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Vodacom has launched a Black Friday offer that offers a 300 GB contract package at any time and data of 300 GB of night owl for R299 per month for two years.
Vodacom said it offers Black Friday deals with discounts of up to 70% throughout November.
These deals will be available every Friday during the month on laptops, cell phones, wearables, routers, TVs and monthly contracts.
“This year, we’re handing out our Black Friday deals throughout the month so customers can shop to their liking without worrying about the pressure of a single Friday or weekend,” the consumer business chief said. of Vodacom SA, Jorge Mendes.
“We are confident that the offers will meet all of our customers’ needs, helping to alleviate some of the current financial pressures.”
Offers this weekend are available online or in-store
Other offers include
- Save R2,400 a month with a 24GB 30GB RED VIP with the advantage of duplicating your data at any time.
- Save R2,400 a month with a 24 GB 100GB RED VIP with the advantage of duplicating your data at any time.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 with 5 GB at any time + 5 GB of night owl data: R649 per month for 24 months (Black Friday launch weekend).
- Xbox Series S: R279 per month for 24 months.
Vodacom will also offer deals for customers who update or sign new contracts.
“For example, the Red Flexi 175 plan will now be available at R129 per month, which is a drop of R149 per month to offer you a savings of R480 over the 24-month contract period,” Vodacom said.
“For customers who have already downloaded the newly launched VodaPay app, there will be limited offers during the Black Friday period, such as 1 GB for R1,” Vodacom said.
“There will also be up to a 70% discount on Just4You packages already available at a discount.”
Click here SEE List of all Black Friday 2021 stores deals in South Africa
Vodacom Black Friday sales information
2021 Black Friday Vodacom Updates:
Expect us to run the Vodacom Black Friday 2021 announcement around November 15th or even a day before Black Friday. In the meantime, check out information on current standard Vodacom specials.
Black Friday sale start date:
Like last year, the sale will begin on November 26, 2021. Vodacom’s obvious Thanksgiving updates will come a week earlier as another point of sale. To receive an alert about Vodacom Black Friday offers to follow The Edge Search website and our social media pages.
Black Friday Sales format:
How Vodacom made last year, many of Vodacom’s Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales will also be available on their website or social media. This is a huge benefit Vodacom will easier to buy on friday back and more family time.
Black Friday special promotions:
Vodacom Black Friday special offers will be announced on its website or social media pages, as soon as Vodacom updates its promotion, The Edge Search will update you
Where to find Vodacom Black Friday deals?
Follow The Edge Search and social media to receive Vodacom updates.
The best deals available for Vodacom 2021 Black Friday
- Internet for your mobile, laptop, tablet and more
- Buy a USB dongle
- Buy a router
- Vodacom fiber
- SIM data sharing
- Daily Internet
- Contract coverage
- Device insurance
- Funeral cover
- Cover of life
- Legal coverage
Comfort and safety
- Account services
- My Vodacom app
- Vodafone Guardian
- Backup +


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More Canadian and U.S. teenagers than ever before are turning to vaping cannabis instead of smoking the drug.
Cannabis vaping by teens doubled between 2013 and 2020 despite the unknown long-term effects — or risk — of using the electronic devices to get high, according to a report by the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.
JAMA Pediatrics researchers, after analyzing 17 studies involving almost 200,000 teens in Canada and the U.S., discovered the drastic uptick of the percentage of teens using vaping devices, according to the news website NPR. They also found that teens who say they vaped cannabis within the last 30 days jumped a whopping 6.8 per cent — from 1.6 per cent to 8.4 per cent — during the same timeframe.
The JAMA Pediatrics report suggests “a possible explanation for the upward trajectory in the prevalence of cannabis vaping observed in our study timeframe is the increasing uptake of vaping products generally used among youth and young adults, widening access to cannabis vaping products through legalization of cannabis, and the decrease in perceived risk of harm toward cannabis in the last decade.”
Still, the increase is startling, given that the effects vaping has on the body, particularly the respiratory system, are still somewhat unknown. But teens seem to believe vaping is safer than smoking dried cannabis.
“They vape because they think it’s safer, but that’s not necessarily the case,” Carol Boyd, co-director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan, told NPR. “They are misleading themselves,” Boyd said.
“In contrast to smoking cannabis, vaping marijuana with an electronic nicotine device increased the likelihood that adolescents would have worrisome pulmonary symptoms, including things like wheezing or whistling in their chest.”
Teens could be attracted to vaping because of the more intense high they get while using cannabis oils, which have higher levels of THC. That poses other potential health issues, according to the study author.
“Regular use of high THC products could increase the risk of dependence, other substance use and many other health, social and behavioural problems later in life,” Carmen Lim, a doctoral candidate in health and behavioural sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia, told NPR.
Unregulated cannabis vapes can include cutting agents, like vitamin E acetate, which interfere with lung function when inhaled. But the amount of these toxicants is unknown, so the effect is unknown.

domain: news


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The viability and vitality of U.S. manufacturing has been restored, according to the current economic and political indicators, but in fact that restoration process has been in progress for several years, marked by trends like “reshoring” and demonstrated by capital investments in new production capabilities, the embrace of “smart” technologies, and in manufacturers’ adoption of new information standards and data communication capabilities.
Even more important, the condition of U.S. manufacturing has been under examination for decades. Against the obvious and impressive expansion of manufacturing economies elsewhere in the world, U.S. manufacturers have had to adapt to evolving standards for product quality and customer satisfaction, in order to remain globally competitive. Note though, regardless of the recent good news on this front, the standards for U.S. manufacturers to maintain their global competitiveness continue to evolve.
In 1965, manufacturing in the United States accounted for 53% of the economy. For over half a century, American manufacturing dominated the globe. However by 1988, manufacturing only made up 39% of the American economy, today only 9%. What happened? How can the United States ever be a manufacturing center again?
Globalization, outsourcing, and skills — The main causes of manufacturing losses during those decades were globalization, outsourcing — and a growing skills gap. The elimination of trade barriers created access to foreign markets for American manufacturers. Some businesses in the United States discovered that it was cheaper to outsource their production activities to countries overseas. In countries like China, people were willing to work around the clock for significantly less per hour than American workers.
Outsourcing manufacturing has cost Americans millions of jobs. However, this is changing. With rising costs for labor overseas and development of new technologies, many American manufacturing companies are revising their business strategies and bringing work (and jobs) back to their U.S. operations.
In order to make the most of this shift, it is essential now for these manufacturers to ensure that their American employees are highly skilled and up-to-date with the latest technology and tools.
Rising labor costs in foreign nations is one reason that manufacturers will return work back to the United States. In the early 1990s, labor was extremely cheap in Asia. Then, as the standards of living there increased, labor costs also rose. China alone saw a 10% increase in labor costs, and that number is predicted to continue rising. Add in the costs for shipping and handling and it puts many businesses at an offshore disadvantage.
By reshoring their manufacturing operations, production and delivery costs will decrease, allowing manufacturers to produce more. This, combined with increased quality assurance and communication, is helping manufacturing in the United States to become increasingly competitive. But, it underscores the need to make manufacturing labor costs effective.
Rising Costs and New Technology
With advanced automation technologies and robotics, labor costs can be made more tolerable to manufacturers, reducing their incentive to send manufacturing work overseas. Manufacturers can find significant cost savings by investing technology. Some machines can increase productivity by as much as 70% via automation, while only costing as much as a single employee’s salary for one year.
In addition, with cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT), digital sensors and chips can be programmed to feed information about a product’s performance to the manufacturer in real time. Placing sensors inside machines will alert them to processing errors, when parts are wearing out, ways to cut costs, and techniques to improve overall efficiency and design.
New technologies increase productivity to the extent that labor costs will not be as significant as the ability to use advanced tools effectively. U.S. manufacturing wages are still high by global standards, but investing in education and improving skills will add a new dimension to domestic manufacturers’ advantages: innovation.
To be innovative, U.S. manufacturers must have the intellectual resources available from technicians, engineers, and designers in their employment, improving and optimizing their operations and implementing new ideas for competing with manufacturers around the world. Transforming the U.S. into an “innovator economy” will be the future goal for American manufacturing. To achieve that, they must overcome the gap between the skills their employees have now – and the skills they need now, or will need soon.
Innovation is the future — What causes the skills gap? Experienced industrial workers are beginning to retire and some college-bound youth are not choosing to pursue careers in manufacturing. Some employers have stated that many of the students who present themselves as candidates for open positions come out of school with little hands-on experience, only theory. This lack of real-world aptitude can cause them to approach problems without insight, or to design products that aren’t manufacturable, which leads to delays, scrap, and products failing in the field.
By standardizing training and design practices, the members of your team will become more productive. Properly trained workers are free to think creatively and to innovate, rather than searching the web for an answer or vainly seeking the advice of a help desk or call center.
Manufacturing companies today have access to resources that once were available only to large organizations and government agencies. Makerspaces, cloud / subscription-based software tools, and crowdfunding have given small businesses and startups the opportunity to innovate and disrupt various industries, but the challenge is bringing the right talent together, and putting an emphasis on ongoing learning and continuous improvement.
This is not a recent development; it is a rapidly maturing factor in manufacturing. The manufacturing industry continues to evolve — and it’s growing at the same time. Over the next decade, nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs are expected to be available. Ongoing learning, training, and professional development will be necessary for manufactures to stay up-to-date with the latest techniques and processes. U.S. manufacturing is changing, and U.S. manufacturers must understand the changes in order to be prepared for the opportunities.


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The deal includes 411 retail stations, mainly located in the Central and Northwestern regions of Russia, and the Torzhok lubricants blending plant, around 200 kilometres north-west of Moscow.
Maxim Donde, LUKOIL’s Vice President for Refined Products Sales said: “Our priority is the well-being of our employees,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell’s Downstream Director. “Under this deal, more than 350 people currently employed by Shell Neft will transfer to the new owner of this business. The acquisition of Shell’s high-quality businesses in Russia fits well into LUKOIL’s strategy to develop its priority sales channels, including retail, as well as the lubricants business.”
The agreement with LUKOIL follows Shell’s announcement in early March of its intention to withdraw from all Russian hydrocarbons in a phased manner, and will be carried out in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The sale is expected to be completed later this year, subject to regulatory approval.
Read the latest issue of Oilfield Technology in full for free: Spring 2022
Oilfield Technology’s first issue of 2022 begins with analysis from Wood Mackenzie on the disconnect between surging oil prices and US oil production growth and investment. The rest of the issue is dedicated to features covering sand removal technology, dissolvable frac plug technology, digitalisation of offshore operations, annular intervention, oilfield chemicals, subsea compression systems and smart instrument measurement.
Exclusive contributions come from TETRA Technologies, NOV, Archer, Expro, Locus Bio-Energy Solutions, AES Drilling Fluids, MAN Energy Solutions and Winters Instruments.
Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/digital-oilfield/13052022/shell-signs-agreement-to-sell-retail-and-lubricants-businesses-in-russia/
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Chariot Limited’s acreage offshore Morocco includes the 18 Bcm (gross) Anchois gas development and significant exploration prospectivity.


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Back in October, we told you about Denver-based Wynkoop Brewing Co.’s latest wacky creation, Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout. Brewed with real bull testicles, the beer started as an April Fools joke but became a reality, and was released in kegs just before the Great American Beer Festival hit town.
Now, word has come that the balls beer will be released in cans in late January, and will be available nationwide via Beerjobber.com. The hand-packaged cans will be available in Denver area stores, as well, and will be sold in appropriately paired two-packs.
Wynkoop spokesperson Marty Jones told Westword there were a few issues to overcome when getting distribution approval from the Federal Government. The flavor description was amended, and the label name, which previously had “Oyster Stout” in larger letters, was changed so that “Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout” was all the same font size. "I am not sure they were aware that bull testicles are an actual food and that they are a regional delicacy out west,” Jones told the paper.
Fox News reported the beer will probably cost around $7–$8 per two-pack. For a 7% ABV specialty brew, that’s quite a deal. Are you ready to try it?
Photo via Thrillist
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More than 95% of consumers live outside the United States. Selling more U.S.-made goods and services around the world is crucial to American jobs and will help businesses small and large grow. Expanding trade also enhances the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers while boosting the buying power of American families.
How the U.S. and India Can Reach $500 Billion in Trade
Among the best opportunities for the U.S. to bolster stability, security, and prosperity at home and abroad comes from leaning into the U.S. relationship with India, the world's fastest growing major economy.
U.S.-Ukraine Partnership Forum
Once victory is won, rebuilding Ukraine will be the biggest reconstruction effort since World War II. The public sector can’t do it alone. That’s where the Ukraine Business Initiative comes in.
2023 International IP Index
Now in the eleventh edition, the International IP Index benchmarks the IP framework in 55 global economies across 50 unique indicators.
Here are the key takeaways businesses should know coming out of the G20 Summit in India on Sept. 9, 2023.
The U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue is taking place Sept. 27-28, 2023. Read more about the exclusive forum that focuses on investment and the bilateral trade relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
Become a part of the world’s largest business organization and network
U.S. Chamber members range from small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country to startups in fast-growing sectors, leading industry associations, and global corporations.
Discover the ROI Chamber membership can deliver for you.
Around the globe, the U.S. Chamber advocates for free enterprise, competitive markets, and rules-based trade and investment as the path to economic opportunity and prosperity for all. We work every day to break down barriers to trade and investment, open new markets for American exports and investments, and make sure there's a level playing field for U.S. companies.
Global economic challenges like COVID-19 vaccines, international tax, and climate change will require countries and the private sector to work together to find multilateral solutions.
Small business advice from CO—
- WorkforceTalent ForwardWednesday, October 0409:00 AM EDT - 03:00 PM EDT
- Environment and SustainabilitySustainability and Circular Economy Summit 2023Thursday, October 05 - Friday, October 0609:00 AM EDT - 12:30 PM EDT
- InternationalAACCLA's Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean ConferenceMonday, October 23 - Wednesday, October 2509:30 AM EDT - 04:30 PM EDT
On August 18, the leaders of the U.S., Japan, and South Korea will meet for a historic trilateral summit at Camp David. Here’s why it’s important for the private sector.
Sponsor Spotlight Series: Following a Public-Private Partnership Forum in Bogota, business leaders share how they are advancing resilient and sustainable healthcare systems in Colombia.
The U.S. Chamber submitted recommendations to the EU trilogue negotiations on the EU Cyber Resilience Act Proposal
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Argentina Business Council (USABC) led a delegation to Buenos Aires, on July 11-12, 2023, ahead of Argentina's election period.
La Cámara de Comercio de EE.UU. organiza un foro de alianzas publico privadas para avanzar sistemas de salud resilientes en Colombia
This open letter aims to convey the USABC's vision regarding Argentina's enormous development potential and to make a constructive contribution to the public conversation during this electoral year while also ensuring that sustainable and inclusive economic growth becomes a reality for Argentina.
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Sorry Miu Miu, but there's a new sheriff in town.
Fashion magazines are suffering another embarrassing case of copycat syndrome -- following this summer's overexposure of a certain Miu Miu frock -- thanks to a gold Balmain dress appearing on six fall magazine covers, Fashionologie reports.
Apparently, originality is soooo last season.
Although it's hard to blame fashion editors for falling hard for the glitzy Fall 2010 gown, worn by -- deep breath -- Vodianova, Cindy Crawford for the October Vogue India, Abbey Lee Kershaw for the August Vogue Germany, Claudia Schiffer for Zeit Magazin's 40th Anniversary Issue, Toni Garrn for the November Vogue España, and Vogue Japan editor Anna Dello Russo for 10's Winter 2011 issue.
Good grief. That dress gets around more than Charlie Sheen during happy hour.
Meanwhile, check out Fergie's racy outfit for Glamour's December cover.


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This renewed agreement supports Navico’s growth plans for their Simrad® brand within the UK.
Egersund, Norway – Navico, parent company to the Lowrance®, Simrad Yachting, B&G® and C-MAP® brands today announced the signing of a renewed partnership agreement with Barrus. Navico and Barrus have been working together for several years, but under the terms of the new agreement Barrus will become the preferred wholesaler for Navico’s marine electronics brand Simrad®.
Founded in 1917 Barrus operates across four diverse market sectors, with their marine division offering some of the most powerful brands in the marketplace, making them the perfect fit for Navico’s Simrad® brand and complementary C-MAP® cartography. Navico has a unique go-to-market strategy within the marine electronics space, offering specialised premium brands, dedicated to the fishing, sailing, and power boating segments. This renewed partnership aligns well with Navico’s growth strategy, as they look to capitalize on the increased demand for marine electronics within powerboating in the UK.
“We are pleased to announce our renewed agreement with Barrus” said Simon Claxton, Sales Director UK, Eire and Independent Distributors at Navico. “Our companies have been working together for a number of years, by enhancing our partnership to a preferred wholesaler agreement we hope it will give renewed focus for the Simrad® brand within the Barrus portfolio, but also importantly across the UK market. With a division dedicated to premium marine products that are complementary to ours, Barrus shares our passion for marine and with specialised teams committed to ensuring that customers and dealers receive the best levels of customer service, we are looking forward to continuing our successful business relationship.”
“This renewed partnership agreement signifies an increased level of commitment between Barrus and Navico as we look to grow our business together” said Ben Allen, General Manager, Marine Division at E.P. Barrus. “We offer the most powerful brands in the marketplace providing a strong and diverse portfolio that caters for every area of a boat, from small day boats to superyachts. Simrad® and C-MAP® complement our range and represent an important part of our marine equipment division portfolio and strategy. As we look ahead we are excited about our continued partnership with Navico and achieving profitable business growth together.”
Both Navico and Barrus will have stands at the upcoming Southampton Boat Show, taking place from 10th – 19th September. For sales and technical advice for any of the Navico brands, visit stand J372 to see the full portfolio from across Lowrance®, Simrad Yachting, B&G® and C-MAP®.
Southampton Boat Show
Navico Stand J372 in Ocean Hall
Barrus Marine Equipment Stand J316 in Ocean Hall


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Commercial establishments and shops remained shut here today in protest against the power crisis that is affecting their businesses.
The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI),which had given the protest call,also took out a protest rally in Ragunath market in the city and held demonstrations against the state government and the Power Development Department (PDD).
They demanded uninterrupted power supply to business establishments in the Jammu city.
PDD has not been able to meet the expectations,JCCI President Y V Sharma said.
People of Jammu started crying on the issue because of the repeated power cuts,breakdowns and interruptions,both scheduled and unscheduled,resulting into losses of industrial production,losses in the commercial sector,discomforts in the domestic sector and to thousands of pilgrims visiting both Mata Vaishno Devi and Sri Amarnath,” he said.
Authorities have not fulfilled their assurances and power supply is worsening with every passing day,he said.
PDD launched the voluntary load disclosure scheme (VLDS) without proper guidance to consumers. Even honest consumers are being harassed by unannounced inspections,he said.
The chamber has failed to understand that the time and the motive behind the inspections,especially when there is no power supply available to the people.
Chamber is for a strong and efficient system which does not allow any pilferage of power. But we strongly protest against harassment of genuine consumers and government and PDD trying to divert the attention of the people from their own failure and is management of the available power supply and trying to prove that it is the consumer who is at fault, he said.


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Over half a year has passed since the news of a novel coronavirus first broke, and it is still unclear as of yet when the pandemic will be over, and things can go back to normal. Some industry experts are saying that the restaurant industry will never fully return to the way it once was and are bracing themselves for a new normal post-pandemic.
Restaurants have been hit harder than most industries. As they navigate the changing times, many are looking ahead and trying to determine what a successful restaurant will even look like post-pandemic. It’s still unclear as of yet, but several trends have emerged so far, and industry leaders are looking towards a few key areas of change:
Even after the thread of contracting the virus dies down, customers will still be more focused on their safety, which is why a successful restaurant will be one that has prioritized safety measures above all else.
Tables will likely continue to be spaced out farther apart to allow for social distancing. When weather is nice, outdoor seating will be much more popular, and can help restaurants recoup some of their losses from reduced seating. You’ll also likely see limited seating at each table in the post-pandemic world. Social distancing guidelines may be lifted eventually, but customers and restaurants alike will remain wary of large gatherings.
As far as cleaning and sanitizing go, it will continue to be important to do this regularly and thoroughly. Ramp up cleaning efforts and ensure proper personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks and gloves are worn whenever possible.
Make sure your employees are trained on proper handwashing and enforce your handwashing policy as much as you are able to. Train staff how to effectively clean and sanitize surfaces. Most restaurants will need to have a solid cleaning and sanitization schedule in place.
Lastly, successful restaurants will be the ones that limit face-to-face contact wherever possible. This can be done by utilizing contactless services like delivery and curbside pickup. You can also invest in technology solutions like kiosks that can handle tasks like taking orders and processing payments, so that you can keep customers safe while enjoying a positive return.
Once the threat passes, restaurants will be working hard to recoup some of the losses they’ve experienced. The ones that achieve success post-pandemic will be the ones that have reduced their losses as much as possible by simplifying their menus. This allows a restaurant to stretch their inventory as much as possible, cutting down on waste and increasing profits.
Even post-pandemic, this will likely continue, as it helps restaurants achieve higher profitability with their inventory. Start by reducing the number of shared items like appetizers. These can increase the spread of pathogens and likely won’t be missed too much.
The biggest areas that you will likely see major shifts in are the services restaurants offer. Before, many restaurants mostly relied on dine-in and table-service sales for a large majority of their profits. After COVID-19, restaurant goers will still dine in, but other services will be heavily emphasized.
Online ordering is one of the biggest revenue drivers for restaurants currently. Though the pandemic has significantly increased the use of online ordering, its popularity was rising well before the virus first struck. Post-pandemic, customers will have gotten so used to the convenience of online ordering that its prevalence is likely to continue increasing.
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Delivery is more popular now than it has ever been before. With the rise of third-party delivery services, nearly every restaurant is now capable of offering a delivery service. Whether you utilize one of these third-party services or operate your own delivery service, it will be nearly impossible for a successful restaurant to remain profitable and competitive without offering some sort of delivery service in the future.
Curbside pickup goes alongside delivery as one of the most popular services available. Customers enjoy the safety and convenience of being able to pick up their orders and enjoy them in the comfort of their own homes without having to pay a delivery fee. Once the pandemic is over, customers will likely be busier and won’t have enough time for on-premises dining every time they want to order something. A successful post-pandemic restaurant will have a fast and efficient curbside pickup operation. Putting the right technology in place, such as rugged tablets, to take orders and process transactions curbside is crucial to the success of curbside pick up service.
Ghost kitchens had been popping up in cities regularly before the pandemic, but they are only more popular now. With a ghost kitchen, you don’t offer any on-premises dining. You operate on a delivery-only model. This can save on operating costs by allowing the owners to eliminate quite a lot of overhead costs associated with traditional restaurants. It’s anticipated that ghost kitchens will become more popular in the future.
Kiosks are also on the rise. With these devices, customers can place their own orders at the kiosk and have them sent directly to the POS and kitchen display. This cuts down on wait time, improves accuracy, and boosts order size with the use of automated upselling prompts. But perhaps the most important feature of kiosks currently is that, if cleaned regularly and properly, they can keep customers safe from contracting any viruses by reducing face-to-face interactions.
There is a lot of uncertainty for what the state of the industry will look like once the virus is no longer a major threat. It’s difficult to determine exactly what changes your restaurant will need to implement in order to remain successful. While this is a stressful time for restaurant operators, it doesn’t have to signal doom. There are many things you can do in order to help your restaurant survive during the pandemic and continue to thrive afterwards. For more information on how you can stay successful, contact the experts at Touch Dynamic.


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Paying for and starting to recoup for the past 12 months – The ongoing commercial property dilemma
28 April 2021
With the re-opening of non-essential retail this weekend and the limited re-opening of licensed premises, we will start to see the hens come home to roost on numerous deals cut across the commercial property rental sector over the past 13 months.
I have spent a considerable portion of the past year and more advising both tenants and landlords on the best way forward given the hugely challenging trading conditions resulting from the COVID-19 lockdowns. I had previously published an article on the need for landlords and tenants, licensees and licence holders to play fair albeit with governmental policy and restrictions acting as a referee on the side.
I suspect that within the next month or two many deferred repayment agreements will kick in for tenants and in the not too distant future, short term deals on rent reductions will come to an end. For the next few months governmental protection on forfeiture will remain as will the practical inability for creditors to enforce against debtors with mechanisms which actually bite. We are fast approaching the “proof in the pudding” as regards the effectiveness or otherwise of the policies put in place to protect the retail and entertainment sector.
On the positive side we have seen retailers diversify and “click and collect” a phrase none of us were aware of five years ago is now common parlance. You only have to look at the streets around Belfast to see the outside spaces being transformed into beer gardens and outside bar and café areas ready for the weekend. There does appear to have been real investment and a positive use of COVID financial support and grants by those thinking outside the box. Local Councils have been forward thinking and plans have been fast tracked to create pedestrian only areas, including around Blackstaff Square, enabling outside entertainment spaces in the run-up to summer.
While we have all of these positive notes to offer encouragement, from my own practice I am all too aware that the noises are not exclusively positive. I know of numerous cases of tenants who have buried their heads in the sand, failing to acknowledge mounting debt and standing behind the protective legislation. I am aware of landlords who are struggling to meet their own commitments due to non-payment by those who occupy their properties. The press has also reported this week how thousands of jobs have been lost in the hotel and hospitality sector.
I have no doubt that the bounce of the next few weeks will offer encouragement. Whether or not enough has been done to prevent a collapse remains to be seen. Undoubtedly restructuring plans which were placed on hold on a “wait and see” basis, will now be dusted off and re-evaluated. What is clear though is that the flow of money which keeps everything moving and which has been switched off for so long is about to start again. Will it be sufficient to allow the business to operate? Will it be sufficient to meet the deferred payments and repayment plans? Will something much more fundamental need to occur within businesses to rid themselves of the past 13 months debt burden built up?
I fully expect to spend the next year assisting those on both sides of the equation with the issues that have arisen. Supporting landlord clients in ensuring payments are made as promised, which will probably (and unfortunately) include taking steps to require tenants with no viable business to remove themselves from premises. I will also be assisting troubled tenants to ensure that they have a viable business going forward or advise them on taking steps to make the business viable once they are more relieved of its debt burden if at all possible.
Although it is impossible to predict all that will transpire, it is clear that these next few weeks mark a pivotal point for this sector.
*This information is for guidance purposes only and does not constitute, nor should be regarded, as a substitute for taking legal advice that is tailored to your circumstances.


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Boston and New York have been sporting rivals for decades, constantly fighting over bragging rights across all four major sports, but today the two cities had something in common neither was probably hoping for. Both had major tech companies back out of massive deals on the same day.
It turns out, however, the two cities lost the deals for entirely different reasons. For NY, Amazon wasn’t pleased with the political greeting it received and decided it wasn’t going to be friendly enough for its liking. In the Boston case, it was entirely an economic decision as GE’s fortunes have changed considerably since it made its plans in 2016.
In New York, Amazon announced it was canceling plans to put its HQ2 in Long Island City. Folks who bought speculative real estate are certainly bumming today, but it turns out that Amazon had trouble with even just a little political push-back. In a statement, it laid the blame on politicians, who had the audacity to question Amazon about its employment practices.
“While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City,” Amazon said in a statement.
As for Boston, it wasn’t quite so political as that. It was more that GE decided to build its headquarters in the Fort Point area of Boston at a time when it was doing reasonably well. Since that time, the company has gone through a couple of CEOs and the stock price has plummeted. It has sold or spun off divisions including its Industrial IoT business.
It has not been on a positive trend for some time, and it resulted in the announcement today that the company plans to sell the new Boston headquarters and pay Massachusetts the $87 million it received in incentives to come there. While the Boston Globe reports the company will still have a presence in Boston, it won’t be generating the 800 jobs it once promised and won’t be in the shiny new building in Fort Point.
These aren’t the first deals to go south this year. In Wisconsin, Foxconn announced it was canceling plans to build a factory there after receiving massive incentives from the state. It took intervention from the president to get the deal back on track, but it’s still not entirely clear it’s going to happen. There has been criticism of the size of the tax breaks the company received to build in Wisconsin.
As I wrote in an article last year in an article on high tech tax breaks, Amazon isn’t alone in getting them, and they don’t always turn out the way you hope:
It’s not hard to find projects that didn’t work out. A $2 million tax subsidy deal between Massachusetts and Nortel Networks in 2008 to keep 2200 jobs in place and add 800 more failed miserably. By 2010 there were just 145 jobs left at the facility and the tax incentive lasted another 4 years, according to a Boston.com report.
Regardless, for today at least both New York and Boston face similar fates when it comes to their reliance on big companies to provide them jobs in exchange for big tax incentives. It’s a lesson for every government and tax payer to beware the fickle minds of large corporations looking for the friendliest terms. Sometimes you might not get what you were bargaining for.
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Jun 4, 2012
American Apparel's CEO says he's getting pressure from other executives and members of the board to make clothes cheaper overseas.
May 31, 2012
JCPenney unveiled a new pricing strategy in January that largely scrapped sales. One bad quarter later, discounts are creeping back in.
May 28, 2012
Retailers gear up for summer shopping season. With graduation, Mothers Day and Memorial Day, May is one of the biggest shopping months of the year.
May 16, 2012
JC Penney stock is currency down percent after the company reported that customer traffic is down, sales are down, and the quarterly loss was bigger than expected. The company had hired Ron Johnson, the man behind Apple Stores, to make JC Penney more fashionable.
May 15, 2012
We'll know more later this morning with the latest retail sales figures for April. The forecast is for sales to be down after mild weather pushed extra spending into the first three months of the year. But at least one segment of the retail sector has been hanging on to growth.
Apr 30, 2012
A small business incubator seeks to revitalize a neighborhood in Oakland through a handful of pop-up stores that have no plans to close.
Apr 16, 2012
The Commerce Department reports retail sales rose more than expected in March, by a solid 0.8 percent.
Apr 16, 2012
Retail numbers faced their second month of strength in March, helped by the warm weather and the early Easter holiday.
Mar 30, 2012
Commentator Frances Frei says automation needs to improve the customer experience, not frustrate it.


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A Dallas-based company that finances and sells used cars primarily to Hispanic buyers has opened a new 200,000-square-foot reconditioning center in Wilmer.
Tricolor Holdings’ new facility includes a 12-acre parking facility with 200 service bays, a paint and body center, and an automated car wash to “recondition” Tricolor’s supply of used cars. The project will create 200 jobs in the southern Dallas area.
“We’ve been in business 15 years and ... have aspired to deliver a vehicle to the customer that we would say is more mechanically sound and actually visually appealing than any vehicle they might be able to access,” said Tricolor CEO and founder Daniel Chu in an interview.
“If you look at our business today, we sell and finance to underserved Hispanic consumers,” he said. “We’re the only issuer of an investment grade bond with loans originated to undocumented immigrants.”
The company performs a 150-point inspection and invests an average of $2,200 in every vehicle before reselling them, Chu said. The company spends $20,000 to $25,000 per vehicle it buys.
Chu said Tricolor is one of the top used vehicle dealers in Texas.
“Reconditioning for us is doing all the basic stuff: tires, brakes, oil change, fluids, belts, hoses, but it’s also digging into any of the mechanical issues that were eliminated during the inspection process,” Chu said.
The price of used cars has skyrocketed in the last year because of inflation and supply shortages. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that used car prices surged 6.6% year-over-year in July 2022. Kelley Blue Book, one of the leading automotive pricing sites, said the average used car sold for $28,219 in July and listing prices now stand 11% higher than a year ago.
A year ago, Tricolor received a $90 million growth investment from Wall Street behemoth Black Rock for a minority stake in the firm.
Tricolor operates 50 retail centers in Texas, California, Nevada and Arizona under Tricolor Auto Group. It also has a shared services center in Guadalajara, Mexico. It has 1,000 employees in the U.S. and 350 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
The company is a community development financial institution that offers auto loans to buyers with no or limited credit history.


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Apple Set To Produce Over 70M New iPhone 7s Despite Slump In Demand
Despite demand for iPhones plummeting Apple is still confident that their new iPhone 7 will ignite demand for a product that witnessed a 200,000-unit slump in sales in Australia in the first 3 months of 2016 in Australia.
So confident is Apple that their new iPhone will be a success that the US company has started to place orders with parts suppliers for order of between 70 and 78 million units which is more than what analysts were tipping.
This is despite recent leaks that reveal the phones will look similar to the iPhone 6s – but will have enhanced internal components.
Recent images for the new iPhone 7, show a new rear camera, but with the same bevelled and protruding bump on the back casing.
However, the design of the camera does suggest improvements for better quality pictures and video.
The images also show the camera is aligned differently and is positioned closer to the top-left corner, reports 9to5Mac.
And playing into the redesign of the camera could be Apple’s most talked about feature, a dual-camera system – but just on the larger iPhone 7 Plus.
There are other rumours that say the iPhone 7 could be waterproof, which might be possible since there are fewer holes in the exterior.
This allegation coincides with Apple’s decision to omit the 3.5mm headphone jack, instead users will rely on Bluetooth and Lightning connector accessories.
Last month, Apple released its first quarter earnings for 2016, which showed a year-on-year drop in sales of its handset.
Apple says the slump in sales was caused by ‘macroeconomic headwinds’ and the iPhone 6 being ‘an anomaly’ as it offered an entirely new size handset.
Apple Australia has not explained why there was a major slump in demand for their iPhone in the first quarter of 2016. But by tacking an extra 10 million to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus order, the firms seem to believe this year will put growth back on track.


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Further, the results show that, in the first quarter of the year, 500,000 flexible payments were made to 222,000 people with an average withdrawal amount of £7,644.
The results come a day after the publication of a Association of British Insurers (ABI) report aimed at engaging consumers with their retirement options.
The report was fuelled by revelations that more than half of fully withdrawn pension pots have not been spent, but moved into other savings and investments instead.
The ABI said this is concerning as it could mean consumers are paying too much tax, while missing out on compound investment growth.
Earlier this month, Prudential released research that showed two out of three people over the age of 55 are still confused by pension freedoms regulations.
Rob Yullie, head of retirement at ABI, said that the pensions freedoms give more power to consumers but the flexibility also increases the complexity and risk consumers face.
“Our recommendations are for interventions that will transform the way people interact with their pension pots and help people navigate their choices,” he said.
Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, said while there are signs some people may be taking too much too soon from their retirement pots, there is no clear evidence this is a widespread problem.
“Indeed, many remain concerned that ‘reckless conservatism’ – where people take too little from their funds and struggle to make ends meet – could prove to be just as significant a problem.
“All eyes now turn to the FCA Retirement Outcomes Review, which is set to deliver its verdict on the drawdown market and any remedies it deems necessary to protect consumers. This is likely to pay particular attention to the sustainability of withdrawals and the extent to which people entering drawdown are engaging with their pension,” Selby said.
The FCA report is scheduled for publication in Q2 2018.
AJ Bell’s own research, Selby said, shows that many savers lack knowledge about the decisions they are taking at retirement.
“This must now become the central focus for both policymakers and the wider retirement income sector,” he said.


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Earlier this month, Sony surprised many by revealing details of PS5 describing some of the console's specs and features like PS5's backward compatibility. Although some may have seen Sony's decision to announce PS5 in such an uncertain manner as strange, according to a reporter, the company had a very clever reason to want to confirm console information so early.
In a post on Twitter, journalist Jason Schreier revealed that the reason Sony "accidentally" lost everything that the PS5 news is to avoid leaks. Apparently, Sony is now sending out PS5 third-party development team development kits, and the PlayStation platform holder was worried about information coming out before its own messages. So, to "beat everyone up", Sony decided to officially announce some features on its own terms.
Sony's early PS5 messages can be seen as a very smart business flow for a few reasons. For example, with Sony confirming features and tapping potential services and games for PS5, it can control the message. People would not be able to speculate about leaked information from development kits if Sony had already said that a feature is or is not happening.
As I said about today's Kotaku Splitscreen – if you wonder why Sony accidentally dropped PS5 news last week is a reason why (I hear) a bunch of third-party studies have / get dev kits this month. Sony knew the information would start to leak now. So they beat it all together
– Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) April 25, 2019
Another reason for PS5's early announcement is a smart business tactic that the PS5 news comes in front of a huge E3 2019 show by the Xbox, which is the PlayStation brand's largest rival. Microsoft has plagued that it has some great plans for this year's Xbox E3 press conference, with some wondering that it will reveal some of its details for the next generation of Xbox. By discussing the PS5 before the next generation of the Xbox is confirmed, it means that Sony will not play capture by announcing its next generation plans later down the line.
] As Sony skips E3 2019, it also allows the PlayStation brand to have some kind of presence on this year's expo without being there. Sony may not have a booth or big messages to make, but what Microsoft does is likely to be compared to what Sony has already revealed about PS5.
The comments made by PlayStation lead system engineer Mark Cerny about PS5 left fans with many questions. Fans want to know if games like Death Stranding will be cross generation (available on PS4 and PS5) if they can expect PS4 games to be remastered to PS5 s 8K support, and if Sony wants to further develop its game streaming service to the new console. Sony can't answer these for a while yet, but the fact that people are asking them at all can be just what the company wants.
Source: Jason Schreier – Twitter


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Sony has announced two new high-speed CFexpress Type B memory cards for its G series in capacities of 240 GB and 480 GB.
Logitech has announced its latest streaming solution, the Logitech Mevo Core — a new 4K camera for livestreaming and content creation.
Blackmagic has announced the Blackmagic Camera. It isn’t actually a camera; it’s a smartphone camera app that's completely free.
There have been a number of rumors about a mirrorless medium format camera from Leica over the past few years, but now it’s been confirmed.
Canon has announced a new firmware update for the EOS C500 Mark II cinema camera, adding three new Cinema RAW Light recording modes.
Canon has revealed its corporate strategy to “Achieve overwhelming No. 1 share in mirrorless camera market.”


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Latest yogurt Stories
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Fayetteville becomes fifth sweetFrog store located in Georgia (PRWEB) May 19, 2015 sweetFrog Enterprises, LLC is pleased to announce the opening of its
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- To befool; deceive; balk; jilt.
- An illusion; a trick; a cheat.


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The supermarket giant has bought the derelict Ravenscourt shopping precinct in Brownhills and plans to open a new store there next year.
The move, which is subject to planning permission being granted by Walsall Council, will see the closure of the current Aldi around the corner on High Street.
It brings to an end years of wrangling over the site, which became a magnet for fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour since its closure.
It is understood that Aldi will submit a planning application before Christmas for the store, which which will be more than 50 per cent bigger than the current High Street site.
The number of car parking spaces will increase from 57 to 100.
Robin Williams, Aldi’s regional property director, said: We are thrilled to be bringing forward our plans for relocating the Brownhills store.
"Our proposals to relocate the store will ensure we can continue providing jobs and investment into the local economy, whilst offering our range of award-winning products to our customers.
"By relocating so close, we can continue to serve our dedicated customer base, but ensure the long-term future of the store and preserve our commitment to Brownhills."
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council's deputy leader and regeneration chief, said: "Our administration has pledged to sort out the problem of the derelict Ravenscourt on behalf of the people of Brownhills and by working with the previous owners for many years and more recently Aldi we have had a fantastic outcome.
"There will of course be a planning application and process that will follow, with the decision made by the planning committee but the purchase of Ravenscourt by Aldi is a game changer for Brownhills, and we thank Aldi for working with us and investing in Brownhills."
Ravenscourt has been described as a "blight on the community" having been derelict for years. It has endured a number of false dawns, including when Tesco pulled out of a deal to open a store there in 2014.
Plans for a two-storey building with two retail units and a gym were unveiled in 2018 but never came to fruition.
Aldi is set to open a number of new stores across the West Midlands as part of a major expansion drive.


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SEATTLE – Marchex, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHX), a local search and performance advertising company, announced that it will release financial results for its fourth quarter 2008 and for the full year ended December 31, 2008 on February 19, 2009, at approximately 4:30 p.m. ET. At that time, Marchex will also post the press release on the News section of its corporate Web site (www.marchex.com/marchex-news/).
Following the release, management will hold a conference call, starting at 5:00 p.m. ET on February 19 to discuss the results and outlook for the company. A live Webcast will be available on the Earnings Releases area of the Investor Relations section of the Marchex Web site (www.marchex.com/investors/events.html), where an archived version of the Webcast will be also available, beginning two hours after completion of the call.
About Marchex, Inc.
Marchex, Inc. (www.marchex.com) is a local search and performance advertising company. Marchex’s innovative advertising platform delivers search- and call-based marketing products and services for local and national advertisers. Marchex’s local search network, one of the largest online, helps consumers make better, more informed local decisions through its content-rich Web sites that reach tens of millions of unique visitors each month.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, acquisitions, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. There are a number of important factors that could cause Marchex’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements which are described in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent periodic report and registration statement filed with the SEC. All of the information provided in this release is as of January 29, 2009, and Marchex undertakes no duty to update the information provided herein.


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The aim of the move is to boost the company’s presence in China, which last year displaced the US as the world’s biggest auto market.
Tata Motors chief executive Carl-Peter Forster, said Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover wants to find a partner in China “as soon as possible” to manufacture and market vehicles.
He added the company is in “good discussions” with a Chinese auto maker but declined to name the potential partner.
Tata believes the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, which Tata purchased from Ford, have “tremendous potentials” around the world.
“We’re not as strong as we should be [in many markets], most notably in China,” Forster told the industry forum at China Europe International Business School in Shanghai.


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TOKYO — Police here have arrested an art photographer and two printing executives on obscenity charges for printing and distributing 4,000 copies of a book that includes full-frontal male nudity.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police said Friday that books printed by Hakkou Art contained 50 pages of uncensored photos that violate Japan's laws against obscenity, according to a report.
Police said they made arrests of photographer Leslie Kee and Hakkou Art's president, Koichi Kodama, and a sales executive, Takeshi Kodama.
Kee — a well-known photographer of Japanese pop stars and international stars like Lady Gaga as well as cover photographer for Vogue, Bazaar and others — was arrested at his art gallery after police investigated tips he was selling copies of his "Super" series there for $65 a piece.
In Japan, Article 175 of the country's Penal Code states that the distribution, sale, or public display of obscene writings, pictures or other materials is strictly prohibited, however there is no clear definition of what is regarded as “obscene."
If convicted, Kee, Koichi Kodama and Takeshi Kodama face two years in prison plus fines up to $27,000.


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Cut To Food Stamp Benefits Hitting New YorkersNearly two million New Yorkers have lost an average of $29 a month due to cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Long Island Target Store May Be The First To UnionizeIt could be a historic vote at the Valley Stream Target. If the 260 workers approve a vote to unionize the store. Voting ends at about 11:30 p.m. with results expected to be announced by 1a.m. Saturday.


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A few technologies to fight the unsolicited and sometimes unsafe e-mail known as spam have emerged since the volume of the junk mail has increased beyond annoyance, but a Microsoft-backed effort to identify the senders of spam appears to be moving fastest of all the contenders.
Joined by other spam fighters including Sendmail, Symantec, IronPort, Cloudmark, Tumbleweed, VeriSign and others, Microsoft has promoted its Sender ID — a fusion of Microsoft’s previous Caller ID for e-mail technology, the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and another specification known as Submitter Optimization — as a collaborative effort to combat spam.
Sender ID also is under consideration before the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which has put the Sender ID specification on the fast track toward standardization while recommending a combination of other spam-defense measures from others, such as Yahoo and Cisco.
Industry analysts and spam fighters agree that it is far too easy with today’s Internet architecture and protocols to fake the “from” address of spam or other e-mail messages.
While the rising tide of spam has lead to greater use of e-mail filtering, there has been little work done to ensure e-mail origin and identification are accurate. At the same time, the use of phony from addresses has become more prevalent in so-called phishing schemes, which direct users to fraudulent or malicious Web sites that can steal personal information.
To stop the spoofing, the Sender ID technology — which requires two levels of authentication as an e-mail goes from sender to receiver — prevents messages that have not been authenticated from reaching inboxes.
Bogus ID Makes Bad Business
Industry analyst Joyce Graff told TechNewsWorld that the inability to be sure of an e-mail’s origin has become an increasingly significant issue for businesses.
“When you have to start worrying to the extent that you don’t trust something from a colleague, that is not healthy for business,” Graf said. “The bigger problem is do you really know who you’re talking to? That’s a large problem.”
Graf, who said accurate identification of e-mail senders is key for continued reliance on Internet communication, indicated that the partnership of Microsoft, Sendmail and others is also key as they are the ones with the power to promote widespread adoption.
Basex chief executive officer and chief analyst Jonathan Spira, whose New York research and consulting firm blames spam for more than US$20 billion in annual losses and is conducting a survey on interruptions such as spam, said the Sender ID technology is an important piece of the spam solution puzzle.
Spira told TechNewsWorld that the ability to spoof an e-mail’s origin is more serious in phishing and other scam or scheme e-mails, which the analyst categorized differently than unsolicited offers for actual products or services.
Spira added that Microsoft and its partners have taken moves to stop spam after coming to the realization that e-mail might be abandoned for other forms of communication if it is not cleaned up.
“There’s been no attempt in any government agency to really regulate the origin of phishing attacks, so I think the industry is trying to respond before something less desirable is forced upon it,” Spira said.
While he said the proposed standards are a potential part of the solution to spam, Message Labs chief information security analyst Paul Wood told TechNewsWorld there are still issues to be worked out with the proposed Sender ID technology.
Wood explained that even if the approach, which is not yet an IETF standard and is not yet widely deployed, were adopted, it might require a “bulking up” of servers and software for e-mail.
Wood, who indicated Message Labs would implement the technology if it became a more solid standard, also warned that “spammers are already ahead of the game,” indicating that those sending spam might simply use “disposable domains” that will be able to circumvent Sender ID measures.
“It really is an arms race,” Wood said.


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Textron AirLand has started making preliminary decisions ahead of launching the production phase of the light attack and reconnaissance Scorpion jet.
A formal production launch depends on signing the first order, but Textron AirLand is already selecting suppliers for the production phase, a spokesman says.
Honeywell has been selected to deliver a turbofan engine – the TFE731-40AR-3S – for the twinjet. It is the same engine currently powering the developmental prototype.
In September, Textron Aviation chief executive Scott Ernest said a launch order for the Scorpion could be announced by the end of this year.
“I feel pretty good that we’re in a position to definitely get something done this year,” Ernest says. “There are several interested parties albeit outside the United States. This is a product that has the ability to be a very economical operating product.”
Textron AirLand developed the product in secret for two years before unveiling the prototype in September 2013. It has flown more than 200h and appeared at the Farnborough air show and the US Air Force Association’s annual convention near Washington DC.


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from the you're-breaking-up dept.
ChibiOne writes "The Asahi Shinbun has a story about the critical state that the Japanese animation industry currently faces, claiming: 'As merchandisers grow rich, the animation industry is losing jobs to cheaper labor abroad.' The article quotes Oh Production President Koichi Murata as saying: 'Unless something is done, Japanese anime will be ruined.' An animator, toiling away on cels in a tiny Tokyo studio, might be fortunate to pull in just 50,000 yen [about $500 USD] a month."
"An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a
cabbage, concludes that it will also make better soup." - H.L. Mencken


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Wii U arriving this holiday season
Tablet-based console coming to the US, EU, AU, and Japan before year's end; Nintendo reveals operating loss of $624 million; 3DS sales climb to 15 million, Wii to 94 million.
The Wii U is launching during this year's holiday season, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The new tablet-based console will launch in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia before the year is out.
The announcement followed Nintendo's quarterly financials for the period April to December last year, which revealed an operating loss of ¥48.4 billion ($624 million, £397 million) down from a ¥49.6 billion ($640 million, £407 million) profit for the same period in 2010.
Nintendo is now predicting an annual operating loss of ¥45 billion ($580 million, £370 million), dwarfing analyst expectations of a ¥4.2 billion ($54 million, £34 million) loss. Nintendo also cut its forecast for annual sales of the Wii to 10 million from 12 million, and sales of the 3DS to 14 million from 16 million.
"We had higher expectations for the year-end season, but failed to meet them," Iwata told reporters.
Nintendo already slashed the price of the 3DS in an effort to boost sales, just six months after its launch. Today, Nintendo updated sales figures for the 3DS, saying it has now sold 15 million units worldwide since launch. Additionally, the Mario maker said lifetime sales of the DS family of systems (of which the 3DS does not belong) now stands at over 150 million.
As for the Wii, lifetime global sales for that console now stand at 94 million units.
The less-than-rosy financials come amid increased competition from rivals Microsoft and Sony, whose Kinect and Move motion controllers compete with the Wii. Nintendo also faces a tough time in the handheld market, thanks to mobile devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and Android.
On Tuesday, Apple announced its quarterly earnings, revealing record-breaking numbers of $46.33 billion (£29.5 billion) in revenue and profits of $13.06 billion (£8.32 billion). The company now boasts a cash stockpile of over $98 billion (£62.4 billion).
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.


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Yum Brands posts higher second-quarter earnings
Yum! Brands Inc. has reported higher earnings for the second quarter.
Net income for the quarter, which ended June 14, rose 19 percent from a year earlier, to $334 million, or 73 cents per share, diluted. Total revenue for the quarter rose 10 percent, to $3.2 billion.
Business First reported earlier today that analysts expected revenue growth of 12 percent for the quarter and net income of 74 cents per share.
Net income for the first half of fiscal 2014 also rose 19 percent from a year earlier, and revenue is 9 percent higher.
In a news release, the company said sales in its China division rose 21 percent during the quarter, driven by 7 percent unit growth and 15 percent same-stores sales growth. The division was hurt last year by a controversy about KFC's chicken supply and avian flu scares.
Yum said sales in its KFC division rose by 5 percent during the second quarter, and sales in its Taco Bell division rose 3 percent. But sales in its Pizza Hut division fell 1 percent.
Carolyn Tribble Greer manages digital operations of the news department.
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Japanese cultural commentator Danny Choo strapped a camera to his seat to capture a bike’s eye view of the robotic Eco Cycle Anti-Seismic Underground Bicycle Park. It takes an average of 8 seconds for two-wheelers to make the journey — human involvement stops at the street level card reader.
(One internet commenter wondered what happens if the system malfunctions…and all I can say is I once spent what felt like an eternity, trapped in Disney’s Haunted Mansion.)
As futuristic visions go, it’s a finite one. The environmentally-friendly design allows for fairly easy de-installation, should public demand for safe, subterranean bike parking wane.
Cities from London and Paris to New York and Hangzhou have embraced bikesharing schemes, but the Japanese model allows cyclists to keep their own rides. Signs posted at street level remind riders to remove personal effects like pets (!) before using the system.) Unlimited parking and retrieval comes in at under 20 bucks a month.
It’s an idea whose time has come. As of this writing, the cycle-friendly Netherlands is plotting the world’s largest bike park — underderground — to be launched in 2018.
Hat tip to Danny Choo.


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Budweiser has teamed up with Lyft to give out up to 150,000 free rides. TC Newman (@PurpleTCNewman) has more on how these businesses are trying to eliminate drunk driving.
Germany's Daimler AG says its Mercedes-Benz luxury car division will invest $1 billion to set up electric vehicle production at its Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant
"The Boy Who Lived" still knows how to make money, with a rare book selling for record breaking amount at auction this week. TC Newman (@PurpleTCNewman) shares the winning bid!


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2008 PGA Show: Zombies, three-piece studs and Adidas jokesters
ORLANDO - Weird and not-so-weird news and notes from the 2008 PGA Show:
— Adidas Golf has taken the current golf club fad, lowering the moment of inertia (MOI), to a new low.
It’s building its new SHOES with a low MOI. Adidas’ Tour360 LTD shoes have a low center of gravity (“CG” in golfer terminology– another current fad) “to help golfers hit the ball more solidly.”
The company takes about three thousand words to explain that, in the end, what it did was stick a thinner sole in the shoe.
Thus, the golfer stands a whopping 2.5 millimeters closer to the ground. I can personally guarantee Adidas engineers were sitting around with their slide rules laughing their asses off.
— Real people aren’t enough anymore. Why is it people will completely ignore another human being, standing there giving all sorts of social signals they want to talk, but will crowd around video monitors? They could be playing slide shows of grass growing, people would still gape like zombies.
— I’m one of those who argue that golf is not only a sport, it’s the hardest sport. But, it’s hard to justify that this sport is played by “athletes.” Come to the PGA Show and see for yourself: there is nothing funnier than a businessmen in a three-piece suits, fresh off eating 10 pounds of beef at lunch, flailing away in a swing analysis booth, trying to impress his buddies.
Or a petite woman in giant, cumbersome, cartoonish, red boots wired to some gizmo that’s supposed to somehow help her golf swing.
Or a man writhing on the floor of the Orange County Convention Center, pulling at various isometric tubes in the name of total golf fitness.
— PrideSports has come out with soft spikes in different colors – a “limited-edition line” – so golfers can “accessorize their shoes with their favorite pro, college or high school sports team colors.”
I hope the earthworms enjoy all the pretty colors.
— Thank god for Bag Boy, one of my favorite travel bag companies. Bag Boy is one of those companies that makes golf club travel bags you can take straight from the airport to the course.
The company has come out with its new T-1000, including two accessory pockets, two shoe pockets and a detachable laundry bag. However, I like their smaller, slimmer models. Dragging an overpacked golf travel bag through airports, parking lots, bars and hotels is one of the biggest drags in golf travel. The smaller and lighter the better, even if I have to scratch a club or two.
|« 2008 PGA Show: China shows up for first time||2008 PGA Show: Hate your putter? Slew of new ones coming out »|
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Following the acquisition of MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, organizational integration is necessary to meet market demand and create synergy between the two businesses.
Transaction drives growth, broadens capabilities and customer footprint, and positions both companies for next-gen programs.
Five-year project is the first major step to develop an industrial-scale system capable of harvesting green hydrogen from offshore wind.
Mexican manufacturer Fynotej will supply OEMs with the lightweight and sustainable Fynocore — licensed under EconCore — for automotive application.
Purchase order for 6,320 C-Series delivery vehicles marks Workhorses’ largest individual order to date and expands its sales channel internationally into Canada.
While the North American International Auto Show has been put on pause, Motor Bella, set for Sept. 21-26, 2021, is a reimagined auto-centric event that will bring next-generation mobility and vehicle debuts to attendees.


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MYMETAL: China’s secondary lead output decreases
Jan 26, 2021 18:30
See Full-size Table Here
Chinese production of secondary lead is declining currently, as many smelters have started to halt operations to enjoy a longer Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday break, according to the latest survey from Mymetal, Mysteel’s nonferrous metals data collection arm.
Officially, the CNY holiday spans
February 11-17 but some smelters are stopping early to avoid the rush, as Mymetal’s latest production data showed.
Output among the 30 secondary lead makers Mymetal follows eased further over
January 18-24, falling by a substantial 11.7% to 42,355 tonnes over the week,
because some sampled smelters in Jiangxi


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Welcome to our weekly bitcoin news recap, where we cover top headlines and stories in the world of bitcoin each week. Several of bitcoin industry leading companies including Blockchain came together this week in support of bigger blocks to help scale the blockchain. You can read our letter in the link below. Also this week, more news continued to pour in showing support from financial firms and banks testing out bitcoin and blockchain technology. Also a fun fact: Oxford Dictionaries added two new bitcoin terms to their dictionary. Read all about this and more in this weekly bitcoin rundown.[Industry Endorses Bigger Blocks and BIP101](http://blog.blockchain.com/2015/08/24/industry-endorses-bigger-blocks-and-bip101/)
Our community stands at a crossroads. The debate about which path to take has, by and large, been a healthy one, and we have not interposed our own positions or interfered in the discourse. Until today, our involvement has consisted of listening, researching and testing. We believe that work is complete, and it is time to communicate our view in a clear and transparent manner.
Not to be outdone by Stanford, MIT Media Lab has announced its own course to inspire the “next generation” of bitcoin talent. Thanks to a partnership between its Digital Currency Initiative (DCI) and Media Lab Entrepreneurship Program, MIT will join other universities, including Stanford, putting bitcoin into the classroom.
Big banks like Deutsche Bank are caught between the devil of their own antiquated IT systems, and a deep blue sea of disruptive technology, the like of which has never before been visited upon the financial sector. In order to compete, banks must first address what Deutsche Bank Research analyst Thomas F Dapp calls their “homework” – solving their legacy problem. Dapp recently authored a report for Deutsche Bank entitled “Blockchain – attack is probably the best form of defense.”
When it announced its blockchain innovation lab earlier this year, UBS caused a ripple of excitement and trepidation. It was a watershed moment: one of the world’s wealthiest investment banks was putting its money, and public image, behind blockchain technology. Not only that, but it would be experimenting deep in the financial heart of London.
Nowhere, though, are more money and resources being spent on the technology than on Wall Street — the very industry that bitcoin was created to circumvent. “There is so much pull and interest on this right now,” said Derek White, the chief digital officer at Barclays, the British global bank, which has a team of employees working on about 20 experiments that explore how the technology underlying Bitcoin might change finance.
The first reported bitcoin transactions between the US and Cuba mark the latest innovation brought to the island’s complicated economy, as the two countries normalize relations. Fernando Villar, the Cuban-American founder of a group called BitcoinCuba, told CryptoCurrency News that he made the transaction this week using public wi-fi networks that Cuba’s socialist government has started installing in public parks.
The first ever bitcoin exchange in Iran has opened, opening up the cryptocurrency to a previously untapped market. BTXCapital will offer instant deposits and real-time buy and sell orders to users in the country through Draglet’s exchange platform, though regulatory issues surrounding bitcoin in Iran remain unclear.
Crypto-securities and blockchain record-keeping systems may not be subject to commercial transactions law under the US Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), according to new research from Cardozo Law.
My conversation with Mr. Tai was wide-ranging, and, at some point, we may offer the entire transcription as a free downloadable PDF. For now, below are excerpts related to bitcoin and blockchain, and, specifically, how blockchain technology could help solve what I believe to be the fundamental issue for today’s creator — be they a musician, writer, visual artist, etc. — attribution.
A group of researchers at the University of Maryland, College Park are among a small number of scientists working to erase a lag between the growing adoption of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and the understanding of them.
— Nic Cary (@niccary) August 28, 2015
More than just a steady flood of hacking, bitcoin hacking has become more of a culture within a subculture. As such their methods are ever evolving and they are extremely coordinated. Once a critical flaw is found it is exploited rapidly throughout the entire eco system. Conventional security guides cannot keep up with such a culture nor do they understand the unique terrain that bitcoin startups must deal with.
CardCash, an American online company that buys and sells discounted gift cards from thousands of national retailers, has begun to accept bitcoin payments. CardCash joins companies like Gyft and Fold that provide ways for Bitcoin users to interact with the massive gift card industry.
A new bitcoin micropayments tool has launched to take aim at the global freelance and on-demand services market. Called Faradam (after inventor Michael Faraday), the service uses a simple timer to facilitate payment between two parties, with freelancers seeking to leverage the service only needing to provide their name, hourly work rate and bitcoin address. In turn, those looking to employ short-term services simply receive a link and connect a wallet.
Catalan-born Jaume is a developer whose focus has been primarily on our web wallet. His travel portfolio reminds me of another developer on the team, Sjors, who has also visited and lived in his fair share of places around the world. Currently Jaume is settled in Ottawa, Canada, which is a city I called home for most of my life.
OxfordDictionaries.com, the online language resource owned by the Oxford University Press, has added new cryptocurrency-related definitions. A “blockchain”, according to the site, is a noun defined as: “A digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly.”[London’s Moniker Art Fair Banks on Bitcoin for 2015 Edition](http://uk.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1225764/londons-moniker-art-fair-banks-on-bitcoin-for-2015-edition)
London’s Moniker Art Fair has collaborated with bitcoin-based global art, music, and technology collective Fork The Banks for its 2015 edition to become the world’s first international art fair to accept Bitcoin payments.
How a bullied geek forged an empire out of digital currency, and became a suspect in a half-billion-dollar heist. Mark Karpeles was the accidental emperor of bitcoin. Then a half-billion dollars worth of bitcoins vanished from his exchange.


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Companies can be held liable for labor violations committed by franchisees and contractors, the U.S. labor board ruled on Thursday.» Read More
Starting in October the company will roll out a new cafe concept. USAToday reports.
After Coca-Cola faced backlash for funding a group touting the health of its products, the company is shifting its strategy.
Chick-fil-A is already eyeing city expansion beyond Manhattan.
Clothing chain Uniqlo's parent announced Friday that it would let some employees clock-in just four days a week.
From totem poles to pizza to tropical music, these are no ordinary Chick-fil-A-owned restaurants.
Media stocks have been tanking on concerns that ad dollars are moving online. But the shift brings another problem: The growth of ad blocking.
After two stagnant years, some investors say it's finally time to check out shares of GM and Ford.
The key to fixing the U.S.'s crumbling highways comes down to finding the right recipe for asphalt. Here's what's in the mix.
Pennsylvania, with the most faulty bridges in the U.S., is moving quickly to replace 558 bridges in three years. Here's how.
American Eagle shares continued to slide on Thursday, though analysts were quick to call the selloff overdone.
The list factors in total cost of ownership and only includes models that have earned a top safety rating from IIHS.
McDonald's has kicked its advertising efforts up a notch by taking to Tinder, the Daily Mail reported.
The number of upgrades offered by automakers has become more and more dizzying and perhaps more of a waste, reports USA Today.
The company said Thursday it'll let advertisers share promoted videos and promoted tweets to the full 700 million people in its MoPub network.
German automaker Audi is set to rival Tesla's much anticipated Model X with the unveiling of an electric car with a range of over 310 miles.
McDonald's is getting the boot from the Cleveland Clinic food court even as other fast food chains remain.
Sears reported a profit thanks to a one-off gain from the sale of stores, but the struggling retailer's sales continued to decline.
The American consumer has changed, and that's having a profound effect on where people are choosing to spend their money.
The troubles surrounding Subway's spokesman Jared Fogle couldn't have come at a worse time, USAT reports.
Toyota has sent out invitations for journalists to attend a preview of the fourth-generation in Las Vegas on Sept. 8, NBC reports.


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Netflix has released the official teaser for the upcoming Spanish mystery thriller series The Snow Girl. Check it out.
Woman of the Dead: German-Language Thriller Series Gets Premiere Date
Netflix has set the global premiere date for Woman of the Dead, a new German-language revenge thriller series. Check out the English-subtitled trailer.
Copenhagen Cowboy: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Scandi Noir Crime Drama
Netflix has set the global premiere date for Copenhagen Cowboy, the new Scandi noir series created and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Check out the trailer.
A Man of Action: Netflix Drops English-Subtitled Trailer for Spanish Biopic-Historical Drama
Netflix released today the official English-subtitled trailer for A Man of Action, a film loosely inspired by the life of Spanish anarchist Lucio Urtubia.
Troll: Netflix Drops (Terrific) Official Trailer for Norwegian Action-Adventure Film
Whoa. Based on the trailer alone, I am so gonna watch Troll. Netflix dropped the official one for it today. Check it out.
1899: Netflix Releases Official Trailer for Highly-Anticipated Series
Netflix released today the official trailer for 1899, the highly-anticipated new series from the creators of Dark. It looks fabulous. Check it out!
My Name Is Vendetta: Netflix Sets Premiere for Italian Action-Crime Thriller
Netflix has set the premiere date for My Name Is Vendetta, a new action-crime thriller from Italy starring Alessandro Gassmann. Check out the intense trailer.
Hot Skull: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Turkish Sci-Fi Mystery Series
Netflix released today a video announcement for the global premiere date for Hot Skull, a new sci-fi mystery series from Turkey. Check it out.
Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi: Netflix Debuts Docuseries Next Week
Netflix has added the docuseries Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi to its October schedule. Check out the trailer.
The Takeover: Netflix Sets Debut Date for Dutch Action-Crime Thriller
Netflix has set the global release date for The Takeover, a new action-crime thriller out of the Netherlands. Check out the trailer.


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Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading.
Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo — Shares of Chinese companies listed publicly in the U.S. surged as Beijing signaled support for the stocks. The Chinese government said it supports the listing of businesses overseas and that its crackdown on technology companies should end soon, according to Chinese state media. Alibaba jumped 36.7%, JD.com added 39.4% and Pinduoduo rallied 56%.
AeroVironment — The defense stock jumped 9.8% after NBC News reported that the White House was considering supplying drones made by AeroVironment to the Ukrainian government to help fend off Russian forces.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Boeing — Boeing shares rallied 5.1% after Baird added the aerospace company to its bullish fresh picks list. While the company's stock is down year-to-date, investors should buy the dip as deliveries of the 737-Max are expected to resume in China even amid the recent surge in Covid-19 cases, analysts wrote.
Spotify — The streaming company's stock price jumped more than 6% in midday trading. Spotify signed a stadium and shirt sponsorship deal on Tuesday with Spanish soccer team FC Barcelona. The team members will wear the Spotify logo on their uniform shirts for the next four years.
Starbucks — Shares of Starbucks climbed 7.9% after the coffee giant announced CEO Kevin Johnson's retirement following five years on the job and said that Howard Schultz will return as interim CEO. JPMorgan analysts also upgraded Starbucks to overweight and said its shares could rally 22% despite recent China restrictions.
Nvidia — The chipmaker's stock price surged 6.6%. Analysts at Wells Fargo added Nvidia to their "signature picks" list, saying the stock's recent tumble has created an attractive risk/reward profile. Wells Fargo also expects upbeat announcements at Nvidia's upcoming investor day.
Nike — The sportswear company's stock price spiked 4.9%. Bernstein said Tuesday that supply chain issues have created a buying opportunity in Nike, which analysts expect will maintain its top position in China.
NortonLifeLock — Shares for NortonLifeLock tumbled 13.3% after Britain signaled that the cybersecurity company's $8.6 billion deal to acquire competitor Avast may get an "in-depth" probe by antitrust regulators.
— CNBC's Hannah Miao, Jesse Pound and Samantha Subin contributed reporting.


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Smoopa, a mobile commerce startup co-founded by a longtime ex-Googler, a defense scientist and a former Massachusetts state trooper (yes!), is landing on iOS today with a price-scanning app that pays shoppers to find bargains.
The app capitalizes on a trend that has started to roil brick-and-mortar stores over the last year. Armed with smartphones, consumers are comparing prices in physical stores to ones online in a hunt for the best deals.
While there are already apps like this out on the market (most notably from Amazon and eBay with the Red Laser app they acquired), Smoopa’s spin on this is that they reward shoppers for sharing price information back from real-world stores. Every time a consumer scans an item and enters in price data from a physical store, there’s a random chance they’ll be rewarded with credits that can either be put towards gift cards, rebate checks or charitable donations.
“We’re at an inflection point with local shopping and there’s an opportunity to change the landscape that hasn’t existed before,” said Smoopa co-founder Mendel Chuang, who worked on AdSense after joining Google in 2004. He co-founded the company with a former defense scientist Charlie Sharp.
And here’s the super cute part of the story (which hopefully I’ll get to writing a post about later), the iOS app was actually built by Chuang’s husband, Derek Langton. He was a Massachusetts state trooper for 18 years who has picked up coding over the last year and a half.
“He’s been mad-driven,” Chuang said of his 42-year-old husband. “The more I told him that iOS development was hard, the more he wanted to prove me wrong.”
Langton added, “[Chuang] now admits the iOS app is even a little better than the Android one.” Smoopa went Android-first in an unusual decision. Chuang thought Android shoppers were probably more price-sensitive than iPhone owners. That app has gotten more than 100,000 downloads on Google Play already.
In the app, a consumer scans a barcode, then the app displays a list of matching products from the company’s 20 million item database. It also shows a list of nearby stores. The user picks one and gives the local price in the store on the item. They might be presented with a special offer or a randomly generated reward of around 50 cents in credit toward a future purchase. If they find a better price online through the app, they can buy the item directly through app. Smoopa factors in shipping costs too, so a buyer can tell whether the overall price will be better offline or online.
Smoopa earns affiliate revenue when consumers buy items through the app. They can also earn revenue through targeted advertising (which in this case is especially valuable because the app is so close to a person’s point of transaction).
There are little viral hooks built into the app, like a $2 referral bonus for every friend a user adds.
The company, which has raised a little over a half-million dollars in angel funding, is based out of AOL’s incubator space, First Floor Labs, in Palo Alto. They’ve taken funding from Dennis Hwang, the original Google doodler, SimplyHired co-founder and chief technology officer, Peter Weck and Nate Johnson, who leads consumer product marketing at LinkedIn.


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Macy’s Inc (NYSE:M) reached a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $20.87 and last traded at $21.27, with a volume of 171946 shares. The stock had previously closed at $21.58.
M has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. TheStreet cut Macy’s from a “b-” rating to a “c+” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 5th. Desjardins reissued an “average” rating and issued a $5.25 price objective on shares of Macy’s in a research note on Friday, March 22nd. ValuEngine cut Macy’s from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 13th. Deutsche Bank raised their price objective on Macy’s from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 16th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut Macy’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $28.10.
The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The company has a market cap of $6.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.41.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 14th will be issued a $0.3775 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 13th. This represents a $1.51 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.03%. Macy’s’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.12%.
In other news, Director Joyce M. Roche sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.30, for a total value of $243,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 13,647 shares in the company, valued at $331,622.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Deirdre P. Connelly sold 6,250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.76, for a total value of $161,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 17,092 shares in the company, valued at approximately $440,289.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 16,921 shares of company stock worth $421,238 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.55% of the company’s stock.
A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc increased its position in Macy’s by 6.5% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc now owns 35,205,128 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,222,675,000 after buying an additional 2,133,597 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in shares of Macy’s by 0.4% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 30,073,924 shares of the company’s stock valued at $722,677,000 after purchasing an additional 121,302 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Macy’s by 23.0% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 8,559,577 shares of the company’s stock valued at $205,696,000 after purchasing an additional 1,599,445 shares in the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its position in shares of Macy’s by 2,958.7% in the fourth quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 6,681,203 shares of the company’s stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 6,462,771 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Macy’s by 7.4% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,150,836 shares of the company’s stock valued at $153,359,000 after purchasing an additional 355,028 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.18% of the company’s stock.
About Macy’s (NYSE:M)
Macy's, Inc, an omnichannel retail organization, operates stores, Websites, and mobile applications. The company sells a range of merchandise, including apparel and accessories for men, women, and children; cosmetics; home furnishings; and other consumer goods. As of April 1, 2019, it operated approximately 680 department stores under the Macy's and Bloomingdale's names; and 190 specialty stores, such as Bloomingdale's The Outlet, Bluemercury, Macy's Backstage, and STORY in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
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China's cyberspace regulator has drafted new guidelines mandating the country's internet behemoths obtain its approval before undertaking any investments or fundraisings, Reuters reports.
Related Content: Why Are Alibaba Shares Trading Lower Premarket?
Cyberspace Administration of China's (CAC) guidelines will apply to any platform company with over 100 million users or plus 10 billion yuan ($1.58 billion) in revenue.
Any internet firm involved in sectors named on the negative list issued by China's National Development and Reform Commission last year will also need to apply for approval.
The CAC previously issued a new set of rules, to take effect from Feb. 14, that require platform companies with data on more than 1 million users to undergo security reviews before they list overseas.
BABA Price Action: BABA shares were trading 0.21% higher at $128.87 midday Wednesday.
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