Commodity Trading

New Delhi, India (AHN) – Indian scientists claimed to have developed protein-packed potatoes 60 percent more nutritious compared to the ordinary tuber.

The idea to develop a genetically modified potato was the brainchild of National Institute for Plant Genome Research scientists, who said that they also discovered increased levels of essential amino acids in the potato variant.

The project’s lead researcher Subhra Chakraborty said these transgenic potatoes would soon gain huge popularity because it uses a gene from another edible crop – the amaranth seed.

“Because potato constitutes an important part of the diet of many people in developed as well as developing countries, it is apparent that this can add value to potato-based products with enhanced benefits for better human health,” said Chakraborty. “Our strategy also offers unique opportunities for the genetic engineering of unique traits into the next-generation crop to accrue nutritional benefits,” she added.

Explaining about their breakthrough, Chakraborty said that they tested AmA1 (Amaranth Albumin 1) gene into seven types of potatoes and monitored their development over two years. She added that all varieties of the transgenic potatoes showed an increase of 35-60 percent protein during this period.

The tubers also showed boosted levels of amino acids, lysine, tyrosine and sulfur, which is normally limited in potatoes.

Moreover, the new crop had more production per hectare than the ordinary potatoes. The scientists added that the new crop did not have any toxic or allergic effects.

“This study represents a major technological advance in translational research in which the engineering of a seed storage protein has led to nutritional improvement with essentially no negative collateral effects on crop yield or quality,” the researchers said.

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Bolikhamxay, Laos (AHN) – A rare animal dubbed an “Asian unicorn” was spotted in captivity but has died according to the government of Laos. The animal, called a saola, was sighted for the first time in 10 years.

According to government officials, the animal which has two horns despite it’s moniker, was captured in August by villagers in the central province of Bolikhamxay. The animal with its long horns and white facial markings that resembles a North African antelope was brought back to their village.

When news of the capture reached authorities, a team was dispatched by the Bolikhamxay Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office, advised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Their mission was to examine the adult male animal and release it.

However, the animal was weakened by the ordeal of its capture and captivity and died. A photograph of the animal, one of the rarest in the world, was taken while it was still alive.

“The government of Lao PDR and WCS are to be commended for their rapid response and efforts to save this animal. We hope the information gained from the incident can be used to ensure that this is not the last saola anyone has a chance to see,” said William Robichaud, coordinator of the IUCN Saola Working Group.

The statement went on to say that the death of the saola is unfortunate but it confirms an area where it still occurs and the government has plans to immediately move to strengthen conservation efforts there.

This was the first confirmed sighting of a saola since 1999, when remotely triggered cameras snapped images of one in Laos. The animal was first discovered in 1992 in Vietnam’s Vu Quang Nature Reserve, near the country’s border with Laos. it is considered critically endangered, and its numbers so few that biologists have never seen one in the wild.

Dr. Pierre Comizzoli, a veterinarian with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and a member of the Saola Working Group, said: “Study of the carcass can yield some good from this unfortunate incident. Our lack of knowledge of saola biology is a major constraint to efforts to conserve it, and this can be a major step forward in understanding this remarkable and mysterious species”.

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New York, NY, United States (AHN) – Mid-day trading on Wall Street markets by investors sent Treasuries falling for the third consecutive Friday.

As 10-year Treasuries fell, the yield rose to a one-month high, a signal that investors did not anticipate the world’s largest economy was falling into another recession.

The yield on 10-year notes gained 3 basis points as of mid-day Friday, which was 0.03 percentage points, to 2.79 percent. So far this week, yield on the notes has gained 8 basis points.

News on Friday that U.S. inventories grew the most in two years, coupled with news on Thursday that first time jobless claims were down, helped to bolster investor confidence.

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Each commodity exchange has certain listed commodities and permitted commodities, which are traded on its floor. The trading on the floor is confined to the members or their authorized representatives. Investors interested in buying or selling place their orders with their respective brokers, who are commodity exchange members. The brokers and their authorized representatives assemble on the trading floor during the official session to execute the orders placed with them.

The trading floor consists of several trading posts for different groups of commodities. A member or his representative wishing to buy or sell a certain commodity reaches the trading post where that commodity is traded. Here he comes in contact with others interested in transacting in that commodity. Buyers make their bids and sellers make their offers, and bargains are closed at mutually agreed-upon prices. (more…)

Have your ever tried commodity trading? If not than you should know that the 21st century belongs to the commodities. In 2008, suddenly the oil prices jumped from around $60-70 to around $150 in just a matter of few months. The world was aghast. There were huge rallies in all part of the world against this sudden oil price hike. Many thought that the oil price increase was due to speculation by hedge funds. No body knows! But speculation alone could not be responsible for such a sudden rise in the price.

In fact, as the emerging economies like China, India, Russia Brazil etc develop more, their demand for commodities will rise. This rise in the demand for commodities will fuel the price rise. Don’t forget crude oil is a commodity so is gold, so is wheat, so is cereals so is soybean and so on. 2008 not only saw the skyrocketing of oil prices but also huge increases in wheat, rice, copper, gold and other commodity prices. The world of commodities is huge. Beef and pork bellies also fall in the category of commodities. Gold price is still in an uptrend! (more…)