12 a share.
Square, the mobile payments company started by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has begun preparations to launch in Australia, according to sources with knowledge of the plans.
The move would mean a major new disruptive player in the local payments industry ahead of RBA plans to build a new inter-bank hub, aimed at making innovation in payments more feasible.
The company was recently rumoured to be valued at $US5 billion, having had significant success in the US where it has become well-known for offering businesses cheap and simple ways to process electronic payments.
It makes a free credit card reader, which business owners can attach to iPhones, iPads and Android devices, allowing them to accept credit card payments, and it also sells stands that turn iPads into point of sale systems.
In addition it has launched a Square Wallet product, which allows people to make payments at retailers like Starbucks from a debit account by just saying their name.
Late last year ASX-listed Mint Wireless said it was in talks with three of the four big banks to launch a Square-like smartphone accessory that allows small businesses to accept credit card payments.
Fund managers are scrambling to gain a reprieve from mandates that restrict them from owning companies without an Australian listing so they can retain their holdings in Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox, which has said it will quit its Australian listing.
Many Australian funds are not able to hold offshore-only listed companies and are attempting to get permission from trustees to allow them to hold the US-based pay TV and film business for another year to 18 months. This would allow them to undertake an orderly sell-down rather than dump the stock over the next six months before delisting.
The decision to de-list 21st Century Fox in Australia is a big blow to the funds that have had enormous gains from the stock since its demerger from print operations. Local shareholders also have gained thanks to the devaluation of the dollar over the past year.
While there have been calls from smaller retail investors to have a selective buyback of 21st Century shares owned by Australians, it is likely to fall on deaf ears.
As the market recovers from this morning's sell-off, here's some words from Societe Generale on the turmoil in emerging markets on why investors should be alert, if not alarmed:
[Compared to the second half of the 1990s which were shaped by emerging market crises], fundamentals in emerging economies are in aggregate much improved, with overall more flexible currency regimes, stronger external balances, more developed domestic debt markets and larger FX reserves.
At the same time, several points are worth keeping in mind and risk should not be ignored.
Emerging economies today matter more: In 1994, emerging and developing economies made up 18 per cent of nominal World GDP. Today, that number is just short of 40 per cent! China's increase is the most notable, soaring from 4 per cent to 14 per cent. As a result, a broader emerging market crisis today would come with much greater ramifications for the global economy.
Large imbalances remain: A snapshot of emerging economies today, moreover, shows that several countries still suffer from the type of large imbalances and poor policy choices that drove past crises. Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, South Africa, Ukraine, Turkey and Thailand are amongst the weakest links.
Combined, these economies make up just over 4 per cent of World GDP. Each is very different [but] these countries are part of the same investment universe. As history teaches, this latter point can prove more important than specific differences. Contagion can spread like wildfire, driving a self fulfilling prophecy.
Brazil, Indonesia and India also suffer external imbalances and are in need of significant structural reforms. The events of recent days have also seen these currencies and respective financial markets come under pressure. These three economies alone make up 6 per cent of World GDP.
Add Russia to the mix with the recent decline of the rouble, albeit driven by a different fundamental story, and these four countries add up to 9 per cent of World GDP.
Investors in Treasury Wine Estates are bracing for yet another profit downgrade from the ailing wine group with soft sales and profit figures for December believed to be behind a trading halt requested by the company earlier today.
Treasury executives and the board are reviewing the latest set of figures for the company, which are thought to reflect continued tough times in both the United States market and in Asia, where austerity measures imposed by the Chinese Government have hit sales of higher-priced wines.
The latest set of profit figures have just come through to Treasury's top executives and the company is thought to be preparing for a fresh downgrade. December is crucial for wine companies because of the large percentage of sales that happen in that month because of Christmas parties, gift-giving and seasonal celebrations.
Most households in Germany and Switzerland rent, which shows high levels of home ownership aren't a prerequisite for a successful economy.
In fact, you could even say a culture of home ownership can be counterproductive.
Take Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two government sponsored lenders in the US instituted to drive up home ownership, played a crucial role in the subprime crisis and so the GFC.
And look at the top three countries by home ownership: Spain, Ireland and Greece. At this point you might start thinking it's time to discouraging people from buying homes.
At the other end of the scale, roughly four in 10 German and Swiss households own the place they live in.
Read more on renting in Germany at Quartz.
Most Germans and Swiss rent.
Selected biotech stocks were among the market's top gainers in 2013.
And already, Prana Biotech is an early bolter, with its shares up around 60 per cent since the middle of the month, gaining another 9 per cent Tuesday to $1.09.
Its shares traded at around 50c through the first half of 2013, before speculation took off over the prospects for its Alzheimer's agent which it is hoping to develop.
The latest driver to the surge is planned US presentations ahead of phase 2 trials results in March.
The stabilisation seen in emerging market currencies is having a positive effect on sentiment in the equity market and while retail traders will rarely look at the CDS (credit default swaps) market, it's interesting to see that corporate CDS spreads are starting to turn lower (a sign of confidence returning), IG's Chris Weston notes:
- It's become apparent that HSBC CDS have become somewhat of a canary in the coal mine.
- If you have acted on the spike in HSBC's CDS on January 7, you could have acted fairly aggressively and sold the S&P 500 or ASX 200 and profited from the subsequent move lower.
- Credit markets generally lead equities, so if we start seeing the HSBC CDS fall then this could put a bid into developed markets.
- Still, the question many in the market are asking is whether the moves in emerging markets were caused by developed market central bank policy, or have the recent negative moves in developed markets been a by-product of the recent EM rout?
HSBC: orange; JPMorgan CDS: white; S&P500: yellow. Chart by Bloomberg via IG.
Global smartphone shipments topped 1 billion units for first time in 2013, climbing 38.4 percent from the previous year to 1.004 billion units, research firm IDC said.
Smartphones made up 55.1 per cent of all mobile phone shipments last year from just over two-fifths in 2012, IDC said.
Samsung's market share edged up one percentage point year-on-year to 31.3 per cent to keep its place as the world's biggest smartphone vendor, while second-placed Apple's fell from 18.7 per cent to 15.3 per cent, according to IDC.
Huawei Technologies Co, LG Electronics and Lenovo Group were third, fourth and fifth largest respectively, each with a market share of just under 5 per cent in 2013.
The news came after Apple announced sales that fell well short of analyst expectations, despite setting a new record for the company.
Apple sold 51 million iPhones in the first quarter of its 2014 fiscal year, which ended December 28, up from 47.8 million last holiday season.
(And just in case you're wondering Apple shares are now trading on a forward P/E of 12.5.)
If you think you're struggling with the rising cost of living, spare a thought for the Queen.
Her Majesty's finances are at a "historic low" with just £1 million ($1.9 million) left in reserve, British MPs have been told. Her courtiers have been advised to take money-saving tips from the Treasury.
A report by the Public Accounts Committee found that the Queen's advisers were failing to control her finances while the royal palaces were "crumbling".
MPs said her advisers had overspent to such an extent that her reserve fund had fallen from £35 million in 2001 to just £1 million today.
Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are reported to be in urgent need of repair. Staff must catch rain in buckets to protect art and antiquities, while the Queen's old boilers were contributing to bills of £774,000 a year.
The Queen was once thought of as one of the world's wealthiest women. But no longer. L'Oreal and Wal-Mart heiresses, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Australia's own Gina Rinehart now top those lists with the Head of the Commonwealth nowhere in sight.
Queen 'down to her last million'
The Queen's reserve fund has fallen from £35 million to just £1 million over the last 12 years. British MPs have been told they are now at a "historic low".
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Improving credit growth, fueled by housing and business borrowing, should allow Australia's major banks to continue to grow earnings, say Macquarie analysts.
Since the rate cutting cycle began in 2011, offshore volatility and domestic political uncertainty has weighed on borrowing, with household savings rates pushing much higher than in the previous decade.
But as low rates start to stimulate borrowing, credit growth could add anywhere between 1 per cent and 7 per cent in bank earnings.
In Macquarie's bull scenario, big bank share prices could have an upside of 19.2 per cent, while the lowest upside scenario estimates 2 per cent growth.
"Rationality appears to be flowing through to deposit and wholesale funding markets, although this may be slightly offset by front book competition. We expect blossoming credit growth to also help impairment, which should be lower in FY14 versus FY13."
Households are starting to save less and borrow more, and the banks should benefit.
Today's session may be all about macro factors, but the time for companies to open their books for the inquisitive eyes of investors is fast approaching.
Stocks that have outperformed the market in the past year have been largely driven by price-to-earnings expansion, with the expectation that growth will come. It's now time for those companies to deliver, or face the music.
Macquarie has had a look at the companies that will post their results and put out a list of stocks likely to surprise on the upside, and the downside.
Among miners, BC Iron, Fortescue and Rio Tinto have the largest chance of an upside earnings surprise, Macquarie says. Gold miners face the biggest risk of downside earnings surprises.
''Delivery of earnings will be critical to maintain and support future market returns,'' Macquarie says:
- Splitting the ASX200 universe, the P/E expansion has mainly occurred in the industrial sector, while returns in the resource sector were less compelling.
- Recent quarterly production updates highlight a positive outlook for some resource stocks this reporting season.
UBS has warned clients Cochlear may be forced to axe its dividend in the wake of the loss of a US court case last week with a $131.2 million damages award against the company due to a patent dispute.
Weak earnings, which the company has forecast will be skewed to the second half means cashflows may be pressured following the court ruling, especially since Cochlear's dividend is debt funding, the bank warned clients.
"While Cochlear may use another instrument to provide funds for the court bond, if we classified this as an interest bearing liability it would take the 'debt' ratio above 85 per cent on UBS estimates," it said.
"Thus, the outcome of these court events adds to focus on the sustainability of Cochlear's dividend policy."
With the S&P indices to be rebalanced March 7, speculation of likely changes is doing the rounds.
This morning, UBS told clients of its predictions:
For the S&P/ASX100 index, potential additions are Dulux, JB Hi-Fi, Rea Group and IOOF, while potential deletions are OZ Minerals, UGL, Aurora Oil and Gas and Regis Resources.
UBS predicts Dulux and JB Hi-Fi will replace OZ Minerals and UGL.
For the S&P/ASX200 index, it reckons inclusions will be Nine Entertainment, Aveo Group (the renamed FKP Property), Ozforex, Pact Group, Veda and Steadfast.
Stocks that it reckons will be dumped are Forge Group, Alacer, Ausdrill, Silver Lake, Decmil and SMS.
Merger and acquisition activity is expected to pick up this year as interest rates remain low, companies struggle for top-line growth and governments look to lighten their debt loads, the AFR writes.
But the spread of deals will not be even across the sectors. Sectors to watch are infrastructure and property.
Bankers also expect that offshore buyers will continue to look for assets in Australia that will give them a foothold in Asia, the AFR writes.
The trend has been evident in recent months with Canadian company Saputo's takeover of Warrnambool Cheese and Butter and some say it could even accelerate as the fall in the Australian dollar makes local companies cheaper.
Sectors expected to stay quiet are manufacturing and building materials, as well as media and telcos.
And here's Markets Live blogger Patrick Commins explaining why investors shouldn't fret too much about the market volatility:
No signs of crisis despite sharp market falls: AFR
AFR's deputy markets editor Patrick Commins says there are no signs of a crisis that would slow economic growth yet, despite sharp market falls due to emerging market currency problems and slowing China.
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Should we worry about the recent market turmoil? UBS asks in a research note. Not too much just yet, is the analysts' answer:
- Market tumult, above all in emerging currencies, reminds investors that risks remain present. That's no bad thing following a period of uninterrupted gains in global equity markets.
- Nevertheless, we believe the underpinnings of the global economic recovery remain in place and are unlikely to be dislodged by emerging vulnerabilities. The Fed will ultimately matter more.
- Global economic momentum remains positive, as evidenced by our growth surprise indices. Receding fiscal drag this year bodes well for the recoveries in the US and the Eurozone. Despite credit jitters of its own, China's growth is more broadly based.
- Ultimately, we think a re-pricing of US short rates remains the biggest potential challenge for markets and global capital flows in 2014, though there is little evidence that Fed concerns are in play at the moment.
- In light of recent events markets may pause, but the outperformance of risk assets is likely to reassert itself.
Here are some economist reactions to this morning's strong results from NAB's business conditions survey:
JP Morgan:
Against the tide of sub-trend growth, a pick-up in consumer demand into year-end in Australia delivers some respite to the long suffering NAB survey.
The improvement synchs with the more positive anecdotes around the Christmas sales period, relative to recent years.
Lack of follow-through to other indicators though (forward orders, employment, pricing power etc) leave us sceptical that anything has fundamentally changed.
Given the lift in overall sales activity, the natural question is whether this could be the start of a turn in the cycle. On this front, the detail of the survey is not convincing.
Business conditions were improving in Australia in the fourth quarter, which provides more evidence that growth was rebalancing [from mining to non-mining].
Low interest rates, a lower AUD, loose fiscal policy and a bit more political certainty in the post-election period seem to have helped support a lift in business conditions. History suggests that the business conditions indicator is positively correlated with domestic demand, so the recent rise may mean domestic demand was picking up at the tail end of last year.
We continue to expect that the RBA's easing phase is done.
Qantas Airways may consider selling its freight division as part of its wide-ranging strategic review, although a weak air cargo market and the loss of operational flexibility could make that a less likely option than a float of its frequent flyer program.
Qantas is considering asset sales as part of a strategic review that was announced last month alongside plans to cut 1000 jobs and $2 billion in spending as it faces tougher competition from Virgin Australia in the domestic market.
Qantas will provide an update on the strategic review when its half-year results are unveiled on February 27, and no options have been ruled out.
The freight division includes the former Australian Air Express after Qantas cut a deal with Australia Post in 2012 to sell its 50 per cent stake in road freight operator StarTrack in return for buying 50 per cent of AAE.
A Deutsche Bank analyst said it was possible the freight division could be sold as part of the strategic review. He values the division at around $360 million based on its $36 million of earning before interest and tax in the 2012-13 financial year.
Read more ($).
Broker Moelis has adopted a bullish view of Challenger Financial Group as it initiates coverage on the diversified financial services group, pinning a buy recommendation on the stock which it describes as a "unique investment proposition".
Moelis says that Challenger is trading at a significant discount to its financial peers, and argues this gap will narrow and stems from a misconception about both the risks faced by the group as well as the way in which it generates profits.
Moelis's optimism centres on the exponential growth forecast for the retirement market. Challenger's business revolves around annuities and while these products currently account for about 6 per cent of all retirement-based income products, analyst Scott Fitzgerald predicts the sector is in for a massive expansion.
Retirement assets will represent close to one third of all managed assets within a decade with $66 billion worth of savings moving from the accumulation phase to the retirement phase.
Currently retirement assets account for 20 per cent of all managed assets.
Borrowing in self-managed super funds have grown by a blockbuster 88 per cent a year between 2008 and 2012, much faster than even the sector's harshest critics have estimated, according to a brief reseacrh note by consultants Tria Investment Partners, available on their website.
The brief report reads:
Most of the analysis to date has looked at the increase in borrowing incidence from 1.1 per cent to 3.7 per cent, and concluded that SMSF borrowing has roughly tripled over the period. This is wrong. The numbers are far higher:
The numbers of SMSFs with borrowing has more than quadrupled (a growth rate of 44 per cent p.a.)
The dollar amount of SMSF borrowings has risen by a factor greater than 12 (a growth rate of 88 per cent p.a.)
They point to the poor quality of the ATO data and surmise that, at these growth rates, that SMSF borrowings could now easily be over $10 billion, given the latest figures are 18 months old.
How much of that growth has been borrowing to buy residential, rather than commercial, property is unclear; which means the true extent of the effect of SMSF borrowing on the residential market also remains murky.
SMSF borrowing has grown at a faster pace than even the critics think.
A profit warning from McPhersons saw the shares dumped, slumping a heavy 11.4 per cent to $1.36, revisiting its lows of last November.
At that time, Investors Mutual doubled its holding in the company to 10 per cent, which pushed the shares sharply higher.
McPhersons warned Tuesday of heightened margin pressures which with restructuring charges will push the December half net profit down 18 per cent to $9.0 million.
Looking around the region, major Asian markets are stable after most sold off heavily yesterday.
- Japan's Nikkei is down 0.1 per cent.
- Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is up 0.2 per cent.
- Korea's KOSPI has added 0.3 per cent.
However Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index is down 2.6 per cent so far today, after losing 1.3 per cent yesterday. The Thai sharemarket has shed 2 per cent.
As for us, the ASX 200 is 0.6 per cent lower.
Shares in AJ Lucas are higher following the surprise resignation of the chief executive Allan Campbell.
Campbell was CEO since he acquired the company in 1995 and listed it on the ASX in 1999. He remains one of the company's largest shareholders.
He opted to quit the company soon after he surrendered the chairmanship of the group, and his departure marks the end of a tumultuous period as it struggled with cost blow outs on difficult contracts and opposition to developing its extensive shale gas prospects in the UK.
Shares are up 1.8 per cent at $1.15, after earlier rising about 5 per cent.
AJ Lucas since listing in 1999.
A small Canadian aluminum producer is in talks to take over Rio Tinto Alcan's aluminium casthouse in Shawinigan, Quebec, rescuing the plant from closure at the end of this year, the fund's project leader has told Reuters.
Sotrem, a company based in Saguenay, Quebec, that makes aluminium foundry alloys and deox, a type of aluminium used to remove oxygen in steel production, is leading the deal to buy the plant, said Yvon D'Anjou, who is in charge of the project.
"We expect to come to a consensus in the next few months," said D'Anjou. He was familiar with the plant, having worked as head of business development at Alcan until 2008.
A spokesman for Rio Tinto confirmed in an email that the company has entered exclusive negotiations for the sale of the casthouse, but did not give any further details.
The rout playing out in some economies right now does not point to a repeat of the 1997 crisis, emerging markets experts have told us - but they do concede that frontier economies face a difficult few months ahead.
Central banks in Argentina and Turkey have intervened in foreign exchange markets to try and stem the slide of the peso and the lira, just as political unrest causes investors to lose faith in Ukraine and South Africa where yields are rising.
HSBC's Hong Kong-based co-head of Asian economic research Fred Neumann expects the sell-off to be more discriminating as the "bad apples" with large current account deficits and unstable political rule distinguish themselves from economies in better shape:
- Emerging markets investors tell to sell everything at the first sign of bad news and then they search for the rubble and buy back in where things aren't as bad as they thought.
- One thing that might happen over the next few months is we'll get more differentiation between emerging markets because the sell-off has been quite broad.
TD Securities Singapore-based head of Asia-Pacific research Annette Beacher says there's no avoiding the fact that emerging markets will come under pressure this year with the Fed's unwinding of quantitative easing locked in:
- When we were all putting together our 2014 outlook, everyone baked US tapering into our base case. But unfortunately the sector that was always going to underperform was going to be the emerging markets because they've benefited from trillions and trillions of more-or-less free money looking for a home.
- Obviously China is now on everyone's radar screen. I cover china at a very, very high level and unfortunately the problem with China is everyone takes every data point as being significant.
- At some stage the market will be a little bit more selective around which markets they punish.
Online betting company Sportingbet has replaced its stablemate Centrebet as the sponsor of rugby league team the Penrith Panthers' home stadium, in a sign that the betting operators' British owner William Hill is still finessing its Australian brand strategy.
William Hill's Australian chief executive, and Sportingbet CEO, Michael Sullivan said that Sportingbet was a stronger rugby league brand than Centrebet.
"We wish to utilise that by placing additional focus on it," Sullivan said. "The switch to Sportingbet Stadium re-enforces our commitment to supporting and sponsoring rugby league in Australia."
Sportingbet is also a jersey sponsor for the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team. The company said Sportingbet and Centrebet will both offer a range of rugby league betting products.
GPT Group has opted to re-activate its share buyback after deciding not to proceed with its offer for the Commonwealth Property Office Fund.
In doing so the group confirmed its realised operating income for the full year to December 31, 2013 will be about $471.8 million; the realised operating income per ordinary security is 25.7¢ for the full year, EPS growth of 6.1 per cent which is in line with previous guidance of at least 6per cent.
Analysts said the share buyback was ''sensible capital management''. Under the current buyback, the group is only allowed to buy back up to a further about 100 million securities or 10 per cent over 12 months) up to May 2014.
Macquarie Equities analysts said with GPT's gearing at December 31 of 22.3 per cent, they estimate the group has about $1 billion in debt capacity assuming gearing moves to about 30 per cent.
''Consistent with our recent research on GPT, we estimate a buyback of this magnitude would be about 5 per cent accretive to GPT's 2014 funds from operations,'' the brokers said.
Shares are up 1.1 per cent at $3.61.
NAB has used the business conditions survey to push back its forecast for the Reserve Bank's next interest rate cut from May to November after last week's surprise jump in fourth-quarter inflation and improving business conditions over the next few months.
The bank's economists say they don't expect the RBA to raise the cash rate until late 2015. They forecast the Australian dollar to fall to US84¢ by the end of the year to to US80¢ by end-2015.
"Our GDP forecasts are broadly unchanged," the economists say. "In through-the-year terms, we expect growth to edge up from 2.3 per cent in the third-quarter [of the 2013-14 financial year] to 2.6 per cent by mid-2014."
As a potential new crisis in emerging markets gathers, we should remember that the old one in Europe continues to bubble away, particularly in the epicentre of the sovereign debt crisis, the banking sector.
Yesterday Italy's fourth-biggest bank, Banco Popolare, dropped almost 15 per cent, the most since December 2008, after it announced unexpected losses and plans to raise 1.5 billion euros in additional capital.
With investors holding fears that other Italian banks' assets may see further write-downs, Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna was off 9 per cent and Banca Popolare di Milano dropped 8 per cent.
It highlights the dangers of investing in European financial stocks, such as the lenders. But there are clearly opportunities: billionaire fund manager Kerr Neilson, for one, has repeatedly highlighted he likes select banks from the region.
And not to get too gloomy, but unemployment rates in countries at the centre of the European debt crisis remain scarily elevated, such as France (11 per cent – a 16-year high), Italy (12.7 per cent – highest since records began in 1977) and Spain (26.7 per cent, an all-time high, with youth unemployment of 57.7 per cent).
The improved reading for business conditions in December has lifted the Australian dollar. The currency rose from about US87.26¢ to US87.63¢ after the results of the survey was released.
But not everyone is convinced:
Amazing rebound in business conditions in December. It's almost too good. NAB now has a Nov RBA cut was May. #ausbiz #RBA
— James Glynn (@JamesGlynnWSJ) January 28, 2014
Some local economic data out today: business conditions have soared to a 2½-year high as sales and profits in some industries are rising sharply amid low interest rates, higher share and house prices and a weaker exchange rate.
The jump in conditions for December to 4 points from minus 3 in November brought it in line with the recent elevated levels of business confidence, the National Australia Bank says in its monthly survey.
Business confidence for December was unchanged at 6 points, "and could possibly remain at these levels for longer than previously thought given that the conditions index has begun to respond".
NAB's chief economist Alan Oster says it's not clear if the lift in business conditions could be sustained given that forward orders remained subdued, stocks are being run down and capacity utilisation remained low:
- Unsurprisingly, employment conditions remain soft, consistent with the recent weak labour market reports from the ABS and our outlook for ongoing deterioration of the labour market.
- Manufacturers are yet to see any material benefit from falls in the Australian dollar, while many are facing higher purchasing costs as a result.
- The construction and mining industries showed little to no improvement in the month, despite healthy activity in residential property markets and robust commodity demand from China.
Of course bitcoin made it onto the agenda at Davos, but it didn't win many new fans. In a panel on digital trends, Nobel Laureate economist Robert Shiller, an expert in financial bubbles, said that as a currency, bitcoin is a return to the dark ages, and a classic bubble.
"It is a bubble," Shiller said, according to Business Insider. "There is no question about it. It's just an amazing example of a bubble."
Shiller added that the computer science behind the virtual currency is an "inspiration," it is not an economic advance. "It's not such a great idea," he said he tells his students, but he's blown away by how much fascination the virtual currency has engendered.
US Treasury secretary Jack Lew, and JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon also added their 2 cents, speaking on the regulations and possible abuses surrounding the virtual currency.
The elite talkfest that is Davos ended on the weekend, with billionaires bemoaning rising inequality the theme de jour.
It's a nice place in the Swiss Alps and no doubt there were plenty of interesting other topics, but was it really worth going?
If you use sharemarket performance as a guide, then the answer has to be 'no'. The Economist has done some numbers crunching and comes to the conclusion that companies that regularly attend Davos' have underperformed the broad market:
Macquarie is looking to expand its portfolio of power assets, one of its executives told Reuters, and may even invest in continental Europe, where utilities are closing thousands of megawatts worth of gas and coal plants.
Long established as a buyer of European infrastructure assets, including gas networks offering fixed annual returns, Macquarie has also started to buy power plants, which European utilities are shedding as a result of high gas prices and low power contracts.
"Macquarie has acquired several conventional power plants in Britain. But we're also considering investing in generation outside the UK," Hilko Schomerus, managing director at Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, said. "Therefore, we're looking for opportunities in the whole of Europe, including Germany, even though the situation there is more challenging."
And then there's the US earnings season, which has so far offered a mixed bag of results and not really contributed to justifying the high valuations of many stocks after last year's market rally.
After the close on Wall Street, Apple posted its numbers, missing Wall Street's lofty target for iPhone sales over the crucial holiday shopping season and offering a weaker-than-expected forecast for this quarter, which sent its shares down 8 per cent in after-hours trade.
The world's most valuable technology company sold a record 51 million iPhones in the quarter, but that was shy of the 55 million or so analysts had expected, reflecting intense competition from arch-foe Samsung Electronics during the crucial period.
The company forecast sales of $US42 billion to $US44 billion this quarter, which investors anticipate will be brisker than usual because of its recently sealed deal to sell iPhones through China Mobile Ltd, the country's No. 1 carrier. Wall Street was expecting $US46 billion, on average.
Apple recorded sales of $US57.6 billion in its December or fiscal first quarter, versus expectations for about $US57.5 billion. First fiscal quarter earnings were $US14.50 a share, higher than estimates of $US14.07.
"The report for the December quarter was fine, but the real problem is the forecast for the March quarter," said Brian Colello, an analyst at Morningstar. "The revenue certainly appears to be a shortfall."
"After showing modest signs of improvement, we're back to a no-growth outlook," said JMP Securities' Alex Gauna. "It's something Apple needs to find an answer to... If it can't prove that it's going to be a growth story again, the valuation is too high."
It's not only the emerging markets rout weighing on global investor sentiment, there's also fear the US Federal Reserve will accelerate the speed of "tapering", or reducing, its stimulus when it meets over the next two days.
Most analysts don't think the global turbulences will prevent the Federal Open Market Committee from announcing that it will further reduce its $US75-billion-a-month monthly bond-buying program by about $US10 billion.
A reduction of the same size was announced in December. (Note that this week's meeting will also be Ben Bernanke's last as Fed chair before Janet Yellen takes over)
"The Fed is likely to attribute the recent uptick in emerging markets volatility to local developments rather than to US monetary policy normalisation, and therefore is unlikely to pause its tapering in response," Nomura rates strategist Martin Whetton says:
- Rather, it is the continued signs of economic momentum in the data that are expected to drive the Fed's decision not to pause tapering its asset purchases.
- Indeed, after last week's pause in US data supply, a flurry of releases this week, beginning with new home sales today if demonstrative of a continued acceleration in the US recovery, may help dampen overall market concerns over emerging markets.
A pullback of the Fed's easy money has been named as one of the reasons global stocks are sinking, and the US dollar is recovering.
Some more on JB Hi-Fi: shares have posted their biggest gains for almost a year, rising 11 per cent after the consumer electronics retailer maintained its full year sales guidance and confirmed that December-half net profit was expected to rise 10 per cent.
JB Hi-Fi chief executive Terry Smart released the trading update following a series of profit downgrades from retailers such as The Reject Shop, Super Retail and consumer products company McPherson's.
Smart said JB Hi-Fi's net profit rose 10 per cent to $90.3 million in the six months ended December 31, compared with $82.1 million in the year-earlier period. The result was slightly ahead of market consensus forecasts of about $90.25 million.
Earnings before interest and tax had risen 7.5 per cent to $132.9 million, slightly below consensus forecasts around $133.5 million.
Shares are currently up 7.5 per cent.
And now the best and worst performers among the top 200 stocks.
As mentioned, JB Hi-Fi has surged thanks to an upbeat trading update, presumably to scotch investor concerns that it was going to fallow the lead of some other retailers and disappoint with their interim results due out February 3.
That looks to have sparked some like in the retail sector, with Myer up a bit in a down market, while The Reject Shop still has a long way to regain its share price losses of last week.
Oil Search is an early mover after a quarterly report was received well by the market.
Alacer Gold has had a poor start, as have fund manager Henderson, James Hardie and Breville Group.
This mornings best and worst performers on the ASX200.
Here's the price action of some of the companies making news this morning:
- Boral up 3c to $4.75, or 0.6 per cent.
- JB Hi-Fi up $1.96 to $20.25, or 10.7 per cent.
- GPT down 3.5c to $3.54, or 1 per cent.
- AJ Lucas down 5c to $1.08, or 4.4 per cent.
And here we go: the sharemarket is getting hammered at the open, wiping more than $22 billion off the market's value.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 is down 79.6 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 5161.3, while the broader All Ords has lost 77.8 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 5176.5.
All sectors are in the red, with materials slumping 2.1 per cent, financials down 1.7 per cent and industrials off 1.2 per cent.
Investors are once again betting big time the Aussie dollar will fall.
Global hedges funds are increasingly betting our local currency will fall.
There was a further build-up in Australian and Canadian dollar shorts in the week ending 21 Jan, taking both to multi-month highs, report analysts at RBC Capital Markets.
Net short AUD positioning went up by 13,000, reaching levels last seen in early September - as the chart shows.
Both Canada and Australia are large commodity exporting economies that are perceived as vulnerable to a slowdown in Chinese demand for natural resources.
Net long euro positioning also dropped by 13,000 and notably turned short for the first time since late November.
"Long" positions are bets by traders that the value of the currency will go up, while "short" positions are the opposite.
The main beneficiary has been the US dollar, with net longs building up by a further 27,000.
The chief executive of struggling mining services group AJ Lucas, Allan Campbell, has resigned just two months after the company delivered a profit warning and launched a business-wide review.
Campbell, who was previously CEO and chairman of the group will be replaced on an interim basis by Phil Arnall. Arnall had been appointed non-executive chair in November.
AJ Lucas was forced to raise equity in September last year due to its high debt load and problems in its drilling division, which has been hit by the wider mining sector downturn.
Campbell said in a statement that after "19 years of sustained pressure" it was time to step down "now the company has a significantly strengthened balance sheet".
Campbell was CEO since he acquired the company in 1995 and listed it on the ASX in 1999. He remains one of the company's largest shareholders.
Treasury Wine Estates is in a trading halt pending an announcement. Shares are to resume trading by market open on Thursday at the latest:
"The company requests this halt whilst management reviews its preliminary financial results for the 6 month period ending 31 December 2013 and any implications for the company's full year forecast."
Boral expects its first-half net profit to total about $90 million, a result buoyed by good sales of its building products and a favourable construction environment in Australia thanks to good weather.
The building materials company, which is scheduled to report its first-half earnings on February 12, said it expects a "significant skew of earnings to the first half of the year" compared with the second half because of the timing of major projects and a "reduced contribution" from Boral Gypsum as its share in the venture drops to 50 per cent when the half-stake sale to USG is completed.
It also said it expects lower profits from property sales in the financial year ending June 30, compared with previous years when such sales "traditionally benefited the second half".
Are we going to see a major sell-off today? Here's the poll:
Poll: Where do you expect the ASX200 to stand at the end of the session?
- Shares will be heavily sold off, with the ASX200 slumping below 5200.
- Shares will be sold off early, but an intra-day turnaround will see the ASX200 close flat.
- Bargain hunters will jump in and push the ASX200 higher for a slightly positive close.
- We're going to see stocks rally back above 5300 points.
Total votes: 671.
You will need Cookies enabled to use our Voting Feature.
These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinion only of visitors who have chosen to participate.
Turning to what's happening locally this morning, Andrew Forrest's Poseidon Nickel has asked for an extension of its trading halt, after the company was not able to complete its long-awaited capital raising as hoped.
Poseidon has spent the past four days trying to secure a funding deal that with allow the junior to develop its Windarra project in Western Australia, plus repay an $8 million loan from its biggest shareholder Mr Forrest.
Poseidon is believed to need about $197 million to develop its project, while the loan to Forrest would need just over $9 million to satisfy given it is accruing interest at 13 per cent.
The company has told the ASX this morning that it needs more time to progress discussions and sign term sheets on the deals, and it hopes to be able to do so by next Friday, February 7.
Poseidon shares last traded on January 22 at 10.5 cents
And here's how key emerging market bourses have fared so far this year. Interesting that Argentina is up despite the currency getting walloped:
- Brazil: -7.4%
- Turkey: -4.8%
- India: -2.7%
- Argentina: +4%
- Russia: -7.4%
- MSCI emerging markets index: -5.3%
Those are mostly fairly significant falls but perhaps not quite as dramatic as some of the media reports make you think. Developed nation markets are also down but so far it's altogether not a major correction:
- Dax: -2.1%
- Nikkei: -7.9%
- Hang Seng: -5.7%
- Shanghai: -3.9%
The mood has turned distinctly sour in emerging markets in 2014, echoing the large sell-offs that accompanied the "taper terror" of mid last year. This time around its again uncertainty around US Fed policy and the speed of QE tapering, concerns about China's economy, and global investors scaling back their EM exposures as developing markets pick up.
Here's a quick round up of EM hotspots:
- The value of the Argentine peso is collapsing, suffering its worst one-day fall in more than a decade - it fell 15 per cent last week. The central bank is scaling back its efforts to support the peso as their foreign exchange reserves are dwindling.
- Brazil's sharemarket has plunged, and its currency stooped to a 5-month low.
- The South African rand dropped to its lowest level in 5 years
- Venezuela's government has devalued its currency by 45 per cent.
- The Turkish lira plunged to a record low. Authorities there spent $US3.5 to $US4.5 billion to shore up the lira, but have only $US33 billion left in reserves.
- There is political turmoil and violent demonstrations in Thailand and the Ukraine, set against the deep rumblings of antagonism between China and Japan.
- Ongoing fears of a "hard landing" in China have been exacerbated by a very weak early indicator of manufacturing, the HSBC/Market Flash PMI.
US stocks extended recent losses overnight, with the S&P500 falling for a third straight session as concern grew about the Federal Reserve's plans for withdrawing stimulus.
The losses, which picked up late in the session after the S&P 500 briefly traded in positive territory, followed a steep sell-off late last week tied to emerging market concerns. The slide gave the S&P 500 its worst weekly percentage loss since June 2012.
Limiting losses in the Dow and S&P 500, however, was Caterpillar. The stock jumped 5.9 per cent to $US91.29 after the maker of mining and construction equipment reported a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit.
The S&P 500 dropped 8.73 points or 0.5 per cent, to finish at 1781.56. The Nasdaq Composite slid 44.56 points or 1.1 per cent, to close at 4083.61. The Dow Jones fell 41.23 points, or 0.3 per cent, to end at 15,837.88. For the Dow, Monday marked a fifth session of losses.
"There's still a lot of nervous money hanging around," Bucky Hellwig, senior vice president at BB&T Wealth Management told Reuters. "The Fed is meeting this week, and the consensus is they're going to proceed with the taper."
Many market participants are bracing for the market to sell if the Fed decides to keep withdrawing stimulus. In December, the US central bank announced plans to begin scaling back its massive bond-buying program.
Last week's heavy selling raised some concerns that the market may be in for a major correction, especially since the S&P 500 closed on Friday below its 50-day moving average for the first time since October 9. On Monday, the Nasdaq ended below its 50-day moving average.
Others did not consider the recent selling as cause for concern.
"The slowdown in emerging markets isn't prevalent enough to derail the deepening economic recovery that we're seeing across developed markets," said Steven Rees, US head of equity strategy at JP Morgan Private Bank in New York. "We're not expecting a major correction in the market this year."
The Australian dollar has shaken off the recent global wobbles and even retraced its losses in the wake of RBA board member Heather Ridout's comments on Friday, which sent the currency tumbling below US87¢ late last week.
The local currency, which fell as low as US86.78¢ yesterday, soared by about three-quarters of a cent overnight to trade as high as US87.59¢ this morning. It's currently fetching US87.42¢.
Despite the short lift, negative global risk sentiment is still weighing on the Australian dollar, Westpac senior market strategist Imre Speizer says:
- The break below major support around US88¢ has been sustained, and that level should now cap any near term bounces.
- Over the next few months, concerns about slowing local and Chinese economic data could also see the currency decline further.
And following on from the last post, here's how emerging markets currencies have performed so far this year (against the US dollar):
- Indian rupee: -2.6%
- Turkish lira: -5.9%
- Brazilian real: -2.5%
- Argentinian peso: -18.5%
- Russian ruble: -5.4%
The Australian dollar over the past three trading days.
We'll be spending a bit of time this morning taking a look at just what's given global markets the spooks.
Rivkin CEO Scott Schuberg points to weakness in emerging markets, which have seen heavy sell-offs in both equities and currencies over the past week:
- Presently the world is relying pretty heavily on emerging markets to help the prospects of global growth, with Asia accounting for about 60% of the expected global GDP growth based on current forecasts.
- While during the years when US quantitative easing (QE) either had no end in sight or was being added to, opportunists (chiefly investment banks and hedge funds) borrowed cheap money from the US and invested in countries where bond yields were high and growth was emerging, which lent great liquidity to emerging market economies throughout Asia, Latin America and other hot spots like Turkey and Mexico.
- As the rallies in those equity, currency and bond markets topped out and the US Federal Reserve signalled the beginning of the end of QE, things started to go a bit pear-shaped for emerging markets and liquidity began to dry up.
- So this end to the fuelling of the 'no-brainer' emerging market carry trade (borrow cheap money, buy high yielding money) is taking with it some of this sharp GDP growth in smaller economies that has been made to look so significant on a global scale, thanks to such anaemic growth in North America and Europe.
Here's a good wrap of global action overnight, courtesy of ANZ:
- There was little in the way of data, with weaker than expected US house sales contrasting with upbeat German business confidence. The USD was relatively stable, with headlines that the Turkish central bank is to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday helping to settle the Turkish lira.
- Overall, market moves were contained overnight with equities typically trading in tight ranges, while US Treasuries sold off marginally. In currency markets, AUD/USD was slightly higher and is currently trading around 0.8755.
- Following sharp falls in the lira, the Turkish Central Bank was quick to act, with its Monetary Policy Committee announcing it will be holding an interim meeting to "discuss recent developments and take the necessary policy measures for price stability." With the decision due midnight on Tuesday Turkish time, expectations are that the Central Bank will aggressively raise interest rates (a minimum of 100bps is expected) to help stabilise currency markets.
- ECB policymakers have also downplayed concerns over contagion, with ECB governing council member Noyer noting he did not expect tensions in emerging markets to spread through euro area markets. Indeed, Noyer stated that, "generally speaking, the IMF has just revised upward its global growth forecast, so there's no particular reason that Europe should be affected by the problems encountered by a small number of countries."
- Encouragingly, bond spreads to bunds have narrowed for most of the Eurozone peripherals – even for Spain – whose banks have large exposures to Argentine banks.
- The German IFO survey rose to 110.6 in December from 109.5 in the previous month - its highest level since July 2011. The current conditions and expectations components both increased solidly. Encouragingly, these data point to further strengthening in the German recovery and reasonable momentum in Europe's largest economy.
- In the US, new home sales were weaker than expected declining to 414k (mkt:+455k) in December from 445k in November. We would note, however, that sales activity was likely hampered by poor weather conditions.
Local stocks are poised to open sharply lower as Australian investors play catch-up with a global sell-off.
Emerging market equities hit a five-month low overnight to lead a global stocks sell-off, while Wall Street failed to hold slight gains as sentiment soured.
Concerns about China's economic slowdown and its shadow banking sector, combined with expectations that the US Federal Reserve will scale back its bond buying further, have put pressure on emerging markets dependent on external financing.
Here's how some of the main markets performed overnight:
- SPI futures down 39 points at 5118
- AUD at 87.40 US cents, 63.92 euro cents
- On Wall St, S&P500 -0.4%, Dow Jones -0.26%, Nasdaq -1.06%
- In Europe, FTSE100 -1.7%, CAC -0.41%, DAX -0.46%
- Spot gold down $US10.57 to $US1259.51 an ounce
- Brent oil down $US1.10 to $US106.78 per barrel
- Iron ore is flat $US124.30 per tonne
Read more on how global market performed overnight in this morning's need2know
Good morning and welcome to the Markets Live blog for Tuesday. A special welcome for everyone returning from summer holidays.
As requested by our readers last week, we've decided to trial an earlier start and will be aiming to get the blog up and running by 9am.Your editors today are Jens Meyer and Patrick Commins.
This blog is not intended as investment advice.
BusinessDay with wires.


text:
quote:Confirmed he was not at the game tonight
quote:Once the regular season starts it will be obvious what his intentions are
quote: I guarantee if his nuts itch he'll be out with "testicle soreness"!
quote:Get off that man's nuts
quote:That's the difference between him and drew Brees work ethic. He doesn't want to be the guy and get better.
quote:yeah really cause Im sure he sat wrong and injured one or both wait no way on both, he only has one

subset: commoncrawl


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The country's seventh oldest veterinary school and the oldest in the South, Auburn today boasts one of the nation's preeminent institutions for research, teaching, diagnosis, and treatment in many specialties of small and large animal medicine.
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All activities associated with students in the professional veterinary degree program are coordinated through the College of Veterinary Medicine Office of Academic Affairs. These activities include, but are not limited to:
What is the Sample Submission Kit? How much is it and how do we get it?
Date: 7/24/2009 4:58 pm Views: 455 Rating: 0 Rate [ | ] Please check our webpage Sample Submission Kit. We provide the kit with 10 individually labeled tubes with buffer in them to help stabilize the nucleic acids. Enclosed are also 5 HistoBrush swabs for collection of swabs. All specimens must be immersed, and liquid specimens mixed with the buffer. The Sample Submission Kits have a shelf life of at least 1 year. There are three ways to order the Sample Submission Kit:
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text: GALLERIES Sharon Stone Shannen Doherty Shannen Doherty Christina Ricci Christina Ricci Kate Winslet Kate Winslet Christina Applegate Christina Applegate Coming Next OR 0 129 Back to Top ▲ Sharon Stone Sharon Stone Sharon Stone Pictures AskMen Editors Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 0 Shares She is one of Hollywood's most famous and powerful actresses. She has appeared in Basic Instinct, The Specialist, Total Recall, Casino, and Sphere. Continue reading Sharon Stone's profile. Next Page gallery Comments Show Comments More Like This Promoted Around the Web Special Features


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[quote:Spiritoftruth111 26530436:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg4MzI5X0I0RkREQzQx] [quote:Newheart:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg4Mjg2X0RGNkY0MzZE] [quote:Spiritoftruth111 26530436:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg4MjQ0XzlERDQ2RDRE] [quote:Newheart:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg4MTAzXzY1OUE4M0Iz] [quote:spiritoftruth111 26530436:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg3ODIyXzc3MTlGQTdF] [quote:Newheart:MV8yMDQ5MzE5XzM0NDg3NTU5X0E3NTIyNjYy] 11:11 means the resurrection, when you see it on clocks. A signal to wake up. This was revealed to me by the Spirit of Truth within me. After that, I thought to look at rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. [/quote] 11:11 = the four angels of the four corners. the beginning of the end. Two by Two, the Olivetrees and lampstands. Whom is worthy to be sealed as part of the first ressurection. Knoweth that newagerisms teaching from the things ye have read are all infulenced by demons, empty thine cup and understand I am Christ Ye can not free yourself from Hell you need the aid of us. Ye by accepting our aid we give your spirit our light our spirit of christ will dwell with yours protecting it from the darkness but it is not you. [/quote] I was told the four angels are gathered together. I am sealed, since 2007. I am telling you the truth. I am bestowed. [/quote] Those whom exalt themself shall be abased, but those whom shall humble themself shall be exalted. Let ye know ye are misled and if do not repent and seek the truth and humble yourself emptying the cup of poisons ye have drank from, from the times of your readings let it be said ye shall not fair well in the trials to come. [/quote] I do not exalt myself. God does. I am born of Spirit, a new born son. I already died to this world, and emtied my cup a long time ago. [/quote] When day comes in future ye know how wrong ye are, repent and in tears ask the forgiveness of God we shall know and hear for Father at that time will reveal. If thou were blind ye would have no sin, but because ye say I see ye remain with sin. [/quote]
Original Message
Let ye know now the true Good Shepard that ye seek.
Let a mystery be given unto ye to know the times in which I shall do these things.
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four cbeasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3 And when he had opened the asecond seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take apeace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with asword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Let it be known the first four seals to be broken also represent the four horsemen of the apocalyse, let it be known the whitehorse represents the deciever whom shall bring forth the world war to come he that is the Antichrist the king over the antichrists.
Let it be known that the world war will bring pestilence, famine and death. That those whom die in it shall be taken to Hell for they died in their sins. Death comes and Hades follows soon after.
Let ye know also the ecomony shall collapse for a time and a new system come out of the ruins having power of the first system of beast, in which money shall no longer be the way but a new system shall come of simlar design.
Behold I am He whom spoke these things to John the revelator and showed him the things to come and now I translate it for you so ye may know when I begin to break the Seal. Know this all those whom have pretended to be Me shall have great woes in times to come as the Seals are broken and if they repent not Hell shall have them. Many have spoken in my name without my authority and corrupted the field with their poisons.
I am the Truth the Light and the Life no man women nor child goeth unto the Father but by me, I am the bridge to the eternitys there is no future beyond Hell outside coming through me. Man is bound and destined for condemnation and eternal suffering I have offered the world and those whom would believe and follow the example and be humble in doing so a alternative outcome.
Hell is all around you your universe is the realm of darkness the Light holds it back for a time, the spirit is protected while in the body but the body is also corrupt and binding to the spirit. Many whom have died did not go to good places very few even make it to the place of waiting and none but a few have seen Heaven.
Ehyeh Esher Ehyeh
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quote:All the other stuff I tend to ignore, you can only read so many opinions on hints on the same theory/idea till it just starts to annoy you
quote:that every time the AA attempted to temper the blade using normal techniques the blade shattered.
quote:Tower of Joy man
quote:Damn, Theon aint dead? I thought they kilt his ass!
quote:My problem with Benjen is I believe he would've went to Castle Black first. He is far too loyal to break his oaths to the nights watch
quote:Yeah, this is why I think he has to be North of the Wall waging some kind of shadow war, if he is in fact alive.
quote:- That Jon's parents are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen (pretty much gospel in most parts these days)
quote:So Jon's coming back?
quote:I honestly think hes dead.
quote:You mean there are theories that have someone other than Ned as his father? I mean, I could see Lyanna I guess, since all descriptions of Jon describe him as looking very "Stark-ish". I assume this would also mean that Coddington is not really with Aegon?
quote:All the clues point to that being the case
quote:I don't see why that would make Connington or Aegon a phony though.
quote:Hooded man? I've read all five books buy for some reason I'm forgetting about this.
quote:What clues? My bad on "Coddington". I just finished ADWD a few days ago, and probably need to read them again to catch some of this stuff.
quote:I thought Rhaegar only had 2 kids (a boy and a girl)?
quote:The only two the realm knows about and Robert had them both killed. Which is why keeping Jon's identity a secret would be of the upmost importance to Ned.
quote:or some Stark household soldier.


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On the Evolution of the Imago Dei: Insights from St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas helps us understand how the image of God in man might have developed through evolution.
The Resource Finder has powerful filtering features — check out the tutorial to learn more.
St. Thomas Aquinas helps us understand how the image of God in man might have developed through evolution.
Studying the basis of life's design cannot meaningfully be separated from the character of the One responsible for it. By living in relationship with him through whom all things were created and in whom all things have their being, we experience the purpose and meaning with which this universe is infused.
John Calvin really believed that the sun revolved around the earth, but we shouldn't dismiss the rest of his theology because of this error.
God invites us to understand his power and nature through studying what has been made.
From a Judeo-Christian perspective, all of these curiosities dovetail into a profoundly meaningful explanation: Being made in God's image helps to explain our creative and investigative skills, particularly when we consider that God has specially engineered this universe to reveal himself to human beings.
Conflicts occur when people argue one worldview against another. They may be arguing Atheism versus Monotheism, then pull out science as a weapon saying, "science proves I'm right because of this or that..." In my view, science is rather more limited than this. Science has a lot of interesting resonances with the big questions, and can inform them, but I don't believe it can answer them.
There is often a worry that working in or studying science is a threat to faith, but stories of scientists who are Christians in the top ranks of academia show that this is not the case.
The BioLogos Book Club discussion of Francis Collins' The Language of God.
"I believe that we must now ask for more than simple avoidance of cognitive dissonance. I believe we should seek for cognitive consonance."
Carl's dramatic lines that opened his Cosmos were repeated in Cosmos II: "The universe is all there is, or was, or ever will be." When I told Haines Stiles that many people took that as a statement of atheism, he responded with surprise. "Really?" he said. "We just put that in because it sounded poetic!"
A deep love for scripture, coupled (ironically) with a lifelong struggle with religious doubt, led Robert Boyle to write several important books relating scientific and religious knowledge. We explore aspects of this fascinating interaction.
We can understand why man, modern man in particular, would like to mop the floors and bleach the walls. We might not be able to tame reality, but we can tame our perception of reality. We intellectualize in order to feel in control.
In this series, Ryan Pettey offers several clips from his powerful documentary "From the Dust". This feature-length film is divided up into various sections, each of which wrestles with the difficult problems that arise when reconciling Scripture with the theory of evolution. A light of hope dawns on the science-faith conversation, however, as scientists and theologians engage in honest dialogue about tough issues such as the interpretation of Genesis, the nature of the Fall, and the idea of random design. Their profound insights are sure to enlighten all minds, raise deeper questions, and provoke new thought.
"Where many scholars in previous generations simply assumed that Christianity and science have always been in conflict—and not just over evolution—recent scholarship has decisively debunked that view. The main message from today's historians is complexity, not conflict."
Today's Origins News Round-up takes us from some cosmic data on the possible existence of life elsewhere in the universe, to some surprising theories about the origin of life, and some interesting general news and editorial items on science and religion.


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AFORE's CloudLink™ Cloud Security and Management software solution assists Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), version 2.0, compliance in multi-tenant shared cloud environments.
Download the The Missing Link: Enabling PCI Compliance in the Cloud white paper to find out about CloudLink, an award winning solution that combines cloud infrastructure security and manageability with cloud performance monitoring to protect mission critical data in motion and at rest.
Please provide us with the following information to download the white paper.


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Louisville Slugger TPX Armor Youth Baseball Bat: YB12A
$39.99 |
With Free Shipping Both Ways |
Product Features
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20 Product Reviews
Questions and Answers
Got a question about the Louisville Slugger TPX Armor Youth Baseball Bat: YB12A? Ask our team of experts, and they will respond within 24 hours.
Ask A QuestionIs this bat double walled?
The Louisville Slugger TPX Armor: YB12A Youth bat features a single wall barrel design. Typically, double wall designs are not typically offered in the Youth baseball market. But if a bat has a Multi/Double Wall design, it will appear in the Product Features section.
Is this bat BBCOR certified? Or is that something I even need to worry about in the world of 10U baseball?
The Louisville Slugger TPX Armor: YB12A Youth is not BBCOR certified. All BBCOR bats have a -3 length to weight ratio, a 2 5/8" barrel, and are certified for use in high school and collegiate play. Some middle school and younger leagues are moving towards using the certification, but no major associations currently require the certification before age 11.
Is the TPX 29" 21 oz. little league approved?
Yes, the Louisville Slugger TPX Armor: YB12A Youth is approved for play in Little League.
Product Description
Since 1884, Louisville Slugger has been producing high-quality baseball equipment for all ages and skill levels. When players are serious about winning, they reach for the brand that has won more national college championships than any other: Louisville Slugger TPX. The Louisville Slugger TPX Armor returns again this season to provide players with a battle-ready bat capable of producing solid performance. The Armor's one-piece aluminum design is ideal for contact hitters and power hitters alike! Spray the ball to all corners of the field, or hit one over the outfield wall; this bat can do it all! The Armor is topped off with a vibration dampening end cap that locks that vibration in the barrel to create a huge transfer of energy to the ball on contact! With a 7/8 inch standard handle wrapped with a synthetic leather grip, the Armor swings comfortable and is easy to control. Louisville Slugger: Turning Players Into Legends Since 1884! The TPX Armor is approved for play in Little League, Babe Ruth, Dixie, Pony, AABC, and USSSA. It is backed by a Full Twelve (12) Month Manufacturer's Warranty. Free Shipping!
About Louisville Slugger
I would like to let your company know that for three years I have been ordering bats from you and I have always had a young man named Clint help me and put my orders in through him. I just wanted to let you know how nice, helpful and sweet he is. He has always treated me with the utmost respect, always called me back if needed, and always given me a lot of helpful information on my orders. He is just a wonderful representative of your company. I will continue to order for your company as long as he is working for you. Thanks you.
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Archive for the 'human cannonball' tag
Human Cannonball
Southeast Engine's wildly talented bassist & harmony vocalist Jesse Remnant writes and records in a band called Human Cannonball. Backed by a band of equally talented Dayton, OH sons, Remnant's knack for melody is quite remarkable. Here is a piece Don Thrasher (Guided By Voices, Swearing at Motorists, Smug Brothers) recently did on the group for the Dayton Daily News.
Human Cannonball self-releases their debut Let's Be Friends this weekend in Remnant's hometown of Dayton, OH. The band plays Canal St. Tavern Saturday night @ 9:30 PM with Tim Pritchard & The Boxcar Ensemble and Josh Eagle & Harvest City.


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Regions:Dover/Somersworth -Great Bay - Rochester - Southern Maine | ||
Exeter Greenland Portsmouth New Castle Newington Stratham Rye | ||
Go Mobile: http://mobile.fosters.com John Harper featured at Writers' Night
Saturday, February 2, 2013
ROCHESTER — The next Rochester Writers' Night takes place at the Portable Pantry, 12 Hanson St., Thursday, Feb. 7. The feature performer for the evening is John Harper.
When not writing or promoting his writing, John can often be seen on stage with various local theatre groups, including his own; The Not Ready for Serious Theatre Players. |


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quote: The Republican party freed slaves, promoted Civil Rights, and spearheaded a woman's right to vote.
quote:I hope you feel better now that we've cleared this all up.
quote:It can't be stressed enough: The Republican party freed slaves, promoted Civil Rights, and spearheaded a woman's right to vote. I mentioned in a thread last week that all three of these items have come back to haunt the Republican party due to the successfull revisionist history by today's Progressives, their teachers, and their media. No good deed goes unpunished with this group, and the entire Republican Party should know this.
quote:Are people on this board really that confused by words?
quote:your post was about 3 people when we're talking about an entire region
quote:Dont you know? All of those people are all the same.
quote:Why are you taking credit for this shite now?
quote:It's one reason the Dems were leery of Civil Rights for the future - they didn't want to lose the South's votes by pushing through Civil Rights.
quote:This "graph" has absolutely nothing to do with racism in the south.
quote:SlowFlowPro The minute I saw this thread I knew it would be like honey to a fly as soon as you saw it.
quote:The South wasn't Republican back then, the South was heavily Democrat.
quote:you can't just look at who the states as a whole voted for, because that tells you virtually nothing about the make-up of a population or the motivations o different blocs and coalitions.
quote:And I'd still like to know what my "narrative" is
quote: dixiecrats became republicans


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Zig Zag Imprint Fluid Skort with 4 1/2 Inch Inseam
Zig Zag Imprint Fluid Skort with 4 1/2" Inseam
$24 .88
 Done in a fashionably faded zig zag print, this undeniably cute style stars a pleated front and fabulously fluid draping (not to mention a touch of elastic at the back waist) for effortless summer cool. Wide waistband. Side zipper. Side pockets. Lined. 4 1/2" inseam.


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St. Jude Country Music Marathon & Half
Nashville, TN
April 25, 2015
Participate in the St. Jude Country Music Marathon & Half and fundraise to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through the St. Jude Heroes program. Choose from the marathon, half marathon or 5k events.
When you sign up for the St. Jude Country Music Marathon & Half as a St. Jude Hero, you'll be taking an important step toward finding cures and saving children battling cancer and other deadly diseases. Through the generous support of people like you, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Do more with your race. Run for a reason and be a Hero for the kids of St. Jude.
Fundraising is easy, and we give you everything you need to be successful! From a personal fundraising website to personal support from a fundraising coach, we will support you every step of the way.
Additionally, you can earn awesome benefits like race entry, travel accommodations and an overall race weekend VIP experience based upon the fundraising level you choose. View our complete list of fundraising benefit levels.
Please contact St. Jude Heroes Team at email@example.com or call (800) 608-2936 with any questions.


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Product Number: | PY65807 |
Item Price: | $129.99 $109.99 |
Availability: | In Stock |
Shipping Weight: | 3.53 lbs. |
With just one hand and the pull of a trigger, you can adjust the Primos Trigger Stick® to your desired height. The Trigger Stick® is a lightweight height-adjustable gun rest and optical gear mount, perfect for kneeling or standing. It comes equipped with a detachable V yoke. The Trigger Stick® fits 1/4"-20 & 3/8"-16 threaded fixtures for securing optical gear. It is perfect for cameras, spotting scopes, binoculars, laser range finders and almost any other mono pod mountable device.
• 360° rotating V yoke
• Removable V yoke
• Trigger lock
• Improved fluid handle movement
• Whisper quiet telescoping legs
• Stronger, lighter 7075 aluminum legs for easy carry
• Adjust from 24" to 62"
Customers who bought this item also purchased
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Search Results for: acquire
March 15, 2013
Target Agrees to Acquire CHEFS Catalog and Cooking.com
Target announced separate agreements March 14 to acquire CHEFS Catalog and assets of Cooking.com The company said in a press release that the acquisitions are aimed at expanding Target's ecommerce presence in the cooking and kitchenware market.
Following the …
More...In Catalog, PR Newswire
December 11, 2012
Honeywell to Acquire Intermec for $600 Million
Intermec, a provider of data capture and information management solutions, announced that an agreement is in the works in which technology and manufacturing firm Honeywell International will acquire Intermec for $600 million. The deal was announced in a press release, which …
More...October 13, 2014
Canadian Ecommerce a Great Opportunity for U.S. Merchants
With a consumer base that loves American brands, is very plugged in digitally and among the largest online spenders in the world, Canadian ecommerce is a prime opportunity for U.S.-based merchants. Yet many have remained reluctant to open …
More...October 6, 2014
How Williams-Sonoma Finds Success in the Digital Age
Williams-Sonoma continues to move steadfast into the digital age while still having its catalog be its primary driver for sales.
"We're approaching $5 billion in revenue as a company and we are 50% direct-to-consumer," said Pat Connolly, chief strategy and business …
More...September 10, 2014
Is RadioShack Going Out of Business?
Electronics retailer RadioShack could file for bankruptcy soon after its shares lost nearly a third of their value, brokerage Wedbush Securities reported Tuesday, according to Reuters.
This would make the stock worthless by the end of the year. The stock …
More...September 8, 2014
PetSmart Acquires Pet360
PetSmart announced last week that it is planning to acquire ecommerce pet retailer Pet360. The transaction is expected to be complete this month.
"Although online sales are still a relatively small part of the pet products industry, we expect them …
More...In News
August 15, 2014
Rue La La Seeking Buyer as Flash Sales Market Tightens
As flash sales have fallen off their peak and the market has gotten crowded, Rue La La has hired investment bank JP Morgan Chase to seek strategic alternatives, including finding a buyer, the Boston Globe reported. The paper also said …
More...In Ecommerce, Must Reads
May 25, 2012
Bazaarvoice to Acquire PowerReviews in $151.9 Million Deal
Bazaarvoice has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held PowerReviews in a deal worth an estimated $151.9 million, Bazaarvoice announced this afternoon.
Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner
Bazaarvoice will pay $31.0 million in cash, issue up to 6.4 …
July 22, 2014
SEM Tops Online Retail Customer Acquisition Tactics
Despite the arsenal of digital marketing tactics now at every retailer's fingertips, one customer acquisition tactic still stands above the rest: paid search programs.
According to the 2014 Shop.org/Forrester Research State of Retailing Online study, which surveyed 81 retailers …
More...July 17, 2014
Aeropostale, Lululemon and Shutterfly Make the "10 Brands That Will Disappear" List
Each year, 24/7 Wall St. identifies 10 American brands that it predicts will disappear before the end of the following year. And three retailers – Aeropostale, Lululemon and Shutterfly – have made the 2015 list, which published last week.
But should Aeropostale, Lululemon …


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Note: This post was prompted by that story about Simi Valley billing a church for policing a protest against the congregation
When I interned at the Ventura County Star, I sat across from one Zeke Barlow. (Yes, in large part he can be blamed for what I have become.) Zeke wrote... read on


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This article identifies a suitable design for redundant filtration operations using single-use technology and standardized assembly components. The design was finalized with input from a global technical and quality team with consideration given to international regulatory requirements. The article also demonstrates the capability of the assembly to withstand the high pressure that is used for integrity testing and drying. Pre-use integrity testing was performed on both filters. Using hydrophilic/hydrophobic filters on the assembly outlet eliminated flush volume limitations caused by catch bag size. Assembly specifications, such as leachables and extractables, hold up volume and flushing requirements, were established for a single-use assembly.
Designing a redundant filtration system that meets regulations and recommendations is challenging. For stainless steel systems, EMA recommends that integrity testing should be performed on sterile filters before use. To do this, filters must be fully wetted without breaching the sterility on the downstream side of the assembly. Many conventional stainless steel facilities employ a "catch can" with a sterile vent filter to collect the initial flush liquid from the wetting step. Prior to use, additional time is required to sterilize, maintain and store the catch can. In addition, use of a catch can constrains the total flush volume that can be used if the filters need to be rewetted (e.g., in a repeated filter integrity test).
Disposable or single-use redundant filtration (SURF) assemblies offer a flexible solution for this relatively complex operation (4). These assemblies can be presterilized by the supplier using gamma irradiation and there is no need for cleaning after use because assemblies are self-contained and entirely disposable.
Many biopharmaceutical companies already use variations of SURF assemblies for final and bulk fill operations. However, preparation and utilization sequences may differ across processes and geographies because of differing national guidelines.
This study reviewed different redundant filtration assembly designs and operating sequences, and proposes a new SURF assembly that has greater operational robustness and minimizes the risk of product contamination. Below are the major design considerations for the assembly (see Figure 1): A barrier filter (0.2 μm, EMD Millipore) was included in the design as a combined liquid and gas outlet. The barrier filter contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic sterilizing-grade PVDF membrane, which can exhaust both air and water from the assembly. As a result, it can be used as the initial filter flush outlet and as a sterile air outlet during integrity testing and the filter drying step. Such a filter further solves the problem of flush volume constraints imposed by the catch bag/tank size. The assembly can be wetted and tested for integrity multiple times without breaching the sterile envelope. Catch bags were attached to the vents of the liquid filters to collect liquid during venting. Gamma stable vent filters were attached to the bags to enable passage of air during venting. A hydrophobic PVDF filter was added on the air inlet line to ensure sterility of the air coming into the assembly for integrity testing. Single-use sterile connectors were used at the assembly's inlet and outlet to assure sterile connections during operation. In-line liquid filter capsules were selected (as opposed to T-line capsules) to reduce the hold-up volume. The assembly was used in the vertical orientation to achieve better draining after wetting and during product recovery after filtration.
The catch bag on the first liquid filter is primarily in place to avoid the liquid spill that can occur during venting for water flush and product filtration. With some minor modifications, the catch bags on both the first and second liquid filters can also be used for in-process sampling. The catch bag on first liquid filter and the separate air inlet line (with an air filter near the feed inlet) are additional features that are incorporated to ensure cleanliness and ease of operation.
Changes in the country's political landscape may affect the pharmaceutical industry market in the future.
The author discusses the various ways in which a quality-by-design program can enhance the extractable and leachable assessment of a drug product.
The use of commercially available media to achieve high titer in early process development is discussed.
The fast growth of the global biopharmaceutical market has prompted global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to increase their R&D investment in biologics.
The draft guidance contains policies for drugs that are processed with additional manufacturing steps such as remixing, dilution, and repackaging.
The agency releases five draft guidance documents related to drug compounding and repackaging.
Market forces may limit the success of CMOs.
FDA announced that it would postpone a meeting that would be critical for the advancement of Celltrion's Remicade biosimilar in the US.
Drug shortages are declining, but they're still a serious concern for regulatory authorities, policy makers, and bio/pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The company voluntarily recalls product due to FDA observations of potential sterility problems.
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2-Minute Tutorials for Your Biggest Beauty Challenges
We've got quick, easy tips to help you look put-together without the fuss.
Make makeup last all day
Here's how Melissa Murphy, chef and owner of Sweet Melissa Pâtisserie in Brooklyn, gets her makeup to last all day:
Heat eyeliner with a blow dryer, then apply
As it cools, it sets. Try Almay Intense I-Color Defining Liner in Mocha ($8, drugstores).
Use liner all over lips to hold the color
Try Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Flashing Lights ($10, Target).
Dust with powder
It keeps foundation and concealer from budging. Try Neutrogena Shine Control Powder ($12, drugstores).
J Muckle/Studio D


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Newsflash: Chocolate Masters™ website revamped
Chocolate Masters™ website
www.chocolate-masters.comZundert, September 24, 2013 – Chocolate Masters™, part of the Barry Callebaut Group and known as the specialist in the production and sale of semi-finished chocolate products, is re-launching its website www.chocolate-masters.com for its range of chocolate and marzipan decorations. It will offer everyone, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal chocolate producers, creative decorative ideas and inspiration brought together in an interactive website with a new look and feel.
In the Decoration Inspiration Lab in Zundert (the Netherlands), Chocolate Masters™ produces lots of decoration collections ranging from chocolate and sugar decorations, cupcakes, prints and all kinds of special collections for seasonal celebrations (such as the Christmas collection) to colorful marzipan decorations. The various catalogues are directly available on the new website on www.chocolate-masters.com following a quick and easy registration process. A short film offers visitors a unique insight into the Decoration Inspiration Lab.
The lab is the beating heart of Chocolate Masters™, which officially opened its doors in February this year and has enjoyed considerable success since day one. It meets a real need among industrial users as well as artisanal producers such as confectioners, chocolatiers, and professional chefs providing a place where they can get together with the Chocolate Masters™ specialists and experiment with new, unique decorations with which they can distinguish themselves among their customers.
"In our Decoration Inspiration Lab we open up a world of creative possibilities for our customers", says pastry chef and chocolatier Jurgen Koens who runs the lab. "The new website now provides those who have not – (yet) – had the opportunity of visiting us in Zundert with an insight into the most extensive possibilities for decorations that the chocolate sector currently has to offer."
Barry Callebaut:
With annual sales of about CHF 4.8 billion (EUR 4.0 billion / USD 5.2 billion) in fiscal year 2011/12, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products – from sourcing and transforming cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolate, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. Combined with the recently acquired cocoa ingredients business from Petra Foods, Barry Callebaut generates estimated annual sales of CHF 6 billion (EUR 4.9 billion / USD 6.4 billion), runs around 50 production facilities worldwide, sells its products in over 100 countries and employs a diverse and dedicated workforce of more than 8,000 people.
Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants or caterers. The two global brands catering to the specific needs of these customers are Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®.
High-res pictures: |
Media Contact at Barry Callebaut |
Sofie De Lathouwer |
Marketing Director Western Europe |
Specialties and Decorations & Food Manufacturers |
Phone: +32 (0) 53-73.03.32 |
Media Contact at FINN PR |
Jo Detavernier |
Sr. Consultant |
FINN Public Relations |
Phone: +32 (0) 486 45 69 81 |
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com |


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GEVALIA French Vanilla
Embrace the full, rich coffee experience of Gevalia French Vanilla. This full-bodied blend fuses effortlessly with swirls of sweet vanilla flavor at the touch of a button, delivering a delicious dose of pure pleasure with each taste.
- This package contains 16 Gevalia French Vanilla T DISCS for a smooth, flavorful experience any time of day
- Each T DISC makes an 11 fl oz cup of coffee
How to Make It
- Place your favorite 12 fl oz mug on the cup stand.
- Insert the Gevalia® French Vanilla T DISC into the brewer; when the green Auto light comes on, press to start.
- Let the mug fill with coffee, put your feet up, and enjoy.


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Featured Profile
Anthony Fantano
WNPR Producer
Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network
Anthony Fantano has been with WNPR since May 2007, and he hosts WNPR's the Needle Drop. He's been determined to work in radio since high school, and he just graduated from Southern Connecticut State University where he served as the general manager of the campus radio station for two years. Anthony's passion is music. He's been playing bass since he was thirteen, and he blogs about music regularly on www.theneedledrop.com.
Recent Contributions by Anthony Fantano


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Nestlé Purina is a leader in the pet products industry, dedicated to improving the lives of cats and dogs around the world through the quality nutrition and care. If you're looking for a career where you can take ownership, collaborate and contribute to challenging, satisfying and meaningful work, then you are the type of person we want at Nestlé Purina.
At Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, we believe that having a passion for what you do results in your most innovative and creative work. That's why we provide an environment that fosters learning and growth among our associates through a variety of brands, divisions and development opportunities.
It's no surprise that our team members love what they do. But don't let our casual environment fool you. We're a dedicated and determined bunch whose passion for pets is matched only by our passion for business. That's why we're a leader in the pet care industry.
You're invited to find your place at Nestlè Purina PetCare Company. Come explore our workplace, from factory floors to warehouses to corporate offices, and discover the way we make Your Pet, Our Passion a reality.
To sign up for Job Alerts and other news and information about careers at Nestlé, or to manage your current subscriptions, enter your email address below and click "Subscribe/Login."