text:
After a long, long month of laptop releases, Computex 2022 is finally over. In a way, it was the Computex that wasn’t.
The beginning of this year was an exciting time for a laptop reporter. Every company and its mother announced that big ideas were on the way. Crazy products abounded, from monitors to phones. LG Display (which supplied the 13.3-inch panel for Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold) showed off a 17-inch foldable OLED screen. We’ve seen RGB, OLEDs and haptics galore. Chip manufacturers promised architectural innovations and performance improvements. We were told that these would all be coming soon.
Computex, the largest laptop-specific trade fair of the year, was held at the end of May. (Well, it really was all of May – since many global attendees couldn’t make it to Taiwan, most companies just did their own thing and threw their releases whenever, but that’s another story. I’m still recovering from this one Month of Nonstop Announcements (please don’t text me) This would have been the perfect timing for the release of some of these innovative releases. Or get a release date.
But we didn’t get them at Computex 2022. The show was actually aggressively unexciting. We got a heck of a lot of chip bumps. We have some higher refresh rate displays. We got an HP Specter x360 with rounder corners. (To be clear, I personally really appreciate the rounded corners, but I may be the only person on the planet in this boat.)
Don’t get me wrong: incremental upgrades, both for internal specifications and external elements, are important. You will change people’s lives. Businesses don’t have to reinvent the wheel with every single laptop they release. But it’s still worth noting that a number of devices that seem really ready to expand or redefine their categories aren’t here yet (or if they are, I can’t find them listed for sale).
Below are some highly anticipated products that were announced earlier this year and still haven’t made it onto my desk:
- Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED originally announced at CES for Q2 2022. As of this writing, there are 25 days left of Q2 and we don’t even have a confirmed price yet. This is one of several 17-inch foldable laptops we’ve been expecting this year – Samsung also showed one off at CES, and HP is said to have one in the works. We didn’t see either of these at Computex.
- The XPS 13 2-in-1, one of the most important models in the convertible segment. Okay, so this one hasn’t really been announced yet, but it’s been leaked – and according to the leaks, Dell will likely transition this product from the traditional 2-in-1 form factor to a Surface Pro-like device. There is no talk of that in May.
- The non-enterprise version of the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, the standalone device that edge The employees were looking forward to this year the most. It’s poised to be the first Chromebook to include a haptic trackpad and Intel vPro, among other impressive new features. This was supposed to ship in April when it was announced at CES. We received an update in early May – it’s now coming “this summer” but is currently out of stock.
- Speaking of HP, the equally exciting Dragonfly G3, which is finally bringing the 3:2 display to the high-end business line and which we saw a prototype of in January, was originally expected in March. From the HP website it looks like it won’t ship until July now.
- Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 3, the 2022 release I’ve personally been most looking forward to. It’s a 17 inch dual screen device. While dual-screen devices that place the keyboard at the front of the deck can still be quite good, their positioning doesn’t work for everyone. The ThinkBook Plus puts the screen to the side, keeps the keyboard in its usual position (albeit a little far to the left), and keeps the touchpad a decent size, an arrangement that many people might find more convenient. It was rightfully very cool to use in Lenovo’s CES demo area and could potentially be a useful introduction to the dual-screen form factor. This should be delivered in May, but according to Lenovo’s website it is still “coming soon”.
- There’s also no sign of the ThinkPad Z Series just yet, a funky new ThinkPad lineup aimed at Gen Z that includes a haptic touchpad and vegan leather sleeve and may be a new vision of who can benefit from a business laptop . This should ship in May, but no dice yet. (The website still says “Coming Spring 2022” as of this writing.
RDNA 3, AMD’s next generation of Radeon GPUs rumored to bring insane performance improvements. The refreshes AMD showed off were still a big announcement, but the reported single-threaded gains were underwhelming in comparison.
It’s not all bad news. Some of the most anticipated devices of 2022 have been released on schedule, including a slew of products on the gaming side like Asus’ ROG Flow Z13. And, of course, companies always deviate from plans. But I checked my impressions with Stephen Kleynhans, vice president of Gartner Research, and it seems to be true: We’re seeing delays in PC shipments across the board, which in turn are affecting releases. It’s not a problem unique to the PC space, of course – industries across the board, including automotive, are being held up.
Unsurprisingly, Kleynhans believes these delays are “mainly supply chain issues,” and much of it has to do with the current COVID situation in China, which has led to lockdowns in key tech hubs. Kleynhans told me: “Until China really opens up again, which we seem to be seeing now, and it can catch up on the backlog that has built up, we will continue to see disruptions on top of the disruptions that were already there”. He believes PC availability could be disrupted “at least towards the summer and towards the end of the year.”
According to Kleynhans, not only are companies struggling to get their hands on current-gen devices — it’s also had to do with fulfilling last-gen orders. “If you have a customer who placed an order for 1,000 machines three or four months ago and still hasn’t received it, you don’t want to release this year’s model while those orders are still pending,” Kleynhans told me. We’re certainly seeing delays in current models as well – many of Apple’s latest MacBook Pros are showing shipping dates from late July or later. (Apple is rumored to have a new MacBook Air in the pipeline, and it will be interesting to see if the company is able to stick to its usual near-term availability schedule.)
When it comes to supply chain delays, the PC market is hardly the hardest-hit (or most important) industry. The world will keep spinning if 17-inch foldable PCs take longer than expected to ship. And laptop delays are hardly the most important or impactful consequence of this pandemic.
Still, this situation should serve as a reminder of a fact that, frankly, is always worth remembering: the PC room has so many moving parts. A lot of things had to be right to bring the laptop you’re typing on and the laptop I’m typing on (it’s a Zephyrus G14, if you’re curious) to our doorsteps. It’s fun to live in a world full of feel, foldability and double the performance at the beginning of the year. But the real world is more complicated and boring, and even the coolest innovations require all sorts of logistical stars to align.


text:
Apple has some really good news for users of the iOS 9. The company released free software updates for Apple iPads and iPhones running on iOS 9 to improve their performance significantly. According to reports, the new updates will not just improve battery life of these devices but also offer enhance functionality of the virtual assistant. A software update for the Apple Watch was also planned for the same day but could not be offered due to some bug issues.
Long battery life
The new update will improve battery life by diminishing use of non-essential tasks or visual effects. With the new update, the phone will also stop checking for automatic updates or email. Siri virtual assistant would also be improved with the update and users will be able to undertake swipe screen activities easily.
Accessing notifications should become easier because everything would be listed on the home screen according to time of occurrence. Alarm, security, maps and news service have also undergone transformation with the latest software update.
Access your iPad more conveniently
Multitasking is now simpler with the new software update on Apple iPad. However, the choices for multitasking have not been increased. Once the new update is installed, the iPad will offer better control like a laptop as sliding is much easier now. Getting the software update is simple, like the previous ones. Yet, users need to ensure proper backup of their data and at least 1.3 GB free space for running the update.

domain: news


text:
Sony's PS4 Outsells Microsoft's Xbox One for February
March 14, 2014 12:36 PM
comment(s) - last by
Sony won by nearly 30,000 sales
Sony's PlayStation 4 pulled out another monthy sales win over Microsoft's Xbox One, although the gap is starting to narrow.
, Microsoft sold 258,000 Xbox One consoles for the month of February. However, Sony sold around 287,000 PlayStation 4s according to market researchers NPD Group.
Overall hardware sales rose 42 percent year over year and 44 percent month over month. The top-selling games for February were "Call of Duty: Ghosts," "The Lego Movie Videogame," "NBA 2K14," "Thief" and "Grand Theft Auto V."
The PS4 ended up
outselling the Xbox One
in January as well, where journalist Geoff Keighley -- who spoke with PlayStation SVP Guy Longworth -- said PS4 sales in January nearly doubled the "nearest next gen competitor," which points to the Xbox One.
But the Xbox One was December 2013's winner with 908,000 consoles sold.
In mid-February, it was reported that Sony had sold
5.3 million PS4s globally
Sales of both consoles are being watched very closely, since many believe the months after the holiday season are more telling of which console wins the race rather than the November-December period, when everyone is spending anyway.
Both Microsoft and Sony released their respective consoles a week apart in November 2013, just in time for the holiday season.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
3/15/2014 2:04:13 PM
It doesn't take what it used to since most games are ports from consoles a good system last a lot longer these days. I mid level video card and CPU is all you need.
3/16/2014 9:44:05 PM
Capable gaming PCs are cheaper than they've ever been. Even with a low $500 budget, all-in on everything, you can put together a very good and small mATX system with a GTX 750 Ti that will run nearly everything well. Bump up another $200-$300 towards the GPU and an SSD and its even better.
1080p gaming is very achievable with a budget these days. What will demand an increase in your budget are things like 1440p or multi-monitor gaming, or large SSD storage. The last thing is becoming less of an issue now that SSDs have come down to around $.50 per GB. 1440p+ is an unavoidable strain on performance that demands lots of graphics horsepower. Its the only reason I'm SLI right now, otherwise a mid-range card would be perfect.
“So far we have not seen a single Android device that does not infringe on our patents." -- Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith
Sony PS4 Sells Over 5.3M Units Globally Since Launch
February 18, 2014, 8:38 AM
PS4 Nearly Doubles Xbox One Sales in January
February 14, 2014, 11:43 AM
Retiree Sues Apple For $7,500 for Wiping Honeymoon Photos From His iPhone
November 30, 2015, 10:23 AM
iPhone 7 May Pack 3-4 GB Memory, More Storage; 4-Inch Comeback is Rumored
November 20, 2015, 10:12 PM
OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 Will Receive Android Marshmallow in Q1 2016
November 16, 2015, 9:58 AM
Lenovo Whoa: Motorola Droid MAXX 2 and Turbo 2 Break Cover in Leaks
October 26, 2015, 3:12 PM
Leak: Apple Preps for First Real Android App Foray With New Apple Music App
October 24, 2015, 1:59 PM
Pepsi Smartphone? Empty Calories Coming Soon to the Midrange
October 12, 2015, 11:41 PM
Most Popular Articles
Free Windows 10 offer ends July 29th, 2016: 10 Reasons to Upgrade Immediately
July 22, 2016, 9:19 PM
Smart Security Cameras: 5 Good Choices For Any Budget
July 25, 2016, 7:13 PM
2017 Porsche Panamera: I’ll Take Three of These.
July 24, 2016, 6:44 PM
Top 5 Smart Watches
July 21, 2016, 11:48 PM
Latest Blog Posts
Sceptre Airs 27", 120 Hz. 1080p Monitor/HDTV w/ 5 ms Response Time for $220
Dec 3, 2014, 10:32 PM
Costco Gives Employees Thanksgiving Off; Wal-Mart Leads "Black Thursday" Charge
Oct 29, 2014, 9:57 PM
"Bear Selfies" Fad Could Turn Deadly, Warn Nevada Wildlife Officials
Oct 28, 2014, 12:00 PM
The Surface Mini That Was Never Released Gets "Hands On" Treatment
Sep 26, 2014, 8:22 AM
ISIS Imposes Ban on Teaching Evolution in Iraq
Sep 17, 2014, 5:22 PM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2016 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


text:
Lufkin Movie Prices Hit a Record High
The cost of a movie ticket varies of course, depending on the time of day that you go and whether it's showing on a premium screen like an IMAX. But overall, the price to see a flick is going up at Lufkin Mall and Cinemark Lufkin 12.
Here's how much cash you should have in your wallet for that movie date this weekend.
The average cost of a movie ticket is $8.73 now, which is up just a smidge from $8.70 last year.
The biggest things that are causing the average ticket price to rise are the premium screenings like 3D and IMAX. Those have a built-in increase of a buck or two compared to the standard showings, and that pushes up the average price.
Ok, solution! Can we get rid of 3D? The glasses never fit comfortably and the kids won't keep them on for the whole movie, and we all end up getting headaches because of the eye strain. Movies seem fine without the characters flying into our laps. But I digress.
Ghostbusters, Finding Dory, The Secret Life of Pets, Ice Age: Collision Course, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and Star Trek Beyond will all be out there this weekend competing for your eight bucks.
Oh, and don't forget your popcorn money. It's not just the cost of the ticket that seems to be going up all the time.


text:
Using data from BloombergNEF, and while noting that the information from October and November is preliminary, Axios said that over 1 million battery electric vehicles were sold in the country during 2023. Meanwhile, sales of plug-in hybrid cars are also on the rise.
BloombergNEF also found that the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has encouraged about $100 billion worth of investments in the sector. This includes battery manufacturing — which is booming in southern states — vehicle manufacturing, battery component production, and battery recycling.
It includes measures to encourage sustainable energy production — such as wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy — and tax breaks for consumers looking to invest in electric vehicles.
While the United States is still lagging behind China when it comes to EV sales, with 6.23 million forecast for the East Asian nation in 2023, per a Statista report, the continued growth of electric vehicle activity in the U.S. is clear to see.
Axios noted that the data suggests that fears of a drop-off in demand for clean electric cars in the United States are not being realized.
President Biden set a goal for half of all new vehicle sales to be electric models by 2030, hopefully accelerating the switch from dirty-fuel-powered, internal-combustion-engine machines to vehicles that produce zero tailpipe pollution while on the road.
To help make this possible, the U.S. government has been improving necessary infrastructure across the country, with a 40% increase in charging ports since Biden took office, per a White House press release.
Money.com cited data from the American Automobile Association that found that 56% of people were reluctant to switch to electric vehicles because of a perceived lack of convenient charging. This makes boosting availability an extremely important step to take, with the added benefit of reducing range anxiety for EV drivers.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.


text:
Apple has confirmed details for a September 10 event widely tipped to unveil two new iPhones, including a cheaper, plastic model.
Rumours of the event, set for 10am US Pacific Time on September 10, were floated in mid-August with many quick to predict it will feature the release of a handset dubbed the iPhone 5S.
Shortly after, talk quickly spread that Apple would introduce a gold iPhone 5S.
Broadly, two handset releases are expected – one at the low-end and one at the high-end, with the cheaper low-end device tipped to come in plastic.
The iPhones are also expected to come in a wider variety of colours, something that Apple appeared to allude to in the invite for next week’s event.
Pundits are also betting Apple will formally release its latest mobile operating system, iOS7, while no news is expected on the tablet front as Apple unveiled new iPads and Macs at an event in October last year.
In the US, Apple is also offering trade-ins for older models of iPhones, hoping to boost brand loyalty among customers that might be tempted by models from rivals like Samsung, whose Galaxy models have become the iPhone’s biggest competitor in the global smartphone market.
The September 10 launch event (Wednesday, September 11 at 3am AEST) will be held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
News of the apple event came after Microsoft announced it had agreed to buy the mobile handsets business of struggling Nokia for $US7.2 billion. Once the dominant global player in mobile, Nokia, like one time rival BlackBerry, has fallen as consumers switched to smartphones like the iPhone and Galaxy.
Business magazine Fortune, meanwhile, has tracked down a young Australian it says has been a thorn in Apple’s side ahead of the launch event thanks to purported leaks of photos and other details of the next iPhone.
Writes Fortune: “Ask around about the business of buying and selling unfinished Apple parts – upon which the company keeps a famously tight lid – and the name that comes up more than any other this summer is Sonny Dickson.


text:
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is in talks to buy South African wholesaler Massmart in a deal worth more than $4bn.
Wal-Mart has tabled an offer of 148 rand a share, which values Massmart at about 30bn rand ($4.1bn; £2.7bn)
Declining sales in the US have led to Wal-Mart pushing into emerging markets to maintain growth.
Strong sales in China, Brazil and Mexico helped it to record a second-quarter profit of $3.6bn in 2010.
A firm foothold in Africa would see Wal-Mart add to its expansion plans.
"South Africa presents a compelling growth opportunity for Wal-Mart and offers a platform for growth and expansion in other African countries," said Andy Bond, executive vice-president of Wal-Mart for the region.
Massmart's company website lists a total of 232 stores in South Africa alone, with 24 distributed throughout the continent, extending as far as Nigeria.
Wal-Mart's moves into other territories have sometimes brought it into conflict with local trade unions, but the company was keen to allay fears that the pattern would be repeated in South Africa.
"We respect and honor pre-existing union relationships and are committed to abiding by South African labour laws," said Doug McMillon, president and chief executive of Wal-Mart International, on the company website.
Shares in Massmart rose 10.5% to 149 rand (£13.40) in Monday morning trading.


text:
Samsung will launch its new foldable phones on the 11th of August at the Unpacked event, but a day before that event, Xiaomi is going to unveil its Mix series device. It is the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4. The phone is set to go official on the 10th of August in China, and the company has officially confirmed the name as well as the launch date on Weibo. As the name shows, this is the successor of the 2019’s Mi Mix 3, which had a slider to show the rear cameras.
Unlike the Mi Mix Fold of this year, it isn’t going to be a foldable phone, but one thing that is its main highlight is the under-display selfie camera. So, just a day before Samsung launches its phones with an under-display selfie camera, Xiaomi is launching its first phone with this technology. A video was shared by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, and in that video, we can see the display panel of the Mi Mix 4. When illuminated, the selfie camera is not visible, but as the panel is turned off, we can see the camera sensor. You can check that video below –
Details are scarce at the moment, so we don’t know how the Mi Mix 4 looks like or what its specifications are. But, since the launch is scheduled to take place in less than a week, we would surely get to know more about this phone in the coming days.


text:
US comedian and actor Kevin Hart makes his Australian stand up debut when he takes his smash hit live show What Now? around the country next year.
Hot off a 90-plus-date US arena tour – which included a performance to an audience of more than 52,000 people in Philadelphia last weekend - Hart will bring the show to Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney from Wednesday February 3.
Gold: $149.90 + booking fee
Silver: $119.90 + booking fee
Bronze: $99.90 + booking fee
Please note due to demand there will be a strict purchase limit of 8 tickets per transaction.
ALL SHOWS ARE ALL AGES


text:
A recent article at CBS MoneyWatch exposes multi-level marketing company LuLaRoe and the alleged fraud being perpetrated on its consultants. You may remember that I criticized LuLaRoe and its MLM model a few months ago based on the false narrative that lots of women are getting rich by selling the leggings. One of my main criticisms:
Business Insider promoted the idea that LuLaRoe is making women rich. While there ARE a handful of women who are making a ton of money from the company, only an incredibly tiny fraction of participants can make this type of money. Why? Simple math. If you’re making a 3% to 5% commission on your downline (as you’ll see below), it takes $700,000 of wholesale purchases by your downline to earn $35,000 in a month. (I realize that various bonuses change the math, but I’m using these numbers to simplify things.)
Other problems that I have with this “business model”:
- Very high cost to start… the smallest startup inventory package is just under $5,000 (and you don’t even get to select your own inventory… you order sizes and styles, and the company decides what pattern/print you’re going to get)
- It’s pay to play… in order to be “eligible” for commissions on your downline, you have to purchase at about $3,500 per month
- Consultants receive an average of $85 PER YEAR in commission
- You don’t OWN a business… you participate in LuLaRoe at the mercy of the company, who can essentially cut you off at any time (so you’ve built up a customer base, and then you can’t get any clothes from the company because they’ve terminated you)
- Almost everyone loses money in multi-level marketing
LuLaRoe consultants already sued the company over its policies regarding sales tax. And according to CBS MoneyWatch, there are new complaints from consultants which may lead to another lawsuit:
…the company misled them about the time and risks involved in launching a LuLaRoe business, as well as the potential income people can earn from becoming a “consultant” who sells its merchandise. They also claim LuLaRoe is slow to process refunds for products they buy that turn out to be defective.
The article cited a “source close to the company” saying that 90% of the consultants who signed up with LuLaRoe since 2012 are still with the company. I say that’s impossible. Multi-level marketing has extremely high churn rates.
Of course it’s difficult to calculate churn rates because the companies publish so little information on how many people quit and how fast… obviously because those numbers would show how awful the “opportunity” is. MLM expert Robert FitzPatrick estimated a 60% to 90% annual churn rate for Herbalife. Dr. Jon Taylor found that at least 50% of people quit their MLM in the first year, and by year five, 90% to 95% of have quit.
LuLaRoe defends its high initial investment by saying it’s a way to make sure that people are serious about the business. Foisting these large inventory packages on MLM distributors is called frontloading. The truth is the MLMs frontload new recruits because they know that in most cases, the first inventory order will be the most they will ever order. The goal is to get that first purchase as high as possible.
There are so many things wrong with MLM in general, and LuLaRoe takes the scam to a whole new level. It is yet another company projecting an image of helping women earn money, when former consultants will tell you it’s nothing but smoke and mirrors for a fake business opportunity that is almost sure to leave you poor.


text:
Osei Dwomoh, Maymunah Issabre, Amanda Asare, Jennifer Abdelsayed, Magdlina Khalil.
Lab #15: (The Conscious Collective)
Abstract– Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. economy has been heavily impacted, which has further affected consumers. This study examined the effects COVID-19 had on the nation’s economy and day-to-day life. People ranging from various backgrounds and ages were asked multiple survey questions about their observations on the day to items and how prices may have been changed. We predicted that many would respond that prices have increased dramatically and at an alarming rate. Since the pandemic occurred in March 2020 prices have slowly been trending upward leading to a significant effect on today’s inflation which is consistent with recent research.
Keywords– inflation, COVID-19, pandemic, consumer, commodities
In December 2019, COVID-19 arose as a new infectious disease that caused serious illnesses such as pneumonia and even death. This new illness first occurred in Wuhan, China as many had high fevers, coughs, and shortness of breath. In January 2020 this disease affected multiple countries in the span of a few weeks. The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases is at a significant and alarming rate leading the world into a pandemic in March 2020. As a result, lockdowns, social-distancing rules, wearing masks, and restrictions were enforced, evolving into a public health and economic crisis. In response to the spread and the precautions taken to keep everyone healthy and protected this in turn took a toll on the prices of many categories. Food consumption had a drastic change as restaurants were struggling to breathe as the shift to staying at home began. Government policy responses left unfortunate effects on consumer prices.
At first, when the lockdown was first introduced there was an increase in food spending due to stockpiling because many were panicking. However, issues with supply chains occurred, and limitations on labor and a lower demand rate began to occur in turn making agricultural and food prices skyrocket in many countries (Bernstein, Tedeschi). Fresh produce is already a staple that is sensitive to change and with this abrupt change, the prices of these products heightened. Enriquez and Goldstein conducted a survey showing that low-income families faced financial difficulties during the pandemic. These rising prices for basic commodities and necessities have taken a heavy toll on many households. The economic halt and lifestyle changes corresponded to the closure of multiple businesses affecting the employment and income of many.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An online survey on the impact of inflation through a Google Form was conducted to collect accurate and reliable data. The Conscious Collective utilizes multiple media platforms to promote the survey allowing for a larger demographic to share their opinion. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook. Interested participants were informed that this survey was part of a research project and all participants did not have to participate if they did not desire to. Our study does include minors who were asked to get permission from a parent or guardian before continuing with the survey. All collected data were reported anonymously so that all respondents can be comfortable expressing their thoughts on the topic freely.
To fully understand how inflation impacted daily commodities due to COVID-19, we asked several people to answer the following questions so that they may recall the differences they have noticed before and after the pandemic:
- Have you done any shopping recently and have you noticed any differences in prices?
- How much do you agree that tax relief programs helped during the pandemic and this inflation?
- Have you noticed difficulty in paying rent and mortgage?
- Do you own a gas-powered car?
- Are you able to buy gas? Have you noticed a difference before the inflation?
- Have you noticed changes in the way you are spending your money on groceries?
- Recently, President Biden made a speech about reducing inflation and politicians talked about the Inflation Reduction Act. Are you hoping for it to be effective when it’s passed?
For each question, the respondents were asked to recall pre- and during COVID expenditures. The questions surround the change in purchase due to pricing and other factors.
Using the 66 responses gathered from respondents across the United States, a variety of variables were examined for trends and patterns.
This graph illustrates the sum of how the pandemic impacted the overall health of people in 2022. Below we can see that the pandemic has impacted everyone in a series of levels varying from not at all with a percentage of 14.3, to having a heavy impact of 35.7 (the combination of “tremendously” and “a lot”). The pandemic brought many changes to each individual’s life as it altered daily routines, isolation, anxiety, sickness, and much more pressures and worries. As a result, with the constant worry about getting sick and keeping family members safe and healthy; stress, sadness, and fear arose impacting health. These sudden changes and other effects this disease brings along if affected can lead to diminishing overall health. This is evidently proven in the data collected as over half of the people responded that they felt an impact on their health.
Here is a clear image that depicts the correlation between inflation prices with families’ ability to buy groceries as easily as they used to before the pandemic. Only 8% of participants stated they have not increased their spending on groceries. While a great percentage of them 85.5% to be exact have had to spend more than usual to put food on the table. In the middle of March 2020, mandates were enforced for the closure of non-essential business, limitations on gathering, cancellation of events, and many more restrictions. These restrictions put businesses and their owners in possession of loss resulting in the loss of employment and income. As a result, a recession occurred in turn leading to sky-high prices. As the world is starting to emerge in a “pre-pandemic” era consumer prices have been high as many facilities are still in need of workers or certain items are taking longer to be shipped and many more factors. Low-income households have been shown to have higher rates of inflation than higher-income households according to Cavallo.
Above is the representation of the total sum of people for Product A (People who are currently employed) and Product B (People who lost their jobs). In 2020, Product A: 78.7% of People were currently employed while 21.3% of the people were unemployed. In product B, from the start of the pandemic until now, 17.4% lost their jobs while 82.6% are still working. Unemployment rates rose rapidly in March 2020 and suppressed the great recession as many were leaving the labor force (Falk et al., 2020). Many businesses at the beginning of the pandemic had to scale back on their normal workplace operations for the health and safety of others, resulting in forcing workers to look for new jobs. COVID caused a drop in consumer demand in all industrial sectors resulting in an economic recession and a high rate of unemployment (Petterson et al., 2020).
The pie chart above represents the total sum of people who agreed that the relief programs helped them during the pandemic. Above we came to know that it was helpful to a percentage of 24.6 %, and of little help to 43.5% which means it was not effective in helping families. Starting in March 2020, congress passed many laws such as the CARES Act to provide tax relief as a result of the economic burden the pandemic had bought into our lives. These fiscal packages are primarily implemented to ease the sudden drop in economic activity and households. Although some may view these policies as not extensive and beneficial, they were meant as short-term support to some.
The pie chart above represents the total sum of people who had difficulty paying for rent or Mortgage. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, 31.9% of people had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage, 53.6% of people had no difficulty paying their rent, and 14% of people were in between being able to pay and not being able to pay for their mortgage. Incomes fell for most during the pandemic causing a burden on monthly rent. These burdens were greatly seen in people of color, lower incomes, and younger people. Despite many trying to pay rent with these financial hardships most fell behind on payments. Cornelissen and Hermann found that 52 percent of renters in relation to 39 percent of homeowners have lost employment incomes.
The pie chart above shows the number of participants who owned a gas-powered car, the total percentage being 53.6%, and of that calculated data 29.8% are not able to purchase gas. In product, A more of the people had a gas-powered car while in Product B a percentage of those who do own a car are not able to afford gas.
The bar graph represents the total aggregated data on families’ abilities to maintain the basic needs of a typical family. For instance, about 48.7% of participants struggle to purchase gas, which makes it difficult for individuals to rely on private transportation. Furthermore, this chart shows that the struggle to purchase food and groceries is the second most common difficulty at 35.3%. Families are having the least struggle with insurance, with its percentage being at 14%.
–Interpretation of the Results and Implications
The analysis of the above graphs revealed different discussion points relevant to how covid inflations have impacted our access to goods and services. Inflation is a rising threat to poor and vulnerable communities causing difficulties in obtaining items that may have been easy to access before. Firstly, as seen in Figure 1.1 the pandemic and the inflation that soon followed have taken their toll on many individuals and families. Results varying from the pandemic have little to no impact on the participants, however to some individuals it has had an enormous impact. Furthermore, according to Figure 1.4, The pandemic has hurt individuals with many losing their jobs and prices heading nowhere but skyrocketing. Brent H. Meyer, Brian Prescott, and Xuguang Simon Sheng state, “Amid supply chain disruptions and widespread shutdowns, production has been crimped. However, demand appears to have taken a bigger hit, as those emergency shutdowns have also left households shuttered in their homes, consumer spending has fallen dramatically, and business investment spending has dried up” (The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on business expectations). This statement indicates that when the pandemic began it took a devastating turn for the worst, many businesses were lost and a huge number of people were faced with food insecurities. As an increased number of businesses shut down, it would cause people not to earn enough to provide for their families. Carosa quoted Saunders stating that “Prices are increasing simply due to a mismatch in the supply and demand of goods”. For figure 1.6, The pandemic made it challenging for individuals to afford gas which is an essential need when traveling to places they desired to go. Families are no longer able to enjoy quality family time taking road trips and such, due to the inability to continuously purchase gas at such horrific costs. This is substantiated in the article when Thomas Barrabi states, “The survey found that 57% of Americans were likely to take fewer trips this summer due to the record gas prices, while 54% said they would take shorter trips”. In figure 1.6, 29.8% of people claimed they were unable to purchase gas. With these persistent high prices, it can hurt households as wages are not compensating for these extreme changes. The financial crisis that was set on by this pandemic has made an impact on every one in one way or the other, from being able to put food on the table to not having the ability to enjoy long road trips with your family just because you can’t afford the sudden increase in prices.
–Limitations of Study
There may have been some limitations that did impact the results of the study. As we were expecting to finish our research project in such a short timeframe, the data we were able to secure within the time to be transformed into our organized data was limited to individuals living in New York. We utilized the tools we had close by. Through the means of social media platforms, we were able to reach a larger audience. Despite the limited responses of 66 respondents, we were able to gain insight into the true effects the pandemic and inflation have had on individuals through our organized data.
COVID-19 has had major effects on the world in multiple aspects. This pandemic greatly halted employment, academics, the economy, and much more. As a team, we sought to dive deeper into the effects the pandemic had on this recent inflation. We conducted a survey and collected data from a wide range of participants. Our findings indicate that the coronavirus pandemic did have a negative effect on the ability to purchase and access certain items. The completion of this data analysis was to pinpoint issues families have faced due to the sudden onset of the increase in prices. This study focused on the premise that the lockdown and unexpected pandemic caused untenable living costs. Resulting in the difficulty of obtaining commodities through various economic groups. COVID-19 negatively impacted the nation’s economy and the affordability of certain day-to-day items. Although we did have some limitations this did not greatly impact our study. We hope to improve for the future by creating a survey that is more accessible to more of the public and has a deadline for final submissions. Also, we hope to expand this more to not only people from the United States but rather everyone around the world. In doing so we can offer the survey in multiple languages a more accessible means other than just social media. This survey and study was our first step in exploring the effects coronavirus has had on the nation and the people. We plan to research more into how this pandemic affected other communities.
We show gratification towards Mentoring in Medicine Inc. for providing the resources and leadership necessary to collect sufficient data for analysis and to synthesize this data into a coherent paper. We also thank Mr. Andrew Morrison and the MIM Leadership Team for leading this internship under which the paper was written and providing a timeline for its publication.
- Archive, View Author, et al. “More Travelers Worry about Gas Prices, Inflation than COVID-19: Survey.” New York Post, 31 May 2022, nypost.com/2022/05/31/more-travelers-worry-about-gas-prices-inflation-than-covid/. Accessed 21 Jul. 2022.
- Bernstein, Jared, and Ernie Tedeschi. “Pandemic Prices: Assessing Inflation in the Months and Years Ahead.” The White House, 12 Apr. 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2021/04/12/pandemic-prices-assessing-inflation-in-the-months-and-years-ahead/. Accessed on 20 Jul. 2022
- Carosa, C. (2022, April 14). Covid or policy: What’s causing this inflation surge? Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriscarosa/2021/08/23/covid-or-policy-whats-causing-this-inflation-surge/?sh=3c72c44c4c0f
- Enriquez, D & Goldstein, A 2020, ‘COVID-19’s Socioeconomic Impact on Low-Income Benefit Recipients: Early Evidence from Tracking Surveys’, Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, vol. 6, p. 237802312097079.\ Accessed on 20 Jul. 2022.
- Falk, Gene, et al. Unemployment Rates during the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R46554.pdf.
- Labonte, M & Weinstock, L.R “Inflation in the Wake of COVID-19” Congressional Research Service, 1 Sept. 2021 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46890 Accessed on 19 Jul. 2022
- Marshall Reinsdorf. “Data Disruption: The Impact of COVID-19 on Inflation Measurement.” IMF Blog, 10 Nov. 2020, blogs.imf.org/2020/11/10/data-disruption-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-inflation-measurement/ Accessed on 20 Jul. 2022
- McCracken, Michael. “How COVID-19 May Be Affecting Inflation | St. Louis Fed.” Www.stlouisfed.org, 2 Feb. 2021, www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2021/february/covid19-affecting-inflation. Accessed on 22 Jul. 2022
- Meyer, Brent H., et al. “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Business Expectations.” International Journal of Forecasting, vol. 38, no. 2, Mar. 2021, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169207021000509, 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2021.02.009. Accessed on 21 Jul. 2022
- Petterson, S., Westfall, J. M., & Miller, B. F. (2020). Projected Deaths of Despair during the Coronavirus Recession. Well Being Trust. https://wellbeingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/WBT_Deaths-of-Despair_COVID-19-FINAL-FINAL.pdf
- Pickert, Reade, et al. “How Covid-19 Transformed the U.S. Economy.” Bloomberg.com, 29 Apr. 2022, www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2022-us-economy-pandemic-recovery/. Accessed on 19 Jul.2022
- Sharon Cornelissen and Alexander Hermann, “A Triple Pandemic? The Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Disproportionately Affect Black and Hispanic Households,” Joint Center for Housing Studies, July 7, 2020, https://jchs.harvard.edu/blog/a-triple-pandemic-the-economic-impacts-of-covid-19-disproportionately-affect- black-and-hispanic-households.
- Shapiro Hale Adam, “San Francisco Fed.” San Francisco Fed, www.frbsf.org/economic-research/publications/economic-letter/2020/august/monitoring-inflationary-effects-of-covid-19/?amp=1. Accessed 20 Jul. 2022.
- “What History Tells Us about Pandemics’ Impact on Inflation.” World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/08/history-pandemics-inflation-economics/. Accessed 20 Jul. 2022.
- Works, Richard. “Consumer Inflation during the COVID-19 Pandemic : Monthly Labor Review.” S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2021/beyond-bls/consumer-inflation-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.htm.


text:
For some, car ownership means commitment, responsibilities and hassle. The emergence of novel purchase models such as car subscription is a breath of fresh air for those preferring more flexibility in getting about. So let’s take a look at some Netflix-style subscription models offering consumers a more flexible model of car ownership suited to changing circumstances.
In 2018, Jaguar Land Rover waded into the market, launching its 12-month car subscription service in the UK, known as Carpe. It was relaunched in 2020 as Pivotal, with a minimum 90-day term and flexibility of payments and vehicles on a month-by-month basis.
Volvo’s car subscription comes in the form of its Care by Volvo programme which allows customers access to its entire model range. Care by Volvo has two types of subscription packages: cars on a three-year term, with no deposit or sign-up fee, or an open-ended, three-month rolling contract, following an initial 30-day trial period. After that time, the customer can change their car or end their subscription with three months’ notice. Volvo Cars recent investment in an online marketplace, carwow should boost its online sales push and bring benefits in sales leads as well as future subscription services.
Toyota has launched Kinto, a brand dedicated to offering mobility services to users across Europe. Toyota says Kinto forms part of its global vision to ‘evolve into a mobility company by providing all kinds of transportation-related services to people around the world’. It includes ride-hail services and replaces Yuko – which currently operates in several European cities. Kinto-branded services include Kinto Flex, a subscription-based car leasing, “offering greater flexibility and a premium experience.”
Hyundai Motor UK has rolled out a monthly subscription service for its line-up of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric car models. Known as Mocean, subscriptions on the platform start from £339 per month, with the fee covering all motoring costs. Customers can pick from Hyundai’s range of electric vehicles, including a number of different crossovers, SUVs and superminis as well as fully electric models like the Kona Electric.
Genesis, Hyundai’s premium car brand, is also offering a subscription plan. Known as Genesis Flexibility. it offers a ‘cancel at any time’ service.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below formBy GlobalData
Nissan India is partnering with Zoomcar and ORIX to drive its platform ‘Nissan Intelligent Ownership’ for Nissan and Datsun customers in India. The partners point out that their subscription plan is well-suited to Indian customers’ progressive and asset-lite lifestyle. The model is available in Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune.
Among those others offering a car subscription service include BMW, Audi and Porsche. BMW was reported earlier this week to be putting some of its cars’ hardware features behind a paywall in certain countries, including the UK, thereby making features such as heated seats part of a monthly subscription. This situation would only arise where any feature available in the ConnectedDrive store was not chosen when the car was built. It allows second and subsequent owners to add features as and when.
Car hire companies are also putting their toes in the water. The common theme amongst them is cautiously testing the market through pilots in a handful of cities or limited to a country rather than a wider programme. When Volkswagen launched a bid for the vehicle rental company, Europcar last year, VW Group CEO Herbert Diess said: “The mobility market is changing rapidly as customers increasingly demand new and innovative on-demand mobility solutions, such as subscription and sharing models to complement car ownership.” Earlier this month on closing the acquisition, VW said Europcar will be the cornerstone of the new platform which will cover customers’ mobility needs from sharing for a few hours to subscription for multiple months. Last October, Volkswagen UK outlined plans to fulfil its latest fleet order with an electric car subscription service, Onto. A mix of e-up!, ID.3 and ID.4 models are available for Onto customers to book.
While the pandemic slowed the car subscription market and, to some extent quash our appetite to share cars, such novel and flexible purchase models look set to remain an important tool as the traditional model of car ownership is gradually diluted.


text:
According to contract data from Etherscan, Rihanna’s hit song “Bitch Better Have My Money” has recently had a small portion of its royalties transferred to 205 people via 300 Ethereum NFTs in a collection that sold out on Thursday.
Rihanna’s 2015 track was produced by Jamil “Deputy” Pierre and Kanye West. It looks like Jamil “Deputy” Pierre used a Europe-based crypto startup called AnotherBlock to sell 0.99% of his streaming royalty rights to the song as 300 NFTs.
Each blockchain token indicates that the bearer owns more than 0.0033% of the song’s royalty rights, assures “lifetime” ownership of that portion of the copyright, and grants a set number of streaming rights from the master recording.
AnotherBlock’s Rihanna song currency sold out
AnotherBlock’s currency for the Rihanna song sold out swiftly and earned $63,000 on Thursday. The music’s streaming royalties might be valued as much as $6.36 million at a rate of $210 per 0.0033% of the song.
Since the signed NFT Ownership Agreement presented on the site does not clarify how much Deputy possesses in total, it is unclear how much of the royalties Deputy holds privately after the sale. A person familiar with royalty splits in the traditional music industry said that a producer’s overall royalty cut for a single song is typically less than five percent.
As written in the agreement, Deputy hired AnotherBlock to manage the NFT mint on his behalf. In addition to allowing NFTs to be sold, the contract stipulates that Deputy must pay NFT holders their part of streaming royalties at least twice each year.
AnotherBlock website showed that the “likely” NFT returns for the Rihanna song are approximately 6.5% each year, or approximately $13.65 per year. This means that it would take approximately 15 years for the initial purchaser to receive their money back. This indicates that Rihanna fans are more likely to view this release as a fun Web3 activity than as a serious financial investment.
However, the concept of selling a portion of music rights as NFTs is not novel. For instance, Justin “3LAU” Blau’s Web3 music platform Royal raised $16 million in 2021 and debuted its long-awaited music rights marketplace in November 2022 after securing $16 million in 2021. Since then, Royal claims to have paid over $132,000 in royalties to its NFT collectors.
In just a few minutes, AnotherBlock sold 63,000 of Rihanna’s NFTs, earning $63,000. Since then, the company has stated that the first reimbursements for NFT holders will occur on February 16, 2023. This investment is anticipated to return between 6.1% and 6.8% annually. “Bitch Better Have My Money” has received over 673 million Spotify plays.
According to their website, AnotherBlock’s fifth music NFT release is Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money.” Since its first music NFT project went live in August 2022, the startup’s music rights catalog has increased in value by 16%.
The recent decline in the NFT is especially timely because Rihanna will appear at the Super Bowl halftime show in a couple of days. This will be her first appearance on stage in seven years, based on what has been said.
Content Source: decrypt.co
Cover Image Source: theboombox.com


text:
You may remember Dubai Watch Week from last year, when Stephen and Arthur attended, but this year, the event was back with a bang, growing significantly in size and scope. There were over 6,500 people in attendance this year, up from the 846 that attended back in 2015. Truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect. Was it like Baselworld? SIHH? Both? Neither? But after spending a week in Dubai I can certainly say that this fair is not to be missed.
First things first – what is Dubai Watch Week? DWW is not a trade show. It's consumer-focused and produced by Dubai-based retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, which has grown to be the leading retailer in Dubai since opening its first retail space in the 1950s (fun fact: my father bought a two-tone Concord there back in 1983). They have 52 locations throughout the United Arab Emirates and they offer more than 50 brands across those stores. To put it bluntly, they're mega.
The goal of Dubai Watch Week for Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons is to educate the public, and their clients, about watches by bringing together the best in the business to create an educational fair that allows people to learn more directly from the most important people in the industry. This year, DWW took place at the Dubai International Finance Center in a series of tents, which served as home to 40 brands exhibiting their watches (up from 20 last year) along with panel discussions, the recent GPHG winners, and a special exhibition from the FHH (Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie).
The Horology Forum was the place for panel discussions, with panelists including Max Busser from MB&F, John Reardon from Christie's, Kurt Klaus from IWC, Edouard Meylan of Moser & Cie, and Christian Selmoni from Vacheron Constantin, not to mention our own Ben Clymer, Eneuri Acosta, and Cara Barrett (that's me!). There were 16 panels in total this year, with 45 speakers covering a variety of watch-related subjects, including e-commerce, auctions, design, and everything in between.
Then there are the 15 Creative Hubs where individuals or companies are able to host more laid back events, as well a product launches for some brands. But some of the coolest aspects of the week were the Masterclasses. DWW had watchmaking classes hosted by Laurent Ferrier and Kurt Klaus, engraving classes hosted by Tiago Aires Sergio from Bovet, and enameling classes from the Vanessa Lecci Atelier. I took the engraving class, and besides being one of the more difficult things I have done, it gave me a much better understanding of just how challenging engraving really is. DWW's focus on bringing horological education to the public is one of the most remarkable elements of this fair. The classes are informative, interactive, and fun.
But I think the biggest takeaway for us all was the intense sense of community at Dubai Watch Week. Truth be told, it’s not a market that we here in the U.S. are often exposed to, but it was clear that the watch community is very strong in Dubai and DWW is very much a big reason for that.
Dubai Watch Week will be returning in 2020 – if you are in the Middle East, make a trip out of it. If you’re not in the Middle East, also make a trip out of it. It well worth it.


text:
Archive for the ‘Transport & Logistics’ category
“Informal flows are extraordinarily developed and actually very good at getting to market.”
Low-cost carrier Jambojet, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways, is set take to the skies on April 1.
DHL is seeing increased growth in its business in the small West African nation.
“My main aim is to own the township market which is a market that hasn’t been tapped.”
At present over a quarter of air routes in Africa are served by only one carrier.
Africa – and more importantly, African consumers – will be firmly on the global stage in 2014.
Tielman Nieuwoudt offers advice on supply chain management in Africa.
African leaders are no different from leaders in Europe, the Americas and Asia.
Transporting goods across African borders requires a good knowledge of the requirements and procedures.
“We are going to have an interesting day,” says George Okai as we drive out of the parking area of the DHL Express head office in Ghana’s capital Accra.
3D printing has the ability to change business and behaviour around the world.
French-speaking African countries offer just as much investment potential as their English-speaking counterparts.
The healthcare sector offers opportunities for investment across Africa.
Fastjet is determined to lower the cost of flying in Africa.
How we made it in Africa talks to the founder of Kenya’s Sean Garstin Motors.


text:
Faneuil Hall merchants, who have not always been happy with how the Boston shopping mecca has been managed, expressed concern about a possible change in control. Simon Property Group, the mall giant with 14 Massachusetts properties, launched a $10 billion hostile bid for General Growth Properties, the bankrupt operator of Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
“The shop owners are worried that any new owner understand Faneuil Hall’s vision and why it was given a generous 99-year lease,” said Carol Troxell of the Faneuil Hall Merchants Association.
Troxell, who runs several food shops including Maggie’s Sweets, said the long-term lease was meant to provide a home for small, local entrepreneurs in New England. But Faneuil Hall has been flooded with national chains.
Last year, after Chicago-based General Growth filed for bankruptcy, the merchants created “Friends of Faneuil Hall” and started raising money in a bid to take control of the operation. Troxell said yesterday that the group now has $30 million in pledges.
The city of Boston, which owns the property and leases Faneuil Hall Marketplace’s three retail buildings, has criticized General Growth’s maintenance record.
John Palmieri, director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, said whoever operates the property must preserve its character.
“They would need to maintain a healthy mix of retailers and do the improvements to continue to be attractive to the public,” he said.
The takeover bid by Indianapolis-based Simon, the nation’s largest shopping mall owner, would allow No. 2 General Growth to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
But General Growth called the offer too low and said it will invite others to make bids as it considers options for emerging from bankruptcy.
“Given what this is going to give Simon, they can afford to pay more,” said William Acheson, equity analyst at New York-based Benchmark Co. “They will have a lock on the best malls in the best markets in Boston, New York and some of the bigger California cities.”
General Growth filed the biggest real-estate bankruptcy in U.S. history in April after buckling under the weight of billions in accumulated debt during a massive expansion effort fueled by cheap credit.
By Thomas Grillo for Boston Herald February 17, 2010


text:
We've spent a lot of time talking about this grocery store opening so we won't belabor the point much more.
Mariano's (1615 S. Clark) opened in the South Loop and most everyone is happy about this. Beyond them opening, they also setup shop in a relatively desolate area of the neighborhood and in turn provided some much needed energy to South Clark street.
On opening day in October, we tried to trample down enthusiasm, but the reality is that this opening is good for the South Loop (after all this did rack up the second most amount of page views on Sloopin in 2013).
While we don't anticipate a grocery story registering in the top 5 stories for 2014, we could be wrong. Jewel-Osco buying the Dominick's location just down the street has potential to be an interesting story, but it's still not as big of a deal as Mariano's opening.
Anyway, glad to have them in the Sloop!


text:
Согласен на передачу данных и рекламную рассылку
Uninterrupted power supply in the era of digitalization: is technological paradigm changing?
Tatiana Skokova, Director of Distribution from MERLION, answers the question.
Stationery exhibition “Clip Expo 2019” is over. We are summing up
Svetlana Baskakova, Director for Purchasing of the “Stationery” and “Business Presents” business areas of MERLION speaks about the main industry event of the year.
“The past year of 2018 brought many surprises to our quiet cloudy harbor,” Anton Salov, MerliONCloud Project Manager, says in his article.
Russian IT retail: life after death
The CRN article, including the opinion of Alexey Gribovsky, General Manager of the POSITRONICA chain, and other market players on the theme of "prospects for computer retail sales" today.
Why do the Japanese need an elephant who can dance Russian ballet?
An exclusive interview with CRN about the launch of Panasonic IP-cameras production at the facilities of MERLION.
The famous company iRU has started the production of Panasonic smart cameras
Russia's become the first country outside Asia to start the production of security cameras of the Japanese Corporation. The model range of the devices assembled at IRU facilities includes three Panasonic cameras which are the most popular in the domestic market.


text:
Next's half year profits up 8.2%
Fashion and homewares retailer Next increased its pre-tax profits by 8.2% to Â£271.8 million in six months to 27 July as the retailer reduced its markdowns by 13%.
During the half year, Next’s total sales increased by 2.2% to £1.68 billion while operating profit rose by 7.2% to £285 million.
In a trading statement issued today, the group said the difference in profit and sales growth was largely down the differing performance of its full price business and markdown sales. While Next brand full price sales were up 3.9%, the retailer went into its sales with 18% less stock than last year and consequently markdown sales were 13% down on the previous year.
Although revenue in Next’s high streets shops dipped by 0.9% to £1 billion, Next Directory, which includes online and catalogue sales, saw its revenue increase by 8.3% to £597.6 million.
Profits at the high street stores edged up 1.3% to £124.3 million. Next directory profits climbed by 13.4% to £156.1 million.
Next continued to add new space to its store portfolio during the period and increased its total trading space by 145,000 square feet. The retailer said the new space was highly profitable, making 22% net margins, before central overheads.
The retailer has identified 1.4 million square feet of additional space that it would like to open over the next five years. It currently plans to open around 300,000 sq ft during this financial year, another 450,000 sq ft in the year ending January 2015, and the same again in the following year.
Next said its international sales had taken a step forward in the last six months and contributed 2.9% to the growth of Next Directory. Therefore, the retailer has upwardly revised its estimate for full year international online sales from £75 million to £90 million.
Next chief executive Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise said: "The group has made good progress in the first half, delivering profits at the upper end of our expectations. Looking ahead the economy looks set to improve moderately, albeit at a slow pace and with the risk that credit easing may not translate into growth in real earnings.
"We remain confident that we can deliver growth in sales, profits and earnings per share for the full year."
Email this article to a friend
You need to be logged in to use this feature.
Please log in here


text:
I was walking in Central Hong Kong today[~11/13/11], and on an elevated walkway, I saw a huge crowd camped out behind police barricades. TV cameras were everywhere, gangs of cops were talking into walkie talkies, and Central looked more trashed than I’d ever seen it. Thousands and thousands of people were milling about, the walkway was full of trash and tents and people sleeping on the street. For a moment, I thought I’d walked into an Occupy protest.
Nope! A couple thousand people were camping out for the launch of the iPhone 4S. The iPhone isn’t due to launch for two more days, and people already started camping out the night before, waiting in line to get an iPhone. Walking around, it felt a little like an insanely great version of the United Nations. Pakistanis, Chinese, Hong Kongers, Indians, Filipinas–people were coming in droves, sleeping in the street and waiting for their iPhone. But why? It’s just a phone. Could it possibly be worth spending a couple days crammed in a noisy Hong Kong sidewalk?
As it turns out, it’s absolutely worth it. These weren’t the apple fans who we see waiting in line at the San Francisco or New York stores. Everyone I talked to had one thing in common: they were going to resell their phone. The new iPhones are going for around US$750, and the various people I spoke to were sure that they could resell them for a $120 profit. Apple imposes a limit of two iPhones per person, but that’s a tidy 17% profit in two days. Everybody waiting in this line knows that the world wants iPhones, and they’re not about to let this opportunity slip away.


text:
With a number of Subway stores in Harlem, we loved that Subway is adding new menu items and upgrading its mobile app in an effort to draw customers back.
The upgrades are part of an overhaul the sandwich chain is calling “The Eat Fresh Refresh.”
As part of its push to improve the customer experience, Subway will be making the digital ordering experience simpler and more intuitive for customers and adding a number of new menu items.
Additionally, “Subway Delivery ” will become available in select areas.
Customers will be able to place delivery orders through the retailer’s mobile app and at Subway.com.
“Subway has been serving freshly made, customizable, and better-for-you sandwiches for more than 50 years, and we wanted to give our guests more new and improved flavors,” said Trevor Haynes, president, North America at Subway. “Our new culinary team is delivering monumental updates to the entire core menu. The Eat Fresh Refresh makes Subway better than ever with freshly made, crave-able and delicious sandwiches to excite new and returning customers.”
More than 20 menu updates
On July 13, 2021, Subway will unveil more than 20 menu updates. The updates will include 11 new and improved ingredients, six all-new or returning sandwiches, four revamped signature sandwiches, and two new fresh-baked loaves of bread (Artisan Italian and Hearty Multigrain).
The day before the changes go live, Subway will be asking customers to “take a break from eating their favorite sub.” More than 10,000 of the chain’s U.S. locations will close at 6 p.m. on July 12, 2021, to give employees time to get ready for the Eat Fresh Refresh launch.
Subways say restaurants will get “design refinements and remodels” along with employees that are “ready to serve the new menu and offer an improved restaurant experience.”
Once Subway’s doors reopen on July 13, 2021, customers will have a chance to get a free sub.
“When restaurants open on July 13, Subway will give away up to one million free subs from 10:00 am-noon local time,” the company said. “Guests can visit any participating Subway Restaurant and get a free six-inch new Turkey Cali Fresh sub upon request.”
Subway said the enhancements are intended to provide a consistent experience across all locations. In recent years, customers have said some of the retailer’s locations offer better experiences than others.
In a review posted to ConsumerAffairs, Patty, of Hurricane, W. Va., said not all Subway locations offer the same stellar service as her local Subway.
“Polite employees, large variety menu, fresh ingredients, reasonable prices. Subway also regularly introduces new and seasonal items, often as special value prices,” she wrote. “Not all Subway restaurants are equal in quality, however, my local one is exceptional.”
Subway says it has further updates planned for the fall reports Consumer Affairs.


text:
The Rotaract Club of Manila and the Rotaract Club of Adamson University joined forces in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Manila as a knowledge partner to organize a series of professional development talks entitled KICKSTART: Forging Your Path: Empowering Tomorrow’s Businesses. Under the capable stewardship of Rotaract Club of Manila’s Professional Service Director Andrea Cuevas and President-Elect Stephanie Bernardo, KICKSTART Sessions will feature top-caliber speakers from different industries to inspire students and young professionals to “kickstart” the passion for innovating and creating entrepreneurial endeavors.
The inaugural session was held last September 9, 2023, at the Penthouse of the Eastgate Center in Mandaluyong City, with over 60 students and young professionals from various schools and community organizations in Metro Manila. The event saw two very prominent businessmen and members of the Rotary Club of Manila, namely Mr. Francisco “Paco” Magsaysay, founder and creator of artisanal ice cream brand “Carmen’s Best Ince Cream” and currently President and CEO of Asian Vision Enterprise, a leading content and cable provider in Luzon and Mr. Joshua Aragon, Founder and CEO of Zagana, Inc., a leading online source of Farm-to-Kitchen harvested directly from our local farmers here in the Philippines and local online grocery shopping platform Pushkart.ph.
The event commenced with a joint call to order by Rotaract Club of Manila President Arvin Christopher Reyes and Rotaract Club of Adamson University President Grizel Lorenz Dela Cruz. President Arvin Christopher Reyes extended a gracious welcome to all attendees during his opening remarks, emphasizing the objectives and significance of the event.
In the first session, Rotarian Paco Magsaysay recounted his remarkable journey in establishing a thriving ice cream enterprise, underlining the importance of pursuing ventures that resonate with one’s passions and interests. He underscored the pivotal role of a “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP) in setting a business apart from competitors, exemplifying Carmen’s Best unwavering commitment to utilizing the finest, freshest ingredients sourced directly from their family’s dairy farm. Mr. Magsaysay’s dedication even spurred him to keep learning by attending an Ice Cream Short Course at the Pennsylvania State University in the United States. Notably, Carmen’s Best ice cream garnered international acclaim, finding its way onto the menus of the nation’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, and was even served during Pope Francis’s return flight to Rome after his papal visit to the Philippines in 2015 and is one of the top favorite ice cream brands of His Holiness. Mr. Magsaysay concluded his address with an inspiring message: “Everything comes to you at the right time. Be patient and trust the process.”
The event’s second speaker, Rotarian Joshua Aragon, emphasized aligning corporate objectives with personal aspirations and unwavering determination. He underscored the significance of performance indicators to monitor progress, the importance of a well-defined mission and vision, and the role of core values in shaping a company’s identity. For Zagana.com, the mission revolves around connecting consumers with fresh produce suppliers through technology, facilitating the direct delivery of farm-fresh produce and frozen goods from local farmers at equitable market prices. Mr. Aragon exemplified the transformative potential of technology in shaping lives and fostering purpose-driven communities.
The event also featured insightful addresses by distinguished Manila Rotarians, including District Governor-Elect Jackie Rodriguez, Hans Palacios, and Past Director Nick Locsin, whose contributions added depth and wisdom to the event, reinforcing the prevailing theme of empowerment and community engagement.
In a concluding segment, President Arvin shared a glimpse into Rotaract Manila’s forthcoming initiatives about Project WASHed, Project CREATE, and the highly anticipated 2023 Mooncake Festival, igniting anticipation for the upcoming projects.
President Grizel expressed her profound gratitude to all participants and esteemed guests, culminating in the resounding success of an event dedicated to nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit and fortifying the businesses of tomorrow. The day bore testament to the immense potential unlocked when like-minded individuals unite with a shared purpose, forging unique paths toward a brighter, more empowered future.
The Rotaract Clubs of Chinatown-Manila, Makati, and San Antonio de Padua co-hosted the event.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Arvin Christopher Reyes
About the Rotaract Club of Manila
The Rotaract Club of Manila is the Premier Rotaract Club of the Philippines. It was chartered on January 11, 2001, and is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manila and co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manila Magic. It is a dynamic organization committed to community service, professional development, and fostering global connections among university students and young professionals. With a strong focus on empowerment and collaboration, the club strives to positively impact society by nurturing tomorrow’s leaders and entrepreneurs.
About Rotaract Club of Adamson University
The Rotaract Club of Adamson University is a leading university-based organization founded on September 10, 2019, under the nurturing guidance of the Rotary Club of Hiyas Ng Manila. The club promotes youth leadership, community service, and international understanding. Through innovative initiatives and partnerships, the club aims to inspire young individuals to create positive change in their communities and beyond.


text:
NEW YORK—Connected TV (CTV) now accounts for over half (51%) of global video impression share, an increase of 10.9% compared to 2021, according to a new report from Innovid that highlights the central role that CTV is now playing in the advertising and video landscape.
“In 2019, CTV accounted for just 31% of total impression share by device,” said Dave Helmreich, chief commercial officer at Innovid. “Today, it accounts for over half of all video impressions – and that share is already up another 3 percentage points in Q1 2023. As TV viewership continues to shift towards streaming, the share of CTV impressions will only continue to grow – and this trend is evident as Upfront buys continue to flow towards CTV inventory.”
The report analyzed over 330 billion video advertising impressions globally from advertisers served on Innovid’s platform between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022, across verticals and devices (CTV, mobile, and desktop) to provide a holistic view of video advertising and the ways in which advertisers are adapting media and creative strategies.
Key findings include:
- CTV interactive ads outperform standard video: Interactive CTV formats drove a more than 600% lift in engagement over standard pre-roll video in 2022 across choice and non-choice ads, with non-choiced-based ads on their own accounting for a 17% lift. Interactive CTV formats saw a 96.4% completion rate – beating standard video completion by 3.0%– and resulted in 92 seconds of additional time earned on top of time spent watching pre-roll. As expected, there was also a 15% increase in interactive CTV campaigns in 2022, with 17% more advertisers running them on the Innovid platform, the researchers explained.
- Mobile and desktop interactive ads also outperform: On both mobile and desktop, interactive ads generated 181% and 166% lifts in engagement, respectively, over standard video. When engaged, interactive mobile and desktop formats generated an average of 32 additional seconds of time earned.
- Dynamic video and display drive personalization and performance: Dynamic ads allow advertisers to optimize creative for immersive, personalized messaging at scale. In turn, dynamic video and display advertising saw steady impression growth YoY, with an increase of 50% and 96% respectively. These formats also showed higher performance vs. their standard counterparts when it came to CTRs, with 5% higher lift for dynamic video and 83% higher lift for dynamic display. Innovid reported.
“There is growing pressure on advertisers to justify every dollar by measuring performance and proving a strong return on investment, plus improving relevance with personalization of the creative to drive outcomes,” continued Helmreich. “As the TV market moves towards being 100% digitally enabled, marketers need their tech providers to give them real-time insights and always on intelligence to ensure that they are making the most of their investments across converged television.”
For more information on Innovid and to download the full report visit here (opens in new tab).


text:
Xiaomi Corporation, the third biggest smartphone manufacturer, has become the latest Chinese company to be added to a US list of companies that are alleged to have connections to the Chinese military.
Chinese telecommunications equipment vendor Huawei Technologies says its revenue for the first half of calendar 2020 was 451.7 billion Chinese yuan (A$92.8 billion), an increase of 13.1% year-on-year with the net profit margin being 9.25%.
Former Independent senator Nick Xenophon has put the cat among the pigeons, pointing out that while Chinese vendor Huawei has been banned from supplying gear to the 5G networks, Telstra, which gets its 5G gear from a joint-venture arrangement between Ericsson and Panda Electronics, faces no such strictures.
Thanks Peter! A story well worth reporting.A tiny step in a better direction except that 2035 will be far too[…]
Pyramid payments for the rollout and the smallest chunk for the actual guys doing the rollout. What a surprise from[…]
By moving away from fibre and sticking with an archiac mess of copper the Coalition ensured that wireless would be[…]
This is such an interested case, that will shape the World's view of a controlled monopoly or is it a[…]
Excellent article thx Alex -Pricing to enable bonuses to execs while hiding what they do to their 'essential workers' -[…]


text:
In the wake of the Ford Escape recall, which involves over 480,000 vehicles, Mazda is recalling its own Tribute compact SUV.
Read This Article
Mazda today gave us our best look yet at how the next-generation Mazda6 will take shape.
We're months away from even having our first peek at the next-gen Mazda3, but images leaked today could give us an indication of what we might expect for the new sedan and hatchback models.
In a departure from the Mazda of old, and in an effort to expand its appeal, the Japanese automaker has undergone a reinvention.


text:
Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw organises the annual respect week, this year’s is November 14 to 20, when Usdaw reps and members will be campaigning as part of the union’s Freedom from Fear Campaign.
Whilst talking to shoppers about the issues, they will be surveying retail staff about incidents of verbal abuse, threats and violent attacks at work.
John Hannett – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Every minute of every day another shopworker is threatened, assaulted or verbally abused. No one should have to put up with violence or abuse at work.
“Respect for Shopworkers Week is an opportunity for our members to talk to the public about abuse at work and to ask customers to keep their cool and show respect for shopworkers.
“The week also highlights the important work Usdaw does negotiating with employers for safety and security improvements in stores, and lobbying the governments across the United Kingdom to tackle retail crime and anti-social behaviour in shopping areas and provide improved legal protection for public facing workers who are assaulted during the course of their jobs.”
You can support the Usdaw thunderclap to help promote respect for shopworkers at: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/49537-usdaw-respect16


text:
The Galaxy Note 10 isn’t the only new device that Samsung will be launching in the coming months. It also has a new flagship tablet in the pipeline, the Galaxy Tab S5 to be precise. Samsung has already released a Galaxy Tab S5e even before making the Galaxy Tab S5 official.
We continue to hear more information about the tablet. The latest is that the Galaxy Tab S5 will indeed come with its own stylus. Some may have thought that it wouldn’t, considering that the Galaxy Tab S5e doesn’t have one.
Galaxy Tab S5 to get its own stylus
Samsung’s high-end tablets have come with a stylus since the Galaxy Tab S3. It was also present on the new tablet’s predecessor. As we mentioned in our Galaxy Tab S4 review, the S Pen is as good as the one on Samsung’s Galaxy Note flagships. It works well on the tablet’s big display and provides a lot of familiar features.
The presence of the S Pen also means that the Galaxy Tab S5 is going to cost more than the 399 euro Galaxy Tab S5e. Given that the Galaxy Tab S4 had a 699 euro price tag, it can reasonably be expected that its successor will cost around the same.
Customers will get some decent specs for their money. We have already confirmed exclusively that the Galaxy Tab S5 will skip the 64GB internal storage option. The base model will have 128GB and will jump directly to 512GB for the more expensive variant. The latest benchmark sighting also reveals that it will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor with 6GB of RAM.
It’s unclear when Samsung intends to launch the Galaxy Tab S5. There’s a possibility that it may be launched alongside or soon after the Galaxy Note 10.


text:
Dunno about you, but we'd be perfectly happy if Best Buy drops the price of the Motorola Xoom Android 3.0 tablet $100 when it's released on Feb. 17. (Droid Attic's leak also apparently confirms the launch date.)
The $699 unsubsidized price isn't a huge drop from Verizon's $800 minimum advertised price -- news we broke on Friday -- but it's a start. Chances are we'll see prices fluctuate -- they always do -- and we'll be on the lookout for those "Price so low we can't advertise them" deals. Again, you can sell for less than the MAP, you're just not supposed to advertise it. [via Droid Attic]
Update: Droid-Life was sent some sort of "price verification" receipt that shows $799. So $700, $800, either way, you might want to start getting loan papers together.


text:
Author: Mike Schussler Source: BankServ Africa
The South African economy is now officially at risk of going into a recession, as the BankservAfrica Economic Transaction Index (BETI) for May has dipped below zero after five months of declines.
"Not even accounting for the two extra working days in May (compared to May last year), or spending around the election and induction of the President could prop up the numbers. The possibility of a recession may not be a hard fact yet, but economic transactions overall are now starting to show that all is not well, explains Mr Mike Schüssler, Chief Economist at Economists.co.za.
"Furthermore, historically the BETI shows significant declines in the month after big strikes end. This happened both in 2012 and 2013. With the jury still out on the platinum strikes, we definitely have not seen the bottom of the BETI yet. This does not bode well for economic performance over the next few months."
Mr Michael Rubenstein, Head of Corporate Reputation at BankservAfrica, says the decline in itself is not the real concern but the continuous declines the BETI index has shown over the last five months.
"This, rather than a once-off event, is the problem for the SA economy."
He says the actual monetary value of all the transactions grew at 1% before adjusting for inflation - which is very weak - while the number of transaction increased with 2.5%, indicating that the average value per transaction is falling even in nominal terms.
The number of transactions is 84.2 million - the third highest on record - but this may have to do with other spending obligations - like e-tolls - rather than an increase in actual economic activity.
Tough times ahead
The BETI is a near-casting indicator and is probably a little ahead of the co-incident indicator - by a month or so. Schüssler says this does not indicate a further GDP decline with certainty, but it does make it more likely.
"There is no “golden rule” between the BETI and GDP growth in exact terms but it is clear that the year-on-year GDP will decline to a lower level, given the historical connection between the two.
"With other indicators such as the manufacturing PMI and car sales dropping significantly in May, the BETI is confirming the downward trend across the whole of the economy."
The services PMI from HSBC is also still in negative territory and the latest information from indicators such as petrol sales show a decline from a year ago, even with falling prices. The only encouraging factor is the positive internet traffic growth over the last year.
"While the big sinner in all of this is probably the platinum strike, the fact is that the broader economy is now also starting to feel a little unwell. Maybe the heartache of the strikes is starting to become a migraine for the economy.
"Overall the effect of the strike is spreading as the BETI surveys the whole economy and would be a broader indicator of economic health than just mining. There are signs of ill health within the broader parts of the whole economy."
Further danger signs
With other potential and actual strikes also coming to the fore, the SA economy is showing more and more signs of decline. With international commodity prices of South African exports also in decline, the added pressure is tipping the balance in favour of further shrinkage of the economy.


text:
Running A Business In The Cloud
Everybody is talking about cloud computing these days, but a few intrepid companies are actually walking the walk. To find out what it's like, bMighty.com goes out and meets this growing, vocal contingent of cloud computing "completists" who are more than happy to surrender their IT concerns to the cloud.
A Definition Of Cloud Computing
Oracle CEO Larry Ellison unloaded on cloud computing yesterday, using the words "idiocy," "crap," "gibberish," "crazy," and "stupidest" to describe all the buzz over clouds. It was a classic Ellison rant, but ironic because Oracle is moving into cloud computing even as its leader rails against it.
Single Sign On For Multiple SaaS Apps
A startup has launched a cloud service that offers identity management for SaaS apps. IT can enforce user authentication, manage compliance, and speed deprovisioning.
Using Oracle Database In The Cloud
Two of the biggest announcements from the Oracle OpenWorld Conference in San Francisco this week were that customers could run some Oracle products within Amazon.com's AWS cloud computing environment, and that the Redwood Shores, Calif.-based software giant would be supporting other cloud environments in the future.
Cloud Computing Reality Check
I met recently with more than 50 business technologists to talk about cloud computing, and two things became clear. First, the interest level is very high, and IT pros have plans that go well beyond Web-based applications. Second, everyone has their own list of issues to resolve before they take that step.
Join Us For The InformationWeek 500 Conference -- Without Leaving Your Chair
I'm reluctant to declare that real-time events are the Next Big Thing on the Internet, because it seems like a Next Big Thing comes along on the Internet about once a month, and they're mostly forgotten the next day. Still, I've seen firsthand how powerful virtual events can be. They're an emerging trend. And InformationWeek is in the middle of it all.
Interop: Green Strategies Needed For Storage
Storage industry leaders call for metrics and best practices for businesses to use to cut down on storage energy costs, similar to what the Green Grid has begun doing for data centers.
Second Life Faces Otherworldly Competition
A slew of companies, ranging in size from tiny startups to Google, are springing up virtual worlds of their own to challenge Second Life's dominance of the small but growing market.
Second Life Tries For A Second Act
The online virtual world has weathered a boom-and-bust cycle. Now it has a new CEO. Can this social networking phenom attract a new wave of consumers and enterprise users?
The New Open Virtualization Format 1.0
At VMworld 2008, VMware's user conference held this week in Las Vegas, the Distributed Management Task Force announced a new virtual-management initiative VMAN, aimed at making it easier and cheaper to manage virtual environments.
Could There Be More To Google, Android, Chrome, & Gears Than Meets The Eye?
Yesterday, I wrote about the war -- more like the Armageddon -- that's on the verge of eruption in the mobile space. Given how critical third-party software developers are to the strategic success of any platform ecosystem, we can fully expect Apple, Google, RIM, Sun (with Java), the Symbian Foundation, Adobe, and others to fight tooth and nail for every mobile developer on the planet. More than one will


text:
India’s transport sector has predominantly been driven by the growth of the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, but this is slowly changing. The growing middle-income class, its rising aspirations and the availability of easier financing were some of the key factors that led to increased demand for personal mobility and proliferation of two and four-wheelers in recent decades. However, all that changed this year as car sales plummeted and the government’s push for EVs nudged manufacturers into changing their strategy and manufacturing.
India expressed its interest towards the usage of electric vehicles (EVs) back in 2017, when the then transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, announced that India would move to 100% electric cars by 2030.
China, a country known for being a manufacturing hub and the most populated country is also known for its excellent implementation of electric vehicles. In 2018, more electric cars were sold in China than in the rest of the world combined. The Chinese government has spent nearly $60 Bn in the last decade to create an industry that builds electric cars, while also reducing the number of licenses available for gasoline-powered cars to increase demand for electric cars.
The two most populated nations in the world have signed environment agreements to reduce their carbon emissions. It then becomes interesting to understand the developments towards the adoption of EVs in the two nations.


text:
House prices jumped in November, official data showed on Wednesday, as growth picked up again following the end of the stamp duty holiday.
According to the Office for National Statistics, UK house prices increased by 10.0% in the year to November, up from 9.8% in October and in line with consensus.
On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the House Price Index increased 1.2% between October and November, compared to a rise of 1.0% during the same period a year previously.
The average price of a house in England in November was £288,130, up 1.4% month-on-month. In Scotland it rose 1.0% to £182,755, but eased 0.7% in Wales to £199,877. In Northern Ireland, house prices increased by 10.7% over the year to the third quarter to £159, 109.
There were also disparities in price growth based on property type. Prices for detached homes jumped 13.9% year-on-year in November, but by just 5.6% for flats.
Gabriella Dickens, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said: “This divergence largely reflects a continued shift in demand for outdoor space caused by the pandemic, and the adverse impact on the price of flats due to cladding-related issues.”
She continued: “House prices rose again in November, after dipping in October following the full reversal of the Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold back to £125,000 at the end of the third quarter.
“Growth, however, looks set to slow over the next 12 months. Admittedly, some households have accumulated savings during the pandemic, which they plan to put towards a home purchase. But affordability will become a bigger problem for many prospective home-buyers.”
Inflation has risen throughout the year, prompting the Bank of England to unexpectedly up the cost of borrowing in December.
Data released on Wednesday showed inflation reached 5.4% last month, its highest level in almost 30 years, as the cost of clothes, food and footwear rose.
The BoE currently expects the consumer price index to peak at 6% in April, although some analysts believe it could touch 7% following the expected spike in home energy costs when the price cap is lifted.
Data for the UK House Price Index is provided by HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, The Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency and the Valuation Office Agency.


text:
Days after the news came out that Volkswagen had outfitted a number of diesel vehicles with illegal software, the company set aside 6.5 billion Euros (about $7.2 billion) to deal with lawsuits and fines. But Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller says that isn't enough.
Speaking to reporters at Volkswagen's HQ, Müller said the 6.5 billion is just for the recall.
"I can only speculate about any further provisions. Should there be a change in sales volumes, we would react rapidly," said Müller.
So how much more could Volkswagen be in for? According to a report done by Credit Suisse, the worst-case scenario could see Volkswagen spending 78 billion Euros (about $84 billion). The best-case scenario has Volkswagen spending 23 billion Euros (about $25 billion).
The biggest cost according to the report is owner reimbursement for the lost value of their vehicles.
"The market does not appear to be discounting negative knock-on effects," said Credit Suisse analysts in the report. "The outcome for recall costs and fines is unclear and largely depends on the engine performance post repair."


text:
Walmart launched on Sunday a new program that will help students and recent graduates land a job as quickly as possible. The company called it College2Career, a program with the goal making a candidate eligible to hold high positions in one of its stores in two years.
College2Career offers an immersive management training program to build skills and experience for high-profile careers in retail. Participants attend class, get mentored by managers, get work tips along the way, and practice like working inside a Walmart store. After the program, candidates could be accepted in positions that boast salaries ranging from $65,000 to $200,000.
Walmart is looking to hire “top performers” in its program to develop future store managers. They say that this new opportunity will help them develop high potential talent into qualified candidates who can eventually manage one of Walmart’s shelves.
The management is planning to hire over a thousand candidates. College2Career is open to all current Walmart workers.
College2Career is a good initiative by Walmart to hire more employees. It has been one of the mechanisms used for gaining labor, as there’s intense competition among businesses in vying for skilled workers across all industries. As a company giant with over 1.5 million workers nationwide, Walmart looks for quality over quantity.
Walmart is upping the ante in its competition with other retailers by increasing pay and benefits for its workers. Last month, the company offered to shoulder up to 100% of some workers’ college tuition and increased the salary of their long-haul truck drivers.
Labor market in the post-pandemic era
The US estimates a total of 22 million jobs lost due to the pandemic. In addition, when lockdown protocols were put into place more than two years ago, many stores closed, and employees were laid off from their positions.
As the US government gradually lifted the restrictions, more jobs opened up for Americans. Last April, companies reported to have employed over 400 thousand workers; this is almost identical to the data from March according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data saw a uniform trend within 16 months where jobs opened for many and a uniform trend within 12 months where companies hired over 400,000 employees.
The unemployment rate has barely changed since the pandemic, with 3.6% as compared to a pre-pandemic figure of 3.5%. However, experts predict that more jobs will open up in the coming months, and this trend should continue until things return ‘to normal again.’
According to one of Glassdoor’s senior economists, Daniel Zhao, the United States is “in for a slower 2022.” In April, he said that the trend in the data shows a prediction that the activities will slow down this year.
Walmart in the post-pandemic period
In a world where supply chain management is becoming increasingly competitive, Walmart is trying to find success by focusing on quality instead of just quantity. The company’s recent College2Career program allows skilled candidates to take advantage and gain entry-level positions within two years.
These candidates have undergone training and are highly equipped to work to reach the company’s goals.
Information about the program is available on the company’s site.


text:
Op-Ed: SpaceX is a more attractive Elon Musk company than Tesla or SolarCity
Investors love Elon Musk's vision and his companies. He's regularly hailed as our generation's Thomas Edison. Tesla is up nearly 80% year-to-date and by more than 1,000% in the past 5 years. It's more valuable than GM or Ford even though they sell a fraction of the cars. As the only public company in his empire (now that it's acquired SolarCity), Tesla...


text:
UK Businesses More Confident, Prices Cool – Lloyds Survey
British businesses were their most confident this month since May 2022 and pricing expectations, which are being watched by the Bank of England as it grapples with high inflation, cooled to a six-month low, a survey showed on Friday.
Increased Business Confidence
The Lloyds (LON:) Bank Business Barometer rose in March by 11 points to 32%, helped by rising optimism about the outlook for the economy.
According to the survey, business confidence has surged this month, with economic optimism and tradingSponsored Product prospects bolstering firms. The report shows hiring intentions are improving, which may result in employment growth picking up in the coming months.
Tentative signs of easing wage pressures suggest that businesses’ difficulties in finding staff may have started to ease. Senior economist at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, Hann-Ju Ho, said that wage expectations had peaked and were showing a slight strengthening in March.
Other Economic Indicators
The S&P Global/CIPS surveys of businesses published last week showed Britain’s private sector expanded in March, although more slowly than in February.
The Bank of England expects Britain’s economy to expand slightly in the second quarter. This represents an upgrade from its forecast in February for a 0.4% drop. However, the bank left its forecast of a 0.1% decline in the first quarter unchanged.
Impact of High Inflation on Pricing Expectations
The Lloyds survey showed that pricing expectations, being watched by the Bank of England as it grapples with high inflation, cooled to a six-month low.
High inflation, which is currently around 3%, has been fuelled by rising energy prices, supply chain problems, and higher wages. The Bank of England previously raised interest rates to curb inflation pressure. However, the positive outlook of the UK’s economy may indicate that further interest rate hikes may not be necessary.
The rise in business confidence and the cooling of pricing expectations indicate a positive outlook for the UK economy. While high inflation remains a concern, the likelihood of further interest rate hikes has reduced. This could result in increased employment growth and further economic expansion in the coming months.