NASA - Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank

NASA - Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank

Chief Financial Officer:Intel's Vision of Growth Drivers

Intel has reported Q1 earnings greater than estimated.With that achievement on the books,what lies ahead for the tech titan?We have a hundred designs in the pipeline,said Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith.You're gonna see touch enabled;thin and white products.We're well on the way to 40% of the pc market by the end of the year.As we look forward,we think we can grow the data center business over the next five years. Windows 8 will be positive for sales.The performance and very thin form factor,along with touch,really sets us up for an exciting set of products for the end of this year.We've announced smartphone design wins.You're gonna see them with Intel architecture inside. Things are getting incrementally better in the U.S. economy.We still see robust growth in the emerging markets,leading to high unit sales growth,Mr.Smith observed. Led by CEO Paul Ottelini,Intel draws on the very considerable talents of some 92,000 workers worldwide. Intel(INTC)

Siberian tiger, leopard number doubles in NE China - China.org.cn

Siberian tiger, leopard number doubles in NE China - China.org.cn

NASA - Space Shuttle Discovery Readied for Demate

NASA - Space Shuttle Discovery Readied for Demate

AIG Almost Home,But Worries Persist

In our board meetings,we're talking about making an acquisition,rather than getting out of one,said Steve Miller,Chairman of American International Group.And we're getting closer to the point of not only paying back every penny of the bailout;but posting a profit for the shareholders as well.There's no guarantee;but it's certainly within the realm of possibility of occurring in the next 12 months,the insurance executive feels.
The context of AIG's progress is defined by Ward McCarthy of Jefferies&Co. as an economy that's doing O.K.,but with weak employment and a decline in business confidence.We have been getting a little bit too bullish,and now it's getting back to the way it should be.
The warm weather made some of the numbers look better than they otherwise would have been.Now the weather has changed,making it look less favorable.We really have a bifurcated real estate market.Home affordability has never been greater.What we really need is income growth to make it all possible,Mr.McCarthy believes.
Some good things are happening in the economy,such as AIG's recovery,but it isn't totally sound.
Jefferies&Co. is an institutional securities,asset management and investment banking firm,active in 30 cities worldwide.It also provides services to high net worth individuals.
American International Group(AIG),The Jefferies Group Inc.(JEF)

NASA - Moscow at Night

NASA - Moscow at Night

Chinese Service Sector Expresses Confidence

According to the China March HSBC Services PMI,or Purchasing Managers Index,business confidence hit an 11-month high.The survey registered a 53.3,which is slightly less than February's 53.9 reading;but a mark of greater than 50 still indicates growth in service-oriented businesses.New business expanded for the fortieth straight month.
Compiled by British financial data expert Markit for HSBC bank,the index showed firmer client demand;improved overall business conditions;and service firms being able to pass rising costs onto consumers.
Qu Hangbin,HSBC Chief China Economist,nonetheless thinks overall growth is slowing a bit-for instance,in export orders;industrial production;or employment.All these call for further easing measures,while inflationary pressures should remain relatively contained in the coming months.
Caution with regard to the March report is justified in that service sector growth was offset by manufacturing weakness and affected by state policies to cool growth in the real estate market.Indeed,service sector companies raised their staffing at only a fractional rate in March;and outstanding business,or backlogs,also rose marginally.
As well,despite the 11-month high in business confidence,the degree of optimism was weaker than the long-run trend for the survey.
All the same,survey respondents were expressing optimism,saying they would expand their companies and expected growth in the wider Chinese economy.China's official growth estimate for 2012 is 7.5%,an outstanding rate in comparison to the developed nations.
HSBC Holdings PLC(HBC)

Shop Talk:Recommended Photo

Dear Readers,
A link to an excellent photo of the ESA cargo module docking with the International Space Station is provided in the previous post.I hope you will avail yourselves of this opportunity.Manned spaceflight is very much alive,despite the end of the space shuttle program.
Sincerely,
Andrew Taylor

ATV-3 Approaches the Station

ATV-3 Approaches the Station

Dow Chemical's Broad Solutions Network

Dow Chemical is a company that has long embraced globalism at every turn in its corporate life.
We're using Thailand as an operations hub these days,said Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris.There are 160 Korean scientists at our R&D facility there.
The reception in China for global businesses is powerful.China is a red carpet;there are a lot of other economies that are red tape,the industry leader candidly observed.Dow is in 150 countries in terms of sales.
Obviously,Saudi Arabia is very important to a company like ours that is resource intensive,Mr.Liveris noted.
The firm employs about 52,000 workers worldwide.From Mexico to the Middle East,they produce more than 5,000 specialty chemical,advanced materials and other products at some 197 facilities in 36 countries.
Andrew N. Liveris,who turns 58 next month,is a native of Darwin,Australia.He graduated from the University of Queensland with a chemical engineering degree.Mr.Liveris was formerly general manager of Dow's Thailand operations.The Midland,Michigan resident also serves on the Board of Directors of IBM.
Dow Chemical(DOW)