are these futures for real, page-11

Kalmsg,

I agree confidence is terrible.

I feel more of the weakness has been due to uncertainty than fundamentals (other than almost the entire financial sector in the US and a few clones in Aust (eg Centro, ABS, BNB) that got very greedy and are paying the price.

Now we no longer need to speculate and be concerned about the collapse of Lehman, Merrill, Fannie, Freddie, Bear Stearns - just get on with it - realising that Lehman were not a company that actually contributed any good to the economy at all, not producing one single item to feed, clothes, house etc anyone - just creamed off the best of others toil to the detriment of all others (Merrill, JPMorgan, BNB, Bear Stearns, MCQ are also in that bag) - and that the economy is actually stronger without such leaches - we can hopefully now bounce back, stronger for their demise, having over-factored in their importance already in the recent share market weakness. Sure there will be much turmoil as a result - but long-term fundamental values don't change.

I think ARU is a good example you'll agree with Kalmsg - their NPV has risen dramatically with strength in the rare-earths prices however the share-price is only about a third of what it was before this turmoil despite marked improvement in ARUs fundamentals.