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For Leslie H. Wexner, chairman and chief executive officer of Limited Brands Inc., home is where the heart is.“We are progressing in our domestic market. In about a five-year period, we have an opportunity to double the business,” to over $20 billion from the current $10 billion, Wexner told investors at the three-hour annual investor update meeting in New York. In another bullish prediction, Stuart Burgdoerfer, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said Limited Brands’ operating margin for 2011 could hit 15 percent, up from 12.65 percent last year.“If the fourth quarter is a good quarter, we are absolutely confident we are going to get to the number. We actually see our potential in the high teens,” Burgdoerfer said, though he didn’t say by when. He also forecast $1.5 billion in cash by yearend, and noted 99 percent of the store fleet is cash flow positive on an after-tax basis.However, looking at the macro-economic environment near term, Wexner said, “It’s going to be dodgy. The world will kind of galumph along.”Nevertheless, Wexner is set on growing his domestic business, calling it “the golden goose,” then making the case to investors for heady U.S. growth at a time when many retailers feel tapped out at home and are aggressively looking abroad, particularly China. Wexner prefaced his remarks by stating, “Most importantly, I want to talk about domestic growth. Secondly, I’ll talk about international. That may challenge you.”The prospect of doubling Limited Brands’ U.S. business “fascinates” Wexner, who said the company is “working hard at getting faster, growing from the core and protecting our intellectual property here.…The measure is simple: Are we doing better here? “We don’t need an international business to hit our growth objectives,” he stated. “We don’t want international business to be the millstone that we trip over. We watched Benetton, Next and American competitors. Something really funky happens in international specialty retailing. Sometimes what works here doesn’t work there. Sometimes what works there doesn’t work here.”Before the company purchased the La Senza lingerie chain in 2007, “We thought about Canada for a long time,” Wexner said, explaining La Senza was enticing because of its international scale and experience, and because of its standing as the third-largest lingerie brand in the world, next to the Victoria’s Secret and Pink brands, which, along with Bath & Body Works and Henri Bendel, are owned by Limited Brands.“We run Canada as if it’s a very foreign country,” Wexner said. “It gives us a training base on how to run international operations. Their culture is close to ours but it is different.”In response to investor concerns that Limited isn’t moving fast enough in the international arena, Wexner said, “Why can’t we have double-digit growth abroad? We can’t train ourselves that rapidly to be competitive.…Why can’t we open more rapidly in France? I don’t think there are three people in the company that speak French and none of them are store managers. “Apple had a dozen people who could speak Mandarin and they were [in China with personnel] a year before the opening. These guys are really smart. But we have to build a really basic set of skills, language skills, communication skills. International will grow as fast as we believe we can build the support and experience to grow. We don’t want to take a giant leap forward and take a giant leap back.” Ironically, Wexner just cancelled a trip to China due to the flu, but he didn’t seem to regret it terribly. Martin Waters, president of Limited International, is still going. “The international business, although an enormous opportunity, is different. We recognize China is a major market,” Wexner said, though the company has yet to open stores there.“Opening stores is easy. Running stores is hard,” he asserted. “Delivering the same quality brand experience [overseas] is really tough. We are going as fast as we can go. The limitation is not capital. It isn’t demand. The limitation is our own experience.…We are building a foundation, but we are not getting ahead of ourselves.” Wexner cited everything from language barriers to the appropriateness of fitting rooms and how transactions are made, to convey the complications in overseas expansion. “It’s tough stuff. We want to make sure we don’t screw up.” According to Wexner, “Most domestic competitors grow internationally because they have to, and I don’t have to reference domestic competitors.…You can’t export bad intellectual property very long. The natives figure it out.”Waters spelled out the international strategy, noting that there were 580 units at the beginning of 2010 and by the end of 2012, there will be 880. That compares to more than 2,600 stores domestically. “We are serious about international,” Waters said. “It will be a tremendous source of growth for us as a very healthy add-on to our domestic businesses.”Among the upcoming moves, Victoria’s Secret has set a 22,000-square-foot flagship opening on London’s Bond Street for June 2012, followed by two others later in the year in the U.K., as well as openings in the Middle East in fall 2012. BBW sees five to 10 new stores in Canada next year, on top of the 69 operating this year, and another 25 to 30 in other countries next year. But Waters cautiously described international as a “test and learn” strategy, involving wholly owned stores and a small number of franchise partners. “It’s a highly controlled model,” he said. “We own the assortments, the pricing, promotions, store design and real estate approval. Partners own inventory, make the capital investment, have real estate skills, people skills and are expert in local practices. We get paid primarily through retail royalties. We want to be as invested as our partners in retail sales,” and Limited will always have people overseas “coaching , inspecting, expediting,” Waters said. Wexner said at La Senza, “We have turned that business literally inside out.” In addition to changing the brand’s leadership, “we fired all our customers and hired another batch. With an average bra size down to 32 from 38, “the notion of being young, sexy and value is just getting traction. Now we have to develop internal skills to really grow that business and sort it out.”Switching to domestic growth, Wexner broke it down by brand. “The biggest growth will come from Victoria’s Secret and Pink” and specifically from bras, panties, sleepwear, loungewear and beauty, which represent core categories.“Victoria’s Secret Beauty is about a $1 billion in the U.S. The potential is about $2.5 billion,” Wexner said. “Victoria’s Secret Beauty has improved in profitability but has not grown volume significantly. It’s grown insignificantly in the last five years.“The Pink brand is over $1 billion. Looking at the potential, it takes it to $2 to $3 billion in five years.”BBW, Wexner said, has enormous opportunity to grow its core categories, and he said he believes home fragrance, where there’s “real traction,” could double in size. With its focus on women, Wexner cited major potential to cater to men and children. “My view on Bath and Body Works is that we have just begun to fight.” Henri Bendel will end the year with 18 stores, but Wexner said the division — which specializes in handbags, jewelry and gifts — can grow to 200 in about five years. “We think we are building a very unique brand with enormous profit potential. It’s a tourist destination.…Probably the biggest potential is international,” he added, citing Bond and Sloane Streets in the U.K. as potential sites.
A first look at @virgilabloh’s sneakers for @louisvuitton. Abloh spoke to WWD about his debut collection for Louis Vuitton, creating @kendalljenner’s #metgala outfit and redefining the heritage brand. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion 📷: @alfredo_piola)
The world’s largest producer of denim @iskodenim is sharing the strategy behind its product development process. Read our full interview with ISKO’s product development manager Baris Ozden on the company’s extensive research practices, upcoming denim trends and the latest material innovations on WWD.com. #iskodenim
“I genuinely fell in love with water, I fell in love with Fiji, I fell in love with the whole life that we lived for those few months,” says @mrsamclaflin of filming for his new movie “Adrift” with @shailenewoodley. The 31-year-old actor spoke with WWD about his upcoming projects, meeting Jamie Dornan and working with co-star Woodley. #wwdeye (📷: @jamstoker)
3 years ago, fans of the late singer Aaliyah started calling for a collaboration with @maccosmetics. With the strength of social media — including mock ups of products — 25,000 people signed a Change.org petition for a limited-edition collection, and MAC couldn’t ignore the buzz. Tomorrow, MAC will unveil MAC x Aaliyah, a tribute to the singer who passed away nearly 17 years ago. Head to our stories to preview the new collection, which was worked on by Aaliyah’s family and inspired directly by her makeup bag. #wwdbeauty
Artistic director @clarewaightkeller will be dedicating @givenchyofficial’s fall 2018 couture show in Paris on July 1 to house founder Hubert de Givenchy, who passed away in March at age 91. Givenchy said the collection would be “an homage to his iconic creations, technique, and personal lexicon” and a “celebration of his timeless elegance and grace.” Head to WWD.com to read more. #wwdfashion (📷: Delphine Achard)
La Double J made a name for itself with its vintage-inspired prints, but for resort, designer JJ Martin has ventured into new territory: enter rich jewel toned solids and decadent embellishment, in the form of appliqués, crystals and sequins. #wwdfashion #resort19 #ladoublej
This Just In: J. Crew Group has named Johanna Uurasjarvi as its chief design officer.
Uurasjarvi succeeds Somsack Sikhounmuong, who left the company last September. Tap the link in bio for the full report. #wwdnews
“She came into my hotel room and she was like, ‘I have Chanel and Christian Dior.’ She was like, ‘Chanel likes you.’ And I was like, ‘I’m going to start crying,’” breakout star Maddie Hasson tells WWD of her styling sessions Molly Dickson. “I really like classic, elegant things. I love the way Anna Wintour dresses.” Read more about Hasson’s role in @impulseseries on wwd.com. (📸: @jgreenery ) #wwdeye
@virgilabloh revealed he's working with Australian stylist and
Vogue Australia fashion director @christinecentenera for his debut @louisvuitton men's collection, which will be presented in Paris on June 21. Centenera met Abloh while both working with Kanye West, where she consulted on his all his runway collections since his debut spring 2012 women's wear show. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion #wwdnews (📷: @asussmanphoto)


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COMET LATEST: Gift vouchers suspended but 'all stores' staying open, says administrator
Despite 'all stores' staying open, gift vouchers for stricken electrical retailer Comet have been suspended, the chain's administrator said today.
And Deloitte, appointed yesterday, has launched an 'urgent' search for a buyer to protect some 6,600 jobs at the 236-outlet chain.
But as a consequence, a Deloitte spokesman said: 'Gift vouchers have been suspended temporarily while they assess the situation.'
However, all Comet stores will remain open and the group's staff will continue to be paid in the meantime, it said.
Comet: All stores should be staying open, a spokesman said
A spokesman said no other changes have been made since yesterday, which means that trade is continuing as normal for consumers with outstanding orders and that the group intends to fulfill deliveries of goods which have been paid for.
Extended warranties previously purchased remain unaffected by the administration and remain valid.
Neville Kahn, joint administrator and restructuring services partner at Deloitte, said on appointment: 'Our immediate priorities are to stabilise the business, fully assess its financial position, and begin an urgent process to seek a suitable buyer which would also preserve jobs.
'In the meantime, all stores will continue to trade and all employees will continue to be paid.
'We appreciate the co-operation and support from the management, staff, customers, landlords and suppliers at what is clearly a very difficult time.'
Deloitte said Comet had been hit by weak high street trading conditions, competition from online rivals and being unable to secure the trade credit insurance needed to safeguard suppliers.
'The inability to obtain supplier credit for the peak Christmas trading period means that the company had no realistic prospect of raising further capital to build up sufficient stock to allow it to continue trading,' added Deloitte.
In particular, it was knocked by the lack of first-time home buyers, which had been key customers for Comet.
Its administration comes just months after Comet was taken over by investment firm OpCapita, which bought the chain for a nominal £2 in February.
The high street electricals market in the UK has come under huge pressure as cash-strapped shoppers put off purchases of big-ticket items such as TVs and large appliances and online rivals take a bigger slice of the sector.
The collapse of Comet marks one of the biggest high street casualties since the demise of Woolworths in 2008 and comes a month after the failure of JJB Sports.
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domain: news


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A huge majority of small businesses are ploughing more money into their business than they are taking out for a least one month of every year.
Being your own boss is a dream for a lot of individuals, however, the reality of running your own business can be stressful.
British businesses formed during the pandemic could be a significant driving force for the UK economy.
Construction output is expected to rise by 2.5 per cent this year, according to a trade body survey.
As the UK experiences unprecedented high temperatures, your tourism business may well be benefiting from increased sales. However, whilst ice creams are flying off the shelves a much bigger dilemma is presented…
It has been announced by India’s commerce minister, Piyush Goyal, that India’s long-anticipated trade agreement with the UK is set to reach completion by October.
A new survey has shown the UK public’s attitude towards business has improved, but work still needs to be done.
The eligibility criteria for the Government’s work from home tax relief was relaxed during the pandemic, as restrictions prevented many people from physically going to work.


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Google will incorporate two icons in the search bar, one with a microphone, which activates the voice recognition, and one with a camera, which will put an image to find related results. To do a search on Google and you will not need a keyboard. The company announced a new feature that allows querying by speaking aloud in front of a computer.
In a virtual meeting with the media, the Google search team member, Amit Singhal, said the company based in Mountain View (California) has made these advances to “break the barriers between the user and knowledge”.
Google will incorporate two icons in the search bar, one with a microphone, which activates the voice recognition, and one with a camera, which will put an image to find related results.
The voice seeker, whose traffic from Android devices sixfold over the last year, will be based on the sound file that you have the company of these terminals.
Singhal saw this growth as a “success” is due to the accuracy and ubiquity of this option in the different functions of Android phones because “speech is as natural as humans do.”
On the other hand, image search, an adaptation of the application that has Google Goggles for its mobile operating system, runs through several options: copy the address of a picture on the internet, upload a snapshot from the computer or drag an icon from the equipment until the Google toolbar.
In addition, a software plug-in Chrome and Mozilla browsers allow users to click the right mouse button on a photo file and search results related to that image in Google.
Image search is presented to the company pages in 40 languages, while the voice is available in English from the Google.com website. However, Singhal announced its availability “in the future” for other languages.


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Supermarkets’ mega merger under spotlight
The competition watchdog will scrutinise whether the proposed merger between J Sainsbury and Asda will lessen shoppers’ choice and the quality of groceries, petrol, toys, school uniforms and even small kitchen appliances.
The Competition and Markets Authority said that it also had a duty to assess whether any possible squeeze on suppliers had a “knock-on effect for shoppers” if the tie-up between Britain’s second and third largest supermarkets went ahead.
The regulator made the pronouncements in its formal “issues statement”, published yesterday, as it set out the full scope for its review of a merger that could create a supermarket group bigger than Tesco.
Sainsbury’s and Asda, which is owned by Walmart, surprised the market in April when they announced a plan to join forces


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AMD’s Ryzen CPUs will arrive sooner this year. CEO Lisa Su said the products will launch on Sept. 30.
“We’re on track to launch our new Ryzen 7000 desktop processors and AM5 (motherboard) platform later this quarter,” Su said during AMD earnings call.
That’s fantastic news for AMD aficionados building PCs with the new CPUs. AMD already teased new chips for September. The Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 series launched in November 2020.
The Ryzen 7000 CPUs will have various enhancements, including TSMC’s 5-nanometer Zen 4 CPU design. Some chips will run at over 5GHz.
AMD announced in June that Zen 4 will enhance instructions per clock by 8 to 10% over its predecessor. A 16-core Ryzen 7000 CPU can enhance performance-per-watt by 25% over AMD’s last-generation silicon, according to company benchmarks.
Ryzen 7000 CPUs require an AM5 motherboard. Thursday, AMD will showcase various motherboards. More to come.
AMD’s CEO indicated PC demand has slowed owing to the recession during an earnings call. She said, “We believe we’re well-positioned to navigate the current environment based on our product portfolio and upcoming launches.”
Later this year, the business will release RDNA 3 graphics cards. AMD’s desktop GPU sales have slowed. AMD’s CEO attributed the shortage to “more supply versus demand” and consumers cutting back on spending.
More From Us:Tinder Parent Match Group Cancels Metaverse Dating


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Feb 11, 2013 Philip Burgess
The debt collection industry continues to become more popular and profitable, as consumers and businesses hold a higher volume of outstanding loans than ever before. Growth in the sector was likely the result of the economic recession, when demand for credit was extremely high and companies had a much more difficult time when trying to payback outstanding debts.
As a result of the increase in debt collection activity, many new firms are beginning to sprout up across the nation to take advantage of this financial opportunity. However, more federal and state entities are getting involved in the enforcement process, as abusive and illegal activities on behalf of either uninformed or shoddy debt collections agencies has led to an increase in complaints.
Keeping it simple
FOX Business recently reported that many consumers and businesses are becoming frustrated with debt collectors, as certain agencies will either bend or break the laws in the interest of seeking funds in a timely fashion. Some of the practices can be considered in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which protects consumers from abusive agencies.
According to the news provider, validation is an often overlooked but crucial component of debt collections, as agencies seeking out the loans have to provide debtors with a variety of information. This includes the amount of the debt, the creditor who currently owns the loan, a statement outlining the validity of the debt, a notification that indicates who the original creditor was and other information.
When disputes arise, agencies must cease efforts to obtain the debt for as long as it takes to send out supplemental information. Debt collectors can verify this information by mail or phone, and should always ensure the consumer or business gets a proof of payment to avoid any further issues in the collection process.
High risk of ill-advised practices
There are a variety of stories regarding the abusive practices of certain debt collection agencies, many of which have led to a widespread distrust for the industry at large. This includes hundreds of phone calls in a single week, posing as celebrities and stating that criminal charges are being filed when they are not.
However, debt collectors can avoid the current stigma facing their industry by following the laws and guidance as outlined by the Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.


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Latest News Headlines
Commercial Credit News
|Black Friday: what lenders need to know|
|Wednesday, 18 November 2015|
As retailing bonanza Black Friday fast approaches consumers will be planning to spread the cost of their seasonal spend. Last year, UK consumer credit increased by £1.3 billion in November, above the average monthly increase of £1 billion over the previous six months. For merchants and lenders, it is important to provide simple and quick commerce to ensure that customers don’t go elsewhere this holiday season.
Paul Thomas, Managing Director at Provenir, risk decisioning solutions provider, says, “If customers are looking to spread the cost of their holiday spend, be it through a credit or finance agreement from a catalogue or merchant, or with the help of a loan, they want their dealings with the merchant or lender to be straightforward, and for a quick financing decision. In today’s digital age customers expect quick results; lenders are under pressure to deliver a good customer experience.”
Forums International Ltd
Attendance at your first meeting is free of charge, and please quote reference 'CCR2016' to receive the special 10% discount off of your first annual subscription.
Find out more here.
The latest edition of CCR Magazine, the leading editorial publication in the UK credit industry, is out.
CCR is the premier magazine for consumer and credit professionals. It provides an independent voice to the industry, breaking major news stories and running in-depth features.
As a magazine, it works with and campaigns on behalf of the credit industry to promote its importance as a centre of potential profit and business development to the wider business world.
Providing information and analysis for thousands of senior credit professionals worldwide, every quarter.
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Registered in England No: 05483197


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22 May WattEV Opens Largest Public Electric Charging Plaza in US
On May 5, WattEV, a provider of zero-emission fleet and electric plug-in stations for the trucking industry, announced that it has completed construction on its 26-truck charging plaza at the Port of Long Beach in California, set to pen for public use during the week of May 15. The plaza is the largest public truck charging station in the United States. Prior to its public opening, the facility was showcased at the VOLTS conference, an event sponsored by the California Energy Commission and hosted by CharIN Inc.
The growing population of heavy-duty electric trucks running in and out of the nation’s busiest ocean port complex now can charge up at the nation’s largest public electric truck charging spot. The depot will serve heavy-duty electric trucks with routes connecting to inland destinations throughout Southern California.
In particular, the WattEV facility will support the first batch of 14 Nikola electric trucks that will operate on WattEV’s zero-emission fleet-transportation platform. The fleet is expected to expand to more than 100 electric trucks by the end of 2023, with the opening of additional charging depots in Southern California.
Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO of WattEV, said the port charging depot is designed to serve electric truck operations throughout the San Pedro Bay ports complex, and is the first of several WattEV electric truck charging depots in the works throughout California, including warehouse districts in nearby Gardena and inland near San Bernardino. “This charging station is the southern anchor of our planned electric-truck charging freight corridor, which will incrementally connect to all the major freight routes throughout California, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada,” Youssefzadeh said.
The new charging depot will serve WattEV’s fleet of electric trucks and other fleets electrifying their trucking operations to and from the combined ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which receive some 40% of the nation’s containerized imports.
Automobility Ltd is excited that its EXCELerate portfolio company WattEV is taking a major step towards enabling transporters to transition to zero-emission trucking by opening its first truck-charging depot at the Port of Long Beach.
Please contact us at [email protected] if you would like further information on this startup or to learn more about other Auto & Mobility investment opportunities from our EXCELerate opportunity pipeline.


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Tesla is in the middle of its end-the-quarter push to deliver as many vehicles as possible and it’s even using its own electric semi truck prototypes to deliver vehicles.
CEO Elon Musk shared a picture of the Tesla Semi truck carrying the vehicle – showing a glimpse at a sustainable future in one picture.
Over the last few quarters since Model 3 production has been somewhat sustainable at high volume, Tesla has had issues delivering the high numbers of vehicles.
At one point, it even started building its own car carriers and more recently, the company bought car-hauling trucks and trailers with $13 million in equity.
Now it is killing two birds with one stone by using its Tesla Semi prototype, which is currently in the test and development phase, to carry Tesla vehicles to their destinations.
Musk shared an image of the electric truck at work:
Tesla Semi delivering Tesla cars pic.twitter.com/ttEpcW5d8G
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2019
Tesla was originally supposed to bring the electric semi truck to market by the end of the year, but the company hasn’t updated its production timeline in a long time.
The automaker is also expected to release its delivery numbers for the first quarter next week after its end-of-the-quarter delivery push.
The image gives us a glimpse of what a sustainable future could look like with zero-emission trucks carrying zero-emission vehicles to their users.
If all those vehicles are powered by renewable energy, it would have a tremendous impact on carbon emissions.
For now, it remains only a test project and Tesla leveraging any carrying capacity to deliver vehicles by the end of the quarter, but we can imagine what it would look like at scale and it is definitely exciting.
Tesla is going to be one of its own main customers when it comes the Tesla Semi program.
Also, those few new buyers taking delivery with their cars on a Tesla Semi are going to be even more excited about their new electric car purchase. I know I would be.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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March 2, 2012
50-State Campaign to Reform Debt Collecting Practices Moves into Kansas
OPEKA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Only two weeks after Oklahoma lawmakers filed the Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Act (SB 1430), the champion of the legislation moved north to the Kansas capital where he met with representatives of the Kansas Attorney General's office. An industry insider and consumer advocate, Bill Bartmann is CEO of CFS II and the leader of a 50-state campaign to curb rampant consumer abuse by unregulated bill collectors.
"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its director Richard Cordray are targeting this problem at a national level, but Kansas is a long way from Washington D.C. and consumers deserve local protection by their state's authorities"
"The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its director Richard Cordray are targeting this problem at a national level, but Kansas is a long way from Washington D.C. and consumers deserve local protection by their state's authorities," said Bartmann. "With 30 million Americans facing debt collectors, there's a good chance you or someone you know has been harassed by these scumbags."
AARP Oklahoma has endorsed the Oklahoma Senate Bill 1430, which comes following a wave of scandals that illustrate the need for reform in the debt collection and debt buyer industries. Across the country, state legislatures and state attorneys general are cracking down on collection agencies who trick consumers into paying debt that is past the statute of limitation and who submit fraudulent documentation to support lawsuits against consumers
In Kansas, the average debt per consumer was more than $15,000 in the second quarter of 2011, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The explosive growth of debt buyers, companies that purchase charged-off debt from banks, has led to increasingly more aggressive strategies on the part of these companies. As consumers struggle to pay ever-mounting credit card bills during these hard times, complaints against collectors have soared.
Consumer complaints against debt collectors in 2010 reached 140,036, up 17 percent from a year earlier, according to the Federal Trade Commission. More than 50,000 people contacted the FTC to complain about harassment. Another 18,000 reported that a collector used obscene or otherwise abusive language and more than 4,000 consumers said a collector threatened them with violence.
"With about 30 million Americans facing late bills, the collection industry is being thrown into the national spotlight and not for good reasons," said Bartmann. "Complaints against debt collectors are skyrocketing because the industry is overrun with scum bag collectors who harass consumers and practice illegal tactics to collect on late bills."
On Wednesday in Topeka, Bartmann shared his proposal that serves as a model for Kansas and other states to reform debt buyer and debt collection laws and curb abusive and harassing practices. The 10-point model outlines critical reform ideas, including:
Establish a program for state supervision and licensing of debt buyers and employees.
Ban collection of "zombie debt" -- debt that has passed the statute of limitation.
Require debt buyers to provide proof of the debt before filing litigation.
Require debt buyers to prove that consumers receive notice of litigation.
Require that debt buyers provide proof of the debt to consumers upon demand.
Authorize consumers to record phone calls from debt collectors.
Authorize the Attorney General to impose fines and prosecute violators.
Increase the penalties for debt buyers and debt collectors who violate the law.
Discourage the filing of frivolous lawsuits by awarding costs to the prevailing party.
Require that debt buyers, when transferring a debt, transfers all information about the consumer.
Bartmann launched the 50-state campaign, "Stop These Criminals," nearly one year ago. The initiative is intended to reform the debt-collection industry and has proven successful, spurring the adoption of new regulatory law in Oklahoma. Since the legislation's passage there in May, Bartmann has presented his recommendations for reducing debt collection abuse to more than two dozen state attorneys general, members of Congress, and federal consumer protection agencies.
"I built my career around the debt collection business and I know there is a right way and a wrong way to collect debt," said Bartmann, a best-selling author who also wrote "Out of Control," that exposed widespread criminal activity in the collections industry. "Unfortunately, our current regulatory system is not stopping criminal debt collectors from abusing helpless consumers."
In the 1990s, Bartmann built CFS, the world's largest debt collection agency, and became recognized as a national authority on fair debt collections practices. In fact, Inc. magazine credited CFS with "remaking one of the ugliest industries" due to the zero-abuse policy Bartmann demanded of his staff. His firm helped 4.5 million consumers resolve over $15 billion in credit card debt, without initiating a single lawsuit.
The above statements do not represent those of Weston Legal or Michael Weston and they have not been reviewed for accuracy. The statements have been published by a third party and are being linked to by our website only because they contain information relating to debt. Nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice given by Weston Legal or Michael Weston. To view the source of the article, please following the link to the website that published the article. Articles written by Michael W. Weston can be viewed here: To report any problem with this article please email firstname.lastname@example.org


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Innovation is a paradigm shift, said Lisa Hendrickson, co-author of Boom! Deciphering Innovation: How Disruption Drives Companies to Transform or Die.
For example, Apple’s iPhone didn’t just improve on telecommunications and the flip phone, but it altered how many people work and communicate altogether, Hendrickson said.
“It was the starting of the unbundling of the office that you could actually leave and accomplish things regardless of where you were,” Hendrickson said. “That was the kind of paradigm shift that allows us to say I don’t want to go back to doing it the old way.”
And it opens a different door than just getting better, Hendrickson said recently on the Ideas to Invoices podcast.
“We could have made a better and better flip phone and I’m sure people have actually worked on that and designed that to make that phone better and better but what really happened with innovation is we started really unpacking what does an untethered office look like,” Hendrickson said. “And that’s how the iPhone innovated.”
Why are some companies like Uber and Netflix good at innovating and some companies like Kodak, Blackberry, and Motorola bad at it?
Innovation is a mindset and it’s a foundation for how we see the world, Hendrickson said.
Companies that are successful see where the market is moving and they continue that path of innovation, Hendrickson said.
Incumbents often must protect what they have because of shareholder demands about holding onto market share and it’s a different conversation, Hendrickson said. The best way for incumbents to innovate is to set up an innovation lab with a gated environment away from existing operations, she said.
In her book, Hendrickson mentions that 88 percent of the Fortune 500 firms in 1955 vs. 2014 are gone and we’re all better off because of that dynamic creative destruction. Others like IBM and General Electric have lasted because they are better at adapting to change.
“In some parts of their business they have been able to be very forward-thinking and say times are changing we have to be able to innovate,” Hendrickson said.
When paradigm shifts happen, the market simply doesn’t need some things any long like transistors and rotary phones, Hendrickson said.
In the book, Hendrickson recounts how Nokia started out as a rubber boot maker and Marriott started as a Root Beer stand. Those are some incredible transformations over the years. Being innovative means not only adapting to change but persevering over the years and outlasting competitors and challengers.
“One of the things we can’t forget is that resources are going to allow us to go through the fallow periods to be able to move into a new innovative space,” Hendrickson said. “If you are undercapitalized you are not going to be able to do that work of transforming the company.”
The pace of change is happening faster and faster now, Hendrickson said. And the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Big Data, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Social Media, are all converging.
“The plan is not necessarily about all the different ways you can innovate; it’s about changing the ways what the business sees as a core activity like R&D,” Hendrickson said. “Being able to have an innovation lab that works ongoingly.”
For more, listen to the entire podcast, pasted below, or wherever you get your podcasts – available on Google play store, Apple iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Libsyn, and more.


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© Reuters. Employee buses enter the Pegatron facility near Chennai, India, March 7, 2023. REUTERS/Praveen Paramasivam/File Photo
By Praveen Paramasivam
CHENNAI (Reuters) -India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu has signed investment pacts worth more than $4.39 billion with firms such as Apple (NASDAQ:) suppliers Tata Electronics and Pegatron, as well as auto major Hyundai (OTC:) Motors, it said on Sunday.
Apple is counting on India as the next big driver of its growth as the tech giant looks to diversify some production away from China, with Pegatron working towards a second factory in the country where Tata Group last year began to assemble iPhones.
Tata Electronics, a part of the Indian conglomerate, committed to invest 120.8 billion rupees for mobile phone assembly operations, the state government said during the signing of the agreements.
“The Tamil Nadu government will support investors in every way possible,” Chief Minister M. K. Stalin said at the event, adding that it sought to play a major role in India’s growth.
Pegatron, Apple’s Taiwan supplier, will also invest 10 billion rupees to expand production, the government added.
Separately, Tata Power is exploring investments up to 700 billion rupees in Tamil Nadu over the next several years,including investments made in some existing projects, its chief executive officer and managing director Praveer Sinha said at a press briefing at the event.
The pacts, unveiled at a meeting of global investors, are projected to generate thousands of jobs in the state.
The state’s summit comes days before another investment summit in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat where hundreds of domestic and foreign investors are expected to attend.
Sunday’s deals in Tamil Nadu include an agreement with JSW Energy to invest 120 billion rupees to develop renewable energy projects.
Auto major Hyundai Motors also committed 61.80 billion rupees, some of it earmarked for electric vehicle (EV) battery and car manufacturing, the government added.
On Saturday, Vietnamese EV maker VinFast (NASDAQ:) agreed to set up its first manufacturing facilities in India and work toward an investment of up to $2 billion in Tamil Nadu, as more companies seek to penetrate the world’s third-largest vehicle market.
Nike (NYSE:) shoemaker Hong Fu is set to sign a pact with the state to invest nearly 10.4 billion rupees in India, with another 16.6 billion rupees expected soon, Aqeel Panaruna, chairman of Florenece Shoe – the company’s India partner – said at the event.
($1=83.1030 Indian rupees)
by : Reuters


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Ford Motor Company announced on Tuesday it will be investing approximately $150 million in its Sterling Heights' plant to help build all-electric vehicles.
The Van Dyke Transmission Plant will build e-motors and e-transaxles for new electric vehicles, including the all-electric F-150, beginning in 2021. Ford estimate the move will retain 225 jobs at the plant, and is part of a more than $3.2 billion investment in the company's North American manufacturing facilities to produce a series of electric vehicles.
The new E-Transit will join the all-electric F-150, which was announced in September, and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, which begins arriving in dealers’ showrooms next month. The new entries support Ford’s plan to electrify its most popular vehicles, including its commercial vehicles. The all-electric F-150, which will be assembled at the new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, arrives in mid-2022. The E-Transit arrives in late 2021.
Ford’s is building out its manufacturing footprint across North America – working with local and national governments – in a bid to lead the transition to electric vehicles and meet consumer demand in the coming years. Ford officials said electric vehicles are a key part of company's commitment to meet the requirements of the Paris Accord and achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050.
“We’re taking our most iconic vehicles and using fully electric technology to deliver even more performance, productivity and capability for customers,” said Kumar Galhotra, president, Americas and International Markets Group. “We are building out the North American manufacturing footprint to support this growth. This is just the first chapter with more new electric vehicles and more investment to come.”
Given the early interest in Ford’s all-electric F-150 following it's initial September announcement, the company is increasing production plans by 50 percent, adding an estimated 200 new jobs in addition to the 300 jobs previously announced for the electric truck.
“Our electric vehicle business is a dynamic source of growth,” said John Savona, vice president, North American manufacturing. “We’re setting ourselves up for profitable business now and in the future.”


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Foreign workers will be allowed to sponsor family members based on income rather than profession under the latest changes to the UAE’s residency rules. The UAE Cabinet yesterday said the decision is aimed at “enhancing family stability of foreign workers and social cohesion, as well as attracting highly skilled workers”. On this occasion, Nasir Bin Thani […]
ENOC’s Ghaf Tree service station will include advanced machine-learning and AI technologies and data analytics to manage the queuing and waiting times in the forecourt The station also includes various technologies such as solar powered autonomous waste water recycling to convert waste water for irrigation, digital displays, integrated electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, multimedia-interactive modern […]
Coming to Dubai this fall! After a week of nearly daily hardware updates leading up to today, Apple finally unveiled its software news with an onslaught of new subscription services. Today brings Apple subscriptions across news, television, and video games. Today’s keynote also brought a new business venture for Apple with a new credit card […]
Banque du Caire, BDC, has launched its new representative office in the UAE
The third session of the Joint Economic Committee between the UAE and Uzbekistan was held recently in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital.
FinTech Hive at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the region’s first and biggest FinTech accelerator and hub, signed three new agreements with FinTech hubs –FinTech Saudi, Milan’s FinTech District and FinTech Istanbul during the second edition of the Global Financial Forum in Dubai.
Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone, ADAFZ, has reduced business setup costs by more than 65 percent, with the aim of improving customer satisfaction, enhancing its regional competitiveness and attracting new sources of Foreign Direct Investment, FDI. The business setup cost reduction also supports the government of Abu Dhabi’s latest initiatives aimed at strengthening the competitive […]
Starting up a business in Dubai can be hugely beneficial – you have a prime location in the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa
The Abu Dhabi Global Market, ADGM, Office of Data Protection has taken part in the annual Global Privacy Enforcement Network, GPEN, intelligence gathering operation, or ‘sweep’, to evaluate the implementation of core principles of privacy accountability in organisations across the globe.
The World Bank Group has hosted a special knowledge-sharing event in partnership with Smart Dubai titled, “Smart Dubai: Digital Transformation Strategy and Implementation Results”, at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington, DC. The Smart Dubai delegation showcased the citywide smart transformation reshaping the emirate, detailing the strategy and key initiatives driving the change. Following opening […]


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NJ slowing down more than most states for coronavirus, report says
With many industries still out of commission because of the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, personal finance website WalletHub finds New Jersey among the states slowing down the most during the pandemic.
WalletHub compared all 50 states across six key metrics to come up with its data, analyst Jill Gonzalez said. It includes travel to retail and recreation locations, grocery and pharmacy visits, parks, transit stations, workplaces and homes.
New Jersey it the third-most slowed-down state, behind New York and Hawaii, said Gonzalez. It's also seen the second-most coronvirus cases, behind New York.
The state has the second-highest retail and recreation mobility decrease, according to Wallethub. It has the second-highest decrease in travel to transit stations as well.
In terms of workplaces, New Jersey is third for decreased travel.
The state is tied for first in slowing down visits to homes, with New York, Hawaii and California all coming up about the same, Gonzalez said.
But compared to other states, New Jerseyans having slowed down their visits to grocery stores and pharmacies nearly as much -- coming in 28th for slowdowns to those locations. Both remain open under state restrictions on businesses and public places.
People are still going to those stores, and the elderly community in New Jersey is being served by other residents who are going out to make sure those people have supplies, Gonzalez said.
New Jersey is in 15th place for a slowdown in visits to parks. New Jersey shut county and state parks several weeks after closing most forms of retail, though some local and municipal parks remain open.
She said it's good and encouraging news that people in New Jersey are going out less often. It means that people are taking Gov. Phil Murphy's mandates regarding social distancing seriously, she said.
They are respecting themselves, their neighbors, their elders and those most at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, Gonzalez said.
The most slowed-down state according to Wallethub is Hawaii, followed by New York, New Jersey, Vermont and Nevada. The least slowed-down state is Nebraska. Pennsylvania ranks 12th on the list.


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The Ellerslie International Flower Show has begun a nation-wide search for a couple to get married in the Straight from the Heart exhibition garden at this year’s Show. Christchurch Landscape ArchitectOlive Screenhas designed a wedding-themed garden for Ellerslie 2012 and is hoping the garden will host the first-ever wedding to be held at the [...]
Search Results for 'edging'
Natural Habitats, New Zealand’s leading integrated landscape company, has launched its new website and logo. “The brand development was about getting back to our roots,” says owner Graham Cleary, “our people are first and foremost gardeners and craftsmen.” It was from this concept that the new positioning statement grew: “Gardening on a Grand Scale.”
Wally Richards shares advice on growing spectacular fruit trees in both the garden and containers.
Philip Smith from O2 Landscapes designs a Te Mata Peak garden using a distinctive range of plants, including species found nowhere other than on the Peak itself.


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Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy Samples are now the most valuable sneakers ever.
Sotheby’s sold the kicks, which West wore during the 2008 Grammy Awards while performing “Hey Mama” and “Stronger,” for $1.8 million in a private sale.
The sale was a historical one as it allowed Sotheby’s to achieve a new world record for most valuable sneakers ever sold. The sale was the highest publicly recorded price for a pair of sneakers, Sotheby’s announced in a press release.
The sneakers have been acquired by sneaker investing platform RARES. The market place allows users to invest in sneakers by buying and trading shares in them.
Of the sale, Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear & Modern Collectables said: “We are thrilled with the result, which has nearly tripled the highest price on record. The sale speaks volumes of Kanye’s legacy as one of the most influential clothing and sneaker designers of our time, and of the Yeezy franchise he has built which has become an industry titan. Furthermore, it builds on the recent growth in Sotheby’s sneakers, which is now offered across our Buy-Now marketplace, auction and private sale.”
As for looks, the shoe, which was brought to life in Nike’s lab — also known as the “Innovation Kitchen” — feature soft black leather uppers with perforated detailing throughout the upper. The heel overlay is then branded with a tonal Swoosh. Additionally, the design features the Yeezy forefoot strap and signature “Y” medallion lace locks in bright pink. Lastly, a custom lasered wooden box is included that is equipped with design and etching by Yeezy 1 creator Mark Smith. West decided to leave Nike in 2013 and would then join rival Adidas.


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Today marks a milestone in American farming. The Agriculture Department introduces a set of standards that define what the word ''organic'' means and which growers and products are qualified to use it. While most Americans tend to think of organic food as somehow healthier for themselves and their children, there is no hard evidence to support that. The real value of organic farming is its impact on our soil and water and livestock, on the very idea of farming itself. For that alone, it deserves our support.
Until now, foods and farms have been certified as organic by various states and organizations. What begins today is a national program representing the best standards in organic farming created by the organic farming community.
It took the U.S.D.A. a while to get the regulations right. But nearly every effort to adulterate the purity of the standards was blocked by an outpouring of public comment. What remains is the single best guarantee Americans have that what is being sold as ''organic'' -- bearing the new U.S.D.A.-Organic seal -- is just what it says.
Organic farming began as a fringe movement in the 1960's but has since become a $9 billion industry that is increasing by 20 percent each year, according to the Organic Trade Association. The popularity of organic food is based on the so-far undocumented belief that it is healthier. But there are other good reasons to buy organic food. First, it often tastes better. Second, the very definition of ''organic'' explains one of its main attractions.
Organic farming depends on the concept of the soil as a ''living system.'' In an organic system, which relies on crop rotations, animal manures, green manures and biological pest control, the soil grows richer and richer, more and more fertile. Organic farms do not contaminate groundwater, nor do they create toxic runoff. Their soil doesn't blow or wash away. This stands in direct contrast to the rest of American agriculture over the past half-century, a tale of grievous erosion, of poisoned wells and rivers, and an agricultural effluent that has created an enormous dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Buying certified organic food is a way to support the health of the soil itself.
The introduction of these new organic standards is the beginning of the story, rather than the end of it. The standards will have to be protected against attempts to weaken them. Perhaps the biggest challenge is discerning the impact of these standards on organic farmers themselves. To some, the idea of federal standards is the antithesis of the spirit of organic farming. For most, however, it's a welcome opportunity to reach a broader public. There are still concerns over scale, too, as more and more small organic food companies are being bought up by the big players, like General Mills. Nonetheless, this is a new day for organic farming and a welcome one.Continue reading the main story


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MONTCLAIR, NJ - The Montclair Farmers' Market kicks off the 25th Summer Farmers' Market Saturday June 3 at 8 a.m. at the Walnut Street Train Station. The summer market runs until 2 p.m. every Saturday from now until Thanksgiving.
Jim Matarazzo, of Matarazzo Farms told TAPinto that he is "looking forward to opening day and successful season." Matarazzo was on of the original vendors 25 years ago. Matarazzo is one of five familiar family farmers who are returning his season. They will be joined by 15 specialty food crafters.
"We are excited for opening day and the official start of farmers market season in Montclair. We hope to have our Strawberry Rhubarb Jam freshly made with rhubarb purchased at the Montclair Farmers Market farmers at Tree-Licious and Vacciano Farms!" Kim.Osterhoudt told TAPinto. Osterhoudt is the 'Kim' behind 'Jams by Kim.Osterhoudt shared that she not personally be at the market this Saturday, as she will be receiving an award from the National Council of Negro Women on Saturday, but her team member Doyal will be at the market with her Jams. She will be back in Montclair the following week.
The Montclair Farmers’ Market is proud to have spearheaded the locally-sourced, fresh food movement a quarter-century ago. Dan Lipow of the Foraged Feast (the "mushroom guy") will be able to share a story or two about how he sources locally. Lipow shared in the enthusiasm for the opening day"The Foraged Feast is looking forward to another great season! We're hoping to see all our friends back at the stand. We'll have lots of great mushrooms and seasonal greens available every week"
The Montclair Farmers' Market is more than just a place to purchase local food, the market has become a community space where friends gathers, organizations tell their stories, and guest chefs sample their work. One of the favorite spots for samples is in the north end of the market where patrons will find favorite food artisans. "Pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage...oh my!" said Mario Bochna of Stefan's Pure Blends. "We are excited for yet another season with one of our favorite markets, here's to a prosperous market season!"
The 2017 summer season will be the third season in which SNAP, WIC, and Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program participants are offered double the value of their coupons, thanks to a generous grant from Partners for Health.
The summer Montclair Farmers' Market runs every Saturday from the first Saturday in June through Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The smaller winter market runs the rest of the year.
TAPinto Bloomfield is accredited by the New Jersey Press Association. Sign up for our FREE dailyeNews and follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BloomfieldTAP. Download the TAPinto App! Click here for Android. Click here for iOS.
Have a news tip? Reach us at Bloomfield@TAPinto.net


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NFTS aid businesses
Millions are being made by NFTs and this isn’t just about profile pics or pfp projects as they are known in the web3 space. Brands such as Adidas, Nike, Dolce&Gabbana , Tiffany and more are making a giant profit off of the use of NFTs.
NFTs largely have been seen as a passing fad by many and a way to come up by others. The technology has been touted as a scam by some and savior by others as well. There are some that say the platform relies on a sense of FOMO or “Fear of missing out” in order to make sales, and there are indeed many projects that have used this technique to sell out and then “rug” investors.
Recently many companies have opened to use the technology to make a deeper connection to their fan base as other companies have noticed the potential for revenue optimization. More users enticed through merchandise promises and NFT drops bring in big profits.
One of the more successful companies would be Nike. The athletics giant has discovered a way to blend the virtual technology with its own branding rights. Currently the company has raised $185 million from its efforts in NFT sales. Recently the company RTFKT was acquired by Nike for an undisclosed amount. The company was valued at $33.3 million at the time.
The collectibles studio was responsible for CloneX which was an avatar collection with art by Japanese artist Takeshita Murakami.
Analytics shared by NFTgators displayed Nike as the biggest earning brand for NFTs with Dolce & Gabbana and Tiffany trailing behind but not nearly as profitable as the sporting giant.
More data offered by Dune Analytics show that Nike has already surpassed $1.3 billion in transactional volume from secondary sales and purchases of the NFTs with royalties from the project equaling $92 million. The CloneX collection remains at the top of the list of those projects generating royalties at $39.3 million.
Other collections have been successful but not as much as the top 3. CloneX became part of Nike after the RTFKT acquisition and almost two weeks after being on sale. RTFKT is responsible for most of the projects created for Nike and could be seen as solely responsible for the success Nike has had, this has lead many to speculate on the benefits of major companies collaborating with or outright buying web3 companies to create new avenues of content and merchandising.


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Earlier today, we picked up a report from Destructoid saying that Electronic Arts' Dead Space (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) has been banned in three countries in Europe, namely Germany, Japan and China. However, the publisher would beg to differ.
According to Eurogamer.de, Electronic Arts has clarified to them that the report on the bannination in Germany is not true at all. Rather, it is still awaiting classification from the USK. That is by no means equivalent to being banned.
As for the two other countries, Japan and China, EA did not say anything about them so we could more or less hold that bit of the report true -- for now.
Related Dead Space Articles:
- Oh the horror: Dead Space banned in three countries
- Dead Space release dates moved up again
- Dead Space rated 18 by the BBFC
- Dead Space devs talk about story's importance


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Mobile gaming and app developer Gismart has launched Games For Artists, a partnership for musicians that enables them to promote their music and brand through the companies new hyper-casual games.
Hyper-casual games are often described as lightweight games, allowing for easy pick-up-and-play experiences such as the widely popular Flappy Bird. They draw approximately 1 billion downloads every month.
Through these games, musicians will be able to incorporate their own lookalike in-game characters as well as promote their music and merchandise to audiences. Additionally, musicians partnered with the scheme will also receive a share in profits of the game.
Musicians partnered to the Games For Artists project will be integrated into games based on what works best for the artist, along with the in-game experience. Gismart will then be responsible for the games marketing and monetisation to bring in a large audience.
The news comes as the implications of coronavirus are felt within the music industry. With no live gigs, as well other elements being affected, Games For Artists opens up a new platform for musicians to engage with their fans, promote their brand and earn revenue.
Gismart currently has more than 10 hyper-casual games available to download, with titles such as Cool Goal! and Domino Smash gaining more than 60 million downloads each. Collectively their games have received over 500 million downloads.
The company has been working within the music industry for a number of years and have partnered with Universal Music Publishing and Sony / ATV Music Publishing. They have also previously collaborated with The Chainsmokers.


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ATM machines have the potential to threaten the global money transfer and remittance market currently dominated by Western Union, according to a new Celent Communications study.
A new report "Global Money Transfers: Exploring The Remittance Gold Mine," reports that in the United States, money transferred as remittances, funds earned by immigrants in foreign nations sent home to relatives, totaled $136 billion dollars in 2001. The number is expected to climb to $177 billion in 2006.
At the moment, Western Union controls 24% of the remittance market. Celent noticed, however that Western Union has a high profit margin, 30% compared to 12% at United States commercial banks, and low customer acquisition costs. These factors lead Celent to believe that the market is itching for new entrants and the growth of the ATM machine should peak at the perfect time.
By 2006, Celent forecasts that ATMs will be responsible for 11% or $19.5 billion of global remittances, which is a huge leap from $.3 billion in 2002. These predictions are based on the fact that many countries are planning to rapidly expand the number of available ATM machines.
According to Celent, the number of ATMs globally will grow from 1.2 million in 2001 to 2.3 million in 2005. In China ATMS are expected to multiply in numbers from 2,800 in 2001 to 30,000 in 2005. India is expected to have 165,000 ATMS in 2005 up from 49,000 in 2001.
Celent predicts ATM machines will prosper in the remittance market for a variety of reasons. For example, the lure of Western Union was that before ATMs, it was one of the few outlets that had the ability to send money transfers in real time throughout the world.
"The main barrier to entry into remittance market is the cash delivery challenge," said Gwenn Bezard, senior analyst at Celent and author of the study. "Most players can't deliver the remittance in cash to recipients around the world. Now, however, there are 10 times more ATMs than Western Union agents, globally, a difference that will only expand over time. Western Union has a competitor who can delivery money worldwide as quickly as it can and at a lower cost."
However, there are two major factors that could keep American banks from expanding their claim in the remittance market. There is a breach of trust between immigrants living in this nation, especially from Mexico and Latin America, and American banks. Most immigrants are wary to set up accounts in banks because they are afraid that the United States government can use information they give to the banks against them.
Most major banks in America are also globally limited and not capable of delivering remittances fast enough around the world because they have limited branches outside of the country.
"Most banks provide some sort of remittance services but none of them have been able to build a global operation like Western Union because most banks are domestically oriented and have a regional focus," said Bezard. "ATMs offer a unique opportunity to create new global operations to compete with global players like Western Union."


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India has strong views on economics. Speaking to a big crowd of tycoons, investors and journalists in New Delhi, Mr. Modi once admitted that he is “not a big economist.” Yet he promptly set out an economic vision for India to be a global manufacturing power. Investors should rush to “make in India,” he said. He claimed that his strong leadership would usher in economic revival and 100 million new manufacturing jobs by 2022.
During the prime ministerial campaign in the 2014 national elections, Mr. Modi mocked the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, for supposedly presiding over economic failure. He jeered that Mr. Singh — who has a doctorate in economics from Oxford University and was the architect of the liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 1990s — could not stop onion prices rising and that economic growth was jobless, both popular concerns.
Later, as prime minister, Mr. Modi told me that India’s economic performance had been embarrassing under Mr. Singh. (In fact, Mr. Singh’s record was pretty good: In his full decade as prime minister, economic growth was on average 7.8 percent a year.) The world, Mr. Modi told me, saw that “the ‘I’ in the BRICS had become a burden,” meaning India had fallen behind Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. He bragged he was restoring India’s image.
Parts of India’s $2.3 trillion-strong economy are in better shape today than they were three years ago. Onion prices are down. Deficits are lower. Businesses face somewhat less red tape. Foreign investment has come — over $160 billion in the first three years, compared with just $38 billion in the first three years of Mr. Singh — even if Indian firms are reluctant to spend.
Continue reading the main story
Local business leaders quietly grumble there is no dynamism on the ground, little consumer demand. Much infrastructure, such as wobbly roads and slow freight trains, needs improving. Indebted banks — state-run and READ MORE


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WASHINGTON -- Seventy-six percent of consumers take a product's brand name into account before purchasing, and 49% report that a familiar brand name was the first or second most important element of the decision to buy, according to a new study released by the Grocery Manufacturers of America here.
In addition, the study found that consumers are willing to pay more for quality. When given the choice between a more expensive brand of high-quality product and a cheaper brand of average-quality product, 57% chose the brand of higher quality. Freshness and taste emerged as those characteristics most indicative of quality in consumers' minds.
Nostalgia is also a significant component of brand loyalty. In an open-ended question, 36% of respondents said they currently use a particular product because their family has used it for a long time.
According to the study, store-brand products are still battling a subpar stigma. Sixty-two percent of respondents agreed with the statement: "Store brands are lower quality." However, private-label lines continue to progress and the most successful retailers take an active stance on education and community involvement.
According to Johnny Johnson, president and owner of Community Pride Foods, a five-store operation in Richmond, Va., 63% of his grocery sales are in the store's Rich Foods label.
"The Rich Foods brand is a national brand here," Johnson said. "We have taken the time to educate the customers. We do not sell it as a second-tier product."
That education includes a television marketing campaign featuring employees of Rich Foods, a local company.
Indeed, the Rich Foods brand is a highly visible daily presence in Richmond. Community Pride runs a van service by which any shopper spending $40 or more gets a free ride home. All 26 vans are emblazoned with the Rich Foods logo, Johnson said.
Yet Johnson agrees with the GMA's findings in that shoppers are not necessarily looking for the lowest price.
"People think private label is all about low price. In truth, people are looking for value. They want to know, 'What are Community Pride and Rich Foods going to do with my dollar?' They see the name on the van, and they know."


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Brad & Jennifer Moranz announced that their annual Charleston Christmas Special will be held this year, and attendees have two ways to see the show – live or streamed online.
If you want to watch the show live and in person, there will be four performances at the Charleston Music Hall from December 11th to 13th. Because of social distancing and government mandates, only 250 people will be allowed to attend each performance.
Tickets for the live shows go on sale at 1 pm on November 9th and can be purchased online using the following links:
- Purchase tickets for Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 pm
- Purchase tickets for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2 pm
- Purchase tickets for Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 pm
- Purchase tickets for Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 pm
For those who prefer to call for tickets, the box office will be open for phone sales from November 9th through 13th from 1 pm to 5 pm. Call the box office at 843-853-2252. That is the only time you can purchase tickets via phone. If you miss the phone sales window, you will have to purchase tickets online. You will not be able to buy tickets in person this year – only online or over the phone.
Here are some important guidelines to maintain social distancing:
- All seats will be general admission will be first come, first serve seating
- Ushers will assist attendees with seating to ensure social distancing between groups
- No seats will be available on an aisle, and all parties will be separated by 3 seats (6 feet) on either side of their party
- The doors to the theater will open one hour before each show
Due to limited seating, all tickets will be the same price: $39 plus Ticketmaster fees (which comes to a total of $43.30 per ticket).
If you prefer to watch the show from the comfort of your home, they are also making the show available to stream for $20. More info about the live stream will be announced as soon as it becomes available.
Charleston Weekend Events
There’s ALWAYS something to do in Charleston – especially on the weekend. If you need help finding plans, just consult...


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Off the record: are record stores on the last track?
Ahead of next weekend’s Record Store Day, you’ll find a piece I wrote for the paper at the weekend about the current health of the music retail sector here. It’s probably the most pessimistic I’ve ever been about the record …
Ahead of next weekend’s Record Store Day, you’ll find a piece I wrote for the paper at the weekend about the current health of the music retail sector here. It’s probably the most pessimistic I’ve ever been about the record store sector because I really don’t see any future for the record shop as we’ve known it. There are no white knights in shining armour who are going to come to the rescue. There’s no magic solution. There’s no way back.
While there will be plenty of obituaries to come for the sector, we should remember one thing: even as record stores downsize or disappear from the retail landscape, there has never been so much music on release.
As I say in the piece, “It was often felt that a vibrant record-shop culture was essential for the health of a local music ecosystem…this does not appear to be the case. It’s true that some independent record shops played an important part in promoting and highlighting new acts and releases. But most shops were not so proactive when it came to supporting new acts and preferred to concentrate on mainstream acts and releases. Even trying to persuade these stores to stock an independent Irish release was a Herculean task.
“Last year, as important Irish shops such as Road were pulling down the shutters for the last time, more than 200 new Irish albums went on release. Some of the albums were only available as downloads or streams, but many releases were on CD and vinyl and could be purchased from the bands’ websites and at live shows. It turns out bands at every level can survive without the shops, as fans find out about the bands and acquire their releases elsewhere.”
There is still, of course, some life in the old dog yet. We still have some great record stores out there – the piece lists what I consider to be 10 of the best Independent record stores around the world right now (not the 10 best, music nerds, but 10 of the best) – and, as I write in the feature, some will survive. We’ll see more innovations like the Independent Label Market (Domino, Tri-Angle, Rough Trade, Heavenly, Moshi Moshi, Bella Union and other labels selling their releases direct to the public at a market in central London in May) in the months and years to come, as well as stuff like Jack White’s big yellow truck and Gilles Peterson’s pop-up record shop. We may even see more new shops like Beats Working in Limerick and Head in Belfast. But they’re going to be the exception rather than the rule – and let’s not even go near HMV and its woes. The game as we have known it for a couple of decades is over. Time to move on.


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Nutrien recognized for leadership in advancing sustainable agriculture practices
March 19, 2021 By Greenhouse Canada
BASF Canada has announced the winners of its first Customer Sustainability Awards Programme, which recognizes Canadian businesses demonstrating leadership in building a sustainable future in the automotive, agriculture, personal care sectors, and others.
Three winners have been selected for their innovation capabilities and integration of sustainability goals into their business strategies: Nutrien, global provider of crop inputs; OpenRoad Richmond Auto Body, a collision repair services provider; and Sogefi, a leader in the design and manufacture filtration systems and flexible suspension components.
“We are happy to recognize Nutrien in the first edition of our Customer Sustainability Awards Programme for their continued leadership in advancing sustainable agricultural practices,” says Amita Sandhu, head of sustainability and government relations, BASF Canada. “Through the integration of their business objectives and sustainability strategy, combined with their clear support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Nutrien continues to demonstrate a meaningful commitment to sustainability. This type of leadership is not only incredibly important; it is vital for the continued advancement and modernization of Canadian agriculture and we’re proud to be partners with them.”
The companies were awarded in a virtual ceremony.
An independent third-party assessed participants’ sustainability performance based on the following criteria:
- Sustainability strategy
- Sustainability governance
- Sustainability achievements
- Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Sustainability innovation
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July 7, 2020 11:27 PM
KUALA LUMPUR: The coming three to six months will be crucial for the successful implementation of the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana), which is expected to show results by the third or fourth quarter of 2020, the finance minister said.
Tengku Zafrul Aziz said Malaysia’s move to cut the overnight policy rate (OPR) today to a record low of 1.75% from 2% previously was driven by global economic conditions, which were still in the early stages of recovery from Covid-19.
He said that based on forecasts by various agencies such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, more than 150 of the 195 countries globally were expected to record economic contraction in 2020.
“The decision to reduce the OPR is aimed at accelerating the rate of recovery and further stimulate the country’s economy.
“The government believes that this move, combined with proactive measures deployed since March under the Prihatin and Prihatin SME+ economic stimulus packages and, more recently the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana), will be able to regenerate the economy by creating jobs, restoring consumer and investor confidence, as well as containing the likelihood of a sharp economic contraction,” he said in a statement.
Tengku Zafrul stressed that Malaysia’s economic recovery was also subject to the collective effort of all parties, including corporates, small and medium enterprises, businesses and consumers.
He said the stimulus packages totalling RM295 billion had benefited about 800,000 businesses and saved an estimated 2.6 million jobs.
Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia had demonstrated its resilience in managing various challenges, including the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis, due to its sound economic fundamentals and robust institutional framework, as well as well-regulated financial and capital markets.
Earlier, Bank Negara Malaysia said the cut in OPR would provide additional policy stimulus to accelerate the pace of economic recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.


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GEA Farm Technologies showed off the world's first fully automated, per stall, robotic rotary milking parlor that brings robotic milking technology to large-scale dairies. With the new system, producers can increase their herd size without adding new employees. And, employees who used to be occupied with regular milking shifts can focus their attention on other herd management tasks, according to the company.
The World Ag Expo wraps up Thursday
Thursday, 9 a.m. To 4 p.m
Cost: $15 general admission


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CIVB president Christian Delpeuch has urged the Bordeaux wine trade to rapidly reform to avert the present crisis.
By the end of January 2005 he wants to see a decision taken on three important issues: indemnities fixed for a vine pull scheme, the creation of a mixed vins de pays/vins d’appellation zone and the adoption of practices such as the use of oak staves or chips for generic appellations.
‘The market is waiting for Bordeaux to take strong action and put its house in order,’ he told journalists at the Club de la Presse de Bordeaux.
Recently released figures for 2003-2004 show an overall drop in sales of Bordeaux of 3% by volume and 8% value. The domestic market remains relatively stable but exports fell by 9% in terms of volume and 18% value. The downturn was particularly evident in Denmark, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and United States. More positive results were seen in Asian countries and Russia.
Delpeuch has made no bones about the need for a change of mentality in Bordeaux.
‘Consumption is changing and 25 to 30 percent of Bordeaux is either not adapted to today’s market or is qualitatively questionable,’ he said.
Overproduction continues to be a bane, with the 2004 harvest looking likely to scale 7m hectolitres. ‘If we continue to produce more than 5m hectolitres the result will be catastrophic.’
The vine pull scheme would see a reduction of between 8,000 to 10,000 hectares, the equivalent of 600,000 hl of wine. This would be mainly generic Bordeaux and certain Côtes with indemnities financed by the European Union, regional authorities and the CIVB.
Regarding marketing and promotion Delpeuch says there’s a real debate as to whether the money would be better spent on quality control and economic management.
In the meantime the CIVB will continue to reorient its programme away from publicity towards action on the ground – ie tastings and marketing and commercial missions around the world. ‘We need to convince the buyers and opinion leaders, get bottles back on the shelves and then think about publicity,’ he said.
Delpeuch also lambasted prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin for his decision to oppose the amendment to soften the Evin law on restrictions on drink advertising.
‘It is scandalous,’ he said, ‘if we can’t be strong in our own country we can’t be strong on exports.’
Written by James Lawther in Bordeaux


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Applications for small business loans are down and approvals are also at a record low according to the findings of a new poll of SMEs by the Federation of Small Businesses.
The latest quarterly Small Business Index published by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows successful finance applications plummeting to the lowest level on record. The FSB is warning that banks "pulling up the drawbridge" to small firms will further stifle economic growth.
The latest Bank of England figures from March 2022 also show that the annual growth rate of lending to SMEs is at a record low, despite small firms making net debt repayments of close to £1bn in March alone. Lending to big corporates, by contrast, has increased significantly since the start of the year.
The FSB poll of 1,200 small business leaders has revealed significant problems with late payment and supply chain issues. The challenges are so serious that 11% of small firms plan to close, sell or downsize their business over the coming year, equating to more than half a million businesses.
The key findings show that:
- Only 9% of small firms applied for finance in Q1 2022, the lowest proportion since SBI records began;
- 43% saw their applications approved - also a record low;
- Just 19% described the availability of credit as "good" - the lowest point since 2016.
Of the firms that did secure finance, four in ten (42%) plan to use credit to manage cashflow, considerably more than the numbers planning to use funds for equipment (21%), expansion (19%) or recruitment (4%).
It seems that cashflow issues are being fuelled by late payment, with 61% of small firms saying they were impacted by late payment of invoices over the first quarter of this year and 26% saying the propensity for late payment is growing.
Of those that applied for finance, 61% sought traditional overdraft and/or loan products. A quarter (25%) applied for asset-based finance, such as invoice finance, with smaller numbers seeking funds through peer-to-peer platforms (7%) or crowdfunding (5%).
"Lenders pulling up the drawbridge for small firms will threaten our already faltering economic recovery," said FSB national chair Martin McTague. "A big chunk of what little finance is being accessed is being used to manage cashflow challenges as our late payment crisis worsens, rather than for much-needed investment and innovation. The government should accelerate delivery of our proposal to make Audit Committees directly responsible for supply chain practice to address this worrying trend.
"Culture change is what's needed here - lenders taking an objective approach to small business finance and big corporates putting best supply chain practice at the heart of environmental, social and governance programmes. The result would be win-win: strength in corporate supply chains and a thriving small business community driving economic growth from the ground up."
Written by Rachel Miller.


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PAR SUPPLYING INFORMATION TO HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE
PAR SUPPLYING INFORMATION TO HOUSE OVERSIGHT SUBCOMMITTEE as part of Chairman Dingell's (D-Mich.) investigation into FDA generic division approvals. On July 15, Par confirmed that it had received a subpoena and will provide documents relating to meetings and conversations with FDA. The company says it will provide the material to Capitol Hill within two weeks. Par is the first company to publicly disclose that it has been contacted by the subcommittee. Responding to a sharp drop in the price of Par stock on July 14, the company said it is "one of a number" of firms that has been asked to provide documents in connection with the investigation. The Dingell subcommittee said that a "number of subpoenas" would be served on the industry. At least one company reports not receiving an inquiry as of July 15. The American Home Products' affiliate, Quantum Pharmics, says that it has not received a subpoena. American Therapeutics, which received the first approval for a generic version of Maxzide, declines to answer inquiries about the Capitol Hill investigation. The request for information from Par probably reflects the company's success in receiving ANDA approvals. In 1987, Par got ANDA approvals for 29 chemical entities.
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Specialty drug maker Shire has quietly begun scouting deals with a brand-new $50 million venture fund, the latest of several in-house investment arms to launch with their parent company's pipelines, not profits, as the measure of their worth


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A new viral video (shown below) that features a Subway sandwich filled with maggots has discouraged consumers from ever eating at the sandwich chain again.
The video was filmed with a smartphone inside a Provo, Utah, Subway restaurant, Heavy reported.
In the video, an employee speaks to the man filming and apologizes for serving the sandwich. When the man complains that his pregnant wife has already taken a bite and voices his concerns over her health, the employee tells him not to make a scene.
“These worms are not harmful,” the employee says.
Some Reddit users have called the video a fake, since the vegetables look fresh and the larva are seemingly too large. However, a former McDonald’s employee commented that maggots once showed up in a new box of carton cups and that the insects could have come from the storage place.
Still, many find it incredulous that the employee felt comfortable serving the sandwich.
“She should have been handing out gift cards left and right, not trying to defend the worms,” one Reddit user wrote.
Subway recently made the news in May when it was announced that its sales were falling faster than any other of America’s top 25 food chains, The Washington Post reported at the time.
Photo Credit: Heavy, WikiCommons


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We’ve heard about director’s cuts for films and remastered versions of games, and now PlayStation has announced that their exclusive Ghost of Tsushima from Sucker
Star Wars Battefront II is gearing up for a bix expansion this month in line with the release of The Rise of Skywalker, and though
Much to DICE’s relief, the Geonosis expansion for Star Wars Battlefront II is a great success, and everyone loves the new map and new hero,
Reports have recently revealed that a second expansion (DLC) for “Destiny 2” called “Gods of Mars” has been accidentally posted to the PlayStation Store. This is just a few weeks after “Destiny 2: Curse of the Osiris” was released.


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The Killeen Fitness Court is NOW OPEN!
Here’s How It Happened:
The City of Killeen is making world-class fitness free with the Fitness Court! Carefully selected as one of 200 cities in a nationwide 2019 Campaign, this community is on the cutting edge of outdoor infrastructure that creates wellness opportunities for all.
City leaders have decided to provide no-cost bodyweight circuit training workouts with the digitally connected, best-in-class gym for adults — and to launch their local campaign at Lions Club Park — promoting healthy lifestyles for all.
Lions Club Park is a favorite destination for residents of Killeen, with plenty to see for the whole family: playgrounds, outdoor pavilions, soccer fields and basketball courts. Thanks to the addition of the new Fitness Court, this park really does have something for everyone!
Visitors can download the Fitness Court App on iOS and Android to learn routines, listen to heart-pumping audio guides, and compete in high-intensity challenges on this contemporary outdoor facility. By embracing the mission of NFC and promoting a citywide wellness initiative, this Parks and Recreation team has paved the way for residents to make the healthy choice the easy choice.


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CHICAGO — Travelers booking their vacations on Orbitz.com now have the option to rent a private home or condominium for their trips rather than a hotel room, online travel agency Orbitz Worldwide Inc. said Tuesday.
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Orbitz is now offering roughly 30,000 fully furnished properties in North America, Central America and the Caribbean through a partnership with Zonder, a Salt Lake City-based vacation rental provider. Financial details of the partnership were not disclosed.
In an interview, Orbitz Worldwide Inc. President and Chief Executive Steve Barnhart said that the vacation home rental market is highly fragmented, with most rentals advertised and booked locally. Orbitz, he said, is the first major online travel agency to offer a dedicated inventory of rental homes.
The option is timely given the economic downturn, Barnhart said. He noted that a rental home allows vacationers squeezed by rising fuel and airline prices to trim costs by, for example, cooking their own meals.
Zonder's platform allows travelers to view photo slideshows of the properties, get real-time availability information and receive booking confirmations immediately. Customers can also search for amenities like pools, Internet access and barbecues, as well as proximity to skiing, surfing, scuba diving and other activities.
Zonder also acts as an intermediary between the property manager and the renter and handles all rental payments directly.
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The London trade conference ICE Totally Gaming has announced the launch of a new awards program, designed “for the industry, by the industry.” The inaugural event will take place on the evening before the start of ICE Totally Gaming 2012, on January 23.
The “Totally Gaming Awards” have been designed and developed to recognize and reward innovation, as well as great products and services, from across the industry. Clarion Events, the organizer of ICE Totally Gaming, has worked with partner associations including the European Casino Association and the National Casino Industry Forum to create an event that acknowledges best practice and innovation in the gaming industry and provides an environment that allows its stakeholders to meet and network in style.
The Totally Gaming Awards will be staged at 8 Northumberland Avenue ( HYPERLINK “http://www.8northumberland.co.uk” www.8northumberland.co.uk), one of London’s most prestigious venues, located less than 100 meters from the city’s geographical centre in Trafalgar Square.
Awards will be given across a variety of categories, including best bingo, betting, lottery, mobile and online product of 2011, best manufacturer of the year, best casino of the year and best marketing campaign of the year.
There also will be a category recognizing the contribution made by the gaming media, as well as an individual accolade for outstanding contribution/service to the industry. An independent panel of judges will deliberate and decide upon each award category.
Kate Chambers, portfolio director of Clarion Events, commented, “ICE Totally Gaming is the event in the calendar when the global industry gathers here in London primarily to do business, but to also network and socialize. We are very close to our stakeholders, and the message coming through loud and clear is their desire for a prestigious awards program that is for the industry, by the industry, and in conjunction with our partner associations, that is exactly what we have created. The Totally Gaming Awards will provide an ideal way to launch what is the most comprehensive and international gaming event on the planet.”
Clarion Events has been commissioned to create the new logo and brand for the gaming awards, to be revealed at the beginning of ICE week in London.
The awards will herald the start of a week-long series of industry events taking place alongside ICE Totally Gaming.
“As is the case with everything we undertake, we are working closely with the industry on the project, in particular with the European Casino Association and the National Casino Industry Forum,” said Chambers. Research conducted after last year’s ICE show prompted the new look. According to Chambers, it was a way for the ICE brand to “spread its wings.”
“I am confident the Totally Gaming Awards will be a fantastic and appropriate way to raise the curtain on ICE and will represent a great addition to ICE week,” said Chambers.


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The way we interact with these consumers is through hyperpersonalized real-time experiences, reveals a new eConsultancy report in partnership with Cheetah Digital. Report Digital Consumer Trends Index 2022: Consumer Attitudes and Trends in Personalization, Privacy, Messaging, Advertising and Brand LoyaltyY shows consumers across the UK communicate with the brand on multiple channels, often unpredictable.
Email marketing dominates
Email continues to be comfortable as a favorite channel of consumers in the UK to receive offers, content, incentives and rewards from brands, the report shows. In fact, when it comes to increasing sales, email outperforms paid social and display advertising by up to 128% in the UK. This is 20% more than consumers globally, 57% more than France and more than twice as much as Spain (62%).
Price is not the only driver of loyalty
The cheapest price is just one of the loyalty factors. In the current environment, consumers in the UK are loyal to brands that create emotional connections by nurturing the community, recognizing their customers as individuals and delivering tailor-made offers and product recommendations that reflect this.
Moreover, 61% of consumers in the UK are willing to pay more to buy from a trusted brand, while only 53% are Spanish and 40% are consumers in France. Globally, that figure is 57%.
There has also been an increase in 86% of consumers who want the products and services offered based on their preferences in exchange for their loyalty compared to an increase of only 56% globally, an increase of 82% for French consumers and only a 39% increase for Spanish consumers. .
When done correctly, loyalty programs manage the exchange of values between brands and consumers, not just for one interaction, but for direct engagement over the life of the customer. With contextually differentiated, personalized experiences, they can be a channel for one-on-one relationships that build lifelong customer value.
Greater personalization brings ROI and long-term consumer excitement
In the value-sharing economy, consumers in the UK are rewarding brands that prioritize personalization, with more than half saying they will trade personal and preference data to feel part of the brand community.
At the same time, there has been almost a 60% increase in consumers in the UK who feel frustrated by a brand whose personalization initiatives do not recognize their unique wants and needs. In Spain there was an increase of 50%, and in France the increase was even more significant and amounted to 82%. Globally, there has been an increase of 52%.
First of all, retailers need to create a strategy that involves getting closer to their customers. Customers say: ‘We are happy to provide our information and sign up for your marketing program in exchange for offers that have been sent to me directly and that are relevant’.
Confidence in advertising is declining
As Google and other search engines solidify their plans to comprehensively reduce third-party cookie tracking, and consumers become even more proactive in protecting their online privacy, retailers must switch to first- and zero-page data strategies to launch their advertising and marketing initiatives.
More than 60% of consumers in the UK do not trust social media platforms with their data, and are in good company with 53% of Spanish and 66% of French consumers, revealing the same.
Even more, 64% of consumers in the UK say that tracking cookies is “creepy”. In Spain, that sentiment drops to 60%, and in France it is even less believed to be creepy at 53%. Globally, this figure is 62%.
People just don’t know what social media platforms do with their data. When Cambridge Analytica appeared, I think a lot of people started to lose confidence in social platforms. That’s why we see an increasing number of consumers who want more control over their data – they want to know how their data is used.
Access UK data findings here.
Access the global report here.
Are you interested in the world’s leading brands personally discussing such topics? Learn more about World Digital Marketing Forum (#DMWF) Europe, London, North America and Singapore.


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After a smoking hot week for the stock market, we sifted through the data and present you with 3 key takeaways and data points:
- Earnings growth is more robust than it seems.
- Valuations create opportunity.
- PPI says inflation gone = Opportunity.
Overall Economic Overview for Stock Market
You might not have realized, but over the past 5-6 months, the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates by only 25 basis points.
Today’s market update is particularly insightful as it distills the current opportunity into three informative charts.
This week marked a significant moment in economic data, potentially altering the prevailing view. The focus is shifting from the likelihood of further rate hikes to discussions about when rate cuts might occur. The balance of risk and reward is now tilting favorably, as the Federal Reserve’s priorities transition from juggling inflation concerns to concentrating more on the economy’s health. Looking ahead, we anticipate a series of rate cuts throughout 2024.
US Focused Companies Grew Earnings +8.9% This Quarter…
Earnings season is pretty much wrapping up, and it looks like the market’s earnings growth is landing at about +4.3%. Considering all the noise about the economy and rate changes, that’s pretty good. But here’s something interesting: companies that make at least half their money from the US have seen their earnings jump by +8.9%. That’s a solid hint that the US economy is doing better than you might think.
Small and Mid-Cap Companies Valuation Multiple Near 2008 Lows… Showing Fear + Opportunity At Hand.
Valuations remain attractive, especially beyond the world’s biggest companies. Small and mid-cap stocks, with market caps between $1B and $15B, are trading at levels close to the 2008 financial crisis lows. This opens up a lot of opportunities in the market, within companies that have significant scale, durability, and strong market positions.
All While Inflation Comes Down At The Fastest Pace in History…
Closing out today, let’s talk about the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. This index is often seen as more crucial than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since it usually predicts consumer prices, with a lag time of about 4-6 months. The latest PPI report showed a month-over-month decrease of 0.5%, the lowest since April 2020, which was during the initial COVID-19 price collapse.
The author and/or his firm may have positions in the mentioned companies and underlying securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.