Americans Rich and Poor Pawn More to Pay Bills
from Reuters
Whether it's a Tiffany diamond or a three-year-old lawnmower, more and more Americans from all social classes are pawning their possessions to make ends meet. Pawnshop owners see strong business across the country, even in unexpected locales like Beverly Hills, the mecca of luxury living and shopping. More

Steady Pawn Business with Tough Economy
from WTNH-TV
In these troubling economic times, more people are in need of quick cash. Others are looking for a good deal. And, pawnshops are cashing-in in both cases. It's not news that people are looking for discounts. But if the pawnshop business is any indication what people really need these days is cash and they need it fast. More

Central Wisconsin Pawnshops See Spike in Sales, Not Loans
from Wausau Daily Herald
Pawnshop managers in Wausau, Wis., say they are not giving out more loans than usual for this time of year, but their sales figures are higher than expected. In a tough economic climate, thrift stores and discount outlets often pick up new business, and pawnshops are part of that trend. More

Gold Rises on Weaker Dollar, Equity Rally
from Reuters
Gold climbed in Europe as the dollar weakened against the euro and the yen, boosting interest in the metal as a currency hedge, and gains in equities and other commodities fueled buying appetite. Traders are looking ahead to a decision on U.S. interest rates, after the Federal Open Market Committee's two-day policy meeting. More

New Non-lead Ammunition Coming
from The San Bernardino Sun
Hornady Manufacturing has announced a new line of "expanding solid" bullets and loaded ammunition that will meet California's non-lead requirements in the range of the California condor for hunting ammunition. The new bullet is made from solid gilding metal, a copper-based alloy that has no lead in its construction. The new Hornady GMX bullets will be available in .270, 7mm, and .308 diameters for 2009. More

Some Find Opportunity in Spain's Crisis
from Reuters
Beneath the clock in Madrid's Sol square where Spaniards gather to count in the New Year, it's an increasingly common sight: men walking around wearing sandwich boards or luminous jackets saying "I buy gold." Echoing images of men in sandwich-boards that encapsulated the hard times of the Great Depression, in Spain immigrants or people laid off from construction are picking up a small daily rate working as advertisers for pawnbrokers. More

Ways to Save During the Holidays: Buy at a Pawnshop
from The Dallas Examiner
Would you like to give some DVDs as a Christmas gift this year but are strapped for cash? If your answer is yes, don’t buy them new. Where do you go then? The pawnshop. More

Business Booming for Pawnshops in Wilmington, N.C.
from WWAY-TV
While some businesses are struggling, pawnshops across Wilmington, N.C., are booming. Many are pawning their items for the cash to spend, while others are looking to spend to snatch up the deals. In either case, the owner of seven stores said the reason is the same, the sluggish economy. More