Quick Overview

The New York Federal Reserve's Empire Manufacturing index fell from 20.18 to 3.12 in April, the lowest in two years.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell to 88.7 in mid-April from 92.6 in March.

U.S. industrial production was up 0.3% in March.

Europe's cocoa bean grind totaled 282,682 tons in the first quarter of 2005, up 0.8% from a year ago. In the U.S. the cocoa grind totaled 101,913 tons, down 0.7% from a year ago.

The Green Coffee Association said that U.S. coffee stocks increased over 305,000 bags in March to end the month at 5.696 million bags, more than expected.

Canada's manufacturing shipments were down 0.5% in February.


San Diego America’s finest city.
Here's how abusive it is: some city officials are getting lump sums under this program of more than $1 million, in addition to $150,000 or more annual retirement benefits. The city spends $16 million a year just paying interest on the $200 million now deposited in this program. But the city spends a mere $800,000 a year repairing potholes.....But the weather is nice!

Scientists say evidence mounting that chemical in plastic is dangerous In the new report, to be published online tomorrow in Environmental Health Perspectives, scientists Frederick vom Saal and Claude Hughes say that, as of December, 115 studies have been published examining low doses of the chemical, and 94 found harmful effects.



US calls for immediate flexibility on renminbi
The US administration is calling for China to move immediately to introduce a flexible currency, a marked shift in tactics after several years of patient diplomacy aimed at nudging China towards allowing the renminbi to float.

The worlds biggest debtor nation telling another nation how to run THEIR economy.

Illegal GM maize fear sparks EU ban on US animal feeds
But Christoph Then, a Greenpeace genetic engineering expert, said lax controls in the US and elsewhere meant that Europe remained exposed to high-risk imports of illegal GMOs in wheat, rice, soya beans and rape seed as well as maize. The US condemned the ban, insisting there were no hazards to health, safety or the environment from Bt10.