After all, for every net foreign purchase of a share or bond there must be a net domestic sale.

ECONOMIST: Economics focus

Late last year Apple finally got permission from South Korea's telecoms authorities to waive a rule prohibiting the domestic sale of iPhones.

ECONOMIST: South Korea's industrial giants

Last month, just before the festivities began, the Indian government lent them some sheen by freeing the import of gold for domestic sale.

ECONOMIST: India: Fool��s gold? | The

Those in the second group are being prepared for sale to foreign or domestic private investors.

ECONOMIST: The longer march

No one is putting odds on which decision will be reached, but it seems logical that the first-sale doctrine should apply to both domestic and foreign items.

FORBES: Legality Of Selling Used Items

Even domestic rivals notably second-placed Edison (currently for sale) and Italy's municipal companies can produce electricity at a lower marginal cost than Enel, thanks to their more efficient gas turbines, says Mr Medda.

ECONOMIST: Italy's electricity giant powers ahead

Further reducing the appeal of a sale: U.S. regulators would likely frown on big domestic banks bulking up through acquisitions.

WSJ: European Banks Reluctant to Give Up U.S. Operations

For both foreign and domestic carmakers, the U.S. has become a more attractive place to assemble vehicles for sale in other countries for multiple reasons: currency exchange rates that effectively lowered U.S. labor costs, new free-trade pacts, high quality and available plant capacity.

FORBES: Foreign Carmakers Ship More Made-In-USA Cars Overseas

If the rejected purchaser is a convicted felon, under a restraining order, the subject of a domestic violence misdemeanor conviction or meeting similar criteria, authorities are more apt to follow up after denying the sale.

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