text:
NEW YORK (Agefi-Dow Jones)--Amazon et Rivian négocient la fin de
leur partenariat exclusif dans les fourgons électriques à la suite
des commandes passées par le géant du commerce électronique pour
2023, selon des personnes proches du dossier.
Dans le cadre d'un accord conclu en 2019, Rivian est tenu de vendre
tous les fourgons qu'il produit à Amazon. Ces derniers mois, le
distributeur a informé Rivian qu'il n'achèterait qu'environ 10.000
de ces véhicules cette année, ce qui correspondait au bas de la
fourchette prévu dans le contrat initial, selon les personnes
En réaction, Rivian cherche à s'affranchir de l'accord
d'exclusivité pour pouvoir vendre librement sa production à
d'autres acheteurs. Des pourparlers entre les deux sociétés sont
toujours en cours.
Une porte-parole d'Amazon a déclaré que l'entreprise s'engageait
toujours à acheter 100.000 fourgons à Rivian d'ici ç 2030, comme le
prévoyait l'accord initial. "Rivian reste un partenaire important
pour Amazon et nous sommes enthousiastes pour l'avenir", a-t-elle
Une porte-parole de Rivian a affirmé de son côté que la "relation
avec Amazon a toujours été positive. Nous continuons à travailler
en étroite collaboration et nous naviguons dans un climat
économique évolutif, comme beaucoup d'autres entreprises".
L'action Rivian chute de 3%, à 13,71 dollars, mardi à Wall Street,
après avoir touché un nouveau plus bas historique en séance.
-Sean McLain et Dana Mattioli, The Wall Street Journal (Version
française Jérôme Batteau) ed : TVA
Agefi-Dow Jones The financial newswire
Amazon.com Inc. and Rivian Automotive Inc. are in talks to scrap
the exclusivity part of their electric-van deal, allowing the auto
maker to sell to others, after the technology giant's order for
2023, according to people familiar with the matter.
Under terms of a 2019 agreement, Rivian is required to sell all of
the vans it makes to Amazon. In recent months, Amazon notified
Rivian that it wanted to buy about 10,000 vans this year, which was
at the low end of a range it previously provided the auto maker,
the people said.
In response, Rivian sought to remove the exclusivity terms, the
people said. Talks are ongoing, they said.
An Amazon spokeswoman said the company remains committed to buying
100,000 vans from Rivian by 2030, which were the terms outlined in
the original agreement. "Rivian remains an important partner for
Amazon, and we're excited about the future," she said.
A Rivian spokeswoman said: "Our relationship with Amazon has always
been a positive one. We continue to work closely together and are
navigating a changing economic climate, similar to many
Executives at both companies have touted the deal, which gave
Rivian an anchor customer and Amazon a key component of its pledge
to slash carbon emissions. Amazon is Rivian's largest shareholder,
with a 17% stake in the company, according to FactSet, and Amazon
is on Rivian's board of directors.
Amazon has initiated cost-saving measures over the past year amid a
slowdown in e-commerce sales, following a surge during the
pandemic. The online retailer has said it is pausing construction
on its second headquarters in the D.C. area and laying off more
than 18,000 workers, one of the largest reductions among technology
For Rivian, the Amazon contract has provided steady demand for one
of the three vehicles the auto maker builds at its Normal, Ill.,
factory. If Amazon agrees to end the exclusivity arrangement,
Rivian would need to find new commercial customers for the
The Amazon deal has been viewed favorably by investors as an
important stabilizing factor for the startup auto maker and an
endorsement of its technology.
"Amazon represents such a large customer, or such a large pool of
demand for us," said Rivian Chief Executive RJ Scaringe in late
2021, soon after the company's initial public offering.
Amazon and Rivian worked together closely on the development of the
electric van. A change in the Amazon relationship would mark the
latest challenge for Rivian, which is under pressure to cut costs
and boost factory output. The company also makes the R1T pickup
truck and the R1S SUV for retail customers.
Last month, Rivian's shares fell after the company said it aimed to
make 50,000 vehicles this year, below the estimates of Wall Street
Rivian is among the more prominent electric-vehicle startups to
emerge in recent years, following the rise of EV leader Tesla Inc.
Like other young EV companies, Rivian has been strained by rising
costs and supply-chain disruptions. The company's shares have
dropped about 90% since their post-IPO highs in late 2021.
The Irvine, Calif.-based EV maker burned through $6.6 billion in
2022, after starting the year with more than $18 billion -- much of
it raised in the well-received IPO in November 2021. During an
earnings call last month, Rivian executives said they have enough
cash to last through 2025.
Last week, Rivian said it would raise $1.3 billion through the sale
of green convertible bonds. Shares tumbled about 15% the following
To conserve cash, Rivian has conducted two rounds of layoffs and
pushed back plans for future business lines, such as its
more-affordable R2 line of vehicles. Mr. Scaringe has said the
workforce cuts are a response to rising commodity costs, a changing
economy and tightening capital markets.
He has emphasized that the EV maker needs to focus on vehicles and
projects that are critical in the near term for helping it turn a
profit. Several top executives departed in recent months, including
the head of supply chain and the vice president overseeing body
Write to Sean McLain at firstname.lastname@example.org, Dana Mattioli at
email@example.com and Nora Eckert at firstname.lastname@example.org
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 13, 2023 14:23 ET (18:23 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Nov 2023 à Déc 2023
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Déc 2022 à Déc 2023


text:
Google released the first Android 14 developer preview on February 8, revealing a broader release roadmap for later this year. The preview is already available for Pixel 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, and 7 Pro users. This release allows developers to test and program their apps using the new features and APIs while also giving us an early look at what to expect from Android 14.
For beta testers, the fourth beta release would be ideal for getting their hands on, as it would be much more stable than the early beta version. If everything goes well, smartphone manufacturers will implement their custom skin on top of the latest Android OS and initiate a worldwide release around September. Meanwhile, let’s look at what the beta version of the next iteration of Android OS has in store.
Android 14 Developer Preview Features
Google has religiously refreshed accessibility features with every Android version in accordance with how people use their smartphones. With Android 12, the big G introduced improved screen magnification and added the ability to control the screen with facial gestures. And Android 13 delivered a new reading mode for visually challenged users.
The Android 14 will bring larger font sizes if the existing most prominent option isn’t enough for you. Google increased the scale font size to 200% on Android 14 compared to the previous gen’s 130%. Furthermore, it will be non-linear font scaling so the text that’s already large enough, a headline, for instance, won’t end up taking the entire screen estate.
It also offers better support for gendered languages via Grammatical Inflection API. Apart from this, developers can also take advantage of enhanced pre-app language controls. Using these controls, developers can customize the language list per region, perform A/B experiments, and “provide updated locales if your app utilizes server-side localization pushes.”
Improve Battery Life, Security
Google also claims that Android 14 brings many changes to improve battery life. It alters two Android APIs to enhance the efficiency of tasks such as downloading large files and background activities. Besides this, Android 14 enhances the internal broadcast system for better efficiency.
The new Android OS now blocks older app installation, specifically targeting apps built for Android 5.1 and older APIs. Google explains that older APIs don’t use modern privacy and security protection against malware. If you upgrade to Android 14, those older apps will remain on your device. However, you won’t be able to install those apps on devices booting Android 14 out of the box.
Furthermore, we’re getting developer-focused updates like sliding pane layout and window size classes so that apps can adapt to different devices seamlessly. To make it simpler for developers to create apps that work on various devices and form factors, Google says it is releasing a preview of its cross-device SDK.
Although not mentioned directly in the release note, last year, Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer confirmed that Android 14 would support satellite connectivity natively, something the official Android 14 logo hints at with space satellite graffiti.
Source: Android Developers Blog

domain: news


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Newzoo Forecasts U.S. Will Top Gaming Market This Year
June 20, 2019
According to market research company Newzoo, the United States is on the cusp of becoming the world’s top gaming market at $36.9 billion, the first time since 2015, and supplanting China. Newzoo said its forecast isn’t due to the 2018 freeze on gaming licenses in China, but rather is a reflection of “new console users and in general massive growth in console spending” on both Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox. Newzoo senior market analyst Tom Wijman points out that about 50 percent of U.S. game revenues come from consoles.
VentureBeat reports Newzoo also found that, “2019 will see the global game market hit revenues of $152.1 billion, which is an increase of 9.6 percent from 2018,” 45 percent of which will come from mobile “the largest segment in the gaming market.” Despite China’s displacement from the No. 1 spot, “Asia-Pacific will remain the top region at $72.2 billion,” up 7.6 percent from 2018 and responsible for 47 percent of global revenue.
Stating that the game market is “showing growth in every segment,” Newzoo also forecasts a 13.4 percent jump for consoles this year, part of it due to the launches of Microsoft’s Project Scarlett (codename for the new Xbox) and the anticipated release of a new PlayStation console. Nintendo may “also put out new versions of the Switch, its successful hybrid console.”
Growth in the games market is also predicted on the basis of newly released games and “added revenue from new console users due to the battle royale hype,” said Wijman, who adds that new sectors like cloud gaming played a bigger role in U.S. ascendency than PC games. “Growth in PC spending is largely flat compared to other segments,” he said.
But the 2018 freeze in games licenses also “hurt the Chinese market, providing a chance for the U.S. to pull ahead of it.” Tencent is in a position to expand beyond China this year — when and if opportunities pop up.
Newzoo dubs Latin America the fastest growing market in the world, at 11.1 percent year-over-year to $5.6 billion. Most of the growth comes from mobile gaming, where better infrastructure plays a role in the bump.
Mobile will continue to grow and is “forecast to bring in $68.5 billion in 2019,” which is “an incredible 45 percent of the global market.” Eighty percent of that figure comes from smartphone games. Regulation of loot boxes, however, is a done deal in the Netherlands and is being considered by the U.S. Congress.
PC gaming will grow 4 percent to $35.7 billion, but browser games have dipped 15.1 percent from 2018 to $3.5 billion. The younger demographic isn’t exposed to PC games, where “live services have also been the norm for the most popular PC games for many years now.”
Newzoo is also bullish on cloud gaming, since Microsoft Azure, Amazon Cloud Services and Google Cloud replaced yesteryear’s insufficient technology. “Cost and accessibility of broadband — that’s the biggest hurdle for the likes of Google Stadia and Project xCloud,” says VB, which notes that 5G rollout will help although data caps and high prices could become a major issue.
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text: Editor\’s note: two suspects in Qingdao have blocked their faces and looted adult vending machines, trying to avoid catching them. But now surveillance is everywhere in the city, and eventually the suspects are arrested and will be severely punished by law. November 1st morning, Qingdao public Cui to North Ruichang Road police station public security police said his theft in the self-help Adult supplies shop in Ruichang Road business, the loss of goods and cash totaling more than 2000 yuan, then the police arrived on the scene.Mr. Cui runs a self-service adult goods store, where customers can buy goods after they buy coins, so the store is open 24 hours and unattended. There are only two monitoring probes in the corner. According to Mr. Cui said, in the morning, he through mobile phone software to see the store situation, found Ruichang road vending machine store has obvious mark, shelf basically emptied, to the scene after confirmation of theft, quickly alarm. By looking at the monitor, the police found in the early hours of the day, there are two young men have entered the store, including a lookout at the door, a man with a crowbar to the vending machine open, stolen cash, and the shelf doors open, there will be Adult supplies all the stolen.Because two suspects blocked the face, the police through video surveillance can only determine the height of two people, body shape and other characteristics. Combined with road monitoring, police found two people after committing a crime, walking back to the people\’s road, a district hiding. In November 2nd, when the police conducted a visit to the community, there were residents to the community police, two men in the main pass to the past residents selling adult supplies, there are many children because of curiosity in the crowd, the impact is very bad. At this news, immediately rushed to the police, found selling Adult supplies the two young men dressed with physical characteristics and monitoring of the thief is completely consistent, then immediately approached inventory control for two people.After tushen, two people soon confessed to the theft gang self-service store property crimes. All two young men were surnamed Han, and they were fellow villagers in Jiangsu. According to the two men, to green jobs is blocked, two people on all kinds of self checkout machines throughout the castle and grasping dolls, after verification, two people only one month, he fled the ATM theft district property crime more than a decade, the cumulative value of nearly million yuan. The theft of cash from two were squandered, and all kinds of goods are basically two people to put stall in the form of low-cost sale.At present, two people have been under criminal detention.


text:
, makers of the micro Smart Cars (not to be confused with the
by DaimlerChrysler) posted sales totaling $2.3 million since inception according to the company. Said Steve Schneider, ZAP CEO, "The purpose of this announcement is to let the world know that we are executing on our business plan."
The 2005 Smart Car can be found in the U.S. states of Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Other news on ZAP, such as its Obvio! (pictured) and Xebra micro vehicles, can be found
[Source: PR Newswire via Automotive.com]


text:
NEW DELHI: Dodla Dairy, a leading dairy company in southern India, on Tuesday acknowledged it has raised a little bit over Rs 156 crore from anchor traders forward of its initial fragment-sale, which opens for public subscription on Wednesday.
The corporate has made up our minds to allocate a complete of 36,46,099 equity shares at Rs 428 apiece to anchor traders for Rs 156.05 crore, a round uploaded on BSE web page showed.
Those participated within the anchor bidding incorporated SBI Mutual Fund (MF), Aditya Birla Solar Life MF, Edelweiss MF, Kuber India Fund, Saint Capital Fund and Integrated Core Systems Asia Pte Ltd.
They moreover incorporated Global Finance Company, Ashoka India Alternatives Fund, and IIFL Special Alternatives Fund.
The IPO comprises a new issuance of shares worth as a lot as Rs 50 crore, besides an offer on the market of as a lot as 1,09,85,444 equity shares by TPG Dodla Dairy Holdings Pte Ltd, Dodla Sunil Reddy, Dodla Deepa Reddy and Dodla Household Trust.
At the upper-conclude of the insist sign, the initial public offering (IPO) is anticipated to safe Rs 520.17 crore.
The insist, with a demonstration band of Rs 421-428 a fragment, will open for public subscription all the device by device of June 16-18.
Half of the insist measurement has been reserved for licensed institutional investors, 35 per cent for retail traders, and 15 per cent for non-institutional bidders.
The proceeds from the insist will be old for payment of sure borrowings, funding capital expenditure requirement of the company, and for usual corporate capabilities.
The corporate's operations in India are essentially all the device by device of the four states — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its international operations are essentially essentially based in Uganda and Kenya.
Axis Capital and ICICI Securities are the investment bankers of the company's initial fragment sale. The equity shares of every corporations will be listed on the NSE and the BSE.
Pick up The Financial Instances News App to uncover Day after day Market Updates & Stay Exchange News.


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The speakers on ‘the future of sports betting – era of inflation’ panel, part of the SBC Summit Barcelona’s Leaders Track, share both an optimistic but foreboding consensus.
The future of the industry, with a focus on Europe and North America, remains ‘very bright’ – in the words of Betsson AB CEO and Founder Pontus Lindwall, but headwinds are visible on regulation, tech and above all inflation are present and require clever navigation.
The global view
Lindwall set forth his argument that there is ‘a very bright future for sports betting’, reflecting on a discussion he overheard back in 2008 in which a commentator asserted that ‘there is no chance you can satisfy more than three territories…’ Betsson is now active in 20 markets.
“We’ve been working on that for a long-time, we are going to crack on in the same way we have so far,” he explained.
“If you look back there was not much live betting only pre-match, whilst now that offering is widening. Maybe there could be combinations and betbuilders in live betting.
“Customers want to be able to find the offering they want and place that bet – it’s as simple as that. Customer experience is everything and we have come a long way but there is more to be done.”
Meanwhile, Novibet CEO George Athanasopouolos’ main advice for operators was to invest in tech and value their products, and focus on how said products can be internalised when offered.
He said: “What will make a difference to the end customer is if you can understand the excitement you are giving to them, and the only way you can do that is if you have the platform technology.
“What we believe is the future is companies that have a deep understanding of the three pillars of online gaming – the future is bright, we are seeing new regulated markets and the US is opening.
“We are looking forward to teaching Americans about maximising product, profitability and customer experience.”
Less is more?
Not all operators are as wide ranging as Betsson, however, as Kwiff CEO Charles Lee and betFIRST CEO Alexis Murphy noted, discussing the topic from the perspective of small operators, and praising the benefits of focusing on one market.
“We are seeing good organic growth and opportunities, and we are going to focus on this,” Murphy remarked.
“I think the reality is that although one might think that it is generically the same product, whether in Belgium or the US or another country, but the complex tapestry of local regulations, cultural affinities and different sporting preferences – running a local business has a degree of complexity to companies such as ourselves.”
Meanwhile, from the tech perspective, Lee argued that there is a distinct advantage to channelling expertise into one market, at least to begin with – citing Kwiff’s own experience of building its own in-house tech platform.
“You have to focus on one technology to begin with, you can’t go into 20 markets immediately,” the Kwiff CEO reiterated to his fellow panellists.
“Focus on a market, really localise it, get the right people in , the right technology and product and the right partners.”
That is not to say that either the Irishman or Englishman failed to see any benefits to multinational operations – Murphy noted in particular that this can help from a brand and marketing perspective.
“There is an advantage for multinational brands, and the Netherlands is a good example of that,” he said. “You can be banned from sponsoring a football team in the Netherlands, but if you do so in Spain for example that will benefit back there anyway.”
On the other hand, Lindwall observed that there are hurdles to international operators which domestic ones either do not encounter or experience on a diminished basis.
Specifically, he stated that being active in numerous jurisdictions takes up product development time, reflecting that ‘it’s tough to be operational in so many markets’.
The elephant in the room
Despite this, Lindwall remained steadfast in his belief that the betting industry’s future is bright, addressing the elephant in the room of inflation, as rates soar across numerous countries.
The CEO held particularly strong faith in the continued diversification of betting, predicting that in the same way the industry has broadened over the past decade, it will continue to do so over the next five to 10 years with positive results.
Ultimately, the key selling point of betting is its entertainment value, something which will not diminish as inflation rates rise, and though costs may increase for operators, LIndwall maintained that ‘in general we will be fine’.
“I cannot predict the future, but I know that if I go to the shop to buy milk or butter it is more expensive than it was half a year ago. Interest rates on loans are also going up,” he added.
“This could have an impact on our industry, but we have gone through tough times before – 2001, 2002, 2008 – and have proved that our industry is more resilient than others. “
Agreeing with Lindwall, Niels Onkenhout, Nederlandse Loterij CEO, noted that sports betting and casinos are ‘entirely an entertainment industry’, and so should show some resilience.
He held some optimism for the economic future, saying: “This is a time to accelerate your business, and we are uniquely positioned to do that.” predicts that there will be a different economy by next summer.”
The spectre of politics
Onkenhout’s main focus was on political developments – he offered insights in particular into Europe, as well as market developments in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands the regulatory spotlight on betting has widened since last year’s re-regulation, and he added that ‘formidable competitors are coming into the market’, meaning ‘the battle is on’ for Dutch competitivity.
On politics, he noted that decision makers in Europe are concerned that the threshold for young people to start gambling is steady lowering, presenting doubts around gambling’s social responsibility status.
“I also see a bright future for sports betting, but regulators continue to tighten the rules and look to other countries to see what they can apply on their own,” he said.
“This is driven by the opinions of politicians, there will be continued pressure on sports betting and casinos in particular.”
“The future will be technology driven, focused on customer experience, such as payments. We need to drive and insource technology, as our products will be generic and we will be pressured by the regulator.”
Concluding, he remarked that operators should ‘tailor their offering to a specific audience’ and offer alternative products, to differentiate themselves, set themselves apart and present their products as a special, unique offering to consumers.
“This is a time to accelerate your business, and we are uniquely positioned to do that.” predicts that there will be a different economy by next summer.”
Lastly, on the other side of the North Sea, Lee examined developments in the UK, where the Gambling Act review judgement is still being awaited after nearly two years in the political pipeline.
“It’s incredibly challenging,” he said. The regulator is trying to do the best job that they can. They are trying to protect the player, generate taxes – if they don’t get these they can fine people – and prevent the black market too.
“We have to cross hurdles, and the regulatory framework that is there takes up a lot of time, and it is frustrating.”


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- A new rule has been enforced by the British Government making it compulsory for the citizens to wear a face cover from 24 July 2020
- Sainsbury’s and Asda have joined different shops including Costa Coffee saying they are not obligated to 'police' clients
- A face covering is strongly encouraged in public spaces such as banks, post offices, shops, and supermarkets
Few prominent retail chains have said that they will not be enforcing the wearing of face covers as the new guidelines for the same came into power in England. The grocery stores have joined different shops, including Costa Coffee, saying they are not obligated to 'police' clients. New rules mean covers must be worn in shops and the ones not abiding by the law in England will have to confront a £100 fine. The fine will reduce to half in case it is paid within a two-week period. As per the new guidelines, people would be violating the law by not wearing masks at the banks, post offices, malls, takeaways, and shops. In any case, a few retailers have clearly stated that they do not expect to police the laws, which comes into existence from 24 July 2020.
Sainsbury's has requested its staff to keep playing their part in assisting the customers to follow the new rules, but they will not be liable to enforce the same. Asda firmly urged its customers to wear a face covering, however, included that the relevant government authorities must police and implement the new guidelines. The same should not be expected from the retail chain.
Starting this Friday, face covers have become obligatory throughout all the shops in England, and even while purchasing food or drinks to take away. However, Sainsbury's, Asda and Costa Coffee are among those who state they won't punish clients who neglect to wear them. The individuals who ridicule the new guideline, which applies to shops, malls, banks, takeaways, post workplaces, sandwich shops and stores, should be liable to pay the hefty fine. The rule said that neglecting to wear a face mask on public transport shall also attract the same fine, of £100.
However, there are worries about how the law will be upheld, with both the retailers and the police authorities having reported a lack of resources.
The England Police Authorities, on the other hand, have requested the retail chains to say no to people not wearing a face mask, for entering their stores.
A face covering is something which securely covers the nose and mouth, and it quite essential with regards to the coronavirus (COVID-19) flare-up. Face covers, to a great extent, are planned to ensure others, not the wearer, against the spread of disease since they cover the nose and mouth, which are the affirmed source of transmission of infection-causing coronavirus disease.
People are expected to wear a face-covering immediately before entering public transport, indoor transport hubs, shops and supermarkets, indoor shopping centres, banks, building societies, and post offices, and must keep it on until they leave. Wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing might be difficult. They are also required in NHS settings, including hospitals and primary or community care settings, such as GP surgeries. It is also advisable to wear in care homes.
It can be removed when eating and drinking, while taking away an order, if necessary. It can also be removed in case a shop or supermarket has a café or seating area for eating and drinking.
The Association of Convenience Stores, which has membership of more than 30,000 local shops across England, has also advised its members not to challenge their customers, as it might lead to ill-treatment of the shop staff.
Let us now take a look at the stock price movement of few large retail chains in the UK.
J Sainsbury PLC (LON: SBRY) stock was trading at GBX 191.05, up by 0.55 per cent from its previous close, on 24 July 2020. The 52-week low/high price was GBX 174.95/235.80. It was having a market capitalisation (Mcap) of £4,220.82 million. The company recorded a negative return on price, which was 17.69 per cent on a YTD (Year to Date) basis. Sainsbury's, as mentioned above, will simply try and encourage its customers to wear face-masks, without enforcing any rule for the same.
Greggs PLC (LON: GRG) stock was trading at GBX 1,481.00, down by 1.73 per cent from its previous close, on 24 July 2020. The 52-week low/high price was GBX 1,300.00/2,442.00. It was having a market capitalisation (Mcap) of £1,524.42 million. The company recorded a negative return on price, which was 37.67 per cent on a YTD (Year to Date) basis. It will be essential for customers to wear a face-covering in Greggs.
Tesco PLC (LON: TSCO) stock was trading at GBX 220.70, up by 2.18 per cent from its previous close, on 24 July 2020. The 52-week low/high price was GBX 211.20/258.90. It was having a market capitalisation (Mcap) of £21,153.95 million. The company recorded a negative return on price, which was 13.72 per cent on a YTD (Year to Date) basis. In order to help in keeping the staffs safe in-store and in accordance with the latest government guidance, customers will be required to wear face coverings while shopping from 24 July. Tesco has said that it will also make the face coverings available for purchase in-store and online.
In order to stop the spread of Coronavirus disease, wearing a face mask becomes essential. Government has enforced a new rule of wearing face coverings in England from 24 July 2020. However, prominent supermarket chains including Sainsbury, Asda, and Costa Coffee have said that they will not be forcing their customers to wear face covers, as the new rules came in effect. It is yet to be seen how effectively will the city’s police machinery be able to enforce this tough rule.
With Bank of England reducing the interest rates to a historic low level, the spotlight is back on diverse investment opportunities.
Amidst this, are you getting worried about these falling interest rates and wondering where to put your money?
Well! Team Kalkine has a solution for you. You still can earn a relatively stable income by putting money in the dividend-paying stocks.
We think it is the perfect time when you should start accumulating selective dividend stocks to beat the low-interest rates, while we provide a tailored offering in view of valuable stock opportunities and any dividend cut backs to be considered amid scenarios including a prolonged market meltdown.


text:
This is an update to correct the closing figures for the major indexes in the third and fourth paragraphs.
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks closed lower Friday, with both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 breaking three-week winning streaks, after a session spent trying to diagnose the uncertain health of the economy.
Investors Friday took in both retail sales numbers pointing toward strength and a business inventories report suggesting sluggishness.
The Nasdaq Composite $COMPX finished down 14 points at 2,057.
During the week, the Dow lost 1.4%, the S&P 500 fell 1% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.3%.
Volume was light, with about 1.31 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange and about 1.45 billion traded in the Nasdaq market. Declining stocks outnumbered rising shares by 21 to 11 on the NYSE and by 19 to 9 on the Nasdaq.
The market Friday focused on the pace of inflation and on whether the economic slowdown will result in a "hard landing," searching for clues in the new data reports.
"Investors are increasingly fearful that the economy is going to slow down from even what we saw in the second quarter," said Michael Malone, a trading analyst at Cowen & Co. "There are real concerns about the economy going forward."
However, retail sales last month grew 1.4%, the fastest pace in six months, with gains in such categories as electronics, building materials and clothes, according to the Commerce Department. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a gain of 0.8%. See full story.
Retail sales represent about a third of final U.S. demand. The health of the consumer has been a big economic question mark hanging over the financial markets.
"Overall, this is a stronger report than we were expecting, even allowing for the erratic nature of the building materials numbers," Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a research note. "Retailing is holding up quite well, but we expect a sustained slowing over the next few months."
Also Friday, import prices were 0.9% higher last month, due to rising oil costs, the Labor Department said. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast a 0.8% increase. See full story.
"There was a hefty rise in import prices, and that sends us back to the drawing board," said Peter Cardillo, chief market strategist at S.W. Bach. "The focus is back on what the Fed will do. It's all about inflation."
The Fed last week left rates unchanged, after 17 consecutive increases since June 2004. But investors are uncertain whether the action was a one-off pause or marked the end of the tightening series
But, excluding the rise in petroleum prices, import prices fell 0.1% in July after rising by 0.4% in June and by 0.7% in May. This marked the first such decline since March.
The Commerce Department said inventories in June rose 0.8%, outstripping the 0.6% gain forecast set by MarketWatch. At the same time, sales in the month slowed to a growth rate of 0.2%, down sharply from 1.6% in May.
Many analysts believe investors have learned to live with terrorism, after stocks on Thursday closed higher, despite news that U.K. authorities thwarted a plot to blow up U.S.-bound flights. Even significant attacks or attempted attacks no longer prompt the heavy selling seen in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001.
The September crude futures contract closed up 35 cents at $73.35 a barrel, after a volatile session during which traders weighed demand concerns linked to heightened terrorism fears against an uncertain supply outlook. Crude lost 0.5% during the week. See futures movers
The December gold contract was volatile, giving up morning gains to close $1.60 lower at $644.40 an ounce. During the recent week, gold lost 1.8%. See full story.
The dollar struck a two-week high against the yen, rising 0.8% to 116.32 yen, after weaker-than-expected Japanese gross domestic product data reported overnight. The Bank of Japan left interest rates unchanged, as expected.
The euro late in the day was down 0.6% at $1.2723, as the British pound fell 0.3% to $1.8897. See Currencies.
Treasurys were under pressure after the strong retail sales report. Economic strength supports the case for the Fed to keep lifting rates and diminishes safe-haven interest in bonds.
Stocks on the move
Investors continued to monitor airline stocks, one day after the thwarted terror attack news, which fed worries that passengers will shun air travel. The Amex Airline Index ($XAL) slid 5% to 44.65, as AMR Corp.
Cyclical industrial stocks also were under pressure, hit by the worries of economic slowing, The Dow Jones Transport Index


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Predicting Samsung would release the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2 in the second half of 2020 would have hardly been an act of clarvoyance at any point in recent memory. Regardless, that launch window is official as of just a few hours ago. The confirmation arrived as part of Samsung’s mixed Q1 financials, or more specifically, the company’s subsequent earnings call with analysts and investors.
While the conglomerate acknowledged the massive global uncertainties stemming from the ongoing coronavirus crisis, it has zero intentions of significantly altering its remaining annual smartphone roadmap in response to the situation.
Joint Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2 launch still on the cards
Furthermore, Samsung said both the new Galaxy Note and its next foldable will turn up the level of competition in the ultra-premium market segment by a sizeable degree. Even more important is how the company’s not framing that forecast as a promise of some remarkable achievement, arguing that’s what its top-of-the-line handsets are doing every year anyway. The prediction is instead meant to illustrate how even perhaps the worst pandemic-related crisis in Samsung’s history isn’t enough to massively impact its overall stability, at least not in the immediate term.
Today’s development also lends more credence to recent reports about the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Fold 2 both being on course for an August launch. And while Samsung would likely prefer to unveil the devices separately in order to maximize their media momentum, that’s not guaranteed to happen. At this rate, the company may have to settle with a single Unpacked event, online-only or not.


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Marvel's Jeph Loeb recently discussed the importance of story, as well as using some twisty, game-changing moments. Here's what he said.
Over the last two years or so, Marvel Comics has received plenty of acclaim for books that draw on the particular aesthetic of a creative team to deliver new takes on old heroes. Perhaps the most famous of these is Hawkeye by Matt Fraction, David Aja and Annie Wu, but that's far from the only example.
Some new posters and promo art from Avengers: Age of Ultron have leaked out, giving us our best look yet at Paul Bettany’s big-screen version of The Vision.
Now that the Sony/Marvel collaboration on Spider-Man is happening, it's time to see who might be next.
Hot Toys has released an official look at its Ultron Prime figure from Avengers: Age of Ultron, giving us an extremely detailed and close-up look at the mighty villain.
The deal that Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures struck to have Spidey cross over between studios came with a surprising price tag.
The ink might still be fresh on the deal between Sony and Marvel to bring Spider-Man into The Avengers, but a ton of intel is already surfacing in regard to what will happen next.
Spider-Man entering the MCU is exciting news for fans, but it isn't exactly smooth webslinging just yet. To help bring the webhead back, we have just a few tips for Marvel and Sony.
The Interwebosphere was officially blowing up over the official news that the webslinger would finally be part of the MCU. Here are some of our favorite reactions.
One of Star Wars' most enduring characters arrives with her own limited series this March.


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The iPhone 7 is hitting stores next month, but Apple is already reportedly having supply issues with the upcoming iPhone generation. This is the same kind of rumor we hear every year ahead of a new iPhone launch and so far, they’ve been fairly accurate.
‘iPhone 7’ production affected by low yields on waterproof speaker, dual camera – reportAppleInsider (press release) (blog)
There might not be enough iPhone 7 units at launchBusiness Insider
iPhone 7 Facing Supply Shortages as Production Ramps Up Ahead of LaunchMac Rumors
Fortune -Gizmodo -9 to 5 Mac -CNET
all 210 news articles …read more


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Posted By: wraggster
The Nintendo producer responsible for liaising with the platform holder's US-based studios has admitted that it's been tough finding suitable Western developers to partner with.
Speaking in an interview with Edge, Kensuke Tanabe, who supervised development of Donkey Kong Country Returns at Texas-based Retro Studios, explained that Nintendo saw Western developers as an important part of its set-up.
"I absolutely believe so. I work with other development partners, such as [Punch Out!! developer] Next Level Games in Vancouver and Monster Studios [of Pilotwings Resort] in Minneapolis.
"And they, much like Retro, really get our development philosophies. I want to find as many people as we can, as many great companies as we can to get involved with. I'm really looking for developers with a sense of craftsmanship."
He apparently then admitted suitable studios had proven difficult to track down.
"There's a real increase in the number of companies that look like they're really running a business for business' sake. There are many of those certainly within the midst of the gaming industry as a whole, or at least I feel that way."
Aside from the aforementioned trio of developers, Nintendo works with relatively few Western studios these days. Most recently, NST, based out of Redmond, Washington works on the Mario vs Donkey Kong series, while UK outfit Headstrong Games helped develop Art Academy for the DS.
Earlier this week a Capcom producer admitted to believing Western developers had a more casual work ethic than their Japanese counterparts.


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Wings Etc. 2019 Franchise Summit “Christens” Blue Chip Casino’s Fremont Ballroom Conference Center Addition
Franchisees and Suppliers for the fast-growing grill & pub franchise are the first to experience new meeting and exhibit spaces in Blue Chip Casino’s 14,800 sq. foot expansion in Michigan City, Ind.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORT WAYNE, Ind., Thursday, October 17, 2019 — Wings Etc., Inc., a fast-growing grill and pub franchise operating over 70 locations in 10 states, hosted its 2019 Franchise Summit, Oct. 7-9, at the Blue Chip Casino’s Conference Center in Michigan City, Indiana. Wings Etc. chose the Blue Chip Casino for the second consecutive year. Its attendees were the first to use the casino’s new “Fremont Ball Room” and new exhibit space, part of a 14,800 sq. footaddition and renovation at the hotel conference center.
“As we were talking to the Blue Chip team about our 2019 conference, we were excited to hear that we’d be in some of their new space,” said Eric Stuczynski, Chief Procurement and Development Officer for Wings Etc., Inc. “It was extremely well-received by our franchisees and other attendees, and we gave the Blue Chip team a big ‘thumbs up’ on the look and feel of their new space, and their excellent service.”
Wings Etc., Inc.’s Franchise Summit is an annual gathering of franchise owners, senior store operations staff, approved suppliers and corporate team members. The Summit provides an opportunity to build stronger relationships, to collaborate on existing and future plans, and to reenergize those who are actively involved in providing the company’s signature “Good Food, Great Times” to communities where Wings Etc. sports pubs operate.
More than 240 attendees enjoyed perfect weather for the Summit’s kickoff golf outing at the nearby Pottawattamie Country Club. The following days included presentations by nationally-recognized keynote speakers: Grete Eliassen, U.S. Champion and World Record Holder in national and international free ski competitions, and Franklin Covey’s Leena Rinne, co-author of “The Five Choices – The Path to Extraordinary Productivity.” The Summit agenda also included round-table sessions, a leadership forum, an expanded exhibitor mall, and the always entertaining “Wings Etc. Guess-The-Price Game Show.” The Summit closed with an awards ceremony, which recognized outstanding achievements by franchise owners and team members during the prior calendar year.
According to Stuczynski, he and his Summit team received high marks for the event. “It’s a challenge to plan something that requires the time and attention of so many people who are building their businesses and working in their communities every day,” said Stuczynski. “It’s our responsibility to coordinate schedules, to provide meaningful, impactful content and to facilitate relationship-building among our extended Wings Etc. family. Many of our franchise owners went out of their way to express appreciation for this year’s event, and to voice their support for continuation and expansion of the Summit. We are excited about our 2020 Summit, and we can’t wait to get started on planning.”
About the Wings Etc. Grill & Pub Franchise Opportunity
Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in the South Bend, Indiana area, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub with a diverse menu featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 22 signature sauces, fresh- never-frozen gourmet burgers, smoked ribs, sandwiches, subs, wraps, salads, kids meals, over 40 domestic and craft beer selections in bottles and on tap, dozens of large HDTVs tuned to the best sports programming, and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back “vibe” that makes people want to just come in and hang out. In addition to its popular sports programming, menu and beverage options, Wings Etc. offers kid-friendly, arcade-quality video games, weekday lunch and food specials, online ordering and much more.
Franchising since 2004, Wings Etc. Grill & Pub has been named one of Restaurant Business Magazine’s “Future Franchises” for three consecutive years and has also been named one of Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” for four consecutive years. Wings Etc. continues to grow and succeed by partnering with franchise operators who share the Wings Etc. Vision, Mission and Values, a commitment to building a successful business while helping build stronger communities and people, and to having fun!
Wings Etc. offers single and multiunit franchise options. The initial franchise fee is $39,500, with a $200,000 liquid cash investment, and $500,000 minimum net worth requirement for interested prospects. Wings Etc. offers one of the lowest startup costs and break-even franchise opportunities in the full-service restaurant segment. Priority growth markets include Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Alabama and Florida.
For more information about the Wings Etc. franchise opportunity, visit www.wingsetcfranchise.com.
Section: Corporate News


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After nearly four years as the head of the Federal Trade Commission, Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced he will step down on February 15, 2013. He has been a Commissioner since September 3, 2004.
Leibowitz, who became FTC chair in the wake of the economic downturn in March 2009, continued the agency’s groundbreaking work on consumer protection and competition issues.
“I have been honored to head this extraordinary, bipartisan Commission and to work alongside the best staff in federal government,” said Chairman Leibowitz. “Our small but mighty agency has safeguarded the privacy of Americans and stopped predatory financial practices by companies taking advantage of cash-strapped consumers. Our antitrust enforcement has helped contain health care and drug costs, and helped reduce prices and increase innovation for smartphones, computer chips and other high-tech products.”
Setting his priorities as protecting consumer privacy, stopping financial scammers, and promoting competition in health care and high-tech markets, Leibowitz steered the Commission to major enforcement actions and cutting-edge policy work.
In the past four years, enforcement has been a major priority at the FTC. Most recently, the Commission announced a landmark agreement with Google to ensure consumers would continue to be able to buy a variety of high-tech devices from smartphones to games to tablets. The settlement gives competitors access to standard-essential patents, and ensures that companies that advertise on Google’s website will have more flexibility to use rival search engines.
Protecting Consumer Privacy
During the last few years, Leibowitz has worked to raise the profile of privacy practices through law enforcement, consumer education and policy initiatives. FTC settlement orders against Google and Facebook let the companies move on and innovate for consumers while requiring comprehensive privacy programs and affirmative choice for material privacy changes, and prohibiting privacy misrepresentations.
During Leibowitz’s tenure, the FTC issued a landmark report setting forth best privacy practices for businesses and updated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule that strengthens kids’ privacy by requiring that companies get parents’ permission before collecting personal information from their children under 13. The FTC’s final report on privacy endorsed three principles – privacy by design, greater transparency, and more consumer choice – to help ensure consumer privacy and business innovation. The report encouraged businesses to improve their privacy practices through self-regulation, including a Do Not Track system, which remained a priority for Leibowitz.
Fighting Last Dollar Fraud
During Leibowitz’s tenure, the FTC has filed more than 50 law enforcement actions to stop “last dollar” scams that prey on consumers in financial distress, such as foreclosure “rescue” and mortgage modification schemes, phony debt-reduction and credit-repair services, and bogus government grant opportunities, job scams, and get-rich quick frauds, with many state Attorneys General as partners.
In 2011, as a result of one of the largest judgments imposed in an FTC settlement, the agency returned almost $108 million to more than 450,000 consumers – about 1 percent of all mortgage holders in the United States – who allegedly were overcharged or had their mortgage loans mishandled by Countrywide while they were in default or bankruptcy. The company later settled charges that it illegally assessed more than $36 million of servicing fees against struggling homeowners, and agreed to refund or reverse all of those charges.
Promoting Competition in Health Care
Under Leibowitz’s leadership, the Commission continued to take aggressive, bipartisan action to stop sweetheart deals in which branded drug manufacturers allegedly paid potential generic rivals to delay their introduction of lower-cost pharmaceuticals – deals that the agency estimates cost consumers and taxpayers billions of dollars annually. One of the FTC’s most important “pay-for-delay” cases, against an agreement that postponed generic competition for the testosterone-replacement drug AndroGel, will be argued before the Supreme Court on March 25, 2013. In another recent case involving generic competition for the wakefulness drug Provigil, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a key ruling that supports the FTC’s position on the anticompetitive impact of pay-for-delay deals.
The FTC also continued its campaign to identify and challenge health care mergers that would harm competition and drive up the cost of health care for both consumers and employers. The Commission has successfully acted to block hospital mergers in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, as well as deals to consolidate lab services and physician practices. The hospital merger victories marked a turning point for the government after years of disappointing court rulings in this area. Another important FTC case in this area, challenging the merger of two hospitals in Albany, Georgia, also will be decided before the Supreme Court during the current term.
Trending in Technology
Another priority under Chairman Leibowitz was making sure that competition continued to thrive in fast-moving technology industries. In addition to the settlement with Google, the Commission reached another landmark agreement that prevented Intel Corp. from suppressing competition in the market for computer chips and opened the door to renewed competition. The settlement restored competition that was lost as a result of Intel’s previous anticompetitive tactics, while allowing the company to innovate and offer competitive pricing.
The FTC also took steps to rein in the alleged misuse of standard-essential patents, which can lead to patent hold-up and ultimately higher prices for popular devices such as smart phones, laptop and tablet computers, and gaming consoles. The Commission made the case publicly – and through law enforcement actions such as the Google consent decree – that companies should be restricted from seeking injunctions on standard-essential patents if they are bound by prior commitments to license their standard-essential patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms.
In addition, the FTC launched an initiative to enhance its longstanding program to make sure the agency’s rules are up-to-date, effective and not overly burdensome.
In joining the Commission, Leibowitz resumed a long career of public service. He was the Democratic Chief Counsel and Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Antitrust Subcommittee from 1997 to 2000, where he focused on competition policy and telecommunications matters. He served as Chief Counsel and Staff Director for the Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism and Technology from 1995 to 1996 and the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice from 1991 to 1994. In addition, he served as Chief Counsel to Senator Herb Kohl from 1989 to 2000. Leibowitz worked for Senator Paul Simon from 1986 to 1987. In the private sector, Leibowitz served most recently as Vice President for Congressional Affairs for the Motion Picture Association of America – from 2000 to 2004 – and worked as an attorney in private practice in Washington from 1984 to 1986.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in American History (1980), Leibowitz graduated from the New York University School of Law in 1984. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.
He lives in Bethesda with his wife, Ruth Marcus, and his two daughters.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
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KUALA LUMPUR, Sunway Group plans to provide more electric vehicle (EV) charging bays in the group’s facilities, including medical centres and shopping malls, in collaboration with smart parking reservation service provider ParkEasy.
Describing low carbon-type facilities as the way to go in the future, group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling said he is hopeful that the move could help reduce carbon emissions.
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines at the launching of the new Reserve + Shell Recharge Bays at Sunway Pyramid here, today.
Cheah said with the launch today, there will be 10 charging bays in Sunway Group’s facilities in the Klang Valley five in the Sunway Pyramid shopping mall (Petaling Jaya), three in The Pinnacle Sunway corporate tower (Petaling Jaya), and two in the Sunway Velocity mall (Cheras).
The next charging bays will be in our medical centres to serve more customers with hybrid or electric cars. Hopefully, we could expand the charging bays to the medical centres this year, he said.
The ParkEasy platform is a mobile application that allows EV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle users to reserve a spot at Reserve + Shell Recharge Bays for more than 60 minutes, and assure drivers of parking and charging availability.
The new recharge bays are jointly introduced by Sunway Group, BMW Group Malaysia, Shell Malaysia Ltd and ParkEasy.
Moving forward, Cheah said the group plans to continue collaborating with ParkEasy to provide charging bays solution in Sunway Carnival Mall in mainland Penang, Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh and Sunway Big Box Village shopping mall in Johor Bahru.
Now there are two charging bays in Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh, and I’m sure there will be more demand for it, he added.
Meanwhile, Shell Malaysia chairman Datuk Iain Lo said to-date, there are 12 electric car charging bays provided by the company in offices and shopping malls in the country.
He said the company plans to provide fast charging bays at Shell petrol stations if the number of EVs in the country grows to a sufficient level in the future.
Source: BERNAMA (News Agency)


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Cyber Week was the biggest ecommerce week of the US holiday season in 2021, accounting for 23% of the online gross merchandise value (GMV) from that period. The week of December 12 was the second biggest, contributing a much smaller share, with 13% of ecommerce GMV.
Beyond the chart: Online holiday sales soared by 9% in the US last year, reaching $257 billion. But average basket size was stagnant, with digital shoppers checking out with roughly the same number of items as they did in 2020. Considering the US saw a 25% price increase during the 2021 season, it’s no surprise these shoppers spent more—they just didn’t necessarily buy more.
More like this:


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English two-wheeler manufacturer Brough Superior has been in existence since They were popularly known as the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles. In the early years each and every bike was made by George Brough and his Brough Superior work.
As you all know the 2014 EICMA motorcycle show was held in Milan, Paris recently. Several manufacturers flaunted their new and upgraded offerings. Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Aprilia, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi and many more showcased interesting motorcycles.
Brough Superior could not shy away from this opportunity and showcased two new models. At 2014 EICMA show the English based manufacturer revealed its SS100 in two variants. In the previous year they had showcased a chrome finished edition.
In 2014 Brough Superior has come out to showcase its SS100 in Black and Titanium options. The motorcycles have been designed by Thierry Henriette, who is the founder of Boxer Design from France. He explains both the models will be available next year, in the second half of 2014.
The manufacturer claims they have received an overwhelming response at 2014 EICMA motorcycle show. Brough Superior have confirmed their new motorcycles will cost INR 48,73,374 excluding taxes. The English manufacturer explain they have already received confirmation of 70 bookings.
The motorcycle will be powered by a V-twin 997 cc engine, which has been developed by Brough Superior themselves. The manufacturer have provide its Black version with a high gloss paint job, along with several other parts painted black.
The Titanium model sports a steel and titanium components for chassis, while the frame gets a titanium texture. Brough Superior also showcased a single vintage model of theirs at 2014 EICMA. They had kept a sofa in place so people could relax and admire their masterpiece.


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Suspicions have been raised after a crypto whale invested in more than 1.29 trillion PEPE tokens.
In fiat currency that would equate to an investment of more than $1.6 million. What makes the transactions more eye-watering is that they all took place within three days.
According to records, this particular whale also secured a further 486 billion PEPE from Wintermute Trading – a FIAT total worth in the region of $600,000.
The large purchases have unsurprisingly raised eyebrows with many in the industry wondering whether dark practices such as insider trading could be blamed for the movement.
Of course, investing in cryptocurrency is nothing new. However, the trading patterns on this particular token are leaving many to question its authenticity.
Meme coins such as PEPE generally rely on the popularity of the associated meme or cultural trend, offering little tangible utility in themselves.
Early investors and sellers often reap substantial profits, while those who mistime their buying and selling opportunities face significant losses.
One such unfortunate investor decided to invest $2.46m into PEPE, acquiring 962.3bn tokens. According to data firm Lookonchain, this investor has already incurred losses of over $500,000.
Similar to other meme coins such as Dogecoin, the price movements of PEPE are highly influenced by market speculation and these investments are sure to have led other investors to buy tokens.


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HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu Valley announced Tuesday that it has closed indefinitely.
The popular visitor attraction spans over 1,800 acres. It temporarily shut down in mid-March before reopening two weeks ago.
A statement released by the plantation says the closure also includes the popular Mill House Restaurant.
Maui County officials say the closure could affect other businesses in the area.
“There’s definitely going to be some economic impact to the Mill House specifically because it’s on property, as well as, the other businesses that service to Maui Tropical Plantation and the employees themselves,” said Maui County Managing Director Sandy Baz.
One of the businesses - Kumu Farms - says it will continue to grow produce on the property.
Its market will remain open and the farm will still offer prepared produce boxes as well as wholesale purchases for stores and restaurants.
While the future for the plantation is uncertain, Baz says there is still a chance that it could reopen.
“It’s not completely indefinite, but they do hope to reopen in the near future.”
The business says it is now preparing for the Plantation Store’s final summer sale.


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Apple has reportedly placed an initial order of 5-6 million examples of the Apple Watch in the run up to its April launch. However, according to research and analysis company CCS Insights, the first Apple smartwatch could sell four times that amount.
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that Apple’s Taiwan suppliers have been instructed to produce an initial run of 5-6 million watches, 50% of which will be the aluminum-bodied rubber strap Sport version and a further one-third of which will be the more substantial stainless steel Classic version. This means that although the price hasn’t been confirmed — and speculation is that it could cost thousands, rather than hundreds of dollars — as many as 1 million 18k gold Apple Watches are also going into production.
CCS Insights is predicting that 2015 will be the year of the smartwatch and is forecasting an eight-fold increase in sales over the next 12 months. The company believes that 75 million wearable devices in total — including clip-on cameras and health sensors — will be snapped up by consumers and that as many as 20 million of those devices will be Apple Watches.
Data published on Wednesday, February 11 from Canalys shows that only 4.6 million smart band devices shipped globally over the course of 2014 and that of that number just 720,000 were Android Wear smartwatches. It too is forecasting that shipments and sales are posed for explosive growth once the Apple Watch goes on sale in April.
However, despite the initial excitement, there is a chance that Apple is still searching for its smartwatch’s ‘killer app’ and, according to the Wall Street Journal, the watch initially had an even bigger focus on health, but features such as blood pressure tracking were dropped because they were either too complex, weren’t sufficiently reliable or would have meant that the watch needed to gain FAA approval to go on sale.
As it is, Apple has invited a host of developers currently working on Apple Watch apps into the company to help get them finished and perfectly polished in time for the device’s retail launch.


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December 21, 2020- The federal government initiated an act which will be effective January 1st, 2020.
Part of an omnibus bill, which Ted Cruz feinted against included federal legislation which raised the legal the age of vaping and purchasing smokeable products to 21 years of age.
Federal Tobacco/Cannabis Legislation Comes as Shock
This law came as a shock to many, and came as swiftly as it left. This law will impact tobacco, cannabis and vape sales across the US. Raising the age for purchasing tobacco and other products to 21 years of age.
“On December 20, 2019, the president signed legislation to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and raise the federal minimum age of sale of tobacco products from 18 to 21 years.”
“It is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product — including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes — to anyone under 21. FDA will provide additional details on this issue as they become available.”
Promptly the FDA released this warning:
Bottom Line on Legal Smoking Age
Although the bill did not include language pertaining to the purchase of cannabis specifically. It is likely due to the fact that cannabis is considered illegal at the federal level.
This bill will likely quickly be amended to include regulations on cannabis. Should marijuana become legal at the federal level.
So, what will follow in the foot steps of this sweeping legislation? Only time will tell! but it will be an interesting topic to follow!


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The manga creators of Kaiju no 8, SPYxFAMILY and more have released new illustrations celebrating Japan’s annual Obon Festival.
More than a dozen top Shonen Jump+ manga authors have released special illustrations of their characters celebrating Japan’s traditional Obon Festival.
New illustrations have been posted to the Shonen Jump+ website and app. Shonen Jump+ is Shuiesha’s online digital manga service and a launching point for several popular new series’, including Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No.8 and the critically-acclaimed SPYxFAMILY high, both featured in the app’s Obon celebration. Some of the other series featured in the festival are Otomo No Teikoku, World’s End Harem and Dandadan.
Obon, sometimes called “bon”, is a traditional Japanese Buddhist custom dedicated to honoring the spirits of ancestors in the family. The three-day festival has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years, and although it is not an officially recognized public holiday, many businesses will allow employees to take time off for the festival, while other Schools are usually closed for the summer break during the period. People celebrate this event with a variety of traditions, from praying and visiting the graves of loved ones, to more festive activities, such as dancing, carnivals and fireworks. Anime and manga fans have probably seen the Obon Festival and its accompanying fireworks many times without realizing it, as the festival has been featured in every TV series like A Silent Voice to comedy anime series like Monthly. Girls Nozaki-Kun and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.
Shonen Jump + is the online only spin-off of Shueisha’s best-selling Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The app has been downloaded more than 10 million times and brings in more than 12 billion yen in revenue for the publisher. In December 2020, Shuiesha announced that they would be porting the second installment of the hugely popular Chainsaw Man manga series to Shonen Jump+ from the print magazine. Titles from the service can be viewed in English on the Manga Plus service, which Shuiesha also owns.


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Details About the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a Launch
Recent rumors have surfaced about the pricing and release dates for the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a, both expected to be announced at Google I/O on May 10th. According to a Twitter tipster named Yogesh Brar, the Pixel Fold will be priced between $1,300-$1,500, making it significantly cheaper than 2022’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 and possibly this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 5.
The Pixel Fold Screen
While the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and 5 have portrait-oriented tablet-sized displays, the Pixel Fold could feature a more landscape-oriented display, similar to the Oppo Find N and Find N2. The exterior screen is expected to be 5.79 inches, with the internal screen measuring 7.69 inches.
Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a Release Dates
The tipster claims that both the Pixel Fold and the mid-range Pixel 7a will be released early in the third quarter, which could mean a July launch for the pair. This would make the Pixel Fold available before the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Google Tensor 2 Chipset and Camera Details
The Pixel Fold is expected to be powered by a Google Tensor 2 chipset, like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The first foldable Pixel is expected to come in Chalk and Obsidian colors, with 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage.
The Pixel 7a is expected to feature a 6.1-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, as well as Google Tensor 2 running the show. On the back, the phone will have a camera array with a 64MP Sony IMX787 image sensor driving the primary camera. 13MP image sensors will be behind the rear-facing ultra-wide camera and the front-facing selfie camera.
Possible Trade-In Deals for Pixel 7a
Last year, Google had a great trade-in deal for the Pixel 6a. Those trading in a Pixel 3a received $300 in credit, reducing the price of the new mid-ranger to $149. Similar deals could be available this year, making the Pixel 7a an even more attractive option for consumers.


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Intrepid Investment Bankers, a leading middle-market investment bank, announced today that it acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Ben Crudo Consulting Inc. d/b/a. Diff (“Diff”) on its sale to WPP plc (“WPP”), the global creative transformation company.
Founded in 2011 by Benjamin Crudo and based in Montreal, Canada, Diff is an award-winning developer of tailor-made commerce solutions with specialized capabilities that address the rapidly growing Shopify commerce ecosystem. As one of the leading Shopify Plus Partners with more than 115 dedicated employees, Diff is a trusted agency to large enterprises and high-growth D2C brands, including Giant Tiger, Kith, and Sakara Life, among others. Through its specialties in growth strategy, front-end design, site optimization and system integrations, Diff has created some of the most innovative, complex and high-performing online stores on the Shopify platform.
Diff will join WPP’s Wunderman Thompson Commerce network, further strengthening the agency’s digital commerce capabilities and reflecting its ongoing investment into commerce services for clients as consumer needs continue to change.
Benjamin Crudo, Diff’s Founder and CEO, said “We couldn’t be more excited to join the ranks of Wunderman Thompson, bringing Shopify’s disruptive power to its global client base. Ecommerce has been radically reshaping the way brands bring their products and services to market, and Diff has been at the forefront of this revolution. As one of Shopify’s founding and most innovative agency partners we’re looking forward to continuing to expand the platform’s reach.”
He commented further, “The Intrepid team added a tremendous amount of value throughout the process. Their industry knowledge and relationships across the commerce and marketing services sectors allowed us to find a highly strategic partner with deep cultural alignment to our organization. We are grateful to have had their steady hands guide us through the transaction.”
“We have known Ben and the team at Diff for several years and are pleased to have been able to advise the company on this strategic transaction,” said Greg Passani, Vice President at Intrepid. “Diff is a clear leader in the Shopify landscape, with highly specialized engineering capabilities and substantial proprietary technology. We are excited to see what the team can accomplish as part of WPP.”


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The Fair Trade Commission raided three contact lens makers Tuesday for allegedly forcing retailers not to list prices on their advertisements in violation of the Antimonopoly Law, it was learned Tuesday.
The antitrust watchdog’s on-site inspections covered Alcon Japan Ltd., CooperVision Japan Inc. and Seed Co. All of them are based in Tokyo.
The three are suspected of forcing retailers not to list the prices of some disposable contact lenses on flyers or online ads, and effectively banning them from selling certain products online.
The makers are believed to have put pressure on retailers that failed to follow their instructions, telling them through wholesalers that the supply of products to them might be suspended.
On their flyers and other ads, retailers used such phrases as “special prices” and “10 percent cuts from shop prices” for some products, without indicating what they were priced as, informed sources said.
Price competition is intense among disposable contact lens retailers as users tend to continue buying the same products.
The three companies apparently attempted to prevent prices of their products from falling as a result of the competition, thereby securing profits, the sources said.
Johnson & Johnson K.K., the industry leader in Japan, was warned by the FTC in 2002 over a similar practice and ordered to halt the practice in 2010.
The Antimonopoly Law bans companies from imposing conditions that unfairly restrict operations of their business partners.
The contact lens market in Japan is worth some ¥230 billion on a shipment value basis, according to the Japan Contact Lens Association.
Over 90 percent of the products used in Japan are disposables, and online sales are growing, according to the association.
The three makers admitted that their offices have been searched by the FTC, adding they will fully cooperate with the investigations.
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The average price of a used car soared by nearly 24 per cent last week, new figures show.
Data from Auto Trader revealed prices on a like-for-like basis rose by 23.9 per cent year-on-year last week – the 76th week of consecutive price growth, and up considerably on the 5.7 per cent rise seen when showrooms reopen on April 12.
The firm said the price rises are still being fuelled by a ‘dramatic’ increase in consumer demand.
Its Market Insight tool was up 19 per cent (based on searches and advert views on Auto Trader) last week, when compared to the same period in 2019.
Auto Trader also recorded 14.8m cross platform visits to Auto Trader, which marks a massive 32 per cent increase on the same week two years ago.
There was also a 20 per cent rise in the hours (2.2m) consumers spent researching their next car on its marketplace.
Last week, it took an average of just 23 days for stock to leave forecourts, which is 17 per cent faster than the speed of sale recorded during the week of April 12.
The Auto Trader data also showed levels of supply were down by 12 per cent last week versus 2019, and a rise in the number of used cars now costing more than their brand new equivalents.
Over 17 per cent of the nearly new cars available in the market (those aged up to 12 months) are currently more expensive than brand new models, the firm said.
Last week’s rise was on top of the 11 per cent recorded in August, and over four times as many than in January (four per cent).
Auto Trader said ‘remarkably’ 37 per cent of nearly new cars are currently priced within five per cent of their brand-new counterparts, up from 28 per cent in August and 13 per cent at the start of the year.
The company’s data and insights director, Richard Walker, said: ‘With so much attention focussed on inflation right now, there’s huge interest amongst economists on those components that are recording substantial price rises, not least used cars which have been a notable driver of recent UK inflation rates.
‘With levels of used car price growth once again smashing previous records, there is a lot of speculation around how long this boom could last.
‘Whilst inflation in itself does pose a potential risk to consumer demand, we don’t expect to see price growth slow anytime soon.
‘This is based on the continued acceleration we’re tracking across the market – fuelled, in part, by increased levels of household savings, a positive sentiment shift towards car ownership, and the 1.5m “lost” transactions last year – coupled with the ongoing shortage in both new and used car supply.’
Auto Trader also said it continues to see fewer retailers adjusting prices on fewer vehicles and by smaller amounts.
Of the 2,218 retailers who made daily price adjustments last week (202 fewer than in the same period in 2019), the average price adjustment was just -£96.
This time two years ago, retailers were making an average reduction of -£304, 68 per cent more.
Last week’s biggest price increases
1. Jaguar XK
Average asking price: £28,505
Price change: 46.1 per cent
2. Hyundai i30
Average asking price: £12,605
Price change: 41.8 per cent
3. Ford Focus
Average asking price: £14,118
Price change: 39.1 per cent
4. Land Rover Defender 110
Average asking price: £78,767
Price change: 38 per cent
5. Ford Kuga
Average asking price: £19,587
Price change: 35 per cent
Last week’s biggest price decreases
Average asking price: £24,479
Price change: -11.7 per cent
2. Mercedes-Benz GLS
Average asking price: £56,994
Price change: -8.3 per cent
3. Jaguar X-Type
Average asking price: £3,539
Price change: -7.3 per cent
4. Fiat Punto Evo
Average asking price: £2,420
Price change: -5.2 per cent
5. Mercedes-Benz CLC
Average asking price: £4,237
Price change: -4.5 per cent


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Photo: Associated Press
Top Apple (AAPL) engineer Ruben Caballero warned CEO Steve Jobs last year that the iPhone 4 could drop calls because of its antenna design, Bloomberg reports.One of the phone companies Apple works with also expressed concerns, according to the report. The carrier – not necessarily AT&T, notes Bloomberg – informed Apple before the launch of the latest iPhone.
The issue: When a user grips the phone hard in their left hand, signal is lost.
The problem, according to Bloomberg, is that the metal bezel surrounding the handset is not separated into sections “capable of handling particular ranges of the radio frequencies for different wireless networks.”
“If a user covered one of the seams between the sections, their finger would act as a conductive material, interfering with the signal,” Bloomberg reports.
Earlier this week, Consumer Reports said it could not recommend the iPhone 4 because of the antenna issue.
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By Jemma Walker
The revealing of AW15’s hottest trends is finally over, so now it’s time for creative directors to make their move. Just make sure you keep up with who’s going where!
Peter Dundas for Roberto Cavalli
It was written in the stars, but we’re still happy to see Peter Dundas and Roberto Cavalli reunited after 10 years apart. Dundas has been named as the newest creative director at Cavalli after being at Emilio Pucci for seven years, and his last collection for AW15 made sure he’d be missed! A whole host of models took to the runway in unapologetically sultry designs that made you want to leave your coat at home and brave the chill. The move marks a major return for Dundas, as he was spent three years with the brand back in 2002. Plus, after a string of runway successes, we can expect great things from Cavalli for SS16.
Massimo Giorgetti for Emilio Pucci
Hot on the heels of previous creative director, Peter Dundas, Massimo Giorgetti was announced to take the helm at Emilio Pucci. The merry-go-round of young designers continues, as Giorgetti will divide his time between his MSGM brand in Milan and his Florence-based position at Pucci starting next month. Founder of MSGM, the innovative designer is famous for his use of bright colours and daring prints – we can’t wait to see the Pucci adaption in September.
Simon Homes for Paul Smith
The pressure is on for Simon Homes. He’s recently been promoted by Paul Smith, making him the brand’s first creative director (after being head of men’s design for over 10 years). The debut position has been created to allow founder Smith to delve further into creative projects, marking a significant change in the brand’s direction. Paul Smith told WWD: “I’m not going anywhere. Simon’s appointment is about a new energy within the company, really. That’s the idea. We’re good mates, we get on. It’s an acknowledgement from me to say thank you for his hard work and good energy.”
Johnny Coca for Mulberry
Admittedly, the appointment of Johnny Coca happened last November, although he doesn’t begin his role at the handbag-haven until next month, bringing bundles of creativity from his current role at Céline. The young designer is highly experienced in leather goods, making the relationship a natural and exciting one, and SS15 has already revealed what happens when an iconic brand meets a young leather-enthusiast.


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Amazon will increase the price of Prime membership fees in Europe and the UK — in some cases by 43% — with the e-commerce giant citing rising spending and inflation for the increase.
In the UK, Prime’s annual price will increase by 20% from £79 to £95. Customers in Spain, France and Italy will increase their prices by up to 43% and in Germany – Amazon’s second largest market after the US – the price of an annual Prime membership will increase by 30% from €69 to €89.90 .
According to Amazon, the higher prices will apply to new members starting September 15 and for customers renewing after that date.
In the US, Amazon last increased the price of Prime memberships in February for the first time in almost four years. The annual fee for the program increased 17% from $119 to $139. In addition, the pay-per-month option for Prime went from $12.99 to $14.99 monthly.
Prime offers free shipping on millions of products, plus extra perks like unlimited access to Prime Video.
In notifications to affected Prime members about the price hikes in Europe and the UK, Amazon called out “increased inflation and operating costs” as well as faster delivery times and adding more streaming content to Prime Video.
“We remain focused on making Prime even more valuable for members,” Amazon said in the message to UK members. The company noted that it’s the first time since 2014 that it’s increased the Prime price in the country and that “during this time, we’ve significantly increased the number of products available with unlimited, fast Prime delivery; added and expanded ultra-fast fresh food delivery; and added more high-quality digital entertainment, including TV, movies, music, games and books.”
In particular, Prime Video “has increased the number of TV series and films it offers, including Amazon Originals, as well as live sports coverage, such as the Premier League and the Autumn Nations Series,” the UK statement said.
https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-prime-fees-increase-europe-uk-1235326108/ Amazon increases Prime fees across Europe, UK


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Wall Street retreated Monday, pushing retail stocks down 0.8 percent after Standard and Poor’s cut its outlook on U.S. debt, underscoring the stakes in Washington’s debate on how to cut the nation’s looming budget deficits.
The S&P Retail Index slipped 4.33 points to 524.06 as the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 1.1 percent, or 140.24 points, to 12,201.59, having recovered from a nearly 250-point drop.
Although S&P said the U.S. economy was highly diversified and flexible, buttressed by the dollar’s strength as a global currency, the rating agency cut the outlook on its “AAA” credit rating to negative from stable.
“More than two years after the beginning of the recent crisis, U.S. policymakers have still not agreed on how to reverse recent fiscal deterioration or address longer-term fiscal pressures,” said S&P analyst Nikola Swann. The rating agency sees a one-in-three chance that it will lower its rating on the U.S. within two years.
From 2003 to 2008, the U.S. government’s deficit ranged from 2 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product. But that ballooned to more than 11 percent of GDP in 2009 and has yet to recover, S&P said.
President Obama and House Republicans have laid out competing plans to lower the deficit.
“The market has been generally vulnerable to a correction,” said Paul Nolte, managing director at investment firm Dearborn Partners in Chicago. “We’re just kind of hanging with what we have at this point and seeing how things shake out.”
Nolted described the outlook for retail stocks as “OK” with money moving from luxe retailers toward stores at the lower end of the price spectrum.
Among the decliners Monday were The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., down 3.4 percent to $13.83; Saks Inc., 3 percent to $11.49, and Gap Inc., 3 percent to $21.79.
Shares of Sears Holdings Corp. inched down 0.1 percent to $78.42. Moody’s Investors Service cut its outlook on Sears’ “Ba2” corporate family credit rating to stable from positive, reflecting the retailer’s “moderating revenues and narrowing profit margins over the second half of 2010.”
Bucking the general trend, American Apparel Inc.’s stock rose 8.1 percent to $1.03 as the company searched for capital or a deal with lenders to stay afloat. The company has to show that it can continue as a going concern by April 30 or run afoul of its credit agreements.


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Ludorum has bolstered the team at its New York office, appointing a new vice president of retail marketing and development.
Kirsten Fallon moves over from Peanuts Worldwide to take on the role. Reporting to Maureen Taxter, SVP of consumer products, Fallon will oversee retail development for Ludorum's Chuggington licensing programme.
At Peanuts Worldwide, Fallon was responsible for the retail strategy and development for brands including Peanuts, Fancy Nancy and Beatrix Potter.
"I am delighted to join Ludorum at this exciting point in the company's growth," said Fallon. "The steady growth of Chuggington's popularity in under a year has been remarkable. I look forward to building meaningful retail and promotional programmes that will attract parents and pre-schoolers alike."


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Rentokil Initial has denied reports that its incoming chief executive Doug Flynn is looking to change the company’s name. A spokesman for the pest control-to-parcels group says a branding review is not being considered for the future.
Sweden-based studio Snask has created the identity for Axfood’s #Mat2030 campaign, which features a series of fresh food items arranged into different words.
Last week, publisher Oxford University Press Education was given a new look by Baxter and Bailey. Now, designers share some of their favourite examples of educational design.
F1’s logo, designed by Wieden + Kennedy last year, could face a copyright dispute because of its similarity to that of a compression tights brand owned by manufacturing giant 3M.
The games company’s Labo kit features flat-pack cardboard sheets that can be transformed into pianos, motorbikes and fishing rods when combined with the Nintendo Switch console.


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DETROIT -- In the wake of its financial disaster in 2005, General Motors is cutting its 2006 national marketing budget by more than $200 million, sources close to GM say.
The cuts come in a year of crucial product launches and renewed attempts to promote GM's new price strategy.
GM's national ad budget will be about $1.3 billion this year, sources say. Older vehicles and brands such as Buick and Pontiac will suffer as GM concentrates its spending on product launches, including the critical full-sized SUVs and pickups.
The cuts are aimed at improving profits after an $8.55 billion net loss in 2005, says an informed source who asked not to be named.
In a Jan. 20 interview with Automotive News, Mark La-Neve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, declined to disclose GM's marketing budget. He acknowledged, "We're trying to get costs down throughout the company. I would say one of the last places that we cut is marketing expenses, but we're trying to push down costs in the entire company."
As is normal at GM, LaNeve said advertising support will be based on the potential for revenue from the various vehicles. "So we're spending more on the (full-sized trucks) than we would on the (Pontiac) Solstice launch," LaNeve said.
GM executives say marketing for its redesigned full-sized SUVs and pickups remains substantial. A separate source familiar with GM's advertising strategy says GM's major divisions face varying prospects:
Saturn will get a budget boost. This year, Saturn will launch the Sky roadster, the Aura mid-sized car and the Outlook crossover.
Pontiac and Buick will get marketing budget trims.
Cadillac and Chevrolet marketing budgets remain flat compared with last year.
GM is launching full-sized SUVs now. If sales of those vehicles soar, GM might allocate more marketing money at midyear. But if the vehicles perform poorly, expect more cuts, the second source says. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering GM.
The source says GM spent about $2.5 billion last year in total advertising, including $1.5 billion on national advertising and $1 billion on regional and local marketing. The source was not aware of this year's regional budget.
According to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, GM spent $1.44 billion in total advertising in measured media during the first six months of 2005, far outdistancing runner-up Ford Motor Co. at $757.5 million. Full-year estimates are not yet available.
TNS says GM spent $2.5 billion for 2004 in total advertising, up more than 18 percent over 2003 ad spending of $2.12 billion.
Automotive News edits raw data from TNS to remove noncore spending such as dealer expenditures, ads for recreational vehicles and ads by captive lenders such as GMAC.
Historically, GM has led media spending among automakers. It will continue to be "the biggest player on the block" this year, says Brent Dewar, GM's vice president of marketing and advertising. Dewar declined to confirm any budget changes.
Dewar says GM has more than enough money to cover vehicle launches. The automaker is taking a nontraditional approach to advertising and will do more "creative things" to stretch ad dollars.
For example, some brands will shift from traditional media such as magazines and TV toward alternative media, such as digital media and events.
The budget cut comes after GM consolidated its media planning and buying under one roof last year in an efficiency move. The new media planning and buying organization is called GM Planworks. Planworks existed before, but it now does media buying as well as planning.
Although GM is sending a "strong message that everyone's got to tighten the belt," the second source says, it will still spend $100 million to advertise during the Winter Olympics, which start Feb. 10.
GM spent about $30 million in January on advertising its new lower pricing strategy for Chevrolet, says the source.
The source says that while Pontiac's budget is lower this year than last, GM is dedicated to advertising the launch of the new G6 convertible. That advertising is scheduled to start during the NCAA basketball tournament in March.


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• Bitcoin has been gaining increasing popularity as a potential game-changer in the financial world.
• The U.S. dollar has been the world’s standard currency for decades, but Bitcoin could be the one to challenge its reign.
• Finance analyst Seth recently shared a macro comparison chart that reveals how the purchasing power of Bitcoin is skyrocketing while that of the U.S. dollar is declining.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is a digital currency that emerged over a decade ago and has quickly gained momentum and popularity as an alternative form of finance in the global economy. It offers superior purchasing power compared to traditional fiat currencies and some experts believe it could eventually challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar as the world’s standard currency.
Bitcoin vs The US Dollar
Finance analyst Seth recently shared a macro comparison chart which revealed how drastically different the purchasing power trends between Bitcoin and the US Dollar are – with Bitcoin’s buying power soaring from 33 points in 2010 to 255 points today, while that of the US Dollar has been steadily declining from 300 to 33 points in recent years. This shift could potentially have momentous implications for our perception of money, as well as for our entire financial system as we know it today.
Robert Kiyosaki’s Thoughts on Financial Stability
Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and renowned personal finance expert, has expressed his skepticism about the future of fiat currencies such as US Dollars and advised his followers to instead invest in assets such as gold, silver and most importantly – cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin due to their increased stability against inflationary trends over time.
The Potential Of Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies offer unprecedented levels of freedom when it comes to managing money online or transferring funds internationally with much lower fees than traditional banking systems require – making them an attractive option for those who want secure yet efficient payments solutions without having to rely on third parties or middlemen when handling large amounts of money or conducting business transactions across borders.
In conclusion, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have been gaining more attention lately due both their potential for becoming an alternative form of global finance, but also because they may offer better protection against inflationary trends than traditional fiat currencies like US Dollars do – something that prominent figures such Robert Kiyosaki have highlighted when advising people on how best to manage their finances in order maximize returns over time while reducing risks associated with market volatility due to changes in international exchange rates or other unpredictable economic factors


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The recent Food as Medicine Summit held on May 10 and 11 in Chicago featured Lori Taylor, Founder & CEO of The Produce Moms and Tony Freytag, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Crunch Pak.
THE PRODUCE MOMS announces their recent partnership with Amazon’s Influencer Program on Amazon’s Alexa platform.
Lori Taylor, Founder and CEO of The Produce Moms announced this week the creation of The Produce Moms Trailblazer Award which recognizes an individual who has made a unique contribution to the food and beverage industry.
Lori Taylor, Founder and CEO of THE PRODUCE MOMS has announced the addition of veteran producer Kristen Woolley Mehne to the TPM Team.
THE PRODUCE MOMS once again, has brought the produce industry into the spotlight as the latest company to achieve the sought-after status of a Certified B Corporation.
What makes an industry observer like myself choose subjects for a Food Trends forecast?
Applewood Fresh Growers, which can trace its roots back to 1935, and the parent affiliate company Applewood Orchards, is known as a leader in the emerging varieties of apples, with our goal to provide the most flavorful harvest of apples to retail customers and consumers.
Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization that delivers fresh fruits, vegetables and nutrition education resources directly into families’ hands, is proud to announce it’s been named the official nonprofit partner of The Produce Moms.
The Produce Moms x Wada Farms Easy-Baker will be available at Walmart and other grocers supplied by Wada Farms' distribution partners.
Organics Unlimited, San Diego-based grower and distributor of organic tropical fruit, will celebrate its 16th annual GROW Month starting on September 1, 2021.


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6 Dec 2019
We are now offering a more sustainable way for our schools to drink milk in school. We have listened to why many schools have said about wanting to reduce the amount of packaging and product waste at their schools.
Halfmoon Bay School on Stewart Island is one of our schools that have made the switch! They have made the swap from their usual 200ml Fonterra Milk for Schools milk packs to the more sustainable Anchor 1L UHT option, which we currently provide schools as part of KickStart Breakfast. They made the switch a year ago and it has reduced the school's recycling. Not only is the Anchor 1L UHT option cutting down packaging and product waste, it is a great way to empower students and build leadership skills during those classroom milk moments.
The feedback from the staff at Halfmoon Bay has been amazing!
Fonterra's aim is for 100 percent of our packaging to be sustainable by 2025. We know schools are thinking about how they can be more environmentally friendly too, and this initiative is one way we can make a difference!
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Adobe Reader zero-day exploit thwarts sandboxing
- — Nov. 8, 2012, 6:02 p.m.
The vulnerability is selling for up to $50K on the black market, security researchers say, and has been included in a package of banking Trojans called the Blackhole Exploit Kit, which is the most prevalent exploit kit out there.
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I’m dating myself, but I remember when holiday shopping involved pouring through ads in the Sunday paper, placing actual phone calls from tethered land lines to research product stock and availability, and actually driving places to pick things up. Now, holiday shoppers can do all of that from a smartphone or tablet in a few seconds, but there are some security pitfalls to be aware of.