The Neo-Market Report

Once again, it's time to visit Neopia's foremost financial experts. Stopping in to visit our hosts this week will be J.P. Moehogan, President of Chia Steel. He'll be here to discuss Chia Steel's plans to bring heavy industry to The Lost Desert and the impact it will have on the Neopian economy. And now, here are Neil and Maria…

KAUVUTO: Hello and thank you for joining us this week at The Neo-Market Report. I am your host Neil Kauvuto, and as always I am joined by my co-host, former Portfolio Manager of The Eyrie High Flyer Fund, the one and only Maria Blumaroono. Maria, what's the latest word from the street?

BLUMAROONO: Well Neil, the big story this week has been Chia Steel's efforts to expand their empire into The Lost Desert. With J.P. Moehogan always looking for cheap sources of labour, it's not much of a surprise that Chia Steel would want to set up shop there… after all, these folks built Pyramids for free! As word of Chia Steel's intentions spread, their stock price skyrocketed, jumping an incredible thirty-one points in less than a week.

Another company whose fortunes have risen with Chia Steel's decision is Skeith Feeding Ltd., whose stock rose twenty points after the company won a bidding war with Super Splime Shakes for the right to feed the thousands of new employees who'll be working in Chia Steel's new Lost Desert plant. When told that they'd won the contract, Skeith Feeding CEO Gordo Grumbley reportedly yelled, "Yes! We are going to be so FILTHY RICH!!!"

KAUVUTO: Interestingly enough, with urban sprawl now looking like a foregone conclusion in The Lost Desert, a number of Neopians have begun having second thoughts about their own relocation to this arid paradise. And so, Kacheek and Sons Landscape has seen a sudden upturn in their business, resulting in a modest six-point gain.

As for those taking hits this week, obviously Super Splime is this week's big loser. After missing out on the Chia Steel contract, the company saw its stock plummet ten NPs a share. Also posting a loss was Korbat Cricket Supplies, whose NeoMite trouble has resulted in yet another six-point decline.

BLUMAROONO: After a rousing week on the floor, our guest today is the Neodaq's man of the hour, J.P. Moehogan! Mr. Moehogan, thanks for joining us…

MOEHOGAN: The pleasure's all mine, Maria.

BLUMAROONO: Now, it looks like Chia Steel has decided to go ahead with its plans in The Lost Desert. Could you give us the details of what's going to taking place in the next few months for Chia Steel?

MOEHOGAN: Well Maria, we've already purchased the land and expect to break ground sometime next week. We've tentatively scheduled the ribbon cutting ceremony for the fifteenth Day of Collecting.

KAUVUTO: With all the new workers who'll be hired in The Lost Desert, how will that effect other Chia Steel employees throughout Neopia? After all, your market share is about the same as it was the last time we spoke to you, so there's no reason for your company to grow…

MOEHOGAN: That's correct, Neil. We'll be pursuing a four-step program that will consist of a.) Early retirements and voluntary separations, b.) Compulsory use of vacation time c.) Cuts in wages and benefits and d.) Staff reductions, if they're determined to be necessary. This program should offset the costs of our new plant and "smooth out" any overstaffing issues that might arise during this period of transition. That being said, we feel that once our Lost Desert plant is up and running, Chia Steel will be stronger than ever before.

BLUMAROONO: Don't you think this is all a bit drastic? What about all the loyal Chia Steel employees who will have to bear the brunt of this? Why, some of them might even lose their jobs…what do you have to say to them?

MOEHOGAN: Maria my dear, you have to understand…this is a business, and sometimes business decisions are painful to make. But for the good of Chia Steel, these decisions have to be made…

KAUVUTO: That's about all the time we have this week. For Maria Blumaroono and J.P. Moehogan, this is Neil Kauvuto saying thank you and so long….