SATURDAY 11/22/14

Japan is hit with a 6.8 magnitude earthquake overnight about 125 miles (200 km) northwest of Tokyo in the mountains. Structures have collapsed and train tracks are covered over with mud and debris but injuries are limited. Electric power lines are down cutting off service to less than 1000 people. The earthquake is 150 miles (240 km) from the troubled Fukishima nuclear plant where a multi-year and likely multi-decade clean-up continues. An earthquake also occurs in China killing one dozen people. 







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 Despite the retail stocks rocketing higher during the last two week’s earnings releases, heavy discounting is expected this holiday season which will cut into company margins. Retail stocks typically peak out early December seasonality-wise.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ketchup and condiment king Heinz fires more workers before the holidays. Heinz used to trade under the HNZ symbol but went private June of last year. If the economy is doing so well why are workers kicked to the curb? Since Heinz is now a private company it is not disclosing the number of jobs lost over the last year.