Cash Keeps 2009 View, Buys Two Pawnshops
from Reuters
First Cash Financial Services Inc., a pawn and payday lender, reaffirmed its 2009 profit outlook, and said it bought the assets of two Texas pawnshops for $1.3 million to complement its businesses in the area. The company, which paid the purchase price in cash, said it acquired the pawn loans receivable, inventory and all other operating assets at the two shops. More

Smith & Wesson Up on Sales Jump
from Forbes
Shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. soared in premarket trading after the pistol maker reported fiscal fourth-quarter sales above Wall Street expectations. The Springfield, Mass.-based company said that for the three months ended April 30 sales rose 20 percent to $99.5 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected revenue of $90.8 million. More

Police Enforce Laws Dealing with Precious Metal Sales
from SCNOW.com
When economic times get tough some people turn to selling their belongings for extra cash. One industry officials said that’s seeing an influx of this is precious metals. From pawnshops to jewelry stores many of retailers are now advertising "we buy gold and silver." But, in order to do that legally in South Carolina there are some regulations that must be followed. More

Golf Club Thieves Identified as Husband-Wife Team
from WFTV/TV27
A husband and wife team is stealing thousands of dollars in golf clubs and golf supplies in Volusia County, Fla., and no one's been able to stop them. The thieves have struck at least seven places. New surveillance video detectives released Thursday reveals how they're able to pull off the thefts in the middle of the day. The jackets and long pants they were wearing in 90-degree heat were key. It was simple as picking a club, making sure no one was watching, then they simply slip one end down their pants the other end under their jacket and walk out of the store. More

Payday Loans Have Positive Economic Impact
from HULIQ Media
IHS Global Insight conducted a comprehensive study analyzing the economic impact of the payday loans industry nationally and in states with storefront locations. Findings illustrate that payday loans have "measurable and significant" economic benefits to local economies directly through employment, compensation and taxes, as well as through indirect and induced relationships with suppliers and other industries. More

Online Pawnbroker to Open Bricks and Mortar Shop after Rise in Customers
from The Daily Mail
The rise in hard-up customers hocking their belongings to raise extra cash has prompted online pawnbroker Borro.com to open a bricks and mortar shop. The first site will be on London's Chancery Lane where clients will be able to take items in to be valued. More

Why this Recession is Different
from Women Entrepreneur
Historically, recessions have been a boom for the franchise industry. When the economy slows down, there are many opportunities for new businesses. There tend to be better real estate opportunities, suppliers are more willing to negotiate and owners have a stronger employee pool to select from. Most important, recessions produce a great amount of dedicated and intelligent executives who have been laid off from corporate America. More

Gold Market Enters Seasonally Soft Summer Period
from The Wall Street Journal
Gold prices could retreat during the summer as a still sluggish economy keeps inflation down and seasonal reductions occur in fabrication and investment demand. Still, some analysts said any summer weakness may be more limited than normal, since financial-sector problems persist and destocking may have already occurred in the jewelry industry. More

Suspect in Pawnshop Murder Case May Not be Tried
from The Miami Herald
A North Miami pawnshop owner is shot dead. Because of a questionable legal call, one of the accused killers is freed from jail and promptly disappears. And the window to prosecute her may have shut. The investigation into the November murder of pawnshop owner Martin Sprung has taken a series of twists and turns that is jeopardizing the murder prosecution of Passion Carr, 18, one of three suspects. More