Innovation does not relate to patented products, or to branded services alone. Indeed, some of the most productive creativity within an organization resides in its processes, away from the public eye. Even senior executives may be guilty of neglecting significant symbols of innovation during times of rapid business expansion. Acute adversity brings creativity to the surface. Stock market conditions during the first half of 2008 are the sort that foster innovation. That is why we find just a few gems of stock price advances in growing swells of declines.

Most cases of positive Beta relate to structured innovation in organizations. These movements tend to generate their own energies and become self-sustained once ignited by capable management teams. Creativity, contrary to popular misconceptions of individual brain-waves, is a continuous and team effort in professionally-run organizations. Innovation applies to all levels of hierarchy, and no extremity should escape its searching inspection. Some

On June 10th, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) called a public meeting of its Energy Markets Advisory Committee to address continually exponentiating oil prices.

Representatives from major investment banks such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley fielded questions regarding their banks’ roles in the oil futures market for the first time under the public eye. Many groups have raised suspicion as to whether the banks are using investors’ funds to bid up oil prices, while at the same time issuing predictions that prices will rise.

Donald Casturo, managing director of Goldman Sachs, stated: “There is a clear separation between our research and trading departments…The firm is acting within the terms of the law.”

Still, organizations like Industrial Energy Consumers of America remain skeptical of the truth in this statement. The CFTC announced the launch of an investigation to be conducted by a special panel consisting of Federal Reserve, SEC,