Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page A6

6A THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014 RENO Business CONTACT John Huetter 775-788-6309 JHUETTERRGJ.COM TODAY'S COMMODITIES Your connection to the Northern Nevada business community. if 1000 PUBLIC INPUT SOUGHT FOR CLAY MINE PLAN The Bureau of Land Management's Humboldt River Field Office is seeking public comment following its completion of a preliminary environmental assessment to analyze the impacts associated with Western Lithium Kings Valley Clay Mine plan to begin mining hecto-rite clay. The proposed project is approximately 21 miles west-northwest of Orovada in Humboldt County. Western Lithium plans to develop an open-pit clay mine at the project site, as well as waste rock disposal areas, roads and other facilities that would result in approximately 110 acres of total disturbance. Clay ore would be selectively mined from two open pits and stockpiled on-site in a designated ore-grade stockpile area.

The ore-grade clay would be sold to an end user or hauled to an off-site facility for further processing. The operation would employ approximately 14 people and have a lifespan of approximately 23 years, including the land being returned to the premining uses. Public comments will be accepted until Jan. 19. For details, call Daniel Atkinson, project lead, at 775-623-1500.

GOLD'S WORST SLUMP IN 30 YEARS SHOWS THAT "SAFE" ASSETS WERE RISKY IN 2013 By Steve Rothwell Associated Press NEW YORK Being safe left some investors sorry in 2013. That's because some financial assets that are considered safe and steady lost money. After three decades of steady gains, bonds had a bad year. Prices for Treasurys and other kinds of bonds slumped as the U.S. economy improved, investors' nerves steadied and the Federal Reserve prepared to pull back on its huge bond-buying program.

Gold was another investment that went from haven to headache. The price of gold gained steadily for more than a decade, driven by concerns about the health of the U.S. economy and rising inflation. The metal plunged in 2013 as the U.S. maintained its recovery and inflation was nowhere in sight.

Keeping money in a bank account was another safety-first strategy that worked when the stock market was plunging in 2008, but not since then. Here's a look at how some of the supposedly safe assets have performed. TREASURYS AND OTHER BONDS: From 1981 through 2012, demand for Treasurys rose and their yields, which move in the opposite direction, fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note bot- Long considered safe bets, commodities such as gold, bonds and cash left many investors with losses in 2013. Trends that had boosted prices in recent years leveled off as the economy changed course, afpgetty images file EDAWN TO DISCUSS ECONOMY The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada will hold a business luncheon, "Our Economy: Where We Are and Where We Are Going," from 11:30 a.m.

to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Pepper-mill's Tuscany Ballroom. The luncheon will feature a review of 2013 as well as a projection of activities for 2014. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m.

Cost to attend is $25. To register, visit http:conta.cclfGmMUL. FARM CONFERENCE AT NUGGET The 2014 Nevada Small Farm Conference will be held Feb. 20-22 at John As-cuaga's Nugget. The event will feature 25 sessions and five preconference workshops, as well as a Friday night social mixer.

The early bird registration deadline is Jan. 31. For more information, visit www.nevadafarmconference.com or contact Ann Louhela at 775-351-2551 or ann.louhelawnc.edu. tomed at a record low of 1.39 percent in July 2012, when the European debt crisis intensified and people rushed to buy U.S. government debt securities.

Bonds also rose as the Fed began purchasing Treasurys in response to the financial crisis and the recession to keep interest rates low to boost the economy. The U.S. economy now appears to be gaining steam and the Fed, the biggest buyer of Treasurys, plans to start reducing its purchases in January. The rise in yields and the corresponding decline in bond prices has meant losses for bond investors, prompting them to cut their holdings. Other bonds, which are priced in relation to Treasury debt, also had a bad year.

GOLD: Gold had its worst slump in more than 30 years. The price of gold rose every year from 2001 to 2012 as investors looked for an alternative to the U.S. See COMMODITIES, Page 5A TWO JOIN UNITED CONSTRUCTION Dan Snyder joins United Construction as project manager. Snyder has more than 30 years of experience and has worked on many projects in the region. He holds an associate degree in construction management.

Also joining as project manager is Nicholas Christensen. His experience includes work as a quality-control manager, project manager, project superintendent and director of purchasing and junior estimator. Christensen earned his bachelor of technology in construction management from Western Nevada Have local news, Networking or People on the Move items? Post them online at RGJ.com business. And for the latest local news, follow RGJ Business on Twitter. NAFTA alters Mexico in 20 years, but fails many economic goals By Mark Stevenson Associated Press MEXICO CITY Looking around a Mexico dotted by Starbucks, Wal-Mart and Krispy Kreme outlets, it's hard to remember the country before the North American Free Trade Agreement, which dramatically expanded consumer choice and trade since it took effect 20 years ago on Jan.

1. While it changed the country in some fundamental ways, the treaty never met many of its sweeping promises to close Mexico's wage gap with the United States, boost job growth, fight poverty and protect the environment. Mexico's weak unions and competition from Asia and Central America kept wages down; the tightening of security along the U.S. border closed off Mexico's immigration "escape valve;" and environmental provisions in the agreement proved less powerful than those protecting investors. Mexico took advantage of the accord with the United States and Canada in some areas.

The auto, electronics and agriculture sectors grew, and foreign banks moved in, increasing access to credit, but a majority of Mexicans saw little benefit in income. While there is undoubtedly a larger middle class today, Mexico is the only major Latin American country where poverty also has grown in recent years. According the Economic Commission for Latin America, poverty fell from 48.4 percent in 1990 to 27.9 percent in See MEXICO, Page 5A Public spending on pensions, 2010-2050 As a percentage of GDP Wednesday marked the 100th anniversary of the first commercial flight, jae c. hongap file WHAT WILL FUTURE OF FLYING ENTAIL? By Scott Mayerowitz Associated Press Millions of people step aboard airplanes each day, complaining about the lack of legroom and overhead space but almost taking for granted that they can travel thousands of miles in just a few hours. Wednesday marked the 100th anniversary of the first commercial flight: a 23-minute hop across Florida's Tampa Bay.

The St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line was subsidized by St. Petersburg officials who wanted more winter tourists in their city. The Associated Press reached out to aviation leaders to see what they are predicting for the next five years: Richard Anderson, CEO, Delta Air Lines: "Just over a decade ago, airlines seemed to be buying every 50-seat See AIRLINES, Page 5A 161R, I France 14 12 German 13.0 8 77 "K- 8-2 U.S. 4.8 4.6 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 AP SOURCES: Center for Strategic and International Studies; 0ECD LOCAL INSIGHT: Usher in new year with technological resolutions Christmas is over, and it's the new year.

I hope Santa brought you what you wished for, but if he didn't, this might be a good time to think about how you can make all of your wishes come true in 2014. Last year was good for business in Northern Nevada, and all of our partners, clients and vendors expressed a positive outlook. The economy is improving in the region, Hi Since this column focuses on technology, I would suggest that your 2014 wishes and resolutions include at least some emphasis on technology growth and development. Here are some observations from 2013 that should motivate you to begin 2014 with a bang. With unemployment falling and a growing population of young, employable graduates looking for jobs, now is the time to be thinking about how to attract, train and retain a new generation of employees.

From a technology perspective, this generation of workers will demand access to the best digital tools and will look for employment in organizations that have a vision for how they can grow, develop new skills and quickly advance. Expecting to grow your business in 2014 without a technology plan is not a good idea. Your competition is figuring out how to use technology to be more productive, market more effectively and manage data in new ways. The good news is that the cost of technology is going down and the sophistication of services is going up. With cloud solutions, service outsourcing and mobility choices all growing, now is the time to invest.

Social networking, Web marketing and digital communications are important strategic tools for increasing your marketing and communications. However, don't forget the human aspect of social networking. Personally, I have made a point of being more invested in human net working by attending local events and joining networking and peer groups. That, coupled with our annual community giving campaign, provides new opportunities to grow my personal network and uplift our community. Make a point to get out from behind your computer screen and interact with employees, clients and peers; you might be surprised at what you can learn, share and contribute.

The new year feels like it will be one of change, and change brings opportunity. We're now two days into 2014, but it is not too late to finalize your planning and hit the ground running. Steve Cerocke, founderpresident oflQ Systems Inc. of Reno, can be reached at 775-352-2301, ext. 1001, or steveiqcorp.com.

CEROCKE with the housing market recovering and unemployment falling. I think we can all look forward to a positive 2014 with continued economic development and a heightened awareness of Northern Nevada's strong entrepreneurial community..