Classic fish

As demand falls, so too do the prices – in Dubai, the cost of property is down 40% in 2009.
Another 40,000 new villas and apartments are expected to flood the market in the next few months, which would put even more pressure on prices.
These developments, planned to meet the soaring demand in the good times, are now going on sale in the bad times.
With such an oversupply of property, one estimate suggests prices could have slumped more than 70% by 2010.
That means agents are looking for new tactics to entice buyers back and Mr Kuceli’s firm, Madania Real Estate, is experimenting with the idea of auctions.
Although it is a tried and tested concept elsewhere, it is a first for Dubai

India’s exports declined at an annual rate of 28% in July, the 10th month in a row of falls, after the weak global economy continued to hit demand.
The country exported $13.6bn (￡8.2bn) of goods and services during the month, the official figures showed.
At the same time, India’s imports were down 37% to $19.6bn in July.
Last week, the Indian government announced a series of measures to help exporters, including tax breaks and better access to finance.
‘Pause for breath’
The latest export figures come a day after the Central Statistical Organisation said the country’s economy expanded at an annual rate of 6.1% between April and June, up from 5.8% from January to March, lifted by government stimulus spending.

Chevron, the second largest oil company in the US, has posted a big fall in quarterly profits, as the price of oil more than halved from a year earlier.
Net profit between April and June came in at $1.75bn (￡1.06bn), a fall of 71% from the $5.98bn it made a year ago.
The fall in the price of oil meant total revenue also fell by more than 50%, to $40bn.
On Thursday, oil giants Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil also reported similar falls in quarterly profits.
“The demand for refined products remained generally weak,” said Chevron boss Dave O’Reilly

China’s Geely Automotive says its parent company would bid for Volvo if Ford decides to sell the Swedish firm.
The company said it would make an offer in conjunction with a government-backed investor and it expected Ford to decide whether to sell Volvo within a month.
The purchase would be a big step for Geely, which is currently a relatively small domestic carmaker.
It already has a joint venture with Manganeze Bronze to make 8,000 London taxis in China.
Geely used to make the cheapest cars in China but has been moving towards appealing to more affluent customers

Located at the crossroads of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, Europe and Africa, Spain’s history and culture are made up of a rich mix of diverse elements.
Through exploration and conquest, Spain became a world power in the 16th century, and it maintained a vast overseas empire until the early 19th century.
Spain’s modern history is marked by the bitterly fought Spanish Civil War of 1936-39, and the ensuing 36-year dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

uggs on sale are fast becoming one of the fashion trends of the decade.The Ugg boot is usually a high fitting boot, mostly coming up above the ankle, and usually much higher.
It is now the norm to find Ugg boots in the stores and online which feature a wide range of colors including bright reds and greens or pinks, and all sorts of other bright colors. In the past you had little choice for your Classic Uggs Mini Boots but they are now available in a wide range of colors and styles.
The Ugg boot is not a hardwearing boot like a leather boot though, and you need to take a little care with your Uggs boot. They are a soft boot but made with a hard plastic sole, with the sheepskin sewn onto the sole. The sole is generally hard wearing but the sheepskin sides can be prone to getting dirty very easily, though they can be easily washed.
But as any UGG Classic Short Boots devotee will tell you, a good pair of Uggs will be the most comfortable footwear you will ever have on your feet.

The Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust is appealing for volunteers to act as walk leaders, donating free t-shirts and sweatshirts, it has emerged.

As part of its bid to improve the health of Nuneaton and Bedworth residents, the trust has set up seven walking routes to encourage people to take gentle exercise, reports the Coventry Telegraph.

And to persuade people to get their tee-shirts on and get sporty, the trust claims it needs walk leaders, who will help local residents get back to health.

Jason Field, the trust’s marketing and business development manager, told the newspaper: “We offer simple training, resulting in a recognised walk leader qualification with free insurance and all walk leaders are supplied with jackets, fleeces and t-shirts.”

The scheme forms part of the walking for health initiative devised by the Countryside Agency and the British Heart Foundation and aims to get the public walking in their community.

Shares in Berkshire Hathaway, parent of t-shirt manufacturer Fruit of the Loom, hit six figures earlier this week in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Stock in the former textile firm traded at $100,000 (￡53,000) on Monday, setting a record for the highest share ever listed in the US.

The firm has a market capitalisation of $155 billion and has increased its stock price 5,555 times since Warren Buffett took the firm over in 1965, when shares closed at $18, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, Justin Fuller, an analyst at Morningstar in Chicago, said the stock is around 25 per cent undervalued – he estimates the shares are worth around $129,000 apiece.

Berkshire owns around 50 companies, including Fruit of the Loom, which manufactures underwear, t-shirts, polo shirts and sweatshirts.

The firm has a stake in Coca-Cola, Gillette and the Washington Post, while subsidiaries include Geico Auto Insurance and Helzberg Diamonds

A new t-shirt which tells the time by displaying a digital clock on its front has been launched.

The time t-shirt shows a large clock in the middle of the chest of the wearer using four triple A batteries located near the clock panel.

For washing purposes, the battery pack can be removed, while there is also a stop-watch function.

In related news, a number of UK designers are bringing electronics to clothing, such as sweatshirts and jackets, following the success of MP3 players.

New smart fabrics are allowing designers to incorporate design controls for electronic products such as Apple’s iPod, reports Inteletex.

North Yorkshire-based firm Peratech, a wearable textile electronics specialist, has recently reached an agreement with Ermenegildo Zegna, an Italian fashion company, which will see the British firm introduce iJackets with iPod controls built in.

US-based t-shirt, sweatshirt and polo-shirt manufacturer Gildan is set to take on its rivals in the retail market, according to a report.

The manufacturer, a market leader in the wholesale t-shirt market, is planning to extend its offering to compete with Fruit of the Loom and Hanesbrands through a major retailer, CBC News reports.

Laurence Sellyn, Gildan’s chief financial officer, highlighted future intentions to build the brand as a full-line active-wear supplier.

Meanwhile, Doug Cooper, an analyst with institutional investment firm Paradigm Capital, said the manufacturer is well positioned to compete.

“I don’t think there’s any question – they can for sure,” he told the news provider.

“Gildan has certainly won market share against them in the wholesale environment because low-cost wins.”

In order to reduce costs, Gildan has recently announced a restructuring that will see operations at its North America plants downsized.