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This company in particular looks cheap, but operationallywe don't think they are able to access the best part of themarkets," Shanker said. "We think that reinsurers in general are worth owning rightnow. Shares of Platinum Underwriters, whose rivals includeEndurance Specialty Holdings Ltd (ENH.N), Everest Re (RE.N),Axis Capital Holdings Ltd (AXS.N) and Allied World AssuranceHoldings Ltd (AWH.N), closed at $31.90 Tuesday on the New YorkStock Exchange. The company's net realized gains on investments stood at$10.8 million, compared with a loss of $6.2 million last year. Combined ratio, the percentage of premiums an insurer hasto pay out in claims and expenses, was 76.9 percent. "Potential hardening in the reinsurance market in 2009renewals may serve as a catalyst for the stock, though webelieve that the company's benefits from this may be tempered,"Shanker said.

Citigroup analyst Joshua Shanker said the company mayexperience more pressures as the pricing cycle continues todecline. Net premiums earned fell 10 percent to $232.5 million,while net investment income fell about 6 percent to $44.1million. "So far this year, we have found more attractiveunderwriting conditions for property and marine than forcasualty. However, we may be approaching the bottom of thecasualty reinsurance market," Chief Executive Michael Pricesaid in a statement. Analysts were looking for a profit of $1.34 a share,excluding investment losses and gains, according to ReutersEstimates. For the quarter, the Bermuda-based property and casualtyreinsurer earned $98.1 million or $1.90 a share, compared with$99.8 million, or $1.82 a share, a year earlier.

Newell, +1-212-975-8230, , or Lyntina Townsend,+1-202-608-2745, , both of BET Networks. * Q2 net premiums earned down 10 percent Stocks * Q2 net investment income falls 6 pct * Q2 net income $98.1 mln vs $99.8 mln yr ago (Adds analyst comment, details) By Archana Shanker and Supantha Mukherjee BANGALORE, July 21 (Reuters) - Platinum UnderwritersHoldings Ltd (PTP.N) posted a lower second-quarter profit, hurtby a fall in premiums at its casualty, property and marinesegments, but the results topped market estimates. BET is thedominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businessesextensions: BET , a leading internet destination for Black entertainment,music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET HipHop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET EventProductions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET HomeEntertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environmentincluding DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which offers ringtones, gamesand video content for wireless devices; and BET International, an extension ofBET network programming for global distribution.SOURCEBET NetworksTricia N. The primary BETchannel reaches more than 87 million households according to Nielsen MediaResearch, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation'sleading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairstelevision programming for the African-American audience. The joint task force builds on the unprecedented partnershipthe state entered into with ATF two years ago to create a New Jersey data baseof gun trace information (E-trace).Who:Attorney General Anne MilgramState Police Superintendent Rick FuentesMatthew Horace, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Newark Field Division What:State Police/ATF Joint Task ForceWhen:11 a.m.Wednesday, July 22Where:Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC)New Jersey State Police Headquarters1026 River RoadWest Trenton, NJ 08628CONTACT:David Waldof the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives, +1-609-292-4791/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- July 21/ SOURCEBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.