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Dolce & Gabbana coming to town
DOLCE & GABBANA has become the latest international luxury brand to hit Australian shores, with the Italian fashion house set to open its flagship outlet at the Paris end of Collins Street.
The label, which has been fronted by the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Monica Bellucci, is expected to open its doors by the middle of the year in a new high-end retail and food precinct at 171 Collins Street.
D&G will occupy the front of the heritage-listed Mayfair Building, taking about 320 square metres on the ground and first floor.
Owners Charter Hall and CBus Property are close to completing a $280 million redevelopment of the property, which includes a new 17-floor office tower - the future headquarters of BHP Billiton - that is connected to the Mayfair through a retail arcade.
The four remaining available retail spaces, ranging from 232 sq m to 424 sq m, are expected to be leased to restaurants.
Listing agency Fitzroys is believed to have negotiated the deal with D&G but the firm declined to comment.
The so-called "Paris end" of Collins Street is already home to more than 20 luxury brands including Chanel, Prada, Hermes, Bally, Cartier and Gucci. Retailers pay about $4000 per sq m net to secure a spot on the prestigious strip.
Max Cookes, associate director of retail services for agency CBRE, said the arrival of luxury brands made the precinct attractive to other retailers. "The neighbouring tenants is one of the most crucial factors for these brands when identifying a suitable site," he said.
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During the Games Developer Conference in San Francisco this week, the president of Sony’s Computer Entertainment World Wide studios, Shuhei Yoshida, unveiled Project Morpheus — Sony’s official entry into the rapidly growing Virtual Reality market. That’s right, Virtual Reality. If
SCE Japan Studio treated PlayStation 3 owners earlier this month with their latest endeavor, Puppeteer. What was originally speculated to be a Move-controlled title due to its name ended up being very akin to another in-house Sony project, LittleBigPlanet. Don’t
E3 has come and gone and now we can look back and declare a winner. Sony came out fists swinging on Monday night and landed every punch it threw at Microsoft. Sony’s first strike was confirming that the PlayStation 4
Sony and Microsoft have been painfully slow to put out the next generation of consoles… This infographic shows major reasons why PS4 and Xbox 720 are delayed.
there are only 3 commercial game console developers. However, thanks to Ouya and massive Kickstarter support, a new console will be born!

domain: news


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Plan afoot to make Irish retailers ‘leaders in fresh bakery’
Bakery brand announces it has invested in a multi-million euro strategy and is working with retail partners to "transform the in-store fresh bakery experience"
21 March 2014
Cuisine de France has announced a new multi-million euro strategy which it says will position Irish retailers as leaders in fresh bakery.
The new nationwide investment programme, centred on Cuisine de France’s unique bakery offering, which includes new recipes, a re-design of the in-store experience; a Learning and Innovation Hub; and a prime-time television and digital consumer campaign called ‘Vive lés differences’.
The brand’s recipes have returned to their original French roots. New and improved recipes, pioneered by the Cuisine de France bakery team in Paris, have been developed to enhance its range.
The Cuisine de France Learning and Innovation Hub, located in Dublin, will provide "best-in-class training" for retail staff over the coming year, overseen by Cuisine de France experts in bakery, merchandising and sales.
Commencing 21 April, the brand will also launch its first television and digital marketing campaign. The French themed TV advert, called Vive lés differences, will feature at prime time television slots on RTE, TV3, UTV, TG4, E4 and Sky channels. Vive lés differences will also feature digitally through YouTube, Facebook, RTE player, 3player.
Cuisine de France has already commenced its in-store re-design with retailer partners across the country, and expects to continue this roll-out over the coming months.
Announcing its new strategy, Peter Jackson, managing director, Aryzta Food Solutions Ireland said the strategy, informed by domestic and international research, represented a bakery renaissance some 25-years after Cuisine de France first pioneered the fresh bakery experience.
Jackson said: "Our new strategy is the culmination of a comprehensive review of every part of the Cuisine de France brand. We engaged extensively with retailers and consumers. We analysed the global bakery market, benchmarking ourselves against countries like the US, UK, France and elsewhere. The outcome is a celebration of the unique Cuisine de France offering of quality breads and pastries, premium in-store experience, and leading innovation.
"We are working with our retail partners to transform the in-store fresh bakery experience. Our team has received a very positive reaction from retailers over the last few weeks."
He added that the launch of its new strategy represents the start of a new approach from Cuisine de France.
"As a category leader, we have a responsibility to set the standards for our customers’ in-store, every day. We are confident that our new strategy will achieve this, positioning our retail partners as leaders in fresh bakery," Jackson said.


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Published: August 15, 2018
2018 marked a year of change in the United States’ long-standing tariff policies. For the first time in over 15 years, the federal government adjusted tariffs on core raw materials – mainly aluminum and steel – to correct a perceived trade imbalance. Although not yet fully implemented, tariffs range from 10% to as high as 25% on all major U.S. trading partners, regardless of existing trade agreements. However, Chinese imports are being hit hardest, with tariffs expected of up to $200 billion (for perspective, the US imported $505 billion of Chinese goods in 2017).
The final impact of these tariffs on the national and global economy is still to be measured, but economists agree it will be negative overall, with the degree varying by industry. Outcomes will depend greatly on potential retaliation and on the fast-changing global relations of the US with its largest trade partners: the European Union, China, Canada and Mexico. These four trade partners, as shown in the following graph, account for a combined amount of 61% of all US exports:
European Union: The 28-country trading bloc is the largest importer of US goods: in 2017 it received $283 billion of US exports (18% of total US exports). It is imposing retaliatory tariffs on hundreds of agricultural products (e.g., corn, rice), whiskey, tobacco products, clothing, steel and steel products.
Canada: Canada’s impact on US exports is almost as large as the EU’S, having imported $282 billion of US goods in 2017 (18% of total). Its retaliatory tariffs focus on steel and aluminum products but also extend to items such as food, paper and household appliances.
Mexico: The country’s southern neighbor is the third largest importer of US goods ($243 billion in 2017, or 16% of total US exports). It is imposing retaliatory tariffs on 3 billion goods, mostly agricultural products (pork, apples, potatoes and dairy).
China: The largest exporter of goods into the US is also the fourth largest importer of US goods ($130 billion in 2017, or 8% of total US exports). China’s retaliatory tariffs thus far focus on stainless steel pipes, wine and agricultural products (soy, fruit and pork).
Although exports were a large part of US GDP growth in the second quarter (caused largely by a surge in exports ahead of retaliatory tariffs from China), US companies are lowering their growth forecasts for Q3, as they expect continuing uncertainty and a challenging economic and political climate. This is despite the administration’s reassurance that Q2’s 4.1% GDP growth will continue.
Many sectors will be affected by the tariffs, but these seven will feel the most noticeable impact:
Agricultural Goods and Food and Beverage
Steel and aluminum tariffs are having a negative impact in the food processing industry, as they are raising the costs of canned products. And China’s retaliatory tariffs will have a negative impact on the agricultural sector, with soybean and pork producers being particularly affected.
- As the Department of Agriculture notes, soybeans are the second largest crop in the US. In 2016 the US sold China $14.2 billion worth of soybeans (61% of the US’s total soybean exports), making it the largest agricultural export to China. The industry outlook is not good, despite the subsidies announced by the current administration. Soybean prices in July dropped to a 10-year low, and the industry is changing on a global scale as China is finding new suppliers.
- The pork industry is being greatly affected by these tariffs. Pre-tariff hog prices were $76 per hundred pounds, but as of August prices had fallen around 20%, to $61 per hundred pounds. Given the importance of the Chinese market for American producers (in 2017 almost 60% of US exports of pork were destined for China) and the fact that China is producing more pork domestically and finding alternative suppliers, American pork prices are expected to keep falling.
- Canned products are suffering price increases, and these prices are being passed along to consumers. The two largest soft beverage companies estimate the tariff-related costs to b e about 10% for their canned products. This is being reflected in their prices. Another unwelcome effect of aluminum tariffs is that it is creating a can shortage, which has food processors looking into alternative packaging.
Proactive Worldwide can help clients find solutions for these issues by leveraging expertise in the agricultural and food processing markets.
The mid-term impact of the steel and aluminum tariffs could be very problematic for the automotive sector. Not only will they raise prices for the end consumer, but they have also generated concern that new vehicle sales will decrease by about 10%. The Center for Automotive Research estimates that the proposed car components of tariffs could cause the average new US vehicle price to increase between $1000 and $4000.
The car manufacturing industry has already confirmed that it plans to pass tariff costs to the final customer and has lowered its outlook for 2018 earnings. This is in line with GM’s 2018 forecast announcement, which had an immediate effect, with the company stock dropping 6% that same day. Other companies such as Daimler announced that its car and truck units results in Q2 2018 were hurt by a €164 million rise in costs, and that it projects a €500 million rise in raw material costs for the full year.
Furthermore, the announcement that officials from Canada, the EU, Japan, Mexico and South Korea are currently in talks to align their strategies regarding car manufacturing and trade has domestic industry stakeholders worried, since it will likely have a negative impact on US manufacturing.
By leveraging its expertise in this area, Proactive Worldwide can provide research and strategic analysis about potential or future threats and opportunities.
Despite the current good moment the equipment manufacturing industry is enjoying – fueled by strong demand from the oil, gas and mining industries and the construction boom in China – there are reasons to be concerned. An example is Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of heavy equipment, which recently reported a much higher than expected Q2 2018 earnings report. However, in that same report the company also warned that it expects material costs to increase hundreds of millions of dollars. Following the overall industry trend, Caterpillar has already raised prices that will help offset the higher manufacturing costs, and amid increased competition is challenged to find domestic alternatives to some its raw material suppliers that are being hit with tariffs.
Proactive Worldwide can help navigate this competitive market by identifying domestic sources of raw materials.
MRO companies as well as customers in the U.S. should be aware of the recent tariff trends. Most MROs have operations abroad, particularly in China. The current impact of the tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods ($34 billion have been already enacted, and $16 more billion are approved and scheduled to be enacted on August 23) is not yet very noticeable. It is being offset by a small increase in the price of final goods that is affecting customers, but overall demand remains strong due to the relatively inelastic demand in this industry. However, once the proposed second round of tariffs affecting $200 billion of Chinese goods is enacted, the impact will be much more noticeable, further increasing prices and likely causing shortages in certain product categories.
Proactive Worldwide has industry expertise to assist both sides of the market with guidance on strategy and risk mitigation measures.
The solar panel industry was one of the first affected by the tariffs, and it is being affected twice: not only by tariffs on the panels themselves, but also by tariffs on steel and aluminum used to create the supporting structures. Due to recent changes in Chinese legislation that have discontinued the incentives for solar power installations, solar panel prices have fallen enough to compensate for the impact of the tariffs. For the time being the tariff’s impact is being compensated for by this price drop, but there is uncertainty about what direction the market will take later this year.
Proactive Worldwide has the market knowledge and capabilities to quickly anticipate market changes and provide clients with analytical solutions to any challenges that may arise.
The $16 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods that will be enacted on August 23 mostly target semiconductors. The Semiconductor Industry Association, which represents manufacturers and designers such as Intel, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, stated that the tariffs will “undermine U.S. technological leadership, cost jobs, and adversely impact U.S. consumers of semiconductor products and the U.S. semiconductor producers.” Companies in the technology field also must consider the actions that countries like China can take against US companies, not only by instituting retaliatory tariffs but also by adding other retaliatory actions in what is known as qualitative tariffs. One example of this would be the botched acquisition of the Dutch company NXP semiconductors by Qualcomm on July 25. Qualcomm needed Beijing’s approval to the acquisition because the Chinese market accounts for nearly two-thirds of its revenue; Chinese authorities stalled the antitrust review, effectively killing the deal. Other technology devices such as activity trackers (e.g., Fitbit), Apple watches, and also e-cigarettes will also be affected if the proposed $200 billion tariffs are enacted.
Overall, this is a sector that is being negatively impacted by the tariffs due to the uncertainty they generate. However, the increased risks to current sourcing and manufacturing processes in the industry also create opportunities for companies to find alternatives and get ahead of the competition, something in which intelligence research – such as that provided by Proactive Worldwide – will be key.
Washing machines were also included among the first round of tariffs. The initial outlook for domestic manufacturers was very positive, with stock prices increasing and announcements of increasing workforce to meet demand. However, this positive outlook swiftly changed when the steel and aluminum tariffs were announced, as these raw materials constitute the bulk of the appliances.
Between March and June the average cost of washing machines increased 17%. Demand is waning, which creates an even more challenging market environment in which competitive intelligence –one of Proactive Worldwide’s core capabilities – will be essential to stay ahead of the competition.
4 MORE WAYS PWW CAN HELP
Proactive Worldwide specializes in market, customer, and competitive insights that provide the intelligence that will keep you informed and Out in Front® of market developments. Find out how PWW can help you navigate sourcing, manufacturing and international trade challenges by:
- Providing insight on how competitors are adapting to the new trade realities and what that means to your specific organization.
- Executing studies that identify threats to current manufacturing processes being affected by the trade war.
- Identifying opportunities that arise in the market as well as competitors’ strategies.
- Understanding how the market is being transformed and identifying the actions needed to adapt to new realities.


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Shine and Franfinance create a new model of a full digital professionnal loan
Shine and Franfinance has designed an innovative and full digital loan offer for freelancers and SMEs, with an impact bonus for committed firms.
This new offer has two main objectives:
- Make life easier for entrepreneurs by simplifying their access to credit ;
- Promote responsible entrepreneurship, by encouraging committed companies.
This new solution is 100% digital, simple and fast. In addition, Shine has created an innovative bonus: for the first time, clients committed to improving society and protecting the environment will be rewarded with a preferential rate.
This unique offer was created in close collaboration with Franfinance, the consumer credit and business leasing subsidiary of Societe Generale.
For more information, read the press release (in French only)


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Arun Sudhaman 30 Jun 2014 // 3:27PM GMT
NEW YORK—Converse is understood to be in talks with agencies regarding its US PR remit, as the sneaker brand continues to outpace rivals since its acquisition by Nike.
The Holmes Report understands that several firms are involved in the review for an assignment that has been handled by HL Group.
Since being acquired by Nike in 2003, Converse has surprised many with its revival, reaching revenues of almost $1.5bn last year.
It is understood that the brand is seeking a PR firm that will help it sharpen its focus on cultural influencers. Converse's turnaround has been led by a counter-cultural marketing strategy that has resonated with millennials.
The company's marketing approach has also been bolstered by an expanded retail presence across the US. Unsurprisngly, it has also garnered plenty of social media appeal, including more than 40m Facebook fans.
Converse representatives did not respond to request for comment as this story went live.


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(WTVO) — KFC restaurants will be launching a new, plant-based “chicken” to its menu, starting Monday – and only for a limited time.
According to CNBC, the chain will be offering a meat substitute from Beyond Meat, which mimics the taste and texture of chicken breasts.
“This is really about where the customer is going; they want to eat more plant-based proteins,” said Kevin Hochman, president of KFC. “It’s January, so it’s a time of New Year’s resolutions and wanting to do something different in your diet.”
Beyond Meat has also announced partnerships with Pizza Hut and Taco Bell to develop plant-based menu substitutes.
Burger King has partnered with Impossible Meat for its “Impossible Burger.”


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'Airbnb is our wealthy man': A booking scam left a TikTok star stranded in Italy until Airbnb intervened to put her group up in a luxurious Mediterranean villa
- TikToker Alix Earle and her friends became stranded in Italy after booking scam.
- Her complaint video received over 6 million views in just days, and Airbnb stepped in to help.
When TikToker Alix Earle and her friends were left stranded after booking an Italian villa that turned out not to exist, she said Airbnb stepped in to save the day.
On Tuesday, Earle posted a video informing her over five million followers that she and her friends had fallen prey to a scam after booking a fake villa in Positano, Italy. One day and 5.5 million views later, the group of about 10 women are spending their European vacation in a villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea thanks to Airbnb.
@alixearle THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE. Omg thank you @airbnb for coming to the rescue #positano #airbnb #italy #girlstrip ♬ original sound - alix earle
"babes we got you. our people are calling you now," the Airbnb TikTok account commented under Earle's video.
Despite the scam occurring on another booking platform — Booking.com, per Earle's Instagram story — Airbnb more than delivered on accommodations with a Positano villa decked out with a massage table, steam room, and a terrace overlooking vast blue waters.
The group of travelers were packed into a hotel room at the last minute after realizing that the villa they'd booked didn't actually exist. It's unclear how much the group spent on the fake rental, but Booking.com commented on one of Earle's videos apologizing for the mishap.
"Hi Alix, we're sorry to hear about your experience. Please reach out to us via Twitter, FB or Instagram, so our support team can look into this," the comment read.
A Booking.com representative told Insider the company's investigation into the matter determined the scam didn't occur on its site.
"Upon investigation, we can now confirm that this fake villa listing was not booked via Booking.com, but instead found on a fake copycat website," the statement read. "Since confirming this was not a legitimate Booking.com URL we have subsequently been successful in requesting the website to be taken down."
Airbnb didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comments. It's unclear how much the Positano rental is listed for on Airbnb, but a villa with similar amenities and views goes for just shy of $2,500 per night.
Social media users are praising Airbnb for the move as a "marketing" strategy of rescuing one of TikTok's most recognizable faces.
"Airbnb is our wealthy man," Earle captioned a video of her and fellow travelers wearing matching robes.
@alixearle Airbnb is our wealthy man #positano ♬ money money money abba - vitória
"Airbnb marketing for the year = complete," one commenter wrote under the video. Social media commentator Jack Appleby wrote in a tweet that the video of Earle thanking Airbnb garnered close to two million views in four hours.
Others, however, commented that they weren't as lucky when they were left stranded from an Airbnb scam.
"where was this attitude when my airbnb host canceled on me day of, for no apparent reason last year," one TikToker wrote in response to the company's offer to help.
"customer service shouldn't be determined by follower count," another said.
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Payment processor PayPal will allow users to transfer their crypto to external wallets and exchanges, according to a statement from Jose Fernandez da Ponte, the company’s senior vice president. The new feature was highly requested by users, the executive confirmed.
Related Reading | Crypto Market Downtrend Resumes, Here’s What Ethereum Whales Are Buying
According to a report from TechCrunch, Managing Director of Blockchain, Crypto and Digital Currencies at PayPal, da Ponte said:
This feature was the most requested by our users since we started offering the purchase of crypto on our platform.
In the past, PayPal users were allowed to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies. Initially, users were only allowed to hold the digital assets to gain exposure to their prices.
Eventually, PayPal announced that it was going to allow crypto funds to pay for products and services. This crypto-checkout feature was the latest step, so far, in the company’s strategy to expand into the digital asset space.
The new crypto withdrawal feature will give users more freedom. However, they will have to pay network fees when sending a transaction from their PayPal accounts to external wallets.
These transaction fees vary from blockchain to blockchain. On Ethereum, when network congestion is high, transaction fees can double the initial amount, making it one of the most expensive blockchains.
PayPal to PayPal transfers will remain easy for users, but users will need to complete an additional layer of identity verification. External Withdrawal functionality will gradually be available across the United States. Fernandez da Ponte added:
If users have crypto elsewhere and want to consolidate it, they can bring it to PayPal from external addresses. They can also send crypto to anyone in the PayPal system.
The executive hinted at this new feature last year. Fernandez da Ponte, as he told TechCrunch, thinks the ability to send and receive crypto transactions is a natural step for the platform and an improvement for users “who want to do more with their digital assets. “.
What PayPal’s crypto initiative meant for the industry
The payment processor announced its crypto offering in October 2020. At that time, the news was seen as one of the main catalysts for a Bitcoin bull run that took the cryptocurrency from a yearly low of 3 $500 to over $65,000 in subsequent months.
PayPal allowing its users to buy, sell and hold digital assets was the first announcement of a new adoption trend that saw the first publicly traded company in the United States integrate BTC into its balance sheet, and the largest company in the world to adopt it as a method of payment.
Fernandez da Ponte told TechCrunch that the company wants to act as a bridge for users to transact between the fiat world and the world of digital assets. He said:
We see ourselves as an intermediary between the fiat environment, or traditional finance, and the Web3 environment. We enable connectivity to other wallets, exchanges and apps.
The crypto market has nearly reached a market capitalization of $3 trillion from the time PayPal first announced its digital asset service until 2021 when the company launched its crypto payment service. Lately, the sector has lost more than 50% of its value.
Related Reading | Getting Paid to Save the Earth with DeFi: Too Good to Be True?
However, Fernandez da Ponte says the company has long-term plans for the space:
This decision shows that we are here for the long haul. I think it’s important to stay the course and continue to invest in space.


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Power Balance of Orange County, California makes rubber bracelets with a holographic inset that "are designed to work with your body's natural energy field" to increase strength, balance and flexibility. The bands sell on Amazon.com for anywhere from $4.25 to $30.00. The company has poured tens of millions of dollars into a marketing campaign that features sports heroes and athletes like Shaquille O'Neil promoting the product. But on December 22, 2010, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ruled that claims that the bracelets improve strength, balance and flexibility "were not supported by any credible scientific evidence," and made Power Balance admit that it engaged in "misleading and deceptive conduct in breach of 2.52 of the Trade Practices Act of 1974." The Commission told Power Balance to stop making bogus claims about the product, refund the purchase price of the wrist band to people who feel they were misled, publish a corrective advertisement to keep consumers from being misled in the future and remove the words "performance technology" from the brand. The Australian ruling isn't valid in other countries, however.
Steven Antin's new movie, Burlesque (PG-13), features about twenty different brands of products, including gratuitous use of R.J. Reynolds' Camel cigarettes. Other films that have showcased cigarettes this year include the Disney film The Sorcerer's Apprentice (rated PG, which features Newport cigarettes), and For Colored Girls (rated R, by Lionsgate, which features Marlboros). States are now spending millions to subsidize the production of movies, meaning taxpayers are not only paying to help big companies advertise their products, but they are also helping pay to showcase smoking -- a harmful addiction that many states are simultaneously spending millions to reduce. California taxpayers shelled out $7.2 million to subsidize the movie Burlesque alone, which not only features gratuitous smoking, but also showcases a slew of other brands, including Famous Amos cookies (the character Jack holds a box over his genitals), Dos Equis beer, Michelob, Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Oreos, KitchenAid, Ultimat Vodka, Coldwell Banker, Chase Bank, Patron Tequila and many more.
Ads being run by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce contain demonstrably false distortions of truth and statements that fact-checkers have repeatedly exposed as false. The Chamber's "cookie-cutter" ads running across the U.S.
After 121 years as an independent event, the iconic New Year's Day Rose Parade has sold its naming rights to the American Honda Motor Company, the U.S.-based headquarters of the Japanese car manufacturer. The name of the 2012 event will be "The 122nd Rose Parade, Presented by Honda." Honda will get the lead float in the parade, and full usage rights for the Tournament of Roses.
The EIZO Company of Japan is a relatively obscure manufacturer of x-ray monitors and medical imaging displays, but thanks to the work of the Butter Advertising Agency in Berlin/Duesseldorf, Germany, the company is grabbing attention with a new promotional pinup calendar that shows everything -- and we mean everything. X-ray images of nude models posted on the Internet caused a viral storm of commenting and link-sharing.


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Lyft Inc. (LYFT) stock was down 15.36 percent since the beginning of the year but up 24.73 percent over the past week, rose 1.00 percent on Wednesday after release of the quarterly report of the firm on Tuesday.
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The ride-hailing firm also bettered its outlook for revenue growth in the fourth quarter from 11 percent to 15 percent, given the slightly better third-quarter results than in the previous quarter.
For the 3rd quarter (ended September 30), Lyft posted a loss of $1.46 per share, which is worse than analysts’ estimates of $0.91 for the same. This loss is, at the same time, 7% greater than the losses in the same quarter of 2019.
For the third quarter, losses decreased marginally to $460 million, compared to losses of $463 million a year earlier. The company’s balance of available cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter was $2.5 billion.
Total revenue was $499.7 million, higher than analysts’ anticipation of $486.6 million. This is 48 percent lower than last year, but better than the previous second quarter’s revenue of $339.3 million and a 61 percent decline.
The number of active users of the Lyft app, which includes, in addition to taxi services, the newly introduced food delivery, car rental, motorcycle and bicycle services, amounted to 12.5 million in the third quarter, a large increase from 8.69 million in the second quarter, but a long cry from the 22.3 million Lyft customers in last year’s third quarter.
In comparison to the previous quarter, Lyft co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Logan Green noted the turnaround in financial results, saying he anticipated more demand growth.
Lyft expects sales growth of 11 percent to 15 percent for the fourth quarter and a rise in the number of users by 800 thousand to 1 million.
In recent days, the stock growth of Lyft, as well as that of its key major competitor Uber (UBER), has been focused on the victory of the vote in California in favor of their company and the reduction of labor costs, as well as the overall growth of the market in light of the strong expectations of the COVID-19 vaccine, which will be released soon.
Uber and Lyft Shares rose sharply after the victory in California that Californians voted against the law on retraining workers from self-employed to full-time employees on platforms such as Uber and Lyft in the November 3 elections. This means that companies will continue their recruiting and salary practices, with only to make additional social security concessions.
The California market is projected by analysts to account for around 16 percent of Lyft’s overall sales.
At the same time, Lyft Inc. (LYFT) is planning to compete strongly with Uber Eats by providing restaurants and cafes with cheaper delivery services, while Uber charges high commissions. In October, Lyft announced collaboration with GrubHub, a website for food ordering and delivery in the United States.


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The hipster is dead, and a new kind of customer is apparently to blame. Dubbed “Yuccies” (short for “Young Urban Creatives”), this new term is meant to describe people who share the characteristics of both yuppies and millennial hipsters.
In an article for Mashable, writer David Infante, a self-professed Yuccie, described this subculture as:
“A slice of Generation Y, borne of suburban comfort, indoctrinated with the transcendent power of education, and infected by the conviction that not only do we deserve to pursue our dreams; we should profit from them.”
Infante provides an irreverent list of defining Yuccie characteristics: a love for the TV classic Seinfeld and boozy painting classes and a yearning to visit Austin.
Not to be left behind, BuzzFeed created a mega-list of 99 things Yuccies are supposed to like, including:
- Having a solid opinion about hot yoga
- Taking it personally when someone says they don’t like Beyoncé
- Creating their own vacation hashtag on Instagram
- Remembering MySpace
For businesses, the fact that everyone’s talking about yuccies right now might makes it tempting to launch marketing campaigns aimed at this group. But the truth is that marketers have only a cursory understanding of this newly-identified group. So far, all the articles written about yuccies are opinion pieces—written by people who identify as yuccies themselves. Before Infante’s article, “yuccie” wasn’t even a term, so who knows if this is an actual subculture.
Before launching a marketing campaign featuring young, bearded creatives, it’s crucial to dig deeper and get to know the true motivations and attitudes of this audience. Marketers should also remember that “yuccies” is ultimately just another way of categorizing millennials. Before attempting to market to yuccies, hipsters, HENRYs or any other millennials, step back and get to know the customers you’re trying to reach. Solid marketing plans are built on a close relationship with a target market—which requires direct, ongoing engagement.
In the near future, now that the term has entered the mainstream consciousness, I have no doubt that enterprising marketers will launch campaigns aimed at yuccies. To pull it off, marketers need to do their own research before going after a subculture that may or may not exist.


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An agricultural machine manufacturer, Storth are experts in slurry management, selling their products to dairy and pig farmers all over the world. Having founded the company after their previous employer went into administration, Chris and Alan soon developed new-and-improved machinery. The industry took notice.
Creating unique products which saw demand skyrocket, Storth made appearances at the Royal Show and the Royal Welsh Show in 2003, spreading word of mouth even further. Now the firm has three workshops and has been using digital tools to maintain production throughout the coronavirus-imposed lockdown.
“We’re very specific in the agricultural industry in that we supply machines to farmers that manage animal slurry, so obviously production carries on and nothing has changed massively from our customers’ point of view,” says Export Manager Julian Lopez, 48. “Largely, orders haven’t really dipped in the UK.”
Crofters Hotel and wedding venue in Garstang shuts down to make way for 66-bed care home
Ice cream sales 'double' at Lancashire-based firm as heatwave hits UK
New Preston Home Bargains opening date confirmed
The best-selling Lancashire businessman-turned-author who started writing because of a bet
Evans Cycles: national bike firm opens second Preston store to power cycling boom in city
“Outside the UK has been a bit different because dealers haven’t been able to physically go out and meet customers,” adds Julian, who’s from Manchester and was raised in France. “Covid also coincided with Spring when a lot of arable farmers start planting their crops and are busy anyway,” he adds. “So we have seen a slight drop in export sales, no question about it.”
In recent months, the company has been working with Made Smarter, a North West adoption pilot programme which helps businesses embrace technology to promote development, to implement a new robotic welding system which works twice as fast as humans, allowing employees to take on more technical roles whilst increasing productivity.
Such developments have proved invaluable during lockdown.
“We’ve had staff isolating, which has affected production as we haven’t got the staff to physically get orders out of the door as quickly as we’d like,” explains Julian. “But the robot welder certainly came in handy. It took away a really boring and repetitive job and allowed welders to work with more difficult machinery.
“It’s putting expertise to work far more efficiently, which is a big bonus,” adds Julian, who has worked at Storth since January 2018. “Having skilled welders and fabricators working on and modifying machines to meet particular needs means that they’re always developing new ideas. Having skilled people doing skilled work is not only a better use of their knowledge, but far more interesting for them, too.”
With a digital roadmapping workshop identifying potential areas for improvement in sales, systems, resource and production planning, and automation, Storth is now looking to digitally upgrade other processes to enable them to carry out unsupervised automatic cutting and feeding during the night on top of other new IT solutions.
“The workshop exposed our inefficiencies and our old-fashioned ways and kick-started a cultural shift,” says Julian, who can spend up to a third of the year abroad chasing new business. “The pandemic has illustrated the need to embrace emerging technologies to overcome challenges and remove the barriers to growth.”
But embracing the new is what Storth is all about. “This is the first job where, as a salesman, I’ve also actually designed a product,” says Julian. “After coming back from China, a client needed a particular machine. Chris Richardson said ‘you know what you want; make a plan and talk with R&D’. Three weeks later we had a machine ready.
“I really enjoy the job.”


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COLLINSVILLE, Ill., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Though the official 2014/2015 winter heating season is drawing to a close, Mother Nature isn't willing to completely let go of the cooler temperatures, so it's good news that Ameren Illinois natural gas customers will benefit from another drop in the cost of natural gas. Because Ameren Illinois purchases a significant amount of natural gas for its customers during the summer and stores it underground for later use, the benefits will continue next winter when the lower cost gas is used by customers.
Since this time last year, per therm natural gas costs for Ameren Illinois customers have dropped by almost 35 percent and are at their lowest levels since 2002. Ameren Illinois' gas supply charge for April 2015 will be 42.05 cents per-therm as compared to 51.94 cents per-therm in March 2015, reflecting a decrease of 19 percent. The continued decline in the cost of natural gas is a reflection of oversupplied market conditions for natural gas caused by strong production growth from shale gas regions in the U.S.
"Natural gas prices continue to decline in the U.S. due to record levels of natural gas production coupled with relatively flat demand. U.S. production was up 11.5 percent from December 2013 to December 2014 – this is good news for natural gas customers who are reaping the benefits," said Ken Dothage, director of Gas Supply for Ameren Illinois. "
Beyond heating, most Ameren Illinois customers rely on natural gas stoves, clothes dryers and water heaters for comfort and convenience. Because these appliances can account for about 20 percent of a residential customer's annual gas usage, the decline in natural gas costs will benefit our 812,000 customers throughout the year.
"Natural gas continues to be a great value and a clean resource for our customer's energy needs. With the lower PGA, and under current rates, the average Ameren Illinois customer that utilizes 745 therms per year will save approximately $75 annually. We continue to do everything possible to take advantage of the lower energy costs and pass the savings on directly to our customers. It's a 365-day job, " Dothage added.
Natural gas is a commodity which Ameren Illinois purchases from various producers for delivery to its customers. Ameren Illinois does not profit from or mark-up the cost of natural gas supplies purchased. While the cost of natural gas has fallen dramatically, the total amount of a customer's bill will depend on factors such as the temperature and the actual amount of energy a customer uses.
Customers can take actions to reduce their natural gas bills without sacrificing personal comfort. Information on energy saving practices and budget billing strategies are available at AmerenIllinois.com/programs.
About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 812,000 natural gas customers in Illinois. Our mission is to power the quality of life. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com, find us on Twitter @AmerenIllinois or Facebook.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameren-illinois-customers-to-benefit-now-and-next-winter-with-another-drop-in-natural-gas-supply-costs-300058892.html
SOURCE Ameren Illinois


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April 20, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: Some enterprising women of Faridabad have acquired leading roles in business. Some were homemakers who started their own venture, while some daughters-in-law have taken family firms to greater heights. All this was made possible by the willingness to become independent and guidance from the Faridabad Small Industries Association's Women Entrepreneur Cell (FSIAWEC). INDUSTRIOUS SPIRIT The long-winding road of entrepreneurship can take years.
May 26, 2011
FARIDABAD: It was meant to be a life saving flight to a Delhi hospital from Patna, but for an ailing Rahul Raj it turned out to be his last journey. The nine-seater aircraft carrying him, his cousin, two doctors and a male nurse, crashed into a two-storey building here last night, killing all the seven on board and three women staying in the house. Rahul, who hail from Bettiah in Bihar, was in a Patna hospital as he was suffering from Hepatitis and his family decided to shift him to Delhi as fell into comma.
October 12, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: The growing security concerns across the country has created a demand for bulletproof jackets. Of the few companies, which manufacture bulletproof jackets in India, Faridabad is home to some of the biggest players, who sell their products to security forces and also export to countries all over the world. The city has witnessed high growth in manufacturing of specialised ballistic protection product ranges. "We started with the Jammu and Kashmir elections in 1994, when the Union ministry of home affairs placed before us a demand of 10,000 pieces of steel-based bulletproof jackets.
August 2, 2012 |
Arrival of leading engineering companies like Eicher and Escorts have given a new lease of life to Faridabad's die casting (a process in which molten metal is moulded using casts) industry. While the industry is making its space in the city, lack of adequate facilities is proving to be a dampener to the business. As Manoj Kumar, secretary, Delhi-NCR, Aluminum Casters Association of India , puts it, "Faridabad die casting industry's 22-25 per cent business comes from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)
August 31, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: Rising number of restaurants and changing culinary preferences is bringing delightful business for commercial kitchen equipment manufacturers operating from Faridabad. They are supplying to standalone restaurants and the ones in hotels and food courts in malls. Commercial kitchen equipment comprises commercial fryers, charbroilers, ovens, cooking ranges , microwaves , toasters , and food warming equipment, etc. These can process or hold more food than normal kitchen consumer durables.
February 15, 2013 |
The demand for housekeepers in Delhi-NCR has led to the growth in the business of Faridabad-based agencies providing housekeepers or domestic helps to houses as well commercial establishments. These entities are doing an estimated business worth around Rs 500 crore. They are gaining from the large presence of offices and malls in and around Faridabad. BUSINESS IN TOP GEAR "The area of service covers house cleaning, courier boys, pantry boys, commercial housekeeping and executive housekeeping, who take care of housekeeping operations as well as staff training and supervision of cleaning personnel," said Manish Kaushal, director of Shivam Enterprises, a Faridabad-based housekeeping firm.
November 6, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: Faridabad garment export houses, and export promoters, have started looking out for customers in new geographic regions like Israel, Russia and South Africa. They are trying to reduce their dependence on the western markets like Europe and the US, which in the last five years, have been badly hit by the economic dip. Industry experts quoted the data provided by a report by the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). The report states that India's garment exports declined by 10.5 percent year-on-year to $1.1 billion in June this year due to weak demand in the US and European markets.
July 5, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: Faridabad malls are fast catching up with the glittery and swanky malls of Gurgaon and Noida. This town has been a late follower of mall culture because of slow infrastructural development and average disposable income. There are two major reasons why Faridabad is lagging behind. "First, Faridabad has less number of working women which translates into lesser disposable income as compared to Gurgaon and Noida. Second, the smaller bucket size, i.e. the amount of shopping by a consumer in one go is much smaller in Faridabad.
April 10, 2012 |
FARIDABAD: The shopping festivals in Faridabad are about to begin. From US-based consumer brands to homegrown online grocery stores all are vying for the shoppers based here. After setting up shops in New Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida, foreign brands are coming to town. Some big names to look out are clothing and accessories company US Polo Association, Italian footwear firm Alberto Torresi, furniture retail chain Ebony Gautier, online retail store MyGrahak.com and Bharti Retail.
November 8, 2007 |
MUMBAI: Real estate developer Omaxe Ltd said on Thursday it has acquired an 11 acre plot in Faridabad, Haryana, and the company owning the land, for a total consideration of 450 million rupees.


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The Best Bitcoin Wallet of 2018 - finance.yahoo.comMoreover, Since December 2017 that the market cannot recover.
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Bitcoin Could Soar To $60,000 In December, Says Crypto
EOS Prices Could Reach $13 per Coin by December 31, 2018
Our Bitcoin Predictions for 2018 - Don't Expect More ofYour home for Bitcoin, Blockchain, Ethereum, and FinTech news.Bitcoin Newswire is your bitcoin, btc news and crypto currency website.Read the latest news about Bitcoin to learn more about the most popular cryptocurrency. December 09: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash,. 2018.
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Tue 22 May 2018 14.52. A gang that kidnapped a South African teenager from a playground at the weekend have demanded a ransom in bitcoin.
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Ethereum, Bitcoin & Blockchain News - Ethereum World NewsSome financial analysts are predicting a bullish run for Bitcoin in 2018--can BTC.
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Bitcoin Price | BTC USD | Chart | Bitcoin US-DollarThe relatively high transaction fees on the Bitcoin network were a major topic of conversation last year, but these fees have been plummeting so far in 2018.
Bitcoin and Blockchain Events » Brave New CoinIt has lost more than one-third of its value this month and is one of the worst-performing currencies of 2018.
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While some buy to hold and some trade between cryptocurrencies.
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Visit daily or subscribe for updates, to keep on top of changes in the digital world of finance.Bitcoin Cash price prediction for December 2018. News And Rates Online.
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More bad news pushes bitcoin’s value below $9,000 | Ars


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Isle consumers sue over hacked credit information
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The Equifax Inc., offices in Atlanta, as seen in July 2012. Two federal class-action lawsuits were filed this week against consumer credit reporting giant Equifax on behalf of Hawaii consumers.
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Lantow, Numata named to Columbia Banking System board
- Staff Puget Sound Business Journal
"We are delighted to welcome Michelle Lantow and Mae Numata to the board of directors," William T. Weyerhaeuser, Columbia’s chairman of the board, said in a statement. "We are fortunate to add community leaders with their depth of financial and business experience to our team of board members."
Lantow, of Lake Oswego, Ore., is chief financial officer of McCormick & Schmick's, a 93-restaurant company based in Portland, Ore. She has also served as president of lucy activewear and as corporate controller and vice president of investor relations with Gap Inc. She is an advisory board member of Portland State University's MBA program and serves on the board of the Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Heart Association.
Numata, of Mercer Island, is chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Schnitzer Investment Corp., of Portland, Ore. Past positions include interim president and interim chief financial officer for her clients as a partner of Tatum LLC, senior vice president/chief financial officer and corporate secretary for Fisher Communications, of Seattle, and vice president/chief financial officer for the Seattle Times Company.
She is a founding member of the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, a board member of NCE Enterprises Inc., a board member and secretary for the Executive Development Institute, and a board member, second vice president and investment committee chair for Girl Scouts of Western Washington.
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Publix, a regional grocery store chain with a large presence in Florida and the Southeast, has asked customers not to openly carry firearms in its stores, Tampa's WTVT reports. The retailer joins Kroger, Walmart, and others in introducing similar policies.
In a statement, the company said that an exception will be made for law-enforcement officers.
"Publix respectfully requests that only law enforcement officials openly carry firearms in our stores."The company, which has about 1,100 stores in seven states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia) is based in Florida and has the lion's share of its locations (nearly 800) in The Sunshine State. Florida, however, does not allow open-carry, and so the policy is moot there, as is the case in South Carolina as well. However, in the other states where there are Publix locations, open-carry is allowed, according to Tampa's WFLA-TV.
The move is something of a change of optics for the company, which as recently as a year ago was donating money to political candidates who were endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), and/or who opposed gun reform. In fact, in 2018, several protesters, including some of the survivors of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, staged a "die-in" at a Publix location.
With Wednesday's announcement, Publix joins Walmart, Kroger, CVS and Walgreens as major retailers that have asked their customers not to openly carry weapons in its stores.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, last week Walmart made two major announcements when it comes to guns. First, the company asked customers to no longer openly carry weapons in its stores. Second, the retailer announced that it was scaling back the kinds of guns and ammunition it sells.
At one time, one of the largest retailers of guns and ammunition, Walmart has since pledged to only sell certain hunting weapons and their attendant ammunition.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon acknowledged at the time that the move would at once inconvenience some Walmart customers, as well as take a bite out of its market share when it comes to the sale of ammunition.
"We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand. As a company, we experienced two horrific events in one week, and we will never be the same," he wrote.
The decisions of major retailers to ask customers to stop openly carrying weapons in their stores come in the wake of two mass shootings within a few hours of each other, one of which took place at a Walmart.


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Penn National targets younger betting audience with Barstool Sports acquisition
Operator purchases a 36% stake in the online sports media outlet for $163m
Penn National Gaming has acquired a 36% stake of digital sports media outlet Barstool Sports for $163m in a deal that will see the operator use Barstool Sports branding across its online products in a bid to appeal to younger bettors.
As part of the deal, Penn will acquire $28m in shares of non-voting convertible preferred stock.
The firm will increase its ownership to approximately 50% after three years, with an incremental investment of around $62m.
Private media group The Chernin Group (TCG), which previously owned 60% of Barstool Sports, will maintain a 36% stake, while Barstool Sports employees will keep the remaining 28% of the firm.
TCG initially bought a 51% stake in Barstool Sports in 2016 for between $10m and $15m and went on to invest a further $15m in 2018, bringing the site’s value up to $100m.
According to today’s deal, Barstool’s value has gone up to $450m.
Penn National Gaming CEO Jay Snowden said of the deal: “With its leading digital content, well-known brand and deep roots in sports betting, Barstool Sports is the ideal partner for Penn National and will enable us to attract a new, younger demographic, which will nicely complement our existing customer database.
“In addition, with 66 million monthly unique visitors, we believe the significant reach of Barstool Sports and loyalty of its audience will lead to meaningful reductions in customer acquisition and promotional costs for our sports betting and online products, significantly enhancing profitability and driving value for our shareholders,” Snowdon said.
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, said: “This opportunity is a dream of mine and why I started Barstool Sports in the first place.
“Barstool Sports has a deep sports and gaming history and from the moment we met Jay and the Penn National team we knew this could be an exciting and game-changing partnership and we can’t wait to get started,” Portnoy said.
Barstool Sports launched its dedicated betting forum, Barstool Bets, back in November last year, offering readers a free-to-play live betting game.
Speaking to EGR North America, one industry consultant questioned the short-term value of the deal.
“I can’t really understand what the immediate value is – I can’t see any quantum leap in term of savings. I think after the first five years it makes sense, but it’s merging two companies which look to have different cultures from the outside,” the consultant said.
Head of interactive at Penn National Jon Kaplowitz said: “Our team is excited to begin collaborating with Barstool Sports on ways to utilize its key talent and leading content to drive audiences to Penn National’s online gaming products and retail locations, as well as to special events and fan experiences.”
Kaplowitz said the firm’s betting app is expected to launch in Q3 2020.


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We highlight the biggest takeaways from DC's November solicitations.
Levi Miller has been cast as Carter Grant in CBS's SUPERGIRL.
Fox's GOTHAM reportedly adds another to the arsonist gang with a gender-bent version of DC villain Firefly.
As well as DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #1, INHUMANS: ATTILAN RISING #4, THE FADE OUT #8, and UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #8.
Harada goes from villain to hero to underdog in the newest arc of Valiant's IMPERIUM.
ALL of DC's November 2015 solicits including Vertigo, Collectibles and Collections and the entire main DCU line.
Check out a preview of HEROES VENGEANCE #1 from Titan Comics.
Series artist Jason Fabok talks about his and Geoff Johns' plans for JUSTICE LEAGUE #43 and the newest chapter of 'Darkseid War.'
Here's part four of the DC's November 2015 DC Universe solicitations.
Here's part three of the DC's November 2015 DC Universe solicitations.
Here's part two of the DC's November 2015 DC Universe solicitations.
DC started rolling out their November solicits in reverse this month, starting with ALL the main DCU titles from Batman to Superman to Justice Leag...
20th Century Fox has acquired the rights to BOOM! Studios' TAG.
It's musical chairs with Metron's Mobius Chair in JUSTICE LEAGUE #43.
DC has begun unveiling their solicitations for November books.
Disney & Pixar unveiled the logo for the upcoming sequel to THE INCREDIBLES.
Dark Horse's bounty hunter Barb Wire is back -- and on the run -- in BARB WIRE #3.
At D23, Disney released a new poster drawn by Drew Struzan.
Disney and Lucasfilm have revealed more details and concept art for its planned STAR WARS lands in Disney Parks.
Disney confirms several reported castings, including a FIREFLY alum.
At D23 Expo 2015, Disney announced the director of the 9th episode of STAR WARS.
Newsarama is covering the D23 EXPO 2015 panel "Worlds, Galaxies & Universes: Live Action at Walt Disney Studios."
The only thing they have is what they were born with.
The comics-turned-film franchise RED by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner has reportedly set it's sights on TV.


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- Angela Gonzalez-Rodriguez |
The world’s second largest apparel retailer is not in celebratory mood. Hennes & Mauritz (HMb.ST) reported no sales growth for the last six months, what nothing but adds to the Swedish fashion group’s losing ground to direct competitor Inditex.
Hennes and Mauritz’s sales were unchanged in the second quarter, marking a six-month period for the retailer to register no sales growth. Sales were unchanged in local currencies, including value-added tax in the three months through May, the Stockholm-based company said in a statement Friday. Revenue excluding tax rose 1.2 percent to 51.9 billion kronor (5.3 billion euro), falling short from the average analyst estimate.
H&M’s increased markdown strategy raises concerns in the market
In an attempt to recover from recent struggles, H&M has aggressively incremented its price discount strategy to reduce a record level of inventory. It’s worth recalling that the apparel group reported a record level of inventory exceeding 4 billion dollars at the end of the first quarter despite increasing markdowns.
"We think (this) will raise concerns about additional markdowns and operating deleverage heading into the HY results on June 28. We remain cautious on H&M," said RBC analyst Richard Chamberlain, who has an "underperform" rating on the shares. "H&M has now posted around three years of negative LFL (like-for-like) sales yoy (year on year). For Q2 we estimate LFL sales were down 4 percent to 5 percent yoy," he added.
On a more positive tone, Macquarie analyst Andreas Inderst, who has a neutral rating on H&M’s shares, said weak comparable sales and large markdowns would hit H&M’s profit in the second quarter. “We expect a key progress report on its excess stock and an update on its action plan to revive sales with the full set of Q2 results,” he said in a note to market echoed by Reuters. “We highlight the ongoing sharp performance divergence versus Inditex, which delivered 4-5 percent like for like growth in the quarter to end April versus the 5 percent decline at H&M.”
H&M has struggled to keep up with its competitors after fashion and delivery mistakes contributed to a rapidly increasing customer leakage. But H&M is not alone, as direct competitor and Zara’s owner group Inditex reported earlier this week weaker-than-expected sales in its first quarter.
Market speculations on H&M’s Chairman taking the company private are “baseless”
On a related note, H&M’s shares fell 2.7 per cent Thursday after Swedish news website Breakit reported that Chairman Stefan Persson said that speculation that he’s planning to take the fashion retailer private are “baseless”.
Back in May, Hennes & Mauritz AB Chairman Stefan Persson’s continued share purchases revived speculation he may be trying to take the global retail giant private. So far in May, Persson had spent about 3.5 billion kronor (401 million dollars) on H&M shares, bringing his stake to roughly 736 million shares. With those purchases, Persson and his family now control 44.5 percent of H&M, or 49.9 percent when combining his stake with the that of his sister, Lottie Tham and her family. Together, they held about 75 percent of H&M’s voting rights at the end of April, highlights Bloomberg. To his date both the chairman and his son, Chief Executive Officer Karl-Johan Persson, have consistently rejected that theory. Nils Vinge, H&M’s head of investor relations, says he’s not aware of any buyout plan.
The stock was down 3.8 percent in midday trading Friday, having lost nearly two-thirds of its value since 2015, and supporting investors’ lack of trust in the company having a viable plan to keep up with the rapid digital transformation of the retail industry. H&M has guided investors to expect lower comparable-store sales in 2018 than in 2017.
Photo:H&M Summer Collection, H&M Official Web


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The main purpose of technical documentation in the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) is to prove that a medical device meets the general safety and performance requirements.
Confidentiality agreement between the two regulatory authorities confirms Anvisa’s recognition on the international scene.
European Medicines agency (EMA) updates their executive decision for orphan drug development of waiving fees for academic organizations.
The pandemic has produced new obstacles for all businesses including the cosmetic industry. the pandemic has produced a shift from shopping in stores to shopping online. the online platform is new media to many businesses and with it brings its own obstacles such as regulation requirements that differ by country.
EMA announces GMP inspection fees will be waived fully for sites that undergo remote inspections during COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 4, 2020, The European Medicines Agency (EMA) details the rapid approval procedures for COVID-19 products which includes scientific advice, rolling reviews, accelerated assessments.


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Visitors to Glasgow’s award-winning shopping and leisure destination, Princes Square, will be getting a new welcome soon when a stylish new entrance is unveiled.
Work on a new arrival experience for one of the city’s best loved retail and leisure destinations is scheduled to begin on the 11th of August and is expected to be completed by the middle of September.
Designed by award-winning Glasgow based architects, Threesixty Architecture, the new entrance will raise awareness of the centre with the tens of thousands of pedestrians that pass every day on the city’s busy Buchanan Street and, support the businesses of the retailers based inside the centre.
As well as refreshing the entrance to Princes Square, the design will feature branding for the host of top retailers in the centre including the popular Everyman Cinema, Eden Mill Blendworks and global fashion and lifestyle brand Kate Spade New York, which opened in March. Other Glasgow favourites including D’Arcy’s, Il Pavone and NY American Grill will also benefit.
Andrew Foulds from Redevco, owners of Princes Square, said: ‘This is a really exciting time for Princes Square, our retailers and our visitors.
‘We have recently welcomed big names including Scotland’s first Everyman cinema, popular gin brand Eden Mill’s Blendworks experience and the global fashion and lifestyle brand Kate Spade New York so, with that and our investment in upgrading the entrance, we’re confident that even more visitors will enjoy the retail and leisure experience that only Princes Square can provide.
‘Princes Square has played a big part in Glasgow’s retail and leisure experience for over 30 years with visitors coming from afar to specifically enjoy the unique experience it offers. Those visitors in turn bring a valuable economic impact to the rest of the city centre.
‘It is no secret that retail conditions across the UK have been difficult in recent years and this means we have to look at different ways to meet these challenges head on. We have a fantastic mix of retailers at Princes Square and our new entrance and signage will ensure that this is highlighted to the thousands of people who walk past the centre every day.
‘One of the specific demands we made of our architects was that the new entrance could be easily changed in the future for other exciting designs, or if required, to return it to the original design. We’d also acknowledge the assistance of the city’s planning department who have been extremely helpful and supportive to us throughout.’
Princes Square was named as Scotland’s Favourite Building in a public vote held by the Royal Incorporation of Architects as part of the RIAS’s Festival of Architecture 2016 recognising Scotland’s Top 100 buildings from 1916 to 2015.


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Nvidia Chief Executive and co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang speaks during the Reuters Global Technology Summit in San Francisco June 18, 2013. Huang said he will license graphics technology to other companies, a new model for the chipmaker that could lead to new business with Apple, Samsung and other mobile device makers. REUTERS/Stephen Lam (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY TELECOMS)
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.


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Spirit Airlines‘ CEO will step down from his position in 2019, the ultra low-cost carrier said on Wednesday. Effective 2019, Robert Fornaro, who took over just last year, will hand over the company’s top position to current Chief Financial Officer Ted Christie.
As reported by Bloomberg, on January 1, 2019, Fornaro will step down and Christie will take over. In the interim, Christie will become president of the airline and will join its board beginning in 2018.
“Over the past two years as CEO, Bob has led a real transformation at Spirit, driving dramatic improvements in operational reliability and in the customer experience while strengthening our executive team,” said Spirit Chairman Mac Gardner. “He has also provided nimble, experienced leadership through a volatile competitive environment.”
In the past few months, Spirit has made a concerted effort to become a more passenger-friendly airline — especially when it comes to its notorious fee structure and abysmal on-time performance. In November, the carrier added new bundle options for passengers to avoid paying out-of-pocket fees when they get to the airport. In addition, in September, the carrier didn’t rank last in on-time arrivals, a spot that JetBlue took. However, the carrier still struggles mightily with cancellations, bumped passengers and customer complaints.
Since Fornaro took over as the company’s head last year, Spirit has had its ups and downs. Most recently, it has struggled to remain competitive with legacy carriers as they’ve introduced new basic economy fare classes. On July 27, Spirit’s shares fell 18%, which was the biggest drop in a day for the stock since May 2011.
Christie, 47, has been with the company since 2012. The soon-to-be-chief comes from a history of commercial airline work with both Pinnacle Airlines and Spirit’s ultra low-cost competitor, Frontier.
“With our improved operations, balanced growth and stable costs, I’m confident we will strengthen our position as the leading ultra low-cost carrier in the Americas,” Christie said.
The American Express Platinum card has some of the best perks out there: cardholders enjoy the best domestic lounge access (Delta SkyClubs, Centurion Lounges, and Priority Pass), a $200 annual airline fee credit as well as up to $200 in Uber credits, and mid-tier elite status at SPG, Marriott, and Hilton. Combined with the 60,000 point welcome offer -- worth $1,140 based on TPG's valuations -- this card is a no-brainer for frequent travelers. Here are 5 reasons you should consider this card, as well as how you can figure out if the $550 annual fee makes sense for you.
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases in your first 3 months.
- Enjoy Uber VIP status and free rides in the U.S. up to $15 each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
- 5X Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
- Enjoy access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.
- Receive complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts. Learn More.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
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The first-ever BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Spanish Brands doesn’t include any over-the-top (OTT) or online players, while three linear TV networks and a pay-TV operator show up in the list.
According to the ranking and report published by Kantar Millward Brown and WPP, Spain’s most valuable brand has nothing to do with TV: Zara’s fashion empire is worth $25.1 billion in branding.
The Telefónica-owned telco and pay-TV provider Movistar+, with a value of $22 billion, is the second most valuable brand.
“It has more than 22 million customers in its home market and since 2015 it has also been a major player in the increasingly competitive pay-TV arena,” pointed out the report. “Movistar+ is now taking on the likes of HBO and Netflix with production of its own original series, with 14 shows due to launch in the next two years.”
In addition to Movistar, three TV free-to-air linear channels have been named among the 30 most valuable brands in the country. Mediaset’s Telecinco ($607 million) has been appointed Spain’s 23rd brand, Antena 3 ($386 million) appears to be 26th and Cuatro ($296 million) 28th.
“Despite the alternative entertainment options now on offer via digital, a mix of popular culture and sport programming has ensured traditional television audiences remain largely unaffected,” concluded the report.


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A CHARCOAL WORKER RESTS IN MATANG.
A Malaysian worker puffs a smoke as he takes a rest after loading mangrove
wood to make charcoal at Kampung Dapur Arang, or Charcoal Kiln Village, in
Matang in Malaysia's northern state of Perak. Forty tons of mangrove wood
are loaded into the kiln and it takes 26 to 30 days to produce 10 tons of
charcoal. The village industry is more than 70-years-old and the end product
is an expensive high grade charcoal, most of which is exported to Japan
where charcoal is valued as a water filter and moisture absorbant. The
mangrove forests in Matang have been sustainably managed for 100 years and a
30-year rotational system allows the mangrove to regenerate naturally.
Picture taken July 29, 2003 PP03090130 REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad


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Podcast: Want a job? The AI will see you now.
In the past, hiring decisions were made by people. Today, some key decisions that lead to whether someone gets a job or not are made by algorithms. In this episode of our award-winning podcast, In Machines We Trust, we meet some of the big players making this technology including the CEOs of HireVue and myInterview—and test some of these tools ourselves.
Listen to it on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you usually listen.
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 FTX’s collapse should be a major cautionary tale for the crypto industry
Unfortunately, it won’t necessarily result in better regulations. (New Yorker $)
+ Crypto isn’t known for heeding bad omens, after all. (Vox)
+ FTX has invested millions into, err, a tiny bank. (NYT $)
+ Sam Bankman-Fried’s favorite “longtermism” ideology sounds bogus. (Motherboard)
+ He hasn’t done the effective altruism movement any favors, either. (The Atlantic $)
2 Elon Musk probably won’t declare bankruptcy
That doesn’t mean his financial backers can rest easy, though. (The Atlantic $)
+ Here’s who’s paying for Twitter right now. (NYT $)
+ Former Twitter employees fear the platform might only last weeks. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Measles is a growing global threat
Vaccination rates are down, and it’s incredibly contagious. (Axios)
4 Maybe it’s time we stopped automatically trusting billionaires
Exercising healthy cynicism isn’t the same as being a hater. (Vox)
+ A lot of big tech bosses wrongly assumed their covid-highs would last forever. (Slate $)
5 The true cost of America’s war on China’s chips
The pricier the components, the more expensive the final product will be. (FT $)
+ Workers at the world’s biggest iPhone factory are rioting. (Bloomberg $)
+ Inside the software that will become the next battle front in the US-China chip war. (MIT Technology Review)


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As announced on the Smash Bros. DOJO website, Nintendo is including several Virtual Console demos with the upcoming (and eagerly awaited) Smash Bros. Brawl!
The idea is that gamers can have the chance to familiarize themselves with the past exploits of the many famous Brawl fighters. So you can kick Koopa ass with Mario, hack and slash with Link or take on the Gods with Kid Icarus.
Titles confirmed so far are:
* Ice Climber
* Super Mario Bros.
* The Legend of Zelda
* Kid Icarus
* Kirby’s Adventure
* Super Metroid
* StarFox 64
Other games are thought to be included, but they remain a mystery for now.
This is a fantastic idea and we hope to see more of the same in future Wii titles…but will we ever be given ‘trial’ downloads on the Virtual Console itself? Here’s hoping this is just Nintendo testing the water…


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- First-time winners - MFS Africa, TeamApt, and Paga, were recognised for building payment networks in Africa.
- This year’s winners are shaping the future of B2B and B2C financial services, from payments and banking to investing and insurance.
- For more African business stories, visit africa.businessinsider.com/
CB Insights has unveiled the winners of the fifth annual Fintech 250 — a list of the 250 most promising private fintech companies worldwide. Among the 2022’s cohort are six companies headquartered in African countries.
Some of this year’s winners are building safer and more efficient ways to send and receive payments. Others are striving to make banking, loans, mobile wallets, and investing products available to historically underserved populations all over the world.
According to CB Insights, this year’s winners were chosen based on factors including proprietary Mosaic scores, funding, market potential, business relationships, investor profile, news sentiment analysis, competitive landscape, team strength, and tech novelty.
The report also noted that factors such as rising inflation, interest rate hikes, and struggling public tech stocks have made it more difficult for new entrants to make a splash in the already maturing fintech market.
Top Investors: Tiger Global is the top investor in this year’s Fintech 250 by a significant margin, having backed equity deals to 45 of the winners, including Stripe, Checkout.com, Revolut, and FTX, since 2017. Accel is second with 29 companies in its portfolio, followed by Ribbit Capital with 27.
Here are the 6 most promising African fintech companies of 2022, according to CB Insights Fintech 250 list
1. JUMO (South Africa)
Total funding: $267 million
Disclosed Investors: Google for Startups Accelerator, Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation, GEMCORP, Mastercard Foundation, Proparco, Goldman Sachs, LeapFrog Investments, VEF, Odey Asset Management, Ash Park, Fidelity Investments, Visa Ventures
2. KuCoin (Seychelles)
Total funding: $180 million
Disclosed Investors: IDG Capital, Matrix Partners China, NGC Ventures, Circle Ventures, Jump Crypto, Susquehanna International Group
3. MFS Africa (South Africa)
Total funding: $281million
Disclosed Investors: Goodwell Investments, LUN Partners Capital, Equator Capital Partners, FSD Africa, UK Department for International Development, Lendable, Norsad Finance, AfricInvest, Allan Gray, British International Investment, CommerzVentures, Endeavor, Endeavor, AXA Investment Managers, Admaius Capital Partners, Vitruvian Partners
4. Opay (Nigeria)
Total funding: $570 million
Disclosed Investors: GSR Ventures, IDG Capital, Meituan Dianping, Opera, Sequoia Capital China, Source Code Capital, Bertelsmann Asia Investments, Gaorong Capital, Longzhu Capital, Redpoint Ventures China, Softbank Ventures Asia, 3W Partners, SoftBank Group
5. Paga (Nigeria)
Total funding: $38 million
Disclosed Investors: Acumen, Adlevo Capital, Capricorn Investment Group, Flourish Ventures, Goodwell Investments, Jeremy Stoppelman, Jim O'Neill, Tim Draper, Global Innovation Fund, Unreasonable Capital, Ping An Cloud Accelerator, Gaingels
6. TeamApt (Nigeria)
Total funding: $58 million
Disclosed Investors: Quantum Capital Partners, British International Investment, Endeavor, FMO, Global Ventures, Kepple Africa Ventures, Novastar Ventures, Oui Capital, Soma Capital, Lightrock, QED Investors.
--Read Full Story


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From computer vision-driven technologies aimed at cutting down on apparel returns by enabling consumers to utilize advanced sizing tech to artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven software that helps to prevent counterfeiting, piracy, and digital impersonators, companies across the retail segment are introducing new tools that make fashion commerce – and retail more broadly – “more nimble, sustainable, and engaging for shoppers.” At the same time, the striking rise of e-commerce, especially in the wake of the pandemic, and the post-pandemic call for companies to provide consumers with “an exponentially deeper level of engagement [both] online and offline,” per McKinsey, has led to the rise of an array of B2B SaaS solutions-providers that are looking to help transform the retail segment.
Research published by Google’s Cloud business in November 2020 (and reported by Wired) revealed that retailers were “looking to use AI within ten different areas of their business – from demand prediction to customer loyalty schemes and product personalization.” More recently, McKinsey stated in 2021 that “the operational potential of technology is becoming ever more apparent,” with fashion companies that embed AI into their businesses models now – in order to “enable new logistics and sales-fulfillment options (such as click-and-collect and drive-through), fuel innovative ways of customer acquisition, help predict and manage inventory to create a more resilient supply chain,” etc. – standing to see “a 118 percent cumulative increase in cash flow by 2030.” On the other hand, the consultancy stated that companies that “are slower to invest in digital technology will lag behind, and could see a 23 percent relative decline.”
Meanwhile, Meticulous Research expects the value of the AI-in-retail market, alone, to reach $19 billion by 2027.
Against this background and in light of enduring efforts to bring new tech to the retail market, we have compiled a tracker of funding and M&A to provide a broad overview of tech-centric investments in fashion and the broader retail space, and shed light on what the trajectory of this segment of the market looks like more broadly.
Apr. 4, 2023 – Zyod Raises $3.5M for Sourcing Tech
Zyod has raised $3.5 million in a seed round led by Lightspeed Venture India Partners and with participation from FJ Labs, Panthera Peak Capital, and angels. The Gurugram-based startup, which offers apparel sourcing and manufacturing services to fashion brands on a global scale via a B2B platform, claims that it “can disrupt the apparel industry by delivering a new product range in a mere 21 days, with a minimum order quantity of just 50 pieces,” per TechCrunch. “This stands in stark contrast to the traditional supply chain’s 180-day lead time and 2,000-piece minimum order.” The retail-focused company plans to use the funding to improve its tech and hire more people. By adding more manufacturers and suppliers to introducing new features, the company says that it “will continue to focus on building a larger network of MSMEs in the apparel sourcing and manufacturing segment.”
Mar. 8, 2023 – Elyn Raises €2.5M in Pre-Seed Round
Elyn, a Paris-based startup that enables online merchants to offer consumers a try before they buy option at checkout, has raised €2.5 million ($2.7 million) in a pre-seed round led by Sequoia Arc and Headline, with participation from Motier Ventures (the tech-focused family office of the owners of Galeries Lafayette Group), Financière Saint James, Founders Future’s Marc Menasé, and former Stripe EMEA director Guillaume Princen. “With try-before-you-buy (“TBY”), you only pay for what you decide to keep,” Elyn co-founder and CEO El Mehdi Hachad told TechCRunch. “We are also helping retailers with their returns so that return requests are turned into exchanges directly in the return interface that we provide.” The company’s founders claim that “every major e-commerce brand will offer a TBYB option in the next 12 months.”
Feb. 21, 2023 – Fabacus Closes £4.5M Round
Fabacus has raised £4.5M in funding led to accelerate the growth of its data intelligence platform, Xelacore. The round was led by Wealth Club with participation from Tom Singh OBE, Seneca Partners, Inovia, and Mitch Foreman. The London-based provider of a SaaS global licensing platform that connects retail industry license holders, licensees, and end users will use the new funds to accelerate growth and expand its operations and business reach. Founded in 2016, Fabacus claims that existing operating procedures for monitoring licensed IP are “largely siloed,” with license holders “frequently struggling to reconcile royalties” due to a lack of data and lax governance rules.
Feb. 13, 2023 – eBay Acquires 3PM Shield
eBay Inc. has acquired 3PM Shield LLC, a provider of advanced AI-based marketplace compliance solutions. San Jose, California-headquartered eBay said the acquisition will help to enhance its “world-class monitoring solutions with new technologies designed to prevent the sale of counterfeit items, unsafe products and illegal goods.” The marketplace site said in a statement on Feb. 13 that “bringing 3PM Shield to eBay” enables it to bring “advanced marketplace compliance technology in-house … as part of eBay’s ongoing commitment to provide sellers and buyers with a safe and trusted platform enabled by technology.” eBay acquired 3PM Shield LLC, also known as 3PM Solutions, and the deal closed as of February 9, 2023. Further details were not disclosed.
This is a short (and incomplete) excerpt from a data set that is published exclusively for TFL Enterprise subscribers. For access to our up-to-date retail tech investment and M&A tracker, inquire today about how to sign up for an Enterprise subscription.


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Cyber thugs first put money in your account then rob people like this : If you also make digital payments for doing transactions, then you need to be cautious. Cyber thugs have now found a new way to empty the account of UPI payment users.
You will be surprised to know that within 16 days in Mumbai, Rs 1 crore has been withdrawn from the accounts of 81 people through this new method of cheating. Fraudsters are cheating people on the pretext of sending money. UPI Payments is the most widely used payment gateway for online payments in India today.
Along with the popularity of UPI, online frauds are also on the rise.
As per reports, cyber thugs first transfer money to UPI users. Then they call the user and tell that money has been transferred to his account by mistake. They request to send the money back to them. Coming to his words, if a person sends money to the caller’s number,
Then thugs hack his account and steal money from that account. Basically, if the victim pays money using the UPI app, then the malware software affects the user’s device. Due to which the scammers get access to their entire data including bank and KYC details like PAN and Aadhaar. With this information, the fraudsters hack the users’ bank accounts and withdraw money.
81 cases of UPI fraud have been reported in Mumbai. According to the complaints filed by the victims of this scam with the police, the scammers are sending money to people on their UPI apps like Google Pay.
Then by contacting them through call or message, they are saying that this transaction has been done by mistake. Then the unknown caller requests people to send money back to their number. As soon as someone sends money back, then after some time money starts coming out of his account.


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The Gateway EC14 ultraportable line was introduced months ago and has been around for a while. The company has announced a new addition to the EC14D line that adds an optical drive to the mix. The lack of an optical drive can be a big problem for many users and a new ultraportable with a DVD drive can be a big deal for some users.
Buy Now: Sony PlaysStation VR In Stock Here
One of the new DVD packing models is the EC14D07u. The machine has an Intel Pentium ULV SU4100 processor running at 1.3GHz and sports an 11.6-inch screen. The screen is LED backlit and has a screen resolution of 1366 x 768. Graphics are handled by Intel GMA 4500MHD.
Don't Miss: The Best HDR TVs
The machine has 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD. The DVD drive can also burn discs and a webcam is built-in too. Other features include 802.11b/g/n. Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI port, and a gesture supporting track pad. The notebook weighs 3.55 pounds and measure 11.49" x 1.12" to 1.18" x 8.33". The notebook starts at $629.99
CES 2010 is here and with it tons of hot product announcements. Stay on top of the huge amount of CES 2010 news and highlights with I4U News. Read all about CES 2010 now. Follow I4U News on Twitter.


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NEW DELHI: Maruti Suzuki India
expects digital sales to boom and first-time buyers will gravitate to established car manufacturers post-lockdown.
"The automobile segment has been through a lean patch, especially due to subdued sentiments and various stress factors. Car sales are highly discretionary, however, we expect a significant amount of sales through our digital platform," Shashank Srivastava
, MSI executive director, marketing and sales, told TOI.
The company, which has around 3,080 dealerships across 1,960 cities and towns in the country, has managed to open 474 Arena outlets, 80 Nexa dealerships and 45 commercial vehicle sales outlets. Overall, MSI has been able to make 600-odd dealerships operational so far. READ ALSO | Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza bookings cross 21,500-mark
Srivastava expects personal transportation will rise after the Covid-19 lockdown is completely lifted. This, in turn, will boost the sales demand. "In the long term, the fundamentals of the market are positive. Several reports suggest, there will be an increase in the number of first-time buyers, who would prefer personal transportation over public due to health and safety issues," Srivastava said.
"Perhaps a few other things will also occur like people gravitating toward established brands and at the same time spending lesser what they actually would have," said Srivastava.
Maruti Suzuki India will restart the production of vehicles at its Manesar
plant in Haryana on May 12 and the company anticipates greater digital sales to walk-in purchases. Buying a car is an extensive process, where multiple touchpoints have to tick the boxes before it is finally handed over to the customer. Maruti
Suzuki, as Srivastava said, coins the entire system 'Phy-gital', derived from 'physical' and 'digital' form of sales.
"During lockdown, the digital inquiries on our platform have shot up from 3% to 20%. That said, a car goes through 28-touchpoint before it is handed over to the customer, of which 17-20 are digital depending on the model and variant. Since a car its a valued purchase, customers
like to test drive and feel it before taking the final call. So, showrooms and dealership network will also be equally important," Srivastava explained.
Several car manufacturers have promoted the digital sales platform during the lockdown. Maruti Suzuki
believes most customers are aware of the product and trim they want to opt, thanks to the digital sales platform.
"Whether its tier-1, -2 or -3, our study suggests 92 per cent of our walk-in customers are certain about their choices ahead of dealership visit. The digital platform is a trend and will only gain acceptance going forward," Srivastava concluded.


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The study was the largest football fan survey ever carried out, with 54,000 respondents from 39 countries taking part.
According to Kantar's findings, the Red Devils have 71m fans in North and South America, 90m in Europe, 173m across Africa and the Middle East, and critically, 325m fans in the ever-expanding Asian market.
A similar study was commissioned in 2007 and, at that time, United only boasted half of their current number of fans.
The clubs's commercial director, Richard Arnold, was understandably pleased by the survey's findings, which added to Forbes magazine's recent declaration that United are the world's most valuable sports brand.
|Longtime target Eden Hazard chooses Chelsea over the Red Devils
"Manchester United resonates with followers all over the world, and it’s their passion and support that means year after year we can continue doing what matters most to everyone at the club: playing attacking football and competing for trophies.
"The growth in our followers since 2007 correlates with what we have seen as we have rolled out our new approach to reaching fans.
"From the increase in TV viewership from two to four billion last season, to the demand from millions of media subscribers in 72 countries through our media partnerships, to the way the footage of Wayne [Rooney]'s overhead kick echoed around the world on social media, we can see that the connections to the club are growing exponentially.
"With the DHL Champ19ns Trophy tour we have seen that passion from our community of followers face to face in 38 cities across the globe, and there does not seem to be a beach or street in the world where you do not see the Aon and Nike shirt.
"This survey shows that our family of followers is going from strength to strength."
Kantar's survey also concluded that football is the world's most popular sport with 1.6bn followers worldwide, which is a figure that matches closely with Fifa's recent findings on the game's popularity.


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Cybersecurity firm Fortinet has added four new operational technology specialists to its Technology Alliance and Fabric-Ready Partner programe.
Cyber attackers are looking to target AI, Supply Chain, IoT devices, Industrial Control System and centralised system in 2019. Here're Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends for 2019
In its Cyber Security Predictions 2019, FireEye said that more nations will develop offensive cyber capabilities in 2019.
Cyber underwriters want to know the future of data privacy 10 years from now, says James Tuplin of AXA XL
Cyber liability is an evolving type of insurance. None of us knows for sure how the data privacy landscape might look in five, ten, or 20 years’ time.
In another major incident in 2018, cash was taken from ATMs in 23 separate countries. To date, the Lazarus FASTCash operation is estimated to have stolen tens of millions of dollars.
Skybox Security CTO Ron Davidson: Artificial Intelligence is changing the landscape of cybersecurity
Artificial Intelligence is often confused with automation, but they are separate and distinct solutions to a common problem, says Skybox Security CTO Ron Davidson.
Cybersecurity firms Aujas and Endgame have signed a partnership in which both the firms will work together to offer advanced managed endpoint protection services to clients.
Microsoft sweep of PC test revealed that more than four in five (83%) brand new PCs in Asia are loaded with pirated software.
Global cybersecurity firm Forcepoint has launched a new Center of Excellence for Customer Success in Bengaluru.
With the usage of smart TVs skyrocketing, they are turning into a security risk. Experts warn that the next wave of cybercrime may arrive through smart TVs.
The cybersecurity firm Trend Micro said it has seen tremendous growth this year, especially in its cloud security business, which now contributes to nearly 40% of its overall revenue in the country.
Gemalto has backtracked from its finding of 1.2 billion Aadhaar data breach in the first half of 2018, which it had stated in a recently released Breach Level Index Report 2018.
87% of firms are concerned with the security of their board communications and data sharing, more than half (55%) of their board members still use personal email for board communication
Moody’s Corporation has appointed Derek Vadala as Global Head of Cyber Risk for Moody’s Investors Service (MIS).
With an aim to increase the security of consumer payments in the digital channel, Visa Inc. is expanding Visa Token Service for credential-on-file (COF) token requestors.
With the vector of cyberattacks increasing, cybercriminals are using advanced technologies to launch cyberwarfare. Here are the Top 5 tips to improve enterprise cybersecurity in a digital world.
C6 Intelligence which deals in data intelligence for anti-money laundering, third-party risk and cybersecurity professionals has rebranded as Acuris Risk Intelligence.