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Grocery Delivery Wars: Kroger Is Fending Off Amazon’s Whole Foods With a New Service of Its Own
When Amazon (AMZN) bought Whole Foods almost a year ago, Ocado Group was one of the few retailers to see its shares go up.
That’s because there were hopes the internet behemoth could swallow up the British online grocer, too.
But the deal actually had another impact on Ocado (OCDGF). It made supermarkets around the world quake at the thought of Amazon’s online grocery rampage. They turned to Ocado to help them fend off the threat.
After a series of smaller tie-ups, the company has announced the big one: a partnership with Kroger (KR), the second biggest U.S. grocer after Walmart (WMT). This has been a long time coming – it’s been chasing a deal with a major American supermarket for much of the last five years.
This partnership, which will see Kroger license Ocado’s technology to expand its own home-delivery business, could include construction of up to 20 distribution centers over the first five years. This puts it on a completely different scale to Ocado’s other contracts, with France’s Casino Guichard-Perrachon and Canada’s Sobeys.
There is no doubt this is good news for Ocado. But the worry with the spate of agreements that the company has announced over the past six months is that it must keep investing. Each has peak cash flow requirement of about 30 million pounds ($40.6 million). That just reinforces the fear with the Ocado investment case: that it’s all jam tomorrow.
Ocado seems to have caught on to this concern: Kroger will take a 5% stake in the company, injecting 183 million pounds. Added to the about 140 million pounds from a share sale in February, and the company will have more than 300 million pounds of firepower.
The two companies will also explore ways of using Kroger’s balance sheet — the U.S.’s second-biggest grocer (behind Walmart) had total assets of $37 billion as of February 2018 — to fund some of Ocado’s investment.
That could include more payments from Kroger upfront, and lower fees over time than customers pay for other deals, although Ocado says the overall economics won’t substantially differ from the other arrangements.
Shares in Ocado rose as much as 50.7% on Thursday, to a record 831.8 pence, the most since its 2010 initial listing.
That reflects the undoubted potential of the Kroger deal. But it shortens the odds of Ocado and its investors finally finding an exit through a sale to a bigger retailer. After all, Ocado’s had a stellar run over the past six months. But the preceding seven years have really tried investors’ patience.
Kroger will have an overall 6% stake in the company — it already had a 1% stake before this deal was announced, so that makes it a natural candidate for increasing its holding or acquiring the company.
Meanwhile, the business of dropping groceries as U.K. customers’ doors jars with Ocado’s push to become a whizzy technology company. Its existing contract to be supplied with products by Waitrose expires in 2020. That could be a natural point to review this operation, particularly if Waitrose were to be sold by the John Lewis Partnership.
With the surge on Thursday, Ocado shares have tripled since it announced the agreement with Casino in November. The company’s enterprise value has jumped to three times forward sales, nearly closing its discount to Amazon.
To justify such a lofty valuation it needs the raft of contracts it has secured over the past six months to live up to their huge potential. There’s certainly execution risk here.
But it also needs a bid from a buyer to land on its doorstep. With a muscular investor like Kroger, that could finally happen.


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Editing by Nathaniel Cajuday
Guild hub and global data aggregator BlockchainSpace (BSPC) has recently partnered with the University of Sydney to conduct a study about the play-to-earn game Axie Infinity.
BSPC is currently calling for Filipino Axie players to participate, answer the survey, and get a chance to win Smooth Love Potions (SLPs), the in-game token of Axie Infinity.
The survey asked questions such as where, when, and how the respondents discovered the game; the main reason they started playing; the monthly income one month after regularly playing Axie; and other related questions.
Axie Infinity is a blockchain game that follows the mechanics of play-to-earn gaming, wherein players can earn SLPs that can be converted to fiat by playing the game.
The non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of the game called “Axies” are characters inspired by Pokemon and the mythical creature, Chimera, with different special body parts. (Read more: Axie Infinity Origin – Gameplay Mechanics Guide)
It can be noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino players are encouraged to participate as Axie Infinity has become the saving grace for several Filipinos that have been left displaced and jobless due to the series of lockdowns. (Read more on: This Documentary Perfectly Captures the Play-to-Earn Phenomenon in the Philippines)
The game was so popular in the country that in the year-end lists of top searches in the Philippines, search engine Google named Axie Infinity as the number one search query in different categories in the game-related list of top search queries. Last year, in fact, the number of Filipino players reached over 2 million individuals. (Read more: Axie Infinity is the Most-Searched Game in the Philippines This 2021)
Last April, the developer of the game, Sky Mavis, launched the free-to-play version, Axie Infinity: Origin, to further onboard players without them having to spend too much on an in-game asset. (Read more: How to Play Axie Infinity Origin – Beginner’s Guide)
While, this upcoming October 22, 2022, Axie Infinity will conduct a tournament in Cabanatuan City where the craze for the game initially started. BSPC is the co-presenter of the event.
This article is published on BitPinas: BlockchainSpace Collabs with University of Sydney for Axie Research
Disclaimer: BitPinas articles and its external content are not financial advice. The team serves to deliver independent, unbiased news to provide information for Philippine-crypto and beyond.

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Taiwanese Firms Continue Development of Electric Motorcycle
Taipei, Jan. 1 (CNA) The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) under the Executive Yuan has agreed to allow an industrial group another three years to continue the development of Taiwan's first electric motorcycle.
The group, formed by Sanyang Industrial Co. and 10 other local companies, obtained a three-year FTC permit to develop, design and market electric motorcycles in 1998. However, because a bottleneck developed around a vital technique, which remains unsettled, the FTC recently approved the application by the group to extend the development period for three more years until Dec. 31, 2003. The FTC believes that once the locally developed electric motorbikes start commercial production, it will improve the quality and reduce the production cost of motorbikes. The new motorcycles will also produce fewer emissions and will improve the environment. (By Victor Lai)
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Auto dealers hope for 2012 recovery
At least one auto dealer in the country is “hopeful” for a steady recovery in the sector in 2012, admitting that no real growth occurred in 2011.
General Manager for Nassau Motor Company Rick Lowe said that past estimates that the Bahamas Motor Dealers Association (BDMA) has lost $75 million collectively between 2009 and 2011 are “not too off the mark”, adding that a decrease in inventory resulted in a drop-off in profits.
“It’s difficult to say if you’re assuming the average price of a car is $25,000… I think 2007 was a big year for everybody where their inventory was [54 percent higher],” he said. “And if you’re down [from that], then it’s a big difference.”
The challenges experienced in the industry worked against the dealers in the sector, most notably the Japanese tsunami that occurred earlier in the year. Although the country is thousands of miles away, it affected vehicle imports into The Bahamas as manufacturers in the Asian nation were not in operation during the natural disaster.
Lowe added that the after effects of the tsunami are well behind them and should be able to get inventory back on track as a whole.
“The tsunami impacted everybody quite honestly; most of the manufacturers were impacted by that,” he said. “Production is back to normal at least from Honda and Toyota’s perspective so we should be hitting the ground running next year as far as inventory is concerned.”
Lowe mentioned that commercial vehicle sales were down 11 percent year-on-year based on figures at the end of October and SUVs were still the more popular choice among consumers. He admitted that the transition to the revised vehicle duty rates made in 2010 were a tough pill to swallow for the dealers and customers.
“The consumer still took a shot, particularly on commercial vehicles,” Lowe said. “We don’t have a choice but to adjust, and the impact has been felt across the board.”
The Nassau Motor Company executive added that 2011 turned out to be rougher than expected, and an improving economy in 2012 on the local and global front – along with other factors – will play a part in how successful the sector will be going forward.
“[The sector’s growth] all depends on what elections bring here and what elections bring in the U.S., we’re not isolated from what’s going on in the rest of the world,” Lowe said. “How the economy improves next year is also key to our growth, and we are hopeful that it recovers.”
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$1.20 EPS Expected for Visa Inc (V) This Quarter
Equities analysts forecast that Visa Inc (NYSE:V) will report earnings of $1.20 per share for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks reports. Ten analysts have issued estimates for Visa’s earnings. The highest EPS estimate is $1.24 and the lowest is $1.15. Visa reported earnings per share of $0.90 during the same quarter last year, which indicates a positive year over year growth rate of 33.3%. The company is scheduled to announce its next quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 24th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Visa will report full year earnings of $4.61 per share for the current year, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.55 to $4.87. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the company will post earnings of $5.33 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $5.04 to $5.62. Zacks Investment Research’s EPS averages are a mean average based on a survey of research firms that cover Visa.
Visa (NYSE:V) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 25th. The credit-card processor reported $1.20 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.09 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $5.24 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.09 billion. Visa had a net margin of 47.91% and a return on equity of 36.09%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 14.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.86 earnings per share.
Shares of V stock traded down $0.94 during trading on Monday, hitting $149.11. 6,705,100 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,719,225. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 1.69 and a current ratio of 1.69. The stock has a market cap of $305.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.09. Visa has a twelve month low of $102.75 and a twelve month high of $150.26.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 4th. Investors of record on Friday, August 17th were given a dividend of $0.21 per share. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 16th. Visa’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 24.14%.
In other Visa news, CFO Vasant M. Prabhu sold 25,064 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $140.56, for a total value of $3,522,995.84. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 58,232 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,185,089.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP James H. Hoffmeister sold 6,912 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $140.01, for a total transaction of $967,749.12. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 6,912 shares in the company, valued at approximately $967,749.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.
Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Visa by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 121,549,085 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock valued at $16,099,178,000 after purchasing an additional 1,535,089 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in Visa by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 85,466,413 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $11,320,026,000 after buying an additional 2,398,540 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Visa by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 17,685,789 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $2,342,483,000 after buying an additional 639,522 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in Visa by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 15,875,515 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $1,810,126,000 after buying an additional 75,169 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Edgewood Management LLC lifted its position in Visa by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Edgewood Management LLC now owns 15,192,387 shares of the credit-card processor’s stock worth $2,012,232,000 after buying an additional 365,072 shares in the last quarter. 80.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Visa Company Profile
Visa Inc operates as a payments technology company worldwide. The company facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among consumers, merchants, financial institutions, businesses, strategic partners, and government entities. It operates VisaNet, a processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions; and offers fraud protection for account holders and assured payment for merchants.
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Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary took fans by storm with a surprise release on Tuesday for Windows PC through Microsoft Store, Steam, and Xbox Game Pass for PC. The game is the successor of the praised Halo: Reach, which we witnessed its launch back in 2019, as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Other installments from the Halo franchise are Halo 2: Anniversary, hALO 3: ODST, Halo 3, and Halo 4. The upcoming games are expected to arrive before the end of 2020.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Features
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is, besides a long-waited game, a remastered variant of the original game, which lets players switch between a classic game graphics experience and a whole new, improved alternative. As sleek as it might sound, this is not the only feature Halo received. Devs also announced that the game would arrive with 4K UHD support on PC, and it’ll run at 60 frames/second.
It is also available to buy it as part of Master Chief Collection on the Steam and Microsoft Store for only $39,99. Or you can get it quickly via the Xbox Game Pass for PC. But, there is another option, too. If you’re interested only in Halo: CE Anniversary, you can purchase it individually for $9,99! The same offer is available for Halo: Reach, as well.
More From the Halo Universe
As for Halo: Reach, the game got not the planned launch everybody’s expected it. It was released back in December 2019, and it came with some annoying issues. But, since then, 343 Industries announced that all the audio and stuttering problems had been solved.
Later, the installment received quite the upgrade, a new progression system for unlocking items. Halo’s next game in the series will be Halo: Infinite and is scheduled to arrive soon this year. In the meantime, we look forward to the Halo: Combat Evolved release on PC.


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1 December 2015
The Director of the Centre for Law, Economics and Society, Professor Ioannis Lianos, was invited to speak at the International Bar Association's Annual Conference in Vienna on the topic of Economic Analysis in Antitrust and Trade on October 8th, 2015. View the conference programme.
Professor Lianos was also one of the speakers of the conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Poland which was dedicated to the topic of Vertical Restraints in EU Competition Law and held on October 13th, 2015, in Warsaw.
View the conference website and footage of Professor Lianos speaking.


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By David Shayer, UK CEO of Vantage
It’s an exciting time for racing fans. Following an explosive end to F1, the new series of Extreme E has kicked off with the Desert X grand prix in Saudi Arabia.
The gripping start to new series got me thinking. This new form of racing highlights some valuable lessons for traders. After all, trading the markets is much like a race. As soon as the markets open, it’s “lights out and away we go”.
But theses similarities go far beyond the hustle involved in beating the competition. The fundamental laws and strategies that govern both are the same, so traders should look at the long-perfected methods of racing teams to optimise their abilities. And while having the best kit available makes a huge difference, it still comes down to individual performance.
Looking at the format of the series, the new frontiers of the race are much like the new frontiers of trading. The markets are certainly more complex than they used to be, with more sophisticated products, such as derivatives, and operating systems, like algorithms, now common.
And just as a race is full of twists and turns, so too are the markets – especially at the moment. The rugged terrain that Extreme E drivers must navigate reflects the current volatility. Major factors like inflation and the Ukraine crisis are making the markets unpredictable, with some assets in turmoil. For that reason, it’s more vital than ever that traders are both well-equipped and alert.
The following are three reflections from the Extreme E series that traders should consider.
Speed, but controlled
Everybody knows racing depends on speed. Of course, speed relies on a combination of natural ability and equipment. And in the same way, traders must also have a healthy balance of good instinct paired with the best tools possible to beat the market.
But speed doesn’t equate to pure uncontrolled acceleration. While you want to be fast, you have to avoid crashing. Racers familiarise themselves with their route and think about what the best speed is at different points in the race. That’s what allows them to execute turns as quickly as possible and get ahead. Every movement is vital.
This is what traders must consider. Never rush into a trade. Act quickly, but be cautious, take stock, assess your options and ensure you are making the right move.
The new series epitomises innovation. Extreme E is the first ever electric car race, meaning the vehicles have a truly challenging and original design. They use electric engines but are a lot bigger and heavier than the cars that usually rely on batteries.
As the sport evolves, the technology will inevitably improve as the design of the cars is constantly and incrementally improved. Very slight changes can shave off all-important seconds, which can make a huge difference to results.
The same is true of trading. Traders can’t get stuck using old systems with outdated technology. Seconds in a trade makes an increasingly big difference as trading has become faster and more sophisticated.
Prioritising constant improvement using new tools, training and tactics is key to a winning trading strategy. The only way you can keep on top is by regularly updating technology.
You are the driver
Of course, no trader will succeed alone. As seen among the titans of racing like McLaren, the driver is supported by an enormous team of support staff and engineers.
However, success does ultimately come down to individual performance. In that way, the Extreme E driver is our trader, who still pulls on a range of external support such as brokers and information but are the ones to execute.
Often, that performance depends on painstaking dedication. Traders rely on their sharp focus and diligence to carefully guide where they put their money. There is no room for half-heartedness and the more time traders dedicate to trading, the more likely they are to succeed. After all, trading is a skill that is harnessed from experience, so it really is a matter of practice makes perfect.
How FS organisations can utilise data to boost customer experience
Charles Southwood, Regional VP and GM – Northern Europe and Africa at Denodo
We’ve all heard the age-old adage “the customer is always right”. It insinuates that, in any sector, the needs and desires of those buying a brand’s product or services should be paramount. However, today’s customer has new standards and it is becoming harder than ever for businesses to meet and exceed them.
This is certainly the case in the financial services (FS) sector where getting customer experience right used to be relatively simple. The human touch was traditionally delivered as a bi-product of in-store, transactional interactions. Perhaps, as a result of this, few people ever considered changing their provider and the traditional, established banks ruled the space.
However, with the dawn of online banking and the introduction of new, exciting challenger banks as well as the UK’s unique Current Account Switching Service, the balance of power between the consumer and the bank is changing. Consumers no longer feel locked in. If their needs aren’t being met, they aren’t afraid to look elsewhere and switch their allegiance to other companies. In other words, loyalty is far from guaranteed and customer acquisition is only half the battle.
Retention relies upon delivering strong, unique customer experiences that beat down the competition. In order to achieve this, FS organisations will need to be able to leverage data. Its insights could be the differentiator that enables them to stand out. The positive news is that, in our online world, there is a constant stream of data being produced. However, having access to all this data doesn’t necessarily mean that a brand knows how to effectively analyse and utilise it.
Ensuring data provides insight
The rapid growth in digital technologies and services across the sector has left many FS organisations juggling an unimaginable amount of data. This data is both complex and much of it is lacking in quality. Structured, semi-structured and unstructured, it is stored in many different places – whether that’s in data lakes, on premise or in multi-cloud environments. Before FS organisations can even think about using it to inform customer experience strategies, they need to be able to find it and understand it.
This is where modern technologies – such as data virtualization – can help. Through a single, logical view data virtualization boosts visibility and real-time availability of all data across an organisation. Unlike traditional extract, transform and load (ETL) solutions, it does not move and copy data. Instead it leaves it in the source systems. In other words, instead of just replicating data, data virtualization reveals an integrated view to those trying to find it.
For FS organisations this provides several important benefits. For example, it helps when data sovereignty issues arise and the movement and replication of data outside certain countries is illegal. Data virtualization solutions can also assist in terms of financial reporting by fetching data in real time from underlying source systems – applying the necessary security and obfuscation whilst delivering the performance, the agility and the accuracy needed through the seamless connection of data.
FS organisations that adopt data virtualization, are likely to see an improvement in the overall performance and efficiencies of their business operations. Overheads will be reduced, as will the length of project times. Above all, data virtualization will rapidly strengthen the customer experience by supporting business leaders to think strategically and make decisions based on real-time insights. But don’t just take my word for it.
The proof is in the pudding: How Landsbankinn is delivering on the CX promise
Landsbankinn is just one of the many financial services institutions that has already successfully embraced data virtualization and its benefits. Despite being the largest financial institution in Iceland – with around 40% of the retail and 33% of the corporate banking market share – Landsbankinn used to face several issues when it came to data sharing and analytics.
Over 45 siloed data sources – including Oracle databases, data warehouses and APIs from internal and external sources – made finding and accessing the right data at the right time extremely difficult. Without real-time data to fuel informed decision making, customer experience and operational efficiency were suffering. As a result, Landsbankinn was in need of a data overhaul to streamline and integrate its infrastructure.
To bring together its complex data landscape and collect data in real-time, Landsbankinn implemented the Denodo Platform – a data integration and data management solution built on data virtualization – to build a logical data warehouse. As a result, the team can now aggregate data from multiple data sources, transform that data based on the applied business rules, and then make it available to consuming applications. Ultimately, this means that, throughout the organisation, the data can be utilised by a wealth of employees, even those who are not particularly IT savvy. It also means that the business leaders can use data insights to make well-versed decisions and provide a plethora of services to Landsbankinn customers both quickly and efficiently.
In recent years, customer retention has become the key to successfully growing a business. This cannot happen without an effective customer experience strategy. The ability to convert data into insight is priceless in an economic landscape where the line between a business thriving, surviving and failing is so thin. Those operating in financial services must harness modern technologies – like data virtualization – to stay at the top of their game and ahead of the competition.
The Evolution of SoftPoS in 2023
By Brad Hyett, CEO of phos
Contactless payments and digital wallets have surged in popularity in recent years. Part of this stems from the digital boom that occurred during COVID-19 but it’s also thanks to the ease of use that contactless offers customers. This has helped accelerate Software Point of Sale or ‘SoftPoS’ adoption amongst SMEs and enterprise retailers, with a total of 6 million merchants taking advantage of the technology in 2022 according to Juniper Research.
SoftPoS or ‘Tap to Pay’ technology – is a software solution that allows vendors to turn their phones or mobile devices into contactless payment points. This has made life for small businesses easier, as they no longer have to fork out large sums of money for traditional Point of Sale (POS) terminals, i.e. card readers, or ‘make do’ with outdated payment software.
In light of Apple’s announcement to allow third-party SoftPoS providers to deploy their technology on iPhone last year, adoption is expected to increase further. By 2027, it’s forecast that there will be up to 34.5 million merchants by 2027 – nearly a 500% increase from today. With more payment giants like Paypal and Venmo announcing they will support contactless transactions through their iOS apps in the months ahead, what else is in store for SoftPoS in 2023?
Apple’s role in market consolidation within SoftPoS
Apple’s move to integrate the technology with iOS devices will expand SoftPoS’ usability across mobile operating systems – significantly boosting the size of the addressable market for vendors. For the first time, Apple users will be able to offer Tap-to-Pay solutions which have traditionally been limited to Android devices only.
This will ultimately bring greater awareness and adoption of SoftPoS as we see increased familiarity with Tap-to-Pay solutions among businesses and consumers alike – as they’re no longer bound by the constraints of the type of phone they use.
While the SoftPoS on iPhone rollout currently only applies to the US market, it’s fair to assume this will expand internationally at some point – aiding the normalisation of ‘Tap to Pay’ solutions en masse in the months and years ahead.
The next wave of solopreneurs
The events of the last year will also continue to have a ripple effect over the next 12 months. For example, we’ve seen the tech industry undergo mass layoffs due to a challenging economic environment and rising global inflation.
With large numbers of highly skilled talent out of work, the phenomenon of solo entrepreneurship is likely to see an uplift – as it did during the pandemic – over the next 12 months. Born in a digital-native environment, individuals from this released workforce can now set up their own businesses and run them on mobile devices, as opposed to legacy infrastructures.
This could prove another sizable opportunity for SoftPoS vendors in the coming year, as we predict to see more small businesses sprout as a result of ongoing redundancies.
The growing importance of SoftPoS orchestration
As the market rapidly develops, so too does the choice and ease of onboarding. Financial institutions and retail technology providers can now use a SoftPoS orchestrator to help them deploy Tap-to-Pay solutions quickly and easily for their merchant customers, instead of having to create their own mobile solutions. This saves them time and money – both crucial resources for any business and especially in a challenging economy.
Partnering with a SoftPoS orchestrator is a cost-effective way of providing mobile payment solutions without having to worry about waiting on new software and security updates. With an orchestrator, this is done automatically – making this a much lighter lift with no requirement for technological know-how.
As SoftPos orchestrators are acquirer agnostic, this means they can help businesses provide a SoftPos solution to their own retail customers, regardless of the existing acquirer that they’re already using.
An additional benefit here is that a wider pool of merchants are able to benefit from the technology – growing the overall size of the SoftPoS market. Orchestrators, then, have the ability to drive wider adoption of the technology globally, reaching a bigger audience of end users and advancing the mobile payments industry in emerging markets across the world.
The increased popularity of digital and contactless payment options has driven exponential growth in the SoftPoS market in recent years. The next 12 months will see the technology enter the mainstream, as Apple starts to allow more third-party SoftPoS providers to deploy their solutions on iPhones.
The timing coincides with several emerging opportunities for the technology, including a potential uptick in the number of solopreneurs and mobile-first businesses. This combination of factors will see more financial institutions and legacy technology players work with SoftPoS orchestrators to bring Tap-to-Pay solutions to market in 2023 if they want to stay ahead of the competition and keep up with ever evolving customer demands.
How FS organisations can utilise data to boost customer experience
Charles Southwood, Regional VP and GM – Northern Europe and Africa at Denodo We’ve all heard the age-old adage “the customer...
The Evolution of SoftPoS in 2023
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What to expect from banking and payments in 2023
Michael Mueller, CEO, Form3 The banking industry went through a number of significant challenges in 2022. The steep increase...


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Effects of rising oil prices essays
2 percentage points and also affect the country's current account deficit, Goldman Sach said The effect of the rising prices will be on the poor and the middle class as the rich will not bother the rising trends in the petrol.In fact, as oil prices have risen since 2000, wage growth has increasingly lagged GDP growth.Following on steady declines in other commodity prices, the drop in oil prices in the second half of 2014 was one of six episodes of significant oil price declines over the past three decades.The petrol and diesel prices across the country continued their northward march after two days break taking its retail rates to unprecedented levels while burning bigger holes in the consumers’ pockets.Deputy CEO An of Geely, a private Chinese company, expresses his disappointment by the oil- price changes.Since then, oil prices effects of rising oil prices essays have fallen significantly; the Brent Crude decreased from 0 USD per barrel to less than USD today, which dealt a heavy blow to the economy of Ecuador.The effect of the rising prices will be on the poor and the middle class as the rich will not bother the rising trends in the petrol.Fluctuations in the price of oil are often caused by a.When oil prices rose, businesses were quick to add fuel.When they act as buyers they want prices of goods and services to remain stable but as sellers they expect the prices of goods and services should go up..Its effects most can be seen in oil and gas industry, mining and some SME’s sector..The oil prices effects of rising oil prices essays have started rising significantly since the initiation of the twenty first century; one can analyze the impact of an oil price shock Effect of Rising Oil Prices on Indian Economy 1981 Words | 8 Pages.With this, petrol is now priced at Rs 90.Oil prices fell more than 4% on Tuesday, hit by concerns over new pandemic curbs and slow vaccine rollouts in Europe as well as effects of rising oil prices essays a stronger dollar.Oil prices are largely driven by the global supply and demand.We find that a 10 percent increase in global oil inflation increases, on average, domestic inflation by about 0.4 percentage point on impact, with the effect vanishing after two years and being similar between.Thus, when OAPEC cut oil production, prices had to rise because the American oil industry could not respond by increasing supply The benefits to consumers of a drop in oil prices are likely to be much smaller than the adverse impact on consumers of an oil price rise.19%, which is far less than the change implied by financial markets when inflation is taken into account.Trends in oil demand, and rising.People around the world are feeling the effects of the rising oil prices.
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Fluctuations in the price of oil are often caused by a.When oil prices rise, it becomes more expensive to manufacture and transport the goods, in this case, autos.Essay on the Effects of Inflation: People’s desires are inconsistent.Petrol price hike and its effects on our day to day life Petrol has become an indispensable part of our day-to-day life, and we can’t imagine our life without it.West Texas Intermediate crude, the standard measure of U.Effects of Falling oil prices in India Oil is one of the most important commodities in recent times.19%, which is far less than the change implied by financial markets when inflation is taken into account.When they act as buyers they want prices of goods and services to remain stable but as sellers they expect the prices of goods and services should go up Crude-oil prices rose in early trading on Friday as new data pointed to a rebound in demand around the world.In simple approach, it is fundamental and effective to analyze the economic scenario through which major transformation has been initiated and reviewed in.) and muted demand, the spot price of West Texas Intermediate crude fell from US9 in July 2014 to in January 2015, and has since rebounded to above Oil Prices in the 1970s.An article about a current event that discusses a change in the supply or demand of a product.Crude oil is defined as a nonrenewable resource which occurs naturally.41 A particular factor cannot be held responsible for inflationary price rise.Figure 3 shows the ratio of wages (using the same definition as in Figure 2) to GDP The petrol and diesel prices across the country continued their northward march after two days break taking its retail rates to unprecedented levels while burning bigger holes in the consumers’ pockets.Also, the impact has declined over time.It reflected predominantly rising supply but also weak global demand.Source of the oil price movements.The rise in the price of the petrol is due to both the rates offered by the global suppliers and the taxation of the country.Fluctuations in the price of oil are often caused by a.Source of the oil price movements.The impact of oil prices on activity depends critically on their source.The paper "Causes and Consequences of Oil Price Fluctuations" is an amazing example of a Business essay.With this, petrol is now priced at Rs 90.S Benchmark sets the oil prices depending on the supply and demand.Much of the economy depends on oil.So far, though, the most recent energy price surge hasn’t had that effect..Of1986, oil prices fell by about half, the reverse of the near doubling of oil prices in both 1973—74 and in 1979—81.Gas and effects of rising oil prices essays oil prices are rising and falling so much because of the number of investors, and the demand among the American people.The 1960s and early 1970s, saw a rapid rise in ownership of cars and motoring..We study the impact of fluctuations in global oil prices on domestic inflation using an unbalanced panel of 72 advanced and developing economies over the period from 1970 to 2015.The benefits to consumers of a drop in oil prices are likely to be much smaller than the adverse impact on consumers of an oil price rise.Gas prices and their societal effects: Health, driving, economics and policy.Blue line - nominal oil prices; Yellow line - Real oil prices, adjusted for inflation; Since oil had become an intrinsic part of the economy, we had taken it for granted that oil could be bought cheaply.The Rise and Fall of Oil and Gas Prices.


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This article is more than 1 year old
AMD approaches '30%' x86 CPU market share, thanks to servers 'n' laptops
Guess you could call this Mercury Ryzen
Here's a new data point that will rile Intel up: AMD now accounts for nearly 30 percent of x86 CPU market share, and the chip designer got there during an industry downturn.
This is according to analysts at Mercury Research, which said on Wednesday that AMD's x86 market share reached 27.7 percent against Intel in the first quarter of 2022. This beat the 25.6 percent record AMD set in the previous quarter, which, notably, surpassed the 25.3 percent shipment milestone it achieved against Intel back in 2006.
AMD's x86 share in the first three months of 2022 grew 2.1 points from the previous quarter and seven points from the same period last year, reflecting the high level of growth the home of Ryzen has reported over several quarters.
This growth came from AMD's chips for servers and laptops. In servers, AMD's share grew 2.7 points year-over-year to 11.6 percent, its 12th consecutive quarter of share growth in the segment. For laptops, AMD's share leaped 4.4 points year-over-year to 22.5 percent.
The only segment where AMD didn't gain market share from Intel in the first quarter was the desktop PC space, which as a whole saw CPU shipments drop by 30 percent, the worst decline in history, according to Mercury.
AMD's desktop share was 18.3 percent, which is down 1 point from the same period last year, likely thanks to Intel's Alder Lake silicon that have received a fair amount of praise. It's interesting to note that Taiwanese CPU vendor Via is counted in this segment; Mercury said that company's shipments were so minimal, its share rounded down to zero.
The research firm said the historical decline in desktop processors was due to normal seasonality — not as many people buy a PC after the holidays — and excess inventory held by partners.
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What's noteworthy is that AMD was able to grow in servers and laptops even though both segments also saw a decline in overall shipments. But this shouldn't come as a surprise given that AMD has doubled its data center business and reported double-digit revenue growth for client CPU parts over the past several quarters.
Despite this downturn, Mercury said the x86 market set several records, including for server CPU processor revenue and the average selling price for client CPUs. The latter was driven by a ramp of new high-end laptop processors from Intel and AMD. At the same time, Intel and AMD didn't ship as many low-end laptop chips.
If you're curious how Arm has been doing in the CPU market for PCs, Mercury estimated that the chip architecture's share was 11.3 percent in the first quarter when included with desktop and laptop chips from Intel and AMD. This was up from 10.3 percent in the previous quarter, and it was nearly double the 5.9 percent share Arm held during the first quarter of last year, no doubt fueled by Apple's homegrown M1 chips.
That's another way of saying that Intel has multiple reasons to be concerned about its place in the industry, but at least the semiconductor giant is doing all it can to retain the technology leadership crown once again as part of its ambitious comeback plan. ®


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The collaboration will boost the open-source app building platform’s growth, benefitting businesses with efficient and customizable solutions.
In a major boost to its growth prospects, ToolJet, the innovative open-source low-code platform, has secured funding from M12, Microsoft’s venture fund and GitHub via the M12 GitHub Fund. The collaboration brings together two industry giants, Microsoft and GitHub, and holds great promise for accelerating ToolJet’s expansion and customer reach.
Embraced by developers worldwide, Bengaluru-based ToolJet has gained immense popularity with nearly 20,000 stars and the active contributions of 350 developers on GitHub. ToolJet offers a user-friendly platform for companies to build customized internal business applications without extensive coding knowledge. These applications can include admin panels, order tracking systems and more. The platform enables this by seamlessly connecting to various data sources like Postgres, MySQL and Airtable.
Fueling innovation, empowering AI-driven applications
The partnership between ToolJet and Microsoft’s M12 GitHub Fund goes beyond financial backing. It’s set to unleash a wave of new products and features, adding to the already impressive power of ToolJet’s platform. With a larger team, extensive development resources and a growing community, the startup is poised to take its capabilities to new heights.
Moreover, this collaboration will harness the potential of AI and machine learning, empowering ToolJet users to create more intelligent and customized applications. As businesses seek more sophisticated solutions to stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech landscape, integrating AI into ToolJet’s platform opens up exciting possibilities.
“We’re thrilled to have Microsoft and GitHub join us on our journey. Their investment is a testament to the strength of our platform, community and our vision to democratize software development by making it more accessible to everyone,” said Navaneeth Padanna Kalathil, CEO of ToolJet.
ToolJet’s low-code framework prioritizes data privacy compliance, a crucial aspect for organizations today. Understanding the increasing concerns regarding data security, the startup has made it a top priority to safeguard sensitive information. The ToolJet platform provides a robust solution by offering the option of secure on-premise installation. This allows users to maintain complete control over their data, even in scenarios where internet connectivity might be unavailable or restricted.
In February 2023, the start-up successfully raised US$4.6 million in funding from renowned investors, including Nexus Venture Partners, Ratio Ventures, Better Capital, January Capital and several notable venture capitalists and angel investors.
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Header image courtesy of Pexels
Press release link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230717533783/en/


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Apple creates "Safari" to jam Facebook's web-tracking tools
June 5 , 2018
To make Mac indistinguishable from several other browsers, Apple has created a browser named “Safari” which would seek owner's permission before allowing the social media to monitor the activities of the user. Apple's software chief Craig Federighi revealed this news at the firm's Developers Conference and explained why Apple needs to add these features. As per media reports, this move is likely to add to tensions between the two major companies.


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Harrisburg, PA – State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego announced the launch of several new online resources designed to provide mental wellness resources for fire, rescue and emergency medical services personnel across the commonwealth this... Read More.
By GMA Team, ABC News(NEW YORK) -- Instagram has launched a new tool to help users find reliable, accurate information on topics including mental health and wellness.The new mobile-only tool, called Guides,... Read More.
DuBois, PA - On Saturday, January 18, two-time Interior Designer of the Year and HGTV and Houzz.com award winner Ginger Curtis will visit DuBois to present home organization and do-it-yourself design tips for the... Read More.
Pennsylvania – While you're making your signature dish for these upcoming holiday parties and for Thanksgiving, there's one important step in the recipe that a lot of us are forgetting... proper handwashing. According to Dr.... Read More.
(NEW YORK) -- It seems like everywhere you look, they’re selling CBD.The non-hallucinogenic marijuana plant extract is found in everything from skin creams to dog treats, all with claims of miracle-like results.Interest... Read More.
(NEW YORK) -- Customers shopping in Sephora stores are now able to purchase products containing CBD in person.Sephora has made Lord Jones the first-ever CBD brand available in its stores across the... Read More.
(NEW YORK) -- What happens on vacation, stays on vacation, right? Well, not quite. As travel has become more accessible than ever, that mantra has increasingly become null and void for business... Read More.


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It was only announced last week, but Cavalia Odysseo has already added two more weeks of Winnipeg shows this spring.
More than 5,000 tickets have already been sold to the equestrian and theatrical arts show, set to run May 12 to June 10.
“Since our first visit in town in 2015, we have been travelling the U.S., playing in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Portland, San Jose, Chicago and Nashville to sold-out crowds but nowhere else have we seen such unprecedented support,” said Normand Latourelle, founder and artistic director of Cavalia.
The Montreal-based company will present their return under the big top at the corner of Sterling Lyon Parkway and Kenaston Boulevard.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Early bird purchases receive a 15 percent ticket discount.


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Travel Technology Show Given New Look by SomeOne
SomeOne has created the new branding and identity for Travel Forward, a three-day conference-come-exhibition held annually in London.
Formerly known as the Travel Technology Show, the event is organised by the World Travel Market (WTM), which itself is claimed to be the leading global event for the travel industry.
“Travel>Forward has had the progressive symbol of ‘>’ within its name since day one,” explain the designers. “For a brand and sector continuously moving forward at speed, the new visual branding uses this arrow collectively as a chevron and as a graphic device to signify their ever progressive nature.”
This idea of constant movement and “fast thinking” has subsequently been applied across all applications, from brochures to a bespoke typeface and iconography set.
“The travel industry suffers from a multitude of palm trees and pictures of cultural cliché. The new Travel>Forward brand sets out a different agenda,” says SomeOne founder, Simon Manchipp. “This is a platform for progress. For sharing the next revolution in travel technology. A brand fed on data and raised on change. The new branding looks to create a progressive branded operating system over expected images and language.”
The refreshed look is currently being rolled out across multiple channels ahead of the show’s launch this coming November.


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Harris Poll Findings Reveal Americans Would Like Human Interaction
Gzira, Malta –June 9, 2022 – Enteractive, a noted customer service and retention concern with clients and offices across the European Union today announced the results of a survey of American’s attitudes towards customer service in the United States prior to entering the market later in the year.
Their findings were consistent with what one might expect given the dismal state of customer service in US, especially in the technology and entertainment fields currently. Some of these include:
- 90% of respondents would prefer to speak with a real person when contacting a brand with a customer service enquiry
- 89% of respondents believe brands’ customer service agents should speak the same language as the customer they are calling
- 87% of respondents think US brands should use a CALLER ID when contacting customers so they can clearly see who is calling them
- 85% of consumers said they are MORE LIKELY to stay loyal to a brand that uses real people for customer service
- 70% of respondents find robo-calls from brands frustrating, with 54% confiding they are VERY frustrating.
- Overall, on average, over 53% believe that getting through to a real person is DIFFICULT when calling a brand’s customer service number, with the numbers even higher among older respondents
- 41% of respondents would be happy to get a call from online entertainment or technology brands to check in and improve the customer relationship
Enteractive CEO Mikael Hansson noted, “I was so pleased to see the results as they bear out our personal interaction business model, that we are excited to be bringing to the US later in the year.” Adding, “Since 2009 we’ve had real people talking to our clients’ customers in their own language to bring them back with amazing success. We’re looking forward to helping US companies with their customer retention by actually speaking with their users as well.”
A leader in customer retention in the popular and legal online gambling sector in Europe, where clients typically see a 500% increase in customer reactivation, and a 300% increase in customer spend, Enteractive is entering the US market as online and mobile sports betting and other iGaming formats grow quickly as the number of states with legalized sports betting has increased. With recent legalization in New York, plus 19 other states allowing some form of wagering, online gambling brands are signing up thousands of new players during important sporting event like the Super Bowl, March Madness and the upcoming Tennis Grand Slam events, the US Open and Wimbledon.
Enteractive also polled the sample on attitudes towards online gambling and found that 64% support online gambling nationally, while 60% approve of it at the state level.
“While our service works in any customer service or customer relationship management setting, we’ve been very successful in the iGaming space in Europe, and are eager to work with US operators like Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and others. While these companies are spending large sums on promotion, marketing, and competitive odds to prompt high-speed growth as they enter these new markets in the US, they must keep a focus on retention of all those hard-won customers,” says Hansson. Adding, “it’s heartening that the majority of Americans support online gambling.”
To ensure the safety of their clients’ data, Enteractive has developed the (Re)Activation dashboard to give partner brands complete transparency, with real-time reporting for each interaction with individual customers while keeping all data highly secure, GDPR, and Responsible Gambling compliant.
“There’s currently a gold rush in the US sports betting market,” adds Hansson, “and the eventual winners will be those brands that engage with their customers and build relationships for the future. Every brand must keep a clear focus on all aspects of their offering, ensuring that all the hard work in getting to market, and the expense of customer acquisition is not quickly lost to lapsing relationships.”
Enteractive is the industry leader in player reactivation, driving innovation through custom-made tech, powered by personal human interaction. As a partner to iGaming operators around the world, Enteractive increases retention and player loyalty through engagement with players in one-to-one conversations.


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Apple plans to start assembling the iPhone in Bangalore India by end April under a contract manufacturing arrangement with Taiwan's Wistron.
The move by the company comes even as it awaits approval from the federal government for some of its proposals for lowering the import duties on components and for creating an ecosystem of local manufacturers who can supply components for the smartphones.
The Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital, has announced Apple's intentions to make the iPhone in the city.
Priyank Kharge, state minister for information technology, confirmed that the company had been cleared to make the phones in Bangalore and said it was a validation of the state's industry-friendly policies.
Apple has been planning to make its phones in India as well as set up its own retail stores in the country to address the booming local market, which is expected to see higher demand for Apple devices because of the rollout of 4G networks. iPhone sales were up over 50 percent in the country in fiscal 2016 over the previous year.
In the third quarter, Samsung Electronics, followed by Chinese and Indian brands like Lenovo and Micromax, led the Indian smartphone market, according to IDC estimates, largely because they have been able to deliver their products at various price points.


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Retailers filing for bankruptcy during the coronavirus pandemic have stressed the urgency of their mission. But the question of store safety, for employees and customers, looms over efforts to execute ambitious restructuring plans geared around exiting bankruptcy within months, experts said.
For instance, when Neiman Marcus Group filed for Chapter 11 this month with a restructuring plan in hand, its attorneys told the court that speed was crucial, even as they acknowledged the uncertainty around when stores could safely reopen.
“The most important thing about retail cases is getting out of Chapter 11 as quickly as you possibly can, so that you can commence operations in the ordinary course,” Chad Husnick, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, which represents the retailer in the proceedings, said at its first-day bankruptcy hearing.
Husnick also acknowledged the unique risks at play in proceedings that he told the court are taking place “against the backdrop…of not knowing when COVID-19 is going to go away — not knowing if COVID-19 is going to go away temporarily, or decrease temporarily as we make efforts to flatten the curve, or if it’s going to re-peak again.”
The reference to flattening the curve reflected the directive of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep the number of COVID-19 cases from spiking too sharply. The guidance was the impetus behind lockdown orders that went into effect around the U.S., which temporarily shut the doors of nonessential retailers in March and April.
Retailers in bankruptcy are dealing with the prospect of heavy cash burn — Neiman’s, for instance, is expecting to spend more than $300 million until stores reopen in July or August. But they face a difficult balance between the need to reopen stores, while investing in the safety of doing so, experts said.
“In terms of a quick exit from bankruptcy, they’re not going to be able to do that until they have revenues,” said Nathalie Martin, a professor at the University of New Mexico School of Law, speaking generally about retailers in bankruptcy.
“There’s definitely a lot of tension between safety concerns, and the need to have revenues,” she said.
J.C. Penney Co. Inc., which also filed for bankruptcy this month, had outlined a restructuring goal that contemplates having a bankruptcy plan or a sale confirmed in about five months, has already reopened some stores and will reopen more.
In its own first-day hearing, a rare event to take place on a Saturday in a reflection of its time crunch, its advisers emphasized those plans.
“We’ve built in relief in our financing arrangements to do as much acceleration of store openings as we possibly can, subject to governmental approvals,” Joshua Sussberg of Kirkland & Ellis, an attorney for J.C. Penney, told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones at the retailer’s remote bankruptcy hearing earlier this month.
Of its more than 800 stores, Penney’s has now reopened 153 stores in the U.S, and plans to reopen about 150 more stores on May 27, according to a representative for the retailer. In a business plan filed this month with regulatory officials, the retailer indicated plans to close more than 240 stores.
The retailer is implementing safety measures, including offering contact-free curbside pickup, cleaning stores “throughout the day,” providing store employees with masks, and training them on safety protocols, according to the company. Stores will also operate under temporarily reduced hours.
“We want to ensure everyone is safe and feels comfortable as we continue to provide an engaging shopping experience,” Jim DePaul, executive vice president of stores at J.C. Penney, said in a statement. “We’re taking a strategic approach in reopening our stores nationwide and will continue doing so in a phased approach based on guidance from the CDC and local and state mandates.”
For its part, Neiman Marcus, which has 67 stores including Bergdorf Goodman and Last Call locations, has opened 12 Neiman Marcus stores, though just for private appointments, according to the company. Some 34 Neiman Marcus stores are also open for curbside pickup.
J. Crew Group Inc., which had filed for bankruptcy this month and sought a 60-day deferral to pay rent, is also contending with the timing of reopening stores. This week, its landlords filed an objection to its request, arguing that most states have eased lockdown restrictions and that the retailer should be able to reopen its stores sooner.
J. Crew has sought to signal that its reopening will hinge on official restrictions rather than bankruptcy-related pressures, and said on its web site it will “only reopen stores in areas where it’s permitted by local law and where we can implement enhanced health and safety protocols.”
For department stores and apparel stores, where these types of illness-related safety measures haven’t traditionally been part of their operational procedures, reopening in this environment will impose new requirements, experts said.
For instance, the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents Macy’s Inc. employees, has recently pointed out their own members’ safety concerns about returning to work, particularly if only employees are required to wear masks, but not customers.
“Now with COVID-19, suddenly these retailers are expected to operate with a high level of safety,” said Saravanan Kesavan, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill business school, who studies supply chain management and the retail workforce, who spoke generally.
“They need to develop processes, they need to train their employees, [and] to reinforce safety principles, in order to make sure they can safely operate stores for employees and customers,” he said.


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28 Sep 2016
GMO CLICK Holdings, Inc., a leading online financial service provider in Japan and the parent company of GMO-Z.com Trade UK Limited, released its Monthly Disclosure for August – reporting that its number of Retail OTC FX accounts has now exceeded 450,000.
13 Jun 2016
London UK, 13th June – Z.com Trade, FCA-regulated and part of the Japan-headquartered GMO CLICK Group, which is the world’s largest retail forex provider by volume , has announced the launch of its new affiliate program, Z.com Trade Affiliates.
29 Feb 2016
GMO CLICK Holdings, Inc., a leading online financial service provider in Japan and the parent company of GMO-Z.com Trade UK Limited, announced its third quarter financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31 2016, with revenue of 22.282 billion Yen, up 27.8% from last year. Read more
05 Feb 2016
GMO CLICK Securities Co., Ltd., part of the GMO CLICK Group (hereinafter “GMO CLICK”) announced that their retail FX volume for 2015 remained first in the world, for the fourth consecutive year.
09 Dec 2015
GMO CLICK Holdings, Inc., a leading online FX and CFD service provider in Japan, announced its second quarter financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016 with revenue of 15.52 billion Yen, up 48.5% from last year. Read more
Trading in leveraged products carries a high level of risk. Your losses may exceed your initial investment requiring you to make further payments. These products are not suitable for everyone and you should seek independent advice if you are in any doubt. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks.


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Although we clamour over the latest designer fashion buys as much as the next person, we’re also big fans of saving money.
So it’s always nice to spot a fashion steal from a high street retailer.
This time, it’s thanks to Primark. The cheap-as-chips store has announced the launch of a new embroidered loafer that looks suspiciously similar to a best-selling Gucci style.
A post shared by Primark (@primark) on Jun 10, 2017 at 7:14am PDT
The only difference is the price. While Gucci’s retail for a whopping £530, Primark’s backless style come in at only £8.
They both feature the same colour scheme (pink, purple and blue) as well as the iconic gold horsebit buckle.
Gucci’s design comes from the Italian brand’s SS17 collection. The slip-on style has a “richly detailed metallic jacquard finish” and are recommended to be worn with a brocade coat and chiffon blouse.
Primark isn’t the only high street retailer to cop on to Gucci’s much-loved aesthetic.
A post shared by ASOS (@asos) on Jun 3, 2017 at 2:04am PDT
Office sell a yellow brocade pair of loafers for only £69 while ASOS is taking great inspiration from Gucci’s colourful printed bags.
Hopefully, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele is only too happy to see his work worn by the masses.
Read more from Yahoo Style UK:


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Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson hosted the Amir Of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani at the standing up ceremony of the UK-Qatar Joint Typhoon Squadron today (24th July).The event, held at Horse Guards, marked an important milestone in the two countries’ defence relationship and included defence talks to further strengthen the close partnership between the UK and Qatar.Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: Qatar remains a close and important friend to the UK and it is the only nation with which we have a joint squadron. This requires a level of trust, born from our long-shared history and our commitment to a shared future. Our formidable Typhoon jets will boost the Qatari military’s mission to tackle challenges in the Middle East, supporting stability in the region and delivering security at home. As part of the multi-billion-pound contract to supply Qatar with 24 Typhoon aircraft 9 Hawk T2 aircraft, No.12 Squadron will integrate Qatari personnel, including pilots and ground-crew, from 2019. The personnel will be initially stationed at RAF Coningsby, and then in Qatar, undertaking a package of training and co-operation with their UK counterparts. It represents a unique initiative, and not since the Second World War and the Battle of Britain has the RAF formed a squadron with another nation.The Joint Squadron will provide the Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) with valuable experience operating the aircraft and speed up their preparation for when the first QAAF Typhoon are delivered in 2022.At the ceremony at Horse Guards, the Amir also received his Sandhurst Medal, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his graduation from the Academy. The ceremony celebrated the historic and enduring links between UK and Qatari defence training academies.The two countries share mutual interests in countering violent extremism, and ensuring stability in the region, and this formation will further reinforce those ties by helping to prevent terrorism from spreading and protecting the prosperity and security of the UK at home.
Jam group Dopapod has doubled down on a busy early 2017 with a fresh batch of spring tour dates. The band now has a 26-date spring tour ahead of them, starting with three nights at the Brooklyn Bowl and traveling through the Midwest and East Coast through late March and all of April.The tour will take the band through major East Coast cities like Philadelphia and Boston, as well as popular Midwest spots like St. Louis and Cleveland. Their tour schedule also includes several dates in the Southeast, including a spot at the SweetWater 420 Festival, before wrapping up on April 29th at Soundstage.Before all that, however, the band is set to play two nights in Colorado with their former tour-mates, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. More information about those shows can be found here.You can see the full tour schedule below, and head to the band’s website for more information.
Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of $4.31 billion during the first five months of the year, compared to a deficit of $2.68 billion in the same period last year.Several countries, including China, the United States and Japan, among others, remain Indonesia’s largest trading partners. Lockdowns and social distancing measures associated with the coronavirus pandemic have sapped global commerce and growth, disrupted supply chains and closed factories and stores.Several regions in Indonesia have implemented large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) to curb the spread of the virus, forcing businesses to close and people to stay home. This has reined in consumer spending as people are worried about job prospects and have become pessimistic about economic prospects, according to a consumer confidence index survey published by Bank Indonesia on Friday.The World Trade Organization (WTO) projected that global trade would shrink between 13 and 32 percent as the economic impact of the health crisis remained uncertain.The WTO has forecast a rebound in the 2021 global goods trade of between 21 and 24 percent, depending largely on the duration of the outbreak and the effectiveness of policy responses.Topics : “Economic development has not been good around the world,” said BPS head Suhariyanto during a news conference. “We are seeing weaker purchasing power, lockdowns, as well as economic contraction for our trading partners, which all have an impact on our trade balance.”The country’s oil and gas exports declined 42.6 percent yoy to $650 million, while exports of mining products fell 38 percent yoy to $1.33 billion. Exports of manufactured goods dropped nearly 26 percent to $8.31 billion in May.Imports of consumer goods shrank nearly 40 percent to $930 million due to fewer purchases of air conditioners and washing machines, among other items. Imports of raw materials plummeted 43 percent to $6.11 billion, while imports of capital goods shrank 40 percent to $1.39 billion.From January to May, the country booked $64.46 billion in exports, a decrease of 5.96 percent, while imports amounted to $60.15 billion from January to May, a 15.5 percent yoy decrease. Indonesia booked a trade surplus of US$2.09 billion in May as imports fell steeper than the export slump against the backdrop of social restrictions worldwide and supply chain disruption, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced Monday.Exports plunged 28.95 percent year-on-year (yoy) in May to $10.53 billion, the lowest since July 2016, due to falling exports of coal, coffee, palm oil, as well as oil and gas, according to BPS data . Meanwhile, imports fell even faster by 42.2 percent to $8.44 billion, the lowest since 2009, due to weak domestic demand for consumer goods, raw materials and capital goods.


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In no big way, but a lot of small ones, natural user interfaces eked out a clear win here at International CES.
Companies at the Las Vegas gadget fest have highlighted an array of ways in which consumers will increasingly be able to use voice, touch and motion to control their phones, computers and TVs.
Intel showed off ultrabooks that feature tilt sensors allowing users to angle their computers to control video games a la Wii controllers (ahem, big, heavy Wii controllers). It also highlighted built in credit card readers that work by merely tapping the card to the palm rest.
Lastly, the chip giant announced a partnership with Nuance to bring voice control features to laptops. The service will be built into the computer (i.e. won’t limp along as it searches for meaning in the cloud). It will also learn your accent, works in nine languages and doesn’t require a headset, said Peter Mahoney, chief marketing officer for Nuance.
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer announced that the company’s popular Kinect controller for Xbox will be available for the Windows operating system on Feb. 1. Kinect allows users to play games and navigate menus through midair gestures and voice commands on its gaming console, but developers have hacked together loads of other uses for the product (after Microsoft thought better of its initial instinct to prosecute them).
Among many other things, Kinect has been put to work on robots, in surgery and at archaeological digs. Microsoft hasn’t highlight specific applications for Kinect on computers, but clearly expects the developer community to get equally creative this time around.
“Samsung is redefining what a TV can do so people can use more intuitive ways to control their entertainment experiences, maintain closer contact to people that are important to them, and easily manage and share content across multiple screens,” said Hyun-suk Kim, an executive vice president at Samsung, in a statement.
Apple, of course, is widely rumored to be developing a TV that will feature Siri-like voice control.
These are still early days in natural user interfaces for consumer products and we’re going to see a lot of experimentation — and plenty of applications that are more gimmicky than useful. Natural user interfaces aren’t automatically more natural if they’re overly complex or clunky.
The goal here is that users shouldn’t have to learn a new language — as they did with the mouse and graphical user interface — to communicate with devices. If the gestures a gadget understands are unintuitive for humans, or the voice commands too literal and specific, this will all miss the point.


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Each Cabbage Patch Kid doll is unique — and so is the $12.75 million Fort Lauderdale mansion of their manufacturer.
Searching for an even larger abode, toy manufacturer Michael Rinzler is has put his 6,349-square-foot mansion up for sale, The Post can exclusively reveal.
“With the well-designed spaces, tranquil vibes and prime waterfront location, I have no doubt this home will attract multiple offers,” listing broker Chad Carroll of Compass told The Post.
The toymaker purchased the five-bedroom, six-and-a-half bathroom home for $6.25 million in December 2019, two months after a larger company acquired his Wicked Cool Toys company in October 2019.
He is now executive vice president, partner and co-president at the company that acquired Wicked Cool Toys, Jazwares LLC., which makes Roblox, Squishmallows, Nerf, UFC, Peppa Pig, Fortnite and Halo toys, in addition to Cabbage Patch Kids (which now makes a JoJo Siwa doll) and Pokémon toys, according to Jazwares’ website.
Contrasting his colorful profession, the 2018 home is contemporary with black, grey and white accents. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, iron railings and minimalist light fixtures.
Inside, there are two beamed-ceiling living rooms, a dining room and two offices — one of which has a pop of color that can’t be missed. Shelves are filled with action figures, plush toys and games in the listing photo.
The kitchen has a large marble island, an industrial hood, dual ovens, black-and-white accent tiles and a breakfast nook.
“The water-facing kitchen with an entertainment island is easily one of the best spaces in the home,” said Carroll.
Amenities include a club room, a loft, an elevator, a gym and a movie theatre, said Carroll.
“This property has everything you need to enjoy the ultimate South Florida lifestyle,” said Carroll.
The 0.29-acre lot has a heated saltwater pool, summer kitchen with bar and a dock to park your boat, said Carroll.
Toymakers including Hasbro, Mattel, Toys “R” Us and now Jazwares have mass-produced less expensive versions of the toy since it was first invented in 1982 and rose to riot-worthy popularity in 1983.
But the brand still creates its pricey hand-stitched dolls at a visitor-friendly “hospital” in Cleveland, Georgia called Babyland General, where buyers can watch dolls being made and receive a “birth certificate” and “adoption papers” for their dolls.


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Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri were named the second, third and seventh best cities in the Silicon Prairie for tech startups, respectively, according to a new study by AIM Institute.
The study characterized the Silicon Prairie as the region in and around Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, that is poised to become the next frontier of innovation as the traditional startup hubs like Silicon Valley, New York City and Austin become overpriced and the tools for building technology companies become democratized.
Missouri offers startups and entrepreneurs some of the lowest business costs in the country, and our strategic location at the center of North America makes getting products to customers faster than ever anywhere in the world.
Additionally, CNN recently highlighted the Missouri cities of Kansas City and St. Louis for their innovation and growth, and that innovative spirit continues across the rest of the state from Columbia to Springfield, St. Joseph to Cape Girardeau. Missouri ranks in the top ten states in the U.S. for starting a business, while many of its cities have been recognized for startup growth.
For more information on why Missouri could be a prime location to launch or grow your business, contact Steve Johnson, CEO of Missouri Partnership, at 314.725.2688 or via our contact form, with any questions you might have, and learn how Missouri Partnership can help with your business expansion and investment needs.


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The new name reflects the org’s broader scope and community to adapt to the evolution of the home-entertainment ecosystem, according to Mark Fisher, president and CEO of OTT.X. The group’s new website is at ottx.org.
The group originally launched in 1984 as the Video Software Dealers Association, initially supporting mom-and-pop VHS rental stores, then DVD and electronic sell-through retailers followed by transactional VOD. The EMA was established in April 2006 through the merger of the VSDA and the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA). With the new OTT.X moniker, the organization envisions itself more broadly representing the business interests of all consumer over-the-top video players, spanning digital retailers, channels, content providers, networks, platforms, and pay-TV providers.
The trade group’s current board members include execs from NBCUniversal’s Fandango, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Walmart’s Vudu, Amazon, Google/YouTube, Microsoft, Vubiquity, Cinedigm Digital Networks, Comscore, Premiere Digital Services, GoDigital Media Group and Movies Anywhere, the digital-movie service managed by Disney in partnership with four Hollywood studios.
“We are excited about the opportunity to leverage the experience and the community that we’ve built into supporting the growing segments of SVOD and AVOD,” Fisher (pictured above) said in a statement.
Cameron Douglas, OTT.X chair and VP of home entertainment at Fandango, added: “I look forward to working more broadly with digital retailers, MVPDs, digital channels and networks, distribution platforms including vMVPDs and consumer electronics manufactures, and all the companies creating and distributing content to these channels, as well technology-enabling services supporting our businesses.”
Under the OTT.X banner, the association will continue to focus on the business aspects of this industry by facilitating business exchange and community, sharing industry insights and research, organizing and managing industry interest groups such as digital supply chain and retailing best practices, and managing a leadership development foundation.
The name change and expanded charter was motivated by the org’s two-day OTT_X Market and Conference in July 2019 and the OTT_X @ Pipeline event that followed in September. The trade group has scheduled its second OTT_X Market and Conference for July 21-22 at L.A.’s Skirball Cultural Center.


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Pending home sales for the month of March 2010 increased 5.3% from the previous month to 102.9. The March 2010 is 21.1% higher than March 2009 which was 85.0. The data is provided by the National Realtors Association and is for homes under contract – not closed.
Definitely the increase is in part to the end of the buyer tax credit (must be under contract by April 30, 2010 and closed by end of June 2010). According to Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist, “Clearly the home buyer tax credit has helped stabilized the market. In the months immediately following the expiration of the tax credit, we expect measurably lower sales. Later in the second half of the year and into 2011, home sales will likely become self-sustaining if the economy can add jobs at a respectable pace, and from a return of buyer demand as they see ome values stablizing.”
From my persepective – yes – we will probably see a slow down in under contracts and sales after April 30th but many Atlanta buyers are out there. They want to buy even if they didn’t get the tax credit. Home prices seem to be stabilizing in areas (still early but the numbers are showing some improvements), and loans are becoming readily available in the jumbo market (loans over $417,000) as banks’ begin to show healthy balance sheets. Buyers want great deals and sellers are understanding this and working to price their homes right for the current market. I am talking to buyers who still want to buy!
In Metro Atlanta – we are starting to see a slight reduction in the unemployment rate which is a lagging indicator of the economy. The unemployment rate will follow other improvements in the economy – such as the increase in the pending sales numbers. The good news is that March 2010 the unemployment rate dropped for the Metro Altanta area.
Forbes rated the top States for Business and Georgia ranked #6. Despite the economic woes we are feeling – this is great news and will hopefully lead to more businesses finding their way to our state. And certainly some positive news for Georgia.
Forbes used several different sources and based their rankings on 6 different categories. The Forbes article is here and has the details on the category rankings and the sources used to gather the information.
Top Economists Say Recovery Has Begun
Economic recovery is about making people feel more confident, says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com.
Zandi evidenced increasing home sales and gains in the stock market are some promising signs that the worst is over and people will start spending again.
“We’re starting to see some pent-up demand for goods,” he says.
But Zandi warns that the situation is still fragile. “Confidence is a very fickle thing. It can go from abject pessimism that pervades now to a more balanced view of the world rather quickly.”
Robert Brusca of FAO Economics is predicting strong growth in the last half of the year and a quick recovery for the labor market. “You’ve lost 5 million jobs. It shouldn’t be hard to put 2.5 million jobs back on rather quickly after you hit bottom,” he said.
Joseph Carson, chief economist at AllianceBernstein, calls improving home sales, a rising stock market, and better-than-expected retail sales in February and March good signs of a turnaround. By the time President Obama’s stimulus package takes effect, the economy will be ready, he says.
“The stimulus has a much better chance of working if trends are already turning up than if it needs to halt a decline,” he said.
Source: CNNMoney, Chris Isidore (04/06/2009)


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Mandalay Resort Group MBG, +0.00% is surging more than 7 percent to $25.46 after the Las Vegas-based gaming firm reported fourth-quarter earnings before items of 16 cents per share, 2 cents ahead of Wall Street's consensus estimate. Revenue rose in the latest three months to $542.3 million from $515.8 million in the same period a year earlier. The company said Mandalay Bay, its flagship resort, was its strongest performer, contributing operating cash flow of $29.7 million in the quarter, up from its equivalent year-ago total of $16.8 million. In addition, the company's board approved the buyback of up to 10 million shares of its common stock.
Strong Q4, 10M share buyback spark Mandalay Resort


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This is a big project that requires a lot of patience with many difficult variables, but, Douglas County needs jobs, good jobs, and we continue to work toward our goals.
Roseburg, Oregon (PRWEB) September 8, 2008
Roseburg based NEVCAR Corporation has received copies of Corrections from AP News and other local news agencies who have retracted statements erroneously reporting that Mr. Randell Foshie's April 2007's arrest derailed plans to build an electric car plant in Sutherlin, Oregon. According to KPIC in Roseburg Oregon, "58-year old Foshie was sentenced (January 3, 2008), by U.S. District Judge Morrison England in Sacramento, to 46 months in prison". (Read full story of the conviction here: http://www.kpic.com/news/local/13287747.html)
The news sources have retracted the headlines and statements that indicated Mr. Foshie was a partner in the business of NEVCAR Corporation or used NEVCAR Corporation for fraudulent activities. "It is unfortunate that the News Media felt the need to willing exaggerate headlines to defame the name NEVCAR to obtain notoriety and sales in the local market." says James Hart, Chairman of the board, CEO and founder of NEVCAR Corporation. "The News Media unfairly portrayed a criminal, who was pretending to be an investor, as an owner, financial backer, partner, or shareholder of NEVCAR Corporation, which was not true, NEVCAR has its own sources of funding and is often solicited by potential investors as a result of networking in the EV business. NEVCAR checks the background of all investors who approach the Corporation. In this case the proof of capability was provided by Foshie's attorneys who vouched for Mr. Foshie's financial capabilities. It is unlikely that any other party could have discovered Mr. Foshie's misrepresentations while law firms and bankers were vouching for Mr. Foshie's credibility."
The Corrections from Portland News Sources, September 7, 2007, include statements as follows:
"The charges filed against Foshie, however, were unrelated to NEVCAR's efforts. Foshie had no formal business relationship with NEVCAR."
The Corrections from The Associated Press, 2007-05-03 include statements as follows:
"Roseburg, Ore.- In an April 29 story and headline, The Associated Press erroneously reported that a Californian arrested on federal wire charges was raising money to build an electric car manufacturing plant in Sutherlin. The charges in the criminal complaint did not involve financing a plant. Instead, according to the complaint, Randell Bert Foshie was accused of defrauding investors by promising real estate loans and in one case a car dealership in exchange for up-front fees."
Futurecars.com also provides a link to the new story referencing KPIC Dan Bain's question: "In the race to develop greener vehicles, are well-meaning investors at a greater risk to get swindled?" (http://www.futurecars.com/news/man-gets-four-years-for-electric-vehicle-fraud123.html)
Mr. Hart wholeheartedly agrees with this assessment, "We hope we don't run into any more characters as polished and orchestrated as Mr. Foshie. For it seems like alternative companies such as ourself tend to be sitting ducks for such tactics. Big oil doesn't care for competition. These erroneous reports about Mr. Foshie have made it difficult for NEVCAR to maintain its relationships with its foreign suppliers as American/Korean business ventures grow through performance and trust. However, we will continue to seek out serious investors for the demand for electric vehicles NOW cannot be overlooked."
According to the NEVCAR website, Mr. Hart has managed, directed and prepared business models for the successful sale of electric vehicles and environmentally friendly products in the United States since 2002. He has developed business plans with investors, suppliers, VS Composites and has traveled throughout Europe to build relationships with International Banks and organizations to negotiate credit facilities, arrange securities and secure loans used to finance electric vehicle sales, manufacturing and research in the United States.
"We continue to push ahead!" says Hart. "We just completed a successful two month road tour showing our electric vehicles from coast-to-coast and our partner in Korea, ATT R&D, still supports the sale of an electric vehicle in the United States. We continue to develop business relationships and financing plans that will support our goals of importing or assembling low speed and high speed vehicles in 2008 and we are organizing a Grass Roots Business to get things started. We continue to develop our technology to provide affordable electric vehicles, gas-to-electric conversion kits and solar charging stations this year and we are working hard to enter into the market place as-soon-as-possible."
Hart concludes, "This is a big project that requires a lot of patience with many difficult variables, but, Douglas County needs jobs, good jobs, and we continue to work toward our goals."
NEVCAR stands for Neighborhood Electric Vehicles and is committed to bringing its innovative, attractive, practical and earth-friendly vehicles to neighborhoods in the U.S.
NEVCAR continues to invite forward-thinking, private investors to be a part of this exciting and groundbreaking enterprise. Serious investor inquires can be made by contacting James Hart, 741 SE. Jackson Street Roseburg, OR 97470 (541) 229-0366
PRESS RELEASE INQUIRIES CAN BE MADE AT NEVCARPR(at)YAHOO.COM


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Watch out Netflix, there’s a new entertainment rival in town… Apple has just announced the launch of Apple TV+, a new video streaming platform. As original thought leaders in the tech space, it was only a matter of time before Apple came in to disrupt the world domination that is our favourite Friday night go-to.
Apple TV+has partnered alongside major TV channels including HBO, SHOWTIME, CBS, Starz, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX, Tastemade, Noggin and MTV Hits to offer the one all exclusive app.
Announcing over 100,000 blockbuster videos at launch, the Apple TV+ app will not only cater to all our rom-com needs but be providing ‘original’ inspiring and authentic stories with emotional depth and compelling characters from all walks of life, ad-free and on demand. Oh and they’ve also brought a star studded lineup on board, with Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momoa as chief storytellers directing and starring in the original Apple TV+ content.
If that wasn’t enough to make you want to cancel all plans for a weekend of nail painting and binge viewing (all in the name of self-care!), they’ve also launched Apple News+ and Apple Arcade. For those more into a lazy Sunday read, the Apple News+ app will give US and Canadian app users access to titles from major news publishing houses; Hearst and Conde Nast, offering over 300 mastheads including Vogue, ELLE, The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times, just to name a few. The Apple News+ app will also intuitively curate personalised article recommendations based on the users reading habits, making for an endless stream of leisurely browsing. And let’s not forget the gamers. Those who prefer to get lost in an immersive game experience, the new Apple Arcade —a paid subscription service that offers 100 exclusive video games and original releases from world renowned creators will be right up your alley.
With Apple TV+ set to launch in May, the Apple News+ app already available and Apple Arcade rolling out this Spring, there’s still time to schedule a dedicated ‘de-stress day.’ So whether you’ve been saving up for a rainy day, or hanging out for a quiet weekend with a chick flick, Apple just might have given you the perfect excuse. Game on!


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Security researchers presenting at the Black Hat Conference in Las Vegas this week have revealed a method for accessing the Square payment processing service without the hardware device, opening up the spectre of unauthorised payments.
Adam Laurie and Zac Franken, of research firm Aperture Labs - no relation to, although likely inspired by, the shady Aperture Science from hit puzzle game Portal - took to the stage at the conference yesterday to demonstrate a method for emulating a Square reader without the usual hardware.
Square, for those unfamiliar with the company, is a payment processing firm with a difference: the company produces a small hardware dongle which plugs into the headphone socket of an iOS or Android device and which allows the owner to swipe the magnetic stripe of a credit card and take payments.
The system has several advantages over a traditional payment processing service: while per-transaction fees are somewhat steep, there's no monthly cost attached, and the use of a free dongle to integrate payment processing into an existing device means there's no up-front cost to buy a payment terminal.
The company's approach has proven popular, with the small dongles becoming a frequent sight in smaller retailers across the US. While an international launch has long been on the cards, the publicity generated by Laurie and Franken's demonstration may dampen other nations' enthusiasm a trifle.
Laurie has form for magnetic stripe hacks: back in 2006 he demonstrated an application at the DEFCON conference which could be used to read and modify magnetic stripe cards used in hotels as keys by connecting a magnetic reader to a computer's sound card. A quick modification to that existing application soon allowed Laurie to emulate the Square dongle.
According to Threatpost's Paul Roberts, who was present during the pair's demonstration, the modified program was able to read the details from a credit card and successfully deduct $2 using the Square application live on stage.
Laurie and Franken warn that criminals could use the technique to transform purchased or stolen credit card details into the audio format expected by the Square application, deducting money from each and depositing it an account of their choice in a way far easier than has been traditionally possible.
It's worth pointing out, however, that to do so the criminals would need a valid Square merchant account, which requires users to validate their identity and confirm their address. As a result, anyone using Square's system for ill would rapidly find themselves visited by the police.
The pair still believe that their demonstration proves a worrying level of insecurity, not with Square but with the use of magnetic stripe readers for payments in the first place. While much of Europe has moved to Chip and PIN, the US remains a largely mag-stripe nation, and that's what Laurie and Franken's demonstration is truly warning against.
Thus far, Square has not responded to our request for comment on the Black Hat demonstration.