By local and wire sources
Christmas crafts fair slated Friday, Saturday
The 25th annual JoAnn Williams Christmas Treasures Art, Gift and Crafts Fair will be held 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
The event will feature more than 100 vendors from all over the state, with exclusive items for holiday shopping.
Admission is free. Donated prizes from each vendor will be given away throughout each day of the fair, along with a silent auction.
The fair is held in both the Kamekahonu Ballroom and the main mall areas.
Lowe’s teams up with Habitat for Humanity
Lowe’s is continuing its partnership with Habitat for Kona by participating in the “Homes for the Holidays” project during the holiday season. Customers who shop at the Lowe’s store in Kona from now until Dec. 11 can make a donation to Habitat for Humanity for Kona at the checkout or can add a donation to the total of their purchases.
Habitat for Humanity Kona will have tables in the Lowe’s store on Saturday and Dec. 2 and 9 with information about the organization, personnel to ask questions and current partner families with whom Habitat will be building and renovating homes in 2007.
For more information, call 331-8010.
NEW YORK
Platinum futures soar on supply tightness report
Platinum futures soared Monday on developing supply tightness, options-related activity and fund and speculative buying.
The January contract settled up $42.20 at $1,234.30 per ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
“Industrial demand for platinum usage in catalytic converters and electronics has been supportive for the market,” said Jim Quinn, commodity floor analyst with A.G. Edwards.
Last week, fabricator/distributor Johnson Matthey issued a report estimating that the platinum market would have a small supply deficit of 20,000 ounces in 2006.
Demand for auto catalysts was forecast to rise 15 percent this year, Johnson Matthey said, in large part due to rising market share for diesel-powered vehicles, which require platinum rather than less-expensive palladium, in addition to tightening emissions standards around the world.
By local and wire sources