MORE BANGS FOR YOUR BUCKS

While more and more manufacturers find it difficult to increase sales of their products there is one branch of manufacture that is experiencing a boom. "Sales of weapons and services by the world's biggest arms companies have continued to rise during the downturn and now exceed $400bn (£250bn), a leading independent research body has reported. Though the increase has slowed, just 1% year-on-year in 2010, the rise in sales has been 60% in real terms since 2002, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) showed. The total sales, including military services, of the top 100 arms companies, reached $ 411.1bn (£257.6bn) in 2010, Sipri said." (Guardian, 29 February) It is difficult at present to make profitable the sale of food, clothing, shelter and medicines but selling weapons of destruction has never been easier. That is capitalism for you! RD