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The U.S. Federal Trade Fee has voted to scrap a 2015 policy assertion that restricted its capacity to provide enforcement steps more than anticompetitive conduct.
The direction demanded the fee to stick to the “consumer welfare” standard in selecting whether or not to sue corporations for “unfair procedures of competition” less than Portion 5 of the FTC Act.
The FTC’s 3-2 vote on Thursday to revoke the direction “will give the FTC extra leeway to pursue competitors statements that could not tumble squarely in just the two existing antitrust statutes: the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act,” in accordance to CNBC.
“In observe, the 2015 assertion has doubled down on the agency’s longstanding failure to investigate and pursue unfair procedures of competitors,” explained Lina Khan, a progressive antitrust scholar who took more than as FTC chair two months in the past.
She also explained that withdrawing the direction was “only the begin of our efforts to make clear the indicating of Portion 5 and use it to today’s sector.”
U.S. courts use the buyer welfare standard to decide whether or not qualified conduct and mergers damage prospects, specifically by rising price ranges. The standard “can be a lot less applicable in digital markets, which usually offer absolutely free merchandise or discounted price ranges sponsored by other parts of the organization,” CNBC explained.
The direction was accredited on a four-one vote in August 2015. The FTC’s authority less than Portion 5 is independent from and is found as broader than the Sherman and Clayton functions that give the cause of motion in most U.S. antitrust enforcement.
Thursday’s vote “could have sizeable implications on antitrust scenarios in the tech business and in other places,” CNBC described, noting that the FTC will have to make a decision in just the month whether or not to transfer forward with an antitrust lawsuit from Fb right after a judge dismissed its first criticism.
Alternatively than amend the criticism, the company could choose to provide the circumstance before an administrative legislation judge less than Portion 5.
Democratic Commissioner Rohit Chopra explained revoking the direction would aid the FTC “move past this interval of perceived powerlessness,” but the two Republican commissioners objected.


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Turners Auctions lifts first-half profit 12% despite "challenging" used car business
Aug. 18 (BusinessDesk) - Vehicle auctioneer Turners Auctions lifted first-half profit 12% despite sales falling 3% with the used car business remaining “challenging.” The shares jumped 8.7%.
Net profit for the six months ended June 30 rose to $1.6 million while sales fell to $34.9 million due to a 9% reduction in sales of used Japanese imports by the Turners Fleet division. The company said $17.8 million of auction revenue was consistent with the same six months last year.
“Trading has improved in the second quarter,
largely due to good performance in our commercial and trucks
business,” Turners said.
“With reduced availability of imports from Japan and diminished demand from the public in the current economic environment, the used car business remains challenging,” it said.
The Turners Finance ledger was up 12% to $19.3 million from June 2010. “The growing ledger and strong add-on sales of insurance products have resulted in continued growth in operating profit from this business,” the company said.
Chief executive Graham Roberts told Business Desk the finance book “is running extremely well. Current arrears are down below 1%.”
In Japan, car manufacturers are gearing up production again which should soon result in more used cars becoming available but new emissions standards coming in effect on January 1, 2012 will mean only about half the Japanese cars imported this year would be able to come in next year, Roberts said.
The performance of the trucks business is repaying investment the company made about 18 months ago and the strength of the commercial business, while a positive story for Turners, reflects the large number of receiverships around the country.
“It's good to have a counter-cyclical business,” Roberts said.
Turners will pay a fully imputed 5 cents a share first-half dividend, the same as last year's payout, but will also pay a 6 cents fully imputed special dividend, a total of $3 million.
Its balance sheet carries no debt other than the funding for its finance ledger, $19.6 million at June 30, which is provided by Motor Trade Finance. It also had $14.4 million in cash at June 30.
“We're working quite hard currently on a number of investment opportunities” but the directors still fell there was sufficient cash to warrant a special dividend, Roberts said.
Turners' shares rose 12 cents to $1.50.

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News 5 Min Read
Midweek Marketing News
Too Busy to Keep Up With the Latest Marketing News? We’ve Got You Covered
Digital marketers know that this industry moves fast. Some might say too fast — but not us! We’ve been keeping tabs on the big stories and insights making marketing news, and have assembled a quick primer for your review.
These are the stories and insights that have shaped the week. Let’s take a look.
The Candid Thoughts of Media Buyers: ‘We’re Being Scrutinized’
Media buyers discuss everything from the waning relevance of agencies to clients increasingly caring about where their ad dollars are going.
Are You Ready for the Attribution Changes Coming to Google AdWords?
If you’re not, don’t worry. VP of Online Marketing Strategy Mona Elesseily provides an overview of attribution and five different replacement models available in Google AdWords.
ABM is a Team Sport: 5 Steps to Ensuring Players Work Together
Peter Isaacson explains why B2B marketers need to work in lock-step with each other, from Marketing Operations and Demand Generation to Field and Digital Marketing.
How Well Do You Know Your Customer?
You may not know them as well as you think…
The Ad Formats and Categories Consumers Like Most
Consumers have taken a shine to Facebook ads, which they ranked their top digital ad format. TV, however, tops them all.
Why Are B2B Marketers So Bad at Measuring Their Marketing Results?
87 percent of B2B marketers say they use analytics tools to manage their content marketing efforts, but only 35 percent say they measure content marketing return-on-investment (ROI).
This Company Came Up With a Score to Measure an Influencer’s Reach
Influencer marketing is getting a metric that promises to help brands and companies measure out the value of an influencer.
What Marketers Are (and Aren’t Yet) Doing With Artificial Intelligence
The best is yet to come, according to a panel put together for Adweek’s Elevate: AI summit.
4 Reasons Why You Need a Facebook Marketing Partner
We break down the top four reasons why you should work with an Ad Tech FMP when running campaigns on Facebook.
Facebook’s New Tool Allows Travel Brands to Shape Vacationers’ Plans From the Start
The company says 68 percent of millennials found ideas for their most recent trip on Facebook, and 60 percent found them on Instagram
Snap Opens its Marketing API, Which Lets Third-Parties Deliver Ads on Behalf of Others, to All Developers, After a Limited Launch in 2016
Snap announced the move back in February, which opens its API to all developers.
13 Ingredients in the Perfect Social Media Contest
It turns out people expect more than a link that says “Who wants to win an iPad!?”
5 Ways Facebook Analytics Beats Google Analytics
Facebook Analytics helps marketers measure actions in the News Feed, and some say it gives a better idea of true social performance than GA.
Four Challenges that Any Paid Social Strategy Should Consider
Paid social campaigns have a lot of competition, but the marketer who keeps targeting, creative, and performance top of mind should have the edge.
Publishers Adapt To The New Realities of The Facebook News Feed
The social giant’s algorithm change has left many publishers looking for new strategies to drive traffic.
The Cookie is (Still) Dead: Device IDs and the Future of Mobile Marketing
The cookie is dead, long live the device ID.
3 Marketing Leaders Explain How to Win on Mobile
Don’t think of it as a channel — think of it as how you market.
Roku beats Q4 estimates with $188.26M net revenue, up 28% YoY, predicts $40M-$55M 2018 loss; active accounts rose 44% YoY to 19.3M
The OTT giant Roku smashed expectations, thanks largely to a big increase in its ad revenue.
Same Time, Same Place, Next Week
That’s it for the roundup this week, we’ll be back next Wednesday with another list of what’s making news in marketing.


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The Yard is a 350,000 square-foot green development in Khawneej near Mirdif that features a lake, a farmer's market, a 550 metre shaded walking trail, picnic spots, a bridge where you can leave a lock to declare your love, a Last Exit food truck village (where you will find everything from sandwich and meat truck Mr Brisket to fresh donut truck Doh) and restaurants such as Sikka Cafe.
It's about to double in size, with a 200,000 square foot extension now under construction. There will be a new Roxy cinema, a gym and health centre and a Geant Hypermarket there by this time next year.
It's interesting that the supermarket will be a Geant, because in 2017, Majid Al Futtaim, who own the Carrefour chains in the region, acquired all of the UAE Geants: 26 to be exact. So this will be a re-entry into the UAE for Geant.
The new Geant at The Yard will be spread over 50,000 square feet and feature an area focusing on locally-sourced produce, and the Roxy Cinemas will offer Platinum and Gold class experiences.
When the whole Yard development is finished it will spread across 2.8 million square feet.
Here are some pics of what you'll find at The Yard now:


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Feds give millions in contracts to firms owned by fictitious
Liberals love stealing money.
Check it out:
A Maryland woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges related to setting up at least 15 false businesses in six states that received government contracts despite often being registered to people who did not exist.
The businesses subcontracted all the work to other companies, then took the federal dollars without paying the companies doing the work.
Larayne Whitehead, 34, of Clinton, Md., agreed to forfeit $2.4 million in illegal proceeds and a silver Audi.
“The conspirators typically operated under a particular business name for a period of six to 12 months until the business was either disqualified from the FedBid marketplace or was otherwise burdened with lawsuits or liens,” the plea bargain said.
Read more at http://conservativebyte.com/2013/08/feds-give...eFQP5q6.99


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But while Burberry may still be struggling to regain its sense of exclusivity in the UK, its association with chav culture does not stretch past British shores. In Asia and the US, Burberry is a classic British luxury goods brand, and a quarterly statement from the company yesterday said it was trading above expectations across the business. Underlying sales between April to June were up 9 per cent on last year.
And there is still plenty of growth available worldwide. It is opening up to five new stores in the US each year, and newly refurbished stores in Washington, Denver, Boston and Philadelphia have only just reopened, so the full effect of this investment is still to come.
As well as a strong geographic spread, Burberry also has different routes to market. These consist of its own retail outlets (stand-alone shops and concessions), wholesale sales to department stores and boutiques, and licensing deals. It has just bought a number of its wholesale distributors in Taiwan, turning them into direct retail operations that give it greater control over how its goods and brands are positioned. Licensing is still a small part of the group, but increased royalty payments are boosting revenues.
There are fears that Rose Marie Bravo, Burberry's chief executive who masterminded the revival of the brand, may not stay on beyond 2006. Her departure would be a real blow.
And at 437.5p, Burberry's shares are, as you might have guessed, not inexpensive. But it is diversifying away from the increasingly miserly UK consumer, and GUS, which owns 66 per cent of Burberry, is planning to divest its stake this year. This should greatly increase the liquidity of its shares. Hold.
It may be too late to board Icap
The world's largest inter-dealer broker Icap, the creation of Michael Spencer, the chief executive, is still making good progress. Its combination of telephone and electronic broking puts it in a good position to grow market share and profits margins.
Mr Spencer is determined to take the group's share of the electronic-broking market from 28 per cent to more than 35 per cent over the next few years - a leap he can only achieve through acquisitions. But the company refused to stump up enough for MTS, the Milan-based electronic bond market, which was recently acquired by Euronext and Borsa Italiana.
Markets for swaps and derivatives in 2005 are turning out better than last year and Icap yesterday reported a good start to its fiscal year. The rising dollar will benefit its profits, which are reported in sterling. But it has to find ways of offsetting margin erosion, which happens as banks push down commission rates. This can be done through increasing volumes and developing new products. One example is a new range of property-based derivatives that will let investors bet on the property market without owning bricks and mortar.
Emerging markets provide a big opportunity to expand and Icap is busy trying to form a joint venture with a local firm in China.
But given the sharp rise in the shares - they are up 15 per cent this year - we would not chase the stock at current levels.Reuse content


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Accountant charged with stealing $432,000 from employer, using it to build lake house
An accountant for a Faribault manufacturer has been charged with stealing more than $432,000 from his employer and using the money to build a lake house and make payments on auto loans, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Ronald Lea Schaeffer, 39, of Faribault, was charged with bank fraud and faces up to 30 years in prison, prosecutors said in a news release.
The government said Schaeffer wrote 127 false checks to himself while working as an accountant for Environmental Tillage Systems Inc. (ETS) from August 2008 to April 2012. The amounts on the checks ranged from $400 to $12,000, the government said.
Schaeffer allegedly forged the signatures of the agricultural manufacturing company's CEO or chief financial officers on some of the checks, prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Schaeffer used the money to build a lake house in Elysian (about 20 miles west of Faribault in southern Minnesota) and to make payments on home equity and car loans.
>Click here to read the government's news release.
Ed Stych assembles a daily stream of best-in-class information for entrepreneurs and top managers that appear in The Business Journals' national How-To blog.
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MIT DEVELOPS INK THAT CHANGES THE COLOR OF 3D PRINTED JEWELRY
A team at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, headed by Professor Stefanie Mueller, has developed ColorFab – a new method combining software, hardware and special 3D ink for recoloring 3D printed objects – including jewelry.
The research team used photochromic materials that can switch appearance from transparent to colored when exposed to light of a certain wavelength. The color remains even when the object is removed from under the light source. What’s amazing about the process is that it’s fully reversible, allowing users to recolor the object as many times as they want.
How it Works
Users start by either creating a new 3D model or by loading one. To convert the 3D model for the photochromic printing process, they first select the desired colors from the menu (red, blue, and yellow), then hit the ‘process’ button in ColorF-ab’s user interface.
The researchers say they can change the color of an object in 25 minutes, but claim that the process can be sped up with some future improvements, such as using a more powerful light source.
Although the research team has focused only on creating a ring with this technology, they believe its future uses extend far beyond jewelry.
“Accessories, such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and smart watches tend to be worn on an everyday basis, making it difficult to pick a color that matches all outfits”, the paper says, “With ColorFab, such accessories can be recolored depending on what the user is wearing”.
According to the researchers, while low-cost 3D printing is still too slow to fabricate customized objects in store, they “envision that in a first step, stores will pre-stock mass-manufactured products but let customers select the colors on demand based on their own preferences”.


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This week Google announced that its Google Assistant has gained support for a new language. Starting this week on Google Home devices, users of the digital assistant can speak in Spanish and get proper responses to requests thanks to an update. This marks another milestone for Google and the progress it has made with Google Assistant in just a few years.
After rolling out Continued Conversation for more natural conversation, Google has another update for its assistant. As you can imagine, adding support in Google Assistant for a whole new language is not a simple task. It’s very different from launching an app in a new language, which is like translating. To speak a whole new language, Google has to teach the assistant how to do so. Having learned some Spanish myself, I cannot see it being perfect just yet, though Google claims you can do everything in English now in Spanish. In other words, Google Assistant is capable of both interpreting and speaking in the language. This makes it one of the first AI assistants to support Spanish, which should give Google Assistant a temporary edge.
At first, Spanish will be available on Google Home devices such as Mini, Home and Max in select countries where the devices are also becoming available. These are Mexico and Spain– two of the more popular Spanish-speaking countries. A large population speaks in Spanish, hence why Google focused on adding its support first. A lot more users will now be able to enjoy the benefits of Google Home, which could provide a sales and usage boost.
The language can be selected upon installation or from the Google Home app settings user “More settings” and “Preferences.” If you don’t see the option for Español in the list, you probably haven’t received the update on your speaker yet. Both the speaker and Google Home app must be up to date and it could also take a server-side switch to go into effect, so be patient.
Expect more languages in the distant future and more countries to gain Spanish support sooner rather than later. Hopefully the Google Assistant on our phones and various smart devices will gain support in the future as well.
Drop a comment below if you have Spanish up and running.
SOURCE [Google Keyword]


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Introducing FutureTV: A next-gen video distribution platform
April 13, 2023
FutureTV has announced the launch of its video distribution platform, aimed at transforming the way video content is distributed. With a focus on providing a more personalised and engaging experience for viewers, FutureTV’s cutting-edge platform offers a range of innovative features to enhance the user experience.
The FutureTV platform provides a complete video distribution solution, including features such as security for streaming, transcoding, ad insertion, subscriber management, and billing. Built on standardised hardware, the platform is highly scalable and cost-efficient, making it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes.
In addition to these core features, FutureTV offers a range of innovative functionalities, such as apps with Dynamic UI/UX, support for user-generated content, ad support to open new revenue streams, and video wall monitoring for complete operational control.
“We’re thrilled to bring this next-generation platform to market,” said Bob Kulakowski, CEO of FutureTV. “Our mission is to revolutionise the video distribution industry by providing a professional, cost-efficient solution that meets the evolving needs of today’s market. With FutureTV, viewers can enjoy a more engaging and interactive viewing experience, while businesses can benefit from a platform that’s both scalable and flexible.”
As the video distribution landscape continues to evolve, FutureTV is committed to staying at the forefront of innovation and helping businesses stay ahead of the curve.


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For the second year running, The Marlowes Shopping Centre will be hosting the Hemel Summer Food & Drink Festival on 21st & 22nd July.
Taking inspiration from the success of last year’s festival, across the weekend there will be free fun for the whole family with delicious street food traders, artisan market stalls, live music and a range of fantastic kid’s entertainment. Local Hertfordshire traders will be selling a variety of street food dishes from all across the globe – from authentic Asian and Spanish cuisine to cake stalls and ice cream.
Vince Williams, Centre Manager at The Marlowes, said: “We’re very excited to be hosting the second Summer Festival. Last year was a huge success and we’re looking forward to bringing the Hemel community together to taste the fantastic selection of food and drink we’re offering, as well as a wide collection of kid’s activities and entertainment too.
“The Marlowes is passionate about showcasing the very best of Hertfordshire which is why we’re so very pleased to be gathering a selection of local food, music and entertainment talent to be a part of this year’s festival.”
This year, The Marlowes Kid’s Club will also play a key role in creating a family friendly environment that will give families the opportunity to spend quality time together whilst experiencing something new during the summer holidays. There will be face painting alongside a prize offering trail and other activities that can be enjoyed whilst parents indulge in the range of stalls and adult entertainment available.
Williams added: “As with last year, we’re welcoming all ages along. There will be something to suit everyone; whether you’re a big foodie looking to experience an eclectic mixture of cuisines or a family looking for a fun way to spend the weekend. We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to host the Summer Food & Drink Festival again this year and we’re confident that this year is going to be roaring success.”
Find out more about what to expect at Hemel’s Summer Festival here: https://www.themarlowes.co.uk/events/2018/hemels-summer-festival-is-back/
Published on: July 13, 2018


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Oral-B plans to show off a Bluetooth based toothbrush at the MWC event next week.
Dental hygiene is an area of concern for many. Oral-B has been on the forefront of the dental hygiene industry by bringing several products catering to the specific needs of the people.
The company has now gone a step further and announced the launch of its new Bluetooth based toothbrush. This toothbrush will connect to your smartphone and provide real time details on how to keep your teeth clean and tidy. Oral-B will also launch mobile applications which will allow dentists to program the toothbrush according to their patient’s needs.
“Dentists always tell us: ‘People do a great job in the week before they come to visit us and in the week after they visit us,” the director says, “but nothing can hide the fact that when we look inside the mouth we can see all the areas they miss'” said Michael Cohen-Dumani, the global associate director over at Oral-B.
It is said that the app was developed by professionals to allow dentists keep a track of their patients’ brushing habits in between visits. Early reports claim that the toothbrush will be priced at £199 in the UK and €219 across Europe during launch, so it won’t go easy on your wallets. Oral-B will showcase this new toothbrush in length at next week’s MWC event in Barcelona.
This new toothbrush will certainly take brushing habits to a whole new level as users will be able to customize their brushing routines according to their convenience while dentists will be able to track brushing patterns and provide feedback accordingly.


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- Auto Components
- 2 min read
Auto parts industry reports highest ever revenue of INR 4.2 lakh crore
Despite reporting the highest-ever revenue in rupee, auto component business in terms of dollar stood at USD 56.5 billion in the last financial year compared to the peak sales of USD 57.1 billion in FY19 .
New Delhi: With the increased production and sales in the first half of FY 22 due to recovery in auto industry, the cumulative revenue of India’s auto component makers jumped 23% to INR 4.2 lakh crore. However, the industry lost almost USD 600 million owing to the falling rupee, according to the data issued by the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) on Monday.
Despite reporting the highest-ever revenue in rupee terms, auto component business in dollar terms stood at USD 56.5 billion in the last financial year compared to the peak sales of USD 57.1 billion in FY19 .
Component sales to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) surged 22% to INR 3.41 lakh crore in FY22. Exports grow by 43% to INR 1.41 lakh crore. Enhanced raw material prices, consumption of increased value-added components and shift in market preference towards larger and more-powerful vehicles contributed to the increased turnover of the auto-components sector, the industry body noted.
The turnover of the aftermarket segment rose to INR 74,203 crore in FY22 from INR 64,524 crore in FY21.
According to Sunjay Kapur, President, ACMA, and Chairman, Sona Comstar, whilst the automotive value-chain faced significant disruptions over the last two years in wake of the pandemic, vehicle sales, especially in the PV, CV and tractor segments now seem to have reached the pre-pandemic levels.
"Of late, there has been some moderation in the supply-side issues of availability of semiconductors, the raw-material costs and constraints in the availability of containers continue. Increased value addition for regulatory compliance, fast recovery in external markets and traction in the domestic market, both OEMs and aftermarket, have contributed to the remarkable growth of the auto components sector in FY 2021-22," Kapur added.
On the outlook, Kapur said with a slew of new launches, vehicle sales are expected to gain traction during the festive season. Further, he added increased focus by the auto industry on deep-localisation and the announcements of the PLI schemes by the Government on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Batteries and Auto and Auto Components will facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art automotive value chain and aid in developing India into an attractive alternative source of high-end auto components, he said.
"The component industry is also transforming itself as sales of two and three-wheeler EVs gain traction. I am hopeful that the buoyancy in the market will continue through the year and that FY22-23 will witness a healthy performance. Poor off-take of two-wheelers, increase in cost of insurance, high inflation, excessive fuel cost and extreme logistics costs are some of the issues of concern to the industry and do need urgent Government attention," Kapur noted.


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IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA,
GREAT JOB MR. PARMAR
it is good to eat as many as vegetables and fruits (totally vegetarian), but my aurvedic doctor asked me to stop eating every...
in a move that will benefit Punjab farmers tremendously, the Multi Commodity Exchanges of India Ltd (mcx) and the Punjab State Cooperative Supply & Marketing Federation (Markfed) have collaborated to provide them with the option to get into futures contracts for wheat. A futures contract is an exchange-traded contract that requires the delivery of a commodity at a specified price, on a specified future date. Punjab framers sell their wheat in the spot market immediately after harvest in the month of April, at a minimum support price (msp). But now, from the coming rabi marketing season (April 2005), they can sell their wheat on futures contract for July 2005, which will fetch them a price higher than the msp. At the same time, they can get the money from the sale in April itself.
"A farmer, instead of selling his produce in the spot market at msp of say Rs 6,500 per tonne in April, can deposit it in the Markfed warehouse. He will get a receipt for his produce and will immediately get into a futures contract for July. And the July price will be higher, say Rs 7,000," says Birinder Singh, chief manager (food grain), Markfed. But how are the future prices decided? "It's a demand and supply game. Buyers like exporters and flourmill owners want wheat at a certain rate on a particular future date. Under the futures contract, they get surety of the delivery at that time and farmers get a higher price," explains an mcx official.
Regarding how the farmers will be paid, Singh says: "They can take a bank loan against the warehouse receipt issued to them." The amount of loan will be 70 per cent of the value of the futures contract. "So far, State Bank of India, Corporation bank, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of India, Bank Of Baroda, Dena Bank and hdfc have agreed to lend at 9-12 per cent interest against the Markfed warehouse receipt," says Jignesh Shah, mcx managing director.
The warehouse charges and bank interest will be nearly Rs 1,000. On the expiry of the contract, the farmer will get the rest of his money after deducing Rs 1,000 from it. In between April and July, if a farmer decides to not sell his wheat on futures contract, he can repay the bank loan and take back the warehouse receipt, submit it to the warehouse and take his wheat back.


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If you play Fallout 76 you might want to avoid public servers for a while. According to multiple posts on the game's Reddit forums -- and confirmed by publisher Bethesda -- hackers have attacked public servers and wiped out the inventories of more than a few players. A post from one of the Overseers warns that "Your weapons and armor, and any other inventory items are not safe." It also appears that Bethesda is unable to restore lost items, so if they're gone, they're gone for good.
Of course, there's never a good time for a hack like this, but slap bang in the middle of the festive period is arguably the worst. Bethesda says it's actively working on a solution, and is also looking at ways it can compensate affected players. As the hack has only hit PC, it's planning on bringing the PC version of the game offline to release a fix, but whether things get sorted this side of the fast-approaching holiday remains to be seen.


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Small and independent travel agents have called on the Government to offer immediate clarity over whether foreign summer holidays can go ahead.
Travel firms say they have struggled to cope with the uncertainty of speculation about so-called ‘air bridges’ and the varied information from foreign countries about accepting visitors from the UK.
A 14-day quarantine is currently in place for anyone entering the country – including returning Britons – to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under increased pressure from the travel industry and from within his own party to ease the restrictions to boost tourism and the economy.
Mark Pollard, managing director of Tony Sheldon Travel in Maidenhead, told the PA News Agency: “The complete uncertainty about this whole period has been the main issue for us, whether it be air bridges and travel corridors or government’s overseas wanting to shut their doors to UK visitors.
“Everyone is nervous about booking holidays, we don’t have any for July and 80% of our August bookings have been either moved on or cancelled which has had a drastic effect on our business as a whole.
“We’ve had no income since the end of March, and as a small firm with a few employees and loyal customers it’s been incredibly tough.
“What we really want is a line in the sand, for some immediate clarity from the Government to establish a path for our industry to follow.”
Sue Alexander, managing director of Eagle Travel in Bedford said: “It’s been pretty brutal for us, especially during March and April where bookings completely plummeted and we were focused on paying back refunds which was very difficult.
“The problem recently has been the mere speculation about air bridges and travel corridors. We’re without concrete advice, so it’s tricky to know what we should plan for.
“Without 100% clarity we’ve been holding fire on making holiday bookings as the last thing we want to do is tie up our customers’ money in a holiday we will have to refund later on.
“I don’t want to blame the Government as I understand the reasons for being cautious and I understand that no one expected or planned for a worldwide virus, but we need clarity.”


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The owners of a Chevrolet Corvette contacted the Surprise Police Department to report that their vehicle had been stolen from their residence with the keys during a home burglary. The owners were in Canada and the housekeeper discovered that the vehicle and other personal items were missing.
The Surprise Police Department verified the theft and entered the vehicle information into the state and federal crime computers which automatically activated the LoJack® System concealed in the Chevrolet Corvette.
A short while later officers from the Phoenix Police Department picked up the silent LoJack® homing signals from the stolen Chevrolet with the LoJack® Police Tracking Computers (PTC) that are installed in patrol vehicles and aircraft. Following the directional and audible cues from the PTC, the officers tracked the vehicle to a residence near Central Avenue and Union Hills Drive in Phoenix.
The Corvette was unoccupied and parked in a driveway. The Phoenix Police auto theft detectives responded and set up surveillance. A short time later, a male subject entered the Corvette and drove away. With the use of the Phoenix Police helicopter and the LoJack® System, a covert surveillance was conducted on the Corvette as it travelled approximately forty miles from northeast Phoenix to Buckeye. The Corvette exited I-10 at Watson and pulled into a parking lot of a large retail store. The male suspect was able to get inside the store before officers could apprehend him. Multiple police agencies assisted in setting up a perimeter and searching for the suspect. The suspect was later apprehended in the Tire Center of the retail store.
During the search of the Corvette, officers found a handgun and a wallet belonging to the suspect. The wallet contained the suspect’s driver license and a fictitious identification. The suspect was booked on numerous felony charges. The Corvette was towed from the scene for safekeeping and later returned to the owners in good condition. The Surprise Police Department is conducting additional investigation into the home burglary.
The LoJack® System was installed in the Chevrolet Corvette in September, 2002.
- Car and Driver Ten Best
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Cormier Chevrolet
- Criminal Investigation Department
- forty miles
- LoJack Police
- LoJack System
- Long Beach
- Phoenix Police
- Phoenix Police Department
- retail store.
- Surprise Police Department
- Tire Center


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L-1 to buy Bioscrypt
- By William Welsh
- Jan 08, 2008
L-1 Identity Solutions Inc. plans to acquire Bioscrypt Inc., a company specializing in access control technologies, for $43.7 million in an all-stock deal.
The acquisition will give L-1 a significant boost in the realm of physical and logical access control, the Stamford, Conn.-based company said.
What's more, the purchase dramatically increases the company's presence in complementary commercial markets, such as transportation, banking and finance and health care, according to L-1.
Bioscrypt has more than 400 customers worldwide and an installed base of more than 260,000 access control units. After the deal closes, Bioscrypt is expected to operate from its headquarters location in Markham, Ontario.
"With this acquisition, L-1 strengthens its leadership position in protecting and securing personal identities and assets by extending into access control, a market that is expected to grow substantially," said Robert LaPenta, L-1's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
L-1 specializes in products and solutions for protecting and securing personal identities and assets. Its biometric solutions for fingerprint, face and iris recognition are used to by commercial and government customers for identification and credentialing.
William Welsh is a freelance writer covering IT and defense technology.


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The nonmanufacturing sector, which represents more than 80% of the U.S. economy, appears to be feeling the brunt of the post-Katrina and Rita surge in energy prices and plunge in consumer confidence.
The Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday that its nonmanufacturing index plummeted to a reading of 53.3 in September from 65.0 in August. This marked the biggest one-month drop in the eight-year history of the index. Wall Street economists were expecting the index to drop to 60.
"Many members' comments expressed concern about the continuing increase in oil and gas prices as well as Hurricane Katrina, and their impact on prices and economic activity," said Ralph Kauffman, chair of ISM's nonmanufacturing business survey committee.
The services report contrasted sharply with the ISM's survey of manufacturing Monday, which showed that sector of the economy was surprisingly strong in September. The ISM manufacturing index jumped to 59.4 in September from 53.6 in August, against expectations for the index to dip to 52.0.
Economists said that while the manufacturing sector was spared because of its indirect link to the consumer, service-sector firms are feeling the brunt of plunging consumer confidence.
In addition, service-sector operations, unlike manufacturing ones, were more likely to be located in the center of cities, such as New Orleans, that were hit by the hurricanes. On that note,
said Wednesday that same-store sales were hurt by store closings after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, high gasoline prices and lower consumer spending levels. The restaurant-chain operator also lowered its earnings forecasts.
Finally, manufacturing firms were upbeat in part on expectations of huge rebuilding efforts in southeastern states hit by Katrina and Rita.
"While manufacturing may have gotten a boost from the hurricanes, the rest of the economy is feeling the effects of the energy price spikes," says Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors.
The two ISM reports, however, did share something in common: rapidly rising inflation gauges. In the manufacturing survey, the prices paid index surged from 62.5 in August to 78 in September. In the service sector index, the prices paid index jumped from 67.1 to 81.4, which was the index's highest reading since it was created in 1997.
The double blow of slowing economic growth and rising inflation pressures fueled existing concerns on Wall Street Wednesday. Stocks, which had opened in negative territory, fell further on the ISM report. They also were pressured as crude oil and natural gas prices rose after the latest government energy inventory report.
Dow Jones Industrial Average
was recently down 50.34 points, or 0.48%, to 10,390.77. The
was down 8.11 points, or 0.67%, to 206.36. The
was down 18.35 points, or 0.86%, to 2121.01.
In bond trading, the view seemed to be that the drop in service sector activity supported a slower overall economy, eventual easing of inflationary pressures and shortening of the
tightening campaign. The benchmark 10-year Treasury bond was recently up 8/32 in price while its yield, which moves inversely, dropped to 4.34%.
Some Wall Street economists, like the Fed, were of the view that the post-Katrina deceleration in the service sector should be temporary. Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, noted that service-sector firms, unlike manufacturers, deal directly with consumers.
"We're guessing that these businesses have been alarmed by the possible implications of the post-Katrina drop in consumer confidence and the surge in gas prices; both appear to point to a period of softer consumption," he said.
However, Shepherdson believes that consumer confidence appears to have bottomed out according to the latest weekly polls by
. "We therefore expect the October nonmanufacturing ISM to rebound somewhat."
How much of a rebound will be key for markets, which are now trying to determine what impact the double-blow of slowing economic activity and rising inflation will have on profits. A number of companies, including
on Tuesday, already have lowered their earnings guidance due to rising energy and commodity costs.
In this consumer-driven economy, a bigger concern remains whether consumers will be able to absorb much-higher energy prices without flinching. "Unless energy costs drop soon, and that does not look to be the case, the holiday shopping season could be at risk," says NEA's Naroff. (Thursday's same-store sales data for September could provide an early indication of just how much is at risk.)
An extended slowdown in economic activity, he warns, could be accompanied by rising inflation, which would fuel the Fed's determination to keep raising rates. "Neither stock nor bond investors should be happy about that prospect," Naroff says.
In keeping with TSC's editorial policy, Godt doesn't own or short individual stocks. He also doesn't invest in hedge funds or other private investment partnerships. He appreciates your feedback;
to send him an email.


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Barnes Group, Inc. (NYSE:B) to Release Earnings on Friday
Barnes Group, Inc. (NYSE:B) will be releasing its earnings data before the market opens on Friday, July 28th. Analysts expect Barnes Group to post earnings of $0.69 per share for the quarter. Barnes Group has set its FY17 guidance at $2.68-2.78 EPS.
Barnes Group (NYSE:B) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 28th. The industrial products company reported $0.71 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.11. Barnes Group had a net margin of 11.30% and a return on equity of 12.49%. The company had revenue of $341.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $314.81 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.54 EPS. Barnes Group’s revenue was up 18.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect Barnes Group to post $2.78 EPS for the current fiscal year and $3.00 EPS for the next fiscal year.
Shares of Barnes Group, Inc. (NYSE B) opened at 61.88 on Friday. Barnes Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $35.96 and a 12 month high of $62.23. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $59.01 and its 200 day moving average is $52.85. The firm has a market cap of $3.32 billion, a PE ratio of 23.35 and a beta of 1.43.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.14 per share. This represents a $0.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.90%. Barnes Group’s payout ratio is 21.13%.
In related news, Director Hassell H. Mcclellan sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $56.00, for a total value of $112,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Thomas O. Barnes sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $56.06, for a total value of $56,060.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 28,250 shares of company stock worth $1,552,653 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 8.50% of the company’s stock.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY NOTICE: “Barnes Group, Inc. (NYSE:B) to Release Earnings on Friday” was published by American Banking News and is owned by of American Banking News. If you are viewing this news story on another site, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of United States & international trademark & copyright laws. The original version of this news story can be viewed at https://www.americanbankingnews.com/2017/07/21/barnes-group-inc-nyseb-to-release-earnings-on-friday.html.
Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Barnes Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 3rd. Jefferies Group LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Barnes Group in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. ValuEngine raised shares of Barnes Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, June 2nd. Finally, Sidoti downgraded shares of Barnes Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, April 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $56.00.
Barnes Group Company Profile
Barnes Group Inc is an industrial and aerospace manufacturer and service provider, serving a range of end markets and customers. The Company’s engineered products, industrial technologies, and solutions are used in applications that provide transportation, manufacturing, healthcare products and technology to the world.
Receive News & Ratings for Barnes Group Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Barnes Group Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


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MELBOURNE (MarketWatch) -- Australia's biggest retailer Woolworths Ltd. (WOW.AU) has lodged an expression of interest in some of rival Coles Group Ltd's (CGJ.AU) assets and may form part of a wider consortium to bid for the entire group, two people close to the bidding process told Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday.
The A$20 billion-plus (US$16.5 billion) sale has already attracted two consortiums led by U.S. buyout group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and local industrial conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd. (WES.AU) and is shaping up to be the country's largest ever takeover.
The people with knowledge of the deal said Woolworths is weighing up its options in trying to secure Coles' stationery and business furniture chain, Officeworks and department store group Target. They say it has also been approached by other players to bid for the whole company.
"A number of private equity firms have approached Woolworths including KKR," one person said. Other private equity groups not yet formally aligned but rumored to be have shown interest in Coles include CCMP Capital Asia, Cerberus Capital and Apax Partners. U.K. retailer Tesco PLC is also expected to take an interest in the auction process, but a spokesman for Coles declined to name other interested parties.
Coles, which was put up for sale in February after a profit downgrade, is expected to open a data room for potential buyers this week.
Australia's largest furniture and electrical retailer Harvey Norman Ltd. (HVN.AU) also threw its hat in the ring with chairman Gerry Harvey confirming it will seek to do due diligence on Officeworks.
Speculation of an impending bidding war pushed Coles shares higher again Wednesday. The stock closed at A$17.38, up 5 cents, just shy of Tuesday's record A$17.42 and well above Wesfarmers' offer last week of A$16.47 a share.
Analysts expect a successful bidder will have to partner with an Australian listed company to outbid Wesfarmers, considered the current front runner after securing a strategic 12.8% stake. Wesfarmers, which is bidding in a consortium including Australia's Macquarie Bank Ltd. and Europe's Permira Holdings Ltd, is offering Coles shareholders the chance to retain a stake in a listed company. It is also pushing the line that its offer will keep Coles, the country's second biggest retailer, in Australian hands.
A scrip component will also offer taxation benefits not available to an all-cash offer from a buyout consortium. Analysts estimate this adds around A$1.50 a share in value to Wesfarmers' bid.
Harvey Norman, along with Woolworths, are considered likely candidates to partner buyout groups. But Gerry Harvey wouldn't comment when asked by Dow Jones Newswires whether he had been approached to join another consortium. A spokeswoman for Woolworths declined to comment.
One hurdle to a possible joint bid between Woolworths and the KKR consortium is that Coles has stipulated only six members in any one consortium to prevent rival groups banding together. KKR's consortium already includes six players TPG, Carlyle Group, CVC Asia Pacific Ltd., Blackstone Group LP and Bain Capital LLC.
However, one of the people close to the bidding process said the structure of the syndicate could still change, noting "rumors a couple of the consortium members are getting a bit nervous about price, which may open up a gap."
Any decision on whether to drop out of the bidding process is unlikely to made until the parties have undertaken due diligence. The KKR consortium has been working on a tilt at Coles for some time; two offers for the retailer were rejected last year. The last one in October was priced at A$15.25 a share.
A spokesman for KKR group said "it won't be commenting on any of its options at this stage".
Any deal involving Woolworths would also be dependent on approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Woolworths and Coles operate in a virtual duopoly and are estimated to reap about three quarters of every dollar spent in supermarkets in Australia.
The third biggest player in Australian food and liquor retailing, Metcash Ltd. (MTS.AU), is also being considered as a potential partner for Woolworths, the people close to the deal said. However, it is also likely to come up against competition issues.
Analysts expect a rival consortium to Wesfarmers will need to pay at least A$17.50 a share in cash, unless it combines with a local company. Wesfarmers' offer also includes a 19.5 cents dividend.
Meanwhile, Merrill Lynch analyst David Errington said in research report Wesfarmers' proposal for Coles doesn't stack up financially. Errington said Wesfarmers is offering, in effect, "nearly A$21 billion for a business that is currently generating earnings before interest and taxes around A$1.2 billion."
He added investors that believe Coles Group can be turned around, because Woolworths is performing at a far superior level, are making a mistake.
"For Coles Group to make ground on Woolworths, we believe that it will require an acquirer with plenty of skill, plenty of time, and plenty of money," he said.
Coles is being advised by Deutsche Bank AG and boutique investment bank Carnegie Wylie & Co. Wesfarmers is being advised by Gresham Advisory Partners and Macquarie Bank.


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S.Korea's Economic Growth Forecast to Gather Steam in 2006
SEOUL, Nov 18, 2005 - South Korea's economic growth will reach 4.8 per cent next year as private spending enters a full recovery pace and investment gains ground, a private economist said Friday.
Jung Moon-kun, an executive at Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI), made the assessment at a monthly breakfast meeting of business executives sponsored by the International Management Institute, an institute under the Federation of Korean Industries.
"Private spending will enter a full recovery pace after being brought down by the busting of a consumer credit bubble (at the end of 2002)," Jung said.
"Companies' capital spending will rise 6.5 per cent, while construction investment will expand 3.4 per cent, although the current account surplus is expected to shrink as imports rise faster than exports."
The assessment is in line with a SERI prediction made last month. In mid-October, the institute said Asia's fourth-largest economy will post 4.8 per cent growth fueled by a recovery in private spending.
Most international and domestic institutions are predicting the world's 11th-largest economy will grow nearly 5 per cent in 2006 on the back of healthier consumer spending. The International Monetary Fund said Friday it would grow to this level from an estimated 3.8 per cent this year.
Jung, however, cautioned that strong anti-business sentiment and the government's comprehensive tax-raising regulations on housing prices may dampen the economy's growth momentum.
An expected fall in housing prices from the Aug. 31 regulation by the Ministry of Finance and Economy could massively deflate asset prices and drive the asset quality of the nation's financial institutions down, it said.
Other key areas of concern for South Korea's economy are global oil prices and shrinking demand from China, Jung said.
The Korean economy has been gathering ground this year as private spending picks up and exports remain resilient.
The country's gross domestic product grew an annual 4.4 per cent in the third quarter, compared with a 3.3-percent gain in the second quarter and a 2.7-percent increase in the first.
South Korea's government front-loaded its budget and cut taxes in the first half to boost growth, while the Bank of Korea retained its key interest rate at a record low until September.


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China chases elusive electric car leadership role
BEIJING -- China's leaders are finding it's a lot tougher to create a world-beating electric car industry than they hoped.
In 2009, they announced bold plans to cash in on demand for clean vehicles by making China a global power in electric car manufacturing. They pledged billions of dollars for research and called for annual sales of 500,000 cars by 2015.
Today, Beijing is scaling back its ambitions, chastened by technological hurdles and lack of buyer interest. Developers have yet to achieve breakthroughs and will be lucky to sell 2,000 cars this year, mostly taxis. The government has hedged its bets by broadening the industry's official goals to include cleaner gasoline engines.
The government has repeatedly changed targets because the “technology isn't advancing quite as fast as people had hoped,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor Co.'s president for Asia, at this week's Beijing auto show.
The government has yet to lower sales goals that ramp up to 5 million vehicles a year by 2020. But officials including Premier Wen Jiabao started acknowledging last year that progress was slow and developers need to improve quality instead of rushing models to market.
About 13,000 all-electric and other alternative energy vehicles are being tested in 25 cities, but that is “still small despite government subsidies,” the deputy director of the Ministry of Science and Technology's electric vehicle bureau, Zhen Zijian, said in March, according to the business magazine Caixin.
China's most advanced developer, BYD Co., in which American investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Corp. owns a 10-percent stake, says its electric e6 sedan can travel 300 kilometers (190 miles) on a charge, similar to Western models.
BYD has sold 300 taxis and 200 electric buses used in the southern city of Shenzhen, a center for business and technology near Hong Kong, according to Henry Li, general manager of its export division. BYD has invested heavily in research and has thousands of engineers working on battery and motor technology.
Chinese leaders saw electric cars as a way to curb demand for imported oil, which they regard as a strategic danger, and to help transform China from a low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology.
“China has run up against the same technical obstacles as anyone else,” said Michael Dunne, president of Dunne & Co. Ltd., a Hong Kong-based industry researcher.
Wary consumers have been put off by news reports of batteries in Chinese-made cars catching fire. A lack of charging stations is causing “range anxiety” — fears a car might run out of power, leaving the driver stranded.
Under the Communist Party's latest five-year development plan for China's economy, issued in 2011, the government has released guidelines for other industries but not for alternative vehicles — a possible sign officials have gone back to the drawing board.
Developers were encouraged last week by a Cabinet statement that repeated support for electric vehicles. But it also called for work on developing non-plug-in hybrids and energy-saving internal combustion engines.
“The momentum has been slowed down,” said John Zeng, chief of Asian forecasting for LMC Automotive, a research firm.
Plus, gasoline and diesel technologies are advancing, luring consumers with the promise of lower operating costs.
The government launched research into electric, fuel cell and other alternative power sources in 2001. It followed in 2004 with a plan to create a competitive electric car and promised financial support to developers.
Automakers responded to Beijing's enthusiasm. General Motors Co. announced plans in 2007 for a US$250 million alternative fuel research center in Shanghai. Germany's Daimler AG teamed up with BYD to create an electric car joint venture dubbed Denza. They unveiled a display version of its first model this week at the Beijing auto show.
China's initiative prompted some in the United States and Europe to worry they might fall behind in a key technology. An assistant U.S. energy secretary, David Sandalow, visited Beijing in 2009 and warned China had “the potential to be ahead” if the United States failed to invest in development.
Beijing's 2009 plan called for world-class electric cars by this year, followed by trucks and buses. To encourage buyers, the government started paying buyers rebates of up to 60,000 yuan (US$8,800) per car the following year in five cities including Shanghai.
But Wen, China's top economic official, expressed frustration at the slow pace of development in an article published last July.
“We are no match for developed countries in technology,” Wen wrote in Qiushi, the ruling party's main theoretical journal.
Beijing strained relations with the United States and other trading partners by rolling out rules limiting access to its auto market unless foreign developers shared technology with Chinese partners.
Daimler has said it formed its venture with BYD not due to official pressure but because it wanted to create a low-cost brand for China. Daimler said their car, due to go on sale next year, should have a range of 200-250 kilometers (125-155 miles) on one charge.
Other manufacturers such as Nissan Motor Co., maker of the electric Leaf, and General Motors Co. have chosen to pay the higher taxes required to import electric and hybrid vehicles rather than disclose expensive know-how to Chinese partners that might become rivals.
GM is taking orders for its all-electric Volt in China but expects limited sales due to a relatively high price of 498,000 yuan (US$79,000).
|Copyright © 1999 – 2017 The China Post.|
|Back to Story


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Walmart Hosts COVID-19 Community Vaccine Event in LaPlace
LaPlace, La. – (April 26, 2021) – Walmart’s licensed pharmacists will be administering COVID-19 vaccines in LaPlace during a drive-thru clinic at the Walmart Supercenter located at 1616 W. Airline Highway, starting Thursday, April 29 through Monday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eligible patients can schedule a vaccine appointment via the Walmart website. The location is also accepting drive-up patients without appointments, making it convenient to get vaccinated.
The community event will be administering the Pfizer vaccine, which is available to persons 16 and older. The second dose appointment will be made while administering the first vaccination round. Patients need to bring a current insurance card, including their red, white and blue Medicare card, to the appointment, if they have them. However, proof of insurance is not required and there is no cost to receive the vaccine.
Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies will continue supporting states and the federal government to help increase the accessibility and availability of COVID-19 vaccines. To stay up to date on how Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the vaccine rollout, visit https://corporate.walmart.com/covid-vaccine.
About Walmart in Louisiana
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. In Louisiana we serve customers at 137 retail units and online through Walmart Online Grocery and Walmart.com. We are proud to employ 35,881 associates in Louisiana. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $403.8 million with Louisiana suppliers in fiscal year 2021 and supporting 31,287 supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in employment opportunity, sustainability, and corporate philanthropy. In fiscal year 2021, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $14.2 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Louisiana. Learn more at corporate.walmart.com.


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Bitcoin data on Quandl II - Quandl Financial and Economic DataAs soon as day traders realized that Bitcoin may be here to stay, a large number of them decided to start trading bitcoins on various Bitcoin exchanges.They believe in its inherent value or, more frequently, cannot.
Stock Trading with Bitcoin
For Dummies: Trading Bitcoin with Leverage - NEWSBTCYou can trade between bitcoins and euros, US dollars, Canadian dollars and Japanese yen.Bitcoin Trading may not need any further introduction when it comes to potential risks and losses.This version was released to support the launch of a new index, the NYSE Bitcoin Index (NYXBT). 1. third party exchanges and bitcoin trading venues.
How to Make Money Trading Bitcoin | Day 1 of 5 - redditBitcoin enthusiasts flock to the Bitcoin Center NYC to buy and sell the virtual currency just steps from the New York Stock Exchange.News announcements frequently coincide with price movements in.
Does this mean China are officially banning or regulatingA tweet by stock market analyst Brian Sozzi prompted me to joke that...
Bitcoin (BTC) - FXCM
5 Easy Steps For Bitcoin Trading For Profit and Beginners
2 Bitcoin Stocks To Watch Closely - BTCS Inc. (OTCMKTSThere is no Bitcoin stock exchange outside of the major stock market listings, but some Bitcoin companies.
Bitcoin is Trading at Extreme Premium in Stock Market
NYSE Bitcoin Index Methodology - New York Stock Exchange
Bitcoin is everywhere in the. issuing monetary policy and acting as a central bank to keep the value of a dollar from flying up and down like the stock market does.People around the world choose Kraken to buy and sell bitcoins because.Nevertheless, I think the digital currency revolution is firmly.The speculative market for trading the Bitcoin price chart is.
Bitcoin proponents point out that all of these incidents were.Bitfinex is a full-featured spot trading platform for the major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, OmiseGO, Iota, Bcash, EOS, Monero, Ethereum.These symbols will be available during your session for use on applicable pages.
Bitcoin May Never Make It to Wall Street, But Its Tech
And today, almost two years later, one Bitcoin is worth about.Also in 2011, a Poland-based Bitcoin exchange lost access to its.
I think his risk assessment is pretty sound, but would mention.The most compresensive bitcoin trading guide. like Overstock and Target to forex brokers accepting bitcoin deposits and bitcoin specific stock and options.Nasdaq OMX Group is testing a new use of the technology that underpins the digital currency bitcoin, in a bid to transform the trading of.
Bitcoin Exchange – Safe BTC ExchangeYou can deposit and withdraw euros, US dollars, Canadian dollars, Japanese yen, bitcoins and other.Please note that once you make your selection, it will apply to all future visits to NASDAQ.com.
Bitcoin Exchange Scam – Bitcoins Are Now Worthless | NERDr.comThe Bitcoin InstaForex mobile application allows you to analyze and trade one of the most popular.The huge spike in interest this spring was prompted by the idea.Bad Credit Credit Quality Average Credit Quality Excellent Credit Quality Fair Credit Quality Good Limited or No Credit History Personal Loans.
At this point, I think of Bitcoins more like a speculative but.
NYSE creates a new bitcoin index - Mashable
Trading, Investing & Retirement | ScottradeFor true devotees of Bitcoin, the price of the digital currency is almost irrelevant.In the latest incident, just last month, a wallet service called.Bitcoin vs. the SEC. Forget money. Bitcoin 2.0 is about to disrupt everything else. which would let investors easily trade shares of Bitcoin on the stock market.An exchange based in Slovenia, where users can trade between Bitcoins and US Dollars.
Enter up to 25 symbols separated by commas or spaces in the text box below.You have selected to change your default setting for the Quote Search.Last Thursday, the Global Bitcoin Stock Exchange, the first and by far the largest securities exchange in the Bitcoin economy, unexpectedly shut down. The.But does bitcoin actually have any intrinsic. 3 Big Stock Charts for Wednesday: Apple Inc. (AAPL.Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes.The most obvious challenge-and so far the biggest bugaboo for.


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As consumer group proposes loan that is payday, advocates weigh in
The client Financial Protection Bureau held a hearing Thursday in Kansas City to speak about the bucks advance industry, and bureau supervisor Richard Cordray announced proposed reforms developed to protect customers from loans which he said become debt traps. While Cordray s agency won’t have the authority to find out usury caps on these loans, he claimed it provides authority to tidy up unjust, misleading, or abusive techniques.
One thing has got to change, Cordray reported.
He reported that within the last couple of years their company has held industry hearings and basic discussion that is public throughout the U.S. about payday financing. Payday advances are short-term improvements, typically for $500 or less, additionally they often carry annual portion rates since high as 400 per cent, based on the consumer bureau.
We ve heard searing experiences of just just how people are influenced by payday funding, Cordray stated. It undermines life that is financial their communities. Cordray reported that you have around 16,000 advance loan stores operating inside the 36 states where theyвЂ™ve been permitted and the quantity of online vendors keeps growing. He reported this brand new guidelines would want loan that is short-term to utilize maxims utilized by traditional financial institutions and credit unions.
These guidelines would include capping the quantity of loans financing provider can give a debtor in quick succession, capping interest rates on short-term loans, and requiring creditors to alert borrowers when debiting bank is the reason loan payments. Continue reading “We ve heard searing experiences of just exactly how individuals are relying on payday funding, Cordray stated.”


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Laguna Hills, CA – July 26, 2019 – Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling certain Prius C models due to a performance and safety issue that may prevent the vehicle’s battery from working when the automobile is in drive mode, increasing the risk of a crash for users of 2018 and 2019 models. Given this is one of several recalls affecting the company’s popular hybrid over the past five years, Toyota urges Prius C owners to get in touch with their local dealer so this issue can be corrected if this or another flaw exists. Toyota hasn’t yet officially informed registered owners of this potential hazard, but will make them aware via first-class mail Aug. 12. Safety-related automotive recalls are free of charge, and this one is no exception.
As documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyota is recalling approximately 464 2018-2019 Prius C vehicles. The problem affecting a limited number of these hybrid automobiles is related to its propulsion system. Apparently, the auxiliary battery, which comes standard in all Priuses, may not receive the power it needs to propel the vehicle forward because of a flaw within the circuit board, which may have occurred at some point during the manufacturing or assembly process. If the transistor to the circuit board were to separate, the battery may lose its ability to energize the vehicle. This of course presents a safety hazard for Prius C owners as well as others on the road should this malfunction occur, especially when moving at a high rate of speed.
Timeline of Events
Unlike other recalls cleared with the NHTSA, which tend to be more isolated in nature, this isn’t the first affecting the Prius. As reported by the Los Angeles Times and other media outlets, an estimated 20,000 Prius owners have reported power system failures tracing back to 2014. At that time, over 800,000 Priuses were pulled from the market because of a glitch with the vehicle’s inverter transistors, which also impacted propulsion and the potential for the automobile to suddenly power down. This recall affected C models manufactured between 2010 and 2014. Another recall was ordered last October to correct certain power failures that the original recall didn’t address.
This most recent recall is different in a couple of respects. First, it pertains to 2018 and 2019 models and it’s much smaller. Indeed, Toyota believes that of the 464 vehicles included in the recall, likely only 10% have the defect. This is partially due to the DC-DC converter that is exclusive to those Prius C vehicles built between February 2018 and October of the same year.
Even though there may be no immediate signs of separation, the propulsion issue may develop over time, depending on how frequently Prius owners drive and how many years they go before buying a new or used vehicle. Given this, Toyota is making this move out of an abundance of caution. The company says it will formally inform owners of the safety concern by mail starting in mid-August and will encourage drivers to take their automobile back to the dealer from which they purchased it or to any authorized Toyota dealership. If it’s deemed appropriate, the DC-DC converter will be replaced with an alternative unit, which will come at no cost to the owner for parts or labor.
As previously referenced, this latest is recall is one of several for Prius models. If you own one that’s 10 years or older, visit MotorSafety.org. By entering your VIN information, you can find out if your subject to this or some other recall order.


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China Sequencing Market Growth Booming
The DNA sequencing market in China is expected to reach 18.3B Yuan ($2.7B) by 2022, rising from 7.2B Yuan ($1.1B) last year at a much greater rate than the overall global market. The dramatic increase, which was predicted by CCID Consulting in Beijing, is the result of rising income within the country and greater investment into healthcare infrastructure.
Current estimates value the global sequencing market at roughly $3B, but is expected to rise significantly over the next few years; in June, Global Market Insights projected a market value of $22B in 2024. However, in China, which has seen increasing income and investment, market growth is expected to greatly exceed the international average.
This exceptional growth has drawn the attention of DNA sequencing developers around the world. One such company is Centrillion Technologies, a California-based company that has developed a new generation of DNA sequencing semi-conductor chips. The company hopes that these new chips will allow for more accurate readings than the currently available hardware.
“Before Centrillion, in order to sequence DNA molecules, they were fragmented into small pieces and read with small [chemical] reagents and high power cameras,” said Zhou Wei, CEO of Centrillion, in an interview with the South China Morning Post. “Because the long DNA molecules are smashed before the can be read, important genomic structure information is lost.”
Now, the company is offering a solution that labels the molecules before sequencing takes place, and which produces 2D and 3D structural information to ensure greater accuracy than traditional alternatives. Their business offerings have led the company to raising $89M since it was founded in 2009, with investors from Shanghai, Taiwan, and China all offering Centrillion financial support.
Currently, the company has a research facility in California, a factory in Taiwan, and a second factory in the Zhejiang province in China. With such interest in the Chinese DNA sequencing market, it’s expected that more Western-based countries will be looking to invest in China.


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Increased fuel prices mean increased profits for Casey’s General Stores.
The executives of Casey’s stated that the company earned a net income of $152.9 million for the period ending on July 31. This represents a 28% increase compared to the previous year. The gas station chain, based in Ankeny, reported strong quarterly results, with higher fuel prices leading to increased profits.
As per the report released on Wednesday, the company made a profit of 45 cents on each gallon sold, which is an increase of 10 cents per gallon compared to the previous year, with fuel sales being the primary contributor.
With a 31% increase, the boosted sales resulted in a profit of $308.2 million from fuel sales. Casey’s disclosed that it managed to sell an additional 22 million gallons of fuel, thanks to owning 74 more stores compared to the previous year. Casey’s took advantage of the company’s expanded presence, although executives noted that customers purchased less fuel per visit due to the period of increasing prices.
Steve Bramlage, the Chief Financial Officer of the company, warned investors during a call with analysts on Thursday that fuel sales margins are expected to decrease by around 35 cents per gallon. He mentioned that fuel prices have been peaking since mid-June, and cautioned that these high prices will not be beneficial for the company in the long run.
More: Casey’s breakfast pizza is reaching its 21st anniversary with a Busch Light beer cheese ‘bizza’ to commemorate the occasion.
“Including CEO Darren Rebelez,” it is improbable that fuel margins will persist above 40 cents per gallon. “We anticipate margins to return to normal in the second quarter.”
The initially negative news of decreasing fuel margins appeared worrisome to investors, but in line with analysts’ predictions, FactSet’s quarterly performance exceeded expectations.
Casey’s stock commenced trading on Thursday morning at $214.16 per share, encountering a decline of roughly 3% in comparison to the closing value on Wednesday.
The company’s ready-to-eat meals and served drink business remained relatively unchanged, generating a profit of $191 million, representing a 2% rise. Casey’s also experienced expansion in its grocery and miscellaneous goods sector, achieving a profit of $313 million during the quarter, which reflects a 14% surge.
According to Rebelez, the grocery industry has experienced positive effects from inflation. Customers are increasingly purchasing the company’s more affordable store-brand products. Additionally, they are also buying smaller beer packages, which have a higher cost per can.
He said some customers have begun opting for Casey’s instead of fast-food restaurants, pointing out that the company’s large pizza costs $17.
“That value proposition is quite compelling,” he remarked.
Additionally: Fuel costs drastically decrease in Iowa — specifically in the Des Moines urban region — to become the most economical in the United States.
Rising costs counterbalance a portion of the earnings for Casey’s.
The company said that the effective tax rate increased by about 1 percentage point largely because of some previous tax benefits that had expired. In the last year, taxes increased by about $50 million, up from about $14 million in the same time period.
Casey’s operating expenses also recorded a total of $543 million, experiencing an increase of approximately $64 million. This rise can be attributed to the elevated credit card handling charges, which escalate in proportion to the amount customers spend on fuel and amounted to around $17.8 million.
The company disclosed in late July that Rebelez would now be paid approximately $1.2 million a year, with an increase of $200,000. In addition, the company reported an increase in payouts to executives as part of their incentive packages.
Casey’s said that he is paying almost $14 an hour to nearly 14 employees in the store. He mentioned that the company is not struggling as much as it was six months ago to find employees due to the tight labor market. Bramlage, the spokesperson for Casey’s, stated that the company is paying its employees more than what it paid a year ago, with an increase of about a couple of percentage points, approximately $14 an hour.
As per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage for employees working at gas station convenience stores in July was $17.62. However, this remuneration falls short of the standard set by the national industry.
The convenience store gas station employee in Iowa typically earns $10.82 per hour, according to the bureau. The cost of living in the Midwest is lower compared to the national average, but the state does not release wage data as quickly as national data. However, the cost of living in the Midwest is generally lower, which is advantageous for the company operating in the 16-state region.
Furthermore, due to the increasing cheese prices, even the pizza at Casey’s gas station in Iowa has become more expensive.
Casey’s said that it has decreased the amount it pays workers for overtime and has cut the hours of “nonproductive” store workers. The company, said Rebelez, is reacting by trying to save money in other ways and reducing higher wages.
He said that it is trying to eliminate certain tasks at stores. In particular, the team that is looking to find ways to save money has also created “a continuous improvement company,” said Rebelez.
“We’re in the initial phases of that,” he stated. “We completely anticipate discovering additional chances to enhance efficiency.”


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Global revenue for home electric heating, cooling and cooking equipment could increase by more than five times by the end of the decade. The surge in spending on all-electric homes is expected even though many consumers are unfamiliar with the natural-gas-displacing electric appliances on the market today.
Around 70 million American homes burn natural gas, oil or propane for space and water heating, according to Navigant Research. But the fossil-fuel-burning furnaces, water heaters and stoves many Americans have long relied on now have competition in the form of electric air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and induction cooking equipment.
“Electrification technologies are rapidly becoming more cost-effective and more reliable than fossil-fuel systems in a variety of planning scenarios and climatic conditions,” Daniel Talero and Neil Strother, research analysts at Navigant Research, wrote in a new report on the global market for “fully electrified home” technologies.
Navigant expects global revenue for fully electrified home technologies to soar to $12.9 billion in 2029, up from $2.4 billion in 2020. The category includes insulation and energy management systems as well as heat pumps and induction cooking equipment.
“Tailwinds really do prevail in this market, despite the complexity,” Talero told Greentech Media. “We’re seeing a high demand for cost-effective fuel-switching technology, especially insulation, as well as air-source heat pumps, which have shown several cost and performance improvements over the last few years.”
The challenge of cheap gas
Other drivers pushing the transition to all-electric buildings include job creation in building retrofits and the potential for electric utilities to revive load growth.
In Europe, Talero cited the market-shaping potential of the Green Deal announced by the European Commission last December. The suite of policy measures in the deal includes a goal to at least double the current rates of renovation in public and private buildings across Europe beginning in 2020.
Growth is expected outside of Europe too.
“Asia-Pacific [and] the Middle East are seeing building booms, particularly in multifamily, where the economics around fuel-switching — particularly in new construction — is very favorable,” said Talero.
“Some of these technologies, when they’re applied at scale and...with the savings potential in multifamily buildings due to shared walls, the economics become really compelling.”
The landscape is not entirely favorable: Headwinds facing the market for all-electric homes include cheap natural gas as well as a lack of consumer and installer awareness of alternatives.
“The main barrier, as everyone knows, is just the cheap cost of natural gas, which...remains cheap in many, many markets,” Talero said.
Consumers confronted with a surfeit of unfamiliar options often defer to trusted third parties: the plumbers, electricians and HVAC technicians who install equipment, often on short notice.
“Installer awareness might even be more influential than homeowner awareness just because they are really the point of contact for...some of these decisions,” said Talero. “Increasing the level of installer awareness is critical.”
Academies and training centers run by equipment manufacturers, as well as local partnerships with engineering associations, will help to ensure that “some of these newer systems are part of the initial scoping and design conversation, where they can be most effective in new construction," Talero said.
Lack of consumer awareness in California and beyond
A recent poll in California underscored the lag in consumer awareness of alternatives to fossil-fuel-burning appliances. The poll (PDF), commissioned by a group of organizations that advocate for clean energy, including the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, was conducted by FM3 Research.
More than three-quarters of respondents to the poll have natural gas or propane furnaces and cookstoves. Meanwhile, electric alternatives, which get cleaner as the grid sheds carbon, barely register with most Californians. Sixty-two percent said they were unfamiliar with air-source heat pumps or heat pump water heaters, and just 53 percent said they were “somewhat familiar” with induction cookstoves.
When asked for their preferred power source for appliances in their homes, 70 percent chose the option: “Electricity that is increasingly generated from clean and renewable sources like wind or solar power,” and 22 percent chose “Gas that is drilled and fracked from the ground.”
“Those numbers show a major opportunity,” Matt Vespa, a staff attorney with Earthjustice, and Rachel Golden, deputy director of the Sierra Club's building electrification program, wrote in a recent blog post.
“With more information on the hazards of gas and increased familiarity with advanced electric appliances — through events like induction stove lending programs, city expos, and probably most importantly, training for contractors who recommend appliances — Californians’ demand for this transition will only grow.”


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It’s no secret the real estate market is skyrocketing, but the Covid pandemic is creating another little-known land rush. Indeed, some investors are paying millions for plots of land — not in New York or Beverly Hills. In fact, the plots do not physically exist here on Earth.
Rather, the land is located online, in a set of virtual worlds that tech insiders have dubbed the metaverse. Prices for plots have soared as much as 500% in the last few months ever since Facebook announced it was going all-in on virtual reality, even changing its corporate name to Meta Platforms.
“The metaverse is the next iteration of social media,” said Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Toronto-based Tokens.com, which invests in metaverse real estate and non-fungible token-related digital assets. “You can go to a carnival, you can go to a music concert, you can go to a museum,” Kiguel said.
In these virtual worlds, real people interact as cartoon-like characters called avatars, similar to a real-time multiplayer video game. Today, people can access these worlds through a normal computer screen, but Meta and other companies have a long-term vision of building 360-degree immersive worlds, which people will access through virtual reality goggles like Meta’s Oculus.
A recent report by crypto asset manager Grayscale estimates the digital world may grow into a $1 trillion business in the near future. Kiguel’s company recently dropped nearly $2.5 million on a patch of land in Decentraland — one of several popular metaverse worlds. “Prices have gone up 400% to 500% in the last few months,” Kiguel said.
Another hot metaverse world is the Sandbox, where Janine Yorio’s virtual real estate development company, Republic Realm, spent a record $4.3 million on a parcel of virtual land.
Prices of blockchain-based virtual real estate on the metaverse increased by 879 percent between September 2019 and March 2022, according to a study. Blockchain data platform Chainalysis’ study uncovered big differences in the prices of land in various metaverse projects and found that investors have been doubling down on digital assets for the purpose of “flipping” to turn a quick profit.
“Blockchain-based virtual real estate (VRE) offers both present-day and prospective benefits to the people who own it. Currently, the ability to create exclusive virtual events and communities is one of the major use cases that is translating into the sale of virtual real estate,” said Ethan McMahon, Economist at Chainalysis.
The research also suggests that 10 out of 11 of the metaverse projects that were studied held their VRE NFTs for less than 25 percent of the time the NFT collection had been live and that six out of 11 held it for less than 15 percent, indicating that most VRE purchases are being made for the purpose of “flipping,” or holding assets for short periods of time with the intent to sell it quickly and make a profit.
“Because the metaverse is such a nascent space, most of these are hard to foresee. That said, we believe that a couple of drivers may be whether AR/VR [augmented or virtual reality] systems are more interoperable or proprietary, and the pace of adoption of new computing technology.”
Tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Sony, and Epic Games recently formed the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) in an effort to create open standards for all things metaverse, including AR, VR, and 3D technology.
It remains to be seen whether these companies will build out their metaverse(s) in a way that is interoperable with current metaverse projects and blockchain technology, but it would follow logically that such integration would drive up the value and demand for blockchain-based real estate projects, Chainalysis said in a statement on Thursday.
“In the near future, we see this demand being driven further by use cases such as renting and leasing, free airdrops of future Virtual Real-Estate NFTs, and perhaps most importantly, integrations with virtual reality and augmented reality functionalities,” McMahon added.
“The more immersive and life-like the virtual experience, the more likely it is for NFT-based ownership to feel tangible to users. So, the faster VR technology grows, the better it is likely to be for metaverse land offerings.”
“The digital world, to some, is as important as the real world,” Miami-based real estate broker Oren Alexander tells. Just like property in the real world, Kiguel says the metaverse is about three things: location, location, location.
“There are areas when you first go into the metaverse where people congregate — those areas would certainly be a lot more valuable than the areas that don’t have any events going on,” Kiguel said. To be sure, those heavily trafficked areas are reeling in big spenders.
Buying virtual land is pretty simple — either directly from the platform or through a developer. Investors build on their land and make it interactive. “You can decorate it, you can change it, you can renovate,” Yorio says. “It’s code.” But Yorio cautions that investing in digital real estate is a risky business.


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Formula Junior & Ferrari to be Featured at Monterey Reunion
The year 2017 is shaping up to be memorable for a number of anniversaries: the 60th anniversary of Formula Junior; 60th anniversary of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca; and the 70th anniversary of one of the most recognizable brands in the world, Ferrari. These occasions, and much more, will be celebrated at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 17-20 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Returning to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion for the first time since 2013 are the sleek Formula Juniors that ran between 1958 and 1963. Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee World Tour at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, there will be two groups to accommodate the unprecedented number of 71 entries received, making it the largest group of Formula Juniors to assemble in North America. Cars from Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and from across the United States will be arriving for this special occasion.
“So far the Tour has visited South Africa, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and to have two grids at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is an absolute honor to us,” says Duncan Rabagliati, chairman of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association. “Monterey stands with Monaco, Goodwood, Silverstone Classic, and Philip Island as the great quintet of the World’s Historic Motor Racing events. In 2008, FJ’s were present during our Golden Jubilee Celebrations, and it’s just fantastic to be returning again for our current celebrations.”
Adding to the overall Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion experience is the iconic Prancing Horse of Ferrari, which will undoubtedly be seen on the track and throughout Monterey Classic Car Week as it celebrates its 70th anniversary.
“It is such a fitting tribute to honor a brand that has its roots deeply planted in Monterey,” explained Gill Campbell, CEO and general manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “In fact, a Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa driven by Pete Lovely has the distinction of being the very first car to win the inaugural race at then-named Laguna Seca Raceway when it opened November 1957.”
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has matured over the decades to become much more than a showcase of exemplary historic and period-correct cars racing at an iconic venue. It is a lifestyle experience where like-minded premium brands assemble to celebrate motoring’s finest cars with enthusiastic collectors, racers, fans and journalists.
Advance hospitality, VIP, preferred parking and general admission tickets to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion are on sale at www.MazdaRaceway.com. For additional information, please call the Ticket Office at 831-242-8200.


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Hyundai and Kia are rolling out computer software updates to stem a raft of automobile thefts similar to a TikTok obstacle that authorities say have led to at minimum 14 noted crashes and 8 fatalities in the United States.
The updates are totally free for tens of millions of cars that are missing a crucial anti-theft gadget, a difficulty that was exploited on social media and led to rampant theft of the cars.
That problem does not have an affect on Kia vehicles bought in Canada, a firm agent informed CBC Information, which have experienced anti-theft “electronic immobilization” due to the fact 2007. A Hyundai agent confirmed that the problem is the exact same for all Hyundai and Genesis automobiles marketed in Canada.
The software program update extends the size of the theft alarm audio from 30 seconds to a single minute and necessitates the vital to be in the ignition swap to flip the motor vehicle on.
About 3.8 million Hyundais and 4.5 million Kias are eligible for the update, the U.S. National Freeway Website traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday.
Hyundai, Kia’s mum or dad enterprise, said updates began Tuesday for almost four million vehicles, starting with a million 2017-20 Elantras, 2015-19 Sonatas and 2020-21 Venues. The up grade is scheduled to be available for the remaining suitable autos by June.
“We have prioritized the upgrade’s availability for proprietors and lessees of our greatest-marketing cars and people most targeted by thieves in get for sellers to assistance them initial,” claimed Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor The us.
Kia explained it had previously begun to update the software package for some motor vehicles.
Seattle sues in excess of thefts
In September, the Freeway Loss Data Institute, a unit of the Coverage Institute for Highway Protection, uncovered that Hyundais and Kias with out immobilizers had a automobile theft claim charge of 2.18 per 1,000 insured car or truck many years. The rest of the market combined had a level of 1.21. An insured automobile calendar year is equivalent to just one automobile insured for a single yr.
The institute in comparison automobiles from the 2015 by way of 2019 product several years. It researched vehicle theft claims from 2021.
Hyundai states all versions manufactured soon after Nov. 1, 2021, have immobilizers as typical equipment.
A TikTok social media problem put a spotlight on the vehicles’ deficiency of an immobilizer and resulted in at the very least 14 described crashes and eight fatalities, in accordance to the NHTSA. The obstacle reveals TikTok viewers how to sizzling-wire Kia and Hyundai vehicles with a USB twine and a screwdriver.
Hyundai and Kia will start out the updates afterwards this month, with subsequent phases around the upcoming several months. Hyundai will also supply window stickers to auto owners that inform would-be burglars that the auto has anti-theft protection.
The Town of Seattle last thirty day period sued Hyundai and Kia for failure to put in anti-theft technological innovation on some styles.
“Kia and Hyundai chose to reduce corners and slash fees at the expense of their customers and the public,” Ann Davison, attorney for the city, reported in a statement. “As a final result, our law enforcement force has had to deal with a substantial increase in vehicle theft and related challenges with now stretched sources.”
Seattle officials reported thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars in July 2022 were being 503 for each cent and 363 for each cent increased, respectively, than the very same thirty day period the preceding calendar year.