[shred]

I agree that there is a difference between GAAP and those numbers that exclude one time charges. My source is two major wire house economists numbers. Certainly one can argue that they are in the business of getting people to buy equities, so they report those numbers that are in their best interest. I notice that your source is a website devoted to pushing gold and gold related equities. It certainly is in their best interest to get people to dump stocks and buy gold, hence perhaps why they pump the higher figures.

[Soren]

I notice that your source is a website devoted to pushing gold and gold related equities.

That's a valid point, but I've seen similar figures quoted elsewhere. That was just one source that I happened to stumble across today that I had at my finger tips. I agree that these numbers can be distorted depending on your agenda. That's why I'd be interested in seeing what lay behind the 18, because if it is 18, it would change my view on the market a fair bit (though I still would not be bullish).