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AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 8/08)

Posted by AGORACOM at 10:28 AM on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

Good morning to you all. Please find enclosed a summary of the breaking small-cap and micro-cap financial news we highlighted on our TV show this morning. It’s July 8 and we’ve found 7 great press releases and stock halts from both sides of the border to report on at the open. Another great day for small-cap and micro-cap financial news.

If you are new to the show, it is a daily, fast-paced, edgy report that we put out at or before the open everyday that strictly reports on the best small cap and micro cap news of the day in 3-5 minutes. You can watch AGORACOM TV right from our home page .

If you miss an episode or want to search for your company in our archive, you can visit our industry leading Small-Cap Podcast site at any time:

If you want to subscribe to our Small-Cap RSS Feed or download our podcast everyday via iTunes, or your favourite podcatcher, just use the following:

As always, don’t forget to visit the AGORACOM Marketplace where we list compelling summaries for over 85 great small-cap and micro-cap companies that you can sort by exchange and industry to suit your personal investing tastes.

TODAY’S SMALL-CAP AND MICRO-CAP BREAKING FINANCIAL NEWS BEFORE THE OPEN

Our daily show focuses on content over form so that you can get profitable information into your hands as fast as possible. The same holds true for these entries in our small-cap, micro-cap news blog, where I simply cut and paste my TV notes for your benefit, without any editing, so don’t give me a hard time! :-)

Now, onto our show notes for the day.

** Denotes an AGORACOM Client. AGORACOM TV Only Reports News From AGORACOM Clients That Meets The Same Newsworthy Threshold Of All Other Press Releases.

  • **Yankee Hat Minerals – TSX-V:KHT $0.14
  • Tenajon Resources – TSX-V:TJS $0.33
  • Creston Moly – TSX-V:CMS $0.335
  • Panglobal Brands – OTC BB:PNGB $0.55
  • Sinchao Metals – TSX-V:SMZ $0.32
  • Rubicon Minerals – TSX:RMX $1.20

Posted in AGORACOM Small-Cap TV | Comments Off on AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 8/08)

John Templeton Dies At Age 95

Posted by AGORACOM at 9:37 AM on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

John Templeton, founder of Templeton Funds and whom Money Magazine called “arguably the greatest global stock picker of the century” died today at age 95.

Investopedia has a great write-up of him for those of you that want to learn more about what makes a truly great investor. Of note are the following 4 quotes:

“Rejecting technical analysis as a method for investing, Templeton says, “You must be a fundamentalist to be really successful in the market.”

“Invest at the point of maximum pessimism.”

“If you want to have a better performance than the crowd, you must do things differently from the crowd.”

“When asked about living and working in the Bahamas during his management of the Templeton Group, Templeton replied, “I’ve found my results for investment clients were far better here than when I had my office in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. When you’re in Manhattan, it’s much more difficult to go opposite the crowd.”

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts | Comments Off on John Templeton Dies At Age 95

Boone Pickens Predicts Higher Gold Prices On CNBC

Posted by AGORACOM at 7:16 AM on Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

In a CNBC special feature this morning discussing solutions to America’s energy crisis, Boone Pickens (and Byron Wein, Chief Investment Strategist at Pequot Capital) predicted higher gold prices as Chinese and other large holders of US dollars “look for alternatives”.

Why? Their extensive dealings with investors around the world reveals they are beginning to feel “skiddish” about the size of the $US holdings and looking for alternatives. Gold was the first and only alternative they mentioned.

During the interview, Boone and Byron make it pretty clear they’ve been around and seen it all, including the oil shock of the early 70’s. As such, when they speak we should listen. To this end, you can view clips of his extensive energy solutions on Squawk Box this morning. Some interesting tidbits:

  • Cars Per Thousand People (USA = 750; World = 120; China = 4)
  • Barrels Per Person Per Year (USA = 25; China = 2)
  • $US 700 Billion Is Heading Out Of The USA This Year To Pay For Oil

Wow. China clearly has years of increased oil consumption in front of it.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, China, Gold $2,000, US Economy | 1 Comment »

Small-Cap CEO Lesson: Dell Has An Investor Relations Blog – Why Don’t You?

Posted by AGORACOM at 9:32 PM on Monday, July 7th, 2008

If you need more evidence for the fact that you need a CEO / IR Blog, then look no further than the company whose products you might be using to read this very blog post – Dell.

According to IR Web Report, Dell launched DellShares about 9 months ago for the purposes of educating investors about the company. In fact, the tag line on the front page reads ” information and insight for the investor community”.

TELL YOUR LAWYERS TO RELAX AND ENTER THE 21ST CENTURY

This should also serve to quell the concerns of trigger happy lawyers that are quick to shoot down new communications tools such as blogs, rather than learning to work with them.

Remember – forums, blogs, podcasts, etc. are nothing more than new mediums for communicating with shareholders and potential shareholders. As long as you stick to the rules of full disclosure, they should not be feared any more than fax machines, e-mail and websites when they were first introduced.

If Dell and their multi-million IR budget feels that Web 2.0 tools are valuable IR tools for reaching retail investors, what do you think you should be doing? Calling AGORACOM hopefully 🙂

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small-Cap CEO Lessons, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 2 Comments »

SEC Looks To Scrap “Forms” System For 21st Century Disclosure

Posted by AGORACOM at 9:06 PM on Monday, July 7th, 2008

IR Web Report posted a story titled “SEC seeks to ‘blow up’ forms-based system”, the 75-year old system in which pubco’s, brokers, funds, etc. file disclosures via specific forms. That’s right, you may soon be saying good-bye to 8K’s, 10K’s, 15 2C-11’s and other such forms. According to an SEC press release on the matter, a team has been put together to re-think reporting from scratch, free of any attachment to current forms. To this end, SEC Chairman Chris Cox stated as follows:

“To encourage a fundamental rethinking, the project won’t proceed from the premises of the current reporting system. It will start from scratch, from the ground up, freed from any conventions”

TIME LINE

As far as a time line goes, the press release stated the following:

“The first phase of the study will be completed by the end of 2008, when a follow-on advisory committee will be appointed to consider the questions in more detailed fashion through a public and consultative process.”

That is fast. In my opinion, that is too fast for anybody to tear up an existing system of any kind and develop a new one based on out of the box thinking. Nonetheless, if they can pull it off, all the power to them…though implementation is an entirely different matter.

NEW DISCLOSURE SYSTEM WILL BE BASED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES

What I really like about the 21st Century Disclosure Initiative is the fact that it will be incorporating new technologies for the purpose of providing investors with both an easier and simpler system:

“On the 75th anniversary of the SEC, with so much new technology available to improve the quality of information for investors as well as the way investors acquire it, we’re initiating a broad, introspective look at our business model,” said Chairman Cox. … “We’ll be examining how to improve the way disclosure works, including tapping the full potential of today’s technology…That could mean fewer confusing forms, and more useful information at investors’ fingertips in a form they can really use.”

According to IR Web Report, the eventual new system will probably be based on “eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), which breaks down traditional document-based disclosures into individually tagged data elements that can be read and recompiled by software according to an investor’s preferred way of viewing the information.”

If you don’t get that, don’t worry. We’re going to provide XBRL info in a separate post. In the meantime, here is a powerful but layman’s description from Edgar-Online:

XBRL automates financial analysis, which is an historic accomplishment. Computers can intelligently “read” an XBRL report to select specific data, pull it into documents and spreadsheets, analyze it, exchange it with other computers, and present it in a variety of formats. This can all take place in real time, allowing users to instantly compare hundreds of companies, industry sectors, topics, and issues, with automatic updates.

Exciting stuff for good emerging companies – and scary for small-cap / micro-cap companies that are nothing more than empty pump-n-dump schemes that hide behind convoluted filings.

We’ll be sure to keep you up to date on this initiative.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | Comments Off on SEC Looks To Scrap “Forms” System For 21st Century Disclosure

StartUpNorth Names AGORACOM One Of Canada’s Top 10 Web Startups

Posted by AGORACOM at 6:12 PM on Monday, July 7th, 2008

banners-10webstartups

I’m happy to announce that, for the second time in the last week, AGORACOM has once again been named to a Top 10 list by a leading blog. This time out, David Crow and Jevon MacDonald of StartUpNorth listed AGORACOM as one of the Top 10 Canadian web start ups to watch.

I’m particularly honored and pleased for the recognition for two reasons. First, StartUpNorth is one of those few blogs focused on reporting on Canadian web companies that are actually producing real web solutions for real customers, as opposed to reporting on the next “me too” and “cool” Web 2.0 application.

Second, here are just some examples of the great companies we shared the list with:

banner-111-1-2

Quite the company. Quite the honor.

Regards,
George

p.s. David, sorry about the S.U.N. logo at the top but couldn’t find your logo so had to use this one.

Posted in AGORACOM Awards, AGORACOM News And Events, All Recent Posts, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 1 Comment »

AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 7/08)

Posted by AGORACOM at 10:30 AM on Monday, July 7th, 2008

Good morning to you all. Please find enclosed a summary of the breaking small-cap and micro-cap financial news we highlighted on our TV show this morning. It’s July 7 and we’ve found 4 great press releases and stock halts from both sides of the border to report on at the open. Another great day for small-cap and micro-cap financial news.

If you are new to the show, it is a daily, fast-paced, edgy report that we put out at or before the open everyday that strictly reports on the best small cap and micro cap news of the day in 3-5 minutes. You can watch AGORACOM TV right from our home page .

If you miss an episode or want to search for your company in our archive, you can visit our industry leading Small-Cap Podcast site at any time:

If you want to subscribe to our Small-Cap RSS Feed or download our podcast everyday via iTunes, or your favourite podcatcher, just use the following:

As always, don’t forget to visit the AGORACOM Marketplace where we list compelling summaries for over 85 great small-cap and micro-cap companies that you can sort by exchange and industry to suit your personal investing tastes.

TODAY’S SMALL-CAP AND MICRO-CAP BREAKING FINANCIAL NEWS BEFORE THE OPEN

Our daily show focuses on content over form so that you can get profitable information into your hands as fast as possible. The same holds true for these entries in our small-cap, micro-cap news blog, where I simply cut and paste my TV notes for your benefit, without any editing, so don’t give me a hard time! :-)

Now, onto our show notes for the day.

** Denotes an AGORACOM Client. AGORACOM TV Only Reports News From AGORACOM Clients That Meets The Same Newsworthy Threshold Of All Other Press Releases.

  • OSI Geospatial – TSX:OSI $0.37
  • Skybridge Development – TSX-V:SBD $0.92
  • Luna Gold – TSX-V:LGC $0.92
  • Carpathian Gold – TSX:CPN $0.42

Posted in AGORACOM Small-Cap TV | Comments Off on AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 7/08)

US Housing Crisis Is Now Psychological

Posted by AGORACOM at 7:31 AM on Monday, July 7th, 2008

I’ve been unequivocal in my predictions that US housing is doomed …. and that we still have yet to see its worst days. Until now, the market/pundit/banker/speculator solution has been “drop interest rates”. Again, something I have labeled as an exercise in futility from the outset.

Now that we’ve arrived at 2% interest rates and real estate only continues to decline, the proof is in the pudding.

Moreover, things have gotten worse. Lower rates have:

  • Created a lower US Dollar that is >>>
  • Leading to sky rocketing oil prices that are >>>
  • Eating away at consumer wallets that is >>>
  • Leading to corporate layoffs that is >>>
  • Bringing the economy to a grinding halt that is >>>
  • MAKING THE REAL ESTATE CRISIS WORSE

Bottom Line: Where once only sub-prime borrowers were terrified of losing their homes, we now have everybody scared of falling home equity, losing their jobs and even losing their homes. “Scared” is the operative word. Scared is the reason why otherwise secure feeling consumers just a year ago will no longer stretch their resources to acquire depressed real estate – no matter how “cheap” interest rates get.

It is psychological now. Look for home inventories to climb and prices to fall quite dramatically over the next 12 months.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, US Economy | Comments Off on US Housing Crisis Is Now Psychological

AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 4/08)

Posted by AGORACOM at 10:31 AM on Friday, July 4th, 2008

Good morning to you all. Please find enclosed a summary of the breaking small-cap and micro-cap financial news we highlighted on our TV show this morning. It’s July 4 and we’ve found 1 great press releases and stock halts from both sides of the border to report on at the open. Another great day for small-cap and micro-cap financial news.

If you are new to the show, it is a daily, fast-paced, edgy report that we put out at or before the open everyday that strictly reports on the best small cap and micro cap news of the day in 3-5 minutes. You can watch AGORACOM TV right from our home page .

If you miss an episode or want to search for your company in our archive, you can visit our industry leading Small-Cap Podcast site at any time:

If you want to subscribe to our Small-Cap RSS Feed or download our podcast everyday via iTunes, or your favourite podcatcher, just use the following:

As always, don’t forget to visit the AGORACOM Marketplace where we list compelling summaries for over 85 great small-cap and micro-cap companies that you can sort by exchange and industry to suit your personal investing tastes.

TODAY’S SMALL-CAP AND MICRO-CAP BREAKING FINANCIAL NEWS BEFORE THE OPEN

Our daily show focuses on content over form so that you can get profitable information into your hands as fast as possible. The same holds true for these entries in our small-cap, micro-cap news blog, where I simply cut and paste my TV notes for your benefit, without any editing, so don’t give me a hard time! :-)

Now, onto our show notes for the day.

** Denotes an AGORACOM Client. AGORACOM TV Only Reports News From AGORACOM Clients That Meets The Same Newsworthy Threshold Of All Other Press Releases.

**Noront Resources – TSX-V:NOT $2.70

Posted in AGORACOM Small-Cap TV | Comments Off on AGORACOM Financial News TV – Breaking Small-Cap And Micro-Cap Financial News At The Open (Jul 4/08)

Happy Birthday USA And Happy July 4th To Our American Friends

Posted by AGORACOM at 8:56 AM on Friday, July 4th, 2008

It’s July 4th and that means a day away from work for all Americans for fun in the sun with family and friends, ending off with fireworks commemorating the nation’s 232nd birthday. If you want to brush up on your USA knowledge, here is the Wikipedia entry.

Thanks to all of our American friends and members for their great contributions to AGORACOM. Make sure to stay away from the boards today and have a fantastic time with your loved ones. You deserve it!

Regards,
George, Paul and the AGORACOM Team

Posted in All Recent Posts | Comments Off on Happy Birthday USA And Happy July 4th To Our American Friends

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