The right-to-work bill in Michigan awaiting Governor Snyder's signature won't have any impact on the bottom line of the Big Three anytime soon, but could pull at the thread of the organized labor movement in the state, according to analysts. With the unions able to flex their muscles with the Detroit automakers historically, the question now centers on if future labor negotiations could be influenced, if even just a shade? [View news story]
Right To Work really means Workers Have No Rights. If you don't believe that, try working for a private employer in Florida where you're treated like dirt and repeatedly reminded that the slightest infraction of Company Rules will result in your immediate termination.
Lenders in search of a reasonable yield - and still wary of mortgages - are easing standards for auto loans, leading to a resurgence in ABS backed by the paper. A surge in lending, the average age of autos on the road of 11 years (a record), and beaten-down shares of GM and F? Something doesn't add up. [View news story]
The factor that doesn't make sense is the affinity of Americans for cars made by anyone but our own manufacturers. Look at any group of cars on our roads and see how few are Chevies or Fords. Even if some foreign brands are partially manufactured here, all the profits go abroad. We're shooting our economy in the foot and wondering why we can't run forward. I guess we must love BMW, Mercedes, Bentley, Lexus, Nissan, Toyota, Kia, etc., etc. more than we want to get out of the Great Recession. And wait, Chinese cars aren't even here yet. Besides, China adds a 25% tariff on imported cars, while we take in all their products under Free Trade.
Ford (F) reportedly is planning a radical redesign of its F-150 truck, trading in steel for a largely aluminum body, in a bid to meet tougher fuel requirements. Ford hopes a switch to the lighter metal will cut the weight by ~700 pounds, a 15% reduction for the company's most popular U.S. pickup. But can die-hard pickup buyers be convinced that aluminum is as tough as steel? [View news story]
Why stop at pick-ups? Let's make all types of vehicles out of lighter weight products such as aluminum.
China plans to subsidize the development of pure-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the nation to reduce the nation's dependence on oil and cut emissions. The State Council's public goal of seeing 5M alternative-energy vehicles produced by 2020, blows away previous estimates and sets the prize high for a company able to knock out a technological breakthrough in the industry. EV-related plays include F,GM, TSLA, NSANY.OB, AVAV, ECTY, GACR.PK, KNDI, HMC, JCI, NRG, ZAAP.OB, VLKAY, and AONE. [View news story]
It's about time the Chinese Commies, oh, excuse me, The People's Republic of China, did something positive for the world besides just adding to the population.
Ford: Time To Shrink The Amount Of Outstanding Shares [View article]
pebbea, I'm sorry, but I can't resist responding to your comment. For a few months at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 F shares traded below $2.00. I know because I bought them then to bring my avg. cost way down. I ultimately made $100K on F when it went up to only $12 or $13. So, what "entry point" are you waiting for? I'm pretty sure that the Ford family is not going to pay you to take shares off their hands. Go for it!
Ford's June Sales: To Cheer Or Not To Cheer? [View article]
Dear Marek, I agree with most of your facts such as our minuscule memory and our desire for big cars at the slightest easing of fuel prices. However, there are large families and other folks that simply must have vehicles with the carrying capacity of the Flex (didn't we used to call such things "station wagons"?) Then there are farmers, contractors, and other businesses that need pickup trucks. Someone must provide such vehicles and Ford happens to do that quite well, so why criticize them for it? When was the last time you saw a mini garbage truck or a mini Abrams tank? It's not like Ford isn't pushing forward with much more fuel efficient cars at all; they're simply filling their market's demand which IMO is merely good business sense.
The right-to-work bill in Michigan awaiting Governor Snyder's signature won't have any impact on the bottom line of the Big Three anytime soon, but could pull at the thread of the organized labor movement in the state, according to analysts. With the unions able to flex their muscles with the Detroit automakers historically, the question now centers on if future labor negotiations could be influenced, if even just a shade? [View news story]
If you don't believe that, try working for a private employer in Florida where you're treated like dirt and repeatedly reminded that the slightest infraction of Company Rules will result in your immediate termination.
Lenders in search of a reasonable yield - and still wary of mortgages - are easing standards for auto loans, leading to a resurgence in ABS backed by the paper. A surge in lending, the average age of autos on the road of 11 years (a record), and beaten-down shares of GM and F? Something doesn't add up. [View news story]
Ford (F) reportedly is planning a radical redesign of its F-150 truck, trading in steel for a largely aluminum body, in a bid to meet tougher fuel requirements. Ford hopes a switch to the lighter metal will cut the weight by ~700 pounds, a 15% reduction for the company's most popular U.S. pickup. But can die-hard pickup buyers be convinced that aluminum is as tough as steel? [View news story]
China plans to subsidize the development of pure-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the nation to reduce the nation's dependence on oil and cut emissions. The State Council's public goal of seeing 5M alternative-energy vehicles produced by 2020, blows away previous estimates and sets the prize high for a company able to knock out a technological breakthrough in the industry. EV-related plays include F,GM, TSLA, NSANY.OB, AVAV, ECTY, GACR.PK, KNDI, HMC, JCI, NRG, ZAAP.OB, VLKAY, and AONE. [View news story]
Ford: Time To Shrink The Amount Of Outstanding Shares [View article]
Ford's June Sales: To Cheer Or Not To Cheer? [View article]