Stocks are lower as an unexpected drop in home construction raised concerns about the pace of the economy’s recovery

The Commerce Department said construction of homes and apartments fell 10.6 percent in October to an annual rate of 529,000, well below the pace of 600,000 that economists polled by Thomson Reuters had predicted.

Building permits, a key indication for future activity, slid 4 percent to an annual rate of 552,000, also below the rate of 580,000 that analysts had forecast.

There was little reaction to a report that found inflation at the retail level remained tame as rising unemployment, nervous consumers and tight credit keep prices stable.

The Labor Department said consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in October, slightly above the 0.2 percent economists expected. Core inflation, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, rose 0.2 percent, compared to expectations of a 0.1 percent rise.

A report released Tuesday on prices at the wholesale

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AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. announced today that a new audio interview with Gen2Media Corp. (OTCBB:GTWO) is now available. The interview can be heard at http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/11-17-09-audio-interview-gen2media-corporation-otcbb-gtwo/.

SmallCapVoice.com is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies build a following among retail and institutional investors. SmallCapVoice.com utilizes its stock newsletter to feature its daily stock picks, audio interviews, as well as its clients’ financial news releases. SmallCapVoice.com also offers individual investors all the tools they need to make informed decisions about the stocks they are interested in. Tools like stock charts, stock alerts, and investor fact sheets can assist with investing in stocks that are traded on the OTC BB and Pink Sheets. To learn more about SmallCapVoice.com and their services, please visit http://www.smallcapvoice.com/services.html.

About Gen2Media Corporation

Gen2Media is a fully integrated technology, production and marketing company whose proprietary and patent-pending

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Nov. 18, 2009 (Business Wire) — SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. announced today that a new audio interview with Wind Works Power Corp. (OTCBB: WWPW) (FRANKFURT: R5E1) (WKN: AOKE72) is now available. The interview can be heard at http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/11-17-09-audio-interview-with-wind-works-power-corp-otcbb-wwpw/.

SmallCapVoice.com is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies build a following among retail and institutional investors. SmallCapVoice.com utilizes its stock newsletter to feature its daily stock picks, audio interviews, as well as its clients’ financial news releases. SmallCapVoice.com also offers individual investors all the tools they need to make informed decisions about the stocks they are interested in. Tools like stock charts, stock alerts, and investor fact sheets can assist with investing in stocks that are traded on the OTC BB and Pink Sheets. To learn more about SmallCapVoice.com and their services, please visit http://www.smallcapvoice.com/services.html.

About Wind Works

Wind Works’ mission

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Newport Digital Technologies, Inc. announced this morning the successful introduction of its total RFID Solutions at the VICS Conference in Fayetteville, Arkansas. NPDT demonstrated its capabilities as a full RFID solutions provider, including displaying RFID tag programmers, kiosks, mobile computing readers, and tags.

Matthew Jones. Laboratory Manager for the Company’s RFID facility in Bentonville, Arkansas, said it was “important to showcase all of NPDT’s capabilities to potential partners and customers. The conference went a long way to introducing us to the RFID community and put us in the spotlight as the new participant with products and services superior to those presently available.”

Joseph Ray, Wal-Mart Account Manager for NPDT, added, “RFID solutions offered by Newport Digital Technologies puts the Company immediately alongside others currently in the sector. The traffic to our booth, the number of customers and vendors with whom we met, and

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The holiday season is all about retail. Investing in this portion of the market, however, needs to be approached before the season of retail madness starts. High-end purchases may or may or may not be the correct option. Basic sit on the couch products, however, may be a good choice. Inexpensive, comfortable and just feeling good, when there may be economic stress involved, are products that may be most profitable. After all, what is better than a sweat shirt, t-shirt or new set of socks when one is feeling down and unemployed… and at a reasonable price.

American Apparel Inc., a manufacturer of basic apparel, works to manufacture apparel used in various casual environments. One might consider the company as an athletic clothing pant manufacturer, although it offers a very large variety of garment offerings. The company offers its variety of t-shirts and other products in 19 countries, through over 270

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Ultrapar Participacoes S.A. (UGP) reported its third quarter results yesterday after market close. The company reported earnings of R$1.00 per share for the third quarter of 2009, which was 9% up from last year’s earnings of R$0.91 per share. Quarterly revenue increased 25% to R$9.7 million from R$7.7 million in the third quarter of 2008. The company’s EBITDA was up 39% year-over-year at R$371 million. The double digit growth in sales and EBITDA were primarily a result of the consolidation of Texaco revenues from second quarter 2009. Also, the company said that it witnessed a gradual recovery in both the retail and the manufacturing sectors, particularly in segments linked to the domestic demand. Moreover, Ultrapar benefited from the continued IPI tax breaks on vehicles sales and increased credit availability in the region. Ultragaz's net sales in the quarter were R$929 million in 3Q09, up 1.3% ...

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (RL), a leading global designer and distributor of premium lifestyle products, has decided to relocate some of its distribution business from West Virginia to Piedmont Triad in order to consolidate its operation in the region.  The company plans to close a warehouse and distribution center in Martinsburg, West Virginia in Dec 2010 and shift its children wear distribution operations to Piedmont Triad. The decision is likely to affect approximately 100 employees. Ralph Lauren intends to offer either relocation packages to the retrenched employees or severance-related benefits.  The relocation of the facilities is primarily based on the decision to consolidate the distribution operations of the company. Ralph Lauren already has two facilities in High Point, a city in Piedmont Triad. These include a retail distribution center that was opened in 1991, and a 300,000 square feet distribution and facilitation center opened in 2008. ...

Nov. 11, 2009 (Business Wire) — SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. announced today that a new audio interview with Pure Earth, Inc., (OTCBB:PREA), a leading provider of innovative, unique, and sustainable solutions to alternate energy and recovery services in the United States, is now available. The interview can be heard at http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/11-10-09-audio-interview-with-pure-earth-inc-otcbb-prea/.

SmallCapVoice.com is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies build a following among retail and institutional investors. SmallCapVoice.com utilizes its stock newsletter to feature its daily stock picks, audio interviews, as well as its clients’ financial news releases. SmallCapVoice.com also offers individual investors all the tools they need to make informed decisions about the stocks they are interested in. Tools like stock charts, stock alerts, and investor fact sheets can assist with investing in stocks that are traded on the OTC BB and Pink Sheets. To learn more

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By Cees Bruggemans, Chief Economist FNB.

The SARB leading indicator peaked at 127.2 in March 2007, thereafter declining for two years, initially gradually during 2007 but acquiring freefall proportions in 2008.

This indicator hit a cyclical low of 105.3 in March 2009, thereafter rising very rapidly to 112.5 by August 2009.

Given the events of 2008 and early 2009, there presumably exists no surprise regarding the indicator’s freefall in 2008. But what has made it rise so phoenix-like rapidly since March this year?

As per the June 2007 issue of the SARB Quarterly Bulletin, this leading index today is a composite of twelve individual time series which together offer superior forward-looking ability regarding the South African business cycle, leading turning points by some six to nine months.

The twelve time series can be grouped in four distinct sub-categories, each making a peculiar contribution to the behaviour of the composite

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Key Points: •    Earnings Surprise Ratio (#beat/#miss) at 5.47, almost double normal •    Median Earnings Surprise  7.11%, very strong •    Year over year Earnings Growth Ratio (# Pos Growth/# Neg Growth) at 0.77 •    Sales Surprise Ratio at 1.37 •    Sales Growth Ratio at just 0.40 •    Total Net Income for S&P 500 reported so far is 11.6% below what those same 444 firms reported a year ago, 11.8% above what they earned in the 2Q09 •    Total S&P 500 Revenues reported so far down 13.4% year over year, up 2.0% from 2Q09 •    2009 Earnings Revisions ratio for full S&P 500 up to 3.05, up from 2.48 last week •    2010 ratio at 2.14, down slightly from 2.17 last week •    S&P500 expected to earn $570.6 billion in 2008, $706.8 billion in 2010 •    Bottom Up estimates:  $61.62 for 2009, $76.70 for 2010 •    Top Down estimates: $54.38 ...