Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[marketmaven]

Here OJ- read the WSJ today and SEC's Donaldson on corporate criminals on Monday in the FT-
(when ethics disappear, crooks rule)

The Wall Street Journal
(RD) Shell expects to make $10 billion to $12 billion in divestments in the next couple of years as the oil giant focuses on profitability and cash flow from its downstream businesses.

(GM) GM plans to offer buyers interest-free loans for six years on most 2004 models and pour a month`s worth of advertising money into a six-day campaign.

The SEC warned AIG that it could face civil action over deals the agency said let PNC keep bad loans off the bank`s books. Lease obligations at companies nationwide don`t show up on corporate balance sheets, thanks to accounting rules.

HEARD ON THE STREET - Coke Investors Crave Dramatic Fix:
E. Neville Isdell has acknowledged that Coke`s marketing, execution and brainpower have lost some fizz but sidestepped one of the biggest questions facing investors: Is he trying to reclaim Coke`s glory, or will he cook up a new growth formula?

AHEAD OF THE TAPE - Consumer Affairs:
Consumer-staples companies are supposed to be far less sensitive to shifts in the economy than companies whose products are seen as more frivolous, but the longtime stock-market haven has lately been fraught with peril.