With or without consolidation, cable makers face a tough environment.

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Without some consolidation of land, Chinese farming cannot be efficient.

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He expects some change, even without regulatory intervention, such as consolidation of venues, in part because low trading volumes are hurting profitability.

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He asserts (without providing any evidence) that permanent consolidation is associated with lower fiscal multipliers, suggesting that the kind of fiscal consolidation that occurred in Europe in 2011 and 2012 will not have contributed to unexpectedly low growth.

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And shareholders will benefit from participating in the consolidation of the consumer publishing industry without having to deploy additional capital.

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The upshot of all that is an overall trend of consolidation, Chuang figures, with or without an upturn in the economy.

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The big loser today is actually Leap Wireless, a company long speculated to be a potential consolidation target, which seems to be without a dance partner.

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Avoid buying stocks that have bolted higher without a break, but watch for a proper consolidation, followed by a sound breakout which may offer a buying opportunity down the road.

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