Word of the Day

Commodity

Even if you don't think you do, you already know plenty about commodities. Want us to prove it? No problem.

What makes oil produced in Saudi Arabia different from oil exported from Nigeria? It's the same thing that makes the corn you ate at last summer¿s barbecue different from the corn used to produce ethanol. Stumped? Well, don't feel bad, it's a trick question. The answer? Absolutely nothing. Corn is corn no matter where it comes from -- just as wheat is wheat and natural gas is -- right! -- natural gas. (Though the quality may differ, the make-up is uniform.)

So, in less elaborate terms, corn and oil (and all other commodities) are homogenous goods that can be processed, resold and more often than not, used as an input to the production of other goods or services. These goods are traded on a commodity exchange, thus setting the price-per-barrel (or other metric unit) used to value them.

Now pay attention, here's a question that indeed does have an answer: What is the difference between a commodity and a stock? While a stock can tank and become worthless, a commodity cannot have its value be wiped to zero. One other difference: Most commodities are traded in futures, meaning traders buy and sell where they think the price of a product will be at a certain point in the future. Stocks trade based on the value of the underlying company at that point in time.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Affiliate of Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation Chief Executive Officer Adopts 10b5-1 Stock Trading Plan

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Comtex

PITTSBURGH, May 19, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation (NYSE: AP) today announced that it has been advised that The Louis Berkman Investment Company, an investment vehicle that is indirectly wholly-owned by Mr. Louis Berkman, the Corporation's Chairman Emeritus, and his daughter, who is the wife of Mr. Robert A. Paul, the Corporation's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, has established a stock trading plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Plan"). The Plan was adopted to allow the Berkman family to satisfy liquidity and diversification objectives in connection with Mr. Berkman's estate planning.

Under the Plan, The Louis Berkman Investment Company may sell up to 600,000 shares of the Corporation's common stock. That number of shares represents approximately 31.8% of the Louis Berkman family's holdings of Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation common stock. The Plan has set certain price and daily volume limitations relating to the sale of shares.

The transactions under this plan will commence no earlier than September 2, 2008 and will be disclosed publicly through Form 144 and Form 4 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Plan will terminate on or before September 2, 2009. The Louis Berkman Investment Company completed the sale of 750,000 shares under a previous 10b5-1 plan completed in January 2008.

Rule 10b5-1 allows insiders to enter into a written, prearranged stock trading plan at a time when the insider is not in possession of material, non-public information. Under these plans, insiders can gradually diversify their investment portfolios, reduce any significant market impact by spreading stock trades out over an extended period of time, and avoid concerns as to whether the insiders were in possession of material, non-public information when the stock was sold.

Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation is a leading producer of forged and cast rolling mill rolls for the worldwide steel and aluminum industries. It is also a producer of air and liquid processing equipment.

Certain statements contained in this Press Release of beliefs, expectations or predictions of future sales constitute "forward-looking statements". It is important to note that the Corporation can give no assurances that the shares will actually be sold in the contemplated amounts or timing specified in the Rule 10b5-1 plan, as the sales of the shares are outside the control of Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation.

SOURCE: Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation

Ampco-Pittsburgh
   Corporation Rose Hoover, 412-456-4418 Vice President Administration and Corporate Secretary

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