Weak Dollar and High Oil Prices in H1 Fail to Blight Syngenta’s Optimism

September 30th, 2009 Wood prices in Sweden and Finland fell faster than the global average price the past year as a result of reduced operating rates for pulp mills in those two countries. Despite this precipitous drop in wood cost (more than 30%), the Nordic region still has one of the highest wood fiber costs in the world, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.

September 29th, 2009 Prices for softwood lumber have fallen in most markets worldwide the past year, including in Europe, North America and Japan, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. The weak lumber markets have pushed sawlog prices close to a five-year low.

September 29th, 2009 Brazil increased pulp production in 2008 by about eight percent. Wood fiber costs have remained unchanged in the local currency in the 2Q/09 but were eight percent higher in US dollar terms as compared to the previous quarter, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.

September 1st, 2009 SANTIAGO, Chile - - According to Pablo Bascur, MolyExp managing partner, the incipient recovery of moly prices is not a response to an increase in consumption, and that China will play a key role in upcoming quarters The incipient recovery of molybdenum prices observed during 2Q09 does not respond to a true increase in consumption. According to Moly Market Outlook, a study conducted by the consultancy firm MolyExp, the enormous and unusual accumulation of molybdenum inventories in China during 1H09 will play a key role in moly prices in future quarters.

July 16th, 2009 WILMINGTON, Delaware - DuPont Titanium Technologies (DTT) today announced a price increase for all DuPont(TM) Ti-Pure(R) titanium dioxide (TiO2) grades sold in the U.S. dollar markets of Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

June 22nd, 2009 LONDON - Asking prices in London registered a modest increase of 0.27% in May, according to Primelocation.coms monthly house price index. Andrew Smith, Primelocation.com's Head of Research, comments: " This is the fifth such rise in the past six months and provides further evidence that the year-long trend of rapidly falling prices has stabilized." Prices over the month rose in three of London's five sub-regions.

May 26th, 2009 HALIFAX, England - London experienced the largest decline in retail prices over the past year with a 2.8% fall between 2008 quarter one and 2009 quarter one, according to new research by Halifax. This was more than twice the 1.3% fall for the UK as a whole.

April 21st, 2009 LONDON - With Chancellor Alistair Darling expected to concede in today's budget that the government will fail to recover a significant amount of the GBP60bn bailout funds already spent on UK banks, new research has uncovered concern for the economy has risen by an amazing 463% over the past year, while trust in banks and politicians continues to fall. According to the latest MindReader survey from the world largest media agency network Mindshare, the state of the economy has now become the number one national concern among Britons replacing terrorism as the threat that causes most worry about on a daily basis.

March 31st, 2009 LONDON - The last two quarters have been so dire in terms of economic growth that the Economist Intelligence Unit rules out any hope of recovery this year. For the ordinary person in the street, there will not be any sign of improvement until 2011.

March 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Room Rates Fall Across All Continents The average price of a hotel room around the world fell by 12% last year, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index. Hotel prices in December 2008 were more than one tenth lower than they were the year before and room rates were just 1% above their level in January 2004, when the Hotel Price Index was started.

February 4th, 2009 LONDON - A plant blight that affects many crop species worldwide, causes less damage to pepper crops of the hotter varieties rather than low heat peppers. The research team of Mohammed B.

June 3rd, 2009 Gold prices fall sharply as dollar reboundsNEW YORK — Gold prices have fallen sharply as the dollar rebounds against the euro and the British pound. The dollar's gains come ahead of Thursday's interest rate decisions from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.

August 4th, 2009 Weak dollar, upbeat data support commoditiesNEW YORK — A weak dollar and more upbeat data on the economy is making a strong case for buying precious and industrial metals. Commodity prices are higher for a fourth day in a row as the National Association of Realtors says pending home sales rose in June by more than analysts had expected.

June 23rd, 2009 Weak dollar gives oil yet another boostCOLUMBUS, Ohio — The weakened dollar boosted oil prices once again Tuesday, ending a two-day slump. Benchmark crude for August delivery rose $1.74 to settle at $69.24 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

September 22nd, 2009 Oil hovers above $71 amid weak demand, US dollarOil prices hovered above $71 a barrel Wednesday as signs of weak crude demand were offset by the effects of a slumping U.S. dollar. By mid-afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for November delivery was down 44 cents at $71.32 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

May 8th, 2009 Gold moves higher as dollar falls, stocks rallyNEW YORK — Gold prices and other commodities are higher, buoyed by a falling dollar and an increasingly upbeat outlook on the economy. Positive news about banks' balance sheets has driven investors into stocks and other more risky assets and away from the dollar, which is considered a safe haven.

May 2nd, 2009 Gold prices slide as safe-haven demand withersNEW YORK — Gold prices are lower amid increasing optimism about the economy. Other commodities, like oil and silver, are posting gains.

June 9th, 2009 Oil jumps above $69 amid 3-month rallySINGAPORE — Oil prices rose above $69 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as traders brushed off concerns that the doubling of crude since March is out of step with a weak global economy. Benchmark crude for July delivery was up 98 cents at $69.07 a barrel by late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

June 9th, 2009 Oil rises to above $69 as investors weigh outlookOil prices rose to above $69 a barrel Tuesday as traders brushed off concerns that the doubling of crude prices since March is out of step with a weak global economy. Prices also benefited from investors looking for a safe haven in commodities as the U.S.

July 20th, 2009 Oil rises to near $65 on strong corporate resultsOil prices were headed toward $65 a barrel Monday as strong second quarter company results helped boost investor optimism and stock market gains in Asia and Europe helped lift oil prices. A weaker U.S.