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We welcome other perspectives and feedback and hope that this may spark a conversation from which all can benefit. Note – we plan to revisit certain topics in the future that we feel merit deeper discussion.
1) Consumer spend is shifting online
One of the biggest trends in the consumer space should be no surprise – consumer spending increasingly shifted online as the pandemic took hold. In response to COVID19, governments implemented shutdowns impacting many physical retail locations, and consumers became wary to venture out to the few that remained open (such as grocery stores). Indeed, there was a 30% YoY increase in online retail during March/April, which is double the typical yearly growth (Rakuten Intelligence). Notably, this was also true for groups that were previously slower to adopt online, such as Baby Boomers. Our portfolio companies felt this online spending bump effect, with Mori (premium baby clothing provider) already exceeding its total 2019 revenues by June 2020.
We expect that while the surge in demand may temper as the pandemic recedes (whenever that may be), some level of increased online spend will remain. Many consumers may remain nervous about crowded stores even post-COVID, but the larger impact we see will come from the habits formed during the pandemic. People will realize that buying online is a viable and more convenient alternative in many instances to shopping in person and will continue to do so. Further, brands that ran a strong online game and gained customers during the pandemic will enjoy the fruits of converting a portion of those into repeat users. Brands that missed out will need to double down on building their online channel to retain market share, or risk losing relevance over time.
2) Certain categories are benefiting
While retail as a whole has taken a big hit in the wake of the pandemic, some subsectors survived – and even thrived – following stay at home orders (especially within online). Categories such as grocery and products like masks, hand soaps / sanitizers and toilet paper made headlines for being in high demand. However, the pet industry, known for its recession-proof nature, also saw growth with some NYC shelters experiencing a 10-fold increase in application numbers. This trend translated into higher interest in pet food and products with online pet retailers such as Chewy marking a record quarter, estimating an increase of $70m in sales due to the pandemic.
Another online subsector that strongly benefited from the shutdown is Home Furnishing, highlighted by Wayfair’s ~7x increase in share price from its bottom. Chief Executive Niraj Shah believes that demand was boosted both by people adjusting to spending more time at home and the rollout of stimulus money in mid-April. Other online home retailers that have seen an uptick include LD Shoppe, The Sill and Sixpenny as consumers are paying more attention to their home environments. Health & wellness products, especially immunity boosters, were also in high demand. “Vitamin C and vitamin D top the list, anything with immunity is up three, four hundred percent,” said the CEO of NOW Foods. Demand in these nutritional supplement categories pushed InBloom – a Kate Hudson backed body-nutrition brand and JOBI portfolio company – to advance their launch to August 2020.
We believe that some of these categories will continue to experience growth in the near to medium term. For example, the shutdown showed that remote work can be a viable alternative, and even once virus concerns melt away, we expect that remote work will persist to some degree. Those working from home will continue to improve their home / home office environment. Similarly, pets and H&W were already trending pre-COVID – the pandemic has only crystalized consumer focus on their furry companions and personal well-being.
3) Consumer expectations of convenient delivery are increasing
As consumers increasingly shift spend to online, they are bringing with them expectations of fast and convenient delivery. One of the biggest advantages to shopping in person is the instant receipt of purchased goods – online retailers are realizing the importance of offering rapid delivery options (e.g. on-demand, same-day, etc.) to compete. This is especially evident in categories such as online grocery. Online grocers struggled to fulfill orders as demand surged from 3%-4% of total grocery sales to 10%-15% during the pandemic (Bain & Co.). Indeed, our portfolio company, Quiqup (UAE-based last mile logistics), saw a huge uptick in demand for on-demand delivery services from retailers (grocery, pharmacy, apparel, etc.), a category that had previously been slow to offer rapid-delivery services to consumers.
We believe that the desire to receive online purchases rapidly is something that will last post-pandemic and will only become more important. What really began with Amazon Prime’s two-day delivery is now moving toward more-instant gratification. Sure, some consumers may be willing to wait for longer delivery times for selected goods. However, in general, we expect that as online retailers compete against each other and against physical retail, those who can get their goods to consumers faster will be better placed to win. The major barrier is being able to offer these delivery options with viable economics – a challenge that a new breed of last mile logistics companies is working to solve.
4) There is a shakeout in physical retail
While many financial crises prove to be tough for retail, COVID19 was especially brutal for physical retail due to the shutdown measures implemented across many markets. Many of these smaller businesses survive month to month and do not have the cash stockpiles to weather low-revenue environments, even with government aid packages. Indeed, data starting to emerge is highlighting just how deep the effects go. For example, figures from Yelp show that 176,822 businesses had closed by mid-April. Of these, a staggering 41% were marked as permanent. Restaurants were hit hardest, with 53% of restaurants that shut down becoming permanent closures. The shopping & retail category was also hit hard, with 35% of closures being permanent (beauty & spas and fitness were around ~25% permanent closures).
We believe this trend will have a significant impact on the market. In fact, as months continue to pass without a full return to normalcy, it is highly likely these numbers will increase as more businesses go under (especially if government aid packages are not renewed on similar levels). While many smaller businesses (and even some larger ones) will lose out, there will be opportunities emerging in the medium term for companies in a position to take advantage of the situation. For example, there will be a variety of attractive locations available for those seeking to grow their footprint. With reduced demand and competition, it is highly likely that rents will come down or landlords seeking to fill vacancies might offer favorable terms.
Larger chains can benefit from this – but so, too, could DTC startups that are looking to open pop-ups or their first few permanent units. We also want to flag that we think what units are desirable may change slightly – for example, locations near corporate offices may not be as in-demand in an environment with increased remote work. Additionally, smaller units that do not offer a chance for retailers to provide distanced shopping may be less appealing. However, we see this as a smaller effect more on a near to medium-term horizon – over the longer term, we think many traditional areas will come back.
5) Investors are focusing on financial resilience
2019 proved to be a year in which many startup darlings (e.g. Uber, Lyft, WeWork,…) faced a reckoning when reaching public market scrutiny. Additional high-profile startup failures followed, such as Brandless and Zume from the Softbank portfolio, prompting VC backers to begin rethinking the growth-at-all-cost mindset in favor of underlying healthy economics. In the consumer space, startups and investors began to talk of optimizing marketing spend, reducing cash burn, and focusing on reaching profitability. With the onset of COVID19 in 2020, this trend has only accelerated. While DTC especially has seen sales increases, most of retail has taken a hit, forcing companies to dramatically cut costs and figure out how to optimize spend on essentials.
While reckless VC funding and growth objectives have led to unsustainable startup models, private equity ownership in retail has also caused challenges. PE backing typically comes with significant debt burdens and aggressive strategies for their portfolio investments – something retail companies are often not well positioned to manage should realities differ from projected forecasts. J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Fairway, Sur La Table, and others have all paid the price in recent months and filed for bankruptcy.
We believe that investor focus on profitability vs. growth at all costs will continue in the near to medium term, especially as COVID19 continues to cause significant disruptions to consumption. Indeed, startups are learning they can operate with much less than previously thought (e.g. fewer people, less physical office space, smaller but more efficient ad spend, etc.). Ultimately, this should be a healthy development and help rein in unreasonable valuations while supporting more sustainable business models. In fact, several of JOBI’s portfolio companies have reached EBITDA breakeven for the first time during the pandemic and are aiming to maintain these levels even post-crisis.
In the long term, we think lessons from the current era may slip into memory (just as many lessons from 2008/2009 were nowhere in sight in recent years). Competitive dynamics between VC firms and between startups will lead to pressure to outspend, outfund, and outvalue one another. We are similarly somewhat pessimistic about private equity ownership in retail. In the near term, GPs & LPs will be wary of potentially aggressive retail deals, but in the medium to long term, PEs will likely again cave to temptations to expand aggressively, push leverage up, and utilize dividend recaps to return cash to LPs instead of de-leveraging and building cash reserves to weather future crises.
6) Virtual experience economies
The merger of digital and live events through virtual experiences is a theme that gained a lot of traction in recent years. The pandemic has accelerated its shift from a nice addition to a necessity. We have seen that trend manifest in most entertainment related industries ranging from sports, concerts, and live events to travel. In sports, major football clubs like Manchester City and Juventus have already toyed around with VR experiences by creating apps within the Oculus. Furthermore, Esports, which had already grown into a global force in 2019 with a market surpassing $1Bn, saw a considerable jump in viewership as other competitive sports tournaments halted. Video game streaming platform Twitch’s viewership rose 23 percent in March alone.
In the travel space, companies like Airbnb are doubling down on their online experiences via Zoom as the pandemic kept their customers at home, offering activities ranging from cooking classes with Michelin star chefs to guided whiskey tastings to magic lessons. That quickly became one of the company’s fastest growing products, offering hosts an important economic lifeline. We have also seen the rise of virtual experiences in the retail space. For example, some pop-ups have gone virtual, with hosts living streaming the event to an online audience. Similarly, there has been a rapid growth of live streaming ecommerce, especially in China. According to a report from iMedia, the industry got a considerable boost from the pandemic and is projected to surpass $129B globally in GMV in 2020 (more than double 2019). Wirewax – one of JOBI’s portfolio companies – could potentially be one of the direct beneficiaries of that trend with its leading interactive video technologies facilitating clickable virtual shopping experiences.
Going forward, we believe that isolation is only speeding up and shedding the light on an existing trend that has been evolving in the last couple of years. While we see some of the virtual experiences being short-term alternatives to keep the wheel going for some businesses (e.g. Airbnb’s Online Experiences), others are a part of a long-term trend that has been accentuated by the pandemic. Virtual pop-ups will likely remain to some degree and have a permanent place alongside physical pop-ups (which we believe will come back in a major way post-pandemic). Another catalyst we foresee having a major effect on the digital shift in certain industries is Gen Z’s purchasing power stepping up as they grow older. We view their consumption of entertainment as completely different to the generation before – the exponential rise of esports is a case in point. Shopping live-streaming is something that will also likely continue to accelerate as part of the younger generation’s obsession with social media.
7) Re-imagining of physical retail
Emerging from the shutdown, physical retailers are exploring ways to adapt to consumer preferences more oriented toward health & safety. In store, this means changing layouts to support a more socially-distanced shopping experience, as well as applying more rigorous sanitization processes. More interestingly, there is a trend toward increased adoption of technology to enable reduced personal interactions, e.g. contact-less payments and self-checkouts. Indeed, while Amazon Go was a pioneer in contact-free checkouts, even Walmart now offers customers a way to check out contact-free at registers. Further, hybrid forms of physical-online retail have taken off – for example, buying online and picking up in store (BOPIS) or curbside. Major retailers like Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s were offering these types of options at many locations, and curbside pickups were up 200%+ YoY in April (Adobe Analytics). Finally, VR/AR is also being explored as a hybrid option, where consumers can either enter virtual shopping environments (still early days) or see augmented reality versions of products in their own home, mirroring the in-store experience of seeing products in 3D (Wayfair and IKEA both offer this).
We feel many of these changes to physical retail will be permanent as both the consumer and retailer side of the equation benefit. On one hand, consumers will continue to value the convenience offered by self-checkouts (and BOPIS). On the other, once retailers have made the investment to implement the technologies, it would make little sense to roll them back, especially if they help to reduce labor costs. Similarly, VR/AR will continue to grow as the quality and availability of the technology advances. On the VR side, we believe it will be a long-term trend but slow growing (currently it’s mostly being used in real estate), while AR will experience more adoption in the short term – the basic form of the technology is already fairly advanced and doesn’t require additional hardware beyond what most mobile phones offer.
8) Pent up demand for in-person experiencesKey trends in shift of consumption to online and desire for virtual experiences notwithstanding, we do see a strong pent up desire for in-person experiences. The arrival of summer and beginning of relaxed restrictions brought a surge of in-person gatherings, which was on display everywhere from the parks of NYC to the bars of Florida and Texas (the latter of which came with a cost for those states). Younger people, especially, seem more prepared to brave social interactions – likely because their COVID19 mortality rates are significantly lower vs. the elderly. In fact, according to the CDC, only 3,000 people under the age of 45 have died from the Coronavirus in the US – just 2.3% of total mortalities (as of early July 2020).
We believe that while this desire for in-person experiences has already begun to become evident, it will really play out and have an impact over a medium to long-term horizon. Especially once a vaccine or treatment has become available, people will seek to take advantage of opportunities to see and experience new things after months of being cooped up in houses or relegated to curb-side / park meet ups. Interesting pop-ups, desirable restaurants, and immersive / interactive experiences (e.g. Artechouse, ZeroSpace,…) that survive the slowdown should be especially well-placed to benefit.
9) Rise of celebrity brands
Those watching the consumer space will have noticed a rising trend with the emergence of celebrity brands. This isn’t exactly a new idea as Martha Stewart and George Foreman both had successful brands back in the 90’s. However, with the increased power of social media, there is renewed interest as celebrities & influencers realize they can use this strategy as an additional monetization opportunity for their follower base. The Kardashian clan (including Kanye) are at the forefront of this with brands such as Kylie Cosmetics, Good American, Yeezy, and now a Kim + Coty tie-up in the works.
However, many other celebrities are also major players – Kate Hudson, for example, has had massive success with her athleisure line, Fabletics, which is reported to do more than $400m in sales annually (Glossy.co). Now, she is doubling down on her positioning in health & wellness to offer InBloom, a nutritional supplement company (and part of the JOBI portfolio), expected to launch in August 2020. Some celebrities are focusing on broad offerings, such as Ellen DeGeneres’ and Gwyneth Paltrow’s multi-category lifestyle brands, EDbyEllen and Goop, respectively. Others are more focused, such as Michelle Pfieffer’s unisex fragrance line, Henry Rose (launched in late 2019).
We believe these celebrity-brand models will become even more common in the future as they make a lot of sense in today’s consumer landscape. The consumer marketplace has always had significant competition – millennials and gen-z consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and discriminating, making it harder and harder for brands to establish and maintain relevance. Leveraging the goodwill from a popular celebrity can really help brands accelerate growing trust and developing relationships with potential customers.
Further, with online customer acquisition costs rising significantly over the past decade (especially pre-COVID), being able to utilize a celebrity’s social media following for marketing purposes can add significant extra oomph to advertising efforts if handled well. Indeed, there have been significant exits that seem to prove the model – Kylie sold 51% of Kylie Cosmetics to Coty for $600m in 2019. Even smaller influencers have had success, e.g. celebrity-hairstylist Oribe’s eponymous brand was sold to Kao for ~$400m in 2017 (wwd.com). However, we think not all celebrity brands will succeed. There are several key factors that should be considered to maximize chances of success – we plan to explore this topic further in the future.
10) Brands’ increasing support of social causes
Consumers have been increasingly favoring brands with which they share core values. Key events in the last couple of months (BLM, etc.) have accelerated this effect and triggered brands to shed light and take stands on social causes to stay in tune with their customer base. For example, large CPG companies began publicly boycotting Facebook for not doing enough to combat hate speech (sacrificing an effective advertising channel). This is a great example of the lengths some brands are willing to take to go to convey and back up their values. Beyond Facebook boycotts, many companies publicly entered the discourse on Black Lives and pledged to play a bigger role in combating systemic racism across the United States. Walmart, for example, pledged $100m over five years to create a center for racial equity.
Aside from BLM, sustainability remains a major social cause for younger generations. With 73% of millennials willing to pay more for sustainable goods (Nielsen 2015), brands are taking note and incorporating these values into their business models. Further, many consumer brands made efforts to show awareness of the devastating impact that COVID19 has had on individuals and the economy, often making efforts to highlight how they take health concerns very seriously and are supporting their employees and communities.
Although corporate America’s track record shows that corporates have repeatedly aborted major overhauls in the past, we believe that consumers’ increasing focus on companies’ stances and values will push them to take those topics much more seriously, even at the expense of marginal profits. We also view millennials’ and gen-Z’s stress on authenticity and values as a disruptor to traditional advertising. By being willing to place a premium on values and CSR efforts, millennials and younger generations are contradicting Milton Friedman’s view that companies best serve society by making products efficiently and offering them at affordable prices. We believe the game is no longer just about great products and prices, but also about communicating the story and values behind the great products.


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100 "photoshoppers" wanted to erase copyright building
Posted on 21 Apr 2008 at 12:59, by Simon Aughton
Organisers of an exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Brussels World Fair have sent out an appeal for 100 "photoshoppers" to remove a copyrighted building from photographs they hope to display.
The Atomium is the only structure from the 1958 expo that still stands. The Mechelen exhibition is collecting photographs taken at the expo, and appealing (in Dutch) for 100 people skilled in image editing to remove the iconic structure.
According to the Atomium website, the building's image is protected and cannot be used, reproduced or distributed without permission. And Sabam has been known to take action by sending takedown notices to websites.
Though not to Flickr, it would seem, since the Atomium blog is happy to link to the photo sharing site's many images of what is probably Brussels' most famous landmark - after a small urinating boy.
Glass Steel and Stone, an online encyclopaedia of architecture, no longer displays its Atomium pictures, after receiving a letter from Sabam's US representatives which said that "unlicensed reproduction and use of artwork on any Internet site with public access is considered a violation of the worldwide intellectual property rights of the rights holders, including without limitation, copyright, trademark rights and moral rights".
Instead the website says that under no circumstances should you take pictures of the Atomium.
"Atomium claims to own the copyright on all photographs of this building and their collection agency will sue you if you show them to anyone,"it says. "Even if they are just your holiday pictures, you will still be sued. Even if they are for educational use, you will still be sued."
In a statement, Sabam confirmed that permission is required.
"Since its creation, the Atomium is a copyrighted monument and any reproduction of its image in a publication or on a website must be accompanied by a prior authorisation request to the right holders or to Sabam,"a spokeswoman said.
The same applies to any Belgian building whose "author" died less than 70 years ago.
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DALLAS, Texas (The Adobo Chronicles, Dallas Bureau) – Walmart, America’s largest employer outside of the government, has just fired its chief merchandiser for an incorrect entry in its most recent flyer promoting the sale price for Old Dutch Chips.
The flyer incorrectly stated the sale price for the chips at 4 bags for $10. Walmart said the correct price was 2 bags for $5.
The flyer didn’t state what the cost of just 1 or 3 bags would be.
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Quezon City Bureau) – Vice President Leni Robredo’s Covid-19 relief operations continue unabated with OVP’s latest food distribution happening in Baclaran, Metro Manila.
This time, instead of handing out bowls of cooked spaghetti, Leni’s team distributed coffee, mayonnaise, sliced black olives and packs of pancit bihon. Recipients were also provided with a copy of Robredo’s gourmet recipe for pancit.
The Adobo Chronicles obtained a copy of the recipe and we are reprinting it in full, as a public service to our readers.
MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Each year in the United States, The White House “pardons” a couple of turkeys, saving the lucky birds from ending up on the Thanksgiving dinner table of Americans.
Turkeys are not a big thing in the Philippines, but pigs are. Think lechon which is a must in family dinners and get togethers during the holidays and special occasions.
Enter Senator Franklin Drilon.
He is proposing that the Presidential Palace (Malacañang) does a similar pardon for pigs during all major Philippine holidays — from Christmas to New Year to Easter, down to town fiestas.
Drilon’s proposal comes right on the heels of a pork crisis being experienced by Filipinos due to short supply, and the African Swine Fever (ASF). President Duterte recently ordered the implementation of a price ceiling for pork and chicken.
Drilon told The Adobo Chronicles that a Malacañang pig pardon will be a symbolic gesture to show our appreciation and recognition of the all-important sacrificial role pigs play in the daily lives of Filipinos.


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This June, American Express are again showing their support for local, small businesses across the UK with the return of the American Express Shop Small Offer. If you already accept American Express in your small business, you may find you’re already on the Shop Small Map. If you don’t accept this form of payment then you may be included in future promotions once you’ve signed up.
From the 20th to 26th of June, American Express Cardmembers will receive a £5 statement credit when they spend £15 or more at participating small businesses across the UK. This can be used up to 5 times, once per participating small business location, meaning that Cardmembers can earn up to £25 back in statement credits.
Cardmembers must enrol for the Shop Small Offer from the 13th to 26th of June, through the American Express App or their Online Account. They can search for participating businesses via the Shop Small Map.
American Express has a long history of championing the high street, and its Shop Small campaign, which launched in the UK 10 years ago, aims to support small businesses across the country by encouraging people to shop frequently at their local businesses.
After the challenges of the past two years it’s important that we continue to support the small businesses that contribute so much to our local high streets and communities. That’s why we’re encouraging our Cardmembers to show their appreciation by shopping locally with the return of our Shop Small Offer. First launched 10 years ago, Shop Small helps independent businesses attract customers through their doors and is just one of the ways American Express champions small businesses all year round.– Dan Edelman, Vice President, American Express
Terms, locations and payment restrictions apply and it’s worth noting that Corporate and Pre-Paid Cards are excluded from the offer.


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Video ad platform Ooyala is slowly being disassembled and sold piece by piece.
On Thursday, Ooyala revealed it had sold its online video platform to Brightcove for $15 million. The deal is expected to close in mid-2019.
Brightcove, founded in 2004, provides a similar cloud-based video distribution solution as Ooyala. Its clients include Acorn TV, Lowe’s, Dunkin’ and Wendy’s.
Like many ad tech companies, Ooyala was once flying high. Founded in 2007 by ex-Google executives, Ooyala raised a total of $123 million before being acquired by Australian telco Telstra in 2014. Telstra bought the company in two installments for a total of $500 million.
But things quickly went south.
In September 2018, Ooyala sold its ad tech business to Invidi, the addressable TV platform owned by AT&T, WPP and Dish. By October, Telstra had taken a $500 million write-down on the deal and sold the rest of Ooyala back to its founders, publicly admitting the acquisition had failed and exiting the ad tech business.
Ooyala continues to operate its media logistics business, Ooyala Flex, independently.
“With this transaction we’re ushering in an exciting new chapter for our company, as we continue to focus and expand on Ooyala’s flourishing workflow and media asset-management solutions,” said Ooyala CEO Jonathan Huberman in an email.
What went wrong?
Telstra had big ambitions to turn Ooyala into a multibillion-dollar business in the burgeoning online video space. Under the telco, Ooyala acquired supply-side platform Videoplaza and media logistics platform Nativ with the intent of building a programmatic video ad stack.
Ooyala had some success under Telstra. In 2015, it became the distribution and monetization engine for Walmart’s streaming service, Vudu, and began diversifying into OTT and CTV.
But Ooyala made two technical mistakes, with the added element of bad timing.
When media consumption began shifting to mobile, Ooyala consolidated its platform on Adobe Flash rather than HTML5. Brightcove, at the time a competitor, beat Ooyala to building an open-source, HTML5-based video browser, which was quickly becoming the standard for online video.
Ooyala had to rebuild its player through 2015 and 2016 to run better on mobile, which stalled plans to integrate Videoplaza’s supply, according to a person with knowledge of the business. Ooyala had planned to use Videoplaza to create a video ad network, but programmatic video was already shifting the market. Ooyala lost blue chip clients including ESPN, Univision, Vice and Vox during that time.
The other issue was cultural. Being owned by a legacy telco squashed Ooyala’s start-up culture and led to the departure of key executives, like Chief Technology Officer Sean Knapp, according to The Australian Financial Review. When Telstra brought in a new CEO to replace Jay Fulcher, who initiated the Ooyala acquisition, it led to an executive exodus.
Afterward, Ooyala struggled to maintain consistent leadership, cycling through four CEOs in three and a half years, said the person familiar with the business.
What will Brightcove do with Ooyala?
Brightcove sees an opportunity to merge its online video platform with Ooyala’s to gain share in a growing market.
“There are a lot of great customers [at Ooyala] that have revenue,” said Mike Green, VP of product marketing and technology partnerships at Brightcove. “We’re able to provide them a path forward.”
But cultural issues may rise again, as Ooyala and Brightcove have a rocky history. Ooyala filed a lawsuit against Brightcove in 2017, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets to undermine its business in Latin America. The case was settled in October 2018 for an “immaterial amount,” according to a 10-K filing.
Brightcove could also face challenges in its strategy as an independent video player as media giants like Disney build and buy their own technology. That same dynamic could have led to Ooyala’s decline.
“Segments of the market were closed off to them because folks decided to build or own their own tech rather than work with third parties,” said the person with knowledge of the business.
But Brightcove says the “DIY” phenomenon among media companies is largely an American one, and there’s still strong demand for independent video players globally, particularly in Asia.
“The global market is massive and growing,” Green said. “Great brands are running on our platform and counting on us to integrate into the rest of their marketing.”
Sarah Sluis contributed.


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Now that Surface revenues are more than $1 billion per quarter, we can finally call Microsoft's gamble a success. But where does the Surface go from here? Tomorrow, Microsoft will show off its next wave of devices at a New York City press gathering. We're expecting some overdue upgrades for the Surface Laptop, Pro and Book. But it's also the perfect opportunity for the company to show off something entirely new. Now that Microsoft has proved it can innovate, will it take even bigger chances?
Forget about a traditional Surface Phone
If there's one thing we can rule out for now, it's the long-rumored Surface Phone. While it would have made sense before Microsoft gave up on Windows Phone (perhaps as a flagship like Google's Pixel), these days the company is more focused on playing nicely with the dominant mobile platforms, Android and iOS. Just take a look at the Your Phone app, one of the most exciting new features in the October Windows 10 update. It'll let you access contacts, messages and even share files between Android phones and Windows PCs. And on iOS, Microsoft will rely on Edge to share your browsing history with Windows 10's Timeline.
A dual-screen Surface sounds promising
The latest batch of Surface rumors points to Andromeda, a dual-screen device that's pocketable but can be used as a small tablet when it opens up. Don't forget, Microsoft reportedly cancelled a pint-size Surface Mini tablet just weeks before it was going to be announced. That was likely a wise decision, given how quickly small tablets died off as phones got bigger and large slates lost weight. A dual-screen device could end up being a better version of the Surface Mini -- something that's both more portable than a large tablet and does something different than the competition. (Plus it's not hard to imagine how a small, foldable tablet could also handle some phone duties.)
Based on what we've seen at Computex this year, dual-screen devices are inevitable. ASUS showed off Project Precog, and Lenovo revealed its next-generation Yoga Book, a device that features a traditional display and an E Ink screen. ASUS claims Precog will actually ship next year, and Lenovo hinted that an upcoming Yoga Book will also feature two LCD screens. Even Intel got in on the fun with its E Ink concept PC. Of course, these are basically traditional computers without a physical keyboard, but it'll be interesting to see what developers can build when they have two displays to work with. ASUS, for example, showed off a two-player game that works across both screens.
You won't have a standard keyboard with a dual-screen PC, but you could always hook them up to a Bluetooth keyboard, as ASUS showed off in its Precog demo. The lack of a decent keyboard would be even less of an issue for the Surface Andromeda, since it's potentially small enough to thumb type with a touchscreen keyboard. (And there's always the Surface Go for touch typists.) That device would also offer some sweet relief to fans of Microsoft's fabled Courier project, something we first reported on back in 2010 (!). Mobile hardware has finally caught up with the ambition of that concept, so it seems about time for Microsoft to revive it.
Things could get wilder


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Leading firms have committed to source the garment fibre from sustainable forests, but are paying less attention to widespread environmental damage from toxic chemicals used in its production. We look at greener alternatives
On paper, so to speak, viscose looks like it should be a sustainable fabric. It’s produced from trees, uses far less water in production than cotton; and no pesticides. What could possibly be the problem?
The trouble with viscose extends throughout the supply chain and starts with the forests that fibre producers rely on.
Viscose is marketed as a natural fibre because it is produced from cellulose, the main constituent of the cell walls of plants. But since just 40%-50% of a tree is cellulose, a huge volume of forest goes to waste. Typical fibre yields are just 25%-40%, explains Nicole Rycroft, the founder of Canadian NGO Canopy.
Canopy is working hard to raise awareness of the devastating impact of the growing demand for viscose on ancient and endangered forest, where some 120 million trees are logged each year.
It has persuaded some of the world’s leading businesses, including H&M, Zara and Marks and Spencer to commit to stop sourcing dissolvable pulp from endangered ecosystems.
Beginning with its spring collection this year, Stella McCartney can now say her ready-to-wear viscose comes from sustainably managed and certified forests in Sweden.
Rycroft is encouraged that...


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As you know the VAT rate has been reduced from 17.5% to 15%. The Change of Rate Order is valid from 1st December 2008 to 31st December 2009. The Chancellor announced this decision in the Pre-Budget Report on 24th November 2008 to cut the prices of any sales and services in an attempt to push the economy.
The proposal of cutting Value Added Tax comes from the European Commission to help the worldwide financial situation and promote the Internal Market (production and use of energy-saving materials and energy-efficient appliances and equipment) and UK government accepted a challenge that should positively impact all of us.
Services relating to many sectors (including housing construction, renovation, repair, maintenance, cultural heritage and historical monuments) will see their rates reduced. Only standard-rated sales are affected, so there are no changes to sales that are zero-rated or reduced-rated for VAT, similarly, there are no changes to the VAT exemptions. The 15% rate will remain until 31st December 2009, and from 1st January 2010 it will revert to 17.5%. Genuine commercial transactions should not be affected. All the details are in the written statement to be made by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 25th November 2008.
So enjoy the reduction and think positively and don’t forget to update the prices of your products and services.
…the four key words of today. Everyday we receive new dark reports from the economic world about the imminent financial crisis in Uk. For example? The Guardian underlines again: “Britain will be one of the developed countries worst affected by the severest recession to hit the global economy since the early 1980s. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said it expected unemployment across its 30 rich-country members to rise by 8 million to 42 million by 2010 as all parts of the West felt the effects of the financial crisis”. “Britain’s economy may not begin to grow again until the end of next year”, – explains The Timesonline.co.uk agreeing with most international opinion.
The Guardian goes on to say that the Governor of the Bank of England may work on the interest rates: “Interest rates may have to be cut more aggressively to ensure that businesses and consumers benefit from cheaper borrowing”. The Timesonline.co.uk states: “mortgage lending slipped back towards a record low in October, as consumers turned to their deposits to fund other spending”. In the meantime “Prime Minister Gordon Brown swept aside three decades of economic orthodoxy with tax increases on the rich” and plans that, Bloomberg says, “will double Britain’s national debt”.
BBC.co.uk publishes all the documents about the Pre-Budget Report: the latest tax and economic forecasts and future departmental spending plans. Have a look at them and let’s see what they will mean for us.


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The British Council and Social Enterprise UK with support from the World Bank have launched a report called Think Global, Trade Social: How business with a social purpose can deliver more equitable and sustainable development for the 21st century.
The report (downloadable below) makes a clear case for the important role that social enterprises can play in driving sustainable and inclusive development, tackling inequality, and helping to address some of the biggest social and environmental challenges targeted by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In the publication’s foreword, Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and Grameen Bank founder, and Linda McAvan MEP, the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee for International Development, write: ‘Aid alone cannot be our response. Global sustainability and the nature of the economy will be shaped by entrepreneurship and the terms on which we create and do business with each other.’
Why inequality matters
Published to coincide with the adoption of the SDGs by all 193 UN member states, a pivotal event that set the world’s development agenda until 2030, the paper lists our considerable achievements and substantial failures in meeting the previous set of global targets, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
According to the UN, ‘we have seen the fastest reduction in poverty in human history’ during the MDGs, with half a billion fewer people living in poverty today than in 2000. However, over 1 billion people still live in poverty, universal primary education has not been achieved, and women still experience massive disadvantage in many parts of the world. Moreover, we face enormous challenges in areas such as reducing child mortality, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tackling the impacts climate change, to name a few.
Think Global, Act Social argues that our biggest challenges are interconnected and linked to the core issue of income inequality, which impedes poverty reduction and contributes to a host of social, political and economic problems. If we are to deliver against ambitions for more equal access to healthcare, education, food and other essentials, then we must surely consider how economic inequality is holding us back.
To meet our targets we must innovate
Our response must include more inclusive and democratic models of economic development that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production. It requires policies that tackle poverty in both developed and developing countries and manage our resources more responsibly. It calls for development cooperation, trade, and social investment to generate both economic opportunity and social impact, so that the benefits of growth are more equitably shared.
Global trade, investment and business activity are our most powerful drivers of economic transformation and social change. The report notes that Overseas Development Assistance remains critical, but at $134.8 billion in 2013, the amount we spend globally on aid is dwarfed by the worldwide trade in goods and services, which was worth $23 trillion in 2014. In other words, trade, enterprise and business are by far the most critical drivers of local opportunity and global prosperity.
That said, we cannot rely on business as usual to stem the tide of income inequality and address our biggest social and environmental challenges. We need to harness these economic models and practical means of delivery to drive more sustainable and equitable development. This means mainstreaming social enterprise approaches in our economic and aid delivery models.
Good business is good business
Social enterprises trade for a social or environmental purpose, reinvest profits into their mission, and are accountable for their actions. In countries such as Canada, Germany, the UK and the US, social sector organisations already account for more than 5% of GDP.
By demonstrating that good business can be good business, these enterprises are influencing wider markets and the terms of trade for companies more widely. They offer a business model and mechanism to help achieve our shared objectives for more equitable and sustainable development. They are a powerful means to deliver on our ambitions.
As currently drafted, the SDGs significantly understate the role of business, of responsible trading, social entrepreneurship and social enterprise, but they have a critical part to play in realising our ambitions. This report offers a number of recommendations to the UN and G20, to donor institutions and to governments around the world on harnessing the potential for business with a social purpose to deliver our common social and environmental goals.
As Professor Yunus writes, ‘Putting social and environmental purposes in the driving seat of business is the only way to ensure an equitable and sustainable economy for the 21st century.’


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A&P sells 12 Superfresh stores, to close 13 others
New York —The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P), which is working its way through Chapter 11, will close 13 Suprefresh stores in the Baltimore area in July because it can’t find anyone to buy the properties, The Baltimore Sun reported.
A&P announced in April that it was looking trying to sell 25 Superfresh stores, mostly in the Baltimore area. It announced earlier this week it had found buyers for 12 locations, and notified the bankruptcy court in New York on Wednesday. The company said it should generate more than $40 million from the sale of the stores.
Mega Brands to create Thomas & Friends construction sets through renewed licensing deal
MONTREAL — Mega Brands announced that it has extended its licensing agreement with Hit Entertainment to develop construction sets based on Thomas & Friends.
Under the expanded contract, Mega Brands is granted the global rights to create all-new construction toy sets based on the exciting world of Thomas & Friends, including new iconic characters and Island of Sodor destinations straight from the popular long-running television series, according to a press release.
"The Mega Bloks Thomas & Friends building sets have been very successful and we look forward to our continued relationship with HIT Entertainment," said Vic Bertrand, chief innovation officer of MEGA Brands. "We’re delighted to bring these beloved characters and adventures to life for children and families to enjoy."
Delhaize Group elects new members to board
BRUSSELS — The Belgium-based parent company of Delhaize America, which operates such banners as Food Lion and Harveys in the United States, has elected new members to its board of directors.
Delhaize Group on Thursday confirmed that its shareholders approved Hugh Farrington as director for a term of three years, as well as Jacques de Vaucleroy and Baron Vansteenkiste as independent directors for a term of four years each. What’s more, shareholders also approved the appointment of Jean-Pierre Hansen, William McEwan and Mats Jansson as independent directors for a term of three years.
Additionally, Delhaize Group’s president and CEO, Pierre-Olivier Beckers, confirmed the earlier-announced capital expenditures and network expansion guidance for the full year 2011.


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The use, sale, and possession of all forms of cannabis in the ... - dofaq.co
wikipedia - 09 Nov 2016 The use, sale, and possession of all forms of cannabis in the ...
The use, sale, and possession of all forms of cannabis in the United States is illegal under federal law. As a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970, cannabis (legal term marijuana) is considered to have "no accepted medical use" and have a high potential for abuse and physical and/or psychological dependence. Cannabis use is illegal for any reason, with the exception of FDA-approved research programs. However, states have created exemptions for various uses, main
Mondaq News Alerts - 21 Feb 2019 Weed At Work: Is All Cannabis Illegal? - Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences - United States
This is the first in a three-part series of articles on cannabis laws and court opinions. Today's article reviews different rulings on federal pre-emption of state ...
Press & Sun-Bulletin - 21 Feb 2019 Legal weed in Canada: What it means for New York and the border
People could legally buy cannabis in Canada beginning Oct. 17, but don't bring it across the U.S. border.
Mashable - 20 Feb 2019 Every 2020 presidential candidate's stance on marijuana legalization
If there's one thing that united Democrats and Republicans in the Reagan era (besides their unfortunate fixation with perms), it was their near universal hatred of ...
IPWatchdog.com - 19 Feb 2019 US Cannabis Inventions on the Rise As Legal Market Grows
“Last year, Reuters reported that the USPTO issued 39 patents containing the word cannabis during 2018 through late November. The USPTO only issued 29 ...
The Motley Fool - 20 Feb 2019 Tilray Leapfrogs Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth in the U.S. Hemp Market
Tilray's acquisition of the world's largest hemp food company could give the Canadian marijuana producer an edge over its top rivals.
Barron's - 16 Feb 2019 U.S. Marijuana Sellers Face Long Path to Federal Approval
Canadian cannabis companies have it easy. Since Oct. 17, they've been able to sell pot to adults under a single national law. The big U.S. stock exchanges are ...
FOX61 Hartford - 21 Feb 2019 Cannabis cocktail? It could be available by the end of the year
BETHEL – A Canadian company working to develop a cannabis cocktail hopes to distribute it internationally, including one day here in Connecticut. Sproutly ...
Yahoo Finance - 21 Feb 2019 What This Beer Giant Just Said About Marijuana Stocks
Constellation Brands offered a look into marijuana's future at a key industry conference this week.
The Motley Fool - 03 Feb 2019 The U.S. Won't Legalize Marijuana in 2019. Here's Why.
Canada may have gone green, but there are plenty of reasons to believe the U.S. isn't following suit this year.
Forbes - 03 Feb 2019 After A Decade Of Testing, Israeli Medical Cannabis Comes To The US
Cannabis is still federally illegal, so while more than 30 US states allow doctors to recommend it, there is very little medical testing of the substance in America.
Motley Fool - 19 Feb 2019 3 Marijuana Stocks to Buy for the Long Haul in 2019
These top pot stocks could be smart buys for long-term growth portfolios this year.
Snopes.com - 22 Jan 2019 FACT CHECK: Did Most States That Legalized Marijuana Use Ban Marijuana Users from Owning Guns?
Most states that have legalized marijuana use have subsequently banned marijuana users from owning guns as a "back-door" gun control measure.
The GrowthOp - 21 Feb 2019 Why it’s totally not racist to use the term ‘marijuana’
Marijuana was banned thanks to an overwrought moral panic. Another one is now trying to ban the word itself.
The GrowthOp - 21 Feb 2019 Scientists and experts blast anti-marijuana book ‘Tell Your Children’
Book's claims 'based on a deeply inaccurate misreading of science'
CNBC - 24 Jan 2019 2019 is the year the US legalizes cannabis, CEO of pot firm Acreage says
Acreage Holdings CEO Kevin Murphy said he believes that a key bill aimed at recognizing legalization of cannabis will be passed this year.
Global News - 08 Feb 2019 Cannabis bill proposed aims to ease U.S. federal restrictions
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden proposed legislation Friday that would give states a free hand to allow legal cannabis markets without the threat of federal criminal ...
Forbes - 27 Jan 2019 Snubbed Medical Marijuana Super Bowl Ad Not Accurate Of Where U.S. Is Headed With Legalization
Cannabis advocates were upset last week when CBD rejected a medical marijuana ad from airing during Super Bowl LIII. But was the commercial an accurate ...
New Zealand Herald - 21 Feb 2019 Risks of legal cannabis in New Zealand understated, Massey University researchers say
The risks of legalising cannabis in New Zealand have been understated, say a group of drug researchers. In particular, the assumption that a legal cannabis ...
Health Europa - 21 Feb 2019 Use cases for blockchain in the medical cannabis industry
Could blockchain technology be the answer to the challenges facing the medical cannabis industry? Discover more with Global Cannabis Applications.


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Coal Baron is becoming a card game
November 29, 2016 - 1:29am
Coal Baron was released a few years ago by R&R Games and was all about mining coal and building an industry around that to gain the most money. Now Stronghold Games is going to be releasing the card game version of the game called Coal Baron the Great Card Game. The game promises to play quicker and easier than it's full sized brother, while still retaining the aspects of it that people enjoyed. The German version of the game is out but the English release will be coming in February of 2017, so look forward to it.


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28 Dec 2022
Essential trumps desirable as Gekko reveals top factors driving sales in current climate
With retailers gearing up for a final sales push in the vital run up to Christmas, a report by creative customer experience marketing agency Gekko has revealed the key factors driving considered purchases in the current economic climate. The results indicate that brands must highlight why their products are essential to the lives and lifestyles of consumers, rather than just desirable.
The study carried out by YouGov of 2,000 consumers concerned the factors driving considered purchases. These are defined as non-essential purchases that have a degree of financial or emotional investment.
Number one on the list was if a crucial home appliance or device was broken (76%). Second was if the item was essential to a consumer’s day to day life (73%). Interestingly, a promotion only scored third on the list tied with longevity (37%) only half as important. Next was if it was related to a hobby or personal interest (35%). Perceived ‘brand values’ were way down the list, only of interest to 10% of consumers.
The same report reveals that 48% of consumers are prepared to switch brands for non-essential items with the current squeeze on household budgets, versus just 10% who would stick with a preferred brand. The study also revealed two thirds of respondents had reduced spending on non-essential items overall.
On the back of the findings Gekko is urging brands, retailers and those on the shop floor selling products to adopt ‘a truly customer-focused mindset’ and understand the changed need state of those struggling in the current cost of living crisis.


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The South China Morning Post is reporting that miHoYo’s free-to-play online RPG had “more views on Twitch than Fortnite on launch day” and raked in more income than TikTok, in what is being called “the biggest international launch of a Chinese game in history.” It had over 110,000 concurrent viewers in Twitch, topping Fortnite and receiving generally good reviews from throughout the internet.
According to the SCMP, the reason for the success is due in large part to miHoYo’s push to launch the game globally across multiple platforms. It’s still a big deal in its native China, though, being #2 on Apple’s App Store in China and grossing $1.84 million USD. According to one industry consultant, “I don’t think any Chinese-made game has ever had that many pre-registrations outside its home market.” Another expert called it “surely ambitious,” with the potential for miHoYo to have a “super hit on their hands in the long run.”
It’s not all good news, though. Genshin Impact was pulled from the Huawei and Xiaomi app stores “in protest at the 50 per cent platform tax imposed by the smartphone companies” and miHoYo took some flak for a security loophole provided by aggressive anti-cheat software. But it’s off to a good start and could be the surprise hit of 2020.
UPDATE, Oct. 5: How big of a hit? Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad has his estimates, and they’re pretty huge:
I was quoted in this @IGN article about how Genshin Impact has become one of the biggest game launches this year.
– Est $50m rev. in its first week across all platforms
– 20m pre-registrations prior to launch
– 17m downloads in 4 days (App Annie)https://t.co/2c3qVcZ7WN
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 5, 2020
With $50 million in its first week — already covering its development costs — Ahmad thinks that Genshin Impact could top the $100 million mark in worldwide revenue by the end of the month. Despite being only nominally multiplayer, Genshin Impact could go down as the biggest MMORPG launch of 2020.


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A meeting of Chief District Officers (CDOs) of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur on Sunday evening decided to ease the restrictive orders by following a new modality of allowing private vehicles to ply on the roads on odd and even basis.
The previous extension order was set to expire on Monday midnight. The meeting of district authorities has also decided to allow various shops to open by following safety protocols on the assigned dates provided that these shops open from 11 am to 4pm only.
The following is the date for opening various shops and stores.
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
– Home Applicances
– Gold/Silver (jewelry)
– Automobile and parts
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
– Shopping Malls
– Clothes/ Garments
– Gift shops
– Tailoring shops, boutiques
Shops related to fruits and vegetables will be open until 11 am only.
Doti. The eight logistic buildings that are supposed to be constructed for the convenience…


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Blaming a collapse in the supplementary educational materials market as well as a poor fourth quarter for its own division, Torstar CEO David Galloway told analysts in a conference call last week that the company expects to receive only about C$100 million for its Children's Supplementary Education Publishing group. Torstar placed the division, which includes Frank Schaffer Publications, Tom Snyder Productions and Delta Education, up for sale in November (News, Nov. 13, 2000) and had hoped to receive more than C$200 million for the unit.
As a result of its lower sale proceeds, Torstar took a C$90-million write-down in its first quarter ended March 31, 2001. Galloway said the company had considered pulling the properties from the market, but decided it was best to "get CSEP behind us." The first deal for one of the group's units is expected to close by mid-May with the second transaction to be completed by the end of June.
Things were much brighter at Torstar's Harlequin division, which reported a 27.5% increase in operating profit, to C$31 million, on a 4.6% sales gain, to C$142.7 million. The improved profit performance was attributed to higher retail sales in North America as well as lower new product development costs due mainly to Harlequin's exit from the newsletter business. Two New York Times bestsellers added $2 million to profits in the quarter, offsetting a decline in direct marketing results. Galloway said some of the decline in the direct marketing group was due to customers shifting to eHarlequin, the company's online marketing effort, which had sales of about C$3 million in the quarter and had 700,000 members compared to 80,000 at the end of last year's first quarter.


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Workbench, the brand building communication agency, was recently appointed as Mukuru’s creative agency partner. The appointment includes above the line as well as below the line campaigns for the leading African money transfer service brand.
Working closely with the Mukuru exco and Watson Ferguson marketing consultancy, Workbench was brought on in 2019 to conduct a comprehensive brand audit, reposition the brand and develop a strategic 12-month marketing plan to suit the business needs.
Workbench immediately implemented a tactical awareness campaign to coincide with the 2019 AFCON in June and July. A brand campaign to reposition and introduce Mukuru to a broader target market was then launched in October 2019 along with multiple targeted promotional campaigns. Following the success of the work produced, Workbench has been retained by Mukuru.
Head of Marketing for Mukuru, Bronwyn Pretorius, says, “We are pleased to have secured Workbench’s services and are impressed by their strategic thinking, creative sensitivity and know-how as well as their ability to turn around quality work in a competitive industry.”


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Restaurant Brands International Inc (QSR)
Leading off the list is Restaurant Brands International, a fast-food holding company formed in 2014 by the merger between Burger King and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons.
In 2017, the company added Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to its portfolio.
Like most restaurant stocks, Restaurant Brands shares tumbled during the pandemic-induced market sell-off in early 2020. But the stock has since made a strong recovery.
That rebound is backed by substantial improvements in the company’s business. According to the latest earnings report, same-store sales — a key measure of a retailer’s health — increased 27.6%.
Adjusted earnings came in at $0.77 per share for the quarter, more than double the $0.33 per share it earned in the year-ago period. The amount also covered the company’s quarterly dividend payment of $0.53 per share with ease.
Restaurant Brands is offering a healthy annual dividend yield of 3.4%, which is a return investors can earn even if they're investing with spare nickels and dimes.
For comparison, that’s a higher yield than fast-food restaurant giants McDonald’s (2.26%), Starbucks (1.6%), and Yum! Brands (1.6%).
Lowe’s Companies Inc (LOW)
Lowe’s is Bill Ackman’s largest holding by market value, and the position has served the billionaire investor quite well.
Shares of the home improvement retail giant are up 29% year to date. The S&P 500 has returned 16% over the same period.
What’s more impressive than Lowe’s near-term stock price performance is how the company’s dividend has grown over the years.
The economy moves in cycles, but Lowe’s payout has only gone up. In fact, the company has increased its payout to shareholders every year for the past 59 years.
Decades of dividend hikes has brought Lowe’s quarterly dividend to $0.80 per share, translating to an annual yield of 1.5%.
Note that its competitors are also dividend-paying companies: Home Depot yields 2.0%, Target pays 1.5%, while Walmart offers an annual yield of 1.6%.
Due to Lowe’s rally over the past year, its shares now trade at over $200. But you can get a piece of the company using a popular stock trading app that allows you to buy fractions of shares with as much money as you’re willing to spend.
Agilent Technologies Inc (A)
Agilent isn’t a household name, but within its own industry, the company is a force to be reckoned with.
Agilent provides bio-analyitical and electronic measurement solutions to a wide variety of industries including communications, life sciences, and chemical analysis.
Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., the company’s products are used by 265,000 labs around the world. In Agilent’s fiscal 2020, it brought in $5.34 billion of total revenue.
And in the most recent quarter, revenue grew 26% year-over-year to $1.59 billion.
Given this kind of performance, you’d think Agilent shares would be soaring. But while the stock has returned a solid 60% over the past year, it has pulled back about 10% since the peak in early September.
On the dividend front, Agilent offers an annual yield of 0.5%, which may not seem like much. But the company has an excellent track record when it comes to returning cash to investors: Since 2014, Agilent’s per share quarterly payout has increased by 106%.
Rental income stream?
The neat thing with dividend stocks is that they provide a way for investors to earn a steady income stream regardless of what the economy is doing.
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to the stock market to do that.
For instance, one investing service makes it possible to lock in a steady rental income stream by investing in premium real estate properties — from commercial developments in LA to residential buildings in NYC.
You’ll gain exposure to high-end properties that big-time real estate moguls usually have access to, and you’ll receive regular payouts in the form of quarterly dividend distributions.
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New Delhi, (Aryavarth): The Enforcement Directorate has registered a case in connection with the China hawala scam.
The case was filed against Luo Sang alias Charlie Peng and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002. It may be recalled that last week the Income Tax Department conducted raids against some Chinese individuals and their local associates for allegedly indulging in a money laundering racket involving Rs 1,000 crore using shell or dubious firms, the CBDT said.
It said the “subsidiary of Chinese company and its related concerns have taken over Rs 100 crore bogus advances from shell entities for opening businesses of retail showrooms in India”.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), that frames policy for the tax department, said the searches were launched basedÂ on credible inputs that a few Chinese individuals and their Indian associates were involved in money laundering and hawala transactions through a series of shell entities.
Some bank officials were also raided, it said.
“Search action revealed that at the behest of Chinese individuals, more than 40 bank accounts were created in various dummy entities, entering into credits of more than Rs 1,000 crore over the period,” it said in a statement without identifying the entities involved.
“Incriminating documents of hawala transactions and money laundering with active involvement of bank employees and Chartered Accountants have been found as a result of the search action,” it said.
Evidences of foreign hawala transactions involving Hong Kong and US dollars have also been unearthed, the CBDT said.


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MANTECA -- For the last 10 years, Manteca Ford has been the heart of Christmas Eve in Manteca -- opening its doors to feed families a hot breakfast and give kids a special toy from Santa.
"Christmas is a time where people should be together. The most important thing in this world is human life and families, and it's just a wonderful time of the year," said Phil Waterford, president and CEO of Manteca Ford.
Waterford says the event has grown so much. Last year they fed 1,500 people. And they think this year will be even bigger.
The food -- pancakes, eggs and ham -- was donated. But Waterford says they still need toys.
"Toys are a really big deal for us. Every donation counts, every donation helps. It doesn't matter how big or how small it is," he said.
Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the dealership through Saturday.
Waterford hopes every kid who comes for breakfast on Christmas Eve, walks away with a gift. And their family walks away with hope this holiday season.
"Everybody needs something to look forward to, something to hope for. And we want to make sure that not only the gift of giving in Christmas but we are going to have something that's going to carry them on until the New Year," Waterford said.


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Cristaltec Acquires Inspired’s Italian VLT Business
Inspired Entertainment (NASDAQ: INSE) has just announced that it has sold its Italian video lottery terminal (VLT) business to Cristaltec SPA as it continues to focus its energy on becoming a platform and games provider.
Inspired, who enjoy a 29% revenue climb, has sold its VLT estate and VLT managed services contracts, and Cristaltec will now be responsible for its operational support and machine capital obligations. However, Inspired will continue to maintain the Italian VLT platform and infrastructure together with game content.
Cristaltec is hoping to better position itself in the VLT market, where Inspired operates more than 5,000 terminals.
All of our work is aimed at improving the services offered to our customers, and we believe this agreement not only benefits both companies but also our customers and the Italian market as a whole. We have a great relationship with Inspired, and this collaboration allows each of us to focus on our core competencies. We are a leading manufacturer with top games in the amusement with prize (AWP) market, and Inspired provides a proven VLT platform with popular game franchises worldwide.
Cristaltec has also said that it will be upgrading Inspired’s current VLT estate and introducing its own games alongside Inspired’s.
Brooks Pierce, the Inspired President and COO, said that they “greatly respect” what Cristaltec has achieved. He explained that by working together, they “can better capture the new opportunities that will derive from changes to regulations as well as the evolution of the gaming sector in Italy, where we remain a very committed market participant, including through our continued presence in virtual sports.”


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Smartphone maker OnePlus is riding some strong marketing momentum after announcing the OnePlus 2 device in late July. The new flagship phone follows up the OnePlus One, as the company continues promoting powerful devices that don't have premium price tags.
"In 5 years I think it will be Apple, OnePlus and Samsung because there's no more room in the market," said Carl Pei, OnePlus co-founder, in a statement to USA Today. "Everyone else would've died because they couldn't reach the scale they wanted fast enough or they couldn't have a margin to sustain their business. Look at the soft drink space: there are only two players, Pepsi and Coke."
Pei said the company broke even last year, and is looking to break even again in 2015, though admitted OnePlus has aggressively expanded its staff. If everything goes well, OnePlus hopes to sell 3-5 million units in 2015, but officials are more interested in what consumers think of its products.
Don't expect OnePlus TVs or OnePlus smart scales, but OnePlus is working with hardware manufacturers to make sure its OxygenOS is compatible with new product lines for the future.
- > NEXT STORY: Report: Konami exploits and "imprisons" employees
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Like spirits in the night, they appear out of nowhere and just as quickly disappear, spending only a brief time among the living.
But fear not. They’re Halloween stores, those costume and make-up shops that pop up around the state and then, almost unnoticed, disappear before the trick-or-treat candy is all eaten.
And they are welcome guests to strip malls with vacancies.
“We’ve had very good experiences with them,” said Robert Carson, senior vice president of Levin Management, which oversees several shopping centers in the state. “There’s a couple we work with that have sophisticated operations.”
While landlords would prefer to rent to year-round tenants, they’re happy to have “somebody to light up a store, to draw customers, even if it’s for a short term,” he said. “These are spaces we haven’t been able to find a tenant for.”
The added foot traffic, he added, is a bonus to the neighboring stores.
Most of the successful stores are franchises. Halloween City is a subsidiary of Rockaway-based Party City, and Spirit Halloween is related to Spencer Gifts, which is headquartered in Little Egg Harbor. Another, Halloween Express, with four stores in New Jersey, operates out of Owenton, Ky.
Spirit Halloween sells franchises, however, its 33 New Jersey stores are all company-owned. It has more than 1,000 stores nationwide, according to a spokeswoman.
The idea of a store being open for only two months a year may seem like a spooky one, but it isn’t.
“There is a tremendous profit to be made in a very short period,” said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz and Associates, a New York-based national retail consultant and investment firm.
“Halloween merchandise is a product that’s in demand, so you can do a lot of business, with very low overhead, in a short amount of time. It’s a tremendous one-shot deal.”
One could say it’s a boo-ming business. Sales topped $6 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation.
Vincent Nicastro operates the Halloween Express franchise on Route 18 in East Brunswick.
“When I got started with it, it was fun and we made it into a party,” he said.
He’s been at it for 7 years — and he’s only 25. He’s been in four different stores, but basically in the same strip mall because of its high traffic volume.
Nicastro has entertained thoughts of extending the business and opening a Christmas store in the same location. “I tried it once,” he said, “but it didn’t work. Halloween works better.”
Nicastro said Halloween Express charges franchisees a $10,000, one-time fee, giving the entrepreneur the right to use the Halloween Express name and logo, advertising material and advice. It also takes 5 percent of gross sales, Nicastro said.
Inventory can cost as much as $180,000, depending on the size of the store, and fixtures can run from $15,000 to $17,000.
But sales can be in the hundreds of thousands.
A survey by the National Retail Federation showed consumers spent more than $70 on costumes, decorations and candy last year — $15 more than they spent in 2009.
The survey also found that 68 percent of Americans partake in the holiday in one way or another.
Although Spirit Halloween’s New Jersey stores are company-owned, the employees are, for the most part, seasonal.
“It’s a very good seasonal job,” said Lisa Barr, senior director of marketing. The company declined to give sales figures.
“Even though we are a seasonal store, we have a lot of people who are enthusiastic about Halloween.”
Spirit Halloween is as much about the experience as the sales. The stores sport a different theme every year. This year it’s a Halloween farm, with “limb-ripping werewolves and baby zombies,” Barr said. Each store has life-sized animatronics, which are also for sale.
But shop while you can. Once the trick-or-treaters are all safely tucked in for the night, these stores will return once again to the dark netherworld they came from--until next year.
Tom De Poto: 973-392-4270; firstname.lastname@example.org


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Nonprofits looking for good corporate fit
Nonprofits that want corporate partners need to do their homework, find companies with missions aligned with their own, identify assets a company can use to help address social problems the nonprofit cares about, and show the impact it is making fixing those problems.
Corporations redefine bottom line
Slammed by the economy and global competition, a growing number of companies are retooling their business model to incorporate philanthropic strategies to address social and global problems that limit their business.
Target leads Minnesota funders
The retailer’s foundation awarded a total of $138.2 million in cash grants last year, more than any other grantmaker in the state, a new study says.


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POINTE BLANCHE:— Port St. Maarten will be participating in the 47th edition of the Dutch Vakantie Beurs Utrecht (Tourism and Leisure Fair), considered the trade show for the travel industry. The Vakantie Beurs will be held from January 11-15, 2017 at the Convention Center in the Dutch city of Utrecht.
Destination St. Maarten has been absent from the aforementioned trade show for several years resulting in a low brand awareness of the country in the Dutch market.
Port St. Maarten is inviting travel agents/tour operators to be part of the ports Vakantie Beurs booth where they get the opportunity to promote the destination and also create awareness of cruise travel to the island.
Travel agents/Tour operators are essential in creating travel experiences as they can engage with clients and help them plan that perfect stay-over or cruise. Vakantie Beurs Utrecht is the perfect opportunity to connect the thousands of travelers that visit the tourism and leisure fair every January with a vacation experience, and travel agents are the ambassadors.
Vakantie Beurs Utrecht caters to business to business and business to consumers. More Dutch travelers are becoming aware of cruises, and the St. Maarten cruise brand is the largest and most developed cruise port in the Dutch Kingdom.
In 2016, approximately 121,593 visited the Vakantie Beurs. Visitors were interested in receiving information about Europe (68 percent), the Netherlands (24), and destinations outside Europe (61).
The top five destinations in Europe in 2016 were Spain (36 percent), Italy (35), France (30), Germany and Portugal (25), Austria and Switzerland (21).
This expo fits into the port’s destination strategy to infiltrate the European Union tourist market. Port St. Maarten is moving full speed ahead in establishing itself as a home port destination in the northeastern Caribbean catering to small and medium size vessels as well as the high-end market of the luxury cruise sector. The home porting business will translate into a significant positive impact on the country’s economy with spinoffs to the majority of sectors.
“The destination is a diversity of experiences for the traveler. In 2017 we want to make an impact just like we did in January 2016 when Port St. Maarten made its first debut at the tourism and leisure fair. In 2016 at the fair, a lot of patrons showed interests in the destination.
“We have to continue to create a demand for the destination by sharing information, and promoting what we have to offer in this part of the Kingdom when compared to continental Europe. It is essential for the country to have a presence at such events in order to keep the island profiled in the tourism and travel market where there are hundreds of competitors.
“Stayover tourism is the main component of the country’s tourism industry and is linked to Port St. Maarten. Without stayover visitors, things will be different. It is up to us to sustain this and continue to grow and therefore that is why as a port we are investing in our future by attending this expo and are inviting travel agents/tour operators to come onboard as we promote our destination experiences,” Port St. Maarten Management pointed out.
For information about Vakantie Beurs Utrecht, you can visit: http://www.vakantiebeurs.nl/nl-NL/Bezoeker.aspx
Source: St. Martin News Network
Port St. Maarten to participate in Dutch Vakantie Beurs 2017. Invites Travel Agents/Tour Operators to Come On-board.


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MUNICH (Reuters) – German sportswear company Puma (PUMG.DE) announced on Tuesday that 1,400 staff would switch to shorter work hours until April 13 as sales slump due to the coronavirus and said its three top executives would not take their pay for April.
Germany allows companies to apply for state aid to keep people working but switch to shorter hours.
A Puma spokeswoman said almost all the shops that Puma and its partners operate had been closed due to the coronavirus.
Employees at the company’s headquarters in the southern German town of Herzogenaurach and in its own stores will now work only half of their usual hours, but will still be paid their full salary due to the short-time work allowance.
Chief Executive Bjorn Gulden, finance chief Michael Laemmermann and sourcing chief Anne-Laure Descours will waive their April salaries, together worth about 170,000 euros ($183,821.00), while the next management level will waive a quarter of their salary.
The three executives were paid a total of 2 million euros in 2019.
Puma said earlier this month it was abandoning the 2020 guidance it gave on Feb. 19 that had assumed the crisis would be short-lived.
Source: Read Full Article


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What is a light lager? A crisp, sunny beer with many contexts. A reward for mowing the lawn. A “sessionable” base flavor to any tailgate. A “shift beer” for an off-the-clock craft brewer. A golden-hued delicacy. Dive-bar tap water.
Not to sound like an ad. It’s just that the trend of the craft light lager—imagine a Coors Light classic given the full hipster treatment—has been trying to crest for the better part of, oh, two years at least. “Light lager is once again on the rise, despite past share losses,” according to the 2023 BevAlc Trend Report by Drizly. Drizly’s survey of legally drinking adults, conducted in late 2022 and backed with sales data, found that respondents who planned to spend the most on beer prioritized lagers above all else, at 38%. That beat out the drinking scene’s favorite bandwagon beverage of recent years, the hard seltzer (37%).
By way of explanation, experts predicting a craft-lager “moment” have pointed to a few things, among them: the pandemic-primed appeal of day drinking, perhaps a bit of “palate fatigue” from noisily flavorful craft beers, and the overall trend toward beverages with lower alcohol by volume, or ABV.
“You’re seeing actual low-ABV beers— table beers—starting to accelerate, which would definitely fall more on the lager side of things,” says Bob Galligan, a former brewer with Minneapolis craft titan Surly Brewing Co. who today represents about 200 breweries as part of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “Even though IPAs (India pale ales) are still the fastest-growing segment of craft beer right now, you’re also seeing the opposite side of things. There is still growth for easy drinking, what a lot of people would, once upon a time, turn their noses up at.”
For craft brewers, this has been a long-desired outcome, he adds. The lager, if simple, is notoriously difficult to brew. It uses four ingredients: water, grains, yeast, and hops. The fizzy, shimmery result happens when the yeast ferments at the bottom of the batch. The brewer must store that batch (or “lager” it, in German) someplace cool (which, centuries ago, meant a cave).
“With IPAs and some of the bigger styles of beer, if there are any off flavors in there, you can kind of mask that by adding hops—or, in stouts, by adding chocolate and fruits and all these adjuncts,” Galligan explains. “Whereas, with a pilsner [pale lager], there’s nothing to hide behind.” Among brewers, he notes, “it’s always been a thing that when you fi nd a good craft lager, you whisper about it.”
Some light local examples: the Cruising Altitude by Surly; the Light Lager by Bent Paddle Brewing Co.; the Sport! by Bauhaus Brew Labs. In recent years, an event has also begun highlighting the state’s lagers: The Minnesota Craft Lager Fest, launched in 2021, is June 17 this year, at Alexandria’s 22 Northmen Brewing Co.
Galligan says it has been cool to see craft producers, especially smaller ones, come to embrace the light lager, realizing people will actually buy it—even though it has an at-home, Homer Simpson reputation. “There just weren’t a lot of people making lagers in the industry in the early days of 2010 to 2015, the big ramp-up years,” he says. “As breweries have grown a little bit … they have tanks that they can actually dedicate to lagers, just because lagers do take a lot more time than ales.”
With the maturation of the craft scene, an old rivalry may also have weakened. In the 1980s and ’90s, the U.S. culture war between the macro (Budweiser, Miller, etc.) and the craft (which was legalized, post-Prohibition, as recently as 1978) went deep. The animosity may have been about the community versus the corporation, or about big companies falsely marketing their brews as vaguely “craft.”
But Gen Z beer drinkers don’t remember this tension, so the macro stigma has lessened, Galligan says—which could benefit craft brewers. “As someone who worked in the quality department at Surly, a lot of what we learn, from a [quality-assurance, quality-control] side of things, comes from the large producers,” he says. Breweries need a lot of space, and a lot of time, to make lagers well, and macro brewers’ quality-control tricks can come in handy.
But when it comes time to choose a lager, what’s ultimately the difference between craft and macro? “I think a lot of the craft lagers definitely have a lot more flavor to them. They have a little bit more character; they’re a little bit heavier-bodied,” Galligan says. “Mostly, they’re using a lot more specialty malts. They’re using smaller batches of hops; they’re not getting thousands and thousands of hops from Czechoslovakia or Bavaria. They might be the same hop varietals, but they’re grown in Oregon, or Washington, so they have a different kind of American flavor to them—which I appreciate.”


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Earlier this week, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer tweeted out a very important moment for his company: the first time its Rapide E prototype drove off under its own power. It’s the company’s first electric car, designed under a mandate to “retain and enhance the feel, character and delivery of the V12-engined Rapide S.”
It will do that with a groundbreaking 800V battery system compatible with DC fast chargers, as well as twin electric motors driving all four wheels with the equivalent of 602HP to a projected top speed of 155 MPH.
You can watch it slowly roll across the parking lot in a video below, giving a look at the car beyond design drawings, concept models and sneak peeks. You might miss the roar of a petrol-powered V12, but even then, at least there’s a parking lot full of Aston Martins in view as well.
Palmer also referred to “another piece of Aston Martin history” that was made on the 21st, but so far has not revealed what that is. The Rapide E is supposed to go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, so we should see more of it in motion soon.


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DORAL —Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said there is “substantial doubt” about the company’s ability to continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic and warned it may have to seek bankruptcy protection.
The world’s third largest cruise company, headquartered in Miami with service out of Port Tampa Bay, said in a securities filing Tuesday it expects to report net losses for the quarter ending on March 31, 2020 and the year. The company owns three cruise lines: Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises.
“If we are not able to fulfill our liquidity needs through operating cash flows and/or borrowings under credit facilities or otherwise in the capital markets, our business and financial condition could be adversely affected and it may be necessary for us to reorganize our company in its entirety, including through bankruptcy proceedings, and our shareholders may lose their investment in our ordinary shares.” the filing said.
Shares were down as much as 18% in Tuesday trading. Norwegian has seen its market cap plummet from $12 billion at the end of 2019 to less than $3 billion today.
Also on Tuesday, the company announced a $400 million infusion into its Norwegian Cruise Line Corporation Ltd., one of its subsidiaries, from private equity firm L Catterton. The deal gives the firm, whose portfolio includes a host of consumer-focused brands like gym club Equinox, Uncle Julio’s Mexican eateries, and Cholula hot sauce, a seat on Norwegian’s board of directors.
The company also announced Tuesday that it is proposing to sell $650 million of its exchangeable senior notes due in 2024 in a private offering as senior unsecured obligations, and an additional $600 million in senior secured notes due 2024 in a private offering.
On March 13, the cruise industry shut down new cruises for 30 days, followed by a no-sail order from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention that has been extended until at least July 24. The pause means onboard revenue — which normally accounts for about one-third of income — has evaporated, and future cruise booking demand is weak. The company also said last month it had fully tapped a $1.55 billion credit facility from JPMorgan Chase, and that its bonds had been downgraded by ratings agencies Moody’s and S&P Global. The company said in an April 27 press release that it is burning through $110-$150 million per month as cruises remain halted.
To further shore up cash, the company said it has identified around $515 million of capital expenditure reductions, including furloughs for 20% of staff announced last week by chairman Frank Del Rio. Still, Tuesday’s filing said that may not be enough to get through the pandemic and beyond.
“We believe the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on our operations and global bookings have had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on our financial results and liquidity, and such negative impact may continue well beyond the containment of such an outbreak,” the company’s Tuesday filing said.
As of March 31, 2020, the company had $1.8 billion in advanced ticket sales across its three brands. That included $850 million for cruises that have been canceled through June 30, 2020, and $350 million for the remainder of 2020. Around half of passengers who had their cruise canceled are opting for a refund over a future credit with the company, further limiting its cash holdings. Bookings for the rest of 2020 are “meaningfully lower” than for the previous year, the company said in a press release last month.
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Cruises for the company’s three brands are currently canceled through June 30.
A Miami Herald investigation found that passengers and crew from at least six of the company’s 27 ships have tested positive for COVID-19. In recent weeks the company has been shifting crew between ships without testing them for the disease. A doctor on the Norwegian Gem died last week after treating crew with respiratory illnesses. Crew on the Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Epic, docked at PortMiami Tuesday, report crowded conditions in violation of CDC’s guidelines, which advise companies to keep crew in individual cabins, provide them with masks, and enforce social distancing.
Norwegian Cruise Line was Miami’s first cruise line, founded in 1966 by Knut Kloster Sr., a Norwegian shipping magnate, and Israeli businessman Ted Arison. The pair aimed to create a cruise vacation accessible to the middle class. Arison left in 1972 to form Carnival Cruise Line.
In 2000, it was acquired by Genting’s Star Cruises after fending off a takeover by Carnival Cruise Line. Genting later sold half the company to private equity firm Apollo Management in 2008. Both companies sold their shares of the company in 2018.
In 2013, the company went public. The next year, it paid more than $3 billion to acquire two new cruise lines: Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Though Norwegian has remained smaller than competitors Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises, it has pushed the industry into new frontiers.
Norwegian purchased a private island in the Bahamas to be used exclusively by its passengers in 1977, more than a decade before its competitors would do the same. In 2000, Norwegian revolutionized the formally rigid eating and entertainment schedules for passengers by offering “freestyle cruising,” in which passengers could eat when they wanted with whomever they wanted. Other companies soon followed.
In 2010, it introduced The Haven, an exclusive all-suite area with a private pool, dining and bar. The concept has since been widely copied.
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Highest number of bookings are for Mahindra Scorpio/Scorpio N, followed by Thar, XUV700, Bolero and XUV300/XUV400
With their sporty design, robust performance and proven safety credentials, Mahindra SUVs continue to be in demand. Even with long waiting periods, bookings continue to pour in unabated. The trend is expected to continue, as Mahindra has even more compelling products in the pipeline. It includes Thar EV, Scorpio N pickup and its born-electric SUV range based on INGLO platform.
Mahindra SUV bookings at an all-time high
Mahindra is currently sitting on a huge pile of orders. There’s a backlog of a staggering 2.86 lakh orders. But this is not surprising, as the booking numbers have remained above the 2.5 lakh mark for several months now. It appears that the order backlog is increasing every month. This is happening even when Mahindra has taken steps to boost production.
Another positive aspect is that most of the customers have shown a high level of loyalty for the brand. Data reveals that cancellation rate is in single digits at 8 percent. The loyalty factor is important, as it gives the company the confidence to boost investments for increasing production. Mahindra has already ramped up production of most of its bestsellers such as Scorpio N, Thar and XUV700. Production is being increased in a phased manner, with a yearly incremental approach, based on requirement.
Bookings for Mahindra SUVs are currently the highest for Scorpio Classic/Scorpio N at 1.19 lakh units. Next is Thar, with an order backlog of 76,000 units. XUV700 has bookings of 70,000 units. Other SUVs are relatively easily accessible. Bolero has 11,000 bookings whereas XUV300 and XUV400 combined have a backlog of 10,000 bookings. Mahindra is actively pursuing all possibilities to reduce waiting period and deliver more cars in the future.
Mahindra confident of maintaining revenue leadership in SUV segment
This festive season has been exceptionally rewarding for OEMs. Mahindra had recorded its highest ever SUV sales in October 2023 at 43,708 units. Total volumes, which includes CV sales, were also the highest at 80,679 units. Over the last few months, Mahindra has averaged monthly SUV bookings of 51,000 units.
SUV sales between the period from July and September 2023 were at 1,14,742 units. This is more than double of the sales that Mahindra used to generate a couple of years ago. By end of September, Mahindra’s share in SUV segment was at 19.9 percent.
It is noteworthy that Mahindra has maintained its position as the second-best SUV manufacturer in India for five consecutive quarters. Moreover, Mahindra tops the list in terms of revenue. The company is confident that it will maintain this lead in the coming years.
Mahindra’s growth story will continue, as several updated and new products are under development. It includes the facelift versions of XUV300 and XUV400 and 5-door Thar. Mahindra has also showcased Thar Electric and Scorpio N pickup. Also in the coming soon list is Mahindra XUV.e and BE electric SUVs.


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Stephens said soybean futures prices have fallen by more than $2 per bushel in the past year due to economic and trade frictions between the United States and China, and soybean farmersearnings have been significantly affected. Data from the Chicago Futures Exchange show that soybean futures for July delivery closed at $8.025 a bushel on the 13th, falling to a 10-year low. American soybean farmers are unwilling to continue to be hurt in the endless tariff war, and they urgently need to restore the Chinese market.
The American Soybean Association (ASA) said in a statement Wednesday that it has always opposed the use of unilateral tariff measures to solve the trade deficit between the United States and other countries, and supported increasing U.S. agricultural exports, including soybeans, through trade negotiations.
Stephens said that after several rounds of negotiations, the United States and China have not yet reached a trade agreement, which means that U.S. soybean growers have lost valuable markets, stable prices, opportunities to support families and communities. As trade confrontation continues, it will become increasingly difficult to restore Chinas market share.
He said June was the latest time of year for soybean planting in the United States. Soybean farmers in some parts of the United States may still be watching the progress of the U.S. -China trade negotiations to determine this years planting plan. Pea farmers hope that the two sides can reach an agreement as soon as possible without continuing to worry about uncertainty.
Farmers from all over the country responded to the soybean revitalization plan and planted area increased significantly this year.


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Winner announced for Young Organic Farmer/Grower of the Year Award
Organic Research Centre (ORC) has named Norfolk farm manager Alex Parkinson as winner of its Young Organic Farmer/ Grower of the Year (YOFY) Award 2022/23 today (4th July 2023).
New report explains why UK farmers still aren’t planting trees on their land
Organic Research Centre builds on research focus with the appointment of Dr Will Simonson
Growing an organic partnership
ORC begins collaboration with the Royal Agricultural University (RAU)
The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has agreed a collaborative partnership with the Organic Research Centre in Cirencester (ORC) to expand industry links and research and teaching opportunities.
Organic Research Centre appoints Lucy MacLennan as new CEO
The Organic Research Centre (ORC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Nuffield Scholar Lucy MacLennan as its new CEO
In adversity, what are farmers doing to be more resilient?
Opportunities, barriers and constraints in organic techniques helping to improve the sustainability of conventional farming
Transitions to Agroecological Systems: Farmers’ Experience
New report sheds light on how UK farming can meet the sustainability challenge