Sberbank has slackened restrictions for individuals seeking loans, after last year's crisis driven squeeze on credit.  The government intends to establish a new state holding to oversee Russia's geological reserves, the Moscow Times reports.  Fertilizer producer Acron has said it may borrow up to $2.2 billion from Sberbank and VTB to finance development.  Gold output has increased by 18.5% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2009.  Daimler is attempting to fortify its share of the Russian market by planning a truck and bus joint venture with Kamaz.  Raiffeisenbank has explained that it had filed to bankrupt media firm RBC, but will withdraw the suit imminently as it hopes to come to a debt restructuring plan for the company.  Russian-Israeli tycoon Arkady Gaidamak has been charged with money laundering and fraud to the tune of ...

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) announced yesterday that it has agreed to acquire JPMorgan Chase & Company’s (JPM) third-party registered investment advisor (RIA) servicing business. Royal Bank of Canada (or RBC) took this step to expand its U.S. wealth management division. Following the acquisition, the RIA business of JPMorgan will become a part of RBC Advisor Services, a unit of RBC Wealth Management's U.S. division which provides custody and clearing services to third-party registered investment advisors. The wealth management division of RBC directly serves affluent and high net worth clients in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia with a full suite of investment, trust and other wealth management solutions. The division recruited more than 300 financial consultants so far in fiscal 2009. We expect the recent deal to enhance its competitive position in the RIA marketplace. Pending regulatory approvals and other ...

Let me start off with a morsel of clarification. I don’t hate gold. I own it, or more accurately, an interest in gold via gold mining shares.

And I believe a small allocation (5% to 7%) has a useful place in a well-diversified portfolio. Over the long haul, studies confirm it helps increase returns while minimizing risk. A benefit we can all agree is desirable.

But over the short-to-intermediate term - the next six to nine months - I think gold is a terrible investment. After breaching the $1,000 per ounce mark again, as I suggested would happen to my subscribers on February 2, it is overdue for a retracement back to roughly $700 per ounce.

Those of you who expected it to drop the day after I suggested shorting gold need to understand that “short term” doesn’t mean “this week.” Just because it moved higher doesn’t negate the point

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Shorting Gold: 8 More Signs Gold is Overdue for a Correction

by Louis Basenese, Advisory Panelist Senior Analyst, The Oxford Club

Two weeks ago I told you it was time to start shorting gold. And the recommendation, as I expected, ignited a brew-ha-ha on our Investment U message board.

That’s because there’s not much middle ground. Most investors are either fanatical or supremely skeptical. If you have any doubt, check out the comments - and all the wonderful names I got called - on our website.

But since I’m a glutton for punishment, and since gold moved in exactly the opposite direction I predicted, it’s time for an update and a little clarification.

A Morsel of Clarification on Shorting Gold

Let me start off with a morsel of clarification. I don’t hate gold. I own it, or more accurately, an interest in gold via gold mining shares. And I believe a

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