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ADVISORY, Dec. 19, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
United States Postal Service’s Operation Santa, the popular holiday program where thousands of volunteers work with Post Offices to respond to letters from needy children of all ages listing their holiday wishes, will visit the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square to celebrate 102 years of helping make children’s holiday wishes come true.
In honor of the occasion, New York City Postmaster Elvin Mercado, New York District Manager William Schaars and USPS Area Vice President Richard Uluski will ring the Opening Bell. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus, on loan from Radio City Music Hall, will join the event.
Nasdaq MarketSite – 4 Times Square – 43rd & Broadway – Broadcast Studio
Monday, December 22, 2014 – 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET
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Fiber Line (Encompass Waterfront): 4463
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DL 3811 Vertical
For multimedia features such as exclusive content, photo postings, status updates and video of bell ceremonies please visit our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/NASDAQ.
For photos from ceremonies and events visit our Instagram Page: http://instagram.com/nasdaq
For news tweets, please visit our Twitter page at: http://twitter.com/nasdaq
For exciting viral content and ceremony photos visit Tumblr Page: http://nasdaq.tumblr.com/
A webcast of the Nasdaq Opening Bell will be available at: https://new.livestream.com/nasdaq/live or http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx
To obtain a hi-resolution photograph of the Market Open, please go to http://www.nasdaq.com/reference/marketsite_events.stm and click on the market open of your choice.
About United States Postal Service’s Operation Santa:
New York City’s Operation Santa program is the largest public adoption Post Office in the country, receiving nearly a half million letters a season. With that much Santa Mail, it stands to reason they need the public’s help. Every year the iconic James A. Farley Building on Eighth Avenue is visited by tens of thousands of people who come to adopt letters from needy New York families. A kick-off celebration is held, usually during the first week of December. The New York City program has changed very little since the 1940s when it was first opened to the public and continues to thrive much to the delight of both the writers and readers of Letters to Santa.
About United States Postal Service:
For more than 235 years, the Postal Service has lived by its unofficial creed: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 152 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With more than 31,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world's mail. If it were a private-sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500.
Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ) is a leading provider of trading, exchange technology, information and public company services across six continents. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today’s global capital markets. As the creator of the world’s first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 70 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to more than 3,500 listed companies with a market value of over $8.8 trillion and more than 10,000 corporate clients. To learn more, visit www.business.nasdaq.com.
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ST. LOUIS – Jelly Belly is joining the seltzer craze and this one the kids can enjoy.
The popular candy bean company introduced a line of canned sparkling water. Officials at Jelly Belly say other seltzer companies don’t have enough flavors so they made their own.
Flavors will include lemon-lime, orange sherbert, pina colada, pink grapefruit, tangerine, very cherry, french vanilla, and watermelon. The seltzers have zero calories and zero sugar. According to a press release, the initial launch of Jelly Belly sparkling water will reach up to 265 stores across eight Midwestern states.
Unlike other popular sparkling drinks, these are alcohol-free.

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Flytxt, a pioneer in mobile advertising and marketing solutions, has launched its innovative software platform Neon in India. The platform created by Flytxt's UK and India technology teams unlocks the value in mobile databases for marketers who reach their customers through the mobile channel.
Flytxt , a pioneer in mobile advertising and marketing solutions, has launched its innovative software platform Neon in India. The platform created by Flytxt's UK and India technology teams unlocks the value in mobile databases for marketers who reach their customers through the mobile channel.
Announcing this today, Flytxt CEO Tim Williams said, "Indian marketers and telecom service providers will now have access the same technology that has delivered results for FMCG companies, mobile operators, music companies and the world's most popular airlines.
"These companies have successfully run mobile campaigns using Flytxt's robust, scalable, technology – powerful technology that starts with beaming targeted, personalized mobile messages all the way to tracking the responses," adds CEO Tim Williams, who brings over 20 years of management skills in companies including IBM and Intel.
The decision to launch in India is a result of the overwhelming market feedback to Neon in India. India's carriers and mobile content service providers have truly adopted mobile media for their marketing and are looking for the next generation technology to transition from just messaging to truly personalized and targeted consumer marketing communication based on demographics and behavior.
Sanjit Chatterjee moves from Times Internet to head Global Sales
Tim Williams also announced the appointment of Sanjit Chatterjee as Flytxt's Director Global Sales based in Delhi. Sanjit has wide experience of working with India's leading Mobile Value Added Service provider Times Internet, Net4India and IT training giant NIIT .
Sanjit will be responsible for driving the global sales to Flytxt customers worldwide.
On Sanjit Chatterjee's appointment Tim Williams added, "We are happy to have Sanjit in our executive team – his experience in mobile domain and his energy and drive will have a major impact on our sales in India and around the world."
Flytxt is currently serving customers in UK, USA, South Africa and Brazil.
Sourced From: Strategic Communications & PR Counsel
NIIT stock price
On November 27, 2015, NIIT closed at Rs 97.75, up Rs 5.30, or 5.73 percent. The 52-week high of the share was Rs 104.75 and the 52-week low was Rs 34.95.
The latest book value of the company is Rs 49.08 per share. At current value, the price-to-book value of the company was 1.99.
READ MORE ON Flytxt, mobile advertising, marketing solutions, Neon, technology , Tim Williams , FMCG, technology, IBM, Intel, Sanjit Chatterjee , NIIT, Net4India
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Volkswagen saw heartening results even exceeding pre-pandemic levels with first-half operating profit before special items hit 11.4 billion euros. The German automaker now expects an operating return on sales of between 6% and 7.5%. It previously projected the return to be 5.5% to 7%.
The Covid-19 pandemic played havoc and caused the demand for vehicles to be badly hit last year. But for Volkswagen, the results have greatly improved and, there is a marked increase in sales from the same period this year.
There is an ever-growing demand for premium cars in the Americas and Europe, with electric vehicle deliveries almost tripling. Volkswagen, as a result, has upped its profit margin target once again for the second time in three months.
Due to the situation created by the pandemic, Volkswagen, like many other major automakers, is feeling the burn. The shortage of semi-conductors in the market is creating hardships in the production line. Even though the scarce supply of semi-conductors has not impacted the earnings made by the company yet, it is bound to feel the pinch shortly if the Covid-19 crisis continues.
The company is facing challenges arising from factors such as; the increasing intensity of competition, the economic situation, and the foreign exchange markets. There are other reasons such as; securing supply chains, volatile commodities, and stringent emissions-related requirements.
But Volkswagen is optimistic that the rebound in demand is a good sign and would be enough to mitigate the various challenges for the company. The company is hopeful of continual growth until the first quarter of 2022. For now, their premium brands are doing well and, their electric vehicle sales are strong.
By 2030, almost half of the sales of Volkswagen, are expected to be battery-operated electric vehicles. It hopes to ensure that by 2040, almost 100% of its new vehicles will be zero-emission vehicles. Volkswagen has already earmarked around 73 billion euros and 50% of the company’s total investments solely to provide support for developing future technologies to be achieved between 2021 and 2025. Volkswagen is aiming to be fully carbon-neutral by 2050.


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Making healthy food taste good will require a spending increase that's not on the table.
Unless you're in danger of overdosing on exercise, don't eat like it.
Cutting out most added sweeteners from my diet helped me stop "retaining food."
Americans need credible nutrition advice they can trust, not a choice between quacks and "experts" sold out to junk food companies.
Pom Wonderful made such outlandish claims that the Federal Trade Commission stepped in and told them to cut it out.
After two decades of consumer campaigns, the government has agreed to include added sugars on nutrition labels.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, billed as the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, leases out its integrity to the soft drink giant.
The fast-food chain swears it will offer plenty of healthy choices at all its restaurants but not until seven years from now.


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Adweek's annual #Brandweek summit will explore the ideas behind breakthrough successes, discuss solutions to pressing challenges and explore new opportunities in the Metaverse. Join leaders from Alo Yoga, Hyundai Motor America, Frito-Lay and more, Sept. 12–16 in Miami. Sign up early to save.
The future includes an ad—at least, according to millions of fortune cookies currently being rolled out in Chinese restaurants across the country. These cookies are the work of Open Fortune, a company that prints ads on the other side of those slips of paper you find inside fortune cookies, putting marketing into what has long been an ad-free experience.


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A powerful new player is about to enter the global AI race, backed by India’s Mukesh Ambani and some of country’s top engineering schools. According to media reports, the BharatGPT consortium is now preparing to launch “Hanooman,” a ChatGPT-esque large language model (LLM) tailored for the Indian market.
For those who are unaware, the BharatGPT consortium behind Hanooman stands out as a unique public-private partnership. Comprising of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and eight of India’s elite IITs, including venerable institutions such as IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi, the consortium represents a convergence of industry and academia aimed at driving AI research, development, and adoption in India. Today, it aims to leverage the collective expertise and resources of its members to propel India onto the global AI stage, and Hanooman is the latest attempt to do so. According to media reports, the AI-powered model will begin to roll out its services next month in March. This development comes a day after Hanooman was revealed by Seetha Mahalaxmi Healthcare (SML), in partnership with BharatGPT.
“We have built an enterprise-ready family of foundational language models ranging up to 40 billion parameters in terms of size,” Vishnu Vardhan, founder of SML, commented on the matter. “The first four among the series which are 1.5 billion, 7 billion, 13 billion and 40 billion parameters will be released next month and will be open-sourced.”
Named in homage to the revered Hindu deity Hanuman, the Hanooman AI model comes alongside a plethora of innovative features, including advanced speech-to-text and text-to-video capabilities, alongside tailored solutions for diverse industry verticals, designed to enhance user experience and address the unique needs of Indian consumers. By prioritizing user-centric design principles and incorporating feedback from stakeholders across various sectors, BharatGPT aims to democratize access to AI technology and bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Hanooman is being jointly developed in partnership with several of the aforementioned IIT universities, while it receives support from Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. And if this is not enough, Reliance Jio will be developing customised models for specific purposes, and is already working on Jio Brain, a platform designed to utilise AI across its country-wide network.
And Hanooman isn’t a lone warrior either – startups like Sarvam and Krutrim are also creating open-source AI models for the world’s second-largest internet market. Unlike most LLMs designed for Western audiences, Hanooman boasts the ability to comprehend and respond in 11 Indian languages, a crucial feature for navigating the country’s diverse linguistic landscape (there are plans to expand this to 22 languages). This inclusivity opens doors for wider participation and potential impact, ensuring that the benefits of AI extend beyond English-speaking elites. Hanooman’s focus on four key sectors – healthcare, governance, financial services, and education – also deviates from the entertainment-oriented applications often associated with LLMs. Imagine AI-powered solutions aiding in early disease detection, streamlining bureaucratic processes, or personalizing education, potentially leading to improved healthcare outcomes, more efficient governance, and enhanced learning experiences, and you get an inkling about how Hanooman can be used.


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AT&T is already faced with numerous complaints of poor or slow data bandwidth from business users and consumers alike, particularly in metropolitan regions like New York and San Francisco where iPhone use is exceptionally heavy. Judging by the maps in the Verizon ads, if you venture outside of those urban areas you might be lucky to find a 3G connection at all.
I predicted that the addition of the iPad, a device more dedicated to data consumption than its iPhone cousin, could be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back and bring AT&T’s network to its knees. However, AT&T addressed many of those concerns on its quarterly earnings call on Thursday.
It was revealed on the call that AT&T has twice as many smartphone users as its nearest competitor, and that AT&T has experienced a 5,000 percent spike in broadband data consumption since introducing the iPhone. The explosive growth in data demand was both unprecedented and unexpected, and could explain some of the challenges the AT&T network has faced.
In 2009, AT&T added 1,900 new cell sites, expanded 3G coverage to over 360 markets, reaching an estimated 75 percent of the population, and added 850MHz 3G–improving the range and strength of the 3G signal. It also enabled HSPA 7.2 throughout the network, speeding up the 3G download speeds.
Speaking to analysts on the earnings call, John Stankey, president and CEO of AT&T Operations, said “We’re very pleased to say that one of the 7.2-enabled devices that will have connectivity on our network is Apple’s new iPad, which was unveiled yesterday.”
Stankey added “we’re really excited about the device, and we work closely with Apple in planning for its connectivity on our network. AT&T is a natural fit for the iPad, given the combination of the ever-improving speed of our 3G network and our robust Wi-Fi capabilities. We have a thorough technical understanding, with a good read on the iPad’s usage requirements and characteristics, and all that is included in our network plans for 2010 in the plans I’m sharing with you this morning.”
AT&T has aggressive plans for 2010 as well, including investing over $2 billion to expand and improve the broadband data network. It plans to deploy fiber-optic backhaul which will increase 3G data speeds even further, as well as focusing on boosting data capacity in troubled areas like New York and San Francisco.
Overall, AT&T customers should be satisfied that AT&T is not deaf to their complaints, and that it is taking aggressive strides to improve the speed, availability, and stability of its 3G network.
As it relates to the iPad, though, I found AT&T CFO Rick Lindner’s statement to be telling. “We believe, though, the device, based on where we believe it will be used–in homes, in offices, coffee shops, bookstores, airports, so on and so forth–will be used a substantial amount of time in a Wi-Fi environment. And so we’ll just–we’ll have to monitor this usage as the device gets out there. And if it’s substantially different, we’ll adapt to it. But right now, I think the economics will be very positive because it will be a very low-cost device for us–no cost, really, in terms of acquisition.”
Translated, Lindner is saying that, although Apple will charge $130 extra for a 3G capable device, and AT&T will happily take your $30 a month for unlimited 3G broadband access, it is assuming that iPad users will rely primarily on Wi-Fi, so the $30 a month will be pure profit to AT&T with no impact at all to the 3G bandwidth.
That reinforces my belief that there is no point in paying extra for the 3G iPad, and that either Apple will just eliminate 3G from the mix and stick with Wi-Fi, or eventually phase out the Wi-Fi only version, and just offer the Wi-Fi plus 3G iPad for the lower price that the Wi-Fi models are being introduced at. Even if that happens, though, I see no reason to pay $30 a month for 3G connectivity when free Wi-Fi is fairly ubiquitous.


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Apple has set up a new “Single Day Pass” for registered developers in the Mac Developer Program. The Pass allows developers to spend a day in Apple’s compatibility labs where they can test their software on a very wide array of different Macs, including many legacy models.
The Single Day Pass will cost US$99, according to Macworld, and will include access to Apple Lab Engineers who can assist with configuration, but Apple itself is not offering any form of certification, official testing services, engineering support, or debugging support.
Membership in the Apple Developer Connection Select and Premier programs used to be the only way developers could access these labs. Those programs, which cost $499 and $3,499 per year respectively in their last iterations, were canceled and replaced with the $99 per year Mac Developer Program. The new Single Day Pass brings access to the Labs to the entire registered developer community.
Apple’s Compatibility Labs are located in Cupertino and Tokyo, and are good from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (local). Requests for access should be made three business days ahead of time.


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“The theater begins with a coat rack,” Stanislavsky said. The Russian Silhouette Charitable Foundation also has its own hanger. This is how budding fashion designers call the second stage of the International Competition for Young Designers, which has been held for more than 20 years in Russia and neighboring countries.
A unique international project, headed by Tatyana Mikhalkova, helps hundreds of talented guys to declare themselves in the fashion industry. Alena Akhmadullina, Alexander Terekhov, VikGazinskaya, Kirill Gasilin, Dzhemal Makhmudov, Alexey Vlasov, Anton Galetsky and other designers who are successfully developing their brands today became winners of the Russian Silhouette competition.
This year, with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, about three thousand novice fashion designers from St. Petersburg, Ufa, Samara, Petrozavodsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Barnaul, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and other cities take part in the regional qualifying rounds.
Now young artists who have passed the initial selection are starting to participate in the second stage of the competition. For the first time, they present tailored outfits to the jury. How? On a hanger! For one day, the competition room turns into a huge dressing room. Styles, fabrics, colors - an incredible flight of imagination and a choice for the most demanding taste. Qualitatively executed and original collections are admitted to the third stage - defile. Only the best of the best will be able to walk the catwalk in Gostiny Dvor, where the Russian Silhouette finals will take place on November 10, and get an opportunity to undergo an internship at one of the world's best fashion houses.


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Sony WF-1000X Earbuds – Truly Wireless Sony launches its own pair of fully wireless earphones called WF-100X earbuds. The earbuds come with noise cancellation and are completely wireless. These are lightweight and sports friendly. They feature active noise cancellation: the feature that Apple AirPods don’t have. They are now available for pre-order. Let’s check out
Apple AirPods Apple AirPods are finally available for pre-order at Apple’s online store in US for $159. These new wireless headphones were due to be released in late October. These were launched alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in September. Meanwhile, Apple’s competitors have also launched their wireless headphone to grab market share.
Skybuds: Competitor to Apple AirPods Apple AirPods were supposed to be launched in October 2016, shortly after the launch of iPhone 7. And, the company’s delay is now opening up the doors for competitors to come up with their wireless products. As Apple AirPods are not releasing any time in 2016, other products have come
Apple New AirPods One of the surprise announcements at Apple’s iPhone event was the introduction of AirPods. These all-new earphones are completely wireless. The new AirPods have specially been designed for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with a brand new wireless chip. Apple new AirPods are the wireless version of its popular white earbuds.


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M / V Africa Sun is the first step in a major national project
On July 19, 2020, the President of the Republic of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh presided the reception ceremony of the first Djiboutian container ship.
Recently acquired by the national shipping company, the M/V Africa Sun has a capacity of 1,108 TEUs.
In addition to import-export traffic, Djibouti Shipping Company will also offer redistribution services for transshipment containers in Djibouti, by major shipping lines and intended for ports in the region.
M / V Africa Sun is the first step in a major national project to become a key player in the shipping industry. Note that Djibouti Shipping Company is the first African company offering liner services.
Importers and exporters in the East African region, now have a reliable transport solution with no interruption .


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Walgreens discontinues negotiations; PBM Express Scripts shocked
ST. LOUIS — After Walgreens made its contract dispute with Express Scripts public on Tuesday morning, the pharmacy benefit manager stated it is open to continued negotiations with Walgreens.
"In these challenging economic times, it is critical that we all work together to keep medicines affordable and accessible," Express Scripts’ chairman and CEO George Paz said. "It is shocking to us that Walgreens would back away from the table with six months to go in the current agreement, especially considering that negotiations are part of the normal course of business."
In response to the news, Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly said that the general consensus is that the issues will be settled.
“Walgreens is once again fighting to protect the longer-term profitability of its pharmacy business, similar to the dispute with CVS Caremark last year,” Kelly wrote in a research note released Wednesday morning. “We believe the company’s dispute with Express Scripts will be resolved shortly, as the lack of a deal would clearly harm both companies.”
If renewed negotiations don’t materialize, the parting of ways between Walgreens and Express Scripts would have an estimated 50 cents per share impact on Walgreens’ earnings, Kelly noted, and Express Scripts would be placed at a competitive disadvantage versus other PBMs without the almost 8,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade pharmacy locations in its network.
Credit Suisse maintained its “outperform” rating for Walgreens, suggesting that investors taking advantage of any volatility with stock prices now should reap the benefits by first quarter 2012 if Walgreens hits current earnings projections.
In its statement, Express Scripts challenged Walgreens’ assertion that the proposed reimbursement rates were below the published industry average cost to provide each prescription. “Over the next three years, the costs of nonspecialty branded medications are projected to increase approximately 10% per year [and] more than 30% over three years. The costs of branded specialty medications are projected to increase more than 14% per year [and] nearly 50% over three years, and more than $60 billion worth of branded medications will lose patent protection, opening the door to more affordable generic alternatives,” Paz stated.
However, the PBM is drawing its own line in the sand in preparing to continue on without Walgreens. “On average, another pharmacy within the Express Scripts network is within one-half mile of a Walgreens pharmacy. Even without Walgreens in our network, we meet all client guarantees for access.”
The practice of Pharmacy is really on the decline because of the fact that pharmacists are left out of the equation. Pharmacists currently are not in charge of their profession and that is a major problem. They are paid at a decent salary but are treated like cashiers in the stores. We are professionals and should be treated as such. The Walmarts of the world wouldn't have destroyed the profession if they were pharmacists. The leaders of the direction of the pharmacy practice are more concerned with their profits by negotiating away our respect among other professionals in health care. We should take back our profession.
Dr. Reddy’s brings generic Levaquin to market
HYDERABAD, India — Generic drug maker Dr. Reddy’s Labs has launched its version of a popular antibiotic.
The company said its levofloxacin tablets in the 250-mg, 500-mg and 750-mg strengths have entered the market, following the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Dr. Reddy’s abbreviated new drug application. Dr. Reddy’s levofloxacin tablets in the 250-mg and 500-mg strengths are available in 50-count bottles, while the 750-mg strength bottle is available in 30-count bottles.
Levofloxacin tablets are a generic version of Levaquin, an Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals drug. The FDA earlier this week approved several generic versions of Levaquin in tablet, oral solution and injectable solution dosage forms.
U.S. sales of Levaquin totaled approximately $1.1 billion for the 12 months ended in March, according to IMS Health data.
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Endo completes acquisition of American Medical Systems
CHADDS FORD, Pa. — Endo Pharmaceuticals has acquired a provider of devices and therapies for male and female pelvic health.
Endo said its acquisition of American Medical Systems has boosted the drug maker’s devices and services business segment, and the combination of AMS with Endo’s existing platform will provide additional cost-effective solutions across the entire urology spectrum.
The company announced its definitive agreement to acquire AMS in a cash transaction valued for approximately $2.9 billion.
"Closing on this acquisition marks another milestone in the transformation of Endo and accelerates our strategy of building a diversified healthcare company, better able to respond to the changing economics that drive the U.S. healthcare environment," Endo president and CEO Dave Holveck said. "AMS accelerates our overall growth, and we are very excited about the potential of its current commercial portfolio, as well as potential new product introductions."
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Hewlett-Packard has announced a quarterly loss of $US8.9 billion ($A8.52 billion) as the US computer giant was forced to write down the value of some assets and take hefty reorganisational charges.
"HP is still in the early stages of a multi-year turnaround, and we're making decent progress despite the headwinds," said Meg Whitman, president and chief executive officer, in announcing results for the fiscal third quarter.
HP was forced to book a loss under accounting rules, to reflect the lower value of some assets. It had previously announced this would be some $US8 billion ($A7.66 billion) to mark down the value of EDS, a services group it acquired in 2008.
The Palo Alto, California giant, the world's biggest maker of personal computers, also is taking a charge to cover the costs of cutting some 27,000 jobs, or eight per cent of its global workforce, by 2014 in a major restructuring.
The move is expected to generate annualised savings of $US3.0 to $US3.5 billion ($A2.87 billion-$A3.35 billion) for HP, which is struggling amid a move to mobile devices and tablet computers.
Earlier this month, HP said more employees than anticipated were taking early retirement and that the cost of the reorganisation would rise to between $US1.5 billion and $US1.7 billion ($A1.44 billion-$A1.63 billion).
The results unveiled on Wednesday showed that excluding the hefty charges, the company showed a profit of $US1 per share, slightly better than expected, while revenues were below forecasts at $US29.7 billion ($A28.44 billion), a year-to-year drop of five per cent.
In the same period a year ago, HP posted a profit of $US1.9 billion ($A1.82 billion).
HP also lowered its estimate for full-year earnings to between $US4.05 and $US4.07 per share.
In after-hours trade, HP rose 2.24 per cent to $US19.63 on the news, which hinted that the turnaround was on track.
Ms Whitman has vowed to turn the company around after a series of problems including a failed tablet computer and a reversal on plans for its PC unit.
"During the quarter we took important steps to focus on strategic priorities, manage costs, drive needed organisational change, and improve the balance sheet," she said Wednesday. "We continue to deliver on what we say we will do."
A former chief executive of eBay and unsuccessful candidate for governor of California, Whitman took the reins at HP in September after her predecessor, Leo Apotheker, was ousted after just 11 months on the job.
A recent survey showed HP increased its share of the global market to 17.2 per cent in the past quarter.
But the low-margin PC market has been sputtering amid a sizzling increase in powerful smartphones and the arrival of hot-selling tablet computers such as the iPad.
HP rival Dell said on Tuesday profits for its second quarter fell as the US tech firm faced a "challenging" PC market and pursued efforts to shift into areas such as software and cloud computing.
Dell said its net income fell 18 per cent from a year ago to $US732 million ($A701.05 million), and lowered its outlook for full-year earnings.


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BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
DAKOTA, a digital tool that can bolster sustainable production of food export commodities in Indonesia, is a demonstration of the power of agricultural technology, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) said.
Searca Director Glenn Gregorio said Dakota is a digital platform that will soon reach the okra farmers of Grobogan in Central Java, Indonesia.
He said the tool helps farmers achieve international market standards and fair prices through transparent records of the quality control and agricultural practices applied to their commodities.
“Searca Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (Grains) supports digital innovations that reward sustainable practices, making a difference in the lives of farmers and rural communities,” said lawyer Eric Reynoso, Searca program head of the Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, or EIGD.
Reynoso said the blockchain technology behind Dakota creates unchangeable records of a commodity from its farm origin to the retail market.
A project led by the Penabulu Foundation, a civil society organization in Indonesia, is adapting Dakota, which was originally designed for spice commodities, to raise the production quality, income and market reach of 150 okra farmers in the Grobogan regency.
Reynoso said Penabulu Foundation is implementing the project titled “Strengthening the supply chain and traceability for okra commodity using blockchain-based tracking and traceability tools (Dakota) in Grobogan, Central Java” through Searca Grains awarded this 2023.
Penabulu Foundation said the leading agricultural commodities in Grobogan, such as rice and corn, are vulnerable to market price fluctuations, and thus, okra is an alternative commodity with a more stable price.
It was also noted that while buyers usually have the upper hand when it comes to pricing, the Dakota tool for okra can potentially raise the bargaining power of farmers by providing evidence of sustainable production along the supply chain.
It added that Dakota provides an opportunity to build farmers’ reputation in export markets and reward those who use good agricultural practices.
Searca said the project kicked off by engaging the interest of Grobogan farmers and vegetable exporter PT Kam.
It was also noted that through stakeholder and farmer interviews, the Penabulu Foundation has identified good cultivation practices to tailor fit the Dakota prototype for okra farmers.
Searca cited Imron Masluri, an okra grower from Grobogan, who said he looks forward to benefiting from the project.
“As farmers, we hope that our agricultural products will be sold at a fair price and be treated as valuable food products,” Masluri said adding that Dakota, also a quality control system for okra cultivation and postharvest practices, “can help increase the sale value and improve the quality of okra.”
He said ongoing discussions about okra cultivation and postharvest practices provide an opportunity to identify the best patterns for farming okra and possibly other horticultural crops.


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Microblogging site Twitter’s services affected worldwide
Users around the world are having difficulty accessing the microblogging site Twitter.
Twitter released a statement from its official account stating that “Tweets may not be loading for some of you.”
Tweets may not be loading for some of you. We’re working on fixing a problem and you’ll be back on the timeline soon.
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) April 17, 2021
“We’re working on fixing a problem and you’ll be back on the timeline soon,” the tweet read.
According to the administration, work is underway on this technical glitch which will be rectified soon.
As Twitter services were affected, users around the world had difficulty loading their timelines and tweeting.
Twitter Down is currently one of the top trends on Twitter around the world, including Pakistan.
Yeserday, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Telegram services were shut down for 4 hours in Pakistan.
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DreamWorks Animation Television is integrating itself deeper into the NBCUniversal universe as it continues its stratospheric growth, president Margie Cohn said Sunday during her MIPJr. keynote in Cannes.
“We are getting closer and closer with the NBCUniversal ecosystem and other members of our family, and we feel like that’s going to open up new IP and new relationships and partnerships that is going to make everything bigger,” said the exec, citing the company’s theme parks, live-action studio and cable delivery systems.
To envision even faster growth for DreamWorks Animation Television is tough — the company has gone from just five employees to 800 in five short years and a list of IP scrawled on a piece of paper. It was boosted early on by an unprecedented 300-hour content deal with Netflix in 2013 and had to learn how to do everything “on the run.” The Netflix deal helped shape the company culture, allowing it to diversify its brand style, as well as freeing it from “renewal anxiety.”
Cohn added that working on streaming has its drawbacks, however, and that it can mean kids may find DWA’s shows and then forget about them as they move on to the next in line. “We have to make sure that we make is being seen. This is where streaming can be tougher than linear. [Linear channels] know how to promote a new show and get the audience to check it out,” she said. DWA Television developed its own marketing department, using tools such as YouTube and social media, to promote its properties outside of the Netflix queue.
DWA Television is now diversifying, striking up deals with Amazon and Hulu, as well as taking to the air with linear Universal Kids’ Where’s Waldo.
Without linear backing, it hasn’t been able to build brand extensions. The company is now looking to get in on the merch game. “We are doing everything we can to figure out how to pop consumer product sales off a streaming platform, and we’re experimenting with various strategies,” said Cohn.
The company has 20 shows in production and 50 shows in development, and Cohn announced three new titles: Gabby’s Dollhouse, Rhyme Tyme Town and Archibald’s Next Big Thing, executive produced by Veep‘s Tony Hale.
The upcoming She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, set to debut Nov. 16 on Netflix, is a modern retooling of the 1980s classic with a 26-year-old first-time female showrunner, Noelle Stevenson. The company wanted to develop properties around the theme of girl power and did extensive research into what girls wanted from animated series. “We found that what they wanted was very different than just taking a boy action show and slapping a girl in the middle,” said Cohn.
The exec said girls cited influences from Michelle Obama to Pocahontas that demonstrated attributes such as doing the right thing and being smart. The biggest superhero for these girls? The Queen B herself, Beyonce. “She has amazing hair and she controls her world,” Cohn said. “The result is so different than anything I’ve ever seen for girls.”
Linear TV is still interested in gender-neutral programming that can attract an evenly split audience. But boys and girls “share the same or similar experiences through a different filter,” said the exec. “We’re not just reversing it and thinking that’s OK. We’re representing a huge variety of not only personality types but body types, ethnicity, and all of that is incredibly important to us.”
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Shopping in thrift shops and secondhand clothing stores used to be for the bohemian and, well, the thriftier among us. But the expansion and diversification of the used clothing market is attracting a new clientele, many of them younger shoppers who don't even remember when vintage was cool the last time.
Generation Z, the demographic born between 1997 and 2018 (ages 7 to 22), has embraced the growing clothing resale movement, which champions buying less and selecting gently used items over new. Almost 1 in 5 Gen Z shoppers hope to buy less fast fashion in 2020, according to a recent survey from the resale app Mercari — and, in general, these consumers are far more focused on the quality, not quantity, of their clothes.
Millennials and Gen Zers are turning to secondhand buying at a rate 250 percent faster than other age groups, Mercari noted in its research. Half of all millennial and Gen Z respondents to Mercari's survey said they would rather own fewer, high-end designer brand items than more inexpensive, mass-produced clothing.
“Watching your wallet as a teen and 20-something is nothing new, but Generation Z is lucky enough to have been born into a secondhand fashion tech revolution,” said Anna De Souza, Mercari’s chief stylist and organizing expert. “Pre-loved garments are having their day in the spotlight, thanks to not only services allowing for the renting and trading of dresses, shoes, handbags and more, but the cultural shift is moving away from associating used garments with dusty, run-down thrift stores.”
Over the past three years, the resale segment has grown 21 times faster than the traditional retail apparel market, and the secondhand market is expected to reach $51 billion in five years, driven by resale sector growth, according to a 2019 report from online consignment seller ThredUp.
“It’s become so much easier to shop for secondhand wears,” De Souza said. “Gen Z is going online, of course." And they're aren't just looking for discounted luxury items or designer shoes and bags. "We’re seeing interest in everyday-wears, like yoga pants, trousers, cashmere sweaters, zip-ups and more," she said.
The way she sees it, the booming clothing resale movement is just the latest extension of the sharing economy that brought us apps like Turo and Airbnb. "The ‘shareability’ culture initially relegated to cars and vacation homes is certainly extending into fashion," she said. "Gen Z is enjoying a carefree, transient relationship with clothing, knowing they can resell garments easily online without as big a cost to their wallet or the environment.”
Other results from the Mercari survey showed that 60 percent of Gen Z women and 55 percent of millennial men agreed with the statement, “I'd rather own fewer high-end, designer brand clothes or accessories than more, inexpensive trendy items.” In addition, 18 percent of adults aged 18 to 21 said buying less “fast fashion” is a resolution for 2020. Finally, 28 percent of millennials and 31 percent of Gen Z indicated that “having a smaller footprint on the environment” is a resolution for this coming year.
Even name-brand retailers have jumped into the pre-owned apparel market. In January, Nordstrom announced its See You Tomorrow line of previously-owned clothing, available through the store’s New York City outlet and online. Nordstrom says it is working with a third party to verify all designer pieces. The See You Tomorrow brand offers women’s, men’s and children’s’ clothes and accessories, as well as some watch and jewelry selections. Other retailers already established in the pre-owned market include REI, Patagonia, Taylor Stitch and The North Face.
In addition, clothing rental services continue to gain traction. Companies such as Rent the Runway and Haverdash allow customers to pay a monthly subscription and rent a certain number of clothing and accessories at a time. “[They] offer high-quality, fashionable interfaces that make shopping not only affordable and eco-conscious, but a fun and luxurious experience as well,” De Souza said.
The secondhand clothing market could not be growing at a better time. Producing and discarding clothing continues to have a huge impact on the environment, even more so in recent decades because of the shorter “life” of most apparel. In the past 15 years, the average number of times a piece of clothing is worn before being tossed has dropped by 36 percent, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation found in a 2017 report. At the same time, textile waste has grown by 811 percent since 1960.
“A whopping 84 percent of our clothing ends up in landfills and incinerators,” De Souza added. “There’s such a big misconception that donated fast-fashion goods have a happy ending: getting purchased cheaply at your local Goodwill store. Garments typically get turned into rags, carpet padding, insulation or, worse yet, are shipped across the globe, further impacting the environment.”
For those looking to dress more sustainably, no matter your age, De Souza recommends a "capsule” wardrobe. “It’s 37 pieces, including shoes and jewelry, that you rotate every season to keep your wardrobe fresh and your closet organized,” she said. “Focus on clothing that washes and wears well, and invest in fabrics and brands that are sustainable. While it can be pricey, begin weaving them into your closet slowly.”
If your budget doesn’t allow for a big wardrobe overhaul, the best thing to do is show garments some love, she added. “Hand-wash when possible, air dry to avoid pilling, and attempt to keep clothing as pristine as possible so that even fast-fashion pieces can look great for the longest time possible.”
Image credit: Clem Onojeghuo/Unsplash


text: Word has it that the next generation BlackBerry Curve recently landed on Rogers will also make its way to the U.S. via T-Mobile for February 18th. 2009. Not a big surprise, considering their German cousins outed the thing in the first place and the North American gap had already been closed, but very good news for American consumers looking for something a little tighter than a Bold. The BlackBerry 8900 enjoys a crisp 480 x 360 screen, 3.2 megapixel, Wi-Fi, GPS, yet sadly no 3G. Alongside the new BlackBerry Curve, the Samsung Memoir is rumoured to be launched for those looking for a high-quality 8-megapixel camera in their phone.


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The world’s number one music streaming company, the Swedish Spotify, announced on Wednesday results for the third quarter up on a year, with a net profit of two million euros. This is its sixth net profit since its IPO in 2018. The number of active users reached 381 million (+ 19% over one year) at the end of September. Main source of income, paying subscribers are now 172 million (+ 19% also), said the group in its activity report. Spotify thus meets the expectations of analysts and its target announced in July which was 377 to 382 million users (from 170 to 174 million paying users). The Swedish giant, headquartered in Stockholm but listed on the New York Stock Exchange, hopes to pass the mark of 400 million users (from 177 to 181 million paying) by the end of the year.
It recorded a net profit of 2 million euros over the July-September period, while analysts expected a net loss. “We had another quarter of strong advertising growth and user engagement indicators in many markets showed encouraging signs of growth,” the group said. Around the same time last year, the group recorded a loss of 101 million euros, largely due to higher operating expenses. Spotify reported revenue of 2.5 billion euros in the quarter, up nearly 27% year-on-year, according to its financial report. Since its IPO in 2018, Spotify has never generated a full year net profit despite its success in the online music market. Last year, the Swedish flagship of online music tripled its net loss to 581 million euros, mainly due to the good performance of its stock on the stock market. The former Stockholm-based start-up indeed uses a compensation mechanism for its employees indexed to the stock market price.


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Lockdown: GST collection in April was 4.33 crores, quite 100 crores reached in Unlock
The Corona epidemic has begun to make the wagging economy back on target, the relief news is that in the State Goods and Services Tax (Goods and Services Tax), the GST collection of 4.33 crores within the month of April has increased to 100 crores. Reached 81 lakh rupees.
Lockdown GST collection
Government revenue has also started increasing as markets are rising, production in factories is increasing. most of the business activities have accelerated within the one month of Unlock-1.
Revenue has started increasing, the economy will emerge soon
The GST collection in April was 4 crores to 33 lakh rupees, while in May it increased to 39 crores rupees 38 lakhs. In May, the govt had given some exemption in transportation and sales for goods in need, hence the collection was increased by almost 10 times. Now, with the boom within the auto sector under Unlock-1 in June, the demand for petroleum and energy also increased. Growth in RTO transactions and power consumption was recorded. At an equivalent time, most sorts of products started beginning within the markets and therefore the GST collection increased to Rs. 81 million in June. This amount will increase further in July.
Markets are gaining momentum
GST collection of 4.33 crores was wiped out April during the lockdown, now Unlock-1 ie 100 crores have reached 81 lakh rupees in June. Markets are gaining momentum, this is often an auspicious sign. During the lockdown, the department suffered heavy revenue losses. Hopefully, it’ll emerge soon. Ramanivas Sharma, Joint Commissioner, SGST
This was the situation: GST collection
the year 2019 was reduced to 311 crores rupees 6 lakhs in Ajmer within the year 2019 April-May-June, while this GST collection within the fiscal year ie 2020 April-May-June decreased to 144 crores. Only 52 lakh rupees remained. This loss of revenue was caused by the lockdown. There was an entire ban from March to May, gradually the govt started playing the industries under Unlock-1. Production commenced at MSME units across the district. The market started learning and therefore the collection of GST also started increasing.


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Child beauty pagents
Child beauty pageants are one of the most controversial and vilified of all children's activities while adult and teen beauty pageants are often. Children's beauty pageants encourage the horrible, horrible trend that is stage moms and instill children with early senses of 'skin-deep' beauty and possible. Instead of following france's proposal to ban child beauty pageants, researchers in the usa say safety regulations and education about how. Child beauty pageants--are they always harmful how the child responds to participating in tot pageants depends a lot on the behavior of the parents. It calls “kiddie” pageants “creepy,” and suggests a general discomfort with the uncanny likeness between child beauty queens and dolls.
One parent whose two-year-old daughter is due to take part in the 'child beauty' event said she had had no contact from the pageant company since a dublin. If you think the antics of these parents and kids who frequent the pageant arena is a rarity, however, think again in general, child pageants. Last month, i judgded a child beauty pageant that was taped for toddlers & tiaras i covered this for work you can watch video, see pictures. A few days ago, france banned child beauty pageants, saying that they send the wrong message to little girls child beauty pageants aren't.
This country wants to ban child beauty pageants and america should look to do the same read more on babble. It calls for a two-year jail term and a fine of €30,000 ($40,000) for organizers of children's beauty pageants but this was never about fears that. Tracie enters her 12-year-old daughter destini in beauty pageants all over the uk she told bbc radio 5 live that taking part in pageants “is.
French senate votes to ban child beauty pageants as part of women's rights law. The culture of children's beauty pageants that frank rich exposes in in jan 18 column is the tip of the iceberg in the exploitation of children for. The modern child beauty pageant emerged in the late 1960s, held in miami, florida since then, the industry has grown to include nearly. Protestors of an upcoming melbourne child beauty pageant have taken to the streets of australia with signs reading: affection not perfection.
Abstract child beauty pageants continue to be controversial, particularly as more beauty pageant reality television programs appear. Interest in and criticism of child beauty pageants has increased since the popularity of the tlc reality series toddlers tiaras, which follows a. The reality show followed the personal lives of the families of contestants participating in children's beauty pageants, which often depicted little. Up to three million child beauty contestants experience this scenario per year (o' neill) glitz beauty pageants exploit young children, teaching them that.
- Is your adorable child ready for the spotlight perhaps pageant life awaits, but be forewarned, overall costs of these beauty contests can be.
- Madi jo frankenhoff miss sahly college writing and research 10 march 2016 beauty pageants have been around for a while they are used.
Child beauty pageants are a lot like crime coverage on local news stick with me this will make sense i promise viewers complain there's too. My claim is that child beauty pageants can pose long and short term effects on children even though they are competitive, there is a. I do not believe young children actively decide they want to compete against other children in beauty pageants and if they do, the parents must. Nymphet fantasies child beauty pageants and the politics of innocence only in a climate of denial could hysteria over satanic rituals at daycare.Download child beauty pagents


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The stocks of St. Louis public companies fared better than stocks nationally in the first half of the year, but worse than they did in the first half of last year.
The St. Louis companies, 53 in all, were down 5.2 percent through June, compared with decreases of 6.3 percent in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 7 percent in the Nasdaq, 7.6 percent in the S&P 500, and 8.4 percent in the Russell 1000 Growth Index. Last year, the local companies were basically flat for the first six months, down only 0.16 percent.
The downturn came in the turbulent second quarter. St. Louis companies were down 11.7 percent after posting an 8 percent gain in the first quarter.
The biggest local gainers year to date through June were CPI Corp., up 82.6 percent; Huttig Building Products, 81.3 percent; and Brown Shoe, 53.8 percent.
The biggest declines were at KV Pharmaceutical, 74.4 percent; Monsanto Co., 43.5 percent; and RehabCare Group, 28.4 percent.
St. Louis companies outperformed the broader market indexes because they generally are more conservative and viewed as safer investments, said Gerry Sparrow at Sparrow Capital Management in St. Louis. “They are more likely to have lower debt-to-equity ratios and more consistent earnings,” he said.
The companies, which have their headquarters or significant employment here, are tracked by Argent Capital Management in Clayton for the Argent St. Louis Stock Index. Analyst Scott Harrison compiles the index for informational purposes only.
“The one good thing that the recession did was to make companies look at internal waste and find ways to be more efficient,” Harrison said. As a result, “it takes a smaller increase in sales to get a bigger bang for the buck.”
For example, CPI, which operates portrait studios nationally, reported its profit tripled to $6.5 million in its most recent quarter, ended May 1, as a result of cost reductions and accelerated shipping schedules. Its profit had doubled in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Cost cutting also played a big part in the stock increase of Huttig, which distributes building materials used in residential construction. Like most companies involved in housing, Huttig has been hit hard since 2006. Since then it has closed, consolidated or sold 20 distribution centers and reduced its work force to 1,000 from 2,200.
“Through our aggressive restructuring and cost control activities, we have mitigated the impact of the severe downturn in the housing market,” the company said in a regulatory filing. Huttig reported a first-quarter loss of $5.8 million on sales of $103.5 million, compared with a loss of $14.3 million on sales of $100 million a year earlier.
Brown Shoe sales have been on fire, especially its Famous Footwear, Naturalizer and contemporary fashion brands. Sales overall increased 11 percent in the first quarter, to $597.7 million. Sales at Famous Footwear were a first-quarter record, $362.2 million, up 14 percent from last year.
“We’ve had some significant sales increases and store-for-store increases over the past nine months,” said Ron Fromm, Brown’s chairman and chief executive.
As for the bad news, drug maker KV Pharmaceutical has been pummeled after stopping production of recalled painkillers that were oversized. In addition, KV has been warned that it may be excluded from federal health-care programs because of a slew of problems, including allegations of health-care fraud. That would cost it millions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.
Medicare also had a hand in RehabCare’s woes. New federal reimbursement rules could reduce its operating earnings by $17 million or more, the company said. “These proposed changes took us and seemingly everyone else in the industry by surprise,” President and Chief Executive John Short said last month.
Monsanto’s pain is due largely to plummeting sales of its Roundup herbicide, which has been undercut in price by Chinese weed-killer producers. Its profit fell 44 percent, to $397 million, in the most recent quarter, ended May 31. Monsanto said it plans to “drastically narrow” its Roundup portfolio and slash prices. “By their own admission in recent trade press articles, the Chinese manufacturers are routinely pricing below cost,” Hugh Grant, Monsanto chairman and chief executive, told analysts recently.
Looking ahead, Sparrow said the St. Louis companies could fare worse than the broader indexes in the second half of the year for the same reason they fared better in the first half — they are viewed as conservative. “There may be less flight to safety because the debt crisis in Europe is starting to wane, and the financial rescue packages there are showing progress,” he said.
Nonetheless, “the companies that were able to navigate through the downturn are in a much stronger position coming out,” Harrison said.


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Ali Xeeshan, one of Pakistan’s best fashion designers, unveiled his brand new 2021 wedding collection, titled ‘Numaish,’ at the 18th edition of the prestigious Pantene Hum Bridal Couture Week, which is now taking place in Lahore.
The collection is inspired by the campaign to abolish dowry culture and is described as a ‘pledge against the ancient institution of Dowry!’ Dowry is a contentious subject for many elements of Pakistani society today, even though the practice was declared outlawed in Pakistan in 2020 by Islamic sunnah.
Xeeshan presented his pieces on the runway in a fun manner, attempting to educate today’s youth to say no to dowry.
As the name implies, the collection is a celebration of pure beauty and elegance. It brings the excitement of the wedding season to life with meticulous artistry and a fascinating colour palette spanning from classic colours of red, blue, and yellow to white, silver, and pink.
This one included the groom walking alongside the bride in a fictitious automobile.
After the display, Ali Xeeshan walked the ramp with his happy and (mummy-to-be) wife, tenderly kissing her forehead!


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According to him, the agribusiness industry sector also shows a positive balance of trade, and by the end 2012 it will amount to $ 10 billion.
Prysiazhniuk noted that export of Ukrainian agricultural products is distributed as follows: Asian countries - 33.1%, EU countries - 25.2%, CIS countries - 22%, African countries -18.6%. "This year, we have exported agricultural products by 3% more in the EU than in the CIS countries. Although, the volume of exports to the CIS countries has increased," he stressed.
In addition, according to the acting minister, Ukraine has expanded geography of its agricultural products exports, in particular, the country has entered the markets of Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, UAE and South Africa. "First of all, Ukraine exports crop production," he said.
Prysiazhniuk also stressed that Ukrainian farmers are planning to enter USA and China markets with domestic corn.
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South Australian businesses to invest in growth and new jobs despite small dip in confidence
Friday, 2 August 2019
South Australian businesses plan to push forward and invest in new plant, equipment and jobs over the next year despite a slight drop in overall confidence, according to the latest BankSA State Monitor released today.
The latest BankSA State Monitor shows the business confidence index fell slightly between February and July this year, from 118.1 points to 115.2, but remains at a comparatively high level for the fourth consecutive survey and higher than at any stage between mid-2011 and early 2018.
With business sentiment remaining relatively strong, businesses intending to make major purchases in coming months are at the highest level ever recorded by the survey.
Businesses also reported a higher level of job creation within their own organisation in the past three months, as well as greater intention to create further employment over the next three months.
However, the survey showed more business owners have been affected by a downturn in turnover. This is combined with lower confidence about the climate for doing business in SA over the next 12 months, in addition to perception that small business activity in the state is lower.
In terms of consumer confidence in South Australia, the BankSA State Monitor reports a small yet encouraging increase since February, rising 1.9 points to 103.8.
Rebounding after two consecutive falls, the increase in confidence index is attributed to greater sentiment that their household financial position will improve.
Tax cuts, lower interest rates and predictions of ongoing economic growth have also fed into increased optimism amongst consumers, who reported a greater intention to make a major purchase over the next three months, such as real estate, cars, whitegoods and holidays.
Additionally, consumers were less worried about their employment security over the past three months than they have been since August 2014.
BankSA Chief Executive, Nick Reade, said the latest State Monitor results are encouraging.
“It’s good to see business confidence continues to remain at a relatively high level, with plans to invest in their businesses and people, despite increased concern that there will not be significant improvement in the performance of their businesses in the near term,” he said.
“There are still some businesses doing it tough, particularly micro and smaller businesses, but it’s encouraging to see a greater number recognise the importance of labour productivity and investment in new plant and equipment in order to maintain and grow their businesses.
“We’ve also seen a small but important lift in consumer confidence, which will be welcome news to local businesses, particularly in the retail sector. Since the Federal Election, the political and economic climate has settled down, allowing consumers to plan ahead with a little more certainty, in addition to recently announced tax cuts and lower interest rates.
“This is the first time since February 2017 that consumers have recorded net positive sentiment about their current situation.
“With businesses foreshadowing increased investment and employment in coming months, it is hoped that consumer confidence continues to rise and provide further stimulus for the economy.”
Other key findings from the latest BankSA State Monitor include:
- Consumers aged 18-24 remain the most confident age segment in South Australia – up to the highest confidence level in three years;
- However, confidence has remained under the 100-point baseline for consumers aged 35-49 for the third consecutive survey, and for consumers aged 50-64 for the second consecutive survey;
- Males are more confident than females for the eighth consecutive survey;
- Community services, financial services and manufacturing industries recorded the largest increases in business confidence; and
- Construction, retail and recreational industries recorded the largest decreases in business confidence.
BankSA State Monitor results for regional South Australia reflected the overall survey results, including a small decrease in rural business confidence, from 112.0 points to 108.3, and a small increase in rural consumer confidence, from 95.7 points to 98.9. Findings for South Australia’s rural regions include:
West and North (Upper Spencer Gulf, Far North and Eyre Peninsula):
- A decrease in consumer confidence – down 0.3 points from 95.2 to 94.9 (extending lower results for the region for the third consecutive survey); and
- A decrease in business confidence – down 4.5 points from 110.8 to 106.3 (but still recording its fifth consecutive confidence result above the 100-point baseline).
Southern (South Coast, South East, Hills and Murray Plains):
- An increase in consumer confidence – up 16.8 points from 91.6 to 108.4 (rebounding to the most confident rural region for the first time in two years); and
- A decrease in business confidence – down 8.5 points from 120.6 to 112.1 (but remains the most confident rural region in the state for the seventh consecutive survey).
Mid North and Riverland (Barossa, Mid North, Riverland and Yorke Peninsula):
- A decrease in consumer confidence – down 8.8 points from 100.8 to 92.0 (falling from the most confident to the least confident rural region in the state); and
- An increase in business confidence – up 2.5 points from 101.3 to 103.8 (the only rural region to record an increase, but still the least confident rural region in the state).
Based on a statewide phone survey of 300 consumers and 300 small business owners and managers, conducted by the Sexton Marketing Group, the latest BankSA State Monitor is the 69th monitor in a series that has tracked consumer and business confidence in South Australia since 1997. A baseline of 100 points is used to which the overall survey results are either added or deducted. A result greater than 100 represents a positive result and therefore more optimistic respondents than pessimistic, while a result less than 100 represents a negative result meaning there are more pessimistic respondents than optimistic.


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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — The Fayetteville Farmers’ Market was open on Saturday under new rules that aim to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All of the customers at the parking lot of the Evelyn Hills Shopping Center were told to wash their hands and take a pair of gloves.
“We ask that only interested shoppers come and please do not come in groups. This is not an event it is access to local food grown within 60 miles harvested by the local farmer,” organizers said on Facebook.
Farmers are asked to package the products themselves, not allowing customers to touch any items.
The market encouraged customers to follow social-distancing guidelines by maintaining a six-foot distance from other patrons and allowing only one person at each vendor at a time.
The Fayetteville Farmers’ Market has also launched an online-ordering system. Customers can order and pay online with a credit card, pull up, and be handed their bag of produce.
Online orders for April 4’s market open on Tuesday and close on Thursday, organizers say. A pickup spot has not yet been announced.
You can learn more about the market and how to order online at the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market website.


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The Zune is finally ready for Windows Vista. In a 22 MB update (v1.2) released Tuesday, Microsoft fixed compatibility issues that existed between the portable music player and Microsoft's new operating system. Microsoft employee and Zune team member Cesar Menendez gave a very brief overview of the update on his blog yesterday.
"Today we're issuing a 22 MB update to make Zune compatible with Windows Vista. The update also improves the Zune software installation process, addressing the issues that some of the known issues users reported."
The Zune's incompatibility with Windows Vista has been heavily criticized since the device was launched last month. Although Vista is not even available to a broad range of consumers as of yet, members of the online media have ripped Microsoft for shipping the Zune without support for its soon-to-be flagship operating system. When the reports of problems with Vista first hit, Microsoft pondered waiting until January to release a software update that would make the Zune "Vista ready." Luckily for Microsoft, someone in the company was smart enough to get this fix out early and avoid a possible mess of problems by releasing it right around January 30, 2007.
That being said, the v1.2 update also consists of fixes that don't necessarily pertain to Vista. That means that, if you are a Zune user, you should install the software. It can be downloaded from Zune.net or the Microsoft Download Center.


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Concierge gives you timely BUY and SELL alerts on ASX-listed stocks
Earlier this week, we wrote about the best ASX IPOs and now we’re writing about the worst ASX IPOs in the last decade. Then, as now, we observe that investing in IPOs is a big risk because there is no guarantee things will go well. It is always a big adjustment to listed life, even for well-established businesses, because of the level of scrutiny.
Things that are outside the company’s control can go wrong, even if there were no IPO red flags. If things go well, the returns can be substantial. In making this list we are hoping that investors can be spared the fate that many investors suffered as a result of investing in bad IPOs companies.
So, here are the worst ASX IPOs in the last decade.
Do you need solid trading & investment ideas on the ASX? Stocks Down Under Concierge can help!
Concierge is a service that gives you timely BUY and SELL alerts on ASX-listed stocks – with price targets, buy ranges, stop loss levels and Sell alerts too. We only send out alerts on very high conviction stocks following substantial due diligence and our stop loss recommendations limit downside risks to individual stocks and maximise total returns.
Concierge is outperforming the market by a significant margin!
Worst ASX IPOs
This is arguably the most infamous of worst ASX IPOs during the last decade. It is also the perfect example that even if a company is a good company, it doesn’t mean it’ll be a good listed stock.
This company has a software product that allows unstructured data to be made searchable and provides the structure for a more elaborate analysis. It listed as 2020’s largest technology IPO, at a hot time for the tech sector and was backed by Macquarie. After listing at $5.31, it went as high as $11.86. Things all began to fall apart with two profit downgrades in less than as many months.
By the year’s end, CEO Rod Vawdrey, CFO Stephen Doyle and co-founder Anthony Castagna were gone and the company was slugged by multiple class actions and ASIC investigations, sparked by those specific downgrades as well as the forecasts given in its prospectus.
Adore Beauty (ASX:ABY)
Adore Beauty is an online beauty store that has crashed 85% since its late 2020 listing and is currently trading around $1.00. Granted, it is a legitimate business that recorded substantial growth during the first two decades of its existence, but it particularly grew during the pandemic when people were locked down and shopping online.
Investors in the company, a certain proportion of which according to the company’s co-founder were young women investing for the first time, were essentially betting the good times would roll on forever. But even if this was going to be the case, the float was priced way too high.
We could dedicate an entire article to the worst ASX IPOs in the BNPL sector because there were several, including Openpay, Laybuy and Payright. But Zebit takes the cake because it specialised in American consumers with low to no credit scores. The company said it was a market opportunity because no one else touched it, but there was a good reason why. Namely, a massive debt problem. After listing at A$1.57, it went nearly to zero before opting to delist. The company still exists as a private American company.
The food delivery sector has likewise played host to a number of dud IPOs, most of which are still listed. But Youfoodz lasted just 9 months before getting taken over by HelloFresh at a 38% discount to its IPO price. Better than the 62% discount it was trading at prior to the takeover offer, we guess. Even though food delivery was a hot trend during the pandemic, the industry was (and still is) ultra-competitive and unprofitable.
Victory Offices (ASX:VOL)
After listing at $2 per share, this stock crashed to 4c before entering administration in November 2022. Ouch. Unlike some other companies on our list of worst ASX IPOs that were experiencing short-term revenue bumps, this company was in one of the worst spaces to be during the pandemic – co-working offices. People working from home meant demand was wiped out. And when people gradually returned to the offices, they did so slowly, but shunned Victory Offices.
The company was forced into administration over unpaid rent disputes and consequent evictions. If it’s any consolation, some of those landlords included property stocks, such as Mirvac (ASX:MGR) and Dexus (ASX:DXS), so those companies are feeling the pinch too, but at least may see at least some of their money returned back to them.
So how do I avoid the worst ASX IPOs?
We’ve previously written about red flags to watch for in IPOs. We can’t guarantee it will save investors from any IPO losses, but many companies we wrote about in this article had red flags popping up – particularly hot trends and high multiples as well as senior management and/or private equity selling.
All this said, the article we wrote about good IPOs earlier this week depicts that the IPO market isn’t exclusively fraught with danger. If investors do their homework and hold good companies for the long term, they can make spectacular gains and avoid the worst ASX IPOs.
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If you buy online, you might have noticed sometimes you don’t pay sales tax. Soon that might not be the case. This week the Senate passed a bill designed to make it easier for online retailers to charge the tax.
So how will this change the way online retailers do business and what will it mean for consumers?
“Today, retailers or any seller that maintains a physical presence in a state is required to collect tax when it makes sales to customers in those states regardless of the method of ordering… whether you go into a store, you order through a catalog or — as most people do today — order online. So if the retailer has a retail store, somebody like Walmart, who has stores all over the place, then they are required to collect sales tax whenever they ship to costumers in states where they have stores,” says Yetter.
Stores that have a warehouse in the state are also liable. That’s why “Amazon and other more traditional online retailers without retail stores have to collect tax in the states where they currently maintain warehouses or maybe even employees that are working on their behalf,” she adds.
But this isn’t the first time the federal government has tried to implement a more universal online tax. The Supreme Court first addressed the issue in the early ’90s.
“In the decision, back in 1992, which was the Quill corporation case, the Supreme Court actually asked Congress to deal with this,” says Yetter. “So we’ve been waiting for Congress to deal with this since 1992 and there have been bills that have been proposed virtually every year since then.”
So why is it resurfacing now?
“At this point, I think what’s really triggering this is a couple of things. The first is the sheer explosion of online business, and then also just the economic conditions of the states, that they are really hurting for money,” says Yetter. “This is a way that the states can collect revenue that is actually due. So this is not a new tax at all — these are taxes that have been due. It’s just that the consumers either are not aware of it or just take the position that, let the state come find me. And the retailers right now are not obligated or have the requirement to collect the tax today.”
If the bill does go forward — and businesses have to retool departments or hire more personnel to deal with the complicated new state tax regulations — will that mean even higher prices for online consumers, in addition to the new taxes?
“There will be some additional costs that the retailer will incur, but at the same time, there’s competition in the marketplace,” says Yetter. “Certainly a lot of consumers are saying they don’t want new taxes to be imposed on them, but this really isn’t a new tax — this is a tax that has been out there. In terms of consumer behavior, a lot of the studies that I’ve seen say that consumers are likely to still continue buying online for the convenience of it.”
There’s at least one group that could see some positive change if the new laws are adapted though — old-fashioned brick-and-mortar stores. “Certainly, what it might do is curb some of the activities where people are going into store, checking out the merchandise and going home and buying it online,” says Yetter. “It might be that they will actually just start buying from the merchant directly.”
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Apple stock gained on Tuesday, but does that mean it's time to get back into the trade?
StockMonster's Guy Adami didn't think so. "Maybe above $485," he said, adding that the stock was "still in no-man's land."
Apple closed at $457.84 per share, up 3.5 percent.
On "Fast Money," Adami reiterated his preference for another tech play.
"I've said all along Qualcomm was a better play," he said.
EmergingMoney.com's Tim Seymour saw shares of Apple in a positive light.
(Read More: Apple 'Worth a Lot More': Damodaran)
"I would rather be long Apple against the S&P here," he said.
Seymour also liked Apple over one of its leading competitors in the smartphone space.
"I'd also rather be long against Samsung, which I think is a better company, because on a risk-reward basis, again, look at where the S&P is, look at where Apple is on a valuation basis," he said. "This is, to me, totally a reversion-to-the-mean trade, and this is nothing more than a nine-month look."
"If Apple is not working, Samsung is not going to work either, and I would also look at that side of the trade," he added.
Trader disclosure: On Feb. 5, 2013, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC's "Fast Money" were owned by the "Fast Money" traders: Tim Seymour is long AAPL; Tim Seymour is long BAC; Tim Seymour is long F; Tim Seymour is long GM; Guy Adami is long C; Guy Adami is long GS; Guy Adami is long INTC; Guy Adami is long AGU; Guy Adami is long MSFT; Guy Adami is long NUE; Guy Adami is long BTU; Dan Nathan is long FB MARCH 34 CALLS; Dan Nathan is long SPY FEB 149 PUTS; Dan Nathan is long SDS.


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Karma Automotive, the startup carmaker born from the ashes of the original, has plans to tackle America's most popular segment: the pickup truck.
As is all the rage these days, Karma plans to show off a pickup truck to compete with an immense influx of similar vehicles in the pipeline. However, this isn't an purely electric truck, it'll boast an extended-range powertrain, or an engine with a battery onboard to work together. In this scenario, the engine never drives the wheels, but does act as a generator for the battery.
Word of the electrified truck concept comes from Karma's chief operations officer, Kevin Pavlov, who told Bloomberg in a report Monday that the concept should bow later this year.
clarified in a statement this will not be an electric pickup, but instead showcase its extended-range electric powertrain technology. It'll also serve as a piece to showcase what Karma could perhaps license out to other companies in the future. A company representative couldn't speak to a more direct debut timeline, however.
Pavlov dished out a few other details in the report. The pickup should cost less than the, which is a hybrid vehicle. The Revero starts at $135,000, which makes it sound like Karma's upcoming pickup will still be pretty expensive. Additionally, the new platform the truck will use will also underpin an SUV in the future, according to the executive. This all-wheel-drive platform will eventually go into production at the company's California manufacturing site.
This isn't actually the first time Karma's mentioned its ambitions to build a pickup. Back in November, the firm formally announced its intentions and called the project an "extended range electric vehicle conversion" project. Karma CEO Dr. Lance Zhou added at the time that extended-range powertrains were only a tiny portion of alternatives for pure EVs, and hinted the former was an appropriate route for larger vehicles.
If and when Karma succeeds in bringing an electrified pickup to market, it'll have its work cut out. The trucks from startup automakers. Legacy automakers will jump in, too, with an on the way and a rumored from General Motors.and are the leading electric
Originally published Jan. 28, 12:14 p.m. PT.
Update, 1:18 p.m.: Adds statement and clarification from Karma that this is not a battery-electric pickup truck concept.


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For many South Florida foodies, Friday's grand opening of a Trader Joe's store in Pinecrest came as an answer to years' worth of waiting.
"I almost cried when I walked in," said Micheline Cacciatore, who grew up going to Trader Joe's stores in Massachusetts and moved to South Florida three years ago. "It feels like I can call Miami home now."
The Pinecrest store at 9205 S. Dixie Hwy., in Miami-Dade County, is the first in South Florida for the California-based grocery chain. The company plans to open four more stores in Palm Beach County next year. They'll debut in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington.
So far, none have been announced for Broward County.
"They should open one in Broward, I think they would be very successful," Pembroke Pines resident Sharon Maxwell said. She said she likes Trader Joe's for its organic selections, but the store in Pinecrest and the ones coming up in the county up north are still too far from her home to make regular trips.
Still, she plans on checking out the new store next week.
"I knew [Friday] would be too crazy," she said.
Hundreds of people walked through Trader Joe's doors Friday donning colorful leis given out by the staff as they entered the tropical-themed store. Shoppers walked up and down packed aisles, filling up shopping carts with items such as $3.99 frozen meatless meatballs, $2.69 quinoa and black bean-infused tortilla chips, and $4.99 La Finca Malbec wine.
About 80 percent of Trader Joe's products bear the company's private label, said Jodi McCullough, the store's manager, or in the company's lingo "captain." Employees are known as "crew members."
Trader Joe's history dates back to 1958, when it opened its first store in the Los Angeles area. It now has about 400 stores in 35 states. Over the years, it has created a cult-like following, with fans campaigning for the chain to come into their neighborhood.
Miami resident Karen Shane said the new store is long overdue.
"I've been emailing Trader Joe's for probably 8-to-10 years, asking them to come down to Florida," Shane said.
"And it finally happened."
email@example.com, 954-356-4526, Twitter @MiriamValverde
If you go:
9205 S. Dixie Hwy., Pinecrest
Open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information, call (305) 661-1432 or visit http://www.traderjoes.com
Trader Joe's opening in Palm Beach County in 2014:
Palm Beach Gardens
Boca Raton ___
(c)2013 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services


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Stellantis and battery material supplier Element 25 Limited have announced the signing of a binding agreement for the supply of battery-grade, high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate to Stellantis for use in electric vehicle battery packs. The five-year agreement calls for shipments to begin in 2026, amounting to a total volume of 45 kilotons, and options to extend the supply term and volumes.
Element 25 will source the material from its Butcherbird project in Western Australia and plans to construct a processing facility in the USA. Stellantis will make an equity investment in Element 25.
“Our commitment to a carbon net-zero future includes creation of a smart supply chain to ensure we meet our customers’ desire for EVs,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “Electric vehicles that deliver breakthrough customer experience in propulsion, connectivity and convenience are central to our Dare Forward 2030 plan that delivers safe, clean and affordable mobility.”
As part of its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, Stellantis has announced plans of reaching 100% of passenger car BEV sales mix in Europe and 50% passenger car and light-duty truck BEV sales mix in the USA by 2030.
“Stellantis’s support for Element 25’s high purity battery-grade manganese sulphate project is a fantastic endorsement by one of the world’s largest auto makers and validates our plans to become a globally significant long-term supplier of battery materials to meet growing global demand,” said Element 25 MD Justin Brown.
“We are fully aligned with Stellantis’s decarbonization and electrification goals, which represent some of the most ambitious in the industry and have committed to reach agreed net-zero carbon emission goals under this deal.”


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After a year of producing sportswear in-house, Haspel has turned to men’s wear veteran John McCoy to bolster its fledgling casualwear collection.
This story first appeared in the June 16, 2011 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Neema Clothing Ltd., which holds the license for Haspel, has signed a three-year deal with Components by John McCoy to be its sportswear licensee.
“We’re taking another major step forward in our expansion of the Haspel brand,” said James Ammeen, president and chief executive officer of Neema. “The most meaningful and necessary step for the brand is sportswear. We started doing it ourselves and we treated it as a laboratory to show people what we could do. We produced a few pieces, but fundamentally we’re a tailored clothing house. We’re not in the cut-and-sew, knitwear or sweater business.”
The most logical choice was to turn to an expert in those fields. “John McCoy is very talented, has a great taste level and an excellent sourcing structure,” Ammeen said.
McCoy’s first collection for Haspel will be spring 2012. It will include wovens in cotton and linen, pants, walk shorts, swimwear, knit shirts, T-shirts and sweaters.
Jeffrey Ammeen, executive vice president, said the collection will include classic American patterns but in an extensive color range. “It will be consistent with the Haspel heritage but more updated,” he said. “It will be clean and not overdone with a lot of detailing.” The line will be designed to complement the company’s tailored clothing offerings, he added.
Retail price points will range from $89 to $150, and distribution will be focused on the upscale end of the market for both department and specialty stores.


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New Delhi, Sept 28: Modi Government has decided to review the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status given to Pakistan in the wake of recent uri attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources say that India is weighing all its options how to move forward in this direction. India may drag Pakistan to WTO over the issue.
The option of dragging pakistan to WTO could be discussed in the meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to review MFN status to Pakistan.
The Prime Minister has already chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water sharing pact.
Know all about MFN status to Pakistan.
What experts are saying?
- Withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status by India is likely to hurt Pakistani industries as it might stop flow of raw materials at competitive prices, experts say.
- Rakesh Mohan Joshi who is international trade expert with Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) said, "Pakistans's industry will squeeze if India decides to withdraw the status. Diplomatically it will be a good step to isolate Pakistan".
- "Their industry will face issues if India stops these exports. Their cost of manufacturing will go up," FIEO Director General Ajay Sahai said.
- However, another expert said withdrawal of the MFN status would be a knee-jerk reaction and trade issues should not be involved in these circumstances.
MFN status and WTO rules
- The MFN status was accorded to Pakistan in 1996 under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).
- Both India and Pakistan are signatories to this which means they have to treat each other and rest of WTO member countries as favoured trading partners.
- According to WTO rules, India can roll back the MFN status from Pakistan.
- As per the global trade norms, member countries of the WTO are required to give non-discriminatory market access as part of the MFN status to each other.
- According to Article XXI of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), a WTO member country can take trade actions for the protection of its essential security interests.
India's exports to Pak (In number)
- In 2015-16, India's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 2.17 billion, while imports were USD 441 million.
- India's exports to the neighbouring country worked out to 0.83 per cent of the total Indian outward shipments while imports were 0.13 per cent of the total inward shipments.
Pakistan has yet not given MFN status to India
- India granted the MFN status to Pakistan in 1996 but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate to that.
- The neighbouring country has missed its own deadline of December 2012 for giving India this tag.
- Pakistan is postponing grant of Non-Discriminatory Market Access (NDMA) or MFN status due to lack of consensus at home.
What India exports to Pakistan
- Exporters body Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said that India mainly exports inputs to Pakistani industry such as basic chemicals and cotton, which is vital for their industry.
- India's main exports include sugar, cotton, man-made filaments, chemicals, carpets, furniture fresh fruits and vegetables while its imports comprise mineral fuels, precious stones, wooden handicrafts among others.
- India, sources said, may look at the option to file a case at the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism against Pakistan as the neighbour has not yet extended this status to India.
- Modi government is likely to tell the WTO that it would be withdrawing the MFN status accorded to Pakistan in the year 1996.
- It is being said that this is part of India's strategy to build up pressure on Pakistan following the Uri attack.