For Investors Only: Obama Won't Approve Pipeline From Canada To US But Approves Pipeline From US To Mexico

BlackBerry enters agreement pursuant to which it will sell the majority of its real estate holdings in Canada:

• The announced transaction is part of co's ongoing program to improve operational efficiencies, optimize resource usage and shift resources to support operations as the business continues to evolve. [Sure.]
• Under the terms of the agreement, co will sell more than 3 million square feet of space as well as vacant lands. The co will also lease back a portion of the space.
• Co expects closing to occur in the first quarter of fiscal 2015.

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Seven companies announce increased dividends/distributions including Guess, Hewlett-Packard, and Raytheon.

Halcon over at SeekingAlpha. Will Tuscaloosa Marine Shale be final nail in the coffin? I guess that's why HK is up 1.6% in today's early morning trading.

Reuters is reporting:

U.S. energy regulators on Thursday approved a plan by a unit of Energy Transfers Partners LP to build a natural gas pipeline from Texas to Mexico.

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a presidential permit to Energy Transfer's Houston Pipe Line Co, which will allow the company to build the pipeline across the federal border.

This is one of several projects proposed by energy companies in the United States to export some of the nation's gas supplies from shale fields to Mexico and other nations.

Musings: oil and gas industry has entered period of austerity. Look for improved balance sheets, better investment returns. And then, of course, all the savings by shifting employees over to ObamaCare.

Life is funny. I post quickly, no real planning, gonzo blogging. I posted the above note (austerity leading to better shareholder returns) and then this story, reported by Reuters:

PetroChina Co Ltd flagged on Thursday a drop in capital expenditure for 2014, its second consecutive annual decline since it became a listed company.

Capital spending is expected to fall 7 percent year-on-year this year to 296.5 billion yuan ($47.85 billion), the company said in its annual earnings statement.

In 2013, capital spending fell 9.6 percent year-on-year to 318.7 billion yuan, it added, the first such fall since its debut on the Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges in 2000.

"In 2013, the group accentuated the principles of quality and profitability, focused on return on investments and reasonably adjusted the pace of project construction," PetroChina said after posting a 21 percent rise in fourth quarter net profit.

PetroChina has vowed to divest more non-core assets such as pipelines and marginal oil and gas fields to reinforce investment in large upstream projects with the aim of boosting shareholder returns.

For those who missed it the first time, this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on anything you read here or think you may have read here. 

This is the worst nightmare for CNN, MSNBC, NBC, PBS, BBC, and Rachel Maddog.  I'm sure Larry King is relieved -- if he is even aware -- that he no longer interviews for CNN.