New York Oakland/Portland - November 18, 2009 - The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NDAQ), Clean Edge, Inc., and First Trust Advisors L.P. have announced the launch of a new exchange traded fund (ETF) - the First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund (NASDAQ:GRID).

Procter & Gamble (PG), already one of the world's largest beauty and grooming companies, has acquired the Zirh skincare brand -- a leading super-premium, male grooming brand. Zirh enjoys a unique positioning as a high-end "male only" brand and has one of the most comprehensive skin and shave care lines in the global market. Similar to the recent acquisition of The Art of Shaving, the acquisition of Zirh supports P&G’s Beauty & Grooming segment in building the world's premier male grooming company. The acquisition also broadens the already strong portfolio of male brands, including Gillette, Old Spice, and Braun. Although Zirh is a relatively small, North American-centric business, its super-premium positioning and product line should complement portfolio of P&G. Zirh’s products differentiate themselves through ingredients like natural oils, extracts and botanicals and a focus on the specific skincare needs of men. Energizer Holdings (ENR) ...

On July 5, 2009, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Ford Motor Company's (F) sales in China have surged 14% year over year to 197,212 in the first half of 2009. Strong demand for the company's low-cost Fiesta car helped the growth in sales. Ford has sold 18,224 Fiestas since the model was launched in China in March 2009.According to the AP, Ford's sales at its Chinese passenger car joint venture, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile, rose 20% in the first half to 140,386 vehicles. Jiangling Motors Corp., Ford's commercial vehicle unit, reported first-half sales of 53,327-units. In contrast, Ford reported a 33% decline in sales in the domestic markets on the back of the global slump.Declining industry sales have pressured Ford's supply base. According to the AP, the company is eliminating short-term suppliers and is cutting down the number of suppliers to ...

Energizer Holdings (ENR), which ranks second after Procter & Gamble (PG) in men's shave products, in June acquired the Edge and Skintimate shave preparation business from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) for an aggregate purchase price of $275 million. Through the acquisition, ENR will be adding shaving creams and gels to its Schick-Wilkinson Sword razor business.P&G is leader in the U.S. market for men's pre-shave products such as creams and gels, with a 39.2% share, followed by Edge with a 21.5% market share, according to Euromonitor International. In women's pre-shave products, Skintimate leads the market with a 65.7% share, followed by a 25.6% share of Gillette Satin Care, according to Euromonitor. Therefore, we believe the acquisition to be a strategic fit to the existing portfolio of ENR, enabling ENR to compete better with P&G.The global shaving products ...

For quite some time I was interested in recommending that my readers invest in Russia. I still had concerns about some political issues and organized crime in the country.  Most experts out there tell people to stay away from Russia, so I knew I had to do further research myself.

One day I told my lovely wife to get her passport ready because we were going to Moscow.  She was quite excited because Moscow is a shopping mecca with many historical sites to see.  But, I assure you—I was there for business.

We traveled to Russia in December of last year and I saw firsthand how the country operates.  I observed that the Russians are a hard working and productive people that just want the best for their families.  Russians are striving for a better quality of life just like anyone else.  I knew right away that the country offers investor’s high

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