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As businesses enter the all-important final four months of 2016, news of supply chain disruptions are permeating business media channels.
We, along with global media, have already alerted readers to the ongoing and quickly cascading implications of Hanjin Shipping’s financial receivership, which we have characterized as a financial shot heard across the globe. The potential for supply chain disruptions is imminent along with other cascading implications for shipping rates or further ocean container industry consolidation moves.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Product Recall
Today brings the stunning and somewhat embarrassing news that Samsung has initiated a global recall of its newly announced Galaxy Note 7® smartphones due to reports of battery fires. All sales have been halted pending an investigation of why certain batteries are exploding during the re-charging process. According to a published report by The Wall Street Journal, Samsung had logged 35 cases of battery explosions which has prompted the electronics giant to issue a global recall. Apparently, Samsung has multiple suppliers for the lithium-ion batteries of the Note 7 and not all of the phones are affected. Samsung teams are now in the process of tracing the faults to a specific supplier. Still unclear at this point is whether suspect batteries effect other new Samsung models. An estimated 2.5 million of this model phone have been shipped since its availability announcement of two weeks ago.
The glitch comes at an obvious awkward time for Samsung, with holiday sales looming and with next week’s planned announcement from rival Apple rumored to be about the announcement of the newest versions of iPhones.
Gap Distribution Center Fire
Clothing retail chain Gap is dealing with its own supply chain disruption as a result of a fire that occurred at one of the retailer’s online support distribution center located in Fishkill New York. According to business media reports, the fire that occurred on Wednesday of this week, completely destroyed about 25 percent of the warehouse while the remainder of the facility suffered extensive smoke and water damage. The center supports Northeast U.S. online and store fulfillment needs for both Gap and Banana Republic branded merchandise and according to one report, represents 10 percent of the retailer’s nationwide warehouse capacity. In reporting of the incident, The Wall Street Journal quotes a Wells Fargo equity analyst advisory as indicating that the disruption of the fire could: “create a meaningful bottleneck given the upcoming critical holiday season.”
According to the WSJ, the retailer’s logistics and distribution teams are now working on plans to rely on other distribution centers located in Ohio and Tennessee, as well direct shipments from retail stores to support Northeast online fulfillment needs. Teams are further working to accelerate the reopening of a nearby New York warehouse that was planned to supply Old Navy branded merchandise.
This fire is obviously untimely since Gap has been in the process of a merchandising turnaround to boost sales and profitability.
Continuous Natural Disasters
It seemed that during the months of July and August, a week did not pass without some occurrence of natural disaster. Whether it was continuous wild fires across the U.S. West, severe flooding southern Louisiana and China, devastating earthquakes in Peru and Italy or this week, the first hurricane in 10 years to impact southern Florida and the U.S. Southeastern coast, supply chains are continually disrupted in various degrees.
Indeed, the timing and occurrences of major supply chain disruption cannot be controlled, especially when occurrence is just prior to one of the most important and meaningful revenue and profitability quarters. After and in spite of such occurrences, supply chain teams learn more of the critical importance of active supply chain risk mitigation and business continuity planning.
As our U.S. readers prepare to take advantage of the summer’s last long Labor Day holiday weekend, keep in mind that supply chain teams remain engaged in responding to supply chain disruptions.
From time-to-time as developments warrant throughout the year, we publish various succinct research advisories to clients and blog readers focused on specific industry, line-of-business, functional or technology trending that warrant specific attention for both management teams and supply chain management professionals. Normally our advisories are included within regular blog posts, but when significance warrants, and content length dictates that we provide deeper insights, we will now provide these advisories in our Research Center as complimentary downloads.
There have been several phases related to the ongoing explosion of online commerce and its impact on retail and B2C focused industry supply chains. Take note that 2016 marks the beginning of the newest phase, namely impacting the long-term presence of brick and mortar retail.
The watershed events have been recent Q2 financial performance results from various retailers, and more specifically, last week’s public acknowledgement by broad based merchandise retailer Macy’s that declining foot traffic makes the cost or value of real estate and physical store operations a new determinant of long-term strategy. The initial shockwave came in January with Wal-Mart’s announcement that it would close 260 stores globally, including 154 across the United States as part of comprehensive strategic alignment of strategy. By June, there is additional discernable evidence of this new phase.
In our Ferrari Consulting and Research Group Research Advisory– The Beginning of a New Phase of Online and Omni-Channel Fulfillment for B2C and Retail Supply Chains, we address background, the iteration of phases and including the tenets of this new phase, along with actions to consider.
Our only requirement for this complimentary research advisory report is that readers fill-out an electronic download form that requires some basic information. To download the report, access our Research Center from the top menu, double-click on the words Research Advisory- August 2016 on the right-hand side and complete the form.
This week, the United States Postal Service (USPS) reported its financial performance for the latest quarter, and from our lens, there are distinct indications that the agency has reached a critical juncture in its ability to be a sustaining competitor and service provider to the world of online fulfillment. As the agency handles more and more package volumes, its transportation and operating costs have risen significantly. Readers, those residing in small and medium as well as large businesses, need to continue to be aware of the implications of this trend.
In September of 2014, Supply Chain Matters declared that the USPS had suddenly changed the industry dynamics of parcel shipping, online commerce and customer fulfillment. The agency established a whole different dynamic for B2C/B2B online commerce by aggressively reducing parcel shipping rates and by declaring to online retailers and businesses that the USPS intended to be a parcel transportation and last-mile delivery partner in the ongoing explosion of online. Suddenly, e-retailers who wanted to maintain attractive free shipping options discovered a potential new alternative to control costs of such programs, and entities such as Amazon were quick to make leverage. Both FedEx and UPS were not all that pleased with the pricing move and began logging protests claiming foul, even though both relied on the agency for completing more costly last-mile delivery needs. However, both were forced to deal with a different competitive landscape in terms of rates and customer alternatives.
Then we viewed the evidence of the results from the all-important 2015 holiday fulfillment quarter, as the agency actually surpassed UPS in total delivered packages. USPS letter carriers delivered about 660 million packages, up from an initial anticipated volume of 600 million packages. UPS reportedly delivered 612 million packages as compared to its initial forecast of 630 million. The postal agency offered the equivalent of as many as 25,000 Sunday delivery routes, up from a normal 4000 pattern. In essence, the USPS became the de-facto go-to carrier for Amazon’s needs for Sunday deliveries. Financially, the agency recorded its first quarterly profit since 2011, earning $307 million, a significant milestone.
In the latest June ending quarter, while total revenues increased 7 percent, the agency reported a controllable loss of $552 million compared with a year-earlier controllable loss of $197 million. Overall volumes were down slightly while package volumes increased 14 percent, an indication of offsetting declining volume in standard mail. The agency reports that it is now delivering to one million additional addresses across the U.S..
In the latest quarter, operating expenses increased 12 percent. The agency’s CFO indicated that transportation and compensation costs continue to rise despite strict cost controls, and according to The Wall Street Journal, the majority of compensation cost increases were related to the growth in package volumes. Further noted was that transportation costs rose in part due to added air freight expenses to meet customer expectations. According to a statement from the Postmaster General, while a recent package rate increase helped to boost revenues in that segment, it was not enough to offset rising costs. By the way, the principle air freight services provider to the agency is FedEx, who obviously benefitted from increased USPS package volumes.
From our lens, the USPS cannot continue to sustain its growth in package deliveries related to current and more expanded online commerce package volumes without investments in newer equipment, systems, and more flexible people resources. Most current delivery vans are over 20 years old and added package volumes are obviously taking a toll on these trucks. The agency is close to awarding contracts in evaluating new delivery van prototypes with larger cargo capacities while consuming less fuel, but the timetable obviously needs to accelerate. Most of the agencies inter-city and cross-country surface delivery needs are established with external transportation firms or independent trucking contractors. As noted, air freight resources are contracted as well.
Scalability of this model does not equate to added efficiencies and cost control. As a government agency, beholden to the U.S. Congress, there are obvious political constraints. Some in Congress want to be rid of direct government ownership yet many current and retired postal workers as well as associated contractors are voters who expect their interests to be considered. Add to this a heightened and highly partisan Presidential campaign environment and readers can get the picture.
The agency and its associated postal workforce have proven viability as an option in package delivery and last-mile fulfillment. The latest TV commercials depicting USPS vans branded with virtual retail branding has purposeful meaning for online consumers. But, the crossroads has been reached in terms of added scalability without losing additional monies.
It is time for the U.S. Congress to act. Either allow the agency to manage, invest and compete as an alternative e-commerce delivery provider or take action on other options.
The analogy is perhaps a teenager that proves to his or her parents that they have finally grown-up and matured, and desire to launch on a chosen career, and seek the support to do so. So is the situation with the USPS and the Congress. The crossroads is at-hand.
In the meantime, businesses need to stay aware to the implications of these trends especially in the light of continual evidence indicating that supporting online customer fulfillment has become more expensive with every passing campaign.
© Copyright 2016. The Ferrari Consulting and Research Group LLC and the Supply Chain Matters® blog. All rights reserved
Business media has of-late pointed out that that overall inventory levels among retailers and manufacturers has been unusually high, which is impacting both current procurement activity as well as logistics and transportation trends.
We at Supply Chain Matters decided to have a detailed look at the data to extract some insights
The most accepted and readily available measure of any inventory overhang is the inventory-to-sales ratio. The generally accepted definition of this ratio equates to the amount of total amount of inventory that businesses report has compared with the amount of goods that they have sold in a particular period of time. In essence it represents total business inventories divided by total business sales. A ratio value in excess of one would indicate how much more inventory is available to support existing sales levels. During times of severe recession, such as which occurred during the years 2008-2009, the ratio is high. During good economic times when sales are robust, the ratio should be lower.
For U.S. related activity, the U.S. Census Bureau calculates and reports this ratio. We downloaded adjusted historic data with a start year of 2008, just prior to the prior severe global recession, with values up to and including May of this year. (The last reporting value).
There are three different variants available from the U.S. Census:
Total Business (Adjusted)
Total Manufacturing (Adjusted)
Total Retail Trade (Adjusted)
For purposes of our analysis, we elected to analyze and share Total Business and Total Retail Trade. However, we elected to sort and present this trending data by month, which we believe would be far more of interest to our supply chain, manufacturing and product management reading audience. This is because inventory is managed continuously in daily, weekly or monthly dimensions.
Indeed, the data does present some insightful trends.
Our first figure is Inventory to Sales Ratio-Total Business Activity (Adjusted), 2008 to Date.
First, notice the distinctive spikes in the ratio for the early and late months of 2009, when the global recession took a severe toll on businesses. The average ratio across all of 2009 monthly values was 1.34, with the highest values ranging from 1.48 to 1.43 during the first-half of that year. What we further noticed was the ratio began a steady creep upwards beginning in November 2013 (1.33) thru May 2016. The average ratio value for the five months of 2016 was 1.41, rather close to the spikes in early 2009. Notice further that the spike in the ratio extends across all months
So what happened?
Again, we do not portend to be trained economists but it would seem by our knowledge of supply chain events that there were two rather significant events that occurred in the designated latter period. One was the U.S. West Coast port disruptions that extended from the latter-half of 2014 well into the first-half of 2015. The other was the ongoing boom of online commerce that has impacted retail channels, resulting in a boom in the construction of new online fulfillment distribution centers.
We further analyzed the ratios for Total Retail Trade (Adjusted) for the same period of 2015 and the first five months of 2016.
Notice that the 2009 spike was far larger and that a somewhat similar pattern of current creep is manifest in the 2015-2016 data. The average ratio for Retail Trade was 1.46 for 2015, and 1.52 for the five months in 2016. While not to the 1.6 levels of 2009, the trend is indeed worrisome.
We therefore suggest that with more and more products being offered online, and with consumers expecting immediate availability and delivery, it would seem that inventory levels have risen to the challenges in the explosion of online.
We conclude with the following takeaways:
- There is indeed strong evidence of a building overhang in inventory levels. Supply chain, procurement and sales and operations teams need to take a hard look at inventory trending in relation to supporting expected sales volumes.
- The U.S. West Coast port disruption appears to have provided its own impacts in ongoing inventory management. Whether that resulted in increased safety stocks, changed global transportation patterns or continued concerns, the ratio creep correlates in timing.
- The ongoing explosion of online commerce, online consumer demands for immediate availability, and the added build-out of new fulfillment centers seems to have a direct correlation to ratio creep timing, however there may be other factors at-play. Bottom-line, inventory levels are indeed creeping up to concerning levels, despite all the current advanced planning and technology tools currently available. It may further explain why global PMI indices have trended more toward contraction levels.
We encourage our readers, particularly those of economic and/or academic backgrounds to weigh-in on the above. What do conclude from the current high levels of inventory overhang?
© 2016 The Ferrari Consulting and Research Group and the Supply Chain Matters® blog. All Rights Reserved.
When it comes to development and deployment of advanced technology, organizational decisions often come down to the basic options of either build internally, insuring all nuances are supported or acquire externally. That is our context of yesterday’s stunning announcement from global based retailer Wal-Mart that it has signed a deal to acquire Amazon rival Jet.com for $3.3 billion.
This deal is being billed as helping to jump-start Wal-Mart’s existing Omni-channel retail strategy including wider deployment and uptake of Wal-Mart.com and many initial signs point exactly to that strategy. Citing data from Dow Jones Venture-Source, The Wall Street Journal reports that this is the largest deal ever paid for a U.S. e-commerce start-up let alone one of the largest acquisitions involving an unprofitable, one-year old start-up. Retail industry readers well know that Wal-Mart has been known for its conservative organizational culture as well as its tendencies to build capabilities to match internal business processes. This week’s announcement is therefore quite significant in its statement of intent.
By immediately announcing that Jet.com’s founder and CEO Marc Lore will now jointly lead both online sites in strategy and future development, CEO Doug McMillan sends a clear message of serious intent to boost online presence and compete directly with Amazon. However, by our lens, the open question is whether the existing Omni-channel strategy for leveraging Wal-Mart physical and online assets and capabilities will prevail. The immediate key is the announcement that both sites will remain independent entities but with common leadership and direction. By our lens, that provides the opportunity for a two-phased strategy, Wal-Mart.com leveraging an Omni-channel strategy that leverages global scale of physical and online while Jet.com caters to more upscale shoppers seeking alternatives to amazon and other online retail sites.
Already noted by business and industry media is the distinctively two different corporate cultures represented by both organizations including supply chain and technology expertise. Marc Lore’s intent with Jet.com was to consistently undercut Amazon prices by anywhere from 5-15 percent leveraging pricing software that factors shipping distance and logistics costs in pricing. The stated mission and values of Jet.com are to work collaboratively with retail partners and suppliers and the online provider has been cited by others for its trust and value in people. A similarity to Wal-Mart is in leverage suppliers to hold the burden of inventory ownership and cost, but Jet claims to share the mutual benefits. Wal-Mart brings considerable resources in physical logistics, distribution and fulfillment center operations along with existing global carrier relationships. The latter will come into play during future holiday buying surges. Amazon is already well underway in owning its own logistics and parcel transport capabilities for surge periods.
Marc Lore has garnered a reputation as a talented and savvy e-commerce executive. His previous online venture, Quidsi, Inc. operated the successful sites diapers.com and soap.com. That online entity was acquired by Amazon for $550 million in 2010 after Amazon tried unsuccessfully to directly compete. As we see it, Mr. Lore’s new challenge is his abilities to leverage the abilities of one of the globe’s largest retailers in a culture that has not had a consistent track record in deployment of advanced technology. Readers might recall Wal-Mart’s prior efforts to leverage RFID technology as a competitive advantage. Wal-Mart’s prior track record with acquisitions has been mixed as-well.
As always, time and subsequent events will provide the ultimate determinant for the success of this acquisition. In the meantime, the landscape of B2C e-commerce will be far more interesting and dynamic in the months to come.
© Copyright 2016. The Ferrari Consulting and Research Group and the Supply Chain Matters® blog. All rights reserved.


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Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board released their most recent New Applications Report. In the report is a new application for union certification in Alberta.
The applications was filed on 12 August 2022 by Local 362 of the General Teamsters Union.
The Teamsters filed the application on behalf of 160 workers who are employed in Leduc with Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services, ULC. These workers are package delivery drivers, and include both direct employees and dependent contractors.
Support independent journalism
This unionization drive follows an application filed by the Teamsters earlier this year to unionize warehouse workers at an Amazon location in nearby Nisku. That itself was the second time the union has applied to hold a unionization vote for these workers, but the first had failed after they failed to get the required number of signed union card.
The ALRB has scheduled a hearing for this application to occur on 26 August 2022.
Since the ALRB doesn’t archive their new application reports on their website, here’s a copy of the most recent one.

domain: news


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Artisan Chefs Present Their Versions of the “Next California Avocado Toast”
Avocado toast is a hugely popular trend. So, as part of the California Avocado Commission’s California Avocado Month celebration, the Commission asked four renowned chefs to create recipes that they think represent the next big culinary avocado trend. Their challenge was to predict the “next avocado toast.”
Chef Jordan Khan of Vespertine in Los Angeles, who is known for his enigmatic creations, predicted that cold smoked avocados would become the next hot trend. “The cold smoking technique introduces a complex, smoky flavor that transforms the avocado without actually cooking it, allowing the diner to experience the fruit’s true texture,” he noted.
Chef Caroline Glover, of Annette in Denver forecast that grilled avocados would soon be on the rise — just in time for summer. “At my restaurant our mission is to honor food producers and nourish eaters,” said Glover. “When incorporating fresh California avocados into my recipes, I take pride in knowing that I’m honoring a fruit that was cultivated by a California grower with the same dedication to quality and freshness as me.”
Working with local, seasonal ingredients, Chef Charleen Badman of FnB Restaurant in Scottsdale, noted that avocados inevitably take center stage when combining and contrasting flavor profiles and predicted that pairing avocados with citrus and acids would be the next culinary trend. “Personally, I love pairing citrus and acid with creamy good fats, like California avocados, “said Badman. “And with my roots in Southern California, I’ve always committed to using ingredients that are grown close to home.”
For an elevated twist on an all-time favorite, Chef Brad Cecchi of Canon in Sacramento, opted to turn avocado toast inside out. “Avocado toast will always be a staple dish, but we really wanted to showcase the shape and texture of the California avocado in its entirety, keeping both avocado halves perfectly intact and stuffing them with breadcrumbs and your favorite toppings,” said Cecchi.
Challenging artisanal chefs to predict the next avocado culinary trend garnered the interest of media and consumers alike. On June 1 the Commission distributed a press release to consumer and trade media featuring the chefs’ predictions. A mat release — a fast and effective means of delivering branded content to a wide audience in an advertorial article form — also was distributed.
By capitalizing on a current culinary favorite — avocado toast — and challenging popular, artisanal chefs to predict the next avocado foodie obsession, the Commission is increasing awareness of California Avocado Month and encouraging consumers to look for California avocados during peak season.


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QUETTA: Balochistan Food Authority Director General Major (retd) Bashir Ahmed on Wednesday raided various shops in a move against the sale of substandard dry milk in the city and found substandard Chinese salt and other commodities being used.
The food authority has sent samples of these items to a laboratory for examination.
Restaurants beware! The Sindh Food Authority is coming
The DG said no one would be allowed to sell smuggled substandard dry milk and other illegal commodities, adding that some people indulged in the business of substandard and harmful commodities for their own benefit.
He said stern action would be taken against those found involved in selling these commodities, adding that such people would not only be jailed but their shops would also be sealed.
He encouraged the public as well as the business community to discourage such practices and report them to the authorities.


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Dominion Diamond Corporation and The Washington Companies yesterday announced the completion of the latter's takeover of the Canadian diamond miner, officially acquiring all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Dominion for US$14.25 per share in cash. In total it amounted to a $1.2 billion acquisition. Dominion will operate as a standalone, private company, and Patrick Evans has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
Dominion Diamond Corporation yesterday announced that its, "Shareholders overwhelmingly approved the previously-announced plan of arrangement pursuant to which Northwest Acquisitions ULC, an entity affiliated with The Washington Companies, has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company for US$14.25 per share in cash." In other words, shareholders are expected to receive $14.25 US per share in cash when the acquisition closes. The aquisition arrangement is worth a total of US$1.2 billion.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reported their financial and operational results for the second quarter fiscal 2018 which ended on July 31, 2017. The results were in line with expectations, consolidated carats produced increased 72% to 2.6 million carats in the second quarter from 1.5 million carats for the same period a year earlier due to higher tonnes processed and a focus on high-grade Misery Main ore at the Ekati mine, with steady performance at the Diavik Diamond Mine.
Dominion Diamond Corporation has announced an auction of fancy yellow rough diamonds in cooperation with I. Hennig Tenders. The auction viewings will take place in Israel and Antwerp. The auction will commence with viewings in Israel from October 29 to November 1, 2017 and will conclude in Antwerp from November 6 to 10, 2017. Participation in the viewings and the auction is by appointment only. For more information and to arrange a viewing request email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Canada's Dominion Diamond Corporation, is considering an investment to extend the Ekati mine by going underground at the Fox pit. According to a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) the expansion is expected to extend mine operations by seven years. The current mining plan accounts for Ekati to operate till 2035, with production coming from six open pits and two underground operations.
Reuters news agency reports that Patrick Evans, the former chief executive of Mountain Province Diamonds, will become the new CEO of Dominion Diamond Corp once a deal to purchase the Canadian diamond company closes later this year, he said on Wednesday. Dominion, the world's third largest diamond producer by market value, has been looking for a CEO since January when its former head, Brendan Bell, quit. Last month Dominion agreed to a $1.2 billion takeover offer from U.S. billionaire Dennis Washington that will take private the Canadian-based diamond miner.
After months of speculation and a rejected takeover attempt, Canadian miner Dominion Diamond Corporation has entered into an arrangement agreement with The Washington Companies to acquire all of Dominion’s outstanding common shares for US$14.25 per share in cash, or a total equity value of approximately US$1.2 billion. The transaction represents a 44 percent premium to Dominion’s unaffected share price of US$9.92 on March 17, 2017. Dominion rejected Washington's initial advance of $1.1 billion, or $13.50 a share last March, calling it "opportunistic" and saying it undervalued the company.
Canada's Dominion Diamond Corp., the world's third-largest diamond producer by market value with a controlling interest in the Ekati Mine and 40% owner of the Diavik Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is in advanced and friendly talks with The Washington Companies on a sweetened cash takeover bid, sources told Reuters this week. Susan Taylor and John Tilak write that Negotiations are focused on the two sides settling on a price, said the sources, who declined to speak publicly on the matter. A deal could be announced within weeks, they said.
Dominion Diamond Corporation received approval to use water for the Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The regions Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Robert C. McLeod, signed off on the type-A water license for Dominion’s mine as well as the Jay project, a high-grade kimberlite pipe which the company believes will extend the lifespan of Ekati for a decade.
Dominion Diamond Corporation has announced an auction of fancy rough diamonds in cooperation with I. Hennig Tenders. The auction viewings will take place in Israel, New York, and Antwerp. The auction will commence with viewings in Israel from June 18-21, 2017; New York from June 26-28, 2017; and will conclude in Antwerp from July 3-7, 2017. Participation in the viewings and the auction is by appointment only.
Dominion Diamond Corporation has announced that La Pierre Précieuse Inc. from Montreal, Quebec is the winner of the 2017 CanadaMark Jewellery Competition award. The competition honors jewelry pieces with the highest level of creativity and excellence in quality and style, showcasing CanadaMark certified diamonds. The winning pendant features a 0.40 carat, round brilliant CanadaMark certified stone centered in a warm rose gold maple leaf setting with a Canadian maple wood background.
Candian miner Dominion Diamond Corp. reports an 18% surge in revenue in fiscal Q1 (three months ended April 30, 2017), which the company attributes to mining the high-grade Misery Main pipe at the Ekati mine, coupled with with stable production at the Diavik mine. Consolidated carats recovered increased 17% to 2.15 million from 1.83 million carats in Q1 fiscal 2017. Dominion sold fewer carats than in the same period last year - 2.3 million compared to 2.6 million - but the average price per carat increased to $90 from $69.
As part of a mine-to-consumer deal, R2Net, which owns JamesAllen.com, and Dominion Diamond Corporation have signed an agreement to market and brand CanadaMark® certified diamonds. JamesAllen.com will be the exclusive online retailer of CanadaMark certified diamonds; brick-and-mortar retailers will be able to sell the diamonds, but will not be allowed sell them online, giving James Allen "a significant advantage", according to JCK's Rob Bates.
Dominion Diamond Corporation has consolidated its interest in the Buffer Zone Joint Venture at the Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories through a buyout agreement with Archon Minerals Limited, its partner in the venture. The Buffer Zone contains 106 mining leases covering 89,184 hectares, and is contiguous with the Core Zone Joint Venture at the Ekati Diamond Mine. Of the 150 kimberlite pipes discovered to date at the Ekati Diamond Mine, 38 are in the Buffer Zone.
Exploration at the Leslie pipe, an undeveloped section of Dominion Diamond Corporation's operations at the Ekati mine in Canada has revealed a potential of 16.3 million carats at a projected rough-diamond price of $85/ct. According to the company a parcel of 224 carats were recoverd from roughly 680 tonnes of Kimberlite. "The Leslie pipe is our highest-priority pipe amongst kimberlites that have been bulk sampled, as demonstrated by the announcement of its maiden resource”, said Jim Gowans, Chairman of the Board.
In late March Canadian mining company Dominion Diamond Corp., the world's third largest diamond producer by market value, received an unsolicited $1.1 billion bid from a privately held conglomerate, Washington Corporations (WashCorp), based in Montana. Since soundly rejecting Washington’s offer, and the surge in share prices, Dominion is laying low.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reports strong growth in gross margins, adjusted EBITDA and net income of $5.6 million - despite a 27% decline in sales - in Q4 of the fiscal year ending January 31, 2017. This was attributable to ramp up of high value production at Ekati and steady performance at Diavik. The sale, late in the quarter, of Ekati mine goods from higher value Misery Main open pit and Koala underground ore processed in late Q3 fiscal 2017, together with higher processing volumes at the Diavik mine in the same period, paved the way for their stronger consolidated gross margin.
Dominion Diamond Corporation on Friday March 31 filed an updated technical report for the Diavik Diamond Mine that extends the life of the mine two years and raises production estimates going forward. The mine in the Northwest Territories, in which Dominion has a 40% interest and Rio Tinto plc has a 60% interest and operates the mine through DDMI (Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.) will continue to produce until 2025 instead of ending its active life in 2023.
Canadian miner Dominion Diamond Corporation issued a statement yesterday announcing the formation of, "a Special Committee to explore, review, and evaluate a range of potential strategic alternatives focused on maximizing shareholder value," and selling the company is one of those alternatives. The announcement follows events last week when Dominion became the target of an unsolicited $1.1 billion approach by U.S.
Canadian diamond miners Dominion Diamond Corp and Stornoway Diamond Corp have held talks about a potential merger in recent months, reports Reuters. The people that disclosed the matter declined to be named as the discussions are private. "The talks include Stornoway's chief executive officer and president, Matt Manson, becoming CEO of the merged group, one source said, adding that the discussions on an all-share merger started in January.
Dominion Diamond Corporation has sent an notice to its investors reconfirming that, "While its Board of Directors remains confident in the Company's long-term strategic plan and the opportunity it provides to enhance value for all shareholders, as it always has, the Board remains open to holding discussions with Washington Corporations ("WashCorps") on customary terms and in a manner that protects the interests of the Company and its stakeholders."
Canadian mining company Dominion Diamond Corp. received a $1.1 billion bid from a privately held conglomerate in Montana, but the two sides are at a negotiating impasse, setting the stage for a public takeover fight, writes The Wall Street Journal.
Dominion Diamond Corporation today (March 17) released its guidance for sales, Adjusted EBITDA, unit operating costs, and capital and exploration expenditures for fiscal 2018 (ending January 31, 2018); they expect sales to be between $875 and $975 million, an increase of 62% compared to fiscal 2017 sales, assuming the mid-point of fiscal 2018 guidance is achieved. They reaffirmed their production guidance released earlier this year for the Ekati Diamond Mine and Diavik Diamond Mine.
Diamond industry analyst Paul Zimnisky, author of the Zimnisky Global Rough Diamond Price Index, provides his thoughts on the recent struggles of diamond mining stocks. Given what is now being widely considered as a recovery and stabilization of the diamond industry last year, an optimistic post-election U.S.
Diamond industry analyst and author of the Zimnisky Global Rough Diamond Price Index, Paul Zimnisky, takes us on, "A Trip Through the Diamond Industry in March 2017." If there is one trip you make this weekend, we recommend this one.
The month of March will again see a full schedule of rough diamond tenders and sales in Antwerp.
Dominion Diamonds has announced that sales of Ekati Diamond Mine and Diavik Diamond Mine diamonds fell 27% in Q4 2017 (November 2016 through January 2017) and 21% overall in FY 2017, despite the quantity of diamonds sold increasing 24% in Q4 and 61% for the year. It has also provided Q4 production results from its Ekati Mine, where carat production increased by 93% compared to the same period in the prior year due to the positive impact of processing of a large proportion of high grade Misery ore.
Dominion Diamond Corp., the world’s third largest producer of rough diamonds, announced CEO Brendan Bell will be stepping down. In a statement Bell said this decision was based on the Canadian company’s intended relocation of the corporate offices to Calgary.
Dominion Diamond Corp. reports that production from the Diavik Diamond Mine for the fourth calendar quarter of 2016 ended 10% higher than in the same quarter of the prior year, reflecting higher processing volumes that were partly offset by lower recovered grade. Under a joint arrangement, Rio Tinto operates the mine and Dominion Diamond pays 40 percent of the mine’s operating and capital costs while receiving 40 percent of the mine’s diamond output.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reported that its third quarter fiscal 2017 quarter (three months ended Oct. 31, 2016) gross margin amounted to $22.2 million, resulting in an operating loss of $9.1 million versus an operating profit of $9.5 million a year ago. As previously reported, the company's diamond sales for the third quarter were $102.7 million from the sale of 1.2 million carats.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reports that third fiscal quarter sales 2017 (three monthds ended Oct. 31, 2016) of rough diamonds from the Ekati Diamond Mine and Diavik Diamond Mine fell 29% to $102.7 million from $145.0 million despite the total volume of carats sold increasing by 56% to 1.2 million carats from 0.8 million carats.
Dominion Diamond Corp. is moving its head office to Calgary from Yellowknife, NYT, as part of a cost-cutting move. The relocation is expected to result in savings of a little over US$14 million (C$19 million) annually. The move is projected to be completed by the middle of calendar year 2017. Operations at the Ekati mine will continue uninterrupted, and development of the Jay deposit, about 25 kilometres from Ekati, will also be maintained, the company said.
A major U.S. jewelry manufacturer and retailer Stuller and Dominion Diamond Corp. have partnered to bring CanadaMark melee diamonds to the U.S. market, writes Logan Sachon for JCK.
Rio Tinto has released its third quarter production results, reporting that diamond production increased 3.4 percent to 4.4 million carats in the three months ended September 30. The company’s share of production at the Diavik Mine in Canada jumped 22% to 927,000 carats (Rio Tinto holds 60 percent of Diavik, the remainder of which is held by Dominion Diamond Corporation). Meanwhile, production at the 100%-owned Argyle mine in Western Australia fell 0.6% to 3.5 million carats.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reports the restart of the Ekati process plant and the sale of an exceptional diamond recovered at the Ekati diamond mine earlier this year. The Ekati process plant resumed operations at full capacity on September 21. Plant operations had been suspended since a fire that occurred at the Ekati process plant on June 23. During this time, the company worked to lessen the impact of the fire on production and cash flow for the current fiscal year.
Canadian miner Dominion Diamond has reported a loss of $37.9 million for Q2 2017 ended July 31 2016, increasing their first half losses to $73.8 million. Total sales for the quarter fell nearly 24% year on year to $160 million from $209.7 million, while revenues for the first half fell 15% compared to the first half of 2015. The Toronto-based company said it had a loss of 39 cents per share.
Canadian diamond miner Dominion Diamond Corporation has appointed, effective as of September 10, Matthew Quinlan as Chief Financial Officer, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer. Quinlan has over 15 years of experience in corporate finance, investment banking and financial accounting, including extensive experience in providing financing and strategic advice to companies in the global mining industry.
Dominion Diamonds says it will be rehiring the employees it laid off in June. The Canadian mining company temporarily laid off about 300 workers from its Ekati diamond mine in the North West Territories after a fire at a processing plant on June 23. At the time, the company said it needed to save money while it closed down operations to repair the plant, CBC News reported.
Dominion Diamond Corporation reports that fiscal 2017 second quarter diamond sales were $160.0 million, down from $209.7 million a year before from its Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. At Ekati, production was 0.9 million carats from 0.6 million tons of ore processed versus 0.9 million carats recovered from 1.0 million tons processed a year before. Sales in the second quarter were lower than the prior year primarily due to a high proportion of lower value goods from the Misery Satellites available for sale in the quarter.
Dominion Diamond Corp has announced the death of former Chairman and CEO Robert Gannicott at the age of 69 after a long battle with leukemia. “It is a sad day at Dominion," said CEO Brendan Bell in a statement. "Bob Gannicott was a visionary and a pillar of the Canadian diamond industry. He built the company from the ground up, taking it from a junior mining company to what is it is today as Canada’s largest independent diamond producer.


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SK Telecom’s AI assistant NUGU and KT’s AI assistant GiGA Genie make their debut at the Seoul Motor Show kicking off on March 31. These products are expected to be demonstrated by interworking with vehicles displayed by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors, respectively.
Hyundai Motor Company has formed strategic partnerships with major global IT companies such as Google and Amazon since the second half of last year in order to provide drivers with voice recognition-based vehicle-related services based on AI assistants. At present, the automaker is using the global companies’ platforms in the vehicles it is to export while working on its own AI assistant for the vehicles it is to sell in the South Korean market.
Hyundai Motor Company is planning to work with South Korean mobile carriers in developing the AI assistant for the cars to be sold in South Korea. This type of collaboration between South Korean carmakers and ICT firms is expected to have a very positive effect with South Korea falling somewhat behind in the AI and self-driving car industries and such cooperation being highly desired.
In this same context, South Korean companies that have individually developed self-driving cars and related technology are planning to form a joint R&D institute in the first half of this year. According to SK Telecom, a forum to this end is slated to be launched in April or May by its Vehicle Tech Lab, the Hyundai Motor Group, LG Electronics, Naver, etc.


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CSL DualCom and IFSEC International have been announced as the two headline sponsors for the National Security Inspectorate’s Installer Summit 2014.
On 20 March 2014, the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) is hosting a unique conference and exhibition specifically crafted for the business needs of NSI-approved security installers.
This exclusive event features a bespoke seminar programme, exhibition and ‘Learning Zone’ aimed at providing installers with vital information on the industry and good business practice.
The event has already seen a phenomenal take up, with over 200 registered delegates and an exhibitor list featuring leading manufacturers and business solution providers.
Simon Banks, group managing director at CSL DualCom Group and a major supporter of the NSI Installer Summit, explained: “CSL DualCom has been a loyal supporters of the NSI Regional Meetings, and the creation of the NSI Installer Summit is a natural evolution. A fire and security event catering specifically for the installers is a major step forward. The NSI Summit offers sponsors the chance to meet a large number of NSI approved companies at a forum specifically tailored to their requirements. With over 200 NSI installers already registered to attend, we look forward to headlining what is set to be a landmark industry event.”
IFSEC International has taken up the second headline sponsorship package. Peter Poole, event manager at IFSEC International, said: “IFSEC International is delighted to be a headline sponsor of the NSI Installer Summit. We really value our installer community, and the NSI Summit presents an opportunity to meet a large number of approved installers ahead of the show in June. We’re looking forward to showcasing the benefits of IFSEC International relocating to London while also offering a preview of what’s anticipated to be the best edition of IFSEC International yet!”
Commenting on this formidable event, Chris Pinder (the NSI’s external affairs director) stated: “With a varied and informative seminar programme in addition to the exhibition and ‘Learning Zone’, this really is a great opportunity to have multiple business queries addressed at one all-encompassing industry event.”
In addition to CSL DualCom and IFSEC International, the NSI event has a plethora of recognised names among its list of exhibitors. Full details of all exhibitors can be found at: http://www.nsi.org.uk/information-centre/nsi-events/nsi-installer-summit-new/
Aside from an exhibition, this event offers the aforementioned ‘Learning Zone’ where installers can bring any queries they may have on areas such as standards, Health and Safety, employment law, business finance, apprenticeships and much more.
The seminar programme offers yet more value with industry updates and business updates including hints and tips on marketing your business.
Exhibitor and visitor enquiries should be directed to Nigel Aitkin, the NSI’s change manager (telephone: 01628 764843, e-mail: email@example.com)
About the National Security Inspectorate
The NSI is a leading approvals and certification body that regularly audits companies providing home security, business security, fire safety and FM services.
The organisation also provides a range of training courses for the security and fire sectors.
To find out more about the NSI visit: http://www.nsi.org.uk
About CSL DualCom
CSL DualCom is the inventor of dual signalling and pioneers of the move from wired to wireless technology in the electronic security industry.
DualCom is trusted to protect hundreds of thousands of premises throughout Europe including many major retail brands.
The DualCom GradeShift® Range, the UK’s fastest selling dual signalling system, offers installers an easy to install product on a single hardware platform for any grade of risk. This, combined with the WorldSIM®, has reduced false alarms by almost 90%.
DualCom is powered by the complexity and robustness of the DualCom Gemini® Managed Network. Gemini® provides intelligence that enables us to push the innovation boundaries of high-end signalling and offer game-changing services that are the first of their kind in the industry.
About IFSEC International
IFSEC International is the leading event that caters for the entire security buying chain. Attracting manufacturers, distributors, consultants, specifiers, installers, integrators and end users, IFSEC International is the only event to bring the whole community together under one roof.
Providing education, networking and details of the latest products, IFSEC International brings together more than 28,000 visitors and 650 exhibitors to discover the latest solutions in the security industry.
IFSEC International 2014 takes place from 17-19 June at ExCeL, London.
IFSEC International is part of the Protection & Management Series which also includes FIREX International, the Facilities Show, Safety and Health Expo, Energy and Environment Expo and Service Management Expo.


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Shares of U.S. used-auto retailer Carvana fell Friday on its first day of trading at the New York Stock Exchange.
The stock opened trading 10 percent lower at $13.50 a share, below its IPO price of $15. Carvana was last trading down about 14 percent.
Carvana, which was founded in 2012, sells cars through its website and operates automated towers that store cars in U.S. cities such as Austin and Dallas in Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. Customers can get cars delivered or pick them up from the vending machine-like towers.
Carvana CEO Ernie Garcia told CNBC on Friday the variable costs for the online auto retailer are very low, so it is able to sell cars at a lower price, though quickly delivering a car can be quite expensive.
"We just have to get to a certain scale, and then the economics turn around pretty quickly," he said on "Squawk on the Street."
Carvana hired Wells Fargo and Bank of America to lead its IPO, according to Reuters.
—Reuters contributed to this report.


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- Microsoft and Knewton on Wednesday revealed a global adaptive learning partnership.
- The partnership will give Knewton access to the tech giant's expansive partner and publisher ecosystem, allowing them to take full advantage of Knewton's API.
- Any publishers or content producers that work with Microsoft now or in the future will be able to incorporate Knewton's technology into their products.
The global reach afforded to Knewton by this partnership is substantial. Microsoft can now put the company's adaptive learning tech in the hands of the powers that be at Ministries of Education worldwide, where it can be deployed in across entire nations. It wouldn't come as too much of a surprise if this deal also breeds more international publisher partnerships as those in the market seek to further personalize their offerings.


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“Why don’t more women collect luxury sportscars?” That is the question Katia Bassi has been asking her newly established women’s advisory board and other female executives and entrepreneurs over the past year. As chief marketing officer at Lamborghini (and the brand’s first women to sit on its board), she’s charged with getting more women interested in cars that roar beyond 200 miles per hour, cost more than $200,000, and are so sleek and low-to-the-road you have to wedge yourself into the driver’s seat, with room for only two.
Why not? Jerry Seinfeld revved up his 1969 Lamborghini P400 S Miura in an early episode of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”— 43 inches tall, painted Arancio Borealis (Italian for orange)—and described it as “incredibly masculine and incredibly feminine at the same time.” It has a mid-engine 360-horsepower V12 mounted sideways, and what appears like eyelashes carved onto the headlights.
When Bassi arrived at Lamborghini a year ago, she was facing a stubborn statistic: only about five percent of Lamborghini’s customers were women. Stefano Domenicali, who became the company’s CEO in 2016, saw something wrong with that picture, considering that women own more than 30 percent of all global wealth.
“Women are buying more complex watches because they love the technology, or they invest in them,” says Bassi. “I think it’s the same with cars.”
Like other luxury marques, including Aston Martin and Maserati, Lamborghini is trying to entice women with SUV model (its Urus model). The hope is that women might get curious about other models from the maker once they’ve piled their kids into the practical Urus. That is where Bassi comes in.
Bassi, who grew up in Milan, didn’t set out to have a career revolving around luxury cars—she studied law and wanted to be a judge in juvenile court. But, she was drawn into male-dominated fields, with jobs including licensing manager for Ferrari, director for the National Basketball Association in Italy, and most recently as a vice president in the branding division at Aston Martin before joining Lamborghini.
One of her first initiatives was establish the women’s advisory board with 20 high powered members, including executives from Google and Sony, and Michele Roberts, the first woman president of the National Basketball Players Association. “We talk about challenges, because we believe we have a responsibility in our positions to be more inclusive of women,” she says. Of course, they also talk about cars. “We try to understand a bit more about women want when they approach cars.”
What do women want? “Women are buying more complex watches because they love the technology, or they invest in them,” says Bassi. “I think it’s the same with cars.”
There’s no reason, in short, that women can’t get intrigued with badass fast V12 engines. Bassi knows a couple who collect sports cars, but the wife collects Lamborghinis only, because “she’s an energetic woman and they’re energetic cars.”
The 53-year-old Lamborghini company has a testosterone-fueled history that began when Ferruccio Lamborghini, a tractor maker, decided he was going show Enzo Ferrari a thing or two about how to design high-performance cars. But Bassi is also letting women, especially socially-conscious millennials, know that it’s a CO2 neutral company, and that the carbon fiber that’s a basic material in the parts of every sports car—it’s what makes them light—is something Lamborghini is now applying to medical implants and prosthetics. The company is now lending its carbon fiber research expertise to the Houston Methodist Research Institute in Texas, where medical researchers are looking at new biomedical uses that are compatible with human cells.
Bassi is also hoping that someday there will be more women not just driving or collecting, but also studying engineering and designing luxury sports cars. “More women should raise their hands and say I can bring my personal touch. If this is applied to engineering model we can do an incredible job,” she says.
One technological advance she thinks doesn’t apply to Lamborghinis, however, is self-driving cars. When Bassi is at home in Sant’Agata Bolognese, where Lamborghini is headquartered, she drives Urus Bianco Icarus with sports-car style seats. “I love the sound of the engine in my ears,” she says. “This is a car you want to feel in every centimeter of your skin.” She shudders a bit and says, “I don’t see Lamborghini as autonomous.”


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Mini is not going to follow the example of SmartNovember 29, 2019
In the motor line of the brand will remain ICE.
According to the head of the company Bernd Kerber, internal combustion engines will remain in the motor range of the Mini company, which belongs to the Bavarian concern BMW. In the next ten years, the brand’s plans do not plan to change.
He noted that only after 2030 the Mini suggests a possible transition to electrification. At the same time, the brand will continue to develop the direction of electric cars. Mr. Kerber said that the brand has decided so far whether cars with ICE will be produced after 2030.
- MINI confirms production of electric crossover
- Chevrolet K5 Blazer turned into an electric car
- Electric Kia Soul brought to the “moose test”
- The interior of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S has been improved
- Ferrari is testing a mysterious prototype


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Investment: Cadbury shows its power
The shares have risen by more than 40 per cent in the last year - outperforming the market by 25 per cent. They added a further 27p to 854p yesterday on the back of an 8 per cent rise in underlying first-half profits to pounds 254m despite a currency hit.
The City likes Mr Sunderland's "Managing for Value" initiative which commits the company to growing earnings by 10 per cent-plus a year, generating pounds 150m of free cash flow and doubling shareholder value over five years. Managers are being made more accountable as the business moves to a more performance-based culture.
The next step is to kick some of its US bottlers into line. Telling figures produced yesterday showed that though Cadbury's drinks brands have done well when distributed through the Coke system or through its American Bottling Company operation, formed earlier this year, they have underperformed badly in the independent sector.
Cadbury is now starting to get tough on the laggards and is introducing a more performance-based fee system. More acquisitions are likely in this sector as the market consolidates.
In sales terms Dr Pepper did well, increasing sales by 6 per cent in the first half, though Seven-Up continued to lose share to Coca-Cola's Sprite. The main worry is if Pepsi decides to roll out its Storm brand, which is currently on trial.
On ABN Amro's full-year forecasts of pounds 625m, the shares trade on a forward rating of 21. For a company expecting double-digit earnings growth that looks good value.
That's some guestlist! Stunning images show huge dynastic wedding between Ultra-Orthodox Jewish families which attracted 25,000 guests
'He was always smiling': Lee Rigby named as Woolwich victim
Emergency landing at Heathrow sparks further controversy over London airport capacity
Two bailed after arrest over Woolwich attack Twitter comments
Exclusive: Woolwich killings suspect Michael Adebolajo was inspired by cleric banned from UK after urging followers to behead enemies of Islam
- 1 Pope Francis: Being an atheist is alright as long as you do good
- 2 What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers
- 3 'Something passed underneath us, quite close': Airbus A320 has close encounter with UFO
- 4 Lord of the Sings: Sir Christopher Lee, 91, to release heavy metal album
- 5 Two bailed after arrest over Woolwich attack Twitter comments
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.


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Because of the New Nike template, it was already known that the Braves home and away jerseys would look slightly different. As it turns out, it's not the only change the team would be making.
As pitchers and catchers reported, however, players broke out a tweaked navy Atlanta Braves jersey that signals a change in their away alternate.
Let's take a look at the difference.
The new 2024 Atlanta Braves navy alternate jersey
There's really only one minor change, but it's a very noticeable change.
From 2008 until 2018, the Braves' navy away alternate jersey was all navy, except for the white outline for the script and the numbers, as well as the white lettering for last names.
In 2019, the Braves introduced an update to the navy uniform, making the script red instead of navy, and adding silver piping to the placket and the sleeves. This is what the team has worn up until last season.
For the 2024 season, it looks like the Braves have gone back to the drawing board, and by drawing board, I mean that they went into photoshop and changed the piping color to red and called it a day.
Wait, aren't these just Spring Training jerseys?
It'd be understandable if you thought these were just Spring Training jerseys. After all, the Braves wore a jersey very similar to the 2008-2018 navy version with the Braves script on the front of the jersey for Spring Training as recently as last year.
However, it appears that Nike/MLB is now counting Spring Training jerseys as one of the 4+1 (4 "regular jerseys + 1 City Connect) teams are allowed to have. Last month, Paul Lukas of Uni-Watch revealed that the St. Louis Cardinals were dropping their red Spring Training jerseys even though the team never wore the red jerseys during the season.
As Chris Creamer of SportsLogos.net noted in his tweet, Spring Training jerseys are no longer a thing except for the Yankees and Tigers.
In addition to the home and away jerseys and the navy jersey, the Braves have the red Friday jersey, which means the team is at the cap for four jerseys, in addition to their City Connect.
But wait, that's not all...
In addition to revealing a new jersey, the Braves also displayed a change in their pants.
Since the Boston Braves existed, the Braves have had pant piping on the belt loops.
Unfortunately, in the name of streamlining, Nike has decided to eliminate a very unique part of the team's uniforms, stripping the pants of the belt loop piping. This was confirmed by Uni-Watch.
Maybe I was wrong, maybe we should blame Nike for all the changes.


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Realme yesterday launched two new smartphones Realme X2 Pro and Realme 5s simultaneously. Expanding its product portfolio in the Indian market. While Realme X2 Pro is the flagship phone, the company has launched Realme 5s in the low budget segment. Both these phones will be available for sale in the coming days. And they can be purchased from the company’s website as well as online shopping site Flipkart. It is worth noting that on the online platform, hit smartphones are sold under a flash sale. In which the phone is out of stock. But now such news has come out from Realme’s banner that can give realme fans happiness.
It has been told about Realme that this company is working on a special series that will be sold only in the offline market in India. This news related to Realme has quoted by news agency PTI. PTI has stated that Realme is working on an ‘offline centric smartphone series’. And the smartphones of this series will be made exclusively for retail stores and mobile shops.
Launching in The First Quarter of 2020
According to the news, Realme will bring this series to the market with the aim of further strengthening its hold in the Indian smartphone. The series will sell in retail stores on the offline platform. What will be the name of this series of Realme’s and how many smartphones will be brought under the series, it has not been confirmed yet. But according to the report, Realme’s India CEO Madhav Seth has confessed that Realme offline retail-centric smartphone series only next year That is, it will knock in the first quarter of 2020.
Madhav Seth has told that based on GFK data, Realme currently occupies 3 to 5 percent of the Indian offline market. But the company aims that Realme should rule 30 to 35 percent of the Indian smartphone market by combining both online and offline platforms. According to Madhav Seth, to fulfill this target, it is necessary to get hold of the offline market. And the company is soon bringing its new ‘offline series’ to India to strengthen this hold.
Talking about the latest Realme 5s of the brand, this phone has knocked in two variants. 4 GB + 64 GB variants have launched by the company at a price of Rs 9,999. At the same time, 4 GB + 128 GB variants of the phone have launched in the market at a price of Rs 10,999. Realme’s 5s can purchase from the upcoming shopping site Flipkart and company website from November 29. This smartphone will be available for sale in Crystal Red, Crystal Blue, and Crystal Purple Color variants.
Realme X2 Pro
This flagship phone of the company has also launched in two variants. The phone’s 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant costs Rs 29,999. And the 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant costs Rs 33,99. Both variants come in white and blue color variants. At the same time, the company has introduced the Master Edition of Realme’s X2 Pro in 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, which price at Rs 34,999. The sale of Realme’s X2 Pro will be number 26 on the company’s website and Flipkart.


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Monterey Trade Policy Forum Scheduled
Annual conference will focus on the connection between trade and peace
MONTEREY - 01/04/04 - This upcoming week, members of California's Congressional delegation will be joined by their Sacramento legislative counterparts, as well as trade officials, academics, and prominent international figures, at the Sixth Annual Monterey Congressional Forum on Trade Policy.
Held at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, January 8-9, the conference will focus on "the strong relationship between global trade and the prospects for world peace," according to Joe Harrison, president of the California Council for International Trade (CCIT), which, along with the?Washington, DC-based National Foreign Trade Council, organized the event.?
"September's WTO meeting in Cancun was a serious setback and enormous disappointment to all nations and parties hoping for progress toward the Doha goals," he said.
The failure of Cancun "was primarily a failure to make progress on agriculture trade policy reform, but the outcome affects all sectors and all nations, both poor and rich," said Harrison.
"That failure," he said,?"also has severe implications for California and the West and this conference will give senior trade officials the opportunity to analyze the situation in depth, and attempt to develop constructive proposals for American trade policy initiatives."
Attending the Forum will be several members of California's Congressional delegation including Doug Ose, Cal Dooley, Sam Farr, Grace Napolitano, and Joe Baca, as well as US Undersecretary of Commerce for International Affairs Grant Aldonas.
Also attending will be Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados and several Ambassadors to the US including Michael Thawley of Australia, John Wood of New Zealand, and Aziz Mekour of Morocco.
Panels will cover a wide variety of topics such as foreign investment and human rights; the impact of free trade agreements on developing economies; homeland security and trade expansion; trade potential in the Middle East; and a special panel session on the future of California's global economy in light of Sacramento's de-funding of virtually all of the state government's trade support activities.
Participants include Bill Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council; David Zuercher, executive vice president of Wells Fargo Bank; Dr. Mikkal Herberg of the University of California, San Diego; Peter Watson, president of the Overseas Private Investment Corp.; Colin Robertson, consul general of Canada in Los Angeles; and Leslie Cazas of Nissan North America Inc.
Organizing sponsors include Wells Fargo Bank; the Consulate general of Canada; the Port of Los Angeles; GAP Inc.; Export Assist; McKenna, Long & Aldridge LLP; Cange International; Otis McAllister; Levi Strauss & Co.; Mentor International; the Wine Institute; the California Chamber of Commerce; RB International; and Manchester Trade Ltd.
For more information, contact email@example.com, or call the CCIT at 415-788-4127.
The conference agenda and other conference details, including registration forms, can be obtained on the Worldwide Web at www.ccit.net.
back, or read the latest Front Page stories:
US Seeks Stronger Ties With Brazil
WASHINGTON, DC – 06/13/06 – Rebounding from the failure to craft a Free Trade Area of the Americas pact, the Bush Administration is aiming at strengthening trade ties with Brazil in an effort to counter China’s fast-growing economic influence in Latin America; China should not only be seen as an export market with 1.3 billion consumers, but also as a nation of 1.3 billion ''new competitors,'' says US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Guittierez.
US Threatens WTO Action Against China
WASHINGTON, DC – 06/10/06 – The White House is threatening to slap China with a World Trade Organization case unless Beijing responds quickly to US concerns over its lack of action on securing intellectual property rights for US products; talks on bringing the WTO case are at a ''very advanced stage,'' according to a high level official in the Office of the US trade Representative.
High Hopes for Central American Trade Pact
WASHINGTON, DC – 06/08/06 – The US -Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) still faces some hurdles, but could become a reality ''very soon,'' according to Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick; the issues relating to government procurement, intellectual property rights and agriculture still need to be worked through, says the former US Trade Representative following a session of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.


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"" is an online discussion by popular and respective financier and consultant, Jeff Brown. In this presentation, he is advertising his newsletter service, called the . In addition, the stock he is reviewing and advising on in the online video is a company that remains in the technology space and makes semiconductor chips. What is a semiconductor chip? It's a gadget made of interconnected electronic parts that are etched or inscribed onto a tiny slice of semiconducting material, such as silicon or germanium. A semiconductor chip smaller sized than a fingernail can hold millions of circuits. Normally, these are just called "chips." This business has actually created a chip that will be utilized to access the 5G network which is currently being set up in lots of locations in the world (toxic tech 5 tech darlings).
This will affect both our professions, how we buy things online, and how we interact. Brown goes over that the greatest effect will be on "technologies of the future." What are "innovations of the future"? Some examples would be: self-governing automobiles, the Internet of Things (Io, T), hologram technology, robotic surgical treatment, language translation without hold-ups, enhanced truth, and virtual reality. That's a lot! However it will also influence on things we use every day. The greatest of which is our mobile phones. For instance, Samsung has actually currently begun including 5G ability to its new phone releases. In truth, Jeff showcases one that can use 5G.
A rarely known business that may have a monopoly over the invaluable chip. Brown states that the need for those chips by other phone manufacturers could significantly boost the chip maker's profits and cause a strong rise in its stock price. So far, giant tech business like Samsung, Huawei, and Apple have placed orders for the highly desired 5G chips. With these important collaborations in place, its stock could skyrocket in the next few years as strong need for 5G-capable smartphones greatly rises. Brown states that by the time 5G reaches mass adoption worldwide when approximately 250 million gadgets will be purchased, the odd business might see its income reach $3.
Van Bryan here, Jeff Brown's long time managing editor. Invite back to Jeff's 2021 forecast series. Over the next couple of days, Jeff is sharing his ideas on the year that was and offering a couple of predictions for the year ahead. For today's Bleeding Edge, I sat down with Jeff to discuss what a Biden administration could indicate for the high-technology sector and the more comprehensive equities market. Read on Jeff, let's turn to the election. Other than COVID-19, it was most likely the most talked about story of the year. You were on record predicting that President Trump would win reelection. Can you bring readers up to speed? That's right.
And as I said at the time, that wasn't a political recommendation. I understand the president can be a polarizing figure. This was simply the conclusion I pertained to based on my analysis - united arab emirates. And what my analysis was revealing was that the policies pursued by the present administration had actually produced among the most robust economies in current history. Particularly, I believe there were 4 crucial pillars: Reducing business and middle-income taxes Cutting unnecessary regulation Reinvesting in American manufacturing Renegotiating unreasonable trade policies with America's trading partners We do not have time to talk about each one of these in information. I really wrote a whole report on this topic earlier this year - jeff brown biotech genome sequencing.
Before COVID-19, unemployment was at a 50-year low. The U.S. wage and salary development rate had roughly doubled from late 2016 (melania trump). And the administration was taking on some unreasonable trade practices and intellectual residential or commercial property theft that had been neglected for decades. Investors had a lot to be appreciative for. The three major indices saw extraordinary development throughout the first few years of the Trump administration (jeff brown investment prediction). Today election night is behind us. There are still several legal obstacles being thought about, but for now, it appears that Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. What are the implications for the technology markets? You're right.
We'll have to wait to see what happens there. However for now, let's assume Joe Biden takes office on the 20th of January. What does that mean for the high-technology sector? The message I desire to provide to readers primarily is this: No matter who is president, innovation and biotechnology are going to have an incredible year in 2021. I've spent 35 years as a technology financier and near 30 years as a high-technology executive. And I have actually never ever seen the confluence of innovations that we are seeing today. We have a mix of advancements happening in expert system and artificial intelligence.
We have widespread, low-cost, essentially limitless computing power and storage. And we also have the release of innovative cordless technology with 5G. This is going to kick off a suite of brand-new innovation applications that would have been impossible even simply a couple of months ago. And this is all occurring at the same time. [Be sure you check your inbox tomorrow afternoon. I'll be speaking with Jeff about the most significant 5G stories of 2020, and I'll ask him for his No. 1 5G forecast for 2021] This confluence is accelerating the rate of technological modification. Each of these innovations affects the others.
It's not an intellectual imperfection. It's just that our brains are not wired to believe greatly. And that's what we're going to see in 2021. Exponential growth is among the most effective forces in technology investing. This kind of development slips up on us. It appears linear initially. However then there is a sharp "elbow," and the trend goes vertical. And the speed at which that happens is why most do not find it up until far too late. In hindsight, though, it's simple to spot. That's why my objective is to help my readers invest in the most promising tech business right before that elbow - tech stocks.
Could that have implications for stocks? Investors are most likely acquainted with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It was the most substantial tax reform law given that the 1981 Reagan tax reforms. jeff brown. One of the greatest things the law did was lower the business tax rate from 35% to 21%. That made American business taxes the most affordable they have actually been given that 1938. And among the big consequences of this was that corporations had to decide what they would do with all the cash they were conserving. They mainly did 2 things. They invested in brand-new devices, centers, and research and advancement.
[Stock buybacks are when a business acquires its own shares and minimizes the variety of impressive shares, thus increasing the worth of staying shares (jeff brown genome sequencing).] Both things were excellent for equity rates and investors in American business - what is the legacy report predicting. However if President Biden can push through higher business and personal tax rates, that would have a negative effect. It'll minimize intake and negatively affect the stock exchange. We'll need to see if that happens or not. But that's why I'll continue to concentrate on the world of high technology in 2021. Think of it. If a company uses an innovative item, service, or therapy, will it matter who is being in the Oval Office? It won't.
And if the markets do experience a dip throughout the next administration, that may be a great purchasing chance for some of the interesting companies I have on my radar. I'll make sure to keep my subscribers posted if there's any action we need to take. Thanks as constantly, Jeff. Anytime. Like what you're reading? Send your thoughts to [e-mail protected] (jeff brown top stock pick 2021).
Coworker Jeff Brown is our go-to man for all things tech. He invested 25 years as a modern executive at a few of the very best tech business on the planet, like Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors. And as an active and successful angel financier in early-stage tech business, he has access to details the general public never sees - jeff bezos. He's on the cutting edge, in the field, seeing things months or years before the crowd captures on. Our objective at The Daily Cut is to assist spot market megatrends early on so you can benefit ahead of the crowd. So today, we're sharing five of Jeff's tech predictions for 2021 - democratic republic.
At the end of each year, I like to have a look at the huge picture and predict what's coming simply around the corner - jeff brown stock predictions. Longtime readers of my work know I follow the most exciting tech patterns on the brink of mass adoption. That consists of things like 5G networks, biotech, synthetic intelligence (AI), and far more. These trends are experiencing exponential growth and creating incredible opportunities for investors. I wish to make sure all my readers are prepared for what's next. So with that in mind, I'll share five things I see coming in the next 12 months Our new 5G (fifth-generation) cordless networks are a topic I have actually been covering for years now (jeff bezos).
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic raging, an outstanding 250 million 5G-enabled devices were still sold in 2015. However especially in the 2nd quarter, there were supply chain disruptions, producing hold-ups, and work blockages (last week). All of this ultimately resulted in Apple (AAPL) postponing the release of the 5G-enabled i, Phone 12 by two months. Losing two months of manufacturing and sales really impacts how many 5G gadgets are sold in the fiscal year. When you think about that, offering 250 million units is impressive. More importantly, the hold-ups the pandemic triggered developed a lots of bottled-up demand. That need has now been pressed into 2021.
Which's not my only 5G forecast The 5G network rollout has three various phases. In Phase One, business and federal governments build out the infrastructure of these brand-new networks, consisting of all the brand-new towers and fiber-optic electrical wiring 5G requirements. In Phase Two, 5G-enabled devices go on sale. 5G phones and other items start to reach consumers. In Stage Three, telecom business start providing 5G services. That's when we start to see applications running on 5G networks. Think of things like enormously multiplayer video games over a mobile phone. That's not possible with 4G. It will be with 5G. And my second 5G forecast for 2021 is that we will start Phase Three by this summer.
But they will care if there are amazing applications they can access just with a 5G phone. So increasingly more consumers will purchase 5G phones to gain access to these applications - jeff brown biotech genome sequencing. That results in the advancement of more 5G apps (genetic sequencer stock jeff brown). In truth, 5G is going to open up a suite of unbelievable applications: self-driving cars and trucks, the Internet of Things, robotic surgery, and more. All of these technologies require 5G. The financial investment opportunities moving forward will be massive. Stepping away from 5G, the next important innovation I visualize growing in 2021 is CRISPR genetic modifying. CRISPR means "clustered routinely interspaced brief palindromic repeat." It's a mouthful.
At a high level, CRISPR can edit our hereditary makeup as if it were software application. If there's a "typo" in software application code, it can be disastrous. A program can crash or not work correctly. CRISPR utilizes a comparable idea however with our genetic code. "Typos" in our genomes can result in illness - jeff brown genetic sequencer stock. CRISPR can fix these "typos - brownstone research stock." For many years, CRISPR was primarily a niche technology that wasn't well understood. Throughout that time, there were actually just three companies running in this space. But things are changing. CRISPR is no longer just theoretical. We're seeing actual outcomes. We're dealing with diseases and seeing that this innovation works.


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CIT Group on Monday announced a plan to boost lending to midsize companies through a joint venture with the insurance company Allstate.
The New York-based CIT said in a press release that it will provide revolving and term-loan commitments of between $15 million and $100 million to companies across “various industries and business cycles.”
The joint venture, given the name CIT Northbridge, will provide asset-based debt products that are typically not provided by traditional banks, according to the release. Products and services offered by the venture include management buyouts, bridge financing, acquisition financing, recapitalizations and restructurings.
“CIT Northbridge further advances our efforts to grow our commercial lending franchise by leveraging CIT's extensive experience in financing, leasing and advisory services, and Allstate's investment expertise and capital,” Jim Hudak, president of commercial finance at CIT, said in the release.
The announcement comes as CIT looks to boost its core business lending as it transforms itself into a traditional commercial bank. Business loans have declined steadily in recent months, falling 4% as of March 31 from a year earlier to $24.4 billion.
Russ Mayerfield, a managing director with Allstate, said in the release that the partnership will allow the Northbrook, Ill., insurance company to expand its alternative investment portfolio.
Deutsche Bank served as an adviser to CIT.


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CD Projekt, developer of Cyberpunk 2077, has reached a settlement with investors who were unhappy with the game’s disasturous launch last year. Last week, word broke that CD Projekt was now looking to settle investor complaints out of court – following several lawsuits being filed , then rolled into one . Now, it has emerged that CD Projekt will hand over just $1.85m to straighten the matter – a fraction of the $563m Cyberpunk 2077 made in sales in its launch month alone (thanks VGC ). “Members of the class (including the plaintiffs) shall relinquish any and all claims against the Company and members of its Management Board,” a new statement on the settlement reads. “In return, a settlement in the amount of $1.85m shall be paid out to the class by the Company and its insurer.” Investors had claimed CD Projekt provided ” materially misleading information ” to them on the state of Cyberpunk 2077 before it arrived in a buggy state on consoles last year. The game was particularly broken on last-gen machines, was temporarily withdrawn from sale on PlayStation and, a year on, is still to see its long-awaited next-gen update. However, today’s settlement includes – as… Read full this story
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We are still learning new bits of info about Windows 11, and that will likely be the case right up until it begins rolling out to PCs in a few months. Speaking of which, one of the things we recently learned is that the free update to existing Windows 10 PCs will not arrive at the same time, or even this year—Microsoft is waiting until 2022 before it begins upgrading Windows 10 PCs.
That’s if you are running Windows 10 and are wanting to do an in-place upgrade, through Windows Update. There will still be the option to perform a clean install, and presuming you own a valid Windows 10 license, the same key should activate Windows 11.
If you are not wanting to perform a clean install, however, you will have to wait a little bit longer.
Windows 11 is due out later in 2021 and will be delivered over several months. The rollout of the upgrade to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 through the first half of that year.June 25, 2021
Microsoft’s official Windows account on Twitter clarified the timing of Windows 11, saying it is “due out later in 2021 and will be delivered over several months.” Meanwhile, “the upgrade to Windows devices already in use today will begin in 2022 through the first half of that year,” Microsoft added.
That means having to wait six months (from today) or more before making the jump to Windows 10, through an in-place upgrade via Windows Update. And that is just fine and dandy—the flip side to waiting a little bit longer than others is having Microsoft sort through any initial release hiccups on the early adopters.
We have seen this time and again within Windows 10’s ongoing evolution. Feature upgrades have come twice a year, and each time, bugs slip through. Most of them are minor ones, but there have also been some pretty big headaches along the way.
One of the more notable hiccups was the initial October 2018 update for Windows 10, which introduced full support for DirecX Raytracing (DXR). It also introduced a bug that made some files on Windows 10 PCs go missing after updating. Microsoft ended up pausing the update while it investigated the situation, before resuming the roll out a month later.
In a sense, you can think of Windows 11 as another major feature update, but with a new name. Microsoft could have actually made Windows 11 just another bi-annual update, and had it gone that route, it would have qualified as one of the bigger upgrades since Windows 10 first arrived.
Even though it is not going that route, we assume there are still going to be some issues in need of ironing out when it first releases. Hopefully they amount to nothing more than minor annoyances, but you never know with such an ambitious upgrade. Which is to say, waiting until the first half of next year is not such a terrible proposition.


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Destiny 2: Forsaken Failed To Meet Sales Targets
Activision is planning to bring more methods of monetization to the game in the future.
Destiny 2: Forsaken for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC failed to meet Activision's expectations as it relates to sales and the expansion's ability to "re-engage" with the franchise overall, the publisher said as part of its latest earnings report.
"While forsaken is a high-quality expansion with strong engagement and new modes of play, it did not achieve our commercial expectations," Activision Publishing boss Coddy Johnson said during an earnings call. "And there is still work to do to fully re-engaged the core Destiny fanbase."
Also during the call, Johnson talked about how Activision is planning to "improve the pace of innovation and cadence of in-game content" in Destiny, while also creating new ways for players to engage further with Destiny and spend more money through microtransactions. This statement applies to Destiny and all of Activision's other franchises, Johnson said.
Destiny's microtransactions come in the form of Silver, which players can purchase with real money and spend on a number of different in-game extras. What the new form of microtransactions may be coming to Destiny remains to be seen. It's not surprising to see Activision going after microtransactions in a bigger way considering it is very big business.
Those who are playing Destiny 2 right now are "deeply engaged" with the game, but Johnson said Activision will be focusing now on trying to get lapsed players to come back and draw in new ones. Activision recently made Destiny 2 temporarily free on PC, which is surely part of the company's effort to expand the game's audience.
"We have not yet seen the full core re-engage in Destiny, which has kind of led to the underperformance against expectations to date," Johnson said. "Some players we think are still in 'wait and see' mode. If you're in, you're deeply engaged. If you're not, we're hoping now's the time to bring players back in and win them back."
Despite the missed sales, monthly active users for the Destiny franchise grew quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year for the period ended September 30. The release of Forsaken at the start of September helped drive the increased player figures, Activision said.
Looking ahead, the next big thing coming to Destiny 2 is the Black Armory, which launches in December. For more, you can check out Bungie's roadmap of free and paid content for Destiny 2.


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TUI Travel posted an 18-percent leap in operating profits of a record £471 million for the year, despite tough economic conditions which are battering rival Thomas Cook.
Strong online sales and demand for exclusive resorts helped Europe's biggest tour operator report full-year profit at the top end of forecasts, the company said.
"Even in the current challenging market conditions, we continue to operate from a position of strength," chief executive Peter Long said on Monday.
"We have self-help measures in place to help offset the difficult macroeconomic environment, including clear plans for Germany and France," he said, without giving further details.
TUI Travel - which operates Thomson and First Choice and is majority-owned by German group TUI AG - said on Monday it had achieved record profits in Britain, the Nordic region, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada and Austria, despite a backdrop of unrest in key North African destinations and weak consumer sentiment in some source markets.
Thomas Cook has endured a torrid 2011 and faces an uncertain future as it battles to regain the confidence of holidaymakers and investors after securing a rescue package from its lenders.
TUI Travel has looked to cash in on its rival's misfortune, placing advertisements in national newspapers stating: "Another holiday company may be experiencing turbulence, but we're in really great shape."
Shares in TUI Travel closed on Friday at 169.6 pence, valuing the business at £1.9 billion.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.


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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Announces Blue Moon, a Moon Landing Car for the Moon, during a Blue Origin event in Washington, DC, May 9, 2019.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
Wall Street loves Amazon and investors have come up with 20% this year.
But one of the most bullish candidates warns that there are several threatening risk factors facing the company now.
D.A. Davidson's Tom Forte, which has one of the highest target prices for Amazon at $ 2,550 per share, according to FactSet, wrote in a note published Thursday that he closely monitors four warning signs that could potentially lead to "downfall of the Amazon". [1[ads1]9659002] While Forte boxed a "buy" rating for Amazon and kept its price target unchanged, he wrote that the following four risk factors could negatively impact Amazon's future performance:
- Amazon has become so big that it would be more difficult to impress investors with rapid growth rates. For example, Amazon needs $ 2.3 billion of extra sales just to generate 1% growth, based on last year's $ 232 billion revenue, Forte noted. As a result, Forte expects the Amazon sales to grow by 15.5%, from the previous three-year 29.6% compound growth rate.
- Follow-up: What happens when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos decides to retire? This can lead to "significant success risk", Forte notes, as the move to the next CEO could slow down the overall business. At the same time, Forte tells that Amazon is well prepared for the change, with a deep bench of leaders who could potentially take the helm when Bezos leaves. Bezos, now 55, has not said much about his success plan. For reference, Bill Gates was 45 years old when he left his position as Microsoft CEO, while Starbucks & # 39; Howard Schultz & Walmart & # 39; s Sam Walton both had much longer careers.
- Competition: Amazon will face increasing competition in its core e-commerce space, as most weaker players have already disappeared. That means Amazon has to enter new big markets, where more competition is waiting to sustain growth. Forte writes. Two of the most challenging areas for Amazon in the future are clothing and groceries, Forte notes, as the company has struggled to see much growth in both areas. He believes that Amazon needs more than just advanced technology to win categories like women's fashion, while listing of the Whole Foods acquisition hasn't really moved the needle into winning share in the grocery category.
- Regulation: Forte notes that the US Government could "stop Amazon in the tracks" if antitrust or other regulatory control of the company is taking off. Although Amazon's low price quota could make an antitrust case challenging to pursue, Forte says its major market power could push extra regulatory pressure both in the United States and abroad. He wrote the potential for antitrust and regulation worldwide could "negatively impact Amazon's operating profit and stunt its future growth."
Forte concludes that he still believes in the company, but follows carefully warning signs.
"As much as we keep the founder, chairman, chief executive and president Jeff Bezos in the highest regard, and who we are optimistic about the company's ability to maintain an elevated growth rate by further penetrating existing markets and posting new ones, , a premium several in the coming years, we monitor the company and the warning sign warehouse that may cause AMZN to be destroyed. "
WATCH: Analyst explains why he says Amazon's stock will hit $ 3000 in some years


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Paragould, AR – July 27, 2022 – GRT Rubber (“GRT”), a leading manufacturer of engineered rubber products for applications across a diversified array of end-markets, announced the acquisition of the subsidiary business formerly owned by West American Rubber Company (“WARCO”) operating as Biltrite Ripley Operations LLC. in Ripley, Mississippi.
The new GRT Ripley Operation LLC. will continue to serve the rubber sheet, matting, molding, and industrial markets, with manufacturing capabilities that include custom rubber compounding and mixing, calendaring, private branding, waterjet cutting and slitting. Curing capabilities for GRT Rubber now include gauges of 1/32” up to 2” and widths up to 72”. Curing finishes include smooth, light fabric impression, matte, corrugated and KleenRite. Employees from the Ripley operation have joined the GRT team and going forward, the companies will operate under the umbrella of GRT Rubber which includes GRT, Valley Rubber and Biltrite brands.
GRT Rubber is a leading provider of conveyor belts, sheet rubber and custom molded rubber solutions for tough mining, infrastructure, and industrial applications. GRT’s full line of sheet rubber products are used for sealing, protecting, and cushioning in the road and bridge construction, building construction, and vibration isolation markets. The strategic acquisition enables continued growth of the combined businesses and the additional manufacturing capabilities allows for more product stocking opportunities as well as shorter lead times and quicker deliveries.
The combination of the Ripley and the existing GRT operations gives us the ability to offer made-to-order custom compounds, mil-spec and AASHTO certified products utilizing all rubber elastomers.
David Brown, President of GRT Rubber, said of the acquisition “I am extremely excited about the Ripley Operation joining GRT. There is a wonderful team of people associated with the Ripley operation and we now will have a center of excellence devoted to sheet rubber and molded rubber products that is unrivaled in North America.”
Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE: MAIN) a publicly traded business development corporation who has been a partner and capital provider of GRT’s since 2014, helped facilitate the deal.


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Last week was a big, big week for on-off gamer-enrager EA, with the absurdly highly-promoted Battlefield 3 finally launching – but to mixed reviews, technical woes and bewildering media outlet favouritism. Was it enough to put DICE’s latest at the top of the charts? In the UK, that’s a resounding ‘yes’ – it topped the all-formats charts as well as the PC chart individually, with list-compilers Chart-Track revealing that its week-one sales exceed those of all 17 previous Battlefield games/expansions put together, and that it’s the tenth biggest-selling week-one game of all time in the UK. Crikey. And an alarming sign of how little reviews, or the lack thereof, can affect the success of heavily-marketed games. C’est la billboard-based vie.
What about Steam? Well, with EA and Valve still at quiet loggerheads, BF3 didn’t show up there – leaving the way clear for a game about a man in a tie to take the top-slot instead.
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