China Green Agriculture, Inc. (...

Monsanto Company (MON) has signed a long-term supply contract with Air Products (APD), the leading global hydrogen provider. According to the contract, Air Products will build a new world-scale hydrogen production plant to be located at Monsanto's Luling, Louisiana, Roundup facility. The new hydrogen plant is scheduled to be on-stream in Jan 2012.  Air Products will build a steam methane reformer (SMR) producing over 100 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of hydrogen. The SMR will be connected to Air Products' East Gulf Coast pipeline network, which supplies refineries with hydrogen needed to make cleaner burning transportation fuels, in addition to meeting the hydrogen needs of the local petrochemical industry. In addition, the facility will produce additional hydrogen via a clean-up of a hydrogen-rich off-gas feed coming from Monsanto. Monsanto will use steam from Air Products' SMR process to benefit its Roundup production plant. ...

Following the closure of its initial public offering (IPO), RailAmerica has started trading under the ticker symbol “RA" on New York Stock Exchange since Tuesday.   RailAmerica, which filed for IPO in late July, had offered 10.5 million primary shares and 11.5 million secondary shares priced at $15 per share last week. It had expected them to price for between $16 and $18. The company intends to use the proceeds of $144 million from issuing 10.5 million primary shares for paying off debt and other corporate purposes.   The shares, which started trading on Tuesday, fell by approximately 8.2%. A number of private equity companies that unloaded their portfolio companies recently have realized gains less than expected.   Rail America is a portfolio company that was bought by Fortress Investment Group in February 2007 for $640 million. Fortress still retains 55.8% of the stock after the IPO. It has ...

China is Investing Billions in Renewable Energy One firm has already built China’s largest wind turbine manufacturing factory. And it’s working with the Chinese Science Academy to develop new wind, solar, and geothermal technologies… for which it will own 70% of the rights. But this company’s business reaches far beyond the Chinese border, with operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. It’s first quarter net income increased by 294% over a year ago. Click here for the full report.

The financial services industry in the United States and Europe is still reeling from the financial crisis, shedding tens of thousands of jobs each month – even a year after the crisis hit its apex.

However, recent evidence suggests that the financial services industry in Asia – particularly China, which was largely isolated from the toxic assets that caused the crisis – is starting to rebound.

Indeed, many …

Stepan Company (SCL) recently turned in record results for the second quarter. Earnings per share of $2.09 surpassed the previous year's 93 cents and topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 130%. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, which translates into an industry-leading yield of 1.85%.

Company Description

Stepan Company manufactures specialty and intermediate chemicals used in consumer products and industrial application. The company produces surfactants, which are the key ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning compounds.

The company explains that manufacturers of detergents, shampoos, lotions, toothpastes and cosmetics depend on surfactants to achieve the foaming and cleaning qualities of their products.

Stepan also makes lubricating ingredients and emulsifiers for spreading of agricultural products. The company produces germicidal quaternary compounds as well.

Stepan produces other specialty products, including custom-made flavors, emulsifiers and solubilizers, which are used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The company's other

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Stock-PR Monday August 17, 2009 Watch List!

Alesco Financial Inc. (AFN) Alesco Financial Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust. Web Site: http://www.alescofinancialtrust.com

Recent News: Alesco Financial Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2009 Financial Results

 

CHINA ORGANIC AGRICU (CNOA.OB) China Organic Agriculture is based in China and is primarily engaged in the acquisition, trading and distribution of agricultural products. The Company sells to a limited number of distributors in China, which it will seek to leverage for increased market penetration in agricultural, food and related premium products. http://www.chinaorganicagriculture.com

Recent News: China Organic Agriculture, Inc. Second Quarter 2009 Financials

 

Boeing Co. (BA) The Boeing Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, sale, and support of commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight, and launch systems and services worldwide. Web Site: http://www.boeing.com

Recent News: Boeing gets $98M Air Force munitions deal

 

THIS IS NOT

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CRWENewswire.com is pleased to announce a stock highlight on Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH), Agrium Inc. (TSX:AGU) (NYSE:AGU) We encourage investors to join and receive CRWENewswire.com FREE e-mail news and stock watch alerts at http://www.crwenewswire.com/?p=2546 and view our full disclaimer.

Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ: PEGA), the leader in Business Process Management (BPM) software solutions, announced August 4, 2009 financial results for the second quarter and first six months of 2009. Total revenue for the second quarter of 2009 increased 25% to $63.9 million compared to the second quarter of 2008. Net income for the second quarter of 2009 was $11.2 million compared to $2.9 million for the second quarter of 2008. Total revenue for the first six months of 2009 increased 27% to $126.2 million compared to the same period last year. Net income for the first six months of 2009 was $19.9

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A dip in consumer confidence for the second straight month and disappointing earnings reports weighed on sentiments as stock markets closed mostly lower Tuesday.  However, some late-session bargain hunting helped the indices pare some losses but investors remained concerned that a recovery could be sluggish.  To add to the caution, San Francisco Fed President Yellen painted a picture of a "painfully slow" economic recovery. 

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 12 points, or 0.1% and the broader S&P 500 index declined 3 points, or 0.3% to 979.  The technology-focused Nasdaq rose 7 points, or 0.4%.  On the NYSE, 1.24 billion shares exchanged hands and 16 stocks ended lower for every 14 that advanced. 

Among the ten industry groups in the S&P 500, six ended in the red.  Leading the decliners were oil & gas equipment & services (-3.88%), followed by gold miners (-3.15%), industrial REITs (-3.15%), advertising (-2.86%), and

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With the market very near critical support levels, critical earnings reports on the docket, and inflation and employment data set for release, it was more prudent last week to keep the powder dry. But the market surprised to the upside, as key companies reported better than expectations.

Participation in fixed income issuance and trading, gave investment banks buoyancy.  But JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) actuallyconfirmed two of the three fears that I outlined last Monday:  A bleak commercial real estate outlook – which will have little consequence for the bank given its limited exposure in this area – and a spike in credit card delinquencies.

The third fear I had, the rise in residential foreclosures, was confirmed by a report from RealtyTrac that said foreclosure filings in the United States jumped to a record 1.9 million in the first half of 2009.

Of course, there

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The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may impose stricter limits on commodities speculators who are believed to be behind the main force behind wild swings in the futures markets over the past two years. The investigation has the support of politicians seeking greater price stability for the global economy and consumers, but traders argue that such restrictions will only reduce market liquidity and not necessarily prices.

CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler said his agency will hold a series of hearings from July through August to determine whether or not it should place new limits on energy futures contracts.

Right now, the CFTC sets limits on the amount of futures contracts in some agricultural products that can be held by market participants. But futures exchanges are free to determine what, if any, position limits should exist for energy futures.

The New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) currently restricts oil traders to 10,000 net futures

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