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FedEx reports earnings on Thursday. Here are three questions executives should address
FedEx will announce its fourth-quarter earnings Thursday, wrapping up what should be a record-breaking fiscal year that saw the logistics giant’s business surge.
The COVID-19 pandemic has loosened its grip in the U.S. since fiscal year 2021 began, but delivery demand remains red-hot for FedEx and other carriers. Room on FedEx’s fleet of airplanes, trucks and vans is harder to come by, giving the company the power to push higher rates and surcharges onto its customers.
FedEx executives will provide insight Thursday on how the company aims to keep its momentum going into fiscal 2022. Here are three key questions for FedEx ahead of that earnings call.
Will passenger travel rebound faster than expected?
There’s been a reduction in air cargo capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many passenger planes grounded. Jack Atkins, a FedEx analyst at Stephens, said in a note the biggest wild card for FedEx's business is how soon international passenger belly capacity returns to pre-pandemic levels.
U.S. airlines carried 41.2 million passengers in March, seasonally adjusted, per the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. That’s an improvement from March 2020 but is still down more than 43% versus the three years previous.
The reduction in competition has been a favorable development for all-cargo airline FedEx Express, but these conditions aren’t expected to be permanent.
Airlines say bookings have surged thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations, a reduction in COVID-19 case counts, the lifting of travel restrictions and the reopening of tourist attractions. Some U.S. airports are already back to or are exceeding pre-pandemic passenger traffic levels.
In March, FedEx COO Raj Subramaniam said FedEx Express expects elevated air cargo pricing levels for at least the next year until supply improves, after which FedEx “will flex our networks appropriately” to adjust. If that timeline holds despite the recent uptick in air travel demand, FedEx Express will reap the benefits.
Are service levels improving — and how much does it matter?
The challenge of delivering millions of packages on time has become even greater during the COVID-19 pandemic, as FedEx has seen a record-breaking number of items move through its network since 2020.
FedEx has trailed UPS and the U.S. Postal Service this year in terms of on-time delivery percentage, according to data from delivery experience management company Convey. While rival UPS’ on-time percentage is at about 90%, “FedEx is still hovering in the low 70s,” said Convey co-founder Carson Krieg.
The percentages are based off a mix of deliveries from FedEx Ground’s home delivery service and its economy service Convey is tracking, Krieg said. FedEx said in a statement Convey’s “reporting is often much different than the results we get from our comprehensive, internal analysis.”
Part of the decline is due to FedEx Ground keeping deliveries in-house that it once would have handed off to the U.S. Postal Service, Krieg said. However, he added that this operational adjustment is a “short-term gamble for a long-term payoff” in more efficient delivery routes and the company’s service levels should improve.
“I think they’re doing it at a smart time of year,” Krieg said.
Despite the reported performance slip, businesses are still relying on FedEx to deliver goods to online shoppers more than ever. Atkins is expecting a strong earnings report from the company, as demand remains at dizzying heights.
“With underlying demand trends strong and its network full, we believe FedEx continues to realize healthy pricing improvement as it works to drive improved profitability on its (business-to-consumer) traffic,” he said.
Delivery delays across the supply chain will continue as long as consumer demand and U.S. imports remain strong, said John Haber, CEO of transportation spend consultancy Spend Management Experts.
“To handle the volumes with existing workers and equipment, all transportation carriers will have to limit what they move and, yes, it will become increasingly common until underlying issues are resolved,” he said.
How is FedEx Freight adapting to eventful '21?
FedEx Freight, a provider of less-than-truckload freight shipping services, is a smaller piece of FedEx’s operations compared to FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. But the company has contributed to FedEx’s overall turnaround, with an operating income and margin this fiscal year well ahead of where it was in 2020.
Atkins said FedEx overall has upside potential “driven by robust demand, improving business mix and strong core yield trends across FDX's three primary business segments (Express, Ground and Freight).”
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new challenges for Freight, however. FedEx said on its website there’s a high demand for shipping capacity and increased operating costs in its network. Because of this, FedEx Freight’s priority and economy services will see a $30-per-shipment peak surcharge added for certain destinations beginning July 5.
Industry publication FreightWaves reported June 13 that FedEx Freight is immediately cutting some 1,400 less-than-truckload customers to control capacity and avoid delays as it grapples with unprecedented shipping volume.
In its most recently reported quarter, average daily shipments for FedEx Freight were up 3% from the year-before quarter. The company has also been mingling more with other FedEx operating companies of late, delivering more than 1.75 million shipments for Ground in the fiscal year as of March.
Despite Memphis’ Interstate 40 bridge being closed to traffic, diverting thousands of trucks and cars to the nearby I-55 bridge, FedEx Freight hasn’t disclosed any operational challenges for its drivers on the matter. FedEx said in May it’s implementing contingency plans to minimize disruption.
USA TODAY contributed reporting.
Max Garland covers FedEx, logistics and health care for The Commercial Appeal. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.org or 901-529-2651 and on Twitter @MaxGarlandTypes.


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Square One Shopping Centre retains Veritas Communications
Mississauga-based Square One Shopping Centre has hired Veritas Communications of Toronto as its public relations agency of record. The agency will work to support the mall's $320 million renovation project, which will be revealed in the fall. "As we begin revealing our most dramatic renovation to date, we are delighted to be partnering with Veritas who will help us go new places from an influencer marketing standpoint," said Elena Price, marketing director at Square One. "Their experience, creativity and dedicated leadership in helping to launch and elevate retail brands through activation of key influencers and brand ambassadors will be key ingredients as we take Square One to newer heights." Square One is managed by Oxford Properties Group.

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2007 PS3 game Warhawk, one of the real pioneers of modern multiplayer console gaming, sadly lost its PlayStation Network support a couple of years ago. Well, it lost its official support; thanks to the hard work of some fans, it’s now back online.
As PlayStation users across the world wonder whether they’ll ever get to change their names from (or to) xx_gokusephiroth420_xx, the option now seems closer than ever. Developers of multiplayer games tell Kotaku that they’re preparing for PlayStation Network name changes to finally come soon.
For the third time in a fortnight and just ahead of Sony’s move to increase prices for PlayStation Plus in the United States, the PlayStation Network has gone down — again.


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EU exit is impacting business and investment
Economy Secretary urges businesses to prepare now.
Scotland’s Economy Secretary has warned that the UK’s departure from the European Union is already impacting on businesses and economic investment.
Derek Mackay said many small and medium sized businesses remained unprepared to deal with the consequences of Brexit and urged all businesses to engage with the Prepare for Brexit campaign, which offers practical business support and access to grants.
Addressing leading industry experts at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner, he warned that Scotland’s continued economic growth and record low unemployment was now at risk as a result of Brexit. Mr Mackay said that heightened uncertainty could push the Scottish economy into a deep recession, similar in scale to the financial crash of 2008.
Mr Mackay said:
“Scotland’s economic growth is higher than in the rest of the UK. Our GDP grew by 1.5% in the year to September 2018 – compared to 1.1% in the UK and our unemployment rate fell to 3.6% - the lowest on record. Significantly, Scotland’s productivity growth has been higher than any other country or region of the UK – including London – between 2006 and 2017.
“This progress is under threat as a result of Brexit which is the biggest and most immediate economic challenge we face. Analysis published by Scotland’s Chief Economic Adviser shows that the scale of likely damage to the economy as a result of A ‘No Deal’ Brexit is profound, leading to a potential shrinking of our economy by up to 7%, a drop in exports by up to 20% and reduced business investment in Scotland by £1 billion in 2019.
“Last year we launched Prepare for Brexit, a multi-agency campaign aimed at creating a sense of urgency around preparing for Brexit, to raise awareness among businesses and translate that into action.
“This is practical business support available through Scottish Enterprise’s website, offering readiness self-assessment tools and expert advice as well as access to learning and networking events, and grants for consultancy support.
“Latest figures suggest 27,000 unique visitors have already accessed the site, but we know the campaign can help many more businesses to take steps to enhance resilience despite the uncertainty ahead.
“We will continue to call on the UK Government to immediately rule out the possibility of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit and extend the Article 50 process. As a responsible government we are also continuing - and indeed intensifying - our work to prepare for all outcomes as best we can. However, whilst we will do everything possible to prepare, we will not be able to mitigate all of the impacts of the UK Government’s approach.”
Mr Mackay also announced that Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce has become the 600th organisation to sign up to the Scottish Business Pledge.
“The Scottish Government will take forward changes to make the Business Pledge more dynamic and more impactful. We will introduce a business-led leadership group to put business in the driving seat of promoting the values and benefits of adopting the best practices that boost productivity and competitiveness.
“I’m pleased to recognise Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce as the 600th business to make their commitment to these shared values and ambition. A warm welcome to the network and great role model for others once again.”
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Keno sales up; game developer for lottery hits jackpot
By Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch
Tuesday May 8, 2012 5:08 AM
Increased Keno sales in Ohio are creating a hefty payday for the Georgia company that developed a popular feature of the game. The state is giving Scientific Games International a 60 percent pay bump for the use of its Keno multiplier feature known as the “Booster” option, after sales of the game jumped more than 30 percent this year. The additional payments total $245,000 this year and $500,000 in fiscal year 2013, which starts July 1, under a revised contract approved yesterday by the state Controlling Board, a spending oversight panel.
READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/08/keno-sales-up-game-developer-hits-jackpot.html


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B&Q’s struggles in the kitchen were thrown into relief last week as its poor results contrasted with Wren Kitchen’s continued rapid growth.
The DIY specialist is attracting fewer shoppers and it must focus on design if it is to stem the exodus.
B&Q continued to lose ground to the kitchen market leader Wren in 2018 as the termination of its Homefit installation service had a marked impact on performance. Interior product like-for-like sales sunk 4.4% and a third of B&Q’s 3% decline in overall FY 2018/19 like-for-likes attributable to discontinuing HomeFit.
Fewer consumers considered B&Q for kitchens in 2018, with GlobalData survey results showing year-on-year declines in each quarter.
There were winners in kitchens in 2018 however, with Wren the most notable, as it maintained its near gravity-defying growth. Store expansion and its continued aggressive marketing showing its strengths over its competitors supported a 20.7% sales increase.
Magnet and IKEA also gained market share whilst trade remains buoyant, exemplified by sales at Howdens rising by 7.7% in its FY 2018, as it opened more depots. It also continues to benefit from consumers wanting the greater convenience of having tradesmen install their kitchen for them. The market has undoubtedly been challenging, but its rivals’ sales growth indicates that B&Q’s struggles are mainly due to its own strategy.
Design should be the focus of B&Q’s future strategy in kitchens, as the GlobalData survey findings showed that achieving a new look has been the main purchase motivator in kitchens since Q2 2018.
Competitors have strengthened their design credentials, as Wren launched Spectrum – a service that designs a kitchen around a customer’s colour sample – and Magnet has recently introduced its Create range, which includes 20 bespoke colours.
With GlobalData survey data showing that B&Q ranked poorly for its fashionability relative to other leading furniture retailers in 2018, improving in this area is essential.
Reviewing its ranges and incorporating existing online features will help B&Q improve. While Wren and Magnet have recently refreshed their ranges, B&Q has offered the same ranges since early 2018, but with fewer colour options. Incorporating greater variety runs counter to the ONE Kingfisher strategy of standardising ranges across fascias but, to keep up with its competitors, B&Q should consider exempting kitchens from this strategy.
Offering more online design inspiration, by repeating last year’s Kitchens Trends report and extending the online bathroom planner function to its kitchen ranges, would also help drive footfall into its stores. With the competition in the kitchen market intensifying, B&Q must prioritise enhancing its kitchen offer or risk falling further behind.


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All motorway services to have super-fast EV charging points within 3 years
The ambitious roll-out was announced as part of the Government’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by improving infrastructure on England’s major roads.
Under the plan, 2,500 new ultra-rapid chargers with outputs between 150kW and 350kW will be installed along motorways and A roads by 2030 as part of a previously announced £500 million investment in charging infrastructure.
At the moment there are 809 open-access rapid (50kW) along England’s motorway and A road network, with an average of two rapid chargers at each motorway service station. The new plan would see this increase to at least six ultra-fast points at each site by 2023, with larger facilities having up to 12.
Range anxiety and concerns over charging availability away from home are often cited as concerns about switching to an EV and the Government hopes that by rapidly increasing the number and power of charging stations it will help encourage more drivers to make the switch.
It says it expects the 2023 target to be sufficient to meet demand from drivers by that point but plants to have around 6,000 ultra-rapid chargers in place by 2035 - the proposed date for the banning of all new petrol and diesel vehicles.
Ultra-rapid chargers can charge vehicles at up to three times the speed of standard 50kW rapid chargers, meaning the new units should be able to add between 125 and 145 miles of range in 15 minutes.
However, very few current EVs can take full advantage of the ultra-rapid provision. While most can use ultra-fast units to charge at up to 50kW, only a few, such as the Audi e-tron are capable of receiving a 150kW charge.
The planned roll-out should make it simpler for drivers of any EV to charge at any station. Currently, not all charge points support all electric vehicles but under the plans, all new chargers will have to support all types of EVs and connectors.
They will also have to be open-access, ie. not tied to a single make like Tesla’s Supercharger network, and accept credit or debit card payment rather than using a subscription service as many currently do. The plan also calls for clear pricing in pence per kWh at all charging points.


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Taking a line from Beyoncé, Rolling Stone tagged its latest cover girl, Rihanna, as being "crazy in love." That may be because for one of the first times ever — aside from her revealing sit down with talk show queen Oprah Winfrey –
While Rihanna's Calvin Klein slip dress at GQ Magazine's Men of the Year Party was simple and chic, she was still red hot. The 24-year-old "Diamonds" singer covered the pub's November 2012 issue, being dubbed "Obsession of the Year" in,
Uniqlo can see into the future... well, sort of. The Japanese retailer's San Francisco store has a "magic mirror" that apparently lets you see what an item will look like on you in different colors, without having to try them all on.
With the world in Skyfall suspense, it's no surprise that brands are capitalizing off the latest James Bond flick. That's a good thing when it comes to our nails, girls. OPI is releasing a holiday collection inspired by the thriller with
F ashion icon, Daphne Guinness' pipes will be featured in a short by Joseph Lally at the A Shaded View on Fashion Film Festival in Paris. One of her songs is part of the film's soundtrack, which will debut her birthday, November 10th.
Welcome to Erin Fetherston's daydream. The Bay Area native-cum-CFDA inductee is giving you a chance to shop her vintage-inspired wardrobe on e-commerce site Wasteland. "The Daydreamer" collection includes 60 unique pieces — including a


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In a similar fashion to thousands of other businesses across the Miami Valley, the Decoy Art Center in Beavercreek is closing its doors to the public to avoid furthering the spread of the coronavirus. On March 19, the art center closed to the public, but presented its loyal customers with a new way to create art from the comfort of their homes.
The center is selling pottery and canvas to-go kits on its website for those stuck at home and in need of an artistic distraction. The kits start at $6 for a mini canvas, $10 for acrylic on pottery and $20 for glaze on pottery. There are a number of unique designs to choose from (many that children will also adore) and are available for purchase by visiting decoy-art.com.
Each kit includes paint and a plastic brush. Unless noted otherwise, the kit includes yellow, red, blue, white and black paint colors. Synthetic bristle brushes are also available for purchase with the kits. Some projects are suggested to be fired. For those who are less artistically-inclined but still want to give this unique project a try, these kits come with helpful and detailed notes.
After purchasing your kit from the Decoy Art Center’s website, you’ll have the opportunity to pick up the kit anytime from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the art center, located at 3491 Dayton-Xenia Rd. in Beavercreek.
All events at the Decoy Art Center through March 31 are being rescheduled, though the studio is still booking classes and camps beyond mid-April. Members of the Clay Lab may access the lab on Friday, March 20, until 9 p.m. After that, the lab will remain closed for the unforeseeable future. In the meantime, the studio promises to unveil new and exciting at-home art projects. Be sure to follow the Decoy Art Center on Facebook to keep up with any new developments.


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ROOFLIFTERS Earns Green Provider Award
Food Logistics Announces its 2013 Top Green Providers
Fort Atkinson, WI — June 17, 2013 — Food Logistics, the only publication dedicated exclusively to the food and beverage supply chain, today announced the companies included on this year’s Top Green Providers list. The Top Green Providers focuses on sustainability in the global food supply chain with profiles of companies who are exceeding industry standards in their sector. This year’s list includes food producers and manufacturers, 3PLs and transportation and logistics providers, equipment manufacturers, and others whose products and services are driving sustainability from farm to fork. “Food producers and manufacturers have a longstanding and unique relationship to sustainability and environmental conservation considering their dependence on water resources and arable land,” noted Lara L. Sowinski, editor-in-chief for Food Logistics. “In recent years, sustainability has also become critical to other players in the global food supply chain, particularly transportation and logistics providers, equipment manufacturers, software and technology companies, and others who recognize that incorporating sustainable practices leads to more efficient, ethical, and profitable organizations.” Companies on this year’s Top Green Providers list are profiled in the June 2013 issue of Food Logistics, as well as online at www.foodlogistics.com.
About Food Logistics
Food Logistics is published by Cygnus Business Media, a leading diversified business-to-business media company. The publication serves the information needs of executives involved in various aspects of the global food and beverage supply chain. Through our print and online products, we provide news, trends, and best practices that help more than 24,000+ grocery and foodservice suppliers, distributors, and retailers make better business decisions. Visit us online at www.foodlogistics.com.


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Samsung stops selling giant Odyssey G9 gaming monitor due to manufacturing defect
Some Reddit users have complained about the unavailability of the new Samsung Odyssey G9 Ultra Wide 49-inch Curved Gaming Monitor. Recall that for the Russian market, the manufacturer rated this model at 109,990 rubles. Some Western retailers announced a delay in the delivery of new items, others completely suspended its implementation. As it turned out, the reason for this is a manufacturing defect.
One of the Reddit users said that he had ordered a monitor at one of the stores of the American Microcenter retail network, but he would receive a letter from the retailer informing that Samsung informed the store about the potential production problem and recommends to suspend sales for now. In the comments of the branch, other users noted that the sale of the monitor was also suspended in other US stores.
A similar situation is observed in many Australian and European stores. According to the German resource ComputerBase, the monitor is currently not available in Germany. However, it can still be ordered. Samsung itself, it seems, does not want to openly admit the problem. Her social platforms are silent about the problem that has arisen and the resulting delay in deliveries.
However, ComputerBase was still able to get a comment from Samsung representatives. They said that all Odyssey G9 monitors that have already been ordered but have not yet been handed over to end-users should be subjected to additional quality checks, and delays in deliveries are expected. “To ensure optimal performance for Samsung Odyssey G9 monitors, Samsung has improved the manufacturing process for assembling them. All buyers ordered the monitors, which have not yet been delivered, starting from July 15, will undergo new quality control, which may affect the delay of delivery “ – said in a statement the company.
The company does not indicate any specific defects in the monitor. However, some Odyssey G9 users report having encountered a malfunctioning NVIDIA G-Sync technology, while others have noted problems with the backlight. But, apparently, the main reason is a more serious manufacturing defect.
It looks like the main reason Samsung has decided to resort to the ” new quality check” is the peel – off-panel at the top of the monitor. Many users publish photos in which this monitor defect is clearly visible. At the same time, some owners report slight delamination of the matrix, while others complain that more than 10 cm of the panel has already peeled off from the monitor case.
As a reminder, the Odyssey G9 is the world’s first QHD gaming monitor with Nvidia G-Sync support and 1000R curvature. It is based on a 49-inch QLED panel with a resolution of 5120 × 1440, a refresh rate of 240 Hz, and a response time of 1 ms.


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The bright side is that as of today RadioShack. Does Radioshack Carry Car Stereo… has actually formally been purchased by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), providing the struggling business a brand-new lease on life. The disadvantage, a minimum of for folks like us, is that there are no instant plans to return the iconic electronic devices merchant to its brick-and-mortar roots. As the name indicates, REV specializes in online retail, having actually previously revamped the Web presence of other insolvent businesses such as Pier 1 Imports and Dressbarn.
While journalism release doesn’t straight-out prevent the possibility of brand-new physical RadioShack places, it’s clear that REV believes the future of retail isn’t to be found in your regional shopping center. As the United States mulls even more lockdowns in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hard to disagree. There will be countless bored kids and grownups searching for something to do during the long winter nights, and an electronic kit or 2 delivered to their door might be just the important things.
REV says they plan to relaunch the rather dated RadioShack website in the nick of time for the company’s 100th anniversary in 2021. Since this composing the site currently says that sales have actually been temporarily halted to allow for stock restructuring, though it’s unclear if this is straight related to the buyout or not. Getting a precise count of how much product the company still has on hand after shuttering most of their physical locations in 2017 certainly seems like something the brand-new owners would want to do.
We all know how that story ended.
RadioShack’s shambling remains were provided another shock of life today when they were acquired by another company that plans to relaunch the once-great retailer as an online-focused brand name.
The shop’s remains were acquired by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a startup founded in 2019 that’s been scooping up brands from other faded retail giants as well, consisting of Pier 1, Modell’s Sporting Product, Dressbarn, and more. REV states RadioShack’s website already has “strong existing sales and sales potential,” and the business is “confident” it can further raise awareness of the brand internationally.
REV declares it’s successfully reversed other business it’s released as online brands. The Wall Street Journal reported that Dressbarn more than doubled its earnings in between the 2nd and very first quarter of 2020.
RadioShack was founded in 1921 and became a retail staple in the ’80s and ’90s for anyone looking to get tech basics. For a long time, that indicated actual radio parts, however wound up consisting of great deals of electronic toys (one Edge editor fondly remembers his Armatron) and eventually phones. Its fortunes declined vastly as online shopping showed up, and the company applied for insolvency twice in the past five years. RadioShack still accredits its name to third-party “licensed” stores and sells top quality products within some locations of HobbyTown, a crafts retailer– similar to how you can still find “Sharper Image” items at Kohl’s even though that retailer shut its physical doors over a decade earlier. REV didn’t say whether those RadioShack licenses would remain. Does Radioshack Carry Car Stereo
REV says it will “quickly relaunch” RadioShack’s site. For those of you still sticking on to fond memories of the shop, there’ll be a familiar sufficient place to go when you want to buy costly HDMI cable televisions and knockoff earphones.


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The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) says it will cost less than $6 to feed the average Wisconsin July 4 picnicker this year.
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation members checked the cost of 13 food items such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, and corn chips. They found that the expense of feeding 10 people at a picnic came out to about $5.60 for each person – 13 cents cheaper than the national average.
But, some food prices are a few cents higher than usual for this time of year. Spokesman Casey Langan says meat prices are up because of last year’s drought.
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“The national cattle herd is at record low, numbers we haven’t seen since the 1950s,” says Langan. “As a result, food prices, especially meat prices, have gone up.”
WFBF’s Fourth of July Market Basket survey was conducted in 28 communities.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.


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The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has updated the Canadian Patents Database, adding a more user-friendly interface and access to an expanded library of documents
The service will provide free, customized email alerts when U.S. patent applications are published with links to the applications
When Apotex withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada relating to its Plavix drug on Oct. 30, the high court lost a glorious opportunity to weigh in on the doctrine of utility, one of the most controversial concepts in patent law these days
Intellectual property boutique Smart & Biggar says that the Patent Prosecution Highway continues as a "phenomenal success" in Canada.
Patent pledges by Tesla Motors Inc ( NASDAQ: TSLA ) CEO Elon Musk have yet to be tested in court, so they should be approached carefully, say Borden Ladner Gervais lawyers
Generic drug companies are beyond the jurisdiction of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, the Federal Court has ruled in twin cases involving generic drug makers Ratiopharm (now Teva Canada) and Sandoz
A ruling in favour of Wi-LAN Inc. in its CDMA/WiFi patent case against Apple Inc. may not do much for the stock, but at least one analyst thinks it increases the company's attractiveness to a buyer
Even with the latest improvements in China's patent-protection regime, risk of IP compromise remains high -- as does the risk of getting sued by Chinese firms.
Comment: Google ( NASDAQ: GOOG ) gave handset making its best, halfhearted try. It takes the patent cache more seriously. That part of the Motorola deal might not have outlived its usefulness yet
Apple Inc does not use patented technology owned by Google unit Motorola Mobility in making its iPhones, an appeals court said on Friday
If they haven't posted huge losses this week, as many have, energy companies are busy preparing for a new Alberta corporate tax increase. The Financial Post's Geoffrey Morgan reports
Other stores offer better deals on items like DVDs, diapers and designer clothing than Costco, but you can't beat the famously cheap hot dog and pop at its food court
Diane Francis: The Oct. 19 election is Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s to lose, but he won’t for a number of reasons
Purpose Investment's Som Seif says there is no driving force for future commodity price appreciation
In a recent interview, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano talks about why executives must 'earn their right to have an opinion' and how 'a cultural shift requires resilience and positivism'


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FIRE chiefs are delivering safety advice to businesses in support of a national campaign in a bid to reduce the number of fire incidents and false alarms in the workplace.
Business Safety Week, which is running this week ( September 9 – 15), is an opportunity to provide businesses with vital safety advice to help keep their businesses and buildings safe.
The week also encourages all businesses to double check they have taken the steps required by law to protect their business and employees from fire. Advice will be given on preventing arson attacks, and if needed fire safety advice for premises with sleeping accommodation.
Lee Shears, Head of Protection at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “National initiatives such as Business Safety Week give us the opportunity to make small and medium sized businesses aware of their fire safety responsibilities. It is also a chance to inform businesses of the help and advice that is available all year round to support them.
“As part of the campaign the Service’s dedicated Business Safety Team will be out and about delivering fire safety advice and support to local businesses. September presents the ideal time, recognising the increased fire risks from additional stock and unfamiliar temporary seasonal staff over the upcoming Christmas period.
“Fires can have a devastating effect on businesses and 80% of companies who do not recover in a month after, are likely to go out of business. But fires can be avoided if they adhere to safety advice and procedures. We want to equip businesses in Cheshire with the vital knowledge to keep them safe.”
For more information on business safety visit the website www.cheshirefire.gov.uk.


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Ram Trucks Looking to Enter a New Segment
Ram Trucks has indicated it wants in on the midsize pickup segment, and apparently the truck maker might be sifting through the old archives for a familiar name. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ram’s parent company, recently filed a trademark for “Dakota,” according to users on Dakota forums. If rumors are to be believed, this could be the nameplate that finds itself on Ram’s long-rumored midsize pickup. The segment has not seen a Dakota model since it was phased out in 2011 when Dodge and Ram finalized their respective transitions as stand-alone brands.
Automakers routinely file trademarks that they don’t want to pass up to their competitors, and it’s important to note Mopar continues to offer accessories for the old Dodge Dakota, so the name has remained active all these years. While this could very well be a simple trademark renewal, it could also indicate that there’s something bigger in Ram’s future. Ram didn’t comment on the trademark filing as it’s customary to avoid commenting on current production and rumors.
Previous reports pointed to a new Ram pickup arriving by 2022, one which could share a lot with the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Although both models might share platforms among other things, the upcoming Ram pickup will not encroach on the Gladiator since Jeep is devoted to pushing it as an off-road machine. Ram is poised to court a separate customer base with its various bed and cab configurations offered. For now, the Jeep Gladiator remains a crew-cab only machine. Those looking for a smaller pickup from FCA could turn to the Ram as a less expensive choice.
The truck wars will rage on should Ram jump into the segment. Chevrolet and Ford continue to sell their Colorado and Ranger models, while foreign rival Nisan also has a new Frontier pickup on the way. Toyota also continues to offer the Tacoma model as well. Americans love their trucks, and a new option is sure to be welcomed by the public. If Ram knows what’s good for business, the truck maker will go above and beyond to even include a 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 engine in the midsize truck. Here’s hoping!
Visit us at University Dodge to get familiar with the current Ram Trucks lineup. Check out our all-new Ram 1500 inventory, or if you’re looking for something more appropriate for a fleet, check out the affordable Ram 1500 Classic instead, and schedule your test drive today! Follow University Dodge on social media to stay up to date with the latest Ram news.


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- The dollar and yen fell on Monday as risk appetite improved on more signs the global economy is stabilizing. US stocks rose, driving the S&P 500 index by 26.83 points to 909.71. Indian stock prices surged, following Congress election landslide win, as hopes of more free-market reforms in India improved investor sentiment. US homebuilder confidence rose to an 8-month high in May. The euro recovered after successfully testing the important 1.34 support. Sterling rose on a Rightmove report that UK home prices rose for a fourth straight month. The Canadian and Australian dollars advanced on rising equity markets, higher commodity prices, and an IMF forecast of a global economic recovery in 2010.
- The USD/JPY rose from its lowest level since March 20 on improved risk sentiment and verbal intervention threats from Japanâ€™s Vice Finance Minister Kazuyuki Sugimoto. â€œExcessive moves in currencies are undesirable as they would have a negative effect on the Japanese economy,â€ Sugimoto said, adding that â€œweâ€™ll continue to monitor currency markets.â€ The pair found support at the neckline from the head-and-shoulder formation today. If this support is broken, the pair may fall to the 90 area and probably lead to Japanese intervention as it would squeeze Japanese exportersâ€™ profits even more.
Financial and Economic News and Comments
US & Canada
- The NAHB/Wells Fargo US builder confidence index improved to 16 in May, as forecast, from 14 in April, according to data from the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo, indicating May US homebuilder confidence climbed to the highest level since September 2008 but most homebuilders still viewed conditions as poor with the May reading below 50. The current single-family home sales index increased to 14 in May from 12 in April. The buyer traffic index held steady at 13. The sales expectations index for single-family homes over the next six months rose to 27 from 24.
- The eurozone non-seasonally adjusted trade balance unexpectedly posted a â‚¬0.4 billion ($539.6 million) surplus in March, the largest surplus since April 2008, after a revised â‚¬1.0 billion deficit in February, while the seasonally adjusted trade deficit narrowed to â‚¬2.1 billion from Februaryâ€™s â‚¬2.9 billion, data from Eurostat showed. Seasonally adjusted exports rose for a second straight month in March, rising 1.4% m/m to â‚¬104.98 billion, while imports posted the first month-to-month increase since September 2008, increasing 0.6% m/m to â‚¬107.03 billion.
- UK house prices rose 2.4% m/m to Â£227,441 ($347,000) in May, the largest rise since February 2008, after a 1.8% m/m advance in April, Rightmove Plc reported. The pace of year-on-year house-price declines eased in May with a 6.2% y/y fall, following Aprilâ€™s 7.3% y/y drop.
- Japanâ€™s consumer confidence improved more than anticipated in April, with the Japanese consumer confidence index rising to 33.2 from Marchâ€™s 29.6, data from the Cabinet Office showed. Excluding one-person households, April consumer confidence rose to 32.4 from Marchâ€™s 28.9.
- Japanâ€™s nationwide department store sales fell 11.3% y/y in April after a 13.1% y/y fall in March, while Tokyo department store sales dropped 11.9% y/y following Marchâ€™s 12.9% y/y decrease, the Japan Department Store Association reported.
FX Strategy Update


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As the cost of living continues to rise and more and more people are looking for ways to lower their expenses, Australia’s Aspera Mobile has celebrated its 10-year anniversary by launching a new range of low cost, full featured phones. The first smartphone to be launched in the new range is the unlocked 4G AS5 which at just $99 includes face recognition, a 5-inch display and a removable 2000mAh battery.
The 4G AS5’s main features include:
- Face recognition
- Octa-Core 1.6GHz CPU
- 2GB RAM + 32GB ROM plus up to 1GB additional virtual RAM allocated from unused ROM
- 5-inch FWVGA display
- 4G connectivity with VoLTE data calls improving voice quality
- 5MP rear and 5MP front camera
- 2000m Li-Ion removable battery
- Micro USB, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity
- Dual 4G SIM slots
- Android 13 (Go edition)
- 4G bands – 1/3/5/7/8/28a+b, 3G bands – 850/900/2100Mhz
- 146.5mm*74mm*9.9mm in size
Aspera Mobile MD Allan Robertson explained, “We were delighted to celebrate our tenth year as a fully Australian owned and operated business this year. To mark the occasion we are launching our new range of phones starting with the AS5 4G smartphone for just $99. For the AS5 we are offering many of the features that are included on higher priced smartphones and thus by definition redefining what is possible at this price point. For example, the AS5 offers a 1.6GHz Octa-core processor, 2GB RAM plus 1GB virtual RAM and face recognition, which we believe is the first time this combination of features have been offered in Australia in an unlocked smartphone under $100. You will pay significantly more to see all of these features in other phones.”
Aspera has always tried to offer the best value for money in all of their phones. During Covid-19, the company saw increasing supply chain and logistics costs with the $99 price point for smartphones all but disappearing as a result. More recently, as these cost pressures eased, the company is now once again able to offer Australian consumers a highly featured smartphone for just $99.
Robertson continued, “The AS5 and the other phones we will launch this year set us apart from our competitors. The AS5 is a compact, well featured but lower cost smartphone aimed squarely at the younger audience, the budget conscious and indeed anyone who wants the power and versatility of a smartphone at a fraction of the cost of what you will pay from many other manufacturers. It has a quality feel, two good cameras and many other features which make it terrific value at just $99.”
The AS5 also brings more smarts to its memory use with its clever Octa-Core CPU and ability to re-assign any available ROM to create an additional 1GB of virtual RAM and help the OS and apps launch and run faster and more efficiently.
Robertson continued, “The AS5 is one of six new Australian designed models set to release in 2023. Our customer support centre is also based in Australia and as a result of our continued commitment to the Australian market, I’m delighted to say we recently notched up over one million phones sold and we have also continued to export products to the wider Oceanic region.”
Having made it through the many challenges presented by Covid-19 and now experiencing a robust and rapid expansion, Aspera’s new AS5 forms part of a wide range of products from the company which includes over 60 different models of featured, smart and rugged phones brought to market to date.
Allan Robertson concluded, “We are very proud of our 10 years of manufacturing good quality, reliable and low-cost phones. The AS5 very much embodies Aspera Mobile’s value for money ethos by delivering customers a lot of functionality and performance blended with good design and without the premium price tag. The AS5 essentially redefines Aspera’s value proposition at the entry level and also appeals to retailers who know their budget conscious customers want to stay well connected and have a great experience on their smartphone.”
The new Aspera Mobile AS5 4G smartphone is available now and can be purchased for just $99 at retailers including Big W, Ritchies IGA, Seasons IGA, Freedom Fuels, Trinity Petroleum, Mobiciti and Personal Digital.
For more information on the new 4G AS5 go to: https://asperamobile.com/phones/smart-phones/aspera-as5/


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Someone in Oregon has seriously padded their stash after a cannabis company in Portland reported its warehouse and distribution centre was the focus of a US$1 million cannabis caper.
It may be legal, but it's not protected: pot plant thefts growing
Vermont police investigating theft of legal pot plants
New York farmer Dale Weed (seriously) just wants thieves to stop stealing his hemp
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The Shadow Box Farms was the target of a break-and-enter during the week of Halloween, according to company president Tim Winner. “They did a two-day operation,” Winner told FOX 12. “They cut through the bars, dropped a ladder and went to town,” Winner said.
The hash-y heist was executed by thieves who broke inside the warehouse via a skylight and then hacked through steel bars to enter the storage area, at which point they then entered the building.
“They knew what they were doing,” Winner said. “They were pros.”
The robbery, which was caught on surveillance video , was carried out by at least three perpetrators. The video shows one man descending a ladder and then stacking boxes on top of one another and looking right into the lens of a camera before disabling it.
Cameras captured two others passing stolen product up the ladder and through the skylight to the roof. In all, about 423 pounds of dried flower was stolen in 10-lb. bags from the warehouse, with each bag being worth an estimated $10,000.
Winner said that the hardest loss was a cooler that was packed full of jars of cannabis oil, with each jar valued at about $3,000. “It’s so valuable because of the amount of product it takes to make it,” he said, estimating the total loss from the theft at about US$1 million, and adding that the crime has taken a toll on company morale and staff’s sense of safety.
The worst part? The product that had been stolen was part of the company’s first 2019 harvest and was already spoken for.
“We had it all pre-sold, so that was bad,” Winner reported, adding that he suspects the stolen weed was diverted for sale on the illicit market.
“I’m sure that it’s been taken over to the East Coast and probably, I’m sure, they’ve liquidated it,” Winner said.
Shadow Box is issuing a reward to anyone who provides the company or police with information leading to an arrest. Portland police continue to investigate.
Winner is yet unsure if his insurance will cover the loss.
Want to keep up to date on what’s happening in the world of cannabis? Subscribe to the Cannabis Post newsletter for weekly insights into the industry, what insiders will be talking about and content from across the Postmedia Network.


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Disney Channels president Rich Ross named studio chair
The announcement puts Ross in charge of worldwide production, distribution, and marketing for all of the entertainment giant's film labels, including
His appointment takes effect immediately and follows Cook's resignation three weeks ago.
Disney's studio revenue has fallen in each of the last five quarters, sinking from $1.82 billion in the March quarter of 2008 to $1.26 billion in the quarter ended in June this year. The studio also posted a $12 million operating loss in the June quarter, down from a $97 million operating profit last year.
After blaming a consistent decline in the sales of DVDs, in May CEO Robert Iger called the studio out for having a weak slate. Among its recent misses have been the high-priced
The company has restructured its studio business significantly this year.
On Friday, Disney said it was trimming the annual production of its Miramax label to about three films from six to eight, while cutting 50 jobs and leaving 20 to staff the unit, mainly in
Disney agreed in February to distribute about six live-action films from
In August, Disney said it would buy
In a statement, Iger noted Ross' consistent successes across technology platforms, as well as "his astute marketing sensibility, his proven ability in working effectively with talent and his skill at navigating complex global markets."
Under Ross' tenure, the Disney Channel has launched some of the company's biggest franchises, from
Ross joined Disney in 1996 as a senior vice president of programming and production at Disney Channel, and was named the channel's president in April 2004. Prior to that, he helped launch FX Networks and from 1986 to 1993 he held senior positions at


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INDONESIA: Rubber price drops as coronavirus outbreak disrupts exports to China
Producers are beginning to feel the pinch as the price of rubber, a key Indonesian export commodity, has dropped sharply in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The price of rubber fell from IDR 9,200 to IDR 7,200 per kilogram over the past few weeks as the virus affects trade between Indonesia and China.
Qolbi, one of many farmers in Prabumulih of South Sumatra who depend on rubber for their livelihood, said the price drop had started to hinder his ability to meet daily needs. With rubber being the region’s main product, he said he had no alternative source of income to rely on. “The price has dropped in these last two weeks,” he said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Prabumulih Agriculture Agency head Syamsurizal said the rubber price drop was driven by China’s coronavirus outbreak, which he said affected both imports and exports. “Rubber exports to China are [reduced],” Syamsurizal said. He declined to predict how long the situation might last, saying only that he hoped the outbreak would soon end, so that the rubber price could get back to “normal”, with any price below IDR 10,000 per kg considered abnormal.
Previously, the head of the plantation product processing and marketing division at the South Sumatra Agriculture Agency, Rudi Arpian, noted that China was the dominant buyer of rubber in the world. “Nearly 40 percent of this rubber output goes to China. Thus, because [demand] is now declining due to the virus, it is difficult for factories to market their rubber,” said Rudi as quoted by tribunnews.com. Rudi added that the rubber price drop would impacts plantation workers in multiple ways, because lower rubber prices would result in lower labor fees. The coronavirus, which has killed hundreds of people in China and spread to more than 20 countries, has begun to take a toll not only on Indonesia’s tourist industry but also on commodity exports.
Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) chairman Hariyadi Sukamdani said on Monday (3 February 2020) that palm oil was also among the commodities affected, as the virus outbreak had caused a delay in shipments of the commodity to China, one of the major buyers of Indonesia’s palm oil. “From us to them, it is mostly commodities, such as crude palm oil and minerals. These exports have been affected,” said Hariyadi. “Meanwhile, our imports from China, most of which are manufactured products and household goods, have all slowed.” He added that businesses were looking at other markets to replace China, but that was challenging, as the economic superpower offered competitive prices.
Source: Daily “The Jakarta Post”, Jakarta; 5 Feb 2020
(Syed Rashid Ali, Karachi, Pakistan)


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A key part of Pektron’s long term business strategy is on-going investment.
We consistently re-invest profits in our facilities, technology and people. This enables us to grow and compete in global markets.
Following the recent completion of a new Technology Centre on Alfreton Road, Pektron has now received planning approval for the construction on a new advanced manufacturing facility at its site […]
Consistent re-investment in manufacturing facilities is key to maintaining the high levels of quality demanded for the innovative electronics designed, developed and manufactured at Pektron. Over £5m will be invested […]
Pektron’s new Technology Centre on Alftreton Road is now open for business. Plans for a grand opening are currently on hold given the current environment but the Pektron Engineering teams […]
Visitors and people local to Pektron’s Derby site will be aware of the impact of Pektron’s new technology centre, which is quickly taking shape following the completion of the steel […]
Construction has now officially started on Pektron’s brand new £5m Technical Centre that will showcase the electronics engineering teams, specialist testing bays, and very latest validation facilities. This major commitment […]
Pektron has been granted planning permission for a brand new technical centre on the site of its original manufacturing facility built on Alfreton Road, Derby in the 1970’s. At over […]
Pektron has undertaken the largest single capital investment in its history as a result of increased demand and the ongoing philosophy of ploughing profits back into the business. Following on […]
Production is now underway in Pektron’s new £1m injection moulding installation. The 550m2 state of the art facility is a showcase of the very latest in machine and factory technology […]
Pektron have made a further significant investment at their electronics Headquarters in Derby (UK) by purchasing a high performance X-Ray system for product inspection. Adding to the already extensive on-site […]


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Sugar miller Mumias has appointed consulting firm KPMG to carry out a forensic audit into allegations of illegal sugar imports by its top managers, which led to the suspension of chief executive Peter Kebati and commercial director Paul Murgor in March.
KPMG’s brief is to unearth claims of a syndicate involving executives of the miller who have been discreetly importing sugar into Kenya which they pack and sell as Mumias sugar.
Mr Kebati was sent on a two-month compulsory leave on March 30 by the Mumias board to pave the way for investigations into accusations of abetting shipment of cheap sugar from Sudan, which was later re-sold under the listed firm’s packaging.
“KPMG have already started the audit. The report will be out by the end of next month,” said a source at Mumias Sugar who sought anonymity, terming the matter as sensitive.
Mumias Sugar’s auditors are Deloitte & Touche. The allegations of corporate sabotage came after Mumias’ sales plunged by nearly a quarter to Sh11.9 billion in 2013 compared to Sh15.5 billion a year earlier, in what was linked to cheap sugar imports.
The firm made a full-year loss of Sh1.67 billion, with Mr Kebati blaming an influx of cheap imported sugar for hurting the company’s performance. It reported a loss of Sh73.4 million in the six months to December 2013.


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Statement by Jim Bair, President & CEO of U.S. Apple Association BB #:145473, December 22, 2022:
“This week the Senate will adjourn without finishing its work. The House twice passed bipartisan legislation to reform our broken agriculture labor system and the Senate failed to act. A good bill passed the House, and a better one was introduced in the Senate. To get right up to the finish line – but not cross it – is a bitter pill to swallow when the bill would have improved the ag workforce picture by every measure.
“The U.S. apple industry applauds the bipartisan efforts of Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and others for their efforts in the House. We also are thankful to Rep. Mike Crapo (R-ID) who worked for 18 months with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) to craft bipartisan legislation, but in the end could not garner the level of support needed to get it across the finish line. Senator Bennet continued those efforts and worked tirelessly, and we are proud to have worked with him and thank him for his leadership. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Apple growers across the country are now left to fend for themselves as input costs rise, export markets decline and the cost of labor will increase January 1, by as much as 12 percent.
“As a new Congress will soon be sworn in, we will not give up seeking these important reforms. We hope that they can find it in themselves to roll up their sleeves, get to work and find a solution. Apple growers do this every day. They are making tough decisions to determine if they can continue producing America’s favorite fruit for another year, or if what has been a livelihood for three, four or more generations stops with this one.”


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We already know that Samsung is planning to launch its upcoming Galaxy M51 in September. A few days ago, the device was spotted on the US’s FCC certification site which reaffirms the existence of the device.
Now the device with model number SM-M515F has cleared the NBTC certification of Thailand. As per some reports the device will be initially launched in India and later it will be available in other markets. Now the NBTC certification has confirmed that the device is heading to Thailand for sure.
As we have mentioned above, the device was spotted on FCC where some major specs were revealed. The FCC database has some screenshots of the device’s About Phone page also. The FCC documents confirm that the device will come with 25W (9V x 2.77A) charging support.
The Galaxy M51’s Geekbench test has revealed some of its key specs. As per the Geekbench listing, the device will come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 Chipset, 8GB of RAM, and Android 10 Os. Some other leaks suggest that the device will come with a 64MP primary camera and a 12 MP ultra-wide on the rear side. The device is rumoured to have a SuperAMOLED screen with a hole-punch to house the front camera.


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You'd better start bringing your 3D glasses to liquor stores now, as some items are going to be more appealing. Kraken Black Spiced Rum is taking liquor branding to a modernized level.
The new packaging design for Kraken Black Spiced Rum will definitely make the brand stand out in the shelves. The new labels feature a three-dimensional version of the octopus-adorned Kraken logo. This 3D label is the first for an alcoholic brand, and only time will tell if it will be a hit when it releases.


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Everyone must pay the billions needed to reach net zero in air
Cutting emissions from aviation will cost hundreds of billions of dollars – and companies and ...
CargoAi, airfreight’s fastest growing digital enabler, has launched a new feature to support its users with the paperless transition. Starting today, the 9000+ freight forwarders using CargoMART will be able to send FWB and FHL, once the booking is made, to 80+ airlines.
While IATA announced the industry goal of achieving 100% eAWB by the end of 2022, this was not yet fully achieved. CargoAi aims to bridge the gap between paper and digital AWBs by facilitating the messaging for small and medium sized freight forwarders.
David Rose, Chief Transformation Officer at IAG Cargo commented, “We fully support this move by CargoAi and hope to see wider customer adoption of eAWB – it is a vital step forward for the air cargo industry and offers a considerable advantage in driving operational efficiency and simplifying the process of document handling.
“At IAG Cargo, we are committed to achieving 100% eAWB adoption by the end of 2023. The Air Waybill is a core part of the cargo journey, and we absolutely see digitising this element of the journey as one of the many stepping stones in our ‘Destination Digital’ strategy,” added Rose.
The launch of the FWB/FHL feature also allows CargoMART users to send all information required for ISC2, to comply with the new European customs standards. The feature is available for all leading airlines available on CargoMART such as Qatar Airways Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, Turkish Airways Cargo and 80+ other airlines that have been directly integrated.
Reiterating the benefits of the eAWB for CargoMART users, Matt Petot, CEO of CargoAi says: “We are excited to launch this new feature to support our users, in addition to the many features already available on CargoMART. The eAWB, being digital, facilitates communication between all parties, ensuring the status of the shipment can be tracked within CargoMART itself, allowing for greater transparency and improved visibility of the shipment’s status. Of course, the eAWB eliminates the need for physical documents, not only reduces printing, handling, and storage costs, but also the waste and the carbon footprint of the industry.”
Matt Petot, CEO of CargoAi, adds that the feature is in line with the CargoTech mission to enable digital adoption in the industry to improve efficiencies in the procurement process. CargoTech is an investor in CargoAi and strategically aligned technology companies specialising in airfreight digitalisation.
Container freight rates: 'collapse' is the word, says Xeneta
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Cargo shifts back to US west coast ports, but some has gone for good
'Alarming signals' as airfreight capacity rises and rates fall
Digital forwarders back in the spotlight: can they compete?
Hapag-Lloyd kicks off its ship demolition programme
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New call for White House intervention as USWC port disruption continues
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'Keep 'em peeled' alert as drug smuggling into Europe's ports increases
Comment on this article


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The federal Treasury department and CSIRO's digital arm Data61 will team up to undertake a review into the potential of the blockchain distributed ledger technology for both the public and private sectors.
The pair's review will span the next nine months and will look at case studies of blockchain technology and how it could be applied in Australia, with an eye to productivity gains.
It will also consider the skills needed for Australia to become a global blockchain leader as well as any legislative and regulatory implications, like privacy.
The review is intended to result in practical use cases where blockchain technology can be tested in both government and industry.
Blockchain underpins Bitcoin and offers a transparent, distributed ledger to record financial and other transactions.
Banks especially are interested in the technology given its lower costs of operation for the verification of transactions, as well as its improved speed and security compared to legacy financial processes.
Data61's dedicated blockchain team, headed by Liming Zhu and Mark Staples, will lead the review with help from Data61 strategic foresight executive Stefan Hajkowicz.
Hajkowicz said there were already potential use cases for blockchain technology in "sharable registry information, verifiable supply chains and assessment of aggregate risk exposure in the financial services sector".
“In fact, there are also potential applications for this technology that extend well beyond the financial industry, and we are excited to explore, develop and apply the technology in both financial and non‑financial industry, in consultation with industry and government," he said in a statement.
“Deployment of such technology could be most promising in government delivery applications."
Once suitable proofs of concept have been agreed on, a trial will commence to demonstrate blockchain's impact on the particular use case.
Australian government and industry are currently exploring the potential for the technology underpinning the Bitcoin digital currency within their operations.
The Australian Securities Exchange has committed to base its new post-trade platforms on distributed ledger technology after making a minority investment in fintech firm Digital Asset.
Australia's banks are participating in the global R3-led initiative to trial ways blockchain technology can be used in financial markets, and are currently testing a system for trading fixed income.
And overseas, the British government plans to use blockchain as a platform to monitor and control state grants.


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Tata Group set to record highest growth in history : N Chandrasekaran
Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran claimed on 13 February that the Tata group is set to record the highest growth in its history and that its compounded annual growth is expected to be around 20% in 2022-23.
An overview of the news
Large capital expenditure (CapEx) plans have been drawn up through traditional and new businesses.
Traditional businesses will finance their own growth through internal accruals.
Tata group companies are registering strong growth across the board and are expected to clock a compounded annual growth of around 20% in 2022-23.
About Tata Sons
Tata Sons is the investment holding company of the Tata Group.
The Tata Group comprises more than 100 operating companies in seven business segments. These are communications and information technology (IT), engineering, materials, services, energy, consumer products and chemicals.
The group has operations in more than 100 countries on six continents, and its companies export products and services to 150 countries.
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BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese stocks closed lower on Friday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.04 percent, at 3,524.09 points.
The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.26 percent lower at 14,844.36 points
The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices stood at 1.13 trillion yuan (about 174.5 billion U.S. dollars), exceeding the one-trillion-yuan mark for the 7th consecutive trading day.
Shares related to rare earth led the gains, while liquor producers saw losses.
Official data showed Friday China's consumer inflation continued modest growth in June, and producer prices registered slower growth following efforts to stabilize prices of raw materials.
The consumer price index (CPI), one of the main gauges of inflation, rose 1.1 percent year on year in June, lower than the 1.3 percent year-on-year growth recorded in May.
The ChiNext Index, tracking China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, lost 0.69 percent to close at 3,409.31 points Friday. Enditem


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M&S reviews France business in light of post-Brexit customs rules
The retailer said it was taking "decisive steps" on its European operations - after earlier this year complaining of the "pointless and byzantine" way rules on exports from the UK into the bloc were being enforced.
Monday 13 September 2021 07:34, UK
Marks & Spencer has said it is reviewing its French business in the light of post-Brexit trade rules which have affected product availability in its EU stores.
The disclosure comes after the retailer complained earlier this year of the "pointless and byzantine" way the rules on exports into European countries were being enforced.
M&S operates about 20 stores in France with franchise partners SFH and Lagardere.
The retailer did not comment on a Mail on Sunday report that it is expected to close stores in France and may even stop selling its popular sandwiches and chilled food in the country altogether.
Earlier this year, the group restructured its Czech business, taking out fresh foods from stores and adding expanded ranges of longer life products.
A spokesperson said: "In light of the new customs arrangements we are taking decisive steps to reconfigure our European operations and have already made changes to food export into Czech Republic.
"We operate a franchise business in France and are currently undertaking a review of the model with our two partners in the market."
A week ago, the retailer warned of the impact on consumers of goods coming from Europe into the UK when a "grace period" on trade coming in from the continent expires - creating the danger of "disruption and delay".
Last month, M&S upgraded its profit outlook after a jump in demand for food and a surge in online clothes sales.


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While studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa in 2014, friends Charles Brain and Walker Brown fell in love with the tapestry, culture, and most importantly, its vino — an obsession that’s now led to booming wine sales across the DMV.
Following their graduation stateside in spring 2016, they decided to start a wine company, called Cape Venture Wine Co. and create their first label, dubbed Lubanzi (named after a wandering dog who led the two founders on a six-day, 100-mile hike across a remote part of South Africa).
The product is made in collaboration with two South African winemakers: Trizanne Barnard, an innovative female winemaker and Bruce Jack, a longtime South African wine legend.
“[Trizanne] is a wicked good surfer and one of the cooler people you will meet,” says Brown. “[Bruce] is an industry icon who’s been an amazing mentor.”
The now-stateside product — a 100-percent chenin blanc and a Rhone-style red blend — retails for $14.99 a bottle and can be purchased at the brand-new Cordial wine shop in the Wharf, as well as at other local stores and restaurants.
Sales of South African-sourced wine were up 13 percent in the first half of the year, but despite the surge of popularity, some farmers are having a hard time getting their wines into domestic mouths.
“We met this amazing community of people but felt they had little opportunity in the U.S. We thought we could be an engine for changing that,” says Brown, who calls the Bloomingdale neighborhood home.
The partners’ “locally run, globally minded” mantra has paid off. Sales officially launched in April 2017, and Lubanzi’s two imported wines are now in 15 markets.
“To go from zero to 15 states in six months feels like a real victory,” says Brown.
Their target demographic is millennials — a group that guzzled around 159.6 million cases of wine last year. That’s more than any other generation, Fortune noted.
Their goal is to connect consumers with those cultivating the grapes 10,000 miles away. Half of its profits go back to the Pebbles Project, an NGO that works with the low-income families who live and work on South Africa's wine farms.
The wine farm they’re working with is newly certified as Fair For Life, a stamp that falls under the same body as Fair Trade and enforces more stringent standards for labor practices.
“We are trying to build a forward-thinking, innovative, and socially responsible wine company,” says Brown.


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Kim Kardashian and Tyga support Kendall and Kylie Jenner. Kim was first spotted coming out of a building in NYC where she put up the peace sign for fans and paparazzi. Afterward, she showed up at an interview of Kendall and Kylie’s. The Jenners were dressed up, Kylie in all white while Kendall was in all black. Kim wore neutral colors. She spoke up and helped the girls out during the interview here and there. Later, Tyga came over and stood with Kim as well, joking with all the girls. Toward the end, Kylie and Kendall were taking a selfie with the interviewer and Kim pulled up her phone and held it over theirs. She had a built in selfie light around her phone to help give the selfie proper lighting. Lastly, the three sisters took a group picture.
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The famous slang “Netflix and chill” might be Netflix and, well, a little less chill for many subscribers.
Earlier this month, news broke out that the streaming giant is raising its prices again. The company is set to increase the cost of its subscription services for customers to anywhere between 13 percent to 18 percent. Aside from being the biggest price hike for Netflix since its inception, this increase is also the fourth time the company raised prices in 12 years—the last one was in 2017. Furthermore, this will be the first time a Netflix price hike will affect all 58 million of its U.S. customers, a number which the company reported last year.
How high will prices go?
According to the company, its most popular plan will see the largest rise, from just $11 to $13 per month. This option offers high-definition streaming on up to two different internet-connected devices at the same time. Per CNBC, the most basic plan will go up a dollar, bringing it from $8 to $9, while Netflix’s most premium plan (for ultra-high definition) will get an increase of $3, going up to $16 from $14.
Despite the price hike, however, the basic and most popular plan is still a few dollars cheaper than HBO’s $15 monthly subscription service.
For new subscribers, the new prices will immediately go into effect, while current customers will see prices gradually go up over the next three months. In addition, with the exception of Brazil and Mexico, Latin American customers that are billed in U.S. currency will also be affected.
Previously, the streaming giant continued to offer a basic $8-a-month service while it raised the prices of its premium plans. Said premium plans offer better video quality and the option to simultaneously watch on different devices. This time, all of their plans are affected by the change in subscription prices.
What’s behind the increase in prices?
As it is seeking to rise above the competition and lock in new customers for the long haul, Netflix has been massively spending billions on making original content. And with competitors Disney and AT&T all gearing up to release their own streaming services soon, it makes sense for Netflix to step up their game further. Most of the extra income generated from the price hike will be used to fund the company’s huge investment in original shows and films, as well as finance the heavy debt it has.
Back in 2018, the company burned through about $3 billion in cash. Netflix expects to do the same this 2019, or maybe even burn through a higher amount. Due to borrowing money to finance new content, the company has acquired a massive debt — the company had accumulated nearly $12 billion in debt, before borrowing another $2 billion back in October.
While current and potential subscribers may not be happy about the price hike, investors seem to be cheered by the development. Last Jan. 15, when Netflix announced this plan, it became one of the biggest risers on the S&P 500, climbing 6.52 percent to a price of $354.64 a share.
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A review of publicly owned trucking company earnings in the second quarter shows the strength of freight demand building up as the U.S. economy expanded, supporting growing expectations of a busier than typical peak shipping season in North America this fall.
26 Jul 2014
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association met for three days this past week without concluding negotiations; at the weekend, the parties announced a week-long recess in the talks. German carrier Hamburg Süd announced plans to acquire the container operations of Chile’s CCNI, in a move resembling the deal between larger competitor Hapag-Lloyd and Chile’s CSAV, and Crowley is reported to be in talks to acquire Horizon Lines’ Puerto Rico assets. Earnings reports by U.S. truckload carriers are pointing to a stronger freight recovery in the United States, though rail service continues to be held back. And on Friday, Anne S. Ferro announced her departure from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration after five years leading the agency.
18 Jun 2014
The move to dimensional weight pricing should have a positive impact on FedEx, executives with the shipping giant emphasized on the company’s fourth quarter earnings call.
30 May 2014
After five years of economic growth, less-than-truckload carriers are making progress toward rebuilding their profitability, a review of LTL carrier operating ratios shows.
16 May 2014
The first quarter was warmer for trucking than you might think — at least financially.
12 May 2014
April showered less-than-truckload carriers with freight, as shippers responded to a surge in consumer spending in March and increased industrial demand.
14 Apr 2014
Federal investigators are trying to piece together the last days of a FedEx truck driver for clues as to why he crossed a highway median and struck a tour bus, killing 10 people.
11 Apr 2014
Federal authorities are investigating why a FedEx Freight truck crossed an Interstate highway median and crashed into a charter bus, killing 10 people.
28 Mar 2014
Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx, met with JOC editors William B. Cassidy, Peter T. Leach, Bill Mongelluzzo and Mark Szakonyi at the 2014 TPM Conference in Long Beach, Calif., to discuss the challenges of growing protectionism, e-commerce and serving post-recession supply chains.
04 Mar 2014
FedEx Freight will raise its general base rates an average of 3.9 percent March 31, as shippers and trucking companies anticipate higher volumes and tighter capacity this spring.
18 Dec 2013
Benefiting from an improving economy, strong e-commerce sales, and profit initiatives launched last year, FedEx raised both bottom and top lines in its latest quarter. The second-largest U.S. transport company expects even better from 2014.
10 Dec 2013
James Welch has his work cut out for him. Over the next month, the CEO of YRC Worldwide and president of YRC Freight must convince 26,000 Teamsters to extend wage and benefits cuts they agreed to in 2010 another four years. Welch also needs to get them onboard with new concessions, including greater use of subcontractors and utility workers.


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Thomas Schmid, COO at Hyundai Motor Europe: New Tucson will attract all new Hyundai customers
The new Hyundai Tucson is a brand ambassador, designed to up the image and attract new customers to the ambitious Korean brand. 'Seeing that half the European market is fleet, it makes sense to want to be a part of that', says Thomas Schmid, Chief Operating Officer for Hyundai Motor Europe. With only 22% of its overall sales going to fleet, that leaves a lot of work to be done.
“We're a very young company, we only came to Europe in the early 1990s, so we have almost no history or heritage”, says Schmid. That hasn't stopped the company growing. Last year, Hyundai sold 8 million cars globally, and became the 5th-biggest manufacturer.
So now there is the new Tucson. Where does it fit into the overall picture?
“The Tucson is part of Hyundai's SUV heritage. We were one of the first brands to enter that segment, back in 2001, with the Santa Fe. The Tuscon is a brand ambassador. Its design will attract people to choose Hyundai for the first time”.
How important will the Tucson be for your fleet sales?
“Fleet sales account for 22% of our total sales, which is below the industry average. But we are doing quite well in true fleet. And this is where the Tucson is important: in true fleets, especially those of SMEs. We don't release specific sales targets, but we're ambitious enough with this model to want to have annual sales of 100,000 units over the next few years”.
Manufacturers are launching more and more SUVs and SUV-like models. Won't it be a tough market?
“Even the premium brands are downsizing in this segment, so yes, it is difficult – for everyone. But this is typical for a saturated market. And we welcome competition. We call our approach modern premium: premium, but affordable for everyone”.
Will you roll out more dealerships?
“No. We have almost 400 dealers across Europe, which by the end of 2018 should all be fitted with our new design. Overall, our sales, both private and fleet, are in transition. Online activity is increasing, not just in the information-gathering phase, but also for ordering – and eventually, the whole purchasing process could move online. We have some experience with digital showrooms and we notice that online shoppers are younger and with a higher mix of female consumers - precisely the audience car manufacturers want to reach”.
So, will the number of physical dealerships decline?
“It's already happening, across all brands. This is because the quality of vehicles is improving, and fewer maintenance intervals are needed. In the 1990s, you needed 500 clients to provide work for one mechanic. Now it's 1,000 clients. And this evolution will continue. At the same time, you need to train your staff more. To fund that, you need more sales per salesperson. This is why growth means more sales per dealership rather than more dealerships”.
Google, Apple and other tech companies are developing products for, services in and synergies with the automotive sector. Do you see them as just more service providers, or as competitors to OEMs like you?
“It depends on how you see the future. I think cars of the future will be smartphones on wheels. Another option emphasises the assisted systems of future cars. Both aspects will be important. Connectivity is already hugely important to us. And Korean companies are in the forefront of the technology. That's why Hyundai is working with Samsung, LG and others, and is installing (Google's) Android Auto in its cars. It's all part of our mission to deliver high-quality technology at an affordable price”.
“Google is working hard to produce its own vehicles. But we still don't know where we will end up. Perhaps the customer, unwilling to share so much personal data, will decide against hyperconnectivity”.
| 29/07/2015 | Steven Schoefs


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More and more users are complaining that the iPhone 13 lacks the ability to set up phone noise cancellation via Accessibility, which was available in all previous iPhones but not in newer iPhones. Now, we believe that Apple actually voluntarily removed this feature. Phone Noise Cancellation can be turned on to reduce ambient background noise on phone calls when the handset is placed to the ear.
A 9to5Mac reader shared his Twitter conversation with Apple Support. According to him, “After liaising with Apple and a senior consultant for several months to wait for an update to fix the issue, I got an update on the issue, and apparently, it won’t be fixed, for unknown reasons. , the noise cancellation for these devices is intentionally disabled,” Apple’s support team replied after asking for clarification on whether the iPhone 13 series would not support phone noise cancellation.
Yes it is not supported. If you would like to leave feedback on this feature, please feel free to visit: apple.com/Feedback.
A month ago, a Reddit user asked about the iPhone 13’s phone noise cancellation because it wasn’t available on the accessibility page. Another user then pointed to an Apple forum discussion thread from October. An Apple community expert at the time directed the answer to an article that helped users adjust audio settings on their iPhones.
Another user, dagocarlito, posted that Apple is aware of the issue: the iPhone 13 has “never had” this option in iOS 15, I’ve been discussing this with Apple’s support, and there is currently no timetable for a resolution. The issue also caused echo issues on CarPlay during calls between iPhone 13s. This is a major flaw that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Now, we finally know that Apple isn’t planning to fix the problem, as the company believes removing the feature is necessary. As of now, the only workaround available is to activate voice isolation in the call options in the control center.


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Payment processor Verifone has issued a very public warning about the security of competitor Square’s card reader, stating that it could be used for credit card skimming.
In an open letter and video (below), Verifone have requested a recall of Square’s card readers whilst they fix the flaw:
Today is a wake-up call to consumers and the payments industry. Last year, a start-up named Square introduced a credit card reader for smartphones with the goal of making it very easy for anyone to accept credit cards through a mobile device. Seems like a great idea, but there is a serious security flaw that Square has overlooked that places consumers in dire risk.
In less than an hour, any reasonably skilled programmer can write an application that will “skim” â€“ or steal â€“ a consumer’s financial and personal information right off the card utilizing an easily obtained Square card reader. How do we know? We did it. Tested on sample Square card readers with our own personal credit cards, we wrote an application in less than an hour that did exactly this.
Whilst Square naturally have to find an answer to this problem, the way Verifone has gone about this announcement suggests they’re actually a little worried by the competition Square presents them with.
This is not a friendly message from one payment processor to another; the smartly produced video and open letter hosted on a specially registered URL (sq-skim.com) which lists other security problems faced by Square, and the fact they’ve gone to the trouble of developing the skimming software to demonstrate the flaw make it look more of a PR exercise than a real concern for consumers.
As of writing, we’re yet to see a response from Square.


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We are thinking about procurement of company Fresh & Co. (manufacturer of next juices), but, so far, Coca Cola has the advantage, because its negotiations with the administration of that company last longer – said Bojan Radun, executive director of Nektar from Bačka Palanka, and added that the financial estimates were underway.
During the talks in the unit for fruit concentrates and porridges in Vladičin Han, which Nektar bought as part of Delišes, Radun confirmed that Nektar had become the biggest manufacturer of juices in the Balkans and the biggest fruit processing company in Southeast Europe. This year it will produce 100 million liters of juices and the income will most probably reach amount of €40m, €7.5m of which will be the income from export. Responsible for such results and production growth of 90-200% is the Factory in Vladičin Han, ever since it created one of the bigger exporters in the south of Serbia from the former loser by investment of over €2.5m. The company now owns all existing international certificates for quality, food safety and ecological production.
Nektar will soon start to pack juices and nectars in tin cans and glass packaging, whereas operations with PET packaging and production of domestic energy drink are in the pipeline.


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Travelstart is taking a logical next step in expanding from its core leisure travel business into corporate travel through an acquisition.
Founded in 1987, Club Travel is one of South Africa’s leading travel brands, evolving from a high-street favorite to a key player in the corporate and government travel markets.
As such, it’s a good match for leisure-focused and tech-savvy Travelstart.
“Travelstart is strong in the consumer segment, and we want to bring consumerization to the corporate and government sectors, where Club Travel is an emerging star,” said Stephen Ekbergh, Travelstart’s founder and CEO, in a statement.
For Club Travel, access to Travelstart’s technology is likely the sweetener to the deal.
“I saw a few years ago that we have to become a technology company selling travel, and I have huge admiration for what Travelstart has done in the online leisure space,” said Wally Gaynor, founder and managing director of Club Travel. “In partnership on the corporate and government side, we want to disrupt the market with technology. We spend a fortune on technology, so combining our spend with Travelstart’s makes sense. Together we can move a lot quicker.”
While Travelstart leads on tech, Club Travel Group has more expertise in “the normal day-to-day running of a travel business, maximizing revenue from various suppliers,” Ekbergh said.
Under the deal Thebe Tourism Holdings will sell its majority stake to Travelstart, with Club Travel Group continuing to operate as a stand-alone company. However Thebe and Travelstart will also jointly invest in and own Club Travel Corporate, a division of the Club Travel Group.
That’s a key benefit of the deal, allowing Travelstart to tap into the Club Travel Group’s broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) credentials.
In a bid to redress the country’s economic imbalances, much corporate and government spend in the South African market is channeled toward businesses with good B-BBEE ratings. Combined, the annual corporate and government market is worth upward of $1 billion, offering a rich new vein of travel bookings for Travelstart to tap.
While not disclosing the value of the acquisition, “the shareholders on that side seem very pleased with the deal,” said Ekbergh.
The deal is subject to approval by South Africa’s Competition Commission.
It’s been a busy few weeks for Travelstart, headquartered in South Africa, with both new investors and acquisitions.
In late May Travelstart announced that Boston-based investment firm HarbourVest had purchased a sizable share in the company, buying up the stake once held by South African mobile operator MTN.
While the value of the transaction has not been disclosed, media reports estimate it to be in the region of $80 million. UK-based Amadeus Capital Partners “was and is the lead investor for Travelstart,” explained Ekbergh. Amadeus invested $40 million in Travelstart in 2016.
While the sale is linked to MTN divesting its non-mobile assets, Travelstart has welcomed an investor with global exposure, said Ekbergh: “What’s important for us is having an active dialogue with the investment community. We want to know what’s going on in the world, and by doing that we get better. We find out what our competition is doing, what are the new emerging technologies. The bigger and more active the investor the better we are as a company.”
The new investment also opens doors to capital for future expansion, said Ekbergh: “HarbourVest is an active investor and could provide us with capital for further acquisitions in the future. So instead of us having to go to market for further capital, we have an investor we can turn to.”
And Travelstart certainly has an eye on expansion. In addition to announcing the Club Travel Group deal, in 2017 it purchased a majority share in accommodation booking website SafariNow.com.
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Photo credit: Pictured is Travelstart's headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa. The online travel agency is expanding into managed travel. Travelstart


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$15m shoe features over 1,000 diamonds and 24-carat gold thread stitching
The world’s most expensive shoe, worth $15m (AED55m), is set to be unveiled for the first time in Raffles Dubai on November 1.
The shoe created by designer Debbie Wingham boasts over 1,000 diamonds set in platinum, with 24-carat gold thread stitching. The diamonds in the piece are extremely rare due to their colour, size and flawless clarity, according to Wingham.
Among them are two three-carat pink diamonds value at $4.4m (AED16.2m), two blue one-carat diamonds worth $1.9m (AED7m) each and four flawless clarity three-carat white diamonds.
Speaking of the inspiration behind the bejewelled shoe, Wingham said diamonds are becoming the material of choice for her clients.
“…only now we are looking at them in a more inventive way. Many of my clients have valuable pieces of jewellery that live in a safe and are only worn once or twice in a lifetime; by using their precious gems to design a bespoke piece of art, I can create something that can be admired on a daily basis,” she said.
The shoe was reportedly commissioned by a private client as a surprise 30th birthday gift.
The one-off piece can be viewed at The Collection – Fashion Afternoon Tea at Raffles on November 2 or 3, however, reservations are required.
Designer Wingham is known for creating the world’s most expensive black diamond dress and the world’s most expensive red diamond abaya.
She also joined forces with shoe designer Chris Campbell to create the world’s most expensive cake in the shape of shoes.


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Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has proudly announced its unprecedented success during the recently concluded Singles Day shopping festival, boasting record-breaking sales across various platforms.
From October 23 to November 11, Xiaomi reported an outstanding performance, with a staggering 22.4 billion yuan (approximately $3.11 billion) in product sales on major platforms such as Alibaba’s Tmall and Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, and Douyin.
Xiaomi’s achievement reflects a 2% surge in its Hong Kong-traded shares late Monday morning, while locally traded shares of Alibaba and JD.com experienced varying fluctuations.
In an interesting development, both Alibaba and JD.com chose to keep their total figures for the Singles Day shopping festival undisclosed for the second consecutive year. JD.com merely highlighted reaching record highs in transaction and order volume, while Alibaba mentioned growth in gross merchandise value (GMV), order numbers, and participating merchants compared to the previous year.
JD.com reported that the transaction volume of Apple products surpassed 10 billion yuan ($1.39 billion), mirroring the results from the 2021 Singles Day. Additionally, Lululemon, a relatively new entrant to the Chinese market, witnessed a remarkable 260% surge in transaction volume on JD.com compared to the previous year.
While Alibaba did not delve into specifics regarding sales by product or brand, Xiaomi claimed that its recently released Xiaomi 14 smartphone secured the top spot on Alibaba’s Tmall from November 4 to 11. Xiaomi also asserted its dominance in various categories of Chinese brands’ smartphone sales on other online shopping platforms.
HSBC analysts expressed optimism about Xiaomi’s performance, stating, “Much better-than-expected Mi14 sales create earnings accretion and potential valuation re-rating ahead.” They subsequently raised their smartphone shipment forecasts for Xiaomi by 7% in 2023 (to approximately 150 million units) and by 6% in 2024 (to 160 million units).
The Singles Day shopping festival has evolved from a one-day event into a multi-week extravaganza across various online platforms in China over the past decade. Despite uncertainties about future income impacting retail sales in China, Alibaba reported that its Singles Day sales in 2022 were “in line” with the prior year’s $84.54 billion GMV during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A pre-festival survey by Bain and Company revealed that 77% of Chinese consumers did not plan to increase spending this year, reflecting economic uncertainties. Nevertheless, livestreaming and short videos on platforms like Alibaba’s Taobao and ByteDance’s Douyin emerged as robust sales channels, with GMV from livestreaming witnessing a 19% increase during this year’s shopping festival.
Tmall dominated the sales landscape, accounting for 60% of sales in the “comprehensive e-commerce platforms” category, according to data from Syntun. JD.com followed with a 28% share, while Pinduoduo secured a 7% share.
Kuaishou, a short video and livestreaming app, reported a nearly 50% growth in orders during the Singles Day shopping period.


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American department store to sell to UK consumers.
Legendary US department stores Macy’s and Bloomingdales are planning to take a slice of the UK watch and jewellery market as it starts to sell to UK shoppers directly online.
British jewellery and watch retailers will now face competition from Macy’s and its huge offer of fine and fashion jewellery and wide selection of branded watches that range from Marc by Marc Jacobs to Bulova.
The two websites have already updated its pricing structure with prices shown in GBP to shoppers located in the UK. The New York-listed chains will now accept online orders from customers using its Macys.com and Bloomingdales.com websites outside of the US, providing the order does not exceed $2,500 (£1,500).
The move to facilitate international transactions follows a tie-up with e-commerce firm FiftyOne, which is providing a platform that will see shoppers see product prices in their local currency, guaranteed order totals and cost-effective international shipping rates.
Customers can expect “most” in-stock items to arrive within four to 13 business days after the order is placed, the retailer said.
Macy’s operates more than 800 stores throughout the US and remains a popular destination with foreign tourists. However, up to now it has struggled to monetise its relationship with their customers once they return to their home countries.
Overseas shoppers paid 36 million visits to the Macy’s website last year — around 8% of total traffic — and the company wants to convert these into online sales.
Macy’s is understood to have tested its new international sales capabilities in the UK, Australia and Canada during the past three weeks, and will now extend the facility to more than 90 countries.
Most items on its website will be available to purchase with the exception of cosmetics, fragrances, furniture, appliances and some exclusive clothing lines.


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Android’s sheer amount of variety is a double edged sword. It offers unprecedented an number of choices for a customer, letting him/her select an Android device according to any specific set of needs.
However, the fact that there is no single dominant force in the market for Android devices means that sales are staggered across a plethora of companies, often with low profits, if any.
The Android tablet market has been particularly affected by the dominance of the Apple iPad. So far, there has been only one certified success story among the endless number of Android tablets that get churned out by manufacturers every month – the Amazon Kindle Fire.
The smartest thing that Amazon did with its Kindle Fire was to position it in a different market segment from the all-conquering Apple iPad. With a $199 price tag, the user bases looking at buying the Kindle Fire were, more often than not, mutually exclusive from the lot aspiring for Apple iPads.
The Kindle Fire was the first legitimate budget tablet in the market, with a respectable set of features and a dedicated content ecosystem, and, from comScore’s latest reports, Amazon has indeed struck upon a winning formula for Android tablets at long last.
Since its November 2011 launch, the Kindle Fire’s market share has been progressively increasing every month. If December 2011 gave it a market share of 29.4% among Android tablets, it increased to 41.8% in the following month. The latest figures from February give it a market share of a whopping 54.4% – almost double from the December figures.
comScore’s report indicates that the Kindle Fire has been a viable competitor in the general tablet market, as its adoption rate has been escalating almost exponentially. On the other hand, the more high profile Samsung Galaxy Tab family’s market share has dipped from nearly a quarter of the Android tablet market to barely over 15%. Other premium offerings such as the Sony Tablet S had price tags in iPad-esque territory, and have consequently done very poorly, not managing to breach even 1% of the total Android tablet market.