Nigerians begin voting; Blast hits polling station in the town of North - CNN International

People holding a poster with portraits of candidate presidential retired Major-General Mohammadu Buhari and listier Pastor Tunde Bakare during a rally in Lagos on April 6.New: No deaths have been reported in the explosionThere have been riots, bombings and assassinations before the electionsNigerians attacks are voting Saturday for the House and the seatsThe elections put the legitimacy of Nigeria on the line

ibadan, Nigeria (cnn) , an explosion shook polling in a town in northeastern Nigeria as Africa's most populous nation began Saturday to vote in elections marred by violence and delays.

The explosion occurred at Maiduguri, the spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency Yushau Shuaib said. No deaths have been reported. the number of injuries was yet unknown.

Also Shuaib in Maiduguri, armed youths has defined a bright Government building, said.

A new head of election promised "free and fair" elections this year, but the election has already been ruined by attacks in bombings, murders and the logistical problems that have delayed the vote. Concerns are that continued violence could derail the vote total.

Nigerians began to vote Saturday for 360 seats in house of representatives and 109 seats in the Senate. Voting structure offset will make their return to the polls Saturday next to vote for a President and the following Saturday for a vote of Governors.

Despite domestic and international pressure, Electoral Commission of Nigeria was forced to delay the elections by a week after a logistical disaster of the country - of many materials to vote was not yet in the country until the day of the election and party logos were missing from ballots.

This is a huge setback, reminiscent of the problems of Nigeria's 2007 election, described by the European Union as the worst he had seen anywhere in the world with rampant vote-rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation.

The legitimacy of the country now stands on the three towers of polling stations.

On the eve of the vote, a bomb exploded in the Office of the independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, in central Nigeria, officials said.

An official of the Government, which was not authorized to speak on the record, said on CNN eight people died in the attack.

Shuaib said that more than seven people were seriously injured.

"We condemn this cowardly and despicable, action which seems designed to instill fear in the Nigerians and paralyze their aspirations for a peaceful and credible election," the President of the electoral commission, Attahiru Jega, said in a statement. "Continue our deep sympathy to the families of all these young Nigerians who lost their lives or were injured."

Human Rights Watch estimates that at least 85 people have been killed in political violence so far.

As the country's most populous of Africa and its largest oil producer, Nigeria is important. Yet, despite its huge oil wealth, 80% of the population lives on less than $ 2 a day, according to the United Nations.

"Make no mistake: the test of honour is inevitably collective for all Nigerians,"the independent National Electoral Commission, said in a recent statement. "It is our national honour in the game and our relevance in the Affairs of the modern world, renamed. ?

Separately Friday, one man was killed and another seriously injured in an explosion in the city of Kaduna North, state news reported.

Police rushed to the scene and found not unexploded dynamite, according to the Commissioner of Police John Haruna Kaduna State, voice of Nigeria reported. They found more dynamite in a house belonging to he injured man, said the point of sale.

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No new jobs up to that collection of sales and sales begin to inch-Up

Earnings have recovered their assignments pre-recessionary with margins close to record levels. Although pleased productive, work their "longer and more difficult" and stable low labour costs have contributed, the key to the recovery of compensation has been the reduction of the labour market initiatives, or as the Donald would have said "you are fired" (do I need to give as much time if it running?). Gains, however, cannot reach their new records expected in the second half of 2011 without an increase in sales. There are simply too few cuts left (although some surveys show that cuts continue, with increases in low pay) and if you want to increase the bottom line, you're going to grow the top line. Putting aside what may be a piece of M & A contagious, not that I have nothing against the purchase sales, which means companies must generate sales the old fashion way - get customers to spend. The main spender is and remains, the consumers. On the one hand, they have paid slightly down their credit cards, but are always ready to compete on the occasion, some owners are burdened with new draw downs real estate (guess the old ones are enough), he had only 2% social security tax reduction, and if we only read the headlines, the unemployment rate has fallen again. However, it appears that some of these consumers can be realigning their priorities once again, something who want to eat and having to drive (do not have to worry about, we were told it is not inflationary). The line of substance for them, is that there are expectations limited to large increases in consumer spending, with potential changes of discretion of Staples. The other spender - which we hope will be the big spender, East of Ministry expenses. Remuneration, as noted, is close to record levels, cash introduced his ninth high quarterly consecutive, cash flow for 2010 was a beautiful thing and our representatives friendly Affairs in Washington (which is still open to this writing;) On 18 April began a recess of the week 2 in both cases) have been quite pleasant to spend (100%) first year tax depreciation full schedule, with some strings attached. I would not put a cash bet on them being as friendly on repatriation. First-quarter earnings reports will begin Monday (as of last night that the & S P 500 has already 27 reported issues; 4.5%, attached file), with more than 70% expected by the end of the month. I expect to read that companies were spending in the first quarter and doing so at a rate which will produce an increase in sales to two digits. Specifically, I calculated that more than 30% of the questions are expected to report double-digit sales gains and for the S & P 500 show its first gain double-digit sales quarterly-year since March 2006. The index failed to display four changes to two consecutive fourth-quarter ' 09 through Q3, numbers ' 09, but those who have been double-digit decline. Financials sales are expected to lead the growth quarter (25.6% in the first quarter, 10'), but it is still a story of recovery from the bottom. Energy (24.7%) is partially a pass along as a percentage of the price of oil; this brings me to the technology information (13.5%), the most important sector in the index (18.0%;) (Financial statements are 16.0% and energy is 13.2%) and therefore, with the greatest impact. (For some and me), it has become an indicator of advancement for expenses of the companies. The logic is that you cannot develop without it, therefore their backorders, similar to the manufacture of orders, tell a story. We have seen it earnings post double-digit sales for most of last year, which given their 2009 number was less they could have done (similar to the current financial gains high), but now easy comparisons have disappeared, and the growth rate has declined. Gains from sales that there are large, with nearly 30% of the questions should display a 20% sales increase (-year). The implication is that spending is beginning to pick up past the low recovery where finally new jobs could be created - and without jobs recovery cannot proceed. There are few signs of massive expansion of production or of the plant (United States), and I saw a few major product launches (outside Apple; my teenage daughter love always, even if the NASD likes the 40 least: 20,49% at 12.33%; note the 100 adjustment should reduce the increase in the cost of the strategy volatilitémais plays against) (index 100), so I offer little hope of rapid hiring. However, as the increase in sales and at this stage 2011 looks to gain double-digit, businesses will be commit to produce more, adding a few hours, then perhaps a change and at some point eventually hiring. Then with more jobs, will spend more people, businesses produce more…. then the cycle will really start turning up. Of course, when companies start hiring, spend more money and by investing more, we can all complain about their declining margins - but this will be something nice to complain.

See the file for charts and sales data On.doc

Ben Steverman of Bloomberg Businessweek focuses on the last moves on financial markets and the emerging trends in stocks, bonds and funds, always with an eye toward giving readers to better understand the sometimes confusing and often chaotic money world. Senior analyst index of Standard & Poor Howard Silverblatt will also provide its decision-making on the finances of companies and markets. One of the "Top 100 Finance Blogs" voted in 2007.

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