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A NEW DEVICE TO PREDICT THE IMPACT OF WEATHER on building materials is open for use at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The device can determine quickly and accurately the damage to polymer coatings, materials and structures exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, temperature and humidity. The new facility in NIST's Building and Fire Research Laboratory will help speed the introduction of new products into the market and reduce building repair costs.
www.NIST.gov
LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS is expected to play an increasingly important role in energy markets in the next several years, says the Energy Information Administration. "Interest in LNG has been rekindled by higher U.S. natural gas prices in recent years and technological advances that have lowered costs for producing, shipping and storing LNG," says the agency. "Companies have announced plans for the construction of over a dozen LNG import facilities since the beginning of 2001, although it is not yet clear how many will be built."
www.eia.doe.gov
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION has approved proposed rules that require attorneys appearing before the commission to report to the company they represent "evidence of a material violation of securities laws." Attorneys must notify their company's chief legal counsel or chief executive officer, and if they do not respond appropriately, the rules require the attorney "to report the evidence to the audit committee, another committee of independent directors or the full board of directors," says the SEC. For more information on the new "Standards of Professional Conduct for Attorneys Appearing and Practicing before the Commission," go to:
www.sec.gov.
THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE has notified Congress that it intends to initiate free trade negotiations with Sub-Saharan nations that comprise the South African Customs Union: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. "The administration is committed to bringing back trade agreements that open markets to benefit our farmers, workers, businesses and families," says the USTR. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for approximately $3.1 billion in exports in 2001 and total two-way trade between the region and the U.S. was approximately $7.9 billion.
www.ustr.gov
PLANNED JOB CUTS have begun to soar, reports Challenger, Gray & Christmas. After falling to a 22-month low in September, planned job cuts announced by companies increased to 176,010 in October, "a rate of more than 7,600 job cuts per business day," says the firm. The October figure is the second highest of the year, behind only January's 212,704. The 176,010 planned job-cut figure for October is 151 percent higher than September's 70,057, which was the lowest monthly total since November, 2000. October's figure is 27 percent lower than October, 2001 (242,192). Job-cut announcements in 2002 are also down 27 percent from last year. Through October, 1,180,627 job cuts have been announced compared to 1,613,880 last year. The technology sector accounted for 34 percent of October job cuts. Telecommunications and computers were the top two job-cutting industries during the month, combining for 51,644 job cuts. Another 7,942 job cuts were announced by electronics and e-commerce companies, for a technology sector total of 59,586.
THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION has granted the United States a victory in its dispute with Canada over softwood lumber subsidies. The WTO said Canadian provinces' sale of timber from public lands can constitute a subsidy under the WTO Subsidies Agreement. However, the panel ruled against the United States on its methodology for calculating the amount of the subsidy. The United States is pursuing that issue in another WTO case.
www.ustr.gov
PERSONAL INCOME increased $37 billion, or 0.4 percent, and disposable personal income increased $36.8 billion, or 0.5 percent, in September, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures decreased $29.6 billion, or 0.4 percent.
www.bea.doc.gov
BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES grew 2.3 percent between 1999 and 2000 from 16.2 million to 16.5 million, according to the Census Bureau. Nevada led all states in the growth of its nonemployer businesses, with an increase of 6.9 percent, Maryland was second, at 5 percent, followed by Delaware, at 4.9 percent. "These very small businesses make up 70 percent of all businesses," said Census Bureau analyst Jerry Roth. The report, "Nonemployer Statistics: 2000," is available at
www.census.gov.
DOMESTIC URANIUM PRODUCTION continues to decline, says the Energy Information Administration:
www.eia.doe.gov
"STATUS OF STATE ELECTRIC INDUSTRY RESTRUCTURING ACTIVITY" is a new report from the Energy Information Administration:
www.doe.gov.
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