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Q3 GDP growth likely slowed — poll
The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release third-quarter economic data on Nov. 9. — PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS
By Jenina P. Ibanez, Senior Reporter
ECONOMIC GROWTH likely slowed in the third quarter after lockdowns were reimposed in August to curb a surge in coronavirus infections, economists said.
The country’s low vaccination rate and inflationary pressures could continue to weigh on recovery for the rest of the year, they added.
A BusinessWorld poll of 18 analysts yielded a gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate of 4.7% for the July to September period, much slower than 11.8% in the second quarter but a turnaround from the 11.5% contraction a year earlier.
Growth in the second quarter this year signaled the country’s exit from recession after five straight quarters of decline.
If realized, the third-quarter GDP estimate would bring economic growth this year to an average of 4% in the first nine months, settling at the lower end of the government’s reduced GDP target of 4-5% for the year.
The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release third-quarter economic data on Nov. 9.
The government once again placed Metro Manila under a stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) for two weeks in August as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases soared.
Analysts expect third-quarter growth to have slowed compared with the previous three months, although at different extents.
Rajiv Biswas, chief economist for Asia and the Pacific at IHS Markit, said third-quarter GDP growth could have slowed to 3.5%.
“The imposition of enhanced community quarantine measures in August and September in Metro Manila disrupted consumption spending and also impacted adversely on many segments of industrial production,” he said in an e-mail.
University of the Philippines economist Jefferson A. Arapoc said the country’s GDP likely grew by 4.8%, which he said came from a very low base a year ago.
“This positive growth isn’t that impressive given the worst recession we experienced last year,” he said in an e-mail.
Makoto Tsuchiya, an economist from Oxford Economics, said in an e-mail that the elevated inflation and mobility restrictions have dampened consumer spending.
“Higher inflation is also weighing on consumer’s real purchasing power leaving less to spend on nondiscretionary income,” he said.
Meanwhile, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Graduate School Dean Emmanuel J. Lopez said in an e-mail he expected third-quarter GDP growth at 8% as the economy has “started to take off under the new normal.”
“The economy is operating almost under full capacity. The economy has its hands full to satisfy a normal operation as proven by the increase in the country’s inflation rate approximating the government inflation target of 2-5%,” he said.
Lockdown restrictions were gradually loosened in September, allowing more businesses to operate although at a limited capacity.
Inflation in August was 4.9%, the fastest recorded in 32 months as food and utility prices soared during the strict lockdown. The consumer price index slightly eased to 4.8% in September.
Analysts expect economic growth to improve as most businesses restart activities ahead of the holidays, but low vaccination rates may prove to be a risk.
More mobility for fully vaccinated individuals will help improve domestic consumption, Moody’s Analytics Associate Economist Sonia Zhu said in an e-mail.
“However, a huge proportion of household savings lost during the pandemic will weigh heavily on private consumption in the near term,” she said.
“Headline inflation needs a close watch. The risk of elevated price growth becoming more entrenched has increased amid a global energy crisis and supply-side disruptions. There is a possibility that (the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) may be forced to tighten monetary policy settings earlier to anchor expectation if inflation does not cool.”
Oxford Economics’ Mr. Tsuchiya said momentum could pick up in the fourth quarter as COVID-19 cases continue to decline, but he said full-year GDP could still grow at 3.4%, falling short of the government target.
“Looking further ahead, the gradual loosening in restrictions bodes well for domestic recovery, but a low vaccination rate means the country remains vulnerable to COVID-related setbacks and the recovery path will be bumpy,” he said.
ING Bank N.V. Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said in an e-mail the widening trade gap could also cap overall GDP as exports and remittances are unable to keep the current account in surplus.
The trade gap in the nine months to September widened to $29.19 billion from $17.95 billion a year earlier, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
“Unlike in previous episodes, the stark ballooning of the trade deficit in 2021 is not solely driven by a sustained surge in capital goods designed to build future capacity,” Mr. Mapa said.
“The 2021-2022 episode shows a modest pickup in capital goods but also a bloated energy and commodities bill due to higher global costs. These developments alongside a possible global slowdown due to higher inflation and hawkish central banks, the timeline just to get back to where we were before COVID may just have to be extended further.”


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Up until March of last year, there weren't a whole lot of good reasons to spend a Saturday afternoon in Conroe. But now there's at least one: The Southern Star Brewing Company.
Southern Star celebrated their one-year anniversary this spring with the release of their second canned beer, Bombshell Blonde. Perhaps you've seen the pleasantly phallic logo in your local grocery store -- a royal blue can featuring a cowgirl pin-up riding an A-bomb Slim Pickens-style. Their first canned beer, Pine Belt Pale Ale, has been available for about a year in grocery stores like Central Market, Whole Foods and Spec's, and unlike other Texas microbrews, in other states as well.
The brewing company was born from a partnership between friends who met playing Frisbee golf at a Woodlands course. Both men were homebrewers. One, Dave Fougeron, was a head brewer at St. Arnold's. Symbols of this meeting are displayed at their Montgomery County brewing warehouse -- four well-worn Frisbees hang above the tap wall.
Fougeron and co-founder Brian Hutchins have been giving Saturday brewery tours since the month after they opened the brewery. The building, a pre-fab with lettered instructions still visible in the rafters, is located on a farm road east of I-45, in a small patch of piney woods. It's remote even for Conroe, and it takes about an hour drive from Houston to get there.
In the backwoods, it's easy to imagine East Texas' earlier days as a haven for bootlegging. Hutchins cracks a joke about this.
"We're Montgomery County's largest brewery. And we're the only one. Though out here in the sticks you'd think they'd at least try to open one."
The brewery opens at 1 p.m., though bikers swung through earlier in the day. By 1:30 p.m. there is a line for beer. The facility is un-airconditioned and groups huddle by huge industrial fans to keep cool. They also drink more beer to keep cool. Samples, about 6 oz each, are free, and include both the Pine Belt Pale Ale and Bombshell Blonde, as well as a third beer, Buried Hatchet Stout, not yet available in cans. SSB also brews seasonal beers, and when they're available you can sample them during the tours. SSB sells pint glasses featuring their logos -- buy a $5 glass and they'll fill it for free.
By 2 p.m., Hutchins is ready to lead the tour of about 50 people. Referring to himself as "The Fungus Farmer," he explains the exact process by which water, yeast, malt and hops are converted into liquid gold. He also explains why Southern Star is sold in cans, not bottles. The brewery's slogan is "handcrafted taste in a can."
"Cans are a better product for beers. I can guarantee my product in a can, no refrigeration, for six months," he says. "It's a recyclable product, and it doesn't get light struck."
Canning their beers, which they do on the spot (huge pallets of the lovely Bombshell Blonde cans, waiting to filled, dominate one corner of the warehouse), allows them to sell beer in places as far away as Chicago because the beer, brewed without preservatives and unpasteurized, has a longer shelf life. The cans are sealed by hand in a kind of press, and Hutchins estimates he can do 10 cases an hour. SSB is looking into a canning line to improve the process.
Rob Martin, sales and marketing director at SSB and another disc golf aficionado, said selling beer in cans is better for the consumer too.
"We could do cans or bottles," he said. "We couldn't afford to do both. We're all outdoorsmen, and we can go a lot more places with cans."
Hutchins said that SSB tries to be a green company too, but the brewery's location makes that difficult. There are few facilities in Conroe to recycle. But when a tour-goer asks if they treat the water they use to make beer, he says no.
"It turns out that Conroe, TX, has the perfect water for brewing ale."
By the end of the tour, Texas Traveler had consumed several beers as part of our "research." Thankfully we didn't have to go home on an empty stomach. A groups of guys called the Outlaw Kookers set up outside the brewery on tour days and sell barbecued sandwiches and sausage, for decent prices. Tour-goers and the brewers hang out and chat until about 4 p.m. By the end of the day it feels more like a backyard party than just a trip to the 'burbs.
Tours take place every other Saturday at the brewery, at 1207 N FM 3083 Rd E in Conroe. Check Southern Star Brewery's website for tour dates throughout summer. The next tour will be July 4. What better way to spend Independence Day?

domain: news


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Apple Releases iOS 15.5 Ahead Of Annual Developer Conference
The new iOS update enables you to send and receive money in your wallet via Apple Cash
With the release of iOS 15.5, Apple’s newest iPhone operating system, it looks like they’re trying to appease regulators who want to make sure Apple doesn’t have too much control over in-app purchases while still maintaining total control over user-facing enhancements.
Apple released an update to the iOS 15.5, which includes the ability to request or send money, as well as a setting in the Apple Podcasts app that adds limitations on the number of episodes stored on your phone. The new update also resolves various bugs in the iOS release.
The full release notes read:
iOS 15.5 includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
Wallet now enables Apple Cash customers to send and request money from their Apple Cash card
Apple Podcasts includes a new setting to limit episodes stored on your iPhone and automatically delete older ones
Fixes an issue where home automations, triggered by people arriving or leaving, may fail
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
Apple has made a new update for iOS and macOS that includes fixes for the Apple Studio Display monitor’s poor webcam quality. In our test with the beta version of macOS, we found that webcam performance is still far from perfect, but in our tests, we found that the update has improved contrast, reduced visible noise, and boosted color accuracy. We will retest the camera software now that it’s final to see if any improvements have been done.
One of the few visible changes in iOS 15.5 is references to external purchases, which would enable developers to link their apps to external payment systems. Apple generally requires developers to use its in-app purchase system for digital transactions, but it’s facing pressure from regulators and some countries.
Apple will be announcing the next update to iOS at its annual developer conference. [Instructions] on how to update your iPhone can be found on Apple’s site.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.


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Indexpo to be held at Hitex from September 8 for 3 days
Hyderabad, September 06, 2023: The three-day Industrial & Engg Expo (Indexpo) is to be held at Hitex from 8th to 10th September with the future of the manufacturing industry.
Organized by Indore Infoline, it is their 7th edition.
It is supported by the MSME Ministry, NSIC Cherlapally Industries Association, and other trade associations.
It allows industry professionals and enthusiasts to explore the latest advancements and trends in the manufacturing industry.
The future of industrial engineering is designing and manufacturing more flexible, connected, and adaptable machines, said Mr. Raj Kumar Agrawal, MD of Indore Infoline, the organizer of the expo in a press note issued in the city.
The Indexpo aims to bring together leading players, manufacturers, suppliers’ experts, and innovators from the industrial manufacturing and service sector under one roof.
The event is set to be a hub of knowledge-sharing, networking, and business growth.
150+ Exhibitors are expected to showcase 20,000+ Products on Display like Hand Tools, Machine Tools, Robotics, industrial automation, solar power plants, electricals and electronics, safety products, and many other industry-specific products said Rajkumar Agrawal, Managing Director, Indore Infoline Pvt Ltd.
It will be formally opened on 8th September. The entry to Indexpo is Free. It is open from 11 am to 6 pm on all 3 Days.
To avoid heavy rush visitors can pre-register online on https://visitor.indexpo.co.in/


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“It is truly an honor to be ranked on the Inc. 5000 list, as our company has experienced wonderful success since 2016, our first full year of operation,” said MedShift CEO, Brian Phillips.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (PRWEB) August 12, 2020
With the recent release of its version 3.0 IoT connected device platform, the addition of an in-house communications agency, and 2,222% growth throughout the last three years, MedShift announced today that it has ranked 185 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America. Additionally, MedShift ranked as the 15th fastest growing health company in the United States.
In their first year of eligibility, 2020 marks MedShift’s first year of inclusion. “It is truly an honor to be ranked on the Inc. 5000 list, as our company has experienced wonderful success since 2016, our first full year of operation,” said MedShift CEO, Brian Phillips. Since its founding, MedShift has hired 28 Charlotte-based employees, grown revenues beyond $10,000,000 annually, and expanded its service offerings to over 160 countries worldwide.
The Inc. 5000 list displays some of America’s most innovative companies, as well as highlights the successes of each. This year’s list includes businesses that have not only been highly competitive within their respective industries, but also offered unparalleled products and services to customers with high expectations. “Our company, our people, and a dedication to offering only the best medical devices in the industry has propelled our business since inception,” said Porter Tiller, Managing Partner, MedShift. “Every day brings additional opportunity and we are very excited for what the future holds,” said Tiller.
Their in-house communications agency, MedShift Connect, has also expanded rapidly. “Our team works diligently to be sure that all clients are taken care of and provided with focused solutions to deliver positive results. Ranking amongst the top 20 fastest growing health companies in the United States is a huge accomplishment for us, as this year alone has brought with it many unexpected situations that forced our company to adapt and remain flexible,” said Victoria Olszowy, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, MedShift.
With this recognition, MedShift will receive an individual company profile on Inc.com, as well as an invitation to the annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala, which will be hosted virtually for the year 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. This week-long streaming event is currently scheduled to begin on October 19th, 2020.
“Although there are many ways to successfully rank on the Inc. 5000 list, our company met this goal through following a conservative business model, adapting to the ever-changing external environment, and remaining flexible when working with our customers,” said Phillips. “Our goals for the future include continuing to develop innovative products that are in high demand, as well as provide our customers with high-value options for placing aesthetic medical devices directly into practices within our unmatched subscription model.”
MedShift, founded in 2015 in Charlotte, NC delivers a platform as a service to both medical device manufacturers as well as individual medical practices. Foundationally MedShift enables access to the latest devices and technology to remain competitive and attract new business. MedShift has partnered with over 300 doctors in North America, Australia, and New Zealand to give practices the latest in cutting-edge treatment modalities, services, and systems.
MedShift is disrupting the traditional aesthetic device market by offering permanent placement, holistic subscription services for surgeons, physicians and their business. MedShift’s broad portfolio of services for practices includes a portfolio of 24 leading aesthetic medical devices from nine manufacturers, an aesthetic eCommerce and subscription platform, in-house communications and marketing services, and inbound lead generation. For manufacturers Medshift delivers a highly secure IoT platform consisting of both hardware and software assets allowing for real time visibility, remote management, and big data modeling of entire medical device lineups. MedShift adds value across the manufacturer and provider spectrum and continues to empower robust integration with the leading brands and doctors in the industry.
About Inc. Media
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.


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Artone has launched a new division to deliver furniture solutions for the health care community.
Cooltree is the new sales and marketing division started by Artone to provide health care furniture selections from seating to beds to accessories. For the past 38 years, Artone has been a Jamestown manufacturer, located at 107 Institute St., of furniture primarily for the hospitality, commercial and retail store fixtures markets. Some of their clients include Microtel Hotels, Seneca Casino Hotels, DSW Shoe Warehouse and Disney.
During the last 20 years, they have also built health care furniture on a limited basis. However, with the launch of Cooltree, Artone will now provide furniture solutions from design to installation for the health care market. Not all of the products in the Cooltree line will be made by Artone. Artone has collaborated with other companies to bring the most innovative health care-related products to the market place.
From left, Jack Armstrong, consultant; Malk Arnold, director; Sam Gullotti, sales; Michael Calimeri, Artone president; Lori Crowell, sales support; and Sebastian Calimeri, Artone vice president; with furniture from Artone’s new Cooltree line of health care-related products.
P-J photo by Dennis Phillips
''We felt it was the right time to make a major investment in the health care sector. We hired QR Formula Group, who specializes in health care sales and marketing plans, to develop a plan to expand our reach nationwide,'' said Michael Calimeri, Artone president. ''During the next year, we will seek out other manufacturers to partner with to be able to offer a complete line of furnishings to the health care market. By bundling goods and services, we will significantly improve our product and deliver a more comprehensive service to our clients.''
The new furniture line has the flexibility to develop everything from flat-panel production to completed casegoods. Cooltree craftsmen use materials such as laminates, woods, veneers, edge treatments, plastics, stone products and metals. Calimeri said Artone is seeking more space to expand and will need to hire more people during the next five years. The company has around 80 employees.
''This is good news for the community and Artone employees,'' he said.
Calimeri said Artone has partnered with area Jamestown manufacturers for the start of the new health care furniture division.
''Anytime Artone can buy a piece for a part or the full product from a local manufacturer, we buy it here locally,'' Calimeri said.
To showcase its new division, Artone officials will be featured at the Leading Age health care furniture exhibition Oct. 20-21 in Denver.
For Artone, the launch of its new division on Aug. 15 is significant. This was also the first day of the Woodstock festival in 1969. The goal of Cooltree is to become an iconic brand and embrace the spirit and energy of the Woodstock festival. Cooltree officials have used a music theme in naming its product lines. The new website for Cooltree can be viewed at www.designbycooltree.com. For more information on Artone, visit www.artonemfg.com or call 664-2232.


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There are 19 articles with this tag
posted on 23 February 2012
Rain on Amazon's parade as the Kindle maker had to pull as many
as 4,000 digital titles from its US e-store after
a disagreement with a distributor.
Although the electronic books have been taken off Amazon.com,
hard copies are still being sold on the website.
Mark Suchomel, President of distribution group,
IPG's, was quoted as explaining mor... [read more]
posted on 06 January 2012
While Kindle Fire has been heating up the
tablet market as well as discussions as to whether it will be the
demise of the iPad, Google has been putting
together a master plan to build a rival to Amazon's tablet
As it is often the case, Google is planning to
premiere the creation in the US first, with only a few details
revealed unti... [read more]
posted on 04 January 2012
A stockbroking company has recently revealed that according to
its research, Amazon's Kindle Fire has already
started invading the sales of the mighty iPad.
As a quick reminder, the Kindle Fire is Amazon's cost-effective
answer to Apple's tablet computer. Amazon expected to cause a storm
in the tablet market by selling a device similar to the... [read more]
posted on 21 December 2011
According to recent rumours and reports, RIM has declined all
offers interested tech giants placed in order to do a merger with
the troubled BlackBerry maker.
Industry insiders hinted that web retail giant,
Amazon, has been speaking with its investment bank
to analyse a scenario where Amazon joins forces with RIM.
It has been confirmed that ... [read more]
posted on 16 December 2011
According to Amazon, the popularity of its
e-readers and tablets is quite grand. The web giant said that it
was selling roughly one million Kindles per week.
That's seven days.
The company claimed that this has been going on throughout the
last three weeks, and continued sticking to its guns when it
previously stated that electronic readers w... [read more]
posted on 13 December 2011
As Amazon plans to bring its Kindle Fire, it
also wants it to come fresh and flawless which is why the web giant
has announced today that it was issuing an "over-the-air"
The New York Times has reported a spokesperson for the firm,
Drew Herdener, as saying:
"In less than two weeks, we're rolling out an over-the-air
update to Kindle F... [read more]
posted on 08 December 2011
Good news to those who are waiting for the Amazon Kindle
Fire tablet to land in the UK, as according to recent
reports the gadget might be coming our way as soon as January next
As a quick reminder, Amazon's answer to the iPad has been coined
by the industry analysts as a fierce competitor to
Apple, which the latter should fear.
Inside... [read more]
posted on 02 December 2011
It seems that Amazon might have a new
competitor in the world of e-shopping, recent reports have
Google sees the future - in a system similar to
Amazon Prime or ASOS Premier, where customers are expected to pay a
fee to the retailer for a quick next day delivery.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Google has been speaking
to US... [read more]
posted on 21 November 2011
It seems that the online world went gaga for the iPhone
4S just before Christmas, placing Apple's
websites in second place in the top online retail websites
According to Experian Hitwise, an online
statistics analyst, Apple has hopped as many as eight positions to
reach the lucky number two, a post it has held for the first time,
while ... [read more]
posted on 18 November 2011
First there was Kindle, then there was
Kindle Fire, now the tech world is speculating as
to whether it was a smartphone they were smelling cooking in
As a quick reminder, Amazon's tablet computer, Kindle Fire is
currently available in the US.
Now industry insiders started to speculate as to when, not even
whether, Amazon's ... [read more]


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AUDIO SLIDESHOW in ENGLISH, by Stephane Janin.
AUDIO SLIDESHOW in KHMER, by Stephane Janin.
Like many Americans, Mouy Chomreun is struggling under the current economic downturn. Born in 1957, he has lived in America since 1975 and now has three businesses: cars sales, car maintenance and taxi rental.
Each of these is suffering, as customers are staying away from his garage and services. His car sales and repair businesses have fallen off 80 percent over last year, he said.
"Compared to last year or the year before, my businesses for renting cars and taxis is normal, but my auto mechanic business and my car sales business have decreased so much," he said, adding that he planned to stop selling American-made cars and start selling those made in Japan, such as Toyota.
His wife, Evelyn, meanwhile, has quit her own job to help make the businesses work, and both of them say they are confident they can weather the storm.


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U.S. merchandise trade topped $5 trillion in 2022 for the first time, according to data released today, a fact that is as counterintuitive as it is remarkable.
It was counterintuitive given the consistently antagonistic policies toward free trade over the last six years from former President Donald Trump and current President Biden.
It was remarkable also. It took the nation 10 years to surpass $4 trillion after first passing $3 trillion but just four years to move from $4 billion to $5 billion.
The power of current events over politicians and policy are what is revealed in those statistics, at least in this case. First, the Covid-19 pandemic led first Trump and later Biden to shovel vast sums of cash into the financial system to stave off recession or worse, largely into the hands of consumers but also to businesses in the form of loans that were largely forgiven.
That was the first shove toward inflation, which had been tamed through most of the presidency of Barrack Obama. Consumers and businesses, flush with cash, went on buying sprees at a time when manufacturing was hobbled.
Then came the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which created further supply-demand imbalances, particularly in fertilizers, grains and oil. That provided additional inflationary pressure.
As part of total trade topped $5 trillion in 2022, total exports surpassed $2 trillion for the first time and imports surpassed $3 trillion for the first time, according to U.S Census Bureau data.
I had predicted each of the milestones were likely in separate posts for exports, imports and total trade over the last couple of months.
The U.S. trade deficit, which first surpassed $1 trillion in 2021 to little fanfare, did so again in 2022.
Interestingly enough, despite the stiff Chinese import tariffs put in place by Trump and kept by Biden, despite the rhetoric for bringing back manufacturing jobs ringing throughout the halls of Congress and elsewhere, despite the United States becoming a global leader in energy exports, the “balance of trade” has barely moved in recent years, tilting only slightly more toward imports rather than exports.
The balance of trade — the relationship between exports and imports — moves only slightly over time but finished the year at 39% exports to 61% imports. It had dipped to 38% in 2020 and 2021 after 11 consecutive years at 40% or greater.
The final 2022 figures were $5.31 trillion in total trade, $2.06 trillion in exports and $3.25 in imports. Total trade increased 15.79% over 2021, exports increased 17.59% and imports increased 14.67%. The deficit ended up at $1.18 trillion, a record.
U.S. exports and imports with a number of leading trade partners surpassed records, including with the top three: Canada, Mexico and China. Those three alone accounted for 43% of all U.S. trade, in line with recent years.
Canada’s trade with the United States topped $792.22 billion, the first time a country has ever conducted more than $700 billion in trade with another country and topping the record it set with the United States in 2014. It actually topped its previous record in the first 10 months of the year. That record had been at $655.55.
For Canada, it was the second consecutive year atop the leader board. The rising prices for oil and gasoline are largely responsible for the record trade; Canada is, by far, the largest importer of oil into the United States, at 57%.
Mexico finished second with $779.31 billion, surpassing $700 billion only one year after surpassing $600 billion for the first time. Mexico is a tremendous partner in automotive trade, from parts to vehicles, as well as white goods like refrigerators and washing machines, TVs and computer monitors, and energy. It accounted for 11% of U.S. oil imports, meaning the two USMCA partners accounted for better than 68% of the total.
Both Canada and Mexico have trade that is more balanced than the U.S. average of 39%, with Canada at 45% in U.S. exports and Mexico at 42% in U.S. exports.
China, the third-ranked trade partner, has been knocked from its top perch by the Trump-Biden tariffs but topped $600 billion for the first time, after narrowly missing it in 2018, the second to last year it was the United States’ top trade partner. That year, its trade totaled $599.52 billion. The 2022 total was $690.59 billion.
As is well known, China is a large importer into the United States, though its percentage of U.S. imports has decreased in recent years despite overall increases in U.S. imports. The percentage of China trade that was a U.S. export was 22%, well below the national average of 39%. Despite that low percentage, the last three years have seen the highest percentages ever, albeit only slightly higher than some previous years.
The nation’s leading exports and imports are largely petroleum products.
On the export side, the nation’s top three were gasoline and other refined petroleum products, oil and natural gas, including LNG. As recently as 2015, oil ranked as the 28th most valuable export, natural gas as No. 19. Refined petroleum, often from imported oil, has ranked first or second for a number of years, including first for the second consecutive year.
Refined petroleum and oil topped $100 billion in value for the first time; natural gas narrowly missed.
Until 2020, the perennial No. 1-ranked export was aircraft and some related fuselage parts, largely a Boeing
On the import side, oil was the top import for the first time since 2014 — the year Canada had set the total trade record. The total almost surpassed $200 billion for the first time since 2014, ending at $198.39 billion. Passenger vehicles, which ranked second in 2022, had ranked first since 2015.
Cell phones and related equipment ranked third with computers ranking fourth, both topping $100 billion.
Looking at the nation’s top “ports” — its airports, seaports and border crossings — Chicago’s O’Hare International ranked first, followed by the Port of Los Angeles and Port Laredo, a border crossing in Texas.
For the first time, according to the U.S. Census data, the nation’s top 13 all topped $100 billion, though the data. Following the top three are the Port of Newark, JFK International, the Port of Houston, the Port of New Orleans, Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge, Los Angeles International Airport, the Port of Savannah, the Port Huron, Mich. Blue Water Bridge, the Port of Long Beach and, for the first time, the Port of Virginia.


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Some Amazon customers in Orlando, Florida got a surprise when they ordered plastic storage bins and said bins arrived with 65 pounds of marijuana. Police seized the drugs and launched an investigation. The shipment had been sent by Amazon’s Warehouse Deals via UPS from a facility in Massachusetts.
The customers spoke anonymously to local media about the incident. They claimed that Amazon had offered them $150 in compensation via email. "When the first officer got here, she was in disbelief,” they said. "We were still pretty fearful our home would be broken into, and we didn't sleep there for a few days."
In a statement, Amazon told the BBC: "Our customer service team worked directly with the customer to address concerns and will work with law enforcement to investigate the case, as needed."


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Just days after the expiration of the licensing deal between Netflix (NFLX) and Viacom (VIA) that gave the streaming video service’s 36 million customers access to programming from channels such as Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, Amazon (AMZN) has notched a victory in the battle over the streaming market by penning its own deal with the cable television company.
Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service, one of the many operations in which the company has been investing considerable time and effort, is available to customers for a yearly fee of $79 that includes free shipping for a great number of items sold through the website, a substantial undercutting of Netflix’s $7.99 per month.
While the details are not yet entirely clear, the red meat of the deal for Amazon seems to be the access it will have to children’s shows from Viacom’s Nickelodeon and especially Nick Jr. channels. Confirmation of this can be seen in the fact that Amazon will make shows from both channels, such as the addictively popular Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants, available through its Kindle FreeTime Unlimited service. There is no doubt that Amazon’s current customers who have children will rejoice at this news, and it is a reasonable assumption that the move could translate into significant sales growth for both the Prime service as well as the Kindle device.
But Amazon’s new turf is by no means limited to children’s programming. In Tuesday’s announcement, both companies highlighted the fact that Amazon Prime will offer viewers hundreds of new shows, some of which cannot be found on any other service currently available.
Still, Bill Carr, Amazon’s vice president for Digital Video and Music noted that children’s programming is one of the most watched categories of television programming available through Prime’s instant video service.
The deal is the most significant recent development in the ongoing battle between Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu to secure as much of the streaming market as possible. While Netflix is still the inarguable leader in terms of subscribers, all three services have invested in original programming. While Netflix scored big earlier this year with the unexpected and critically acclaimed political drama “House of Cards,” it much-anticipated release of a 5th season of the star-studded cult classic Arrested Development crashed into some pretty disappointing reviews.
This summer, Amazon and Hulu’s Plus service will be premiering several new original shows, with both companies having secured enough star-power to make it work.
While significant, the announcement did not make huge ripples for the new partners on Wall Street by midday trading, with shares for Amazon up nearly one percent to $268.29, Viacom’s B-class shares down 1.5 percent to $66. Netflix, on the other hand, was down more than 2 percent to $220.45.
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer


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Kenya mobile subs near 30 million
TELECOMS| July 10, 2012, 6:36 p.m.
By Semaj Itosno, Nairobi, Kenya
Almost 30 million Kenyans now own a mobile phone, which they also use as a money transfer device, the latest official statistics show.
The number of mobile subscribers in Kenya has increased to 29.2 million between January and March 2012 up from 28.08 million in December 2012.
Mobile data and Internet subscriptions on GPRS/EDGE and 3G have also continued to dominate the internet market.
As at 31 March 2012, there were 6.49 million internet subscriptions, a 5.5% cent increase from the previous quarter. Ease of access of this service through the mobile phone and attractive promotional offers from mobile operators coupled with the popularity of social media among the young generation has, and will continue to contribute immensely to the growth of Internet market in the country.
According to the 3rd quarter sector statistics for the financial year 2011/2012 released by the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) on Tuesday, 89.10% of the population has access to mobile telephony.
The report shows that mobile money transfer service is playing a significant role in the country by ensuring seamless transfer of money, mobile payments among other transactions.
With 18.987 million mobile money transfer subscriptions, the total deposits handled during the quarter grew by 4.8% to Ksh 185.4 billion (USD2.23 billion). Notably, the total deposits have been growing steadily over the period, a clear indication that the demand for mobile money transfer services has continued to expand, possibly due to its convenience, ease of access, acceptability and as an instrument of financial inclusion for the unbanked population in the country.
“Further, growth in the data/Internet market and broadband services is expected in the coming periods as result of the increase in the available international bandwidth. However, the total used bandwidth is still very low with only 3.1% utilization. Initiatives that encourage the uptake of this capacity could be considered as this will ultimately stimulate demand for the capacity given the expected growth in demand for data/Internet and broadband services,” reads the report in part.
However the fixed line network market segment and postal and courier industry continued to record negative growth over the period. Fixed line services have continued to face challenges in vandalism of copper cables, high maintenance costs as well as fixed-mobile substitution.
In the postal and courier sector, a downward trend in the quantities of letters sent was recorded at 14.3%. Similarly, international outgoing letters experienced a decline of 20.6%. According to the regulator, the decline could be attributed to the increasing preference in the use of internet compared to letters.
The report says this downward trend in the performance of the postal and courier industry could be reversed with adoption and utilization of modern ICTs.
Provision of high quality postal and courier services coupled with a wide range of innovative products that meet customers growing expectation, could also be explored to reverse the negative trend experienced in the industry.
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AWS Summit San Francisco 2022: The 15 Coolest Products
Wade Tyler Millward
Intel, Fortinet, Anodot, ClearScale and Edge Delta were among the showfloor vendors in attendance at the Amazon Web Services Summit event in San Francisco last week.
Rollbar Enterprise For AWS
Rollbar Enterprise for AWS offers a continuous code improvement platform with the goal of faster and better software deployment with quick recovery from critical errors.
The San Francisco-based company has 350 million monthly active application end users covered, has caught more than 1 billion unique errors and has 150 million error occurrences processed daily, according to Rollbar.
Founded in 2012, the company has raised more than $18 million to date, according to Crunchbase.


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By Amrit Dhillon from WSJ’s Scene Asia blog:
Rich Indians are lapping up luxury vehicles from brands likes Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Mercedes like never before. But, as in other emerging markets, many owners rarely get behind the wheel and prefer to leave the driving to a chauffeur.
Now, a service based in Mumbai aims to polish up the chauffeurs to match their employers’ high-end vehicles.
The Institute of Chauffeur Services, which opened earlier this year, currently has about 600 students. The cost of chauffeur school is 5,400 rupees, or about $120, per student and the course lasts two months. All of the drivers are sent by their employers‑the cost of the course is beyond the reach of most chauffeurs.
The drivers are taught to shave and bathe daily, avoid eating raw onions, polish their shoes, use hand sanitizer after meals and refrain from eating in the car, says Alam Khan, a hospitality industry veteran who is the Institute’s head of training.
Continue reading on Scene Asia.


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Vehicles taking part in British motor sports event The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) will send notifications about section times, racer profiles, course map details and videos to a visitor’s smartphone using beacons supplied by KS Technologies. “Users of the iOS app will receive a notification whenever they are near any participating vehicle,” PPIHC says. The PPIHC app is also available for Apple Watch.
- Rambus publishes quick guide to Apple Pay
- Chinese banks roll out face recognition at the ATM
- Germany’s central bank reports on potential of blockchain for payments
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Northampton-based Travis Perkins has reported a 13.6 percent increase in sales in the first three months of 2022 compared to last year.
And despite general economic and politic uncertainty the firm says “order books remain robust UK construction” and expectations for the rest of the year are unchanged, say management.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “In the Merchanting segment, total sales* were up by 17.9% with all businesses performing in line with expectations.
"Pricing accounted for about two-thirds of the growth with manufacturer increases continuing to be passed through in an orderly manner. Customer demand remains robust across our end markets with larger customer activity underpinned by the backlog of social and economic infrastructure work and ongoing requirement for new housing. SME customers continue to see healthy order books, including a growing interest in energy efficiency projects.
“As anticipated, Toolstation total sales* were down (6.0 percent) in the first quarter, with like-for-like sales down (11.9 percent), reflecting a tough prior year comparator and the return of Toolstation’s customer mix back to its core trade base who continue to appreciate the value and convenience of the customer proposition. Management is confident that business drivers will normalise into the second half of the year as the comparative period passes the lifting of pandemic restrictions..
Nick Roberts, chief executive, added: “The Group has had an encouraging first quarter and, although the wider economic backdrop remains uncertain, we are well placed to build on this positive start in the coming months.
“The energy efficiency of the UK’s built environment remains a key focal point for households and politicians alike and the current cost of energy is likely to prompt further demand for improvement in both new and existing buildings. Allied to the significant pipeline of investment in the UK’s social and economic infrastructure, we remain confident in the structural drivers of demand in our end markets.
“As the UK’s largest building materials supplier and a leading partner to the construction industry, we are uniquely placed to support the country in this drive and are working closely with all key stakeholders, including government, housebuilders, tradespeople and developers, to address these challenges.”


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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tickets are still available for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said Tuesday about 15,000 reserve-seat tickets remain available for the May 26 race.
After the 100th anniversary of the race in 2016, ticket sales dropped the following year.
Boles said people cannot really compare ticket sales from 2016 to the next year because of the hype of the 100th running of the race.
He said, “I don’t think we are going to see a sellout this year. We are going to be closer this year than we have been, and, the good news, that trend of either increasing or staying flat from last year, which is significantly more than 15 and 17, is a good thing.”


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What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Spain?
The Elcano Royal Institute, a Spanish think-tank, conducted a poll of people in ten strategically important countries around the world at the start of this year, asking that question. Most people – but not all of them – thought about bulls. (I took that photo at a running of the bulls in San Sebastian de los Reyes.) Or soccer (football). Hardly anyone thought about siestas, although they did years ago. Pretty many thought about the economic crisis.
But not every country thought alike, and that’s where things get interesting.
Most of Spain’s tourism comes from Britain, France, and Germany, so it’s not surprising that the top answer was “sun” for the British at 28.5%, the French at 26%, and the Germans at 21.8%. For them, Spain is a cheap beach vacation destination. Benidorm, for example, is a Mediterranean coast city of skyscraper hotels lining beaches that hosts five million tourists per year and is famous for attracting a certain class of British tourists.
European tourists tend to go to a beach and stay there, although their younger cohorts manage to wander off into bars and then wander out drunk, rowdy, and annoying.
In addition to “sun,” Germans mentioned “economic crisis” at 8.5%, “fiesta” at 7.8%, “beaches” at 6.5%, and specific cities at 5.5%.
The French mentioned “economic crisis” at 10%, specific cities at 5.5%, and “paella” at 5.5%.
The British mentioned “tourism” at 11.8% and “bulls” at 6%.
In the United States, the responses were a little different: “bulls” at 13.5%, specific cities like Madrid or Barcelona at 10.3%, “a wonderful country” at 10%, gastronomy at 9.5%, and culture at 6.8%. While “wonderful country” is pretty generic and may be proof of the famous US failure at geography, “gastronomy” reflects a growing interest in tapas.
That mention of “culture” matters. Relatively few Americans come to Spain as tourists, but the tourism industry treasures them. Unlike the French, Americans go to restaurants and hotels rather than eating out of a cooler in their cars and sleeping at campgrounds. Americans also tend to go to cultural sites rather than beaches, perhaps because the United States has fine beaches of its own but no castles, cathedrals, or Prado Museum. This makes Americans relatively big spenders, and they spend money on the “right” things.
For Mexico and especially Morocco, their top concern reflected their relationship to Spain as a big trading partner. Economic crisis was the top response for Mexicans at 10.2% and Moroccans at 18%.
Soccer scored high in Algeria at 25.2% and Indonesia at 35.5%.
Bulls topped the thoughts of Brazilians at 28.3% and South Koreans at 37%.
Bulls, sunshine, soccer, and an economic crisis. No one asked the same question to Spaniards themselves, but having lived here for 15 years, I know that the economy is a big worry, soccer is a constant, beaches draw crowds in the summer, and bulls are both a minority interest and a national symbol.
“Stereotypes last longer than the reality that gave rise to them,” said the director of the poll. Nobody takes siestas in Spain anymore, and they haven’t for a long time. The rest of the world has finally stopped thinking about that, at least.
— Sue Burke
Also posted at my professional website: http://www.sue.burke.name


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Authorities had slapped a fine on Nestle India and its distributors last week after Maggi had allegedly failed to pass the lab test and found ash content above the permissible limits
The India arm of the Swiss packaged foods maker said FSSAI has laid standards for instant noodles, pasta and seasoning and Maggi noodles are fully compliant with this
The district administration had imposed a fine of Rs. 45 lakh on Nestle, Rs. 15 lakh on its three distributors and Rs. 11 lakh on its two sellers
The CERC said it tested 10 brands of cream biscuits at its in-house laboratory in Ahmedabad and a majority of those had "unacceptably high sugar and fat content"
Draft regulations on food labelling, advertisements and packaging will be unveiled soon, India's food safety regulator FSSAI said here on Thursday
The sales have been suspended after a state laboratory test declared the product unfit for consumption
Ashish Bahuguna, chairman of FSSAI believes it is difficult to afford oil packages of larger quantities for people earning their wages on a daily basis
Fortification means deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve its quality
The maker of Maggi noodles and KitKat chocolates said in an earnings statement that its sales had increased 16.17% to Rs 2,261.2 crore
Maggi commanded a market share of around 75%, prior to the five-month ban in 2015
The company expects consumer spends to rise on the back of good monsoon, pay panel payout and is set to roll out global brands in India
According to estimates, in 2015, the overall noodles segment in India was valued at around Rs. 2,300 crore
At present, Nestle enjoys 57% market share in the instant noodles market in India as against 75% before the crisis had hit the compan
Nestle said in its plea that the stock has passed shelf life and its storage may lead to health hazard at its storage locations
The new product, which is being tested in Gujarat, will contain 30% less sugar
Sales of the instant noodle brand from Nestle was severely hit by FSSAI ban last year
A total of 33 complaints were received by the governments regarding the brand's ads
From the newsroom of The Economic Times
Sponsered HP ›
From BE's News Desk ›
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IOH announces share buyback
Iron Ore Holdings has announced an on-market buyback of up to 10 per cent of its shares.
The company said it had $70 million in cash after the recent sale of two of its "non-core" satellite deposits with a further $42 million to be received.
IOH said the transactions delivered a value of about $1.30 per iron tonne, compared to the market's valuation of the company's resources of only 30 cents per iron tonne.
"The board believes that the buyback can be undertaken without impacting the company's development of its current assets, its pursuit of growth opportunities and without compromising its capital or liquidity position," the company said in a statement.
IOH said it had appointed Foster Stockbroking to undertake the first $5 million tranche of the buyback.
IOH shares were up 2.5 cents, or 1.88 per cent, to $1.355 at 10.45am.
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Passage of Initiative 1183 would represent another smashing victory by the 1% over the 99%.
The liquor privatization campaign is cloaked in deception snake oil salesmen of the past could only admire.
Consider just one ad running on the Internet: Showing a grinning police officer and a happy teacher, it promises I-1183, “Provides more funding for Schools, Health Care and Public Safety.”
In public forums, I-1183 spokespeople reinforce that claim – even bringing revenue projections for the cities they’re in. I-1183, we are told, is the solution to all that ails government budgets. Close your eyes and vote yes!
The state’s shortfall for the current budget may be as high as $2 billion, on top of over $10 billion in cuts since 2008. How much would I-1183 bring in to address this crisis? Between $5.4 million and $8.8 million in 2012. To put that in perspective, Costco has already spent much more just to pass I-1183 (Costco members recently received notice of a fee increase).
Furthermore, new revenue projections are based upon liquor becoming more expensive – with the state’s current 51.9% markup being replaced by a private one of 52-72%. The corporate Washington Research Council assumes it will be 62.5%. It’s all the more jarring considering the state’s markup is scheduled to fall to 39.2% in 2013.
In other words, only if customers – “the 99%” – pay more to inflate Costco’s profits will the state realize a return. Even then, it would be less than 1% of the size of the latest revenue shortfall. And remember, the state’s lower markup not only sustains the state budget but also pays living wages to those working in state-run stores.
Ignoring these facts, the I-1183 campaign both promises new revenue and claims liquor will be cheaper. That’s impossible.
This isn’t the first time some have tried to exploit liquor for personal salvation.
A forgotten aspect of Prohibition, memorably described in Daniel Okrent’s Last Call, is the role of the rich in funding repeal efforts. Wealthy magnates like Pierre S. du Pont hoped excise tax revenue from liquor would reduce their income taxes. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt disappointed them, they founded the Liberty League to defeat him – du Pont regretted not trying to repeal the income tax amendment to the Constitution instead of Prohibition.
I-1183 promises something similar. If the middle class and poor pay more for liquor, it may spare the rich from real, progressive tax reform. Ignore the elephant in the room – look at the mouse instead!
Perhaps not surprisingly, the phony I-1183 revenue message is being spread by the spokesperson who represented tax repeal initiative I-1107 last year.
In other words, the same woman who blew a $108 million hole in the state budget for next year alone is, effectively, promising to buy it back for as little as $5.4 million.
Smiling police officers? I-1107 takes $23.4 million from local governments and public safety next year – I-1183 may bring back as little as $6 million for local governments in 2012 (more than consumed by extra DUI and aid calls).
A reeling state government has proposed ending alcohol and substance abuse services for all adults except for pregnant or parenting women – a $97 million cut. I-1183 would just add to that misery.
Intoxicated by the prospect of new liquor advertising revenue (lucre from liquor!), newspapers have largely ignored these facts. Instead they have swallowed attacks the I-1183 campaign has made on liquor and wine distributors’ “self-interest” (as if Costco and anti-union grocer Trader Joe’s are acting without self-interest). In so doing, they ignore all the other casualties of I-1183.
Those casualties include family wineries – in a state full of them – that would be flattened like grapes in the first crush.
Northwest distilleries would be pushed off shelves by various Kirkland Brand liquors or Wal-Mart’s French-outsourced vodka brand Rue 33.
Other casualties would include wine shops that can’t compete with big box store “pay-to-play” deal-making, as well as mom-and-pop liquor contract stores in rural areas that, like one in Yelm, would suddenly have a liquor-selling Wal-Mart down the street.
But forget about what’s good for you and all your fellow “99-percenters.” It’s all about the 1% and making the rich richer, right? And when I-1183 fails to deliver on all of its promises of budgetary salvation will it be Costco that’s blamed? No, it will be the politicians.
Brendan Williams is a former State Representative from the 22nd Legislative District.


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Automotive supplier Ogihara America Corp. is selling its Birmingham facility to Cosma International for an undisclosed amount.
Cosma, a unit of Ontario-based Magna International Inc., said it has signed an agreement to acquire Ogihara's 460,000-square-foot stamping and sub-assembly plant in north Birmingham to expand its footprint in North America.
Once acquired, Cosma will manufacture and supply exterior and structural welded assemblies to Ogihara's former customers, including Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, said a news release.
Ogihara currently employs 280 people in Birmingham and reported $140 million in sales in 2007.
The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of this year.
Cosma has 38 manufacturing facilities and 12 product development and engineering centers around the globe.


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Central Pattana joins hands with ASEAN’s top logistics and supply chain solutions service provider JWD to expand into self-storage
published : 30 Jun 2022 at 16:42
Central Pattana will utilise its strength as a leading real estate developer with mixed-use projects in over 30 provinces under its five-year business plan to create a strong sustainable ecosystem expanding to other services targeting B2B and B2C customers in shopping centres, residential projects, office buildings and hotels.
Central Pattana Plc., Thailand’s leading company in sustainable real estate development and developer of Central shopping centres, residential projects, office buildings and hotels across Thailand, has joined forces with JWD InfoLogistics Plc. (JWD), one of ASEAN’s top logistics and supply chain solutions service providers, to expand into self-storage service business.
In combining their forces, Central Pattana is utilising its expertise in developing retail-led mixed-use development projects in key locations across the country, while JWD is using its know-how in the self-storage service business with the six branches of “JWD Store It!” and a total storage space of over 13,000 square metres. Central Pattana has invested over 100 million baht for a stake of 30 percent in JWD Store It!, resulting in it being a joint venture between Central Pattana, JWD and Store It! Management, Singapore’s leading self-storage company.
Ms. Wallaya Chirathivat, President and CEO of Central Pattana, said, “With the strategy focusing on retail-led mixed-use development, Central Pattana is looking to cater to future trends and seeking opportunities for business partnership in various areas in order to fulfil and elevate quality of life while also creating synergies for new solutions.”
“The investment in the self-storage joint venture is part of our strategy to expand into new industries which could support our core businesses by working with an experienced business partner. We contribute by utilising our strengths including our strongholds in key locations such as CBD areas in Bangkok and centres of various provinces across the country, and our market insight regarding customer behaviour in these locations. For its part, JWD will use its know-how in storage management for different groups of customers, including B2C customers, who account for a large portion.”
“As our mixed-use development projects are more than just shopping centres and incorporate other core components, we expect the self-storage business to cater to a wide range of users, including condominium residents and hotel guests. We also want to focus on the B2B potential of the business and offer our services to tenants of shopping centres and office buildings who need to store their products and equipment in a nearby area, which can improve their supply chain management and support their business expansion with us.”
Mr.Charvanin Bunditkitsada Chief Executive Officer of JWD InfoLogistics Plc., said, “The joint venture with Central Pattana will help strengthen our business, increase our ability to compete and boost our growth. We believe Central Pattana’s expertise in different locations will be key to the growth of self-storage services of JWD Store It! and will help it reach new groups of customers, including both B2C and B2B.”
JWD Store It! currently operates facilities with a total service area of over 13,000 square metres in six high-potential locations in business centres and residential areas, including five in Bangkok and one in Phuket. It offers private storages, safe deposit boxes for valuable belongings, and wine banks for wine enthusiasts, restaurants and shops. The business is determined to open more facilities in other high-potential locations.
Central Pattana is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem under a 120-billion-baht five-year business plan with a focus on retail-led mixed-use development. Its core business includes 50 shopping centres in Thailand and overseas, 16 community malls, 68 residential projects, 13 office buildings and 37 hotels. It aims to move into a new future with the brand purpose “Imagining better futures for all” to create and develop quality places with care for the people, community and environment, while driving the economy and the country.


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Oxmoor Center will be the home of Kentucky’s first Anthropologie store, the shopping center’s management has confirmed.
Urban Outfitters Inc., which owns the Anthropologie women’s apparel, accessory and home decor chain, has signed a lease agreement with Oxmoor Center owner General Growth Properties Inc., Oxmoor’s marketing manager Dee Snyder said.
Snyder said the agreement was signed in the past week and that the time frame for the store’s opening had not yet been determined. She declined to disclose terms of the lease.
Snyder did not know when construction would begin on the store, and she declined to specify where in the shopping center Anthropologie would be located, saying only that it would take the place of a store that will move out of Oxmoor.
The closest Anthropologie locations are in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Nashville.
“I think it’s going to be a great addition” for Oxmoor, Snyder said. “I know there are a lot of Louisville shoppers who shop Anthropologie in other cities who will be thrilled to have it so close to home.”
Officials for Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters Inc., which also owns Urban Outfitters, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN brands, could not be reached for comment before Business First’s deadline.
According to papers filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as of Oct. 31, there were 164 Anthropologie stores located in the United States, Canada and Europe.
In the first nine months of 2011, the company opened 11 stores.
In fiscal 2012, the company plans to open 15 Anthropologie stores.
Jewelry store to open in Oxmoor
General Growth Properties also has signed a lease with Ashcroft & Oak Jewelers to open a store in Oxmoor this spring.
But Snyder declined to disclose where the store will be located in the shopping center. There currently is an Ashcroft & Oak location in nearby Mall St. Matthews, also owned by General Growth Properties.
Snyder did not know when construction will start on the Oxmoor Ashcroft & Oak location.
Changes planned for Mall St. Matthews, too
Meanwhile, four new stores are slated to open during 2012 at Mall St. Matthews.
A Vera Bradley store will move into the former Glitter accessories store, in the wing that also houses Arhaus Furniture and Victoria’s Secret.
Sanibel Sunglass Co. will open nearby in the current Moochie & Co. pet accessories store. Moochie & Co. will move into the location formerly occupied by Trade Secret salon, which closed at the end of 2011.
Also, a Tilly’s Inc. surf and skate clothing, shoe and accessories store will open near the food court in the former Forever 21 location.
Forever 21 moved into about 110,000 square feet of the former Dillard’s department store space at the front of the mall in February 2011.
Construction on Vera Bradley, Sanibel Sunglass Co. and Tilly’s is scheduled to begin in February.
In March, construction will start on Windsor, a formal and party dress shop. The California-based dress designer currently has no Kentucky locations.
Snyder declined to disclose where the store will be located within the shopping center, saying that it will take the place of a store that will move out of Mall St. Matthews.
She said she didn’t know when the four stores would open, adding that it depends on the time it takes to construct each location.
But “any way you slice it, we’re probably looking at a late spring, early summer opening for most of those stores,” she said.


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There is a lot of interest into what is new in (e)commerce payments, and the results of a Worldpay report.
at AliExpress, the global retail online marketplace under Alibaba Group.
is that 'cryptocurrency' like Bitcoin and Ethereum is garnering.
Bitzon is a multi-sided multi-currency e-commerce marketplace platform functioning with cryptocurrencies such as BTZ, BTC, ETH, XRP and fiat currencies such.
Bitcoin Classic Vs Bitcoin has just got easier to mine while major manufacturers have started shipping their latest machines ahead of China’s. 9 Jan 2019. Ethereum Classic is the 18th-largest cryptocurrency, according to CoinMarketCap. Understandably people in the industry are worried, so I. Freemium Bitcoin Faucet Script! 17 sep 2018. Met je eigen crypto faucet kan je banner
23 Apr 2019.
ethical fashion to e-commerce with new funding from ASIF Ventures. By.
“The market for fair fashion is characterized by small, relatively.
Swiss media group Ringier said its EBITDA increased to CHF 114.1 million in 2019 from CHF 113.0 million the prior year. Turnover decreased slightly to CHF 984.8 million compared with CHF 1.2 billion.
Shopify Inc. is upping the ante in its battle against Amazon.com Inc. by aligning itself Walmart Inc. in its fight with the.
12 Apr 2018.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital currencies are accepted in more places.
an internet connection, there's nothing standing in the way of commerce.
on the Silk Road marketplace the value of Bitcoin came crashing down.
American shoppers ramped up their spending on store purchases by a record 17.7% from April to May, delivering a dose of.
1 Jul 2019.
Daniel Dabek, founder and lead developer of the marketplace platform,
I kept a good eye on Ethereum, but MaidSafe has a more compelling.
View the real-time Bitcoin Gold price, conversion rates (USD, GBP, EUR), charts, predictions, latest price news and more.


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MENOMONEE FALLS ó Kohlís has
announced an exclusive partnership with the famous founders of the
Elizabeth and James brand ó Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
The Elizabeth and James line will be sold in stores around the
country and at Kohls.com.
Kohlís will be the exclusive retailer of Elizabeth and James
apparel, handbags and accessories, bringing the brandís
high-quality, trend-forward pieces to women across the country.
ďOur vision for Elizabeth and James is to deliver a lifestyle brand
that offers women access to premium fashion at an affordable price
without sacrificing quality and fit,Ē said Mary-Kate Olsen in a
ďKohlís is the right partner to take our brand into a new era, while
staying true to the high-quality, fashion-forward designs that our
loyal brand enthusiasts expect from us. Leveraging Kohlís extensive
store network and digital platform will also allow us to reach a
much larger audience than we have in the past and for this we are
particularly excited,Ē she said.
Elizabeth and James will continue to operate as an independent
business, led by founders and co-creative directors Mary-Kate and
ďWeíre excited to partner with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, two
highly-regarded designers in the fashion industry, to bring the
Elizabeth and James brand to Kohlís customers nationwide,Ē said
Michelle Gass, Kohlís CEO.
ďThis is another great example of how we are bringing newness and
fashion relevancy to the millions of women who shop Kohlís. We also
know that Elizabeth and James will support our efforts to drive new
customers, particularly millennials, to Kohlís,Ē Gass said.
The Elizabeth and James collection featuring apparel, handbags,
accessories and beauty will be available beginning this holiday
season at the majority of Kohlís stores and on Kohls.com.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, together with Kohlís, will lead the
Elizabeth and James product design, which will be managed out of
Kohlís New York Design Office.


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“We are pleased to see consumer confidence continue to rise, leading to another near-record holiday spend on Father’s Day."Matthew Shay
NRF President and CEO
WASHINGTON – Father’s Day spending is expected to total a near-record $15.3 billion this year, according to a study released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. A total of 77 percent of Americans will celebrate Father’s Day and spend an average of $133 per person.
“We are pleased to see consumer confidence continue to rise, leading to another near-record holiday spend on Father’s Day,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Leading into the second half of the year, Americans are looking forward to treating their dads and retailers will be prepared to offer a variety of gift options that will create new memories on this special day.”
The expected spending would be second only to last year’s $15.5 billion, the highest in the 15-year history of the survey at an average $135 per person. Individuals between 25 and 34 years old will be the biggest spenders this year at an average $188 per person.
According to the survey, consumers plan to spend $2.2 billion on clothing (purchased by 43 percent of shoppers), $2.1 billion on gift cards (42 percent) and $1.8 billion on consumer electronics (20 percent). In addition, $878 million will be spent on home improvement supplies (16 percent), $862 million on personal care products (19 percent), $844 million on greeting cards (63 percent) and $830 million on tools or appliances (16 percent). Another $798 million will be spent on sporting goods or leisure items (16 percent), $686 million on automotive accessories (16 percent) and $628 million on books or music (22 percent).
The survey found 47 percent of consumers plan to give a “special outing” gift, such as a concert, sporting event or dinner. This category represents the largest share of spending at $3.2 billion.
“Special outing gifts have steadily grown in popularity for Father’s Day since their lowest point in 2009,” Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “These consumers, especially those between 18 and 24 years old, want to offer something to their dad’s that is unique, thoughtful and allows for quality time on dad’s special day.”
To find that special gift, 39 percent of those celebrating the holiday will head to a department store, 34 percent will shop online, 25 percent will visit a discount store and 24 percent will visit a specialty store. Nearly half of smartphone users plan to use their device to help making purchasing decisions while shopping this Father’s Day.
Over half of those surveyed plan to buy for their fathers or stepfathers (53 percent) followed by husbands (27 percent) and sons (10 percent).
The survey of 7,681 consumers was conducted May 3-10 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
About Prosper Insights & Analytics
Prosper Insights & Analytics is a global leader in consumer intent data serving the financial services, marketing technology, and retail industries. We provide global authoritative market information on U.S. and China consumers via curated insights and analytics. By integrating a variety of data including economic, behavioral and attitudinal data, Prosper helps companies accurately predict consumers’ future behavior to help identify market behaviors, optimize marketing efforts, and improve the effectiveness of demand generation campaigns. www.ProsperInsights.com
The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Based in Washington, D.C., NRF represents discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF.com


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Online florists, nurseries and supplementary businesses have risen in demand this past year. The online gifting market has been growing exponentially this pandemic. However, the founders of these websites are aware that it will be an uphill task to scale up despite seeing their businesses blossom during the past year.
Spring in their step
Root Bridges, an online nursery, has seen a phenomenal growth in e-commerce sales during the past one year. The company’s CEO, Udit Khanna, says the offline nursery is not seeing much footfall and 90% of the revenue comes from the online channel.
Saumitra Kabra, co-founder of myBageecha, says his website has added new buyers looking to “greenify” their place and has shut down the offline part of the business about 1.5 years ago.
Ferns N Petals, earned Rs 500 crore in revenue in FY21.Pawan Gadia, CEO, retail and online, India, UAE & Singapore, Ferns N Petals, says the company is looking at a revenue of Rs 700-750 crore in FY22. Gadia says the demand in offline retail is less across categories like indoor plants and flowers compared to online sales which jumped 30% in FY21 over FY20.
Christine Langstieh, founder of Bloombombs said that in the pandemic people are buying flowers for themselves rather than gifting to others. A flower subscription box from Bloombombs costs about Rs 2,000 for a weekly delivery, every month. Ferns N Petals also offer a subscription box starting from Rs 649.
In this past 14 months people also experimented a lot with in house gardening and growing their own vegetables for the kitchen which lead Bayer, a multinational pharmaceuticals and life sciences company, to supply and provide vegetable seeds to consumers directly.
Purchasing botanical products remains specific to a metro and tier I phenomenon and for kitchen gardening.
Seeds of growth
The perishable nature of plants and cut flowers makes it a difficult for companies in their transportation. Kabra adds that, shipping plants is expensive and if damaged in the process, they have to replace it. Also, consumers are reluctant to purchase items like plants and flowers online, making expansion difficult for these websites. Langstieh emphasizes on educating the consumer as the first step for scaling up.
Ferns N Petals has a big product basket ranging from cakes to watches, to cater to the broader gifting market. Harish Bijoor, founder, Harish Bijoor Consults, said that being too specific is not going to work and that these websites have to expand their offerings to reach a broader market while keeping their core offerings as their USP.
myBageecha has already partnered with brands having plant and flower inspired products and products like table lamps, notepads, bookmarks and pen stands make up 30% of its online store. Bloombombs, sells lifestyle products like scented candles, planters and dry flowers.
Bijoor suggests tie-ups with marketplaces that deliver milk and groceries to address the challenge of delivering fresh flowers and plants.


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TheTourAttraction.com aims to provide the latest global travel and free travel news, travel and visa policies, and flight information. We hope to provide insights into tourism market, technology and development trends with everyone by providing the latest relevant information. Despite the raging COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, we always firmly believe that mankind will overcome the disease and the tourism market will definitely recover. TheTourAttraction.com look forward to your attention and support, and witness the development of the global tourism industry with us. Looking forward to the information TheTourAttraction.com provide can help you. We will continue to follow up and obtain the latest data, and look forward to your attention and support.
The following is the [Travel News]: Las Vegas Sands ready to invest another $10 billion in Macau from [Asgam.com] recommended by TheTourAttraction.com:
CEO said he has “very strong thoughts” about online gaming.
Las Vegas Sands and its Macau-subsidiary Sands China stand ready to invest another US$5 billion to US$10 billion into Macau should the government incorporate further capital expectations into its license retendering.
Speaking for the first time as LVS Chairman and CEO on the company’s 4Q20 earnings call, long-time executive Rob Goldstein addressed a series of questions over the company’s future investment plans following recent rumors it may be considering selling off some of its Las Vegas assets.
While such a sale is not currently top of mind, LVS will consider such a move if it enables more lucrative investment opportunities in its key markets of Macau and Singapore, Goldstein said. Notably, he added that the company expects a requirement for further investment into Macau in the future with an additional US$5 billion to US$10 billion already pegged for the Chinese casino hub.
“I believe when Macau makes its decision (on retendering) there will be a requirement to invest further in Macau,” he said. “That’s how Sheldon [Adelson] felt, that we would invest another US$5 billion to US$10 billion.”
Noting that LVS is already in the midst of a US$3.3 billion expansion of its Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore, Goldstein observed, “These are not small investments, they are in the billions of dollars, so we have to be prepared for outside investments in our best markets, which are Macau and Singapore for crazy growth.”
Asked if he had any specific thoughts himself on online gaming, Goldstein said, “I have very strong thoughts about that but I don’t want to talk about them at this time.”


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After years of amazing successes and continued growth, Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo (WIBTE) will be launching an event based in Manchester as well as the flagship event in London.
‘The UK’s Top Digital Tech City’, Manchester was an obvious choice for the expansion, enabling the more than 10,000 start-ups and tech businesses located in the region, including Google, Boohoo, The Hut Group, AO.com, BBC, IBM, Cisco and Microsoft, to utilise the show’s networking, recruitment, and education programmes.
Organised by the industry-leading team at Hub Exhibitions, Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo has fast become one of the go-to events for organisations and professionals to diversify their teams, attract new recruits and meet like-minded partners.
In previous instalments, sponsors including Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, TikTok, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Experian and Cisco have found the event invaluable for recruiting female talent, balancing out their workforce, promoting their D&I policies, being seen as a top choice employer and selling their products & services to a large professional audience.
Commenting on the newest launch for the Hub Exhibitions brand, Christie Day, Group Event Director at Hub Exhibitions, said:
“Bringing the show to Manchester was a no-brainer for us. The event provides an opportunity for women at any stage in their career, and with the increase challenges of travelling to London and the cost-of-living crisis, we wanted to ensure WIBTE was accessible to every professional across the UK. This new event will enable exhibitors, sponsors and partners to expand their reach across both Northern and Southern regions of the UK. We look forward to our first Manchester show in March 2024.”
Hosted at Manchester Central, Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo Manchester will take place 5-6 March 2024.
For more information on the upcoming events or to register your interest, click here: https://www.wibexpo.co.uk/


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Both companies individually announced their collaborations with athletic apparel brands on innovative fabric solutions. Sciessent announced its partnership with Swedish company Haglofs, which will receive its Lava odor-adsorbing technology for select apparel pieces. Polartec also announced that it will be working with Kitsbow, Outdoor Research, Velocio and Westcomb to debut its first cooling platform, Polartec Delta, to consumers.
Sciessent’s Lava is non-toxic and it efficiently traps bacteria-produced odor molecules that live under the human skin. Lava absorbs body odor compounds produced from physical activity sweat. When the odors try to pass through athletic apparel, Lava captures them and sustains fresh-smelling garments. Even through the laundry process, Lava technology doesn’t diminish and remains at capacity throughout future garment use.
“Everyone sweats and the clothing inevitably starts to smell. Since we create clothing to complement an active lifestyle, the need to incorporate odor-fighting technology into our apparel is apparent,” said Haglöfs’ sustainability manager, Eva Mullins. “We opted to partner with Sciessent and use their Lava product because it provides an environmentally-friendly solution to odor control allowing us to tread more lightly in the places we play.”
Polartec’s first company cooling platform, Polartec Delta, will also assist consumers who live active lifestyles. The fabric solution features hydrophobic and hydrophilic yarns to extend the human skin’s natural evaporative cooling response. This mechanical wicking construction is more sustainable than using chemical additives to keep consumers cool and not overheated during their next workout.
The first garments that will feature Polartec Delta will include the Westcomb Bravo Top & Delta Crew, the Outdoor Research Gauge TEE, the Kitsbow Radiator Tee and the Velocio Radiator Baselayer.
Polartec’s product marketing manager, Karen Beattie, spoke about how Polartec Delta will impact the athletic apparel market greatly and also expose consumers to better fabric technology. “The science of the fabric was the initial hook, and the comfort experienced in field testing sealed the deal. We are excited to see major brands garments hit the market all over the world so consumers can get to experience Delta first-hand,” she said.


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The smartphone will probably be to be had on-line on Flipkart and it’s mentioned to be powered via MediaTek chipset. The approaching Poco smartphone is predicted to accommodate a 5000 mAh battery.
Get in a position to be 🤯🤯🤯🤯 since you’re about to witness the #KillerLooksOPPerformer for your self.The #POCOM45G is ar… https://t.co/ReJZfs588X
— POCO India (@IndiaPOCO) 1650954665000
Poco took to Twitter to show the release date of Poco M4 5G. The corporate tweeted, “Get in a position to be 🤯🤯🤯🤯 since you’re about to witness the #KillerLooksOPPerformer for your self. The #POCOM45G is arriving on twenty ninth April, 2022 on @Flipkart.”
Poco M4 5G anticipated specs
In step with more than a few on-line leaks, Poco M4 5G is alleged to run Android 12 running machine crowned with the corporate’s personal layer of MIUI 13. The smartphone is tipped to function a 6.58-inch full-HD+ LCD show with 90Hz refresh price.
Poco M4 5G is predicted to be powered via MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset paired with as much as 6GB of RAM. The approaching Poco smartphone is rumoured to recreation a 50 MP primary digital camera and a 5MP entrance snapper.
Poco M4 5G is predicted to pack 128GB inside stoarge and is alleged to return with microSD card beef up. The smartphone is tipped to accommodate a 5000 mAh battery with 18W speedy charging beef up.


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Cars are major contributors to pollution. In a world where the luxury of transportation has become a necessity, building more cars seem to be a good idea. But, since they have been known for harming the environment, people can’t chose between conveniences over nature. So, carmakers began creating feasible solutions to help eradicate this problem. This is why the creation of Hybrid vehicles seemed to be the most important breakthrough in the automotive industry... Because it really is.
Honda has long been in the frontier of this advocacy. It is no surprise therefore that their “green” hybrid cars fared well in the market, just like the Honda Civic Hybrid and GX. But for 2008, American Honda Motor Co. has a new strategy: double the green.
According to reliable plant.com’s report, the Japan-established carmaker has undertook a “series of new green building initiatives as part of a leading effort to further reduce the environmental impact of Honda’s operations and products.” Under this initiative, their arm of luxury vehicles, Acura, is also included in the game plan. They focus basically on developing four areas: Home Heating Cogeneration Product, Natural Gas Home Refueling Appliance, Honda Solar Cells, and their Automobiles.
Source: Reliable Plant


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A restaurant in Hawaii has been shut down after a Snapchat video of its employees cooking a rodent on the grill leaked online.
Thanks to the internet and social media, we currently live in a time where we can thoroughly research anything, anywhere or anyone at the touch of a button. Not sure about seeing a movie, check out what people are saying about it online. About to go on a date with someone, take a look at their Facebook. We hear that some people do that.
The restaurant industry might be the one that has been affected the most by patrons being able to go online and influence others. Get a few bad reviews from the right, or wrong, people and it could spell the end for your business. Since everything you need to know about an establishment is online, why would you chance going somewhere completely new and having a bad experience when you can research it online beforehand?
That's why a recent scandal revolving around Hawaiian restaurant Teddy's Bigger Burger will have been rightfully viewed as a PR nightmare. Two of the chain's employees at its Mapunapuna location recorded themselves grilling what appears to be either a rat or a mouse on the grill. Yes, you read that right, and if you have a strong stomach you can check out the footage for yourselves below.
Braaaaah. Gnarly. Employees at Teddy’s Bigger Burger cooking a rat at the 99 ranch location. Ummmmm. 😂 so gnarPosted by My Kailua on Thursday, November 22, 2018
If the clip had simply been of the animal on the grill, there would have been no way of anyone being able to prove where it happened. However, the bright young man holding the phone flipped it around to show his and the griller's faces, at which time the latter said "welcome to Teddy's." Both employees have been fired and the president of Teddy's told the Associated Press that they are currently investigating the video to determine its authenticity.
The branch in question has obviously been temporarily closed and the equipment in the kitchen is being replaced. Teddy's has also been in touch with an attorney regarding the possibility of legal action against the two teenagers involved. It would certainly make sense as the video may very well have done irreparable damage to the chain's reputation. We certainly wouldn't eat at that particular restaurant if we happened to pass by.


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Walmart told its home office employees Friday to begin working remotely through at least April 3. The retailer said this will pertain to all U.S. offices and become effective on March 16. Walmart said it made this decision with guidance from its chief medical officer as well as state and local health officials.
While the company’s offices will remain open, other services such as printing and the food court will be closed temporarily. Walmart did not prohibit employees from coming to the office, but asked those who do to practice social distance and avoid large gatherings given COVID-19 can be spread by close contact.
“As always, our purpose is to support our associates in our stores, clubs and supply chain, and we need to be healthy to do so. While our ways of working at the office will change in this period, that focus on our associates will not. Our stores and clubs are open and providing a vital service to our communities at this unprecedented time. We will be there for them, and you’ll continue to see our leaders in stores, clubs and distribution centers across the country,” M Walmart CEO Doug McMillon noted in the internal memo. “We know this is a challenging time, and it will require all of us to be patient and flexible and to support one another.”
The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Arkansas rose from six to nine between Thursday and Friday, with one patient not having a link to possible exposure while outside the state, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Friday (March 13).
As of early Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 41 deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 (coronavirus), with 1,629 confirmed cases. The ongoing pandemic outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus was first detected in China and has now been detected in more than 100 locations internationally, including in the United States.
McMillon also on Friday met with President Donald Trump and other White House officials and business retail and pharmacy executives to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Walmart will be one of the retailers mentioned by Trump that will make some of its parking lots available for coronavirus drive-thru testing and other preventative measures.
McMillon was asked when stores would be fully in-stock for items like hand sanitizers, rubbing alcohol and disinfectant products. He said Walmart and all retailers are working with suppliers to ensure shelves are replenished quickly. He said some products like hand sanitizers may remain in short supply relative to demand in the short term.


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In a recent announcement from its Mountain View, California headquarters, Google revealed its bold move to reshape how we think about digital security. The company’s game plan? Ditch traditional passwords in favor of more secure alternatives.
Google’s Move Towards Passkey Authentication
Google has made a noteworthy change by setting passkeys as the standard for logging into personal accounts. These passkeys are the tech giant’s answer to the drawbacks of traditional passwords. However, for those who are comfortable with the old ways, Google offers the option to continue using regular passwords.
Benefits of Passkeys
- Positive Feedback: Since their introduction in May, passkeys have been lauded as a safer and faster alternative to passwords. Users have appreciated the streamlined login process and the enhanced security it offers.
- Reduced Risk: One of the standout features of passkeys is their ability to significantly reduce the risk of password theft, whether through malicious hacking attempts or inadvertent sharing.
- Diverse Authentication Methods: Catering to modern technology, passkeys can be authenticated using facial recognition, fingerprint scans, or a PIN. This multi-modal approach ensures that users have multiple layers of security.
- Phishing Protection: In the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, phishing remains a significant concern. Passkeys offer a robust defense against such attempts, ensuring that users’ data remains uncompromised.
- Lost Device Security: The security features of passkeys shine even when a device is misplaced. Unauthorized access is nearly impossible without the correct biometric data or PIN, safeguarding users’ information.
- Advanced Cryptography: Advanced cryptography forms the heart of the passkey system. This process ensures that the device accesses the correct passkey only through designated biometric information or a PIN
But Google’s vision goes beyond just its own services. The company hopes to see more online platforms adopt this enhanced security measure. By pushing for broader adoption, Google envisions a future where the cumbersome and often vulnerable password is a thing of the past.
Broader Adoption & Industry Influence:
Companies are adopting passkeys beyond Google’s suite of services. Other major platforms and services, including YouTube, Search, Maps, Uber, and eBay, have also integrated passkey authentication, signaling a broader industry shift towards this innovative security measure.
In conclusion, as digital threats continue to evolve, so do the methods to counter them. Google’s move towards passkeys represents a significant step in the right direction, promising a future where digital security is both robust and user-friendly.
Source: google blog