text:
Investment firm Canaccord Genuity gushed over electric carmaker Tesla by raising its price target by more than $100 as they expects the trend toward electric vehicles “will only accelerate in 2020.” This casts a spotlight on ETFs focused on electric vehicles like the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF (NYSEArca: DRIV).
Per a Yahoo Finance report, the price “target was raised to $515 from $375, one of the highest on Wall Street and near the Street-high view of $530. The average price target is about $302, according to Bloomberg data.”
“While bears have feared demand issues as a function of tax credit expiration for Tesla, we suspect a solid Q4 combined with the robust Q3 should put these fears to rest,” said Canaccord analyst Jed Dorsheimer.
According to the report, he is expecting Tesla to report nearly 369,000 units delivered over 2019, which hits 9,000 deliveries higher than the company’s own guidance of 360,000.
Canaccord’s optimism was shared by JMP Securities, who said that “unit consensus expectations for this year are oddly low.” Of course, not everyone is feeling all charged up about Tesla.
“Excluding the Netherlands and China, we expect Model 3 deliveries to be down” analyst Jeffrey Osborne wrote in a note dated Dec. 29, citing “demand saturation” in the most developed markets.
seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Autonomous & Electric Vehicles Index.
- High Growth Potential: DRIV enables investors to access high growth potential through companies critical to the development of autonomous and electric vehicles – a potentially transformative economic innovation.
- Unconstrained Approach: DRIV’s composition transcends classic sector, industry, and geographic classifications by tracking an emerging technological theme.
- ETF Efficiency: In a single trade, DRIV delivers access to dozens of companies with high exposure to the autonomous and electric vehicles theme.
For a less direct play on electric vehicles, investors can also look at the Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (NYSEArca: LIT). Lithium-ion battery capacity is vital because one of the primary factors car buyers consider when evaluating electric vehicles is how long those vehicles can run on a single charge. Tesla’s dominance in the booming electric vehicle market will also move the demand for lithium.
LIT, which is nearly nine years old, tracks the Solactive Global Lithium Index.
The underlying index is designed to measure broad-based equity market performance of global companies involved in the lithium industry. One of the oldest thematic ETFs, LIT is designed to provide exposure to “the full lithium cycle, from mining and refining the metal, through battery production,” according to Global X.
For more market trends, visit ETF Trends.


text:
Netflix communicated the financial results of the first quarter 2022 and the data is far from encouraging. The streaming giant has recorded for the first time in the last ten years a decline in subscribers: 200,000 fewer worldwide compared to the fourth quarter of 2021.
Even more worrying is that the negative trend is destined to continue in the coming months: according to official estimates, in the second quarter of the year the number of subscribers could fall by another 2 million. In the letter to the shareholders, the management acknowledges the situation, providing the first explanations:
Our revenue growth has slowed considerably, Covid clouded the picture by significantly increasing our growth in 2020, leading us to believe that most of the slowdown in 2021 was due to the push forward brought about by Covid.
In the last quarter the the number of subscribers to the platform thus decreased from 221.84 to 221.64 million. Netflix still remains the number one in the streaming platform market but these results are far from those expected for the first quarter of the year which went in the direction of a further increase in subscribers (+ 2.5 / 4 million, according to official estimates).
The reasons for the slowdown would be multiple:
- first effects of the subscription price increase introduced in the United States at the beginning of the year;
- economic factors (slowdown in economic growth, increase in inflation) and geopolitical events (war between Russia and Ukraine which involved, among other things, Netflix’s exit from the Russian market);
- strong competition in the streaming platform market;
- dependence of growth on factors on which Netflix cannot intervene, such as the spread of smart TVs and the cost of broadband connections
- sharing of account passwords.
The last aspect deserves a closer look: Netflix confirms that 100 million families access the contents of the platform through shared passwords and that this factor makes it more difficult to increase subscriptions in many markets. Management is aware of the need to take corrections, but introducing a system to prevent password sharing will take some time, about a year according to CEO Reed Hastings himself.
A MORE ECONOMIC PLAN IS EVALUATED WITH ADVERTISING
Taking note of the collapse of subscribers, Netflix starts running for covermaking more concrete what a few weeks ago was a simple, vague hypothesis and years ago a perspective completely excluded: the introduction of a subscription plan made cheaper by the presence of advertisements. It is the CEO of Netflix himself – in the past uncompromising on the subject – to underline:
Anyone who has followed Netflix knows that I am against the complexity of advertising and am a big believer in the simplicity of subscriptions. But as much as it is, I support consumer choice even more, and it makes a lot of sense to give what consumers want, who would like to have a lower price and tolerate advertising.
For now there is no talk of detailed timing, but it is clear that this is an important turning point in Netflix’s commercial policy and that the effects will be seen in the future.
TONFO IN THE BAG
In the short term, however, Netflix feels the blow of a disappointing quarterly – especially considering the expectations. The streaming platform’s stock has lost over a quarter of its value in after hours trading.

domain: news


text:
On the last day of Lions Cannes 2021, Rachel Ferdinando, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Frito-Lay North America and Margaret Johnson, Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, discussed Frito-Lay’s strategy that helped the brand to successfully carve a niche for itself in the salty snack category.
Frito-Lay and Goodby Silverstein & Partners have endured a decade-plus relationship and marked several firsts for the industry.
Speaking about their strategy, Ferdinando said innovation is critical to what they do with brands at Frito-Lay.
"The Gen Z, millennials and even the consumers that our brands focus on live on more innovative platforms. They are digital natives and are early adopters. So we have to evolve and innovate to continue to keep pace with that change,” she said.
“As a creative person, I live for doing things that have never been done before. It's such an adrenaline rush. It gives you credibility in the category and establishes you as a leader. There's the like-mindedness between the client Frito-Lay and the agency. We all want to create culture and not just follow,” said Johnson.
Speaking about their campaign for SuperBowl, Johnson said their assignment was to create a 60-second spot featuring a new product, Doritos Blaze and Mountain Dew Ice.
They took inspiration from something that was already happening on social media with the Spitfire challenge, where people were uploading videos, lip-syncing lyrics of rapper Busta Rhymes.
The agency came up with the spitfire battle between Hollywood stars Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage.
They generated a Snapchat lens where people could pick a fire or the ice side and battle with their friends.
Johnson said this resulted in user-generated content for 80 days straight.
Based on the insight that Gen-Z does not like branding, Doritos launched an ad campaign that features no logo or brand name. “When you're dealing with a generation like Gen Z, who is about self-expression, and 82% are skipping ads, a traditional ad is not the way to go and that's what led to brandlessness, which was the anti-ad, Ferdinando said.
In another campaign for the SuperBowl, the brand launched the Tostitos Party Safe Bag. Explaining the thought behind it, she said SuperBowl Sunday happens to be the biggest drinking day in the US and the most dangerous day to be behind the wheel. The high-tech bag detected alcohol on your breath and would upload an Uber code for you to get a safe ride. Johnson said 30,000 safe rides were given on that day.
The brand came up with limited-edition bags for Stacy's Pita Chips to honour women during women's history month using the illustrations from the actual women's march in Washington DC.
“We partnered with Snapchat to create these custom snap pics that when scanned, used geo-targeting to identify your congressional representative and let you call just by snapping back. It was an instantaneous way for your voice to be heard and created the first bag of chips to ever call Congress,” explained Johnson.
They came up with Doritos Rainbows when the debate over gay marriage was all over the press. “We had so much success with Doritos Rainbows that it gave the client confidence to express their POV on more provocative issues. My advice for selling and provocative ideas such as Doritos Rainbows or ‘Stacy stands with you’ is just to be relentless in your pursuit of ideas that sit outside of advertising and have a major impact. Those are the projects that you'll remember working on and really make a difference,” she stated.
Speaking about innovation and how it has helped Frito-Lay, Ferdinando said iconic brands need to stay true to their purpose for they need to constantly evolve and be in a state of reinvention.
“Innovation is scary, but the risk is worth the reward. If we look at what this has delivered, we've had some of the most successful years we've had in a decade. Frito-Lay is the number one innovation contributed to the salty snack category. There's a stat for you that shows that innovation works. We've had the biggest integration of brands such as Doritos biggest sales years in the decade and raffle penetration, just incredible momentum because we chose to innovate and create in a way like never before.”


text:
Ezine Site Set to Launch
The site, Ezine Ad Auction, will auction off advertising space on a number of zines.
The site is free for ad buyers. Ezine publishers will pay a commission upon completion of the sale.
Pandora, meanwhile, attracts more user time but far fewer digital advertisng dollars, says a study.
Robert Thomson warns the EU that an antitrust deal with Google will lead to a decrease in competitive options for marketers and an increase in piracy.
Some 60% of brands now buy online video programmatically, according to a study from AOL's Adap.TV.


text:
Global Turf Equipment (GTE) – the world’s largest independent seller and exporter of pre-owned golf course equipment – announces golf industry veteran Debbie Nipper has been named vice president of marketing.
Concurrent with her duties as vice president of client and vendor operations for sister company International Club Suppliers (ICS), Nipper will oversee all marketing and advertising initiatives for GTE. Event planning, social media, PR, internal and external communications, international client services and distribution opportunities will fall under her authority.
Formerly employed by Golf Ventures as vice president of operations, Nipper possesses more than 18 years of industry experience. She was responsible for sales, service and marketing at the Jacobsen and allied equipment distributor.
“Debbie is very familiar with the myriad decisions golf course superintendents, GMs, owners and operators face on a daily basis,” says Jim Sartain, president, Global Turf Equipment. “Her creativity, quick-thinking and service-oriented temperament will be called on time and again as we expand our reach to every corner of the globe.”
Serving golf facilities in more than 80 countries worldwide and all 50 U.S. states, GTE offers substantial cost savings to golf course owners, operators, and superintendents with late model alternatives to brand-new machines.
GTE’s 30,000 square-foot USA headquarters stocks more than 650 pieces of equipment, including fairway mowers, greens mowers, top dressers, turf aerators, sprayers, utility vehicles and more.
Earlier this year, GTE established an overseas partnership with the U.K.’s County Mowers as the first step in long-term plans to strengthen its European distribution network. A new facility in Denmark followed as the next phase in GTE’s European expansion.
For more information: (www.globalturfequipment.com, 866.588.3092) is the world’s largest independent seller and exporter of pre-owned golf course equipment, and a fiscally prudent alternative to buying brand-new machines. Founded in 2003, GTE purchases mowers, grinders, green rollers and more from short-term leases in partnership with major US financial lending firms. A 30,000 square-foot indoor warehouse services private club, resort and daily-fee golf course clients in all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide. Featured brands include Toro, Jacobsen, John Deere and Club Car.


text:
Google manager talks ethics at local business forum
To illustrate the urgency at which information travels, Google’s Mike Wooten revealed the results of an app that measures what happens online in one second.
So by the end of his 41-minute address at the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium luncheon, 14 billion emails and 39 million Tweets had hurtled through cyberspace.
“It’s an amazing time to be alive,” he told an audience of about 230 at the DoubleTree by Hilton downtown.
Operations manager at Google’s data center in Pryor, Wooten spoke on ethical considerations for business in the 21st century, touching on other topics such as tips for success and how to navigate change in the workplace. He has worked for the company for nearly 10 years, serving in engineering, project management and operations management roles.
Wooten told the crowd that businesses can experience an “economic renaissance” when the Internet is allowed to reach the masses.
Google, a half-trillion-dollar company, already is experimenting with contact lenses that can measure a person’s glucose level, he said. And the age of self-driving automobiles may not be that far away, an innovation that could save countless lives, he said.
“In 10 years, I don’t want to be driving anymore,” Wooten said. “I hate driving.”
Midway through his talk, the pun-loving Wooten showed a slide of a pair of socks, alluding to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, also known as “Sox.” A response to corporate scandals such as Enron, the federal legislation increased financial reporting oversight for publicly held companies.
“It’s a little scary when people talk about this balance of these controls that we put in place that help level the playing field between investors and businesses and businesses and customers,” Wooten said. “On one side, there is a burdensome bureaucracy, and on the other side, businesses can go out and do what they want. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.”
Wooten also mentioned the fall of Martin Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager who increased fifty-fold the price of a life-saving drug.
“When businesses do things that are unethical, it backfires pretty quick because there’s instant communication with social media,” he said. “Things go viral. …”


text:
The cost of product development for a vehicle program accounts for about 5% of the spend, according to Mike Ray technical director, Transportation & Mobility for Dassault Systemes (3ds.com). Yet PD affects about 75% of the total cost.
Sort of makes you think that it is pretty important to pay attention to that PD part of the equation, doesn’t it?
Dassault Systèmes, of course, provides software for product development. And what’s interesting is that whereas for the past few years software companies have been describing their offerings as “solutions,” there is a terminology change as the company has evolved its V6 platform of late. Now it is offering what it calls the “3D Experience.”
No, this isn’t like one of those movies for which you have to wear those funny plastic glasses (although there is the capability of viewing designs within a 3D CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment), for which headgear is de rigueur). Rather, what they’re talking about is providing the means by which product development encompasses parties including designers, engineers, marketing managers, and consumers in a so-called “social enterprise.”
Paul Silver, Dassault global industry program manager for Auto, says that the “3D Experience goes beyond PLM,” that it ranges from conceptual design all the way through after-sales considerations.
To that end, the company has been acquiring a number of companies (e.g., Exalead, a search-based software developer) and putting its capabilities in the cloud. It is working to provide the means by which designers and engineers can truly work on a 24/7 clock and, as Mike Lalande, a director/consultant within the company’s Transportation & Mobility sector, a man with more than 25 years of product development experience at General Motors, puts it, “everything is the same on all screens.” That is, the model is always current; there isn’t the need to run a refresh to update the system to get the current version.
What’s more, as more vehicle platforms are becoming global and variants are being built off of them, having the ability to leverage already-existing parts, components, features, and/or systems is becoming increasingly vital for cost-effective development. Again, this is something that they say the “3D Experience” facilitates.
In a more tactical development, the company has announced that they’ve launched a new release of its Version 5 PLM platform, V5-6R2012, which allows users to edit features of V6 models within V5, thereby allowing downward compatibility between versions, making it easier for customers to work in mixed V5/V6 environments.—GSV
Last year Buick sold 219,231 vehicles in the U.S.
Ford has made an accomplishment that will never be bested, never even be tied.
What happens if that $2.29 a gallon goes up by a couple of bucks a year from now? How are the pickup, SUV and crossover sales going to be then?


text:
Rick Haythornthwaite, new chairman of Centrica, said political moves such as Labour leader Ed Miliband’s pledge to freeze prices if the party wins power were “immensely damaging” and threatened crucial investment in the country’s energy market.
The firm, whose British Gas arm trades as Scottish Gas north of the Border, said it lost more than 360,000 gas and electricity customer accounts last year, down 2 per cent to 15.3 million, as households switched to cheaper rivals after it hiked prices by 9.2 per cent on average from November, as part of a round of winter bill rises across the industry.
The group has shed around another 100,000 accounts so far this year, but said customer switching was “stabilising” after scaling back its price rise by 3.2 per cent following a shake-up of the government’s so-called green levies on bills.
Centrica reported a “difficult” set of annual figures as it said profits from its residential energy arm dropped 6 per cent to £571 million after rising wholesale prices and a milder winter, which meant households have not had to turn up the heating.
Mr Haythornthwaite said: “I think the reputation of Britain as a place in which to invest is under threat and the time to correct that is now, not after the 2015 election, by which time the possibility of the lights going out in Britain will be looming much larger.”
He said he was not scaremongering, adding: “We’ve got to restart collaborative, constructive dialogue around these key issues. We cannot afford to wait – hostilities have got to cease.”
Last night, Neil Findlay MSP, Scottish Labour health spokesman, accused Mr Haythornthwaite of “scaremongering” while many cash-strapped families were facing financial hardship from energy costs.
He said: “These comments are a slap in the face to the thousands of Scottish families who have to make the choice between heating and eating as a result of Centrica’s massive price hikes. This type of scaremongering from a company which is still making in excess of £570m in profits is exactly why people should vote Labour to back Ed Miliband’s pledge to freeze energy prices and why the energy market needs reformed.”
British Gas said it was “confident we can go back to customer growth”, helped by the recent launch of new fixed-price deals.Across the group, operating profits were 2 per cent lower at £2.7 billion last year.
Critics rounded on the group despite the drop in earnings, with shadow energy and climate change secretary Caroline Flint attacking “profits on the back of spiralling bills for hard-pressed consumers”.
Lobby groups called for regulators to deliver better competition in the market and consider a full-scale investigation.
Adam Scorer, director of Consumer Futures, said: “Anger won’t help consumers, only action to reduce their exposure to rising prices. Ofgem needs to deliver vigorous competition in the market – or refer it to the Competition Commission.”
Centrica’s shares have plunged by more than a fifth since the autumn following Labour’s price-freeze pledge, with the stock driven down further after Energy Secretary Ed Davey recently called for a full inquiry into the energy market that could see British Gas broken up.
In a letter, Mr Davey urged competition authorities to “think radically” as they consider whether to launch a probe. He has raised concerns over Centrica’s dominance in the gas supply market, querying why its margins were several times higher than for electricity, and claiming consumers could save £40 a year if they were brought in line.
British Gas revealed profit margins for its gas business stood at 8.9 per cent in 2013 – far higher than the 0.8 per cent electricity margin. But outgoing finance director Nick Luff denied the group was taking advantage of its market-leading position.
He said: “Scale does give us an advantage in terms of costs, which means we can offer good service and prices to our customers, but it doesn’t give us an advantage that means other suppliers can’t compete with us.”
Mr Luff said the firm “can’t make promises” on prices for the year ahead, but added it would look to keep tariffs “as low as we can for as long as we can”. It said this year’s milder winter weather was likely to see bills come down by 9 per cent or 10 per cent.
Centrica’s results show higher wholesale prices and unseasonably warm weather at the end of last year saw British Gas suffer an 18 per cent slump in profit in the final six months of 2013.
A spokesman for Ofgem said: “Several of the big suppliers are seeing customers leave them in large numbers.”
Funnel your anger into shopping around for a better deal
THE announcement of Centrica’s profits will inevitably cause more anger at a time when it’s cold outside and so many consumers in Scotland are already struggling to pay their fuel bills.
Consumers can use their anger as a prompt to shop around for a better deal and make their homes more energy-efficient. There is still a significant amount of money to be saved from getting the cheapest energy tariff out there.
We would urge anyone worried about their energy costs to shop around for the best deal using a recognised price comparison website and to ensure they are on the cheapest payment method, such as direct debit.
There are also many discounted insulation and heating measures available from the Scottish Government’s home energy hotline and we would encourage people to take advantage of this. Making changes at home can really make a difference here. A trained adviser can carry out a home energy check, give you expert energy-saving advice and tell you what support you are eligible for. More of us are eligible for help than you might think, so it really is worth calling 0808 808 2282 to find out more.
But more important and urgent than ever, we need real action to greatly reduce exposure to rising prices for all consumers. The UK government should either scrap the carbon floor price or use the millions of pounds in proceeds to fund a much more ambitious energy efficiency programme.
Consumer Futures is a member of The Energy Bill Revolution campaign – an alliance of organisations calling on the UK government to make home energy efficiency a key priority in big infrastructure investment, helping to cut fuel poverty. The regulator, Ofgem, needs to deliver vigorous competition in the market – or refer it to the Competition Commission if it cannot.
• Tricia McAuley is Director for Scotland, Consumer Futures


text:
Students Prepare For 10th Annual Car Show
WATERTOWN, SD – The Lake Area Technical College Car Club will host its 10th annual Car Show, Trade Expo & Swap Meet for a Cause Saturday, April 18, 2015. The event will be held in the Lake Area Technical College Automotive Technology building from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The car show entry fee is $10.00 with race car registration from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. All other registrations take place from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Show classes include Custom Paint & Fab Choice, Automotive Technology Choice, High Performance Engine Machining Choice, Best of Show, and People’s Choice.
New this year is a Trade Expo and Swap Meet. Booth availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Trade Expo booth fee is $150 and the Swap Meet booth fee is $10.
Funds raised from the show are designated each year to a cause selected by the students. For fourth year in a row, the students chose to donate the proceeds from the annual Car Show and Car Care events to Make-A-Wish South Dakota. Last year, the LATI Car Club donated from these events $2085.53 to the local chapter.
Admission for the public is $1 and concessions will be available. To register for the Car Show, Trade Expo (new parts) or Swap Meet (used parts), contact the Lake Area Technical College Automotive Department at 605.882.5284 ext. 219, email email@example.com.


text:
It’s not a secret that the Mini Paceman is going out of production by the end of this year. Until now it was believed the model with unconventional design won’t be getting a next generation, but a new report from AutoExpress hints a spiritual successor could be introduced in 2018.
Speaking to BMW Group design chief Adrian van Hooydonk, the British magazine found out the manufacturer is currently considering adding a new version to the Countryman lineup, namely a Countryman coupe. It will serve as an indirect replacement for the Paceman, which is still assembled in Graz, Austria, by Magna Steyr.
If the project gets the green light, this time Mini will take a different approach on the coupe-SUV formula. Instead of only two interior doors, the model will likely get four doors and a slightly longer wheelbase than the Paceman.
“Part of the issue was the three doors,” van Hooydonk explained to AutoExpress.
“We have looked into a lot of things, but all of our [BMW] SUV coupes are five-door vehicles. As much as people probably drive the cars with only one or two people, they like the comfort of an extra set of doors. They want to carry extra stuff – throw a bag in the rear or take someone.”
Basically, expect to see a Countryman with sloped roof and some other minor visual changes. Other than that, the coupe-SUV will be a technical twin of the recently revealed new Countryman, which means it will be based on the UKL1 platform and will the same range of three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.
As for the current Paceman, it was launched in 2012 and facelifted two years later. Despite its attractive look and a range-topping JCW version, it was never a big success on the market, as Mini managed to sell only 8,730 units in Europe in 2014 and even less in 2015.
Note: 2015 Mini Paceman facelift pictured.


text:
►Fraud in the United States accounted for almost half of such losses globally. While banks in Europe and Asia have introduced stricter security policies and practices to protect consumers, the U.S. still relies on “older infrastructure.” Banks in Europe and elsewhere have moved to deploy "chip-and-pin" card systems that make it harder to produce counterfeit payment cards, a vulnerability for U.S. cards carrying data on magnetic strips, Reuters reports. Experts say U.S. banks will only spend the millions of dollars on changing the system once it becomes worth their while. Losses for U.S. banks are still manageable given how profitable payment card operations have become, one expert said.
►The United States, along with seven other countries, signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement over the weekend. The aim of the accord is to target piracy and copyright infringement worldwide. It calls on participating nations to “maintain extensive seizure and forfeiture laws when it comes to counterfeited goods that are trademarked or copyrighted,” Ars Technica reports. The agreement also demands governments make laws against marketing devices that circumvent copyright obligations.
►Chinese cyber espionage aimed at stealing U.S. technology and industrial secrets has reached “intolerable levels,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said in remarks on Tuesday. “Rogers said the corporate victims of cyber spying, when they were willing to discuss it at all, are also reluctant to point the finger at China out of concern they could become the target of retaliatory attacks,” the Times of India reports. Several cyber espionage investigations have led back to China, but the country denies any allegations of cyberattacks on U.S. companies.
►In other news, even after the implementation of new information security programs, weaknesses in enforcing them leave government agencies at risk, according to a new GAO report. ♦ Iraqi lawmakers announced that after 2011, U.S. troops in the country would no longer have legal immunity, the New York Times reported. ♦ And the U.S. has ordered 45 million doses of the anthrax vaccine.


text:
Does this force Dark Siders to invest in the company to retain their
status as Dark Siders? Haven't seen this posted yet.
Golfsmith seeks $115M IPO
Austin Business Journal - March 14, 2006
Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. filed Tuesday for an initial
public offering of its common stock.
The Austin company hopes to raise $115 million through its IPO on the
NASDAQ National Market, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. The proposed ticker symbol is "GOLF."
Golfsmith didn't specify the number of shares to be sold or estimate a
price per share.
The company plans to use proceeds from the stock offering to pay off
some of its debt, including about $93 million of its senior notes; pay
off a credit line of $5.8 million; and pay a $3 million fee to cancel
its management consulting agreement with First Atlantic Capital Ltd.
In 2005, Golfsmith posted revenue of $324 million and operating income
of $14.7 million. As of December, the retailer operated 52 stores, with
plans for 10 to 12 more locations in 2006 and 14 to 16 in 2007.
Founded in 1967, Golfsmith is a retailer of golf equipment, apparel and
accessories. Atlantic Equity Partners III LP, a fund operated by New
York private equity firm First Atlantic Capital, is the majority owner
Merrill *** & Co., JPMorgan Securities Inc., Lazard Capital Markets
LLC and Fenner & Smith Inc. are underwriters of the IPO.
Recently, Golfsmith has undertaken several initiatives to expand its
market share, including the addition of tennis products and the launch
of a catalog called Drive targeting female golfers.
Golfsmith's IPO filing comes after its chief rival, Golf Galaxy Inc.
(NASDAQ: GGXY) of Eden Prairie, Minn., went public last July.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA


text:
Cancer Prevention Tools
Marketing supplies of e-cigarettes can’t make claims that their product exposes customers to fewer toxins or reduces harm until the FDA grants an order permitting such claims. In September 2019, the FDA sent JUUL a warning letter cautioning in opposition to unauthorized cessation claims and questioning latest advertising practices that appeared to be focused to youth. As of Aug. 28, 2019, 220 localities had prohibited the sale of flavored tobacco merchandise, together with flavored e-cigarettes. These embody Berkeley, Oakland, Sacramento and San Francisco, California; Aspen, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; and Providence, Rhode Island. However, a big majority of the U.S. population — more than 90% — isn’t lined by such restrictions. However, this request for remark is not a assure of agency motion on this problem and no additional rule-making motion on flavors has been taken or announced by the FDA as of this writing. In March 2018, a group of public health organizations, including Truth Initiative, sued the FDA for unlawfully delaying the implementation of the deeming rule.
- It requires the purchaser for e-cigarettes to be at least 18 and doesn’t allow shopping for them for anyone less than 18 years of age.
- Around half of e-cigarette firm web sites have a minimal age notice that prohibited underage people from entering.
- The revised EU Tobacco Products Directive came Element Vape Discount Code into effect in May 2016, providing stricter rules for e-cigarettes.
- The ease to get previous the age verification system at e-cigarette firm web sites permits underage individuals to entry and be exposed to marketing.
And although most states prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to individuals underneath the age of 18, more and more teens are utilizing them. In reality, recent surveys2 present dramatic increases annually within the number of teens who have tried an e-cigarette in their lifetime, in addition to within the number who have used them up to now month. This is at a time when smoking tobacco cigarettes is at an all-time low among middle and highschool college students. The FDA is now evaluating hundreds of such applications to sell e-cigarettes. In these applications and related advertisements, the homeowners of e-cigarette brands claim that their merchandise assist smokers give up and might due to this fact be considered “appropriate for the protection of public well being,” as stipulated by legislation. But a brand new systematic evaluate by UC San Francisco researchers of the scientific literature on this topic puts those claims to the check. VaporFi is an internet hub coupled with brick and mortar places serving the ever-growing and passionate vaping group.
Anecdotally, youth are reporting indicators of extreme dependence, such as lack of ability to concentrate in school, using an e-cigarette upon waking, and utilizing e-cigarettes at night after waking with a craving. Some e-cigarette merchandise deliver nicotine as effectively as a cigarette. The use of nicotine salts additionally lowers the pH of e-liquids, which permits greater concentrations of nicotine to be delivered with much less irritation. For example, the maker of JUUL claims the product has a nicotine content like conventional cigarettes, and that it delivers the nicotine as much as 2.7 instances faster than other e-cigarettes. As e-cigarette users ourselves, we’ve perfected the shortcomings that we perceived in other finest e-cig manufacturers.
The FDA seems to have accepted this timetable, though business teams are nonetheless difficult the federal choose’s decision. However, when the agency finalized the deeming regulation, the FDA issued a “compliance coverage” that might give e-cigarette manufacturers extra time to organize those submissions and nonetheless allow the merchandise to be available on the market. In other words, each e-cigarette in the marketplace proper now is unlawful as a result of it has not gone via an FDA evaluate, and is simply allowed to be sold as a result of the FDA gave them a short lived pass. Among adults who used more than one tobacco product in 2017, the commonest mixture was cigarettes and e-cigarettes. In addition to the rate of nicotine supply, the nicotine content of merchandise like JUUL additionally raises concerns in regards to the potential for dependancy. A 2018 Truth Initiative examine printed in Tobacco Control discovered that among current youth and younger adult JUUL users, the majority — 63% — didn’t know that the product all the time contains nicotine.


text:
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Reykjavik, Iceland-based biopharmaceutical company Alvotech said they are setting up an exclusive partnership to commercialize five biosimilar product candidates in the US.
Biosimilars are generic versions of already approved biopharmaceutical drugs. Biopharmaceutical drugs are made up of biological sources like sugars, proteins and nucleic acids.
The strategic partnership will combine Teva’s longstanding commercial presence and extensive infrastructure in the US market with Alvotech’s scientific experience and “state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing,” the companies said in a statement on Wednesday.
The initial pipeline contains biosimilar candidates that address multiple therapeutic areas, the statement said. The original biopharmaceutical products of these five biosimilar candidates currently generate around $35 billion in US sales, the statement said.
Teva, the world’s largest generic drugmaker, is seeking to become a leader also in biopharmaceuticals and biosimilars. The company said also on Wednesday that revenues for the second quarter dropped 7 percent to $3.9 billion, and reported a profit of $605 million compared to $653 million in the same quarter a year earlier,
The cooperation between Teva and Alvotech will “accelerate the introduction and adoption of new biosimilar medicines for patients in the US market,” said Robert Wessman, Alvotech’s founder and chairman, in the statement.
This commercial partnership with Alvotech will enable Teva “to lend its technical expertise” in working with the US Food and Drug Administation, to bring products to the US market “while broadening its growing biosimilar portfolio and continuing to leverage its unique cross-functional expertise across both specialty and generic medicines,” said Brendan O’Grady, executive vice president and head of North America Commercial at Teva.
Under this partnership agreement, Alvotech will be responsible for the development, registration and supply of the biosimilars, while Teva will be exclusively commercializing the products in the US.
The agreement includes an upfront payment, with subsequent milestone payments over the next several years. Teva and Alvotech will share profit from the commercialization of the biosimilars. Other financial terms and product details were not disclosed.
Alvotech is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and manufacture of biosimilars for global markets. Its pipeline contains several monoclonal-antibody and fusion-protein biosimilar candidates aimed at treating autoimmunity, oncology, ophthalmology and inflammatory conditions, the statement said.


text:
Sony has restyled its three eReader devices with the addition of touchscreens, a slimmed-down design, better e-ink displays and more competitive prices.
The changes come amid substantial price drops in eReader prices, with Borders becoming the latest company to cut the cost of its hallmark eReader devices.
Sony added a five-inch touchscreen to its Reader Pocket Edition after the full touchscreen on the Reader Touch and Daily Edition models proved popular. All three devices had their screens updated with E Ink Pearl displays.
The new Pocket Edition eReader has 2GB of onboard memory and retails for about $179. The updated Touch Edition retails for about $229 and has a six-inch touchscreen and up to 32GB of expandable memory, with the ability to play MP3 and AAC audio files.
Sony added Wi-Fi and basic Web browsing to the Reader Daily Edition, which connects to Sony’s eBook store on AT&T’s 3G network. The updated, Web-enabled device is expected to cost $299 and will be available in November. The Reader Pocket and Touch Editions are available now online and in Sony retail stores.
Steve Haber, president of Sony’s digital reading unit, said in a statement that the company was expanding eReader sales into several new markets, including Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan and China.


text:
The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa announced on Monday, 14 November 2016, that the organisation will voluntarily begin business rescue proceedings and be placed under supervision.
It took the decision at a meeting on 18 October. “The ASA board took this decision to allow time for the process of restructuring the organisation, while reviewing and rebuilding its funding model,’ it said.
The ASA is a self-regulatory independent body, established by the marketing, communications, and media industries. It is mandated to regulate against unfair and misleading advertising which could compromise consumers and impact unfairly on competitors.
“The ASA has been safeguarding consumers’ interests and protecting freedom of commercial speech since 1968. It continues to enforce, adopt, and uphold its Code of Advertising Practice in an impartial and objective manner,’ it said.
The business rescue practitioner will engage with the affected parties and will inform the process of restructuring the organisation.


text:
Orcs Must Die! Unchained: Prospector Reveal
A quick overview of the new champion, Prospector.
Videos You May Enjoy
Articles You May Enjoy
- Fortnite's Android Beta is Now Open
- Epic Games announced today that the Android Beta test for Fortnite is now available for Compatible Devices.
- League of Angels: Fire Raiders - New LoA Sequel Announced
- GTArcade, the top browser game developer and publisher of 2014, is incredibly pleased to announce the release of its first mobile game: League...
- Chapter 6 Update Live for Dragon Nest
- Nexon America has launched Dragon Nest's latest update, Chapter 6: The Astral Coven.


text:
BRIEF-COPsync reports CEO departure
* COPsync Inc - board appointed Mr. Philip J. Anderson as interim chief executive officer. Mr. Anderson remains as chief financial officer
MILAN Nov 12 Italian carmaker Fiat priced a 450 million Swiss franc ($491 million) 2017 bond on Tuesday, it said in a statement.
The bond, arranged by Credit Suisse and UBS , carries a 4 percent coupon. ($1 = 0.9165 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
NEW YORK, March 28 Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will not be offering any refurbished Galaxy Note 7 smartphones for sale or rent in the United States, the company told Reuters.


text:
| KOLKATA: Flipkart
has tightened return policy
for several popular items sold on its platform, a move that will help the company and vendors on board cut operational costs, but may also alienate some of its customers.
The country’s largest ecommerce marketplace no longer offers refunds on popular products such as mobile accessories, personal care appliances, computer and camera accessories, office equipment, and game and smart wearables, apart from big-ticket items such as mobile phones, large appliances and furniture. “Refunds are not offered. All sales are final,” says the return policy on its website for these categories.
While vendors on its platform welcomed the move, some experts said the initiative could impact traffic considering that liberal refunds policy was one of the biggest reasons why ecommerce became a rage in India, along with deep discounts offered by online players.
“Flipkart’s new refund policy… can be best described as penny wise and pound foolish. This may temporarily reduce the burn rate, but will alienate customers in the long term,” said an ecommerce industry executive who tracks Flipkart.
A Flipkart spokesperson, however, said that the company follows a customer-friendly refund policy. “Our customers can request for refunds through the self-service option on over 1,150 product categories of the 1,800 available, which constitutes about two-thirds of all the categories on Flipkart. In fact, Flipkart processes about 25,000 refunds on a daily basis, 60% of which are instant, where customers don’t have to wait to get their money back,” the person said.
The return policy on the ecommerce firm’s website, though, says if there is any issue with a product it will first help troubleshoot.
“If a defect is determined within the 10-day period following delivery, a replacement of the same model will be provided at no additional cost. Only in cases where the replacement product is not in stock or has been permanently discontinued, a refund for the entire product or part(s) of the product will be provided by the seller,” it says.
A larger window of 30 days is open for exchange of products in select categories such as clothing, footwear, eyewear and fashion accessories.
Ecommerce firms offered full refund and no-questions-asked return policy to tempt Indian buyers into shopping online till early last year.
However, such policies led to high logistics costs for these firms and sellers on their platform.
Flipkart’s rival Amazon India continues to allow refund in several categories including mobile accessories, large appliances, video games, books, software, furniture, sportsfitness-and-outdoor products, clothing, fashion accessories and handbags, according to its return policy on its website.
A tighter return policy will help Flipkart plug one of the biggest money guzzling taps after discounts, experts said.
“This is all about reducing cost of operations and making every sale a final. There is a huge cost attached to return of any product and also in reprocessing or repackaging it for another sale. This is very similar to offline retail
where the cost of return is on the customer,” said Devangshu Dutta, chief executive at Third Eyesight, aconsulting firm focused on retail.
Dhruv Goyal, cofounder at online craft brand ExclusiveLane that sells on Flipkart, said, “Marketplaces like Flipkart are working towards reducing the non-genuine customer returns as it has become a major issue these days for brands and sellers as they incur return charges and penalties.
Some changes have already been done and the return policy is likely to be tightened further.”DROP IN NUMBER OF REQUESTS
An electronics seller on Flipkart said the return policy also makes it clear that a return will be accepted only after detailed validation of the product to ensure that it’s not used and the complete packaging and product literature is included.
“Freight cost is becoming significant and Flipkart wants to improve margins by tightening return period,” the person said.
A person who sells mobile accessories on the platform said he has already noticed a drop in the number of return requests in the last two weeks after the policy changed.
Aspokesperson of All India Online Vendors’ Association (AIOVA), a group of more than 1,500 sellers on various ecommerce platforms, said the move will reduce the cost of selling on Flipkart and cut losses of sellers. “Other marketplaces should follow suit,” the person said.
In June last year, Flipkart had discontinued its ‘no-questions-asked’ return policy, and narrowed the window when a customer can send back a product bought on its website to 10 days from the previous 30 on most top-selling products. The company is aiming to achieve operational profits after it raised Rs 9,000 crore from Tencent, eBay and Microsoft.


text:
The Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum and Khadija Welfare Trust handed over the seven truckloads of relief goods to Afghan officials at the Torkham Border in Peshawar. Mufti Tariq Masood of the Khadija Welfare Trust and Additional Assistant Commissioner Ashrafuddin handed over the relief goods to the Raees of Afghanistan Emarat-e-Islami, Muhammad Nasim Ahmadi at Torkham Border, Landikotal in Khyber district. The relief goods included blankets, quilts, daily use items and edibles.
Muhammad Nasim Ahmadi said over one million children in Afghanistan were faced with food scarcity and other problems, urging the United Nations and other countries to provide maximum relief goods to Afghans in this hour of need. Ahmadi further said that Pakistan always stood by its Afghan brethren for which the Afghan government was thankful to Pakistan. The head of the Khadija Welfare Trust, Mufti Tariq Masood said, “We offered seven truckloads of relief goods to Afghanistan to minimize the sufferings of Afghan brethren.” He also appealed to the world community to provide every possible assistance to the Afghan people at this critical juncture.


text:
SoftBank invests at least $2.5 bn in Flipkart
The largest Internet firm in India, Flipkart Ltd has raised a fresh round of capital from SoftBank Vision Fund; the amount is estimated to be around $2.5 bn, which has increased the company’s cash reserves to more than $4 billion. This will help the company in its battle against Amazon India. Flipkart has not disclosed the amount yet but said that the investment from SoftBank comprises mainly of a primary and secondary capital, which is investment in the company and purchase of the shares from existing shareholders, respectively. With the increasing competition across the online marketplace, this investment comes as a huge move for Flipkart who will be able to make use of the cash reserves for the coming festive season.
SoftBank was expected to invest more than $1.5 billion in Flipkart in the form of fresh capital and the purchase of shares from Tiger Global Management, which is Flipkart’s largest shareholder. This investment comes after the proposed takeover of Snapdeal which collapsed a week back. The founders of Flipkart mentioned that this can be considered a monumental deal for Flipkart and India. Very few companies are able to attract such an overwhelming interest from the top tier investors. It is also recognition of India’s unparalleled potential to become a world leader in technology and e-commerce on a large scale. SoftBank has a proven track record of partnering with transformative technology leaders which has earned it the reputation of being a visionary investor.
Flipkart mentioned that this investment, which is the biggest ever private investment in an Indian technology company, will make the Vision Fund, one of the biggest shareholders in the online retail market. The investment is a part of the latest financing round in Flipkart which raised $1.4 billion from eBay, Microsoft and Tencent in April.
SoftBank aims to provide financial support to innovative companies that are clear winners in the country. This investment is likely to make SoftBank the largest investor in Flipkart. After the fall out of the proposed merger between Snapdeal and Flipkart, this deal comes as a huge boost to Flipkart who is constantly competing with the arch rival, Amazon.


text:
Through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (C.F.A.P.), government-funded grants have been made available to food banks and community organizations to help provide much needed food to those in need.
American Dairy Association North East is working with Upstate Niagara Cooperative, the office of Assemblyman Will Barclay and the Oswego County Legislature, as well as the Central Square and Sandy Creek Central school districts to facilitate the distribution of more than 8,000 gallons of milk through local drive-thru events.
The events will be held at:
Central Square Middle School (248 US-11, Central Square) at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Cars will not be permitted to line up before noon. More than 4,000 gallons of milk will be distributed.
Sandy Creek Fairgrounds (291 Ellisburg St., Sandy Creek) at noon on Thursday, June 18. More than 4,000 gallons of milk will be handed out along with 17,000 pounds of produce and 8,000 pounds of meat. The food boxes are being made available by the Food Bank of Central New York. Each household will receive two gallons of milk and one box each of produce (22 pounds) and meat (10 pounds) while supplies last.
To ensure the safety and health of all involved in the distribution, there will be a drive-thru distribution process for these events. All drivers and passengers must remain in their vehicles and will be prompted to open their trunk to receive milk. If cars do not have a trunk, they will be prompted to open their window to receive milk. Walk-ups will not be permitted. Each car will receive a limit of two gallons of milk.
Milk and dairy foods are an important source of essential nutrients. Missed meals can lead to fatigue, reduced immune response, and long-term medical issues. On behalf of dairy farmers, ADANE plans to help distribute over 200,000 gallons of milk during June.


text:
September 11, 2013
If you have watched Ocean's Eleven (2001), you already know that stealing money from a casino is easy. The biggest problem is how to make it out of the building with the money and your life, intact. The same is true of identity theft and...
July 1, 2013
On the journey to financial freedom, there are the big crises you see coming (replacing an old vehicle, taxes) and the ones you don’t (car accident, major illness,...
June 19, 2013
Like many people, I’m concerned about protecting my financial information from online thieves who want to steal my identity. Identity theft is not a...
May 28, 2013
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Can websites be “sinister”?
Actually, they can — if they contain a malware virus called the Citadel Trojan, which can lead to...
May 10, 2013
Whether they do it online, through texting tactics or by stealing your wallet the old-fashioned way, identity thieves are constantly concocting new cons.
One reason card companies are working hard to...
May 10, 2013
Credit card companies are constantly refining their techniques to detect fraud and, for obvious reasons, are reluctant to share specific details of how it’s done.
But there are a few red flags that clue card companies in to fishy activity...
May 7, 2013
Have leisure time, will travel — especially when it comes to traveling overseas: It seems to be the mantra for a growing number of Americans.
March 12, 2013
If you’re predisposed to “liking” a lot of things on Facebook, watch out:
You could be opening the vault for anyone to take a look, figure out your interests and act accordingly.
By “act accordingly,” that could mean...
February 5, 2013
It’s tough enough looking for a job without being scammed by con artists and financial fraud artists, but that’s exactly what’s happening...
December 20, 2012
Crooks glue devices called “skimmers” over the card readers on ATM machines. They look like ordinary parts of the ATM. But when you put your card into the slot, the skimmer steals your card number and magnetic-strip data, while you...


text:
Southport is getting a new postal facility, and here's what you need to know about it.
1. What is it?
The new 14,000-square-foot building will serve as a carrier annex. In an email, Philip Bogenberger, spokesman for the United States Postal Service, explained that mail delivery will take place from that location, but there will be no retail services offered.
2. Where is it?
The new facility is located at 5260 Dosher Cutoff SE in Southport, which is across the street from Sacred Heart Catholic Church. While this location is in Southport, it is outside the downtown area.
“The Postal Service selected this location after evaluating available sites that optimize our current delivery operations while accounting for future growth,” Bogenberger said.
3. What happens to the existing post office?
The existing post office, located at 206 E. Nash St., in downtown Southport, will remain in operation, offering retail services for customers.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New postal distribution center to open in Southport this fall


text:
Do Apple and Privacy go hand-in-hand? Don’t think so
Are you crazy about Apple products? Do you eagerly wait for Apple to launch its latest iPhone, Mac, or iPad? Well, it is time you ease your excitement. It might be the best, it still does not protect your privacy, just like the rest.
"We design Apple products to protect your privacy and give you control over your information as we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right," claims Tim Cook, CEO of the tech giant. Apple products are used by approximately one billion users from across the globe.
However, is it true? Or is it just Apple's empty grandstanding about privacy? Let us find out.
You will be surprised to know that in the latest version of macOS, the OS sends a unique identifier (hash) of all the programs you run, to Apple. Not many users realize it while running the program as it is silent and unseen. The trick is, it fails immediately when you go offline, and hence you fail to notice.
However, Jeffrey Paul, a Germany-based security researcher, and hacker in the latest article shared his experience and revealed how Apple always knows where you are and what apps have you opened or used there. This means that whatever app you run on your device while at home or work, Apple knows it all! They even know open a browser while searching for the near-by wine shops in another town.
Why is this alarming?
If this does not scare you, then you should also know that this privacy breach is not limited to Apple. Your information is being passed on to everyone who has tapped their cables, including your ISP as these OCSP requests are transmitted unencrypted.
These requests further get passed on to a third-party CDN that is managed by another company named Akamai.
This privacy breach can pose a threat to anyone as the data displays your habits, routine and daily activities.
What Apple should learn:
Technology is there to help humans, not pose a threat to them or their privacy in any way. The reason why Apple has a loyal customer base is because users believe in them, their products and their claims. When they say “your data is safe,” users believe it. However, the phones should be excellent, but so should be the privacy. Money cannot buy anything just yet!


text:
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Technavio market research analysts forecast the global epinephrine autoinjector market to grow at a CAGR of close to 15% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.
The market study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global epinephrine autoinjector market for 2017-2021. The report also lists hospitals and clinics, and individuals as the two major end-user segments, of which the hospitals and clinics segment accounted for 65% of the market share in 2016.
According to Barath Palada, a lead analyst at Technavio for medical devices research, “The global epinephrine autoinjector market is expected to grow steadily, owing to the higher incidence of allergic reactions among individuals, which necessitates investment in epinephrine autoinjector as an emergency medicine.”
Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56855
Technavio’s sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.
Technavio healthcare and life sciences analysts highlight the following three market drivers that are contributing to the growth of the global epinephrine autoinjector market:
- Increasing prevalence of allergies
- Technological advances
- Marketing strategies
Increasing prevalence of allergies
There has been a worldwide increase in the prevalence of allergies to food items, food additives, latex, and dust, which lead to anaphylaxis. On an average, 30-35% of the global population is diagnosed with an allergy annually. This was initially seen in countries such as the UK, other countries in Europe, and the US, but it is now common in all industrially developed countries.
“Epinephrine works immediately in emergencies and helps reduce the symptoms of a life-threatening allergy. Hence with the increasing incidence of allergies, the popularity of epinephrine autoinjector is set to rise, as it can be self-administered during an emergency,” says Barath.
Leading vendors in the market are focusing on manufacturing advanced and easy-to-use epinephrine pen to increase their market share. Since Mylan's EpiPen controls the lion's share of the global epinephrine autoinjector market, companies strategize to come up with a better patient compliant product to gain popularity. For instance, in a study conducted by Emerade with 90 subjects to assess the patient compliance, more than 74% preferred Emerade autoinjector over Mylan's EpiPen.
Also, at the university level, efforts are being made to invent an ultra-compact, user-friendly epinephrine autoinjector as EpiPen is relatively bulky to carry. AdrenaCard, developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota, is small enough to fit in a wallet, and it aims to decrease the emergency cases which arise the lack of convenience offered by Epipen. These innovations are likely to drive the future growth of the market.
Vendors adopt various strategies to encourage end-users to use epinephrine autoinjectors, which will nullify the adverse impact of high cost of these products. Mylan accounts for around 90% share in the global epinephrine autoinjector market. The company applies various marketing strategies to maintain its dominance in the market. Other vendors such as ALK-Abelló, conducted clinical trials to prove Jext's efficacy was equivalent to Mylan's EpiPen. Impax Laboratories issued a press release establishing their product as a low-cost alternative to EpiPen in the leading pharmacies across the US.
Browse Related Reports:
- Global Anticoagulant Market 2017-2021
- Global Pulmonary Endoscopy Devices Market 2017-2021
- Global Vagus Nerve Stimulation Market 2017-2021
Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they’re published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like patient monitoring devices, urology devices, and vaccines. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio’s constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently.
Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.
Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.
If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at email@example.com.


text:
Two Prairie View A&M University alumni, Ivy Walls, a former PVAMU queen, and Jeremy Peaches, are taking a very hands on approach to feeding their community with Black Farmer Boxes! Learn all about the two graduates and their experiences as farmers in the Edible Houston article by Paula Niño Kehr below.
In the historically Black community of Sunnyside, in south Houston, two young Black farmers have created what they feel could become a sustainable and equitable model to help feed and reinvigorate food desert communities.
Ivy Walls of Ivy Leaf Farms and Jeremy Peaches of Fresh Life Organics met when Walls reached out to Peaches for help with her farm. Upon realizing that they were working on similar projects and had a similar vision to help the community in Sunnyside, the pair teamed up to create Black Farmer Box, a curated food box and growers’ program that aims to feed the community, empower its members to grow food for their families and as a business, and provide market outlets and visibility to Black and other minority farmers.
Walls moved to Sunnyside in early 2020, and soon realized that there was only one major grocery store for the area’s 20,000 residents— and the quality of the groceries was subpar. “Moving from a food oasis to a food desert was very shocking for me,” said Walls, who grew up in suburban Pearland.
More than 500,000 Houstonians live in areas like Sunnyside that the government has designated as food deserts, meaning communities that have little to no access to fresh foods and where residents often face chronic illnesses and food insecurity—issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.
Walls started giving her Sunnyside neighbors produce that she was growing for herself and her family. “I would just go around saying ‘Hey, do you want a cucumber? Hey, do you want eggplant? Hey, do you want watermelon?” And people were just saying yes,” she said.
As Walls continued to grow food, the demand continued to be there, so Ivy Leaf Farms was born. Walls sold house plants, held pop-ups and started her own seed company to fund the farm so that she wouldn’t have to charge for produce. In August—the same month she left her job in public health to tend to the farm—she received a grant from Beyoncé’s Beygood Foundation and the NAACP to keep her effort going. But one person alone can’t feed a community, so Walls and Peaches joined forces to create a system that, along with other farmers, they hope can help do that. Hence, their motto: “Stronger together, fresher together.”
“We wanted to have a sustainable, equitable food system—not only for our communities, but for African American and minority farmers because we don’t actually have the true market outlets to sell our products that traditional communities [have],” said Peaches.
Jeremy Peaches, 28, was born in rural Mississippi but moved to Houston when he was 6. He grew up in Sunnyside and started getting involved in agriculture before graduating high school. Like Walls, he went to Prairie View University, where he was “the agriculture kid.” After college, he was back at his high school, Pro-Vision, where he built the largest aquaponics facility in Houston. Since 2016, he has been building urban gardens around Houston, educating youth, consulting, growing produce at his farm in Rosharon and working on various community projects.
At his warehouse at the Shrine of the Black Madonna, Peaches displays jars of pickled turnips to exemplify how Black Farmer Box can create business opportunities. The pickles were made by Curtis Lampley, a member of Blodgett Urban Gardens in Third Ward. Lampley started making pickles as a hobby, experimenting with all types of vegetables —okra, beets, jalapeños, squash—that he grew, purchased, or got from Peaches. People loved them and it got him thinking about selling them retail. It’s an example of how, by developing products that can go in Black Farmer Box or can be sold to restaurants or grocery stores, community members like Lampley are creating an enterprise instead of looking at farming or gardening simply as a hobby.
“We’ve been talking about food deserts for 10 to 15 years,” Peaches said. “Why are they food deserts? Grocery stores go to areas where consumers have money to buy their products. When you look at food deserts, the median household income may be $20,000 to $30,000, so a grocery store is not going to come. As we look at growing more food and gardening, we need to look at it from a business perspective or from a socioeconomic perspective because that’s the only way you can change the tide and make a community vibrant again.”
By paying farmers up front or taking their products on consignment, Black Farmer Box ensures that they get paid without having to rely on selling at farmers markets, which typically limits them to selling only on weekends and requires them to have people working the markets. Farmers also get marketing from being in the box and can form a direct relationship with the consumer. They also have a backyard growers’ program through which people in the community can learn how to grow food in their own backyards. Anyone who goes through the program can then sell what they grow back to the box.
Between November and January, Walls and Peaches curated four Black Farmer Boxes. Each box contained fresh, organic produce from their respective farms and other products, such as eggs, sea moss, honey and sauces from other Black or minority farmers and entrepreneurs. The January box, for instance, contained spicy salad mix, daikon radish, carrots, cabbage, tatsoi, eggs and lemonade. Unfortunately, the winter storm that struck the Texas region in February took a toll on the crops and on the farmers, bringing the boxes to a halt.
As of April, Walls and Peaches expected to release their next box in May. Walls had also just leased an additional 2.5 acres with a grant she received from Kellogg’sto expand food production for both Ivy Leaf Farms and Fresh Life Organics. The pair also partnered with Cropswap, a California-based app that connects sustainable farms and consumers, to help with the logistics of distributing the boxes. Through the app, consumers can order, pay and select whether they want to pick up the box at a specified location or have the box delivered to them. Buyers will also have the option to donate a box. Because Walls and Peaches can hire their own delivery drivers, the partnership gives them another opportunity to create jobs in the community.
Walls and Peaches hope that Black Farmer Box can become something that can be replicated in other food desert communities, but even by joining forces, they know they alone can’t feed the entire Sunnyside community, so their goal is to bring attention to the neighborhood in hopes that it gets a grocery store. “This shouldn’t be our reality,” said Walls. “It’s silly to think that there’s only one grocery store for upwards of 20,000 people.”
In the meantime, people can support their efforts by becoming more aware of their local food desert communities and supporting the farmers there. If people buy 10% to 15% of their produce from urban farmers and gardeners, that will also go a long way.
Said Peaches: “When you donate to us, you’re not donating to Jeremy Peaches or Ivy Walls, you’re creating a job for someone like [my brother] who manages this warehouse and has his own business, his own product, his own farm within a year of doing the Black Farmer Box. When people buy his eggs, he’s going back to feed his family. Now he’s a contributor to the community.”


text:
GKN Birmingham workers to stage protest against factory closure plans
- Tuesday 6 July 2021
Workers at the GKN Automotive factory, alongside members of the local community, will hold a protest tomorrow (Wednesday 7 July) in opposition to the plans by its parent company GKN Melrose to close the site.
WHEN: Wednesday 7 July between 13:00 – 14:00.
WHERE: Sorrel Park (at the rear of the GKN site) Egerton Road, Erdington, Birmingham B24 0RG.
Lobby of parliament
Earlier this year, GKN Melrose announced that it intended to close the factory, which makes drivelines for the automotive industry, in 2022, with the loss of over 500 jobs. GKN Melrose has said it intends to transfer the work to Europe.
Unite, in conjunction with other stakeholders, developed an alternative business plan that would secure the future of the factory, however the plans were rejected by the parent company, which is currently pressing ahead with its closure plans.
Unite and automotive experts believe that the GKN factory is strategically important to the success of the electrification of the UK automotive sector and it should be provided with funding and support to develop the new drivelines that will be required for electric vehicles.
The government had previously promised to provide assistance and support in the transformation of the factory to adapt to electric vehicles but so far those promises have proved to be entirely hollow.
Last week Unite announced that it was preparing to ballot its members for a full industrial action ballot, in response to the closure plans. If members vote in favour then strikes could begin later this summer.
Strength of feeling
Unite regional secretary for the West Midlands, Annmarie Kilcline, said: “The protest will demonstrate the strength of feeling among workers at GKN and the local community against the plans to close the factory.
“This is a highly viable factory which should be preparing to play a key strategic role in the move to electrify the UK’s automotive industry.
“Closing the factory would be an act of gross industrial vandalism.
“It is not just the workers at the factory who would be affected by the potential closure but hundreds of workers in the company’s supply chain and the local community would all suffer job losses.
“It is essential that the government makes good on its promises to provide assistance and they work with Unite and local politicians to keep this factory open.”
For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.
Email: [email protected]
Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.


text:
Today, the exhibition JCK Las Vegas is as one of the most attractive events in the world of jewelry industry.
Today, the exhibition JCK Las Vegas is as one of the most attractive events in the world of jewelry industry. On the JCK Las Vegas exhibition is attends by such world famous brands as Cartier, Piaget, Concord, Corum and others that exist in the jewelry market for more than 30 years. The exhibitors at JCK Las Vegas offer the best in terms of quality, design and integrity of jewelry and accessories. As part of the exhibition JCK Las Vegas organizers hold seminars that can be useful for jewelers from different countries in a difficult economic situation.
In addition, presentations are holding for visitors, where you can introduced with future trends and developments in the jewelry industry.
The company ALROSA Technology llc took part in this exhibition, presenting ALROSA Diamond Inspector for a wide range of consumers. This smart helper for the identify of natural jewelry diamonds interested several representatives of large Gemological companies. Next year, the company ALROSA Technology llc plans to continue working together with some of them for protecting the market of natural origin of polished diamonds.


text:
It’s time, once again, to showcase the gold standard of foodservice equipment innovation. The National Restaurant Association Show, the premier event to learn about foodservice technology innovations, unique ingredients, and emerging trends in the restaurant industry, is now accepting applications for the 2021 Kitchen Innovation (KI) Awards. The KI Awards program recognizes the year’s most forward-thinking and cutting-edge innovations that meaningfully improve foodservice operations.
“Each year, we wait in anticipation for the KI Awards submissions so we can hear about the industry’s latest and most ingenious products that are certain to shape the future of the industry,” says Tom Cindric, President of Winsight Exhibitions. “Given today’s challenges, we are more excited than ever to honor companies that develop progressive equipment that increases efficiencies, productivity, and ultimately, the bottom line.”
The KI Award products are traditionally honored for helping industry growth through a focus on automation, efficiency, safety improvements, sustainability, waste solutions, and more. Each 2021 KI Awardee will be featured in the KI Showroom at the 2021 Show, to be held May 22-25 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
The KI Showroom draws high-profile crowds with dedicated exhibit space for each KI Awardee, open spaces for conversations, and Fireside Chats where experts share insights about implementing innovative equipment solutions. Throughout the four-day event, the KI Showroom will welcome operators, dealers, consultants, and media professionals where they will have the opportunity to see product demonstrations and connect with each award recipient.
"As a global company, the KI Award accreditation has given UNOX industry wide credibility for bringing innovative solutions to customers worldwide,” adds Mark Klindera, President of UNOX North America. “Our 2020 KI Awarded EVEREO – THE HOT FRIDGE technology has quickly been adopted by operators as a solution for food preservation during the pandemic. The combined timing of receiving the award and roll out of EVEREO could not have been better."
All KI Awardees receive industry-wide exposure before and after the Show. This prestigious endorsement can open doors with operators, media, and dealers. Additional benefits as a return on the investment include:
Validation and credibility from a panel of expert industry judges, including operators, consultants, and specifiers
Turnkey exhibit space in the highly trafficked KI Showroom
KI Awards logo and custom signage for use in marketing efforts for the life of the product
High-profile exposure on and off the Show floor
Increased media coverage and visibility with influential dealers and operators
Exposure through Show attendee marketing, including listings on the National Restaurant Association Show’s website and emails
Manufacturers’ recognition as an industry leader
Sale increases from top quality attendees at the Show
Chosen by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders and internationally recognized food facility consultants, multi-unit executives, and design experts, the 2021 KI Award recipients will reflect the trends and topics most important to foodservice operators today—and showcase the future of the industry. The deadline to apply is December 16, 2020. To qualify, all equipment innovations must have been introduced within 24 months prior to the 2021 Restaurant Show. Application information for the 202 KI Awards is available online.
News and information presented in this release has not been corroborated by WTWH Media LLC.


text:
Conservative leader, author, talk-radio
host Mark Levin, who is launching
LevinTV on March 7.
(CNSNews.com) – Best selling author, talk-radio giant, and conservative leader Mark Levin is branching out further in the digital media world by launching LevinTV, through the media company CRTV. The first episode of LevinTV will air on March 7.
Levin, who reaches millions of people daily through his radio program, The Mark Levin Show, will expand his audience through this digital based television platform, which is described as “America’s new televised Town Hall meeting,” in a statement from CRC Public Relations.
“I have the greatest audience in the world and I give them my best every night,” said Mark Levin. “I am thrilled we are expanding our Town Hall meeting place for patriots, by taking TV broadcasting to a new level on multiple platforms where I will speak directly to my audience -- uncensored, without middlemen, and commercial free.”
“I make no excuses for my patriotism, I am proud of it, and LevinTV will reflect it,” said Levin. “It’s about time there is a place on television where people can go and have their principles, beliefs, and values reinforced rather than attacked.”
LevinTV will be produced five days a week in a state-of-the-art studio and broadcast in HD.
"LevinTV is commercial-free explosion and will air Mark Levin’s engaging personality, unique intellect and passionate commentary about history, economics, philosophy and the latest political and current events,” said the press statement. “The show will also feature exclusive, long-form interviews with compelling guests from all walks of life.”
The program (www.LevinTV.com) will be accessible through any digital or mobile device. A yearly subscription is $69, but consumers who act before March 7 may obtain an annual subscription for $59. Monthly subscriptions cost $7.99.
Mark Levin was an adviser to several members of President Ronald Reagan’s cabinet and eventually became chief of staff to Attorney General Edwin Meese. Levin launched his radio show in 2006. It is now nationally syndicated and heard on more than 300 stations, as well as SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
Mark Levin is the author of six New York Times best sellers, including his latest, Plunder and Deceit. In addition, Levin is the editor-in-chief of the new Conservative Review.
CRTV, based in Las Vegas, is a “media company committed to developing content and brands that attract, inform, and entertain audiences through the platforms of their choice,” reads its website. “We create political, entertainment and sports shows of exceptional quality, utilizing the latest technology to captivate and engage a wide range of demographics with fully branded HD quality content. CRTV brings high quality entertainment to your fingertips, where and when you want it.”


text:
Q I recently heard cloth diapers are just as bad as disposables. Is this true?
A Get your rattles out - the battle of the nappies is heating up again. You heard right, a four-year-long British study has just concluded that cloth diapers are as damaging to the environment as the plastic type. While the media is jumping on the story with glee, the whole thing is giving environmentalists a bad case of diaper rash - and with good reason.
Yes, the government-funded report did look at the life-cycle costs of three options: home-laundered cloth, commercially laundered cloth and disposables. And yes, the hefty 200-page paper weighed everything from the dirty oil extraction process involved in making plastic diapers and the water and pesticides used in growing cotton to the electricity needed to iron fold 'n' pin types.
In the end, the study concluded that all three are neck and neck. The electricity used to wash and dry cloth diapers is just as damaging to the environment as burying disposable diapers in landfills. The results actually landed the British government in hot water for spending $30 million on its Real Nappy promotional campaign. But is the study right?
Environmentalists don't think so. They're freaked because they say the report is hinged on some old-fashioned assumptions about cloth diapers that only looked at the habits of 200 washable diaper users (versus the 2,000 surveyed on disposable diapers). The UK's Women's Environment Network says warm water washes in A-rated (i.e., Energy Star) machines, for example, reduce climate-changing pollutants by 17 per cent (not to mention all the water savings).
The report also factors in a good chunk of tumble-drying when parents should be air-drying their nappies, not just to save a lot of power but also to make them last longer. If you're one of the 10 per cent the study says irons your cloth bum wraps, all I have to say is you gotta chill out. You're wasting hydro, and your babe doesn't need a smartly pressed bottom!
Investing in diapers made with unbleached, pesticide-free fibres like hemp, bamboo or organic cotton puts you even further ahead, especially if they are stitched locally and used on more than one kid.
Thanks to the outcry, the British government has supposedly promised to reassess the cloth diaper thing. Keep your eyes peeled for yet another report at some point in the future.
Need another reason to stick with cloth? A German study linked use of plastic diapers to male infertility. The plastic keeps their boy parts hotter than cloth, which ain't good for long-term sperm health.
Keeping cloth nappies green
wash in cold or warm water
skip the dryer and hang to dry
pass on chemical detergents
only flush poop-filled liners
buy more diapers so you wash full loads
Q We have a 10-year-old, barely used conventional coil crib mattress. Have most of the chemicals in it offgassed? Should we get an organic rubber one?
A Parenting can raise dilemmas that your mom's Dr. Spock book doesn't quite cover. Breastfeeding with nipple piercings, for instance - bet it's not in there. Or let's take, for example, the conscious parent who wants to reduce and reuse instead of turning their bambino into a one-baby business-fuelling machine.
While making use of old goods is almost always a good thing, there are a few exceptions. I'm not a fan of holding onto any foam-based furniture from the past. Your polyurethane crib mattress may no longer be offgassing lung-irritating volatile organic compounds, including that scary neurotoxin toluene, but it might contain some seriously persistent chemicals that are even scarier.
Your mattress was probably treated with stain-proofing chemicals (PFOS) that were phased out five years ago thanks to their tendency to bioaccumulate in people and wildlife. Just last month, Johns Hopkins researchers found that every single one of the 300 umbilical cords they tested contained PFOS! The levels were supposedly lower than those found in adults, and not high enough to trigger tumours, but still, who needs to risk even more exposure?
It might also have been treated with old-school flame retardants with similarly sticky tendencies. I'm not convinced a barrier cloth could keep those out, but it works great on dust mites and allergens. And PVC barrier cloths are made with potentially offgassing vinyl, the Green Goblin of plastics.
I'd say it's better to be safe than sorry and invest in a new natural rubber or organic innerspring mattress. You can get Canadian made ones starting at $395 at OrganicLifestyle.ca (in Hazelton Lanes) and Grassroots on Bloor or Danforth. Both stores carry organic wool puddle pads from $45.
If that's beyond your budget, at least look into buying a new conventional crib mattress, like one from Ikea which won't have any of those old-school persistent flame retardants and stain repellents. It'll probably still offgas VOCs, however, so you'll want to air it out for a couple of weeks to be safe.


text:
After a record down day last week, we saw a record up day on Monday. However, that bullish momentum quickly waned on Tuesday, despite the Federal Reserve announcing a 50-basis-points cut. Buyers stepped back up on Wednesday, driving the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite up by about 4% at one point in the stock market today.
That’s as investors continue to digest the recent decline in equities, the Fed cut and now Joe Biden’s surge in the polls. After Super Tuesday, it effectively leaves Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic race.
The markets view Biden more positively than Sanders, in that Biden comes across as more market-friendly. For what it’s worth, the S&P 500 was included in our Top Stock Trades list for Wednesday.
A number of companies have come out with an update on their businesses. AT&T (NYSE:T) was one of those companies, with shares rising over 5% in response.
In an update to shareholders, AT&T reiterated its 2020 guidance and announced a $4 billion accelerated buyback plan. Based on expectations for 5G growth, along with the May launch of its HBO Max wireless service, revenues are expected to grow more than 2% in 2020. Mobility will still be the company’s biggest driver of profitability and revenue growth, though. The 5G network should roll out by the end of the second quarter and will cover more than 80 million people.
General Electric (NYSE:GE) had a similar, long-term tone. The company reiterated its 2020 outlook, however said the coronavirus from China will impact first-quarter free cash flow by $300 million to $500 million.
American Express (NYSE:AXP) shares ripped higher by about 7%, after the company said its prior guidance is still intact despite the coronavirus outbreak. That announcement comes after Visa (NYSE:V) recently said it would see current-quarter sales fall 2.5% to 3.5% and was unsure about future impact.
Uber (NYSE:UBER) says the coronavirus has had a slight impact on the Uber airport ride-hailing business. However, Uber Eats should see an uptick in activity as a result of the virus. The countries with the highest infection numbers are less than 1% of gross bookings, management added. Finally, the company still expects to be EBITDA profitable by the fourth quarter.
Movers in the Stock Market Today
Just because Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has garnered more than triple the market capitalization that General Motors (NYSE:GM) has — $137 billion against $44.5 billion — isn’t stopping the latter from beefing up its electric vehicle game.
At its EV Day, GM announced that it plans to invest $20 billion by 2025 in electric and autonomous vehicle tech. CEO Mary Barra stated that the company’s goal is to be selling 1 million electric vehicles in the U.S. and China by 2025.
Adam Jonas also weighed in on GM, naming it his top auto pick. While Tesla is forecast to grow electric vehicle sales four-fold by 2030, he expects 30-fold growth for GM. Despite that, he points out that TSLA trades at 30 times 2021 EBITDA estimates. GM trades closer to two times EBITDA estimates.
A low valuation plus plenty of electric vehicle potential equals a buy in Jonas’ mind.
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ:VIAC) originally inherited Simon & Schuster in 1994 with the acquisition of Paramount Communications. Now it will be selling the Simon & Schuster publishing branch. CEO Bob Bakish states that the publisher is “not a core asset” to the company.
Wedbush sees Domino’s (NYSE:DPZ) as the least affected by coronavirus-induced earnings revisions risk, followed by Dunkin’ Brands (NASDAQ:DNKN) and Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK). Coming in with the highest risk of an earnings hit from the coronavirus outbreak is BJ’s Restaurants (NASDAQ:BJRI), followed by Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK) and Del Taco (NASDAQ:TACO).
While restaurant share prices are down since mid-February, the analysts feel like the selling could be an overreaction.


text:
India, the world’s largest rice exporter, could ban exports amid sub-par sowing this season, Nomura said on August 30.
“Will India ban rice exports? We think the risk is non-negligible,” Sonal Varma, Nomura's chief economist for India and Asia (excluding Japan), said in a note.
“Following the Russia-Ukraine war, soaring maize prices prompted a shift towards using broken rice as animal feed, with rising feed costs adding to higher meat prices. India’s rice production this season may also be lower.”
The government is discussing curbs on broken rice exports, as local prices soar, Bloomberg reported August 26, citing unnamed people. Talks were in advanced stages, according to the report.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has roiled global food markets. India in May banned wheat exports amid concerns over domestic output being hit by scorching heat waves in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It also restricted wheat flour exports on August 25.
India accounts for nearly 40 percent of global rice exports.
The wheat effect
Sowing during the ongoing summer season has been 6 percent lower from last year due to deficient rains in some key rice-growing states, pushing up rice prices, Nomura said.
While the government has ample rice buffer stocks, lower wheat procurement has already prompted a higher allocation of rice under its free food grain scheme. This means a likely drawdown of rice buffers and higher local rice prices in coming months, in our view, it added.
The country supplies subsidised food grains to the poor under its public distribution system and has also been providing free wheat and rice to the poor since the pandemic hit.
India has replaced 5.5 million tonne of wheat with rice in Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, while 6.1 million tonne of wheat have been replaced by rice under the National Food Security Act.
India banning rice exports could have a material impact on Asia, Nomura said.
World rice exports, at 52.6 million tonnes in the latest season, equated to only 10.3 percent of total rice production. Therefore, restriction by anyone exporter could have an outsized impact on global rice markets.“Rice is a staple food in Asia, so a sharp rise in rice prices would have a much larger impact on consumers in Asia than higher wheat prices,” Nomura said.


text:
WASHINGTON — Low-cost imports and intense competition between stores helped drive retail prices on women's apparel down 0.9 percent in 2007 as increases in energy costs pushed prices on all goods and services up 4.1 percent, well above the 2.5 percent rise in 2006 and the largest jump in 17 years.
Excluding the volatile food and energy sectors, overall retail prices jumped 2.4 percent last year, the Labor Department reported Wednesday in its Consumer Price Index.
Inflation, however, is not as much a concern for economists and federal regulators as pressures on economic expansion, including weakness in job growth and consumer spending and a credit crunch on Wall Street.
Although increased prices strain shoppers, particularly on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder, it was not higher prices that made for a weak holiday season, said Paul Nolte, director of investments at Hinsdale Associates. Total retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent in December, compared with the preceding month, the Commerce Department reported this week.
Outside of the energy and food areas, where prices last year rose 17.4 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, Nolte said inflation wasn't much of a concern.
Within the women's category, suits and separate prices fell 0.3 percent last year and outerwear prices dipped 4.9 percent. But dresses bucked the trend with a 2.7 percent rise.
Comparing December with November, women's apparel prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent. Consumer prices across the economy were up 0.3 percent in December, after a 0.8 percent jump in November and a 0.3 percent increase in October.
The Federal Reserve Board keeps a close watch on inflation and will hike interest rates to keep it in check. But with the economy slowing, economists expect the central bank to continue to cut its benchmark federal funds interest rate, which stands at 4.25 percent.
The Fed, chaired by Ben Bernanke, meets next on Jan. 29 and 30. In addition to poring over inflation, gross domestic product estimates and other data, it will consider the results of the Beige Book, an anecdotal reading of the economy across the Fed's 12 districts that was also released on Tuesday.
Drawing on information collected from mid-November through early January, the Beige Book reported that economic activity increased modestly though at a slower pace than earlier in the year.In the Philadelphia district, apparel sales fell short of stores' expectations, especially at specialty operations, where the season was "a real disappointment," according to several of the Fed's contacts.
In the Richmond district, a North Carolina department store manager said extended store hours just before Christmas had little impact on sales. Retail wages in the district grew faster in December, even as jobs were cut.
"A department store executive in Maryland said that regular employees' hours had been 'cut to the minimum level allowed for employee benefits,' while a store manager in Virginia Beach, Va., noted that 'hours have been cut to the bone,'" said the report.
In the San Francisco district, retail sales were flat to down, and the Fed's contacts said there was early and aggressive price discounting, especially for apparel.
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye
“It’s passion that helps get anybody to a certain point and it’s what’s propelled me,” said Kith founder @ronniefieg, one of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables who are changing the face of retail, fashion and beauty. Fieg, who opened a Manhattan flagship on October 7, began his career at age 13 as a stock boy and salesman for footwear chain David Z. “I think staying true to [my] beliefs, hard work and passion have gotten me to where [Kith] is today.” See the rest of the 40 at WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
25-year-old @samweaving is about to break out this fall, starring in Netflix’s horror film “The Babysitter,” fittingly out today on Friday the 13th. That’s not the only place you’ll be seeing her, though — Weaving’s got a role Showtime’s “SMILF” and another alongside Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Though she’s got a full plate at the moment, there’s one role she’s got her eye on: Marilyn Monroe. “I’m a little too young at the moment, but it’s on my bucket list,” the actress told WWD (📷: @dandoperalski) #wwdeye
BFF's Poppy Jamie and Suki Waterhouse celebrated the launch of their bag line Pop x Suki at Nordstrom last night. "The line is really about our friendship, and how we are so different but complement each other," said Waterhouse. 👯 (📷: Katie Jones) #wwdeye
After designing the new @louisvuitton and @bulgariofficial flagships and a @chanelofficial boutique opening in Japan, @petermarinoarchitect has another project on his plate: The Lobster Club. Located in the Seagram Building, it’s the famed architect’s first restaurant project in New York, serving up modern Japanese brasserie-style cuisine. Bronze hues, bespoke material detailing, blush and chartreuse tones and a heavy emphasis on Picasso can be seen throughout. Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 for the much-anticipated opening. (📷: @clint_spaulding) #wwdeye