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The government investment arm – the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) is expected to mobilise a total of P3 billion as part of government’s strategy to boost domestic investment during the last half of the National Development Plan 11 (NDP 11), the Trade, Investment and Industry Minister – Peggy Serame has said.
Briefing Parliament on Monday during the NDP 11 Midterm review, Serame said that BDC will be expected to invest in projects that will ensure economic transformation, diversification and increase citizen economic participation.
Parliament was also told that in the next twelve (12) months, BDC will invest approximately P800 million on project that will drive economic recovery and sustain jobs.
The government says it is intending to establish large-scale equipment manufacturing industry to support key sectors such as rail, energy and water.
“Other projects that are planned to be undertaken include increasing Automotive Components manufacturing; increase food production such as for Potatoes and Citrus, to meet local demand; increase milk production to meet full local demand with vertical integration on milk products (such as yogurts and cheese).”, said Serame Monday afternoon.
Recently details emerged on the move by the BDC to turn its investment in Pasdec Botswana into equity, opting to grab the large share of the company.
In a merger notice that is before the Competition and Consumer Authority, BDC intends to acquire 60 percent shareholding Pasdec Automotive Technologies Botswana, the company that the state agency lured from South Africa in 2015 to come set up its automotive wiring harnesses manufacturing business in Lobatse.
Pasdec Botswana is wholly controlled by Pasdec Resources SA Ltd, a South African based company, which is in turn controlled by Pahang Off-Shore, a Malaysian registered company. BDC has in the past five years injected P130 million in Pasdec Botswana and will now be turning the convertible preference shares into equity.


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Games Global Ringing with Innovative and Fresh Titles in June
Games Global is excited to announce its exclusive June releases, bringing innovative and fresh new content to its platform. With a wide range of innovative titles, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. And with the summer months upon us, there's no better time to enjoy some quality casino content!
Blackjack and Online Slots
On June 2nd, Stakelogic's Dynamite Strike was released which was followed up with Switch Studios' innovative ReDeal Blackjack.
On 6th June Aurum Signature Studios launched Wild Wild Romance, an action-packed online slot full of exciting bonus features. On 8th June SpinPlay Games introduces Dragon’s Cache, a medium volatile slot that offers punters a chance to win up to 5,000x the bet! On 13th June, Gold Coin Studios invited players on an ocean adventure with Aquatic Treasures Coast 2 Coast, a slot that comes with pay both ways, mechanic. Day after, Just For The Win brought to punters Divine Riches Helios, an online slot with an RTP of 96.05% that has 30 active paylines.
On 16th June, All41 Studios presented 11 Coins of Fire, a title that has amazing graphics and has a maximum potential win of 10.000x the bet! On 20th June, Northern Lights Gaming released 4 Corners of Rome, an impressive online slot that offers 40 ways to win. Fortune Factory Studios Launched Mas of Amun on 21st June, a game that comes with a popular Ancient Egypt theme and game that has many exciting features.
Foxium Studio will launch on 23rd June, Stumpy McDoodles 2, a sequel to Stumpy McDoodles, that offers players a chance to win up to 11.600x their bets! On 27th June, Turbo Fortune is coming, a title developed by Real Dealer Studio, a high volatile wheel show game where the jackpot is 3921x the bet. On the same day, MGA will bring El Cartel Plus online slot. On 28th June, Snowborn Games will launch a high volatile slot, Pile 'Em Up, which has an RTP of 96.22%. Exciting Megaways title, The Choice is Yours Megaways, is coming on 29th June from innovative Iron Dog Studios.
The latest title that will be added to the Games Global platform at the end of this month is Cash 'N Riches WowPot Megaways. This game is developed by Triple Edge Studios and has 6 reels, 7 rows, and 117,649 active paylines!
Source: “June piles on the quality content from Games Global”. Games Global. June 17, 2022.By Ivan Stefanovic

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ZeroNox Expands Into Industrial and Construction Markets with IndiCon Platform & Papé Material Handling Partnership
24 August 2023
Zero Nox Inc. (referred to as "ZeroNox" or the "Company"), a prominent provider of sustainable electrification solutions for off-highway vehicles, has reached a significant milestone in its expansion strategy targeting the industrial and construction sectors. The Company has introduced its IndiCon platform, aimed at supporting large and specialized dealer and distributor partners operating in these strategic growth markets. This platform not only seeks to expand ZeroNox's product distribution footprint but also aims to enhance service partnerships and potential sales.
ZeroNox has successfully launched the IndiCon platform by establishing a partnership agreement with Papé Material Handling, a prominent full-service material equipment dealer with a substantial presence across the Western U.S. Boasting 92 full-service dealerships spread across 62 cities, Papé Material Handling is dedicated to promoting sustainability-oriented products and operations. Initially being rolled out in California and Oregon, this partnership will enable ZeroNox's products, specifically the all-electric Tuatara Utility Vehicles, to be accessible across 16 of Papé Material Handling's dealership locations. Moreover, ZeroNox has plans to introduce more of its products powered by their sustainable electrification technology later in the year.
Vonn Christenson, Co-founder, and Chief Executive Officer of ZeroNox, expressed enthusiasm regarding this expansion, stating, "Today, we are thrilled to unveil our venture into the industrial and construction end-markets with the announcement of our first IndiCon partnership agreement with Papé Material Handling. The launch of our IndiCon platform and this strategic partnership signifies our commitment to fulfilling our growth strategy by introducing sustainable solutions to adjacent markets. Anticipating this partnership with Papé Material Handling to significantly enhance our sales, we're excited about extending our reach to additional locations and diversifying our product portfolio in the forthcoming quarters."
As previously disclosed, ZeroNox has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with The Growth for Good Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: GFGD), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company. The consummation of this transaction is contingent upon approval from Growth for Good's shareholders and other customary closing conditions. Upon completion, ZeroNox is set to become publicly listed.
For more details, please visit the official website of ZeroNox Inc. at www.zerohighway.com.


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During the April-June quarter, businesses increased their spending 4.6 percent after cutting by the same amount in the January-March period. And spending on home construction grew 13.4 percent, in line with the previous quarter. At the same time, the federal government cut spending only 1.5 percent after slashing it 8.4 percent in the first quarter. And state and local governments spent more for the first time in a year. Still, government cutbacks have weighed heavily on the economy the past 12 months. Over the past four quarters, the economy has grown at just a 1.4 percent annual rate. But if you exclude federal, state and local governments, the private sector has expanded at a much stronger 2.3 percent rate. The �ongoing fiscal drag is masking private sector health,� said Joseph LaVorgna, an economist at Deutsche Bank, said. The weaker growth in consumer spending last quarter was significant because consumers account for about 70 percent of the economy.
This article has been curated from US economy grew at a sluggish 1.7 percent pace in Q2
That�s up from zero in the spring of 2012 and from 30 percent in the January-March quarter of this year. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last week that the company has �made good progress growing our community, deepening engagement and delivering strong financial results, especially on mobile.� Still, Facebook has room to grow. Research firm eMarketer expects Facebook to increase its mobile advertising revenue more than fourfold to more than $2 billion this year. This would give the Menlo Park, California, company a 13 percent share of the global mobile ad market, up from about 5 percent last year. Facebook is currently No. 2 in mobile ads, well behind Google.
This article has been curated from #title


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BAY COUNTY-- According to Regina Burgess, the Community Relations Marketing Coordinator For the Bay County Public Library:
"Getting that $100 for that recliner is not worth your life."
In the last week, six people have been arrested in Bay County for allegedly duping would-be buyers on Craigslist only to either rob or assault them.
For some local residents, Craigslist's cheap prices, convenience and wide variety of items and services can sometimes be too good to pass up.
"You're not pressured into doing anything," said local Craigslist user Lewis Poppelreiter. "You can look at things if you decide to make an offer on something you can contact the person."
But meeting buyers or sellers in person can be dangerous.
"It is a problem, it's a growing problem," said Burgess. "People need to be aware of the situation and also the ways they can prevent some of the crimes that are happening."
Authorities say never give out personal information over Craigslist, bring your cell phone with you, alert a friend or family member of what you're doing, bring a buddy with you and meet in a well-lit public place.
Poppelreiter's wife came with him Friday to buy truck bed rails from NewsChannel 7's Brian Goddin via Craigslist.
"If I feel like there is something and I want someone to go with me then, I'll do that, it just depends on the circumstance," said Poppelreiter. "Everyone is different."
With Craigslist being a popular consumer website, many Bay County residents spend time at the public library surfing the site.
"You have to be very careful now, for the most part everything is going to be legitimate," said Burgess. "But it's the one time it's not, that can cause a lot of problems."
If you're a victim of fraud or a Craigslist scam you can call the Federal Trade Commission hotline at 877-FTC-HELP.


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| Tech2 The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus leaks are coming out at a constant pace with no signs of slowing down. Latest leaks involve new press images posted by prolific tipster Evan Blass on Twitter. The new photos show how Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will look... --- |
New press images of Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ in 'Black Sky', 'Orchid Grey' and 'Arctic Silver' leak. This article is published at 21 March 2017 02:19 from Popular Technology New India, click on the read full article link below to see further details.
press, images, Samsung, Galaxy, Black, Orchid, Grey, Arctic, Silver, leak


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Nokia woes expected to worsen as Lumia won't run Windows Phone 8
Earlier this week, Microsoft formally announced Windows Phone 8, which will launch on new handsets this fall. The operating system upgrade won't be available on existing Windows Phone 7-based devices, which means Nokia's Lumia 900 will be incompatible with the new platform.
Instead, Microsoft plans to offer an update in the form of Windows Phone 7.8 that will add some of the Windows Phone 8 features to the legacy platform. With Windows Phone 7.8, devices like the Lumia 900 will an updated Start screen with customizable tile sizes.
But even though the Lumia 900 will be upgraded to look like a Windows Phone 8 device, the fact that it will not receive all of the new features and functionality is seen as a serious blow to Nokia, which has bet heavily on the Windows Phone platform in its transition away from its own Symbian.
That means Nokia's troubles "could get worse before they get better," a report published Thursday in The Wall Street Journal said. It characterized the Nokia 900's lack of compatibility with Windows Phone 8 as a "major blow" to Nokia.
Malik Saadi, an industry analyst at Information Telecoms & Media, told author Sven Grundberg that many customers will now wait until Windows Phone 8 devices become available in the fall, instead of opting to buy a Nokia Lumia 900 in the meantime.
In contrast, Apple's iPhone 3GS, first released in 2009, will be able to run iOS 6 when Apple releases its own operating system update this fall. While iPhone 3GS owners will get iOS 6, they will lose out on some new features such as built-in turn-by-turn directions, Flyover maps, Shared Photo Streams, Mail VIP lists and flagged smart boxes, and the Safari Offline Reading List.
Microsoft's announcement this week is the latest in a string of bad news for Nokia. A week ago, the Finnish handset maker announced plans to ax 10,000 jobs by the end of 2013 in an effort to cut costs and turn the company around.
Nokia was once the dominant force in smartphones, but failed to respond as the iPhone and devices running Google Android took over the market. The Lumia 900 is a major attempt by Nokia to counter that trend and switch to Windows Phone, but the company warned last week that sales in its "Smart Devices" business segment have been worse than expected, and that issue is expected to continue going into the next quarter.


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ZuluTrade, a provider of copy-trading technology, announced this Monday that it has headed to the United States, with the successful launch of the ZuluTrade Platform in the USA.
According to the company, the platform is a match-making service, which brings investors and curated traders together, allowing less-experienced traders to automatically copy the strategies from those with experience, into their own trading account.
The traders which can have their strategies copied range from “raw talents” that have developed unique algorithmic trading software, to fund managers who have experience in managing millions of funds.
The main requirement of the platform is that the trading strategies must be compatible with US regulation, the company said. Investors are able to copy these trading, using ZuluTrade’s risk management tools, and adjust their capital and risk appetite.
Commenting on the launch, George Ilias, ZuluTrade’s CEO, said in the statement: “We have always attracted an impressive number of users from The United States wanting to try the Platform.
“Our new partnership with ZYTrade will not only enable us to do this, but we are confident that our common passion for customer success will result in building a healthy and successful trading ecosystem.”
With the latest launch of the platform, ZuluTrade is now regulated in the European Union, Japan and now the USA. The platform was launched in collaboration with US-based Introducing Broker, ZYTrade LLC (NFA ID: 0523354), and is available under the brand ‘ZuluTrade US’.
As , in April of 2019, ZuluTrade launched a copy trading service called Macaso, which translates to “I’ll leave it to you” in Japanese, as part of a partnership with Japanese broker Excite One. The solution is powered entirely by ZuluTrade’s technology.
However, ZuluTrade got started in the East Asian nation in 2014 when it acquired a local firm, Market Crew Investment Advisor, which was renamed to ZuluTrade Japan.


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The rumours of a new MacBook Air release have gotten to the point where there’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that it’s coming soon.
The new Airs will likely sport Intel’s “Sandy Bridge” processors, which are designed to use up less power in portable devices. Apple also has plans to add Thunderbolt, the port that lets you transfer data at 10 Gbps. (That’s way, way faster than your current USB port.)
We’re expecting an official announcement from Apple any day now. In the meantime, check out all the latest rumours about the MacBook Air refresh below.
The new MacBook Airs will probably get a Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt is Intel's technology that allows data transfers of up to 10 Gbps. That means you can transfer a full HD movie in about 30 seconds. Apple has been adding Thunderbolt to all of its Macs, so it makes sense for the Air to get one too.
Intel's Sandy Bridge processors (Core i5 and i7) are powerful, low-power processors designed for devices just like the MacBook Air. It'd be a nice step up from the Air's current Core 2 Duo processors.
Although there have been reports of Apple testing A5 processors in MacBook Airs, there is little to no chance they'll ever see the light of day. But that is a sign Apple is experimenting with iOS on devices other than tablets and phones. It's possible a future version of the Air will be more iPad than Mac.
Most speculate that the new MacBook Airs will begin shipping soon after Mac OS X Lion launches next month. There's no solid date on that yet, but since Snow Leopard is almost dead, it makes sense for Apple to wait.
Last week DigiTimes published a report saying Apple is preparing to ship 8 million new MacBook Airs in Q3. That number seems far too high to us, but it does seem like Apple is still ramping up production.
Beta News spoke to a couple of analysts about Apple potentially offering a cheaper version of the MacBook Air to appeal to more users. The analysts think a $799 would be the sweetspot, but there's almost no chance of that happening. Airs will probably start at $999, just like they do now.
When rumours of a MacBook Air refresh first began, many speculated it would launch by the end of June. Since we're there now, a July launch looks more likely. It's a safe bet that if a refresh is on the way, it will happen around Mac OS X Lion's launch next month.
According to most rumours, it looks like there won't be much of a change when it comes to memory and storage. Right now you can get between 64 GB and 256 GB of storage and up to 4 GB of memory.
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New York – November 7, 2022 – In the wake of significant bilateral trade volatility between Russia and nearly all markets due to the war in Ukraine, India has emerged as a strong trade partner of Russia and is expected to remain so in 2023, according to a new S&P Global Market Intelligence report released today. The newly published 2023 Global Trade Outlook is part of S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Big Picture 2023 Outlook Report Series.
The new report highlights the anticipated shifts in trade due to the Russia–Ukraine conflict as well as positive outlook for containerized trade in 2023 despite a mere 0.7% year-on-year (y/y) growth in 2022 led by the estimated slowdown in the second half. It also highlights the impact of the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) greenhouse gas reduction measures that will be introduced in 2023.
“The trade value of total imports from Russia has increased in recent months, primarily due to rising oil, gas and coal prices, as well as spikes in Russian imports by several countries. This group is led by India, which noted a greater than 100% y/y increase in Russian import trade values each month after the Russia-Ukraine conflict started in February 2022,” said Agnieszka Maciejewska, Economics Manager at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
- Global shifts in trade: India is forecast to see an acceleration in trade in 2023, thanks to its significant increase in imports from Russia. Its trade value is projected to increase by 3.5% y/y in exports and by 1.3% y/y in imports, while its trade volume is projected to grow 3.8% y/y and 7.3% y/y, respectively.
- Mainland China is expected to be the biggest importer from Russia in 2023, followed by Turkey, Belarus and Kazakhstan. However, China's current economic slowdown adds considerable uncertainty to the outlook. Western trading partners will lose their significance in Russia's trade turnover. This trend will become even more visible if Russia cuts gas supplies to Europe in the winter of 2022–23.
- Containerized trade outlook: S&P Global Market Intelligence's Global Trade Analytics Suite (GTAS) forecasting projects containerized trade to increase by 3.2% y/y in 2023, following a 0.7% y/y growth in 2022.
- U.S. container imports is forecast to grow 5.9% y/y in 2022 and 4.2% y/y in 2023. With U.S. warehouses being full, major carriers started removing capacity on the Asia-US trade lane, although not yet on a massive scale. With no peak season this year, carriers will take out a significant amount of capacity to protect and boost their rates.
- With mainland China’s containerized exports accounting for more than 50% of its total exports, this type of cargo should face significant long-term impacts from the country’s economic challenges, a situation not expected to change anytime soon.
- IMO decarbonization goals: Beginning January 1, 2023, the maritime industry, which is highly dependent on fossil fuels, will have to comply with the new short-term greenhouse gas reduction measures implemented by the IMO. This will likely result in higher average increase in maritime logistics costs and a slowdown, albeit marginally, in global trade and economic growth.
To request a copy of the 2023 Global Trade Outlook, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
S&P Global Market Intelligence’s opinions, quotes, and credit-related and other analyses are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendation to purchase, hold, or sell any securities or to make any investment decisions, and do not address the suitability of any security.
# # #
About S&P Global Market Intelligence
At S&P Global Market Intelligence, we understand the importance of accurate, deep and insightful information. Our team of experts delivers unrivaled insights and leading data and technology solutions, partnering with customers to expand their perspective, operate with confidence, and make decisions with conviction.
S&P Global Market Intelligence is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world’s foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world’s leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence.


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* Q4 loss/shr C$0.08 vs EPS C$0.36
* Q4 rev up 16 pct
Aug 23 (Reuters) - Canada’s Absolute Software Corp (ABT.TO) posted a quarterly loss, hurt partly by higher sales and marketing expenses, and said it was cautiously optimistic about 2011. The company, which provides security software, said sales and marketing expenses rose 45 percent to C$10.9 million for the fourth quarter ended June 30.
Net loss for the quarter was C$3.8 million, or 8 Canadian cents a share, compared with a net income of C$16.5 million, or 36 Canadian cents a share, last year.
However, revenue rose 16 percent to C$16.6 million.
The majority of the revenue from fourth-quarter sales contracts is included in deferred revenue on the balance sheet at June 30, which was C$102.8 million, compared with C$95.9 million a year ago.
Absolute’s revenue model differs from others since customers pay for up to three years in advance, and while the company gets the cash up front, it recognizes revenue over a deferred period of time.
The previous quarter’s results included a C$4.5 million gain, the company said.
The company also forecast growth in its sales contract segment and cash from operating activities for 2011.
Absolute Software is a key member of Intel’s (INTC.O) anti-theft offering that lowers incidents of notebook theft.
Shares of the company, which have gained 10.5 percent in the last 3 months, closed at C$4.78 Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Aftab Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Unnikrishnan Nair) (firstname.lastname@example.org; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 5800; Reuters Messaging: email@example.com))


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By Cara Lombardo and Dana Cimilluca
Intel Corp. has reached a deal to sell its flash-memory manufacturing business to South Korea's SK Hynix Inc. for about $9 billion, in a move that would reorient the semiconductor giant away from an area of historical importance that has become increasingly challenged.
The Intel unit makes NAND flash memory products primarily used in devices such as hard drives, thumb drives and cameras. The U.S. chip maker has been weighing getting out of the business for some time, driven by sagging prices for flash memory.
Under the deal reported earlier Monday by The Wall Street Journal, SK Hynix plans to buy most of Intel's memory business, including the related memory manufacturing operations in Dalian, China, the companies said in a statement. Intel will keep its Optane line of memory products, an advanced type of storage used heavily in data centers.
The operations being acquired by SK Hynix generated about $2.8 billion in sales in the first six months of this year, the companies said. That represents the lion's share of Intel's overall memory sales, which totaled around $3 billion during that period.
The deal would make SK Hynix one of the world's largest NAND memory makers. SK Hynix and Intel's combined market share was more than 20% in the second quarter, according to Taiwan-based research firm TrendForce, trailing only South Korean giant Samsung Electronics Co., which held over 30% of the market.
While Intel is best known for making the central processing units at the heart of personal computers, the company has deep roots in the memory business. It started as a memory manufacturer in the late 1960s before stiff competition from Japan's burgeoning electronics industry in the 1980s led the company to change course.
The market for memory chips slumped in 2018 amid an oversupply of the devices, though it began to recover late last year. Analysts expect the market for NAND devices to remain strong in the coming years amid a surge in data storage.
Nonetheless, Intel Chief Executive Bob Swan said in April that the company had to generate more attractive returns from the NAND business and suggested it could enter into a "partnership" to make that happen.
George Davis, the California-based company's chief financial officer, said in March that while the flash memory business showed promise, the company hadn't been able to generate the profits it wanted.
Intel said it would invest the deal's proceeds in building its presence in fast-growing areas like artificial intelligence and 5G networking. "This transaction will allow us to further prioritize our investments in differentiated technology where we can play a bigger role in the success of our customers and deliver attractive returns to our stockholders," Mr. Swan said in a statement.
Intel already pared down its involvement in memory manufacturing in January when Micron Technology Inc. bought out Intel's share in a joint venture for about $1.5 billion. That venture was focused on an advanced memory technology called 3D XPoint.
The companies aim to get regulatory approvals for the transaction late next year, which would trigger a $7 billion payment. The remaining $2 billion would follow at final closing expected in 2025. Intel is to continue to make memory at the plant until the final closing.
Intel, which has a market value of roughly $230 billion, has been under increasing pressure as smaller rivals gain market share. Its stock is down about 10% this year, compared with a roughly 30% rise in the PHLX Semiconductor index. The shares dropped more than 15% when Intel in July indicated that second-half results would be weaker than expected and revealed further delays in the rollout of its superfast seven-nanometer chip technology, which underlies future generations of central processing units.
While Intel has struggled to move into mass production of its most advanced chips, rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s market share in personal computer CPUs climbed above 17% in the first quarter, more than doubling from five years earlier, according to Mercury Research. Intel holds almost all of the remaining market share.
Intel is set to report its third-quarter earnings Thursday afternoon.
The market for memory chips has been shaken by U.S. efforts to curb the rise of China's tech industry and restrict exports to Chinese firms such as Huawei Technologies Co., the country's leading telecom equipment maker. Japanese memory-chip maker Kioxia Holdings Corp., owned by a consortium led by private-equity firm Bain Capital, last month delayed one of this year's most anticipated public offerings because of the situation.
Intel's advanced flash memory, referred to as 3D NAND because it has multiple layers of memory cells stacked on top of each other, has been produced for the past five years in Dalian, a port city on the Liaodong Peninsula just west of the Korean Peninsula.
That factory is Intel's only major chip-manufacturing site in China and its sale to SK Hynix would mark a serious reduction of the company's presence there.
The U.S. has been ratcheting up pressure on Chinese chip-making recently, including by requiring companies to obtain licenses before exporting some technology to China's most advanced chip maker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.
Consolidation has swept through the semiconductor sector as industry players seek scale and expand their product portfolios to support the increasing number of everyday items that are connected to the internet.
Analog Devices Inc. in July agreed to pay more than $20 billion for Maxim Integrated Products Inc., and Nvidia Corp. in September agreed to pay $40 billion for Arm Holdings, the British chip designer backed by SoftBank Group Corp.
AMD is in talks to buy rival chip maker Xilinx Inc., The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month. The two parties are discussing a deal that could come together this week or next, assuming talks don't fall apart, according to people familiar with the matter.
Some companies are looking to slim down and narrow their focus. Broadcom Inc. last year explored a sale of its radio-frequency, or RF unit, a segment of its wireless-chip business that makes filters used in cellphones to clarify signals. It later decided against selling it.
BofA Securities served as financial adviser to Intel; Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP and Linklaters LLP, while Bae, Kim & Lee LLC served as its legal counsel. Citi served as financial adviser to SK Hynix and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and K&C and Fangda Partners served as its legal counsel.
--Asa Fitch contributed to this article.
Write to Cara Lombardo at email@example.com and Dana Cimilluca at firstname.lastname@example.org
(END) Dow Jones Newswires


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Plastic can take thousands of years to decompose, and plastic pollution has become a significant issue worldwide. The world now produces more than 380 million tons of plastic every year, which end up as pollutants, finding their way into the natural environment and our oceans. Consider this: all the plastic produced since its discovery in 1852 is still present somewhere on the planet. All the while, more and more plastic is being produced. This speaks to the weight of the issue that is plastic pollution in our world!
Today, Optimum will be sharing seven insane facts about plastic pollution that will have you desperate to find ways to reduce your dependence on plastic. While countries all around the world are banning the use of plastic, and the call for single-use plastics is more pronounced than ever before, there is still so much more to be done. But to combat the issue of plastic pollution, we must first educate ourselves. Keep reading for seven facts about plastic pollution you may not have known previously!
1. Around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide since the 1950s.
According to a recent report from The Guardian, an estimated 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the 1950s. To put this insane fact about plastic pollution into perspective, that’s the equivalent to the weight of more than 800,000 Eiffel Towers. To make matters even direr, only an estimated 9% of the plastic produced has been recycled.
2. 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.
According to National Geographic, a whopping 73% of all beach litter is plastic. The plastic pollution found on our planet’s beaches consists of bottles, bottle caps, filters from cigarette butts, grocery bags, food wrappers, and polystyrene containers, the report states.
3. About 2 million plastic bags are used every minute worldwide.
While it may seem like a nearly unbelievable number, according to Ecowatch, somewhere between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. Narrowing our view to a smaller area, New Yorkers alone use an estimated 23 billion plastic bags in a year. This statistic is reported by the New York City Department of Environmental Conservation. It offers just a tiny look at how much plastic is used on the planet in a single year. Luckily, in a much-needed call to action, the city is pursuing a ban on plastic grocery bags.
4. Plastic pollution kills more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals every year.
In a study conducted by the University of Queensland in Australia, data collected since the 1980s was used to find that green sea turtles now ingest twice the amount of plastic they did just 25 years ago. This is a horrifying fact when you consider that, according to the United Nations, the ingestion of plastic kills an estimated 1 million marine birds and 100,000 marine animals in a single year.
Additionally, more than 90% of all birds and fish on the planet are estimated to have plastic particles in their stomachs. Because plastic breaks up into very tiny pieces in the sea, they are often consumed by fish and other sea animals. Thanks to the increase in plastic pollution, 700 species of marine life are now facing extinction, according to a report by Plymouth University.
5. World plastic production has doubled over the last 50 years.
While it’s fortunate that there are increasing numbers of organizations and countries that are banning both the use and production of plastic, leading plastic manufacturers are now planning to increase overall production by nearly a third over the next five years.
To put into perspective just how much world plastic production has increased over the last 50 years, consider that in 1974 global plastic consumption per year was roughly 4.4 pounds per capita. Today, this has risen to a whopping 95 pounds, with the number set to increase significantly.
6. More than 50% of sea turtles have consumed plastic debris.
If you’ve ever heard the famous environmental line, “save the sea turtles,” this next fact is going to prove that they’re now in more danger than ever before. According to an estimate by the University of Queensland, more than 50% of all sea turtles have consumed plastic debris. This contributes to more than 100,000 sea turtles dying from plastic production in any given year.
7. There is more microplastic present on Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way.
Finally, it is estimated that if plastic production keeps up at the current rate, the amount of plastic on Earth is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea by the year 2050. While 2050 may seem like a long way off, you should also know that as it stands currently, there is more microplastic (tiny pieces of plastic) in our oceans than there are stars in the entirety of the Milky Way. To support how terrifying this fact is, astronomers estimate that there are about 100 thousand million stars in the Milky Way.
Do Your Part to End Plastic Pollution with Optimum!
While the facts about plastic pollution presented here may seem bleak, we hope that you’ll view them as evidence of the fact that ending plastic pollution is now more critical than ever. Doing your part for the environment starts with small daily practices that add to a massive difference over time. Looking for a way to minimize your use of plastic? Consider purchasing an Optimum bottleless water system!
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Apple is now offering AppleCare for iPhone users in Canada, allowing 3G and 3GS owners to extend their technical support and hardware warranties to two years after the date of purchase for $79 (Canadian) through their Canadian online store. Interestingly, the release of AppleCare in Canada has happened just after the one-year AppleCare activation window for those who purchased the iPhone 3G at it's launch, approximately one year ago, and Apple is not offering any extensions. It's not clear if this was intentional. [via MacRumors]
Word has it that Rogers Wireless will be offering a new 15GB data package for the iPhone 3G in Canada starting June 16. Not surprisingly, it won't be cheap. It will cost $150/month, with 1 cent for each additional megabyte of data used. It will be available for monthly and 1, 2, or 3-year contracts. It's also hugely overpriced, given their current 6GB plan is just $30/month. The information has yet to be confirmed. [via iPhone In Canada]
One of BGR's "ninjas" has captured pictures of what they describe as Fido's "entire roadmap for the rest of 2009". The pictures include, among other things, information on a 4GB iPhone 3G with quad-band EDGE, tri-band HSDPA, a 2-megapixel camera and (drumroll please) iChat video calling. Picture after the break.
Will little fuss or attention, Canadian iPhone carrier Rogers Wireless introduced a new $30 data+text value pack for the iPhone 3G. It includes 500MB of data per month, as well as 10,000 outbound texts, the standard Visual Voicemail, caller ID, and a WhoCalled text notification for missed calls. The rumor comes from forum posts, and hasn't been put on their website yet. [via Electronista]
Canadian iPhone carriers Rogers and Fido have announced new plans for the iPhone 3G, bringing to an end their offering of 6GB for $30 CAD. It is instead being replaced with two new subscription plans for $60 and $75 CAD per month.
An anonymous source for iPhone Canada is claiming that Rogers Wireless is planning to revamp their highly-criticized data plans for the iPhone 3G on October 1st. It's no secret that most people in Canada think that the original plans offered by Rogers were pretty outdated and grossly overpriced. The source says that Rogers is planning to update their plans to include more daytime minutes, MY5, and an extra 600MB of data.
Things in Canada seem to be getting better for cell phone owners, and surprisingly fast. Not long after the announcement of the formation of a new Canadian wireless carrier as a result of a recent spectrum auction, Canadian carriers Bell and Telus have both announced plans to drastically transition their entire networks from.
For those of you still unhappy about Rogers Wireless's iPhone plans in Canada, there may still be hope. An auction for the 2GHz spectrum in Canada has resulted in the creation of a new Canadian cell phone carrier that may be a game changer for the industry in the country. Globalive Communications Inc., which currently operates Yak Mobile in Canada offering landline internet and home phone services, will be paying $442 million for a license giving it the rights to provide cellular service over the purchased spectrum in all Canadian provinces except for Québec.
It appears that Rogers Wireless may have finally heard the complaints of its thousands of potential customers. Earlier today Rogers and sub-brand Fido announced that they will be offering a limited-time promotional plan for the iPhone 3G. Customers that sign up before the end of August will be eligible to sign up for a $30 monthly data plan that includes a whole 6GB of data per month when purchased with a voice plan.
It looks like Apple is taking this anti-Rogers thing more seriously than we thought. According to AppleInsider, Apple has decided that, due to the crappy and hugely overpriced data plans being offered by Rogers Wireless and Fido for iPhone 3G customers in Canada, and the resulting overwhelming negative public response toward them, Apple will not be selling the iPhone 3G in any of their Canadian stores. The news came during a private conference call Monday evening from Apple representatives.


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The new contracts, which are being imposed on all of Getty's editorial contributors, will see the multimedia stock agency pay only 35% of all sales to their photographers. Currently, some of Getty's photographers receive up to 50% in royalties.
The cut, first revealed by Photo District News, is expected to affect "several thousand of individual contributors, including creative, editorial and footage," Adrian Murrell, senior vice president of editorial, tells BJP.
Getty Images says that the new contract, which the agency is labelling as "an opportunity", will allow "us to better meet current and future customers needs, through modifying content use across more and new license models, products, services and selling environments, including subscriptions, high-volume customer deals and new or emerging pricing, licensing and payment models," says Murrell. "Royalty rates for editorial uses changed in March of 2010, from in/out of territory differences, to a simple global rate of 35%, so we are expanding to unify the rate for our editorial contributors. We continue to innovate in making content more accessible to more customers everywhere and we are investing in our technology at every level to continue to be a leader in the content licensing industry."
The changes will also affect photojournalists that form part of the Reportage by Getty Images division, which includes Eugene Richards, Tom Stoddart and Brent Stirton among many others.
"Nearly all of our active creative photographers have already signed the new agreements and are moving forward with us under the terms of the new agreements," claims Murrell, who adds that the agency is "keen to ensure our contributors' content can be leverage and licenses across channels such as mobile."
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Appleis reportedly contemplating displaying adverts to iPhone customers in its apps.
- The corporate could quickly present adverts in apps like Maps, Podcasts and Books.
- Apple can also enhance the adverts it reveals within the App Retailer.
iPhones are identified for his or her clutter-free and ad-free expertise, which many individuals are able to pay a premium for. Nevertheless, this would possibly change quickly as Apple is reportedly planning on including commercials to its apps.
In accordance with a
report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is trying to broaden its advert income by pushing extra adverts in its apps on iPhones and iPads. Apple already reveals some adverts within the App Retailer, similar to Google. Builders can promote their apps on the App Retailer utilizing these commercials.
Apple could broaden adverts within the App Retailer
Apple presently reveals adverts within the Steered Tab on the highest with an “Advert” tag. Going ahead, customers could begin seeing adverts in the principle “Right this moment” tab and third-party apps’.
Extra Apple apps could get adverts
Apple has already began displaying adverts in its Information and Shares apps. The above report means that Apple can also present adverts in its different apps, comparable to Maps, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books.
It’s reported to work in a approach that native companies will be capable to pay an quantity to get featured in map searches, and publishers could get a chance to be featured extra prominently by paying Apple.
The present adverts are already bringing Apple large income, and the corporate stated to extend it considerably. Apple reportedly earns round $4 billion from the adverts it’s presently displaying, and the corporate desires to take the determine into double digits.
Google additionally reveals adverts within the Play Retailer once you seek for an app, and you too can see some adverts on obtain pages. You might also see adverts often once you seek for a location on Maps. In a approach, Apple could observe Google’s strategy by pushing extra adverts in its apps.
After EU, India desires firms to supply a typical charger for all gadgets
Apple pays $30.5 million to California workers who weren’t paid whereas they’d their luggage searched at work, after a decide OK’d a settlement within the 9-year case
Why Google simply put Apple on blast over its messaging: ‘It is time for Apple to repair texting.’


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Event Coverage Sponsored by
JoElle Lee excites the crowd in the Opening Session.
Face & Body Midwest Spa Conference & Expo (FBMW), held March 22–24, 2014, at McCormick Place West in Chicago, has lots to brag about, including experiencing a 54% increase in attendance! More than 5,242 skin care professionals were registered for the event, including estheticians and skin care facility owners and managers, and 7,500 salon professionals converged from America’s Beauty Show (ABS), which is co-located with FBMW during the three-day event.
The Opening Session of the Advanced Education Conference Program on Saturday set the tone for the day when the First Lady’s personal esthetician, JoElle Lee, got attendees on their feet while she danced into the classroom to Pharell Williams’ song “Happy.” Lee shared her incredibly inspirational story in “My Journey From Chicago to the White House,” motivating all who attended, including:
Look out for the June issue of Skin Inc.—Lee will be featured in the “A Good Influence” column.
"More than 300 skin care professionals attended the conference this year!" says Cathy Christensen, conference director for Face & Body and editor of Skin Inc. magazine. "JoElle Lee's inspiring and energizing talk encouraged attendees to take action and follow through in their careers, and was followed by amazing classes throughout the rest of the day. The closing speaker, Anne Martin, brought everyone into a calm and quietly motivated state of mind. It was an incredible experience and I can't wait for the conference to evolve even more next year!"
The Expo Hall, open all three days, was filled with 192 booths from 135 companies representing skin care, makeup, equipment, anti-aging, aromatherapy, business tools, hair removal and more. Skin care professionals had the chance to engage with their peers and suppliers in the industry.


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PLANS have been announced for a £20,000 project to provide free wireless internet access in Scunthorpe town centre.
North Lincolnshire Council is set to introduce the scheme in three phases in the run-up to Christmas.
Council officials aim to improve the high street experience by allowing shoppers to log on to the web.
It is also hoped that the wi-fi facility will entice people to stay in the town centre for longer, providing a boost for traders.
Council leader Liz Redfern said the three phases would cover different areas.
She said: "We are hoping to start at the market and Church Square end, which will cover as far up as Boots.
"The second phase will be the middle bit of the High Street and the last bit will be the top end of the High Street, where the bars are."
Mrs Redfern said the new service would be similar to one already provided by the council at the Pods leisure centre.
And she said it was already in operation in other town centres across the country.
She said: "A lot of modern town centres and city centres have free wi-fi.
"It is an attraction for bringing the whole family in and it is part of managing the town centre experience.
"It will be like the service people currently have at the Pods, where families can get on the free guest wi-fi network."
Mrs Redfern said the move formed part of the council's wider scheme to improve the town centre and attract more shoppers and businesses.
She said: "It is part of our ongoing regeneration plan for Scunthorpe town centre.
"We want to build an experience for residents.
"This is part of a phased plan to improve and invest in the town centre, to continue creating jobs and improving Scunthorpe."
The scheme will see wireless internet masts installed on council buildings in the town centre.
This will then allow the first free access to be provided from the middle of next month, with the full scheme aimed to be complete before the Christmas shopping rush.
Shoppers with smartphones or tablet computers will then begin to get a signal allowing them to log into the council's free wi-fi service.
Mrs Redfern said: "It will all be done by December, so shoppers can benefit for the Christmas shopping period.
"It is about encouraging people to spend more time in the town centre.
"If this is something that encourages more families to come in, then it helps us encourage more traders in and creates more jobs."


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Cartier first launched its luxury Pasha de Cartier replica watches in 1985, and owning one quickly became a symbol of success. The brand is now relaunching the 1:1 US fake Cartier watches with an ad campaign meant to appeal to a new generation of achievers — people who value creativity, diversity, and openness — with a cast of big names who embody what success means in 2020.
Cheap replica Cartier watches has never been known as a brand with celebrity-heavy ad campaigns, but to promote the relaunched watch, it has teamed up with five ambassadors: actors Rami Malek and Maisie Williams, and musicians Willow Smith, Troye Sivan, and Jackson Wang. They star in a campaign shot by Craig McDean. Prominently featured, the high quality Cartier copy watches looks true to the original with subtle modern updates to the bracelet strap.
“Best Cartier replica watches is a pioneering house, in constant creative exploration and strongly committed to come up with innovative campaigns as well as collections that appeal to our diverse audiences,” said Arnaud Carrez, marketing and communication director at Cartier International, in a statement. “The diffusion of this campaign enables us to share our values of universality and openness. The contribution of our new perfect Pasha de Cartier super clone watches ambassadors is a way for our Maison to celebrate this creative dialogue born more than 170 years ago.”


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Immigrants who accept almost any form of welfare or public benefit, even popular tax deductions, could be denied legal U.S. residency under a proposal awaiting approval by the Trump administration, which is seeking to reduce the number of foreigners living in the United States.
More Lies of the FBI
You might recall the case of the San Bernardino terrorist, where the FBI was going to court to try and make apple design and install an iPhone update on everyone's phones so the FBI could crack them at will. The FBI was telling teh court that there was no was on Earth, truly, to get into an iPhone otherwise.
Except there was, and the FBI's case to force Apple in install FBI-sanctioned spyware fell apart. Now, it seems, that there was a group of goons in the FBI who knew all that and deliberately lied to bot the FBI's leadership and to the courts.
200 universities just launched 600 free online courses. Here’s the full list.


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Are you ready for Halloween?
Until recently, Halloween was the celebration our American cousins did bigger and better. No longer though: the stats show that the Halloween craze is here to stay, with more Brits getting involved than ever before. Halloween is now the UK’s third biggest retail event, only surpassed by Christmas and Easter, and it is growing year on year.
According to the Guardian, the estimated spend in 2015 was £460m on fancy dress, food and decorations, whilst fake blood and pumpkin sales have jumped 3000% since 2001, with an estimated 10m pumpkins are grown in the UK every year. Sainsbury’s expects its customers to buy just over 1m pumpkins in the week leading to Halloween, and said sales of pumpkins were up 11% year on year in its supermarkets.
Whilst parties were once focused on children, Tesco’s Halloween buyer, Bryony Watson told the Guardian adults were increasingly prepared to dress up. Supermarkets are the main beneficiaries, with Asda the biggest seller of costumes in the UK.
Business is booming, and as the craze for Halloween moves across the pond, supermarkets are dedicating more space than ever before for ghoulish-themed items. The combination of a very limited sales window and the level of competition for buyer’s attention has meant that merchandising has become the vital tool for a huge number of brands to maximise sales during this busy time. There’s more need than ever before to ensure products are fully stocked, prominently-placed in store and looking fantastic.
To find out more about how eXPD8 can help, get in touch with our FANG-tastic team.


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Language service provider EQHO Globalization, which is headquartered in Singapore but has the majority of its operations in Thailand, informed Slator in an exclusive that it generated $1.5 million in revenues for the third quarter of 2015. The company’s CEO, Phanitanan Sanitprachakorn, said that Q3 was very positive for the company and confirmed that they expect to grow by 30% in 2015 compared to 2014. She also forecast the 30% revenue growth rate to hold for 2016.
Sanitprachakorn told Slator that the company employs more than 100 people, 90% of which are in Asia. Though the company’s headquarters are in Singapore, according to information obtained from LinkedIn, EQHO Globalization employs 90 people in Thailand, 12 in Laos, ten in Singapore, and five others in undisclosed locations.
EQHO’s growth can partly be attributed to the expansion of its services outside of Asia. The company reported in a press release that it recently won strategic gaming and e-learning clients in the US. Sanitprachakorn declined to further comment on the names of the new clients due to confidentiality agreements. In order to service the new accounts, EQHO Globalization hired Rob Lawrence into its Singapore office as the US Program Manager, a new position that combines solutions and strategy deployment aside from account management functions.
Sanitprachakorn also shared that the company is 90% owned by Swedish investors. She revealed that in order to boost growth, EQHO is open to additional outside investment into the company, for example, by a suitable private equity investor. She also confirmed that EQHO would consider buying a smaller language service provider but also limited a potential deal to the Asia Pacific region.
Sanitprachakorn explained that EQHO’s strategic aim is to break into the global top 50 language service providers by 2019, which, according to the latest CSA ranking, would have meant revenues of $12.7 million.
Image: Phanitanan Sanitprachakorn, Group CEO, EQHO Group


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Flywire was founded in 2011 to solve the challenges of paying for college from another country. Today, the company has grown to become a global payments enablement and software company. The company combines its proprietary global payments network, next-gen payments platform and vertical-specific software to deliver the most important and complex payments for clients and their customers.
Flywire supports 2,250+ clients with diverse payment methods in more than 130 currencies across 240 countries and territories around the world.
We first invested in Flywire in 2020.
Congratulations to the Flywire team on a successful IPO. They have a best in class product, developed by a second to none management team.
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The Got Milk? campaign enters the Super Bowl for the first time. The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) is advertising at the Super Bowl 2013 for the first time and they hired a heavy hitter to deliver the message - The Rock.
The Milk Mustache campaign is I think known by every American. The group behind the campaign is called Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP). The Milk Super Bowl 2013 ad is a first and the milk marketing guys hired a heavy hitter to deliver the message. Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is playing a father in the ad directed by Peter Berg that goes all out to make sure his kids get milk for their cereal. The Got Milk Super Bowl 2013 Ad just got released online. Watch the very funny ad below. It shows The Rock pass weird opportunities for a bottle of milk. This is the extended version.
Don't Miss: Find a NES Classic in stock online
The Milk Super Bowl 2013 Ad will air in the second quarter of the Super Bowl on February 3rd.
The Super Bowl 2013 will take place on Sunday, February 3, 2013 in New Orleans. Our traditional Super Bowl Ads for Geeks Guide will again feature full coverage of the Super Bowl Ads ahead and during the Super Bowl XLVII. You will also be able to watch Super Bowl 2013 Ads here as soon as they are revealed. Many Super Bowl 2013 ads will be released well before the Super Bowl game day. See all confirmed Super Bowl 2013 Advertisers and the latest Super Bowl 2013 Ads announcements.


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By Dan Levine
SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov 19 (Reuters) - Apple Inc argued in court on Tuesday that Samsung had failedto present meaningful evidence to rebut allegations that theKorean electronics giant had improperly used the iPhone maker'spatented technology.
At closing arguments in a San Jose, California federalcourt, Apple attorney William Lee said Samsung had not producedany senior executives from Korea to testify in a damages retrialbetween the two companies, while Apple called its marketingchief Phil Schiller to the stand.
Apple and Samsung are engaged in a global litigation battleover patents. Last year, Apple was awarded over $1 billion afterit convinced a jury that Samsung copied various iPhone featuresand design touches, like using your fingers to pinch and zoomthe display and the phone's flat, black glass screen.
In March, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh upheld about $600million of that verdict but ordered a retrial on the rest,ruling that the previous jury had made some errors in itscalculations. During the retrial, Apple asked the jury toaward$379.8 million, while Samsung argued that it should have topay $52.7 million.
Samsung manufactures phones that use the Android operatingsystem, which is developed by Google.
In court on Tuesday, Lee urged the six woman, two man juryto focus on internal Samsung documents, which tell the realstory about what happened.
"Witnesses forget, or in the case of Samsung here, witnessesdon't appear," Lee said.
Samsung is expected to deliver it's closing argument laterthis morning.
The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District ofCalifornia is Apple Inc vs. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, 11-1846.
- Consumer Discretionary
- Apple Inc


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LONDON, - The John Lewis Partnership, owner of Britain's leading department store chain, has said it must diversify beyond retail to survive the turmoil on the high street and plans to expand into financial services, gardening, housing and rental options. The Partnership, which owns the John Lewis department store chain and the upmarket supermarket Waitrose, said it hoped its plan would help profits to recover over the next three to five years.
"As you all know, these are testing times, with profits this year and next likely to be challenged," Chairman Sharon White said in a letter to staff, known as partners. "The beauty of being a Partnership is that we are able to take a long-term view."
Known as middle England's favourite department store, John Lewis had already said it could cut 1,300 jobs.
In an outline of her new strategy, White said retail profit margins were under pressure and for the Partnership to be "sustainable over the long-term", it needed to expand beyond its traditional role. It wants to grow significantly its financial services arm which offers credit cards, insurance and personal loans, and expand further into horticulture with possible partnerships on landscaping.
As the group looks at potentially repurposing its shop estate, it could work with third parties to produce affordable housing, and it is also looking to rent out products or build a marketplace to sell used products.
The scale of the plans show how retailers in Britain are having to rethink the way they do business. For John Lewis, it expects to become a 60% online retailer, from 40% before the pandemic, showing how quickly companies are having to adapt.
Marks & Spencer, health and beauty chain Boots and the upmarket department store Selfridges are cutting thousands of jobs between them.
Zomato's revenue rose 123% to Rs 4,109 crore in the 2021-22 financial year. The company's loss widened by 24% to Rs 1,098 crore. The company in its annual report said its average monthly transacting customer base grew by 116% in the year. The online food delivery platform went public last year.
Bismi is a family-controlled venture owned by entrepreneur VA Ajmal who leads the business as its managing director. The company has revenue of around ₹800 crore. While the Ajmals are seeking a valuation of about ₹600 crore, Reliance Retail is currently negotiating on the valuation which could ultimately be lower, the executives said.


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April 05, 2018
Technology stocks, the stock market darlings that powered equity indices to record highs, have had a rough ride in the first quarter of 2018. In March, FAANG stocks (that is Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google) suffered their worst one-day loss as a collective group, falling 5.6% as Tech investors struggled to swallow an amalgamation of new risks and setbacks which have emerged, particularly around regulatory concerns. The rout continued and as a whole, US stocks began the first day of Q2 in correction territory.
However, whilst the unpleasant ride for investors is likely to continue in the short-term, it’s important to consider that the nature of the risk in the Tech sector, is, for now, idiosyncratic. This means, that each of the companies whose share price is being battered faces its own company-specific risk. These are unsystematic – it just so happens that all of these have come in a gust, impacting the sector at large.
Firstly, there is Facebook. The company has been embroiled in a scandal in which a data company, Cambridge Analytica stands accused of aiding and abetting the Trump administration to win the hearts and minds of voters by harvesting the personal data of millions of Facebook users without permission. Though Facebook has pointed its finger at a third party app, Mark Zuckerburg, the CEO, has been called to testify in front of Congress. Facebook likely faces steep financial penalties from regulators in light of the scandal, as well as increased regulatory scrutiny.
Then there is Amazon. The company has lost around $60Bn in market value since it was revealed that Trump wants to ‘go after’ the company. CEO Jeff Bezos has fallen into Trump’s firing line, as he also owns the Washington Post which openly criticises Trump. In a Twitter fusillade against the company Trump has claimed, amongst other things, Amazon harms brick-and-mortar retailers whilst weighing too heavily on the postal service. Amazon may be hit with higher taxes.
Though it is not a FAANG stock, trouble at Uber is also causing investors to switch into a more defensive mindset, out of Tech. Nvidia has suspended self-driving car tests after a recent fatality involving an Uber autonomous vehicle. There are also concerns about Tesla’s production plans.
Undoubtedly the various issues have dampened sentiment. Whilst heightened volatility can be expected as each of these companies work to resolve the issues at hand, fundamentals remain strong and eventually we expect a degree of stabilisation. Tech stocks typically benefit from rising bond yields and as central banks take their foot of the gas in terms of QE, yields are headed north, and Tech – a very late cycle performer should pick up. For this reason we have a slight overweight in select Tech names. We are however reluctant on semi-conductor names – these are highly cyclical and if PMIs start to recede and growth momentum slows, this sector will likely suffer.
Author: Group Investment Office


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A global chip shortage and a slowing demand for games has caused a significant blow to Nintendo’s profit, as the company struggles to sell to its Switch gaming console.
The gaming giant reported a 19 per cent decline to 172 billion yen (£4.6bn) in net profit for the first half of this fiscal year from the same period a year ago, which included hits like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The release of the Animal Crossing game in March 2020 set a high bar for Nintendo, selling over 14 million copies in the April-September period last year. Revenue also saw a 19 per cent drop to 624 billion yen (£4bn) for this year.
Looking forward, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said he saw “no signs of improvement” in the supply of semiconductors, essential to the production of the company’s consoles.
The Japanese-owned Nintendo expects to sell 24 million Switch consoles in the year to end-March, 1.5 million fewer than it had initially forecast.
However, Nintendo now expects annual net profit to fall 27 per cent, better than an earlier forecast of a 29 per cent decline. This is partly due to a positive impact from foreign exchange movements and higher-than-expected software sales it now sees.
The company revised up its annual software sales by 10 million copies to 200 million after the release of “Mario Party Superstars” last month while it also has other games from popular franchises lined up for the rest of the fiscal year, such as “Pokemon Legends: Arceus.”
Compared with a year ago, software sales will still be down 13 per cent, based on the revision.
Despite issues, Nintendo has been able to maintain stable digital download sales, which are highly profitable. Revenue from its subscription gaming service, Nintendo Switch Online, has also been high enough to support its profit margin. This is an area the company looks to continue.
Furukawa said, “We do not expect to be able to produce enough [consoles] to meet the expected demand for the holiday season… We are striving to produce as many units as possible with the cooperation of our production partners and suppliers.”


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Copperas Cove: Mega Shopping Complex Adds Whataburger To Menu Of Shops
COPPERAS COVE (September 24, 2012)—Whataburger is the newest business to be added to the Five Hills Shopping Center’s menu of shops.
The nearly 130-acre shopping center on East Hwy. 190 will be a phased development and construction crews are already building an H-E-B grocery store that is expected to open to the public in February.
Phase one of the development, at the intersection of US 190 and the newly constructed south bypass, includes 35,000 square-feet of retail space and five pad sites, their website says.
Congress approved a land swap about 5 years ago that transferred the property from Fort Hood to the Copperas Cove Economic Development, Corp.
The corporation approved a purchase agreement last year that allows the sale of about 125 acres of land to the developers, C-Cove 90 Partners, Inc., a merging of First Advisor, Inc. and Endeavor Real Estate group, out of Austin.
In November, the company and Coryell County Commissioners agreed on a 25-year repayment contract in which developers will be repaid 25 percent of the development’s property taxes for 25 years.
The city will refund 35 percent of sales tax for the first five years, 40 percent for the next five years and then 65 percent for the duration of the 25-year agreement. However, the deal is performance-based and will be discontinued if construction ceases before the complex is completed, Coryell County Judge, John Firth said in an earlier statement.
Gary Davis of C-Cove 90 Partners, Inc., who had the initial idea of a shopping center, says that should not be a concern because the more development, the more revenue the company will profit from.
Early estimated costs show the first phase at roughly $50 million for the development of 72 acres.
The Executive Director of the Copperas Cove Economic Development, Corp., Polo Enriquez said taxpayers will not have to pay any money out of pocket for the funding except the portion of sales tax for purchases made that will go to the developer. The Whataburger is expected to open to the public sometime next year.


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Good weekend tech reads
Facebook economics, Apple phone wars, and 'Big Data'
If you were busy catching the new Gauguin show at Seattle Art Museum this weekend, or taking advantage of clear highways to head to the ski slopes, you might have missed some good tech reads with connections to the Puget Sound region, either direct or indirect.
Several reporters jumped on news that Apple is seeking an injunction against sales of Samsung’s Nexus smartphone, while the two companies duke it out over patent rights. This is an issue that has entangled multiple companies, including Microsoft, Motorola and Google, and it won’t be going away anytime soon. For Wall Street Journal subscribers, here's one smart take on this latest development.
Steve Lohr, the longtime tech writer for The New York Times, had a takeout on “Big Data” – the buzz phrase for the growing amount of data being transmitted over the Internet – and what the phenomenon means for businesses. The piece, titled “The Age of Big Data,” laid out the race by corporations to hire smart tech managers who can help them collect, sort and organize everything from ad results to topical blog posts to U.S. government data. Lohr even worked in a reference to “Moneyball,” the baseball movie that highlighted the Oakland Athletics' use of micro-data to scout for undervalued, high-output players. An interesting, sometimes even fun, read on a complex topic.
TechCrunch on Sunday ran a guest column about a trend it says won’t go away (despite a name that annoys everyone I’ve heard talk about it): "gamification." Toronto-based writer Joseph Puopolo explained the concept this way: “For the uninitiated, gamification, said simply, is the use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences.” Of the three companies Puopolo featured, one is based in Seattle. That’s BigDoor, a three-year-old, venture-backed company that TechFlash has written about here and here. Puopolo described how BigDoor helped Dell by building an interactive feature to draw in customers. And he described using it for his own site, with good results. “For those looking to try out gamification ... on their site, it is a great bet,” he concluded.
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- Content Specialist (Indonesian) Collabera Inc. | Redmond, WA


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While 2020 was unprecedented in virtually every way, a sense of normalcy returned to e-commerce during the holiday season as online sales surged again. From Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, U.S. consumers spent 47.2 percent more this year than they did during the same period in 2019. While retailers cheer more sales, they also understand that the post-holiday period will be busy with returns and chargebacks.
A recent report from commercial real estate firm CBRE predicts e-commerce returns will reach more than $70 billion, 73 percent higher than the five-year average. Along with post-holiday returns, merchants also need to protect against the predictable rise in chargebacks that also occurs in January and February each year. According to chargeback management firm Chargebacks911, since chargebacks typically lag purchases by 45 to 60 days, e-commerce sellers can expect a surge that will reach its apex in mid-February.
Chargebacks911 made several tips available this week for merchants to prepare themselves and minimize the impact of this seasonal increase in chargebacks. The company urges merchants to make use of AVS and 3D Secure; make sure to request the CVV or security code during checkout; make your return policy clear, visible and easily accessible; respond to customer calls and messages promptly; provide detailed and accurate product descriptions; list your business’s name, URL and phone number in your billing descriptor; and others.


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HALLOWEEN READY: NIKE AIR FORCE 1 LOW “PURPLE SKELETON”
Make it your Halloween treat. As the scariest time of the year looms closer, Nike once again applies a skeleton graphic on a classic, the Air Force 1 Low, set to release on Oct. 28. After past editions in white, black and orange, now is the turn of a deep purple shade, obviously complemented by a glow-in-the-dark white skeleton motif and a semi-translucent sole. Our raffle is now live, ending on Oct. 27 at 4:00 pm.


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That gives Clallam County retailers a success rate of 95 percent during 2010 and 2011 combined, said Jill Dole, prevention specialist with Clallam County Health & Human Services.
“Thanks to Clallam County tobacco retailers for helping to break the chain of tobacco addiction by asking for proper ID and refusing to sell to minors,” Dole said in a statement.
Compliance checks used “youth operatives” of 15 or 16 years old.
She attributed the high success rate partially to the county’s Retailer Education & Awareness Campaign that has been ongoing for 10 years.
Beginning in 2012, tobacco compliance checks will be conducted by the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Dole said.
Site visits will be made to tobacco retailers who have a history of selling to minors in the past, as well as to new tobacco outlets.
It is a gross misdemeanor for a clerk to sell restricted tobacco products to minors and results in a $50 fine for the first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses.
The owner of the establishment pays a fine ranging from $100 for the first offense up to $1,500, and his or her license is suspended for 12 months for the fourth offense.
“These penalties can be avoided if all clerks are properly trained to read identification and pay careful attention to young customers,” Dole said.
According to the Department of Health, every day in Washington state, 65 young people start smoking, and by 12th grade, 20 percent of high school seniors are regular tobacco users and addicted to nicotine.
One-third of smokers ultimately die from smoking-related causes, the department said.


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As a result of the financial crisis and its fallout, I lost my job. Like many Americans, my wife and I did the best we could with our finances but we decided she had to declare bankruptcy. We jointly shared a Visa credit card through GTE Financial Credit Union here in Tampa Bay area that Continue Reading
A comprehensive credit card law is now in place that will help end the tricks that trap consumers in high-cost credit card debt. You can learn more about these key rights below. Click here to see when different provisions of the law go into effect.
The new credit card law includes these consumer protections:
Restricts all interest rate increases during the first year
Restricts interest rate increases on existing balances
Increases notice for rate increase on future purchases
Preserves the ability to pay off on the old terms
Requires fair application of payments
Provides sensible due dates and time to pay
Protects young consumers
Restricts issuance fees on fee harvester cards
Requires enhanced disclosures
Places limits on fees and penalty interest
Requires banks to review rate increase every six months
Establishes gift card protections
- Group letter to banking agencies recommending enforcement action under the CARD Act
July 7, 2010 By Fax (202-452–3819) and First Class Mail The Honorable Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. Washington, DC 20551 Dear Chairman Bernanke: The undersigned groups are contacting you to request that the Federal Reserve Board examine the banks under its supervision Continue Reading
- Summary of Fed’s Final Rule on August Provisions of CARD Act
The Federal Reserve Board has issued its proposed regulations governing the final sections of the CARD Act which go into effect August 22, 2010.
- Paper statement fees?! What to do about this latest trick
We’ve heard from a number of consumers on our previous blog, Paper statement fees?! Credit card issuers’ latest trick about their frustrations with receiving their bills in the mail and surprise(!) are charged a fee for it.
- CU comment to the FRB on Regulation Z proposed rule
Regulation Z: Truth in Lending, Federal Reserve Board Docket No. R-1384
- Summary of Fed’s proposal for final CARD Act provisions
Federal Reserve Board Proposed Rule, Regulation Z March 2010 The Federal Reserve Board has issued its proposed regulations governing the final sections of the CARD Act which go into effect August 22, 2010. The Agency will be accepting public comment on the following provisions which relate to the size of penalty fees and the process Continue Reading
- A Consumer’s Guide to Using Credit Cards
As a consumer, it pays to be smart when choosing and using a credit card. Click the link below to access a site maintained by the Federal Reserve Board which provides a basic guide to navigating the credit card process. – Learning more about credit card offers – Understanding your statement – Credit card repayment Continue Reading
- Have you been ripped off by the big banks or other lenders?
Have you been hit with unexpected fees that drain your bank account? Have you taken out a loan that turned out to be full of tricks and traps? Consumers Union wants to hear your story because it will help us illustrate why consumers deserve stronger protection. Tell us your story so we can build support for real reform that helps consumers not the big banks!
- What You Need to Know: New Credit Card Rules
The Federal Reserve Board’s new rules for credit card companies mean new credit card protections for you. Here is the Board’s summary of the key changes you should expect from your credit card company beginning on February 22, 2010.
- Credit Card Comments to the Federal Reserve
Consumers Union asks the Federal Reserve to make sure credit card companies don’t try to get around the new limits on rate increases and fees through creative new charge schemes or other unfair demands on customers.
- We got the credit card banks on the run!
Your complaints over interest rate hikes, ridiculous new fees and higher minimum payments were heard loud and clear! The House just froze rate hikes on your credit card balances, and gave you new protections starting Dec. 1 — just in time for the holidays. Now we need the Senate to hear us and do the same! Email your Senators right now and tell them you can’t afford to wait for a February law to stop the credit card companies’ abusive tactics.
- CU to CFPB: Some colleges may be violating credit-card law
Thursday, February 19, 2015 Consumers Union to CFPB: Some colleges may be violating credit-card law CARD Act requires colleges to make credit-card marketing agreements available to public, but none of the schools contacted by CU could provide information Washington, D.C. — Some colleges and universities may be violating federal law by failing to make their Continue Reading
- Consumer Reports Rates Best & Worst Prepaid Cards
Wednesday, November 12, 2014 Report Issued on Eve of November 13 CFPB Field Hearing on Prepaid Cards; Consumers Union Calls for Reforms to Better Protect Consumers YONKERS, NY – Prepaid cards have become an increasingly popular payment option but it can be challenging for consumers to determine which cards are the most affordable and easiest Continue Reading
- On CARD Act’s 5th anniversary, Consumers Union calls for new reforms by CFPB
On the fifth anniversary of the Credit CARD Act, a historic federal law to prevent unfair and abusive practices by credit card companies, CU is asking the CFPB to build upon the success of the law with new reforms to protect cardholders.
- CU testifies for stronger protections against data breaches
At a Senate hearing on preventing data breaches in the wake of incidents reported by Target and Neiman Marcus, CU is calling on lawmakers and businesses to provide consumers with stronger protections from criminals who steal their personal information and commit fraud.
- CU urges CFPB to launch investigation into Target security breach
CU asked the CFPB for a full investigation into the massive security breach at Target Corporation, which may have compromised more than 40 million credit and debit cards.
- New CFPB report on credit cards shows CARD Act has reduced credit costs and penalty fees
But CU still has serious concerns about deferred interest credit cards. Some people turn to these cards to cover the cost of big-ticket items
- CU praises FTC crackdown on “Cardholder Services” robocalls
Five companies are accused of making millions of illegal calls to pitch deceptive offers
- Consumers Union praises CFPB enforcement action against American Express for illegal credit card practices
The investigation found American Express had violated consumer protection laws
- Consumers Union: Discover Settlement with FDIC, CFPB sends strong message that “watchdogs are on the job”
Discover penalized for deceptive marketing; Consumers eligible for refunds do not need to take further action
- CFPB’s credit card complaint database goes public
Financial watchdog is considering adding complaints about other financial products to the public database
- PayPal Behaving Badly?
CFPB Files Complaint Alleging Unfair, Deceptive and Abusive Practices PayPal enrolled people in its credit program, known as Pay Pal Credit (formerly Bill Me Later), without their permission, forced customers to use PayPal Credit even when they indicated they wanted to pay another way, failed to properly process payments, refused to honor and apply Continue Reading
- ALERT! Wells Fargo Sued for Allegedly Opening Unauthorized Customer Accounts: 3 Things You Can Do
The Los Angeles City Attorney (Mike Feuer) on Tuesday filed a civil lawsuit against Wells Fargo alleging the bank opened up savings and checking accounts and issued credit cards in customers’ names, without authorization. The lawsuit further alleges that Wells Fargo failed to inform customers of the alleged misuse of their personal information and did Continue Reading
- CFPB Answers Our Letter About Possible CARD Act Violations at Schools
We recently told you about our investigation into whether colleges and universities with credit card marketing agreements were making their agreements available to the public. Using information from the CFPB’s college credit card database, we contacted 10 schools with the largest active account volume that did not post their agreements or offer guidance for how Continue Reading
- CU Says Colleges May Be Violating CARD Act; Will Colleges Respond?
In the 2000s, colleges and credit card companies got a lot of flack for entering into agreements to aggressively market credit cards to students on campus. After the 2008 financial collapse, Congress passed the CARD Act – which, among other things, requires all schools with credit card agreements to make them available to the public. Continue Reading
- Subprime Credit Card Company Ordered to Return Millions
Continental Finance Company, a company that markets credit cards to folks with dinged-up credit, agreed today to refund an estimated $2.7 million to tens of thousands of customers to compensate them for illegal fees and charges, according to a consent order Continental signed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Continental credit cards carried annual Continue Reading
- Have You Received Your Free FICO Score?
Consumers are finally seeing substantial progress in the credit score market. They’ve long faced real challenges in getting the same credit score that their banks and lenders purchased when making lending decisions about them. But over the past year, millions of Americans have gained access to free, reliable credit scores. Recently, President Obama announced that more Continue Reading
- Thirty-Five Things in 12 Months: CFPB Working for You–2014 in Review
As this year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the many actions the CFPB has taken to defend your rights as a consumer of financial services and products. The CFPB has a tough job, as we all know, and they’ve done it well. They are an indispensable Continue Reading
- From Strip to Chip: New Payment Cards Are Coming
Your payment cards may look different in 2015. Card issuers are rolling out cards with smart chip (also known as EMV) technology. The chips – little gold micro processors that are built into the card (see picture) – make payment cards more secure, but consumers will have to adapt in order to use them. The Continue Reading
- Another Day, Another Data Breach
What to Do If You Recently Shopped at Staples or bebe Have you shopped at bebe or Staples recently? If the answer is yes, your payment card information could be at risk. Both chains confirmed security breaches in which crooks are suspected of stealing customers’ payment card information. After data breaches such these, consumers are Continue Reading
- Sham Alert: CFPB Sues to Stop Business “Built on Duping Consumers”
A red-hot Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is taking on another bad actor. The latest: a lawsuit against a company that allegedly tricks consumers into signing-up for what they may think is a use-anywhere credit card but is in fact a paper membership card that can only be used to buy from the company, Union Continue Reading
- Fed proposes limits on credit card penalty fees Source: AP (Wednesday March 3, 2010)
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday proposed strict limits on penalty fees and other charges that credit card companies can slap on customers for missteps such as late payments or going over credit limits.
- A proposal for reining in credit card fees Source: New York Times (Wednesday March 3, 2010)
Rule calls for credit card issuers to revisit interest rate increases made during the last year — and there have been many — to determine if the increases were still justified.
- What Fed proposal does, doesn't do Source: USA Today (Monday March 8, 2010)
The Fed’s proposal gives the card industry a “big out” when evaluating whether consumers’ interest rates should be lowered
- Bank credit card fees keep going up
In recent months, many issuers have raised interest rates for borrowers even as the Federal Reserve has cut rates. They’re doing so ahead of a federal regulation that takes effect next year, curtailing their ability to raise rates on existing credit card debt, says Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.
- The reason behind Capital One's rate increase
Last month, Capital One raised some eyebrows by significantly increasing their rates on new customers on the majority of their credit cards. The advertised annual percentage rate on these 15 cards increased from an average of 12.45 percent to 17.24 percent. One could ask, “What’s left in your wallet?”
- How to lower your credit card interest rate
If you have a credit card, you might be getting a letter in the mail with some bad news: your credit card company is jacking up your interest rate. Never mind if you’ve been an excellent customer, whose always paid your bills on time. Some of the biggest credit card companies, including Capital One, Citibank, and HSBC, are now raising rates on millions of customers.
- Credit card firms continue to raise interest rates and fees
Has the interest rate on your credit card gone up recently? If so, you’re not alone. In the past several months, a number of credit card companies have instituted changes to customers’ accounts, increasing rates and tacking on fees.
- House of Cards
These tactics are not going to improve the credit-card industry’s dismal reputation. They’re also not going to help an economy in recession, since reduced credit lines take away an important cushion for consumer spending, and higher interest rates and increased fees are likely to drive more people to default.
- American Express, Chase cut card limits lowering credit scores
About 45 percent of U.S. banks reduced credit limits for new or existing credit-card customers in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a Federal Reserve January survey of senior loan officers. Financial institutions may slash $2 trillion in credit- card lines in the next 18 months, Meredith Whitney, a former Oppenheimer & Co. analyst, wrote in a Nov. 30 report.
- Buy something, or else
One of the biggest causes of the financial crisis was that Americans were borrowing (and spending) more money than they could afford to pay back. So how are credit-card issuers reacting to consumers’ attempts to live a more financially responsible lifestyle? They’re threatening to cut their credit cards off if they don’t spend enough.


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The "dark UX" tricks e-commerce sites employ during discount season
Earlier this week fast-fashion e-commerce site boohoo received a ticking off from the Advertising Standards Association about misleading time-limited offers on its website.
An investigation by the BBC's Watchdog programme found that a number of "countdown" offers featuring countdown clocks to pressure consumers into making a purchase within a limited time were misleading as the clocks were simply re-set again once the time had run out.
The etailer argued that certain offers were extended due to popular demand and it had not sought to mislead customers. The matter was referred to the Committee of Advertising Practice, which decided to take no further action after the company pledged to review its promotional practices.
In a statement released yesterday the company said: "CAP (The Committee of Advertising Practice) has requested that the Company take its guidance on board.
'The Company has confirmed that it will do so and will continue to review its promotional offers so that they comply with applicable regulations. CAP has confirmed that this matter is closed and there will be no further action."
But boohoo is far from the only etailer to employ "dark UX" (user experience) tricks to get consumers to act on promotions quickly, according to Chris Bush, head of experience design at design agency, Sigma, who was a spokesperson on the live BBC Watchdog show.
“Boohoo is just one example, but we know this is happening across the entire retail industry. Websites are designed with ‘mind tricks’ that confuse consumers into making a purchase, often using behavioural psychology principles to drive sales.
“These tactics take advantage of our desires to find a bargain or our fear of missing out on a deal and are likely to have been deliberately implemented for this reason," Bush explained.
Below Bush points out several "Dark UX" practices that Sigma found in use over Black Friday weekend alone:
Fashion retailer ASOS was offering a "Black Friday" discount of 20% - but only if you enter a promotional code. However, the "enter code" box wasn’t in an obvious place during the checkout process. The brand is therefore promising customers a discount, but later encouraging them to forget to input it.
Similarly, Jacamo was offering a ‘code only’ Black Friday offer, which was difficult to see on the home screen. Furthermore, during the checkout process, the "enter code" form only appeared on the basket page after signing in, but if you signed up as a new user, you were taken straight to the checkout page, bypassing the discount code option – meaning new users had to put in extra effort to get their discount.
During the registration process one of the "sign up" buttons, actually added shoppers to the company’s mailing list. Moreover, during registration the form pre-selected an opt-in – for a "Jacamo Pay" credit account.
Researchers found that lifestyle retailer Very may have been encouraging "pressure" sales. By stating that particular sales items are "Going fast!" with "7 purchased in the last hour", shoppers may feel that they should buy immediately, or face the disappointment of the items selling out.
River Island was shown to be prioritising data collection over its customers’ privacy, with a near-invisible "opt-out" tick box at checkout stage. Not only does this potentially confuse shoppers, but it doesn’t meet recognised best-practice accessibility guidelines on colour contrast.
The fashion e-commerce site could be capitalising on the "fear of missing out" by urging customers to complete their purchases before a "limited" delivery offer is no longer available. However, it is unclear whether the offer is genuinely limited. Shoppers may once again feel compelled to buy an item at that moment, instead of taking time to reflect on whether it is what they really want or need.