Japanese beer manufacturer Asahi Breweries has announced that it plans to become one of the world's top ten food companies, through acquisition and by expanding its business in China. Naoki Izumiya, a senior managing director of Asahi, told media that Asahi aims to rank among the world's top ten food companies through acquisition and plans to [...]

Louise Yamada, managing director of Louise Yamada Technical Research Advisors, talks with Bloomberg’s Pimm Fox about the outlook for bond markets and her investment strategy. In short, she is of the opinion that the 29-year bull market in long-term government bonds is close to a reversal.

Source: Bloomberg Clip Syndicate, February 26, 2010.

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Louise Yamada, managing director of Louise Yamada Technical Research Advisors, talks with Bloomberg’s Pimm Fox about the outlook for bond markets and her investment strategy. In short, she is of the opinion that the 29-year bull market in long-term government bonds is close to a reversal.

Source: Bloomberg Clip Syndicate, February 26, 2010.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, click here to subscribe to updates to Investment Postcards from Cape Town by e-mail.

General Electric Company (GE) has sold its India transport financial services business for 12 billion rupees ($255 million) to Shriram Transport Finance Company (STFC).  Shriram Transport's managing director R Sridhar confirmed the transaction but declined to give more details.  The deal would allow the India's largest non-banking financial services company to expand its customer base. GE, which has been looking to sell the business since last year, would still hold its consumer finance business.  STFC is one of the largest asset financing NBFCs in India. STFC is among the leading organized finance providers for the commercial vehicle industry focusing on providing various credit facilities to Small Truck Operators.  The company was incorporated in 1979.  STFC is part of the “Shriram" conglomerate which has a significant presence in financial services viz., commercial vehicle financing business, consumer finance, life and general insurance, stock broking, chit ...

Aquentium Inc. is a company whose strategy is to bring green technologies to the global marketplace. The company today announced the appointment of Mr. Manfredo Ferrada as managing director of Central and South America business and development of Aquentium advanced technologies to produce algal fuels, algal co-products and production technology systems.

Mr. Ferrada is an international cluster development expert with experience in developing overseas structures. He also has strong knowledge of green technologies and renewable energy sources as well as micro crops technologies. Mr. Ferrada has been connected to clean technologies and oxygen applications for over a decade.

The base of operations for Mr. Ferrada will be Chile and he will be responsible for new relations and business throughout the region, developing new partners, business structure, and initiation and development of each project.

Mr. Ferrada is optimistic about Aquentium’s future in the region, saying, “Our ultimate goals with our algae growing

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Today, Newport Digital Technologies, Inc. announced that it has successfully completed AT&T Network Certification for its rugged handheld N37B computing device. Subsequently, the device will be strategically channeled through to AT&T’s Special Vertical Markets (SVM) with Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM) as its logistics and distribution partner.

“We are excited to have completed AT&T Network Certification for this Mobile Handheld Computer with RFID reader for use on AT&T’s wireless network,” said NPDT CEO Michael Lutton. “NPDT and AT&T’s marketing and business development teams are working to identify business-to-business SVM channel opportunities for the N37B in the supply chain management, retail, military, law enforcement, telecom, industrial process and control, and automotive markets. The N37B rugged handheld mobile computer will be available to our sales channels effective January 2010. We anticipate this unique, RFID-enabled computing device to generate significant revenue for NPDT in calendar 2010.”

“NPDT,

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Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd. (MRH) has fortified its Lloyd’s operations. Last week, the company announced the formation of its new U.K. Managing General Agent (MGA). Montpelier Group’s wholly owned subsidiary, Paladin Underwriting Agency Limited, has received the authorization of the Financial Services Authority and has been granted Lloyd’s coverholder status.   Paladin will generate business for Montpelier Syndicate 5151 at Lloyd’s. Montpelier stands to benefit from this formation with Paladin’s ability to attract niche underwriting teams and accessibility to profitable classes of business. In the beginning, Paladin would focus on producing Specialist Contractors, Recycling and Crime classes of business.   Senior management level appointments have been made. William Adamson has been appointed Managing Director of Paladin. Richard Chattock and Giuseppe Perdoni have joined the board as Executive Directors, while Tom Busher and Todd White have joined as Non-Executive Directors.   The formation of Lloyd’s MGA augurs well and ...

SANTA BARBARA, CA — (Marketwire) — 12/14/09 — Santa Barbara-based Solutions Group Inc. (PINKSHEETS: SOLU) announced that it has been awarded a contract from CrowleyJones to head up a team that will study the feasibility of a ground-breaking technology for use in a new medical application.

The contract, which covers the viability of the technology for the specific application, manufacturability, and probability of FDA approval, is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2010. Upon successful completion of the proof of concept, parties have agreed to terms of a follow-up contract for the development stage of the product which will include an equity position for SGI.

Due to the complexity of the technology, SGI will be working closely with Dr. Steven Robert Biegalski {PRIVATE}, P.E., Director; Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin, to ensure the success of the project.

Terry Jones, Managing Director of

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Yesterday, the world’s leading telecommunications information company Global Capacity, Inc., announced that its “Software as a Service” (SaaS) line earned positive results in 2009, including a promising start for the recently released GCPrice. Leveraging its proprietary telecom industry information across 195 countries and six continents, the SaaS line uses online interfaces that allow customers access to its knowledge engine. The process increases efficiency and reduces cost.

This past year, SaaS product sales increased 16.9%. The company attributes the growth to its 18 new and upgraded clients, counting among them leading integrators and global telecommunication providers. Further, SaaS delivered strong renewals to existing clients and increased functionality of the SaaS products and services.

Improvements to the SaaS products, including multi-user functionality and the use of operational research, delivered greater effectiveness and efficiencies for customers. In the past year, the modifying and rewriting of algorithms associated with operational research resulted in savings of up

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Li3 Energy Inc. is pursuing a business strategy of acquiring a significant portfolio of lithium brine deposits in the Americas to produce lithium to meet the rapidly growing demand for lithium by green energy industries. The company is identifying and acquiring properties in Chile, Peru, Argentina and the United States.

The company announced today the appointment of the following people as members of their Board of Directors, effective immediately: Kjeld Thygesen, Anthony Hawkshaw and Douglas Perkins. Li3 Energy expects these impressive new members of the board to aid in the company’s strategy to become a major global lithium mining company.

Kjeld Thygesen has been a director of Ivanhoe Mines (NYSE: IVN) and has over 30 years experience as a resource analyst and fund manager within the mining industry. In addition, he is a former manager of Rothchild’s commodity and natural resource department and in 1987 became an executive director of NM Rothchild

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