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Dublin Airport has welcomed the launch of British Airways’ new weekly service to Manchester. Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to see British Airways expand its route network from Dublin Airport and I have no doubt this new service will be popular for Irish and UK-based passengers. We will continue to work closely with British Airways to promote its new route.”
Keith Chuter, Sales Manager Ireland, British Airways, said: “We are thrilled to be able to grow our summer schedule from Dublin Airport, offering our customers access to our new Manchester route. Manchester is a city known for being unique and eclectic with plenty of restaurants, shops and museums for visitors to enjoy, so our new flight is ideal for travellers looking to take a short city break.
“The new route will run from 18th May until 30th September and flights will be on sale on Ba.com from €30 / £33 each way and we hope to welcome many Irish passengers on our flight to Manchester over the coming months.”
Above are Stephen O’Reilly, Dublin Airport Aviation Business Development Manager; Brenda Morgan, Key Partnership Manager UK & Ireland, British Airways; Tara Magee, Consumer Sales Manager, British Airways; and Edel Redmond, Business to Business Marketing Executive, Dublin Airport.
In addition to the new Manchester route, British Airways also operates flights from Dublin Airport to London Heathrow and London City airports. From Heathrow BA customers have access to an extensive global network of over 140 destinations worldwide, catering for both leisure and business travellers.
The airline will operate its new route with an Embraer 190, a 98-seater jet offering Business Class and Economy Class, departing Dublin at 21.20 every Friday and departing Manchester on Sunday at 08.55 until 30th September.


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Qualcomm’s dominant position affected Icera
So far in this series, we’ve seen that the antitrust probes from various countries are directly affecting Qualcomm’s (QCOM) revenues and profits. Now we’ll look at the other side of the coin and see how Qualcomm’s dominant position in the mobile chip business affected Nvidia’s (NVDA) subsidiary Icera.
European Commission’s delayed response
In June 2010, British phone maker Icera filed a complaint with the EC (European Commission) over anticompetitive practices adopted by Qualcomm. It said that Qualcomm had been selling chips below cost between 2009 and 2011, putting price pressure on smaller European (VGK) competitors. The EC opened an investigation in July 2015 and filed charges in December 2015.
By the time the EC took action on Icera’s complaint, it was too late. Nvidia, which acquired Icera in 2011 to participate in the smartphone trend, shut down the business in fiscal 2Q16 to concentrate on high-growth sectors such as gaming, cloud computing, and the automotive sector. Nvidia incurred a $125 million restructuring charge to dissolve Icera.
Why did Nvidia dissolve Icera?
Nvidia acquired Icera to benefit from the latter’s smartphone modems. At the time, the smartphone market was fast-growing. However, the company failed to break Qualcomm’s dominance in the market. Moreover, the entry of lower-priced Chinese manufacturers further aggravated the price war. Despite this, Nvidia secured a contract for Google’s (GOOG) Android-based tablets, but its chips failed to make an impact.
Above all, growth in the smartphone chip market slowed. In order to reduce losses, Nvidia decided to exit the mobile market and dissolve Icera.
Smartphone chip market
According to Strategy Analytics, the global smartphone applications processor market grew 1.5% YoY (year-over-year) to $5 billion in 2Q15. Qualcomm continued to dominate the market with a 45% share, followed by Apple (AAPL) and MediaTek. This market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 2.4% from 2014 to 2019, according to Research and Markets.
In the last part of this series, we’ll look at the EC’s antitrust trend in 2015.

domain: news


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While Google threatened to pull its search engine from the Australian market due to the new proposed law, Microsoft is very confident that its search engine Bing is capable of filling in the gap if Google exits from the Australian market.
The Australian government has introduced a new law where the big tech giants are forced to pay the local media outlets for showing the links in the search engine. However, Google finds it completely unnecessary and non-executable.
The dispute between Australia and Google raised the interest of Microsoft’s CEO – Satya Nadella. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a discussion with Nadella says Microsoft was looking for ways to grow its search engine – Bing.
He further says, “I can tell Microsoft’s pretty confident when I spoke to Satya” to the reporters in Canberra.
A spokeswoman from Microsoft confirms that the meeting was held, however, she denies further comment on that topic.
As per the spokeswoman, the company was not directly involved in the laws with the Australian Government. “We recognize the importance of a vibrant media sector and public interest journalism in a democracy and we recognize the challenges the media sector has faced over many years through changing business models and consumer preferences.” says the spokeswoman.
When Google threatened to remove the search engine from Australia, many businesses in Australia are panicking because they rely on Google Search Engine’s algorithm to run their business. In the so context, Meghan Quinn from the Department of Treasury deputy secretary of Market says – “The (media bargaining) code doesn’t prevent the wholesale withdrawal of services, and there’s difficulty in any of the legislative mechanisms we’ve got for someone to (be forced to) provide a service.”


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Although the crypto space has been around for over a decade, William Stromberg, CEO of the conventional investment management firm T.
“These are the early days,” Stromberg said in an interview with the Baltimore Business Journal when asked if “T-Row Price will start investing in cryptocurrencies.”
“We have research on this topic,” added the CEO. “Some companies, very few, have tried to package products in which they could buy and own cryptocurrencies.”
So far, a strategy without cryptography has been working with Stromberg. The first quarter of this year was a big deal for T. Rowe Price. According to a Baltimore Business Journal article, the company sold $ 1.52 trillion in assets under management and increased profits by more than 100%.
There are several ways to invest directly in cryptocurrencies. There are also more and more opportunities to access cryptocurrencies through traditional financial products, although the possibilities are not so different, in contrast to direct interaction with specific cryptocurrencies.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, or CME, offers trading in bitcoin (BTC) futures and options, as well as, for example, Ethereum (ETH) futures. Among other cryptocurrency investment portals, Grayscale also offers a number of dominant cryptocurrency investing tools.
“It’s very early and early here, so I expect this to develop at a good pace, but it will take several years to turn around,” Stromberg added in response to Baltimore Business Journal’s questions about cryptocurrencies.
Stromberg’s comments on cryptocurrencies came after the CEO discussed the overall economic outlook for the US markets, which he sees in a positive future. “We are very optimistic about the economy and the growth in discoveries and discoveries,” he told the Baltimore Business Journal.
While cryptocurrencies are generally not technically associated with a specific region or government, it can be said that the price movement could be influenced by certain events based on the price crash that Bitcoin suffered in March 2020 due to COVID-19 fears, but there are some disagreement about this.


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The Panasonic Lumix GF7 has been unveiled, offering another combination of entry-level CSC sophistication and selfie-taking accessibility.
Just last week the Fujifilm X-A2 was revealed as an entry-level interchangeable lens APS-C camera with a flip-around screen and other selfie-enhancing features.
Of course, Panasonic launched its own take on this concept last year in the Panasonic Lumix GF6. The Panasonic Lumix GF7 is its successor
The GF7 is yet another compact and light interchangeable lens camera with a 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds image sensor.
However, the GF7’s stand-out feature is its suite of casual selfie-related features. This includes a 3-inch 1040K-dot display that can be flipped around 180 degrees (in a much simpler way than the GF6) so that you can see what’s being shot – even when you’re the subject.
Once that display has been flipped up, the Lumix GF7 automatically enters a dedicated selfie mode. This will allow the camera to take a shot once it determines that a face is in view, so you don’t have to worry about hitting that shutter button.
You also get the kind of casual selfie functions that you’d expect to see on your Android smartphone rather than a serious compact system camera, such as “Soft Skin” for smoother selfies and “Defocusing” for that pronounced background-blurring effect on your self-snaps.
Read More: Best Cameras 2015
Otherwise, the Panasonic Lumix GF7 is a subtle refinement of last year’s model. In particular, Panasonic reveals that there’s an improved “advanced Contrast AF” system at play here, which will speed up and increase the accuracy of autofocus – particularly in low light conditions.
The Panasonic Lumix GF7 will launch in March for £429, which will see the camera bundled with a 12-32mm lens.


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Chequers plan makes joining Pacific trade bloc even harder
Britain will find it “very challenging” to join a Pacific trade bloc singled out by Theresa May if it plans to maintain European regulations after Brexit, its members have warned.
Signing up to the 11-nation alliance with a “carve-out” so that the UK can follow all European rules on goods and food would “make a nonsense of being a member”, one senior official said.
The prime minister has batted away Brexiteer claims that her strategy agreed at Chequers in July for leaving the European Union would prevent Britain from signing big trade deals, arguing that it would “enable us to accede to” the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
While the bloc’s members have publicly welcomed UK interest, some privately question what Britain


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Back in 2014, Metallica played the closing set at the annual gaming convention BlizzCon, held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
This year, with lockdown in operation, the band were invited back to perform an online set, with the show broadcast live on Blizzcon’s YouTube and Twitch channels. So far, so good.
One problem: Twitch, like many online platforms, have become the unwitting subject of increased record company vigilance where it comes to copyrighted music being made available online. And it appears as though – rather than risk a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice for broadcasting Metallica’s set – Twitch replaced the audio in the band’s stream with plinky-plonk royalty-free music shortly after the cameras rolled.
The result? For Whom The Bell Tolls sounding as it never has before (the “switch” happens 15 seconds into the clip below).
Naturally enough, the internet was thoroughly delighted with the Twitch debacle, claiming that the DMCA came into effect partly as a result of Metallica’s legal battles with Napster back in 2000. Oh, the irony!
Then others correctly pointed out the the DMCA came into effect two years before the Napster case even came to court, but it was too late. The internet had already made its mind up, and moved on to other things.
Twitch has faced thousands of takedown orders from major record labels since May last year under the auspices of the DMCA, usually because gamers are playing copyrighted material in the background as they play online.
At the time of writing, the full version of For Whom The Bell Tolls, without the pinky-plonk, can be witnessed on YouTube.


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How Smart IoT Gateways will Transform Security
A multitude of new devices have been connected to the Internet already this year, and many more will connect in the coming weeks and months. That said, the Internet of Things (IoT) gateway has become an important link in the IoT security and device authentication value chain.
Worldwide IT Security Spend will Reach $174.7 Billion
Enterprise spending on IT security products and services has experienced new growth in 2020, as many organizations invest in solutions to meet the needs of a much larger remote workforce, and a wide range of online security threats that create additional requirements.
Remote Work: Solving IT Security and Compliance Issues
“The sudden shift to remote work has massively amplified the problem of protecting proprietary information. As companies had to implement remote access technologies fast (or upgrade existing infrastructures) to ensure business continuity, they often fell back on improvisation.”
New Digital Security Solutions for the Internet of Things
Secure device authentication currently stands among the top-tier investment priorities for key IoT markets. According to ABI Research, hardware-focused IoT authentication services will reach $8.4 billion in revenues by 2026.
New Study: Data Privacy Impact on IT Security Outcomes
“Many companies are lagging behind current data privacy requirements. By prioritizing best-in-class privacy practices, companies can reduce the risk of security incidents and demonstrate their trustworthiness to customers.”
How to Secure the Global Fintech Services Ecosystem
FinTechs have the potential to be the engines of innovation we need during the Great Reset. The findings of the World Economic Forum’s FinTech Cybersecurity Consortium provide a starting point on the path to a security management system to get them there.
Trends Driving Sovereign Public Cloud Computing Adoption
“Growing nationalistic sentiments sweeping various nations such as the U.S., Europe, and India, will add fuel to the sovereign cloud discussion. The Huawei ban in the U.S., the ban on Chinese apps in India, and reducing dependencies on China across sectors are indicators of emerging nationalistic sentiments.”
via Everest Group
Online Security Trends for the Remote Workforce
“In a normal year, only 5% of information workers primarily work from home, but since March 2020, 47% of respondents say their organization has transitioned at least half of their workforce to remote work.”
Tech for Life: Putting Trust Back in Technology
“Software code now lies behind virtually every business. It is the lubricant of the tech growth engine. And what an engine! Every single day 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is generated globally. Ninety percent of the data in the world has been created in the last two years. There is more and it is coming quicker than ever before.”
Quantum Computers: Why IT Security Policy Must Evolve
“The quantum computing age is growing ever closer – and it could render current encryption systems obsolete. These risks could also prevent this technology’s true value from being realized. Addressing this issue requires action at the national and global levels – now.”
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Nearly every day, a slew of new social media trends emerge, primarily on TikTok and Twitter. Some trends are simple to grasp, while others require some explanation since netizens do not always understand what they signify. Well, it appears that another fad has swept the internet; indeed, “The Clorox Mist Challenge” has taken over TikTok and is attracting a lot of attention. It has been discovered by several people who have been looking for it online. Let’s look into this new challenge and learn more about it.
The origins of the viral trend are explained
The #CloroxMistChallenge has recently caught all of the top trends. Several films with the hashtag have been published on TikTok, piquing the interest of netizens. Let us inform you that the people who are utilising the hashtags mentioned above are having a great time filming the movie. Content makers are clearly having a wonderful time as they strive to make the audience laugh, as seen by their expressions in the viral video.
When it comes to the Clorox Mist Challenge on Tiktok, it’s a trend where individuals do something fun with their pals. Yes, according to insiders, the challenge includes recordings of people exercising to reduce weight while doing other things. Some male and female users are seen switching owners in a video. The designers are dressed in non-binary gender clothing and are having a fantastic time.
What caused it to go viral?
This isn’t the first time such intriguing topics have become popular on social media. Previously, popular themes included Noodle the Pug, Milk Crate Challenge, Berries & Cream, Harry Styles, Sneaky Lynx, One Chip Challenge, and many others. The Clorox Mist Challenge is now trending on social media and attracting a lot of attention. Keep an eye on us for more breaking news and updates from around the world.
@hallemone it’s even better with headphones 🤪 @unsung_hero_jm @arianagrande #arianagrande #singers #acappella #berkleeschoolofmusic #CloroxMistChallenge #LinkBudsNeverOff ♬ original sound – halle mone’
Using these hashtags, a slew of videos have appeared on social media. A viral trend or challenge, on the other hand, has no clear definition. People appear to be participating in the movement out of curiosity and posting whatever they wish. There’s no denying that the Clorox Mist Challenge has piqued people’s curiosity. As previously noted, the trend is seeing a lot of films with weight reduction recommendations, flexing their fit body or physique, and other things.


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How can the food industry tackle food fraud?
A recent article in the Guardian has revealed that food fraud is on the rise in the UK. In February last year more than 1,200 tonnes of fake or sub-standard food and nearly 430,000 litres of counterfeit drinks were seized. The most commonly seized food fraud products include olive oil, vodka, rice and fish, as they are all easily substituted with cheaper foodstuffs.
Olive oil is one of the products seeing an increase in food fraud: “Olive oil is a valuable commodity and fraud is on the increase,” said Dr Julian South, of Campden BRI.
Jenny Morris from the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, added: “If you are a criminal and you get hold of some oil, not necessarily olive oil, you can colour it green with a bit of chlorophyll and make a lot of money out of it.”
Alcohol is another common target for food fraud, with police seizing 17,156 litres of counterfeit vodka, due to be sold for £1m. Many counterfeit foods come from abroad, and a recent Thai police raid uncovered 270 bottles of fake whisky, as well as forged stickers, labels and packaging.
Experts in the food industry say they need to do more to secure themselves against food fraud criminals: “We don’t have holograms or watermarks – maybe that’s the route we need to start going down”, said Stuart Shotton of Foodchain Europe.
Many other industries including pharmaceuticals, tobacco, technology and fashion, who are susceptible to counterfeiting are already successfully using security labels to protect their products and brands.
At Hague we supply millions of high security self-adhesive labels each year to companies all around the world. The most difficult to copy products are protected with multiple security features including security inks and sophisticated custom holograms. Other options for product protection include tamper-evident seals and trackable barcodes and numbering.


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Online items are not fully regulated, and might turn out to be unsafe or even fake. So if a price looks too good to be true, it probably is, says Jane Bradley
There have always been toys which are potentially lethal.
A Cabbage Patch Doll sold in the US in the 1990s – whose gimmick was that it appeared to “eat” snacks – was found to be accidentally consuming children’s fingers and hair as well. Then there was the Austin Magic Pistol, which produced a ball of fire. Real, hot, fire.
The best has to be the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab science kit released in 1951 – which was withdrawn from sale after it was found to contain real radioactive materials.
These days, things are generally more stringent and dangerous toys – at least those containing nuclear energy – are not allowed to be put on sale. In shops, at any rate.
However, while toys sold in physical retailers have to meet a British standard for safety, there is a loophole which means products flogged on websites do not necessarily have to go through the same tests.
A few weeks ago, a dangerous version of the fidget spinner – the must-have toy purportedly created for children with attention deficit disorders – was found to be on sale online.
The danger was not a simple error on the part of the maker. This version, the “Naruto Razor Tri-Spinner Fidget Toy Game”, was intentionally laced with razor blades.
What seems particularly bizarre is that this product, which has three blades which flick out from the sides of the device when it spins, is described as “unregulated” and “counterfeit” but not “criminal” – apparently it is parents who should make sure that their kids are not handed these potentially lethal playthings. It is not, apparently, the police’s job to find out why people want children to buy toys which couldslice into their hands.
However, while the fake spinners are perhaps at the extreme end of the spectrum, they are just the tip of the iceberg of unregulated toys sold to parents which could cause harm to their children.
This week is Child Safety Week, when the Child Accident Prevention Trust is urging people to be aware of risks to children and young people. The problem is that selling toys online is somewhat unchartered territory.
Toys purporting to be a well-known product could actually be cheap and dangerous knock-offs, with unregulated and potentially toxic materials. They may have small parts which fall off and could be a choking hazard, paint which contains poisonous materials or cords which could be long enough to easily wind around a young child’s neck.
Even “real” fidget spinners have been reported to come apart – meaning that the small, round, metal buttons could easily go into a child’s mouth. However, although perhaps kids who are old enough to manipulate fidget spinners should also be old enough to know not to put them into their mouths, the fact is that some children will do just that – like ten-year-old Britton Joniec from Texas, who got one of the metal buttons lodged in her throat and had to undergo surgery to have it removed a couple of weeks ago.
Quality products, however, are likely to be safer.
And companies trying to flog cut-price fakes have become sneaky. Large e-commerce sites such as eBay and Amazon are quick to investigate when an item, sold by a third party seller, is flagged as potentially fake. But unless these items are flagged, the selling sites cannot know there is a problem.
Experts tell me that fake toy companies are pricing their wares at just under recommended retail price (RRP) to make them more attractive to consumers, but still pertaining to be a quality product, rather than a bargain basement item.
Rachel Jones, founder of Edinburgh-based firm SnapDragon, which offers services to help small businesses tackle online sales of counterfeit goods, says that the products are not just found on dodgy websites – they actually look so similar to the originals that some can slip through the net and even be sold on regularly used e-commerce websites such as Amazon and eBay.
She says that while luxury brands have for years been plagued by forgeries, consumers have been able to tell that they are buying a fake due to a large discrepancy between, for example, a £5,000 designer handbag and a £200 knock-off.
With cheaper products, however, it is not as easy.
What seems like only a slightly cut-price bargain for a consumer could actually be a huge mark-up for a dodgy firm which has produced the goods cheaply and with inferior, potentially hazardous, materials.
Ms Jones explains: “Online means people are duped more easily into buying the wrong thing. Large companies spend a lot of money on watching and seeing if things which contravene intellectual property regulations are happening – but small businesses do not have the money to do so.”
Neither, she points out, do most consumers. Citizens Advice Scotland, which deals with around a couple of hundred such cases a year at its bureaus and through its helpline, says that consumers have the right to ask for a refund if a product is not “of satisfactory quality”.
It is not always that easy. Emails go unanswered and companies are hard to track down, especially those on the wrong side of sketchy. In most cases, shoppers have to write off a bad purchase as a bad job.
And it is not just children’s toys which are affected.
In addition to cosmetics, designer clothes and handbags, dog food and shampoo are just two of the more bizarre products which are frequently cloned and sold online at a cheaper price.
Just by looking at a product online, it is tricky to spot whether a logo looks exactly right, or if a product seems to be good quality.
The advice is to check out the reviews and if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
But one tip is definitely worth remembering: if it contains radioactive material, it is best avoided.


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Through much of the 1990s and early 2000s, short-sea shipping was the next great thing for U.S. ports. Then it got forced into the shadows. Why the Marine Highway is stuck in reverse, and why we need to give it a better shot.
Coverage of barge and cargo shipping, as well as the coastal trade industry.
News & Analysis
22 Mar 2018
The total effective tax on ocean going vessel businesses was almost 27 percent — something that discouraged business executives from investing in the sector. According to officials, the effective high tax rate also discouraged many vessel owners from registering their vessels in Bangladesh.
28 Nov 2017
The new loop is well suited for the booming general consumer goods and garments industry in Bangladesh.
13 Nov 2017
“Log In faces fierce competition in Brazilian cabotage and east coast of South America container services.”
06 Nov 2017
That state aid scheme underscores the importance the Narendra Modi government places on coastal and short-sea shipping.
27 Oct 2017
Efforts to bolster coastal shipping to ease port congestion and lower logistics costs gain momentum.
02 Oct 2017
The government has helped fuel demand by stepping up maritime investments and reforms to push port connectivity.
27 Sep 2017
Renewed coastal service will feed containers into ships calling at new JNPT terminal.
05 Sep 2017
Terms of the 50-50 joint venture were not disclosed.
30 Aug 2017
Samskip has not revealed how much it is paying for Nor Lines.
29 Aug 2017
Milaha will be in a position to offer twice-weekly calls at Mundra.
22 Aug 2017
Coastal cooperation with domestic peers could be a major driver of that liner turnaround.
17 Aug 2017
Log-In Logistica is reeling following the loss of 47 containers into the sea and a decline in volumes in the second quarter.
17 Aug 2017
The increase in earnings was driven mainly by higher freight traffic on North Sea and Baltic Sea routes.
07 Aug 2017
Brazilian coastal carrier Mercosul Line last week suffered two accidents.
03 Aug 2017
First-quarter revenue increased 15.8 percent.
27 Jul 2017
Finnlines posted the best first-half results in its history.
25 Jul 2017
The move would build upon Samskip’s penetration of the shipping market between Norway and Northern Europe in recent years.
21 Jul 2017
"It’s unethical,” says the Shippers Council of Bangladesh chairman.
17 Jul 2017
“The coastal shipping deal will reduce cost as well as time. To us, time is also money.”
07 Jul 2017
The duo will develop a container feeder service to cater to the needs of exporters, importers, and local coastal traders.
13 Jun 2017
The move spurred by the diplomatic row that effectively cut off supply chains to and from Qatar.
06 Jun 2017
The digital transformation of Singapore and Rotterdam will play a crucial role in their competitiveness and both ports have launched new technology initiatives.
17 May 2017
Finnlines’ extended its four-year run of record results.
24 Mar 2017
Arkon Shipping manages a fleet of more than 120 seagoing vessels.
24 Feb 2017
Barge routes have had varied success around the United States.
24 Feb 2017
“For a fourth year in a row, we recorded an improvement in operating profit.”
21 Feb 2017
Eimskip said it has 15 working days to reply to the preliminary objection.
13 Feb 2017
Shreyas Shipping & Logistics is adding more vessels to its fleet.
07 Feb 2017
Freight traffic grew by double digits across the DFDS network, and cargo rates increased.
25 Jan 2017
Short-sea ship operator Qatar Navigation Lines is ramping up its feeder coverage between India and the Middle East.
17 Nov 2016
State-owned Shipping Corporation of India swung to a net loss in the second fiscal quarter.
15 Nov 2016
DFDS boosted operating profit by double digits in the third quarter and upgraded its full-year outlook.
09 Nov 2016
Finnlines posted its best every quarterly result despite sluggish economic growth in Europe.
03 Oct 2016
Work on the project is slated to begin in summer 2017 and finish up in fall 2018.
22 Sep 2016
The government of India has announced more port tariff incentives to get roll-on, roll-off shippers to use coastal shipping more.


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The Original El Taco to join Yeah Burger at the Airport
Taco joint finalizes plans to open at Atlanta airport. Fifth Group Restaurants is bringing its popular Mexican concept to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The…
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Trade law news. Trade News Headlines
На следующее утро, придя пораньше, он подменил чужую клавиатуру на свою, модифицированную, а в конце дня вновь поменял их местами и просмотрел информацию, записанную чипом.
Food and Drug Administration the authority to seize counterfeit medical devices and products, including vaccines. January 06, The U.
Trade Representative ruled that digital services taxes adopted by India, Italy and Turkey discriminated against U. Court of International Trade upheld increased tariffs on one Vietnamese frozen fish exporter Wednesday but threw the rate back to the U.
Department of Commerce, saying that applying the same duties to unexamined companies was unreasonable. January 05, U.
International Trade Law - Ahmer Bilal Soofi - President - RSIL
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to evaluate other applications that "may pose an unacceptable risk to the national security. Department of Commerce on Tuesday renewed export restrictions on geospatial software that makes use of artificial intelligence for another year, extending trade law news that domestic manufacturers and trade groups had warned were excessively vague and could be misused. January 05, The U.
January 05, The New York Stock Exchange said late Monday it had hit the brakes on plans to delist three Chinese telecommunications companies after consulting further with regulators regarding the applicability of a U. January 04, Trump Pushes 1st Circ.
About and Subscription Options Every day, there are many trade related articles, reports and other documents freely available on the web, from sources such as news organizations, government agencies, courts, think tanks, NGOs, blogs and scholarly journals.
Nominee But Drops Bipartisan Picks President Donald Trump has renominated a slew of previous picks as Congress began a new session, keeping alive nominations for the First Circuit and several trial courts and agencies but snubbing three long-waiting candidates for district courts in blue states including California. January 04, The Trump administration blacklisted the Venezuelan judge and prosecutor involved in the trial of the "Citgo 6," a group of six energy company executives facing lengthy prison sentences based on what the U.
«Сквозь строй» приказал долго жить, - безучастно произнес Фонтейн. - Это уже не новость, директор. - Джабба сплюнул. - От взрывной волны я чуть не упал со стула.
January 04, Two U. January 04, The U.
Court of International Trade on Monday ordered the U. Department of Commerce to reevaluate its use of Maersk shipping data to calculate anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panel exports, calling the department's reasoning "unsupported.


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The American company “Cisco”, a manufacturer of network equipment and software, is gradually leaving the markets of Russia and Belarus. This was reported on Thursday by Reuters news agency.
“We have made the decision to begin a systematic reduction of our business in Russia and Belarus,” the agency quotes a company representative.
The company is currently focused on ensuring that employees in the Russian Federation and Belarus affected by the decision receive the support they need.
In March last year, Cisco announced a temporary suspension of sales of its products and services in Russia and Belarus in connection with the events in Ukraine.


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Walmart gets cautious on economic outlook, sees lower 2023 performance
Walmart Inc. forecast full-year earnings below estimates and warned that cautious spending by consumers could pressure profit margins. The company is facing price hikes from many of its product suppliers in a high-inflation environment. Home Depot also forecast weaker-than-expected annual profits on Tuesday as soaring prices hit demand for home-improvement products. Walmart forecast earnings of $5.90 to $6.05 per share for the year through January 2024, below analysts’ estimates of $6.50 per share.
The forecast includes a 14-cent estimated impact from an accounting charge related to moderating inflation in key merchandise categories and reduced inventory levels at its Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club business. On a post-earnings call, Walmart’s Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon said he expects “stubborn inflation” in dry grocery and items made for immediate consumption to have some “mixed” impact this year. Walmart’s margins are getting impacted because they are being very competitive with pricing, but they need to do that to get traffic in their stores. Walmart reported strong demand in the holiday quarter ended Jan. 31, posting total revenue of $164.05 billion, a 7.3% increase from last year.
Adjusted earnings per share came in at $1.71, beating the $1.51 average expectation. Walmart is gaining share across income cohorts, including at the higher end, and is also grabbing a greater share of the wallet at its Sam’s Club unit. However, inflation-squeezed consumers are increasingly shifting toward buying more food and consumables from general merchandise, which will continue to be a drag on margins this year. Walmart is using data and leveraging metrics, including best-performing merchandise and best-performing categories, in negotiations with suppliers to pass on lower prices to consumers. Companies, including Procter & Gamble and Nestle, have warned of further price hikes this year.
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Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ : CRON ) (TSX: CRON) announced this morning that the company has entered into a joint venture agreement with Agroidea SAS, one of the leading agricultural companies in Colombia. Agroidea SAS has 30 years of experience in agricultural R&D and cultivation techniques.
Under the joint venture partnership, the companies are establishing NatuEra S.à r.l., or to better known as NatuEra. The new company is set to cultivate, extract, and manufacture medicinal based cannabis products to be distributed in Latin America and other legal countries around the world.
NatuEra will be run by Andres Nannetti and Nicolas Nannetti who have extensive experience in managing large scale horticulture projects in Latin America. The Cronos Group has partnered with Agroidea SAS based on the company’s intricate business model has been capable of developing micro-propagation and tissue cultures, plant health laboratories, and has experience studying plant based genetics.
NatuEra will begin construction on a state-of-the-art facility that is expected to meet GAP and GMP requirements for the cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, and distribution of cannabis. Both the Cronos Group and Agroidea SAS plans to fund the project and construction of the facility equally.
Mike Gorenstein, CEO of Cronos Group gave this statement in the press release, “We searched extensively for the right partner in Latin America. In AGI we have found an executive team with immense experience in running large scale horticultural operations and serving the needs of large, sophisticated international clients which will be crucial in establishing consistent and efficient supply chains for cannabinoid-based products.”
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iOS 17 set to bring WhatsApp-like feature to iPhones that you will absolutely adore
From customizable Contact Posters and Live Stickers to innovative functionalities like StandBy and Catch Up, iOS 17 update promises to enhance the messaging experience for iPhone users like never before.
After Apple announced that iOS 17 was in the works and would be rolled out sometime during the Fall season, Apple has been rolling out its Beta updates on a regular basis to testers. These have provided a huge list of amazing features that will be coming to iPhone users. Its recent update included the iOS 17 Beta 6 update which has transformed the way we will use the iPhone Message app. In fact, Apple has introduced a plethora of new features that are transforming the way iPhone users will communicate through their Messages app.
The biggest event of the year for Apple is expected to be held a few weeks. iPhone 15 series will likely be launched at the event and these smartphones will pack the iOS 17. For now, testers, developers and other interested parties and individuals have access to the new beta updates as and when they are released. All eligible iPhones are expected to get the iOS 17 thereafter. From customizable Contact Posters and Live Stickers to innovative functionalities like StandBy and Catch Up, iOS 17 is a software update that promises to enhance the messaging experience for iPhone users like never before. Among these exciting additions, the "swipe to reply" feature stands out as a game-changer, allowing users to engage in threaded conversations seamlessly. Some of these features are given below:
Swipe to Reply
One of the standout features of iOS 17's Messages app is the long-awaited "swipe to reply" function. Similar to the popular feature on WhatsApp, users can now swipe right on a message within a conversation to trigger a reply arrow. This action opens up an isolated thread for the user to type their response. This threaded conversation approach keeps discussions organized and clutter-free, making it easier to follow ongoing conversations within a group chat. It is one of the most easy-to-use features and it is remarkable that Apple did not roll it out earlier.
mobile to buy?
While Messages is a very popular app, this new feature is expected to make it even more so and expectations are that more such outstanding features are rolled out eventually when iOS 17 gets a public release.


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Car carrier firms, having been hit very hard by the onset of the pandemic last year, are now facing up to renewed depressed volumes thanks to a global shortage of semiconductors.
At the onset of the pandemic the car carrier sector was one of the worst affected shipping segments, with huge swathes of the fleet sent into layup.
However, by May this year the volumes of cars being shipped had returned to 5% shy of pre-Covid-19 levels. Since then, however, many automakers have been forced to shutter production lines thanks to Covid outbreaks as well as a shortage of semiconductors. Semiconductors are vital for modern cars, running everything from safety to infotainment systems.
A lack of semi-conductors will be responsible for about 5m cars not being built in 2021
Latest data from Clarksons shows that for the period from January to July this year car trade volumes were around 9% short of pre-Covid levels in terms of tonne-miles, reflecting the impacts of semiconductor shortages on car production globally. The 9% figure is set to get worse in the coming months.
Analysts are projecting the lack of semi-conductors will be responsible for about 5m cars not being built in 2021.
Sweden’s Volvo, Germany’s Volkswagen and Japan’s Toyota all announced last week that they will have to reduce production further if there is not an urgent solution to the chip crisis. Toyota, the world’s biggest car company, is cutting 40% off from its September production by producing 140,000 fewer cars and trucks because of chip resources.
Semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) and Intel are being forced to prioritise who should get chips first amid limited supply. These chipmakers naturally want to prioritise the most lucrative customers, like Apple and Samsung.
“Semiconductors might be the new oil—and that could make the 2020s the new 1970s,” American weekly magazine Barron’s reported last week, drawing comparisons between the world’s reliance on the Middle East for oil to today’s reliance on East Asia for chips. Around 80% of the world’s semiconductor production capacity is centred in the region,
In related news, Taiwanese media have recently reported TSMC, the largest chip maker in the world, is in advanced negotiations with a local container carrier, likely Wan Hai Lines, to ship 5,000 teu of equipment in October. The shipment is understood to be part of the fabrication equipment needed for a new chip plant TMSC plans to open in Arizona in 2024.


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ASEAN KEY DESTINATIONS
Singapore business sentiment down
THE outlook in the key manufacturing and services sectors remained buoyant, but fewer companies are now upbeat about the future, in anticipation of slower growth in the second half of the year, two surveys released on Friday said and reported by The Straits Times.
The latest survey from the Economic Development Board showed that a weighted 25 per cent of manufacturers expect business conditions to improve from July to December, down from 34 per cent from the survey in April.
A weighted 7 percent of companies felt things would get worse in the second half of the year, up from 5 percent three months ago.
About 376 manufacturers were surveyed between May and June this year.
In the services sector, the weighted percentage of firms expecting a more positive outlook was down from 45 percent to 39 percent, said the survey from the Department of Statistics, which polled about 1,400 firms.
Compared to three months ago, more firms felt that things would stay the same, while slightly fewer firms said things would get worse.
Within manufacturing, firms in the electronics sector, which has seen a huge uptick in fortunes for the past half year, continued to stay the most positive about their future.
A weighted 43 percent of firms said things would get better, and another 45 per cent expect to increase their production for the third quarter with more export orders coming for the holiday season at the end of the year.
'The firms foresee orders being sustained by demand for consumer electronic products such as wireless handsets and mobile computing devices,' said the EDB.
A smaller 7 percent of manufacturers expect to hire workers in the second half of the year, compared to 10 percent three months ago.
Hiring is expected mainly in the electronics and precision engineering sectors.
OCBC economist Selena Ling said: 'We are seeing a more cautious tone. Certain sectors will be looking at a more modest pace of growth.
'Manufacturing is not going to be the main job creator going ahead, services is going to be, and we are really talking about financial and tourism in particular.'
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Looks like those in the exit market are doing their Christmas shopping a little early in Philly.
Diapers.com, an e-commerce store founded in 2005 that sells early childhood goods, has reportedly sold to Amazon for $500 million in cash. The company, while based in Jersey City, has deep Philly roots.
The company is funded partly by MentorTech Ventures and run by Penn graduates Vinit Bharara and Marc Lore. The company raised its Series E round earlier this year to bring the total funding amount for the company to $78.5 million. According to an article in Forbes earlier this year, Lore owns 9.5 percent of the company and Bharara owns 8 percent.
We’ll let you do that math on that payout.
Is the recent wave of exits a sign of the Philly startup community’s health or just coincidence?
Update: See Amazon’s official statement here.


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Vanity Fair celebrated the world’s royalty and celebrities in its annual Best Dressed List, published Wednesday.
Inductees included Prince Phillip, Queen Letizia of Spain, Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, and of course, Barack and Michelle Obama.
This year’s list seems to overrepresent politicians and royalty. Sure some celebrities are to be expected – like Rihanna who’s been the face of Dior – but did Prince Phillip really deserve to be in this year’s running? He’s 96 and rarely in the public eye.
And where is Melania Trump? You know, the First Lady and also the Slovenian immigrant who was a fashion model until 2016?
Who also dresses in a very similar style to previous First Ladies?
Neither of these women has a patent on black heels and stripes, but I might go so far as to say that Melania looks better than Michelle.
I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that even fashion is political in 2017. We learned this last week when Melania was raked through the coals for boarding Air Force One in heels.
And Grayson Carter, an Editor at Vanity Fair, has had a longstanding feud the President, repeatedly calling public attention to his “short fingers.”
I didn’t know fashion editors were also experts in anatomical proportions.
Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016
I can’t help but think that Melania forfeited a spot on the best dressed list not because she’s poorly dressed but because she is married to The Donald.
And maybe the magazine should consider deleting last week’s article, which points out Melania’s strikingly similar dress to its very own Michelle Obama:
Michelle Obama was often lauded for wearing J.Crew during her time in the White House, coming across as a more relatable and accessible First Lady than many in the past. It seems entirely possible that Trump is ripping out a page from the Obama handbook in order to drum up some much-needed goodwill from the public
You’re right, Vanity Fair. Michelle is so relatable. Remember when she wore nearly $600 shoes to a food bank? Or when her husband extended their vacation in Martha’s Vineyard during Louisiana’s historic 2016 flood? Good times.


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Chick-fil-A is spreading its wings with plans to expand in Montana.
Continue Reading Below
The chicken-centric chain is reportedly working to open a second location in the Treasure State with a new restaurant in Billings. A developer has filed a request for zoning clarification on 1.4 acres near Marketplace Street and 24th Street West to build a new Chick-fil-A, The Billings Gazette reported on Monday.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Chick-fil-A stayed mum on when the latest location might open.
“While we are excited to be moving closer toward a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Billings, we do not have any updates to share on timing,” the restaurant rep told FOX Business. “We look forward to joining the community and serving all of our guests with great food and genuine hospitality.”
Until then, Montanans may have to hit the road for their fix of crispy chicken and sweet lemonade. Chick-fil-A currently operates just one other location in Montana – the Kalispell restaurant is about seven hours away from Billings.
Former Montana Attorney General Tim Fox previously pushed for more Chick-fil-A locations in the state, in an open letter to CEO Dan Cathy. Fox implored the Chick-fil-A exec to consider opening more locations in Big Sky Country, arguing that “Montanans don’t discriminate against others based on religious affiliation” and that Chick-fil-A was welcome to expand there.
The chain has been previously criticized for donating millions to organizations accused of harboring anti-LGBTQ views, though the restaurant and its eponymous foundation said it cut ties with these groups in 2019.
Fox News’ Michael Bartiromo and Alexandra Deabler contributed to this report.


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The memory chip technology is seen as a promising replacement for flash memory one day
The company is targeting use in car dashboards and instrument consoles
They're not household names but their products drive the future of electronics
The cute robots will get lots of attention at this week's Ceatec
The patent infringement complaint between Nvidia and Samsung centers around display technology.
The new technology has lower power consumption and better colors than LCD
The Oracle executive missed a keynote a year earlier to attend a boat race
US attorney general's remarks follow similar concerns from the FBI. But will Silicon Valley care?
Activist investor says PayPal needs to acquire competitors or be acquired
The Minnesota-based supermarket chain says technology installed after the first attack greatly reduced the severity of the second
Japanese telecom carrier said to want animated movie producer
Neelie Kroes takes to Twitter after the latest German court ban on Uber services
An additional 108 restaurants were also affected, said credit-card processor Signature Systems
The company is trying to reverse a decline with the slide of the PC market, and the interim CEO, Michael Brown, was the best candidate.
The decision is the first step in allowing wider use of drones by companies in Hollywood and elsewhere for video production.


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CAPE TOWN - The announcements were made for the first time from the new Steve Jobs theater, in Cupertino, California where Apple has announced its 10-year-anniversary iPhone X.
The starting price is $999 (R13 000).
The iPhone X pronounced "iPhone 10" will feature Super Retina Display on its almost boarder-less screen.
It is water and dust resistant and you can get the phone in the following colours: space grey and silver.
Multi tasking on the phone is super efficient, by swiping in different directions on the device.
Apple no longer uses the home button on the X device and features Face ID and facial recognition technology to unlock the device.
The company promised that Face ID will protect facial data captured on the iPhone X and said that there was a one-in-million chance that a 'random person' could unlock a user's iPhone X using their face.
The iPhone X will be priced at $999 (R13 000) and will be available from November this year 2017.
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were promised to have the highest video capability in a smartphone, according to Apple.
The phone will retail from $699 (R 9000) with the 8 Plus from $799 (R10 000) and comes in 64GB and 256GB.
It also features newly animated emojis that mimic your facial expressions with an application called, Animoji.
The new phone features a 12-megapixel rear shooter and optical image stabilization, additional colour filters, a new sensor and software tweaks that make it easier to adjust lighting effects.
(Image: Comparision of all devices by Apple)
The iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus will be available in silver, space grey and a gold finish.
It also features new stereo speakers along with a new chip called, A11 Bionic chip.
According to the company, it is "the most powerful chip ever in a smart phone.It also features iOS 11, which features new animated emojis, more languages with Siri's translation services and a refreshed Control Center menu.
A new 4K Apple TV which will feature live sports, also has both 4K resolution and HDR support.
This means it can work with the latest TVs, projectors and content formats for better pictures, brighter colours and generally improved visuals.
These features are not brand new to the tech world, Apple is catching up and it allows streaming customers to have more options.
A new Apple Watch Series 3, now has cellular capabilities.
According to Cook, The Apple Watch is currently the number 1 watch in the world with 97% customer satisfaction.
It has upgraded systems that now monitor a resting heart rate, recovery heart rate and identify arrhythmia (a condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm).
( Image: Watch Series 3 introduced by Apple)
So it can monitor irregular heartbeats while the wearer is sitting down. It will be available September 19, says Apple Jeff Williams. It also has a new dual-core processor with 70% better performance says Apple COO, Jeff Williams
- BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE


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Inspired Entertainment has extended its long-term deal with online gambling operator and Inspired's long-time partner bet365 as the provider of virtual sports.
According to the contract， Inspired will supply bet365 with its most recent products， including licensed games， giving bet365 the advantage of having the material for its Virtual Sports services.
Brooks Pierce， President and CEO of Inspired， said: "We are extremely pleased to continue our long-term partnership with bet365， the world B2C leader in Virtual Sports， offering up more than 30 channels of Inspired content around the world. They were the first operator to offer our Multi-Stream Matchday and Basketball products.
"We're thrilled for them to be one of the first operators to take our latest licensed products to grow their popular Inspired Virtual Sports portfolio."
With the addition of basketball， football， the first-ever women's soccer game and baseball， Inspired's Virtual Sports have experienced significant growth in North America over the past five years.
For Q4 2022， Inspired Entertainment earned $78.6m，evolution black jack an increase of 17% from the previous quarter. The provider reported increases of 42% in gaming， 36% in virtual sports， and 9% in interaction. In these corresponding business segments， the company reported functional currency growth rates of 34%， 61%， 56% and 24%.
Inspired recorded a net income of $3.1m for Q4 compared to a net loss of $1.2m in the same quarter last year.
Lorne Weil， Inspired Executive Chairman， said: "Our fourth quarter results ended a record year for Inspired， in which we achieved double-digit， year-over-year top and bottom-line growth and reached a record annual revenue and a milestone of $100m in adjusted EBITDA， even in the face of significant adverse currency movements.”


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Huawei, Intel sign MoU
Combined clout will allow new market offerings, say spokesmen
Solutions provider Huawei has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Intel Corporation to bring collaborative offerings to market.
Announced during the Huawei Cloud Congress 2012, the partnership is to include joint engineering projects to build products and solutions for server, storage, data centre and cloud computing. The arrangement will also allow combined ventures in China and other countries.
Another aim of the MoU is to split market development efforts. The pooled resources of Intel and Huawei are expected to allow the shortening of product development cycles through solution alignment.
"Intel leads in computing innovation, and builds advanced platforms for server, cloud computing, storage and data center solutions," said Ian Yang, Intel corporate vice president and China president.
"The strategic MoU between Intel and Huawei will bring the co-operation to a new level. The key advantage for both companies is the ability to bring new innovative product and usage models to market."
"Huawei has strong capability in server, storage, data center and cloud computing," said Zheng Yelai, president of Huawei IT product line.
"We have had an excellent collaboration over the past ten years with Intel. The strategic global co-operation MoU on IT will only help to strengthen the Huawei and Intel relationship, and allow us both to innovate around customer demand - providing more efficient, more valuable ICT solutions to our customers."


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Climate change and food supplies: Much of the nation has baked under a brutal summer-long heatwave this year, and that's had a devastating effect on crops. That's driving food prices higher worldwide, and U.S. consumers can expect their grocery bills to go up between 3 and 4 percent in the next year. Even when the current drought passes, Reuters reports that there are other concerns related to global warming that endanger world food supplies in the future. A recent U.N. report on climate extremes says that it's "virtually certain" that days with extreme heat will increase, along with other climate-related weather patterns, like increased downpours as a larger percentage of total rainfall. Increased downpours could wash away crops, and even destroy roads needed to distribute food in developing countries.
With the global population predicted to hit 9 billion by 2050 (up from 7 billion now) researchers say the world will face some hard choices. They're urging more research into drought- or flood-resistant crops, and they say a shift towards more vegetarian diets would help east the strain on food systems.Oregon became the first state to ban the use of pig gestation crates through the state legislature, and since then, eight other states have enacted similar bans -- the most-recent in Rhode Island earlier this summer. In a compelling opinion piece in the Newark Star-Ledger, Peter Singer and Paul Shapiro make the case why the Garden State should follow Oregon's lead. Singer is the author of the landmark book "Animal Liberation," and Shapiro is the vice president of farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States. Choice quote: "Most people would cringe at the idea of keeping an animal locked for years in a cage so cramped she couldn't even turn around. Such abuse would rightfully be condemned by most, but unfortunately, it's not just a hypothetical case we're talking about. Imagine this treatment inflicted on not just one animal, but on millions, and you start to understand just how extreme standard pork industry practices have become."
If New Jersey joins Oregon in banning the practice, Singer and Shapiro note they'll have plenty of company. All 27 nations in the European Union have enacted such a ban. And many of the nation's largest food providers (including McDonald's, Burger King, Heinz, Costco and Oscar Mayer) have eliminated inhumanely-raised pork from their products as a result of public outcry against pig gestation crates.


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Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. is closing more stores than expected, one of a few reasons analysts are bullish about the struggling home retailer.
During its earnings call late Wednesday, Mary Winston, Bed Bath & Beyond’s BBBY, +0.40% interim chief executive, said the company is closing about 60 stores in fiscal 2019, up from 40 that was previously estimated. The closures will include 40 Bed Bath & Beyond stores and 20 “concept” stores.
Other brands in the Bed Bath & Beyond portfolio include Cost Plus World Market and Harmon.
“With this action, we are increasing the profitability of our remaining portfolio and believe that our remaining fleet will benefit from our renewed focus on driving traffic and operating efficiency,” Winston said, according to a FactSet transcript.
The company also has more than 400 leases expiring over the next couple of years that the company said.
“[W]e are encouraged about the progress the interim leadership is making around gross margins and SG&A as well as the accelerated store closures,” wrote Raymond James analysts in a note. “Moving forward, the potential for non-core asset sales and new CEO announcement are two catalysts that should move Bed Bath & Beyond higher over the coming weeks/ months.”
Bed Bath & Beyond’s CEO stepped down in May. Winston, a new addition on the company’s board at the time, was appointed on an interim basis.
She said on the call that the search has made “substantial progress” and a selection is expected “soon.”
“As we highlighted in our March 2019 upgrade, we believe there is still value in the enterprise and with the right management team and store investment strategy Bed Bath & Beyond is a fixable business,” wrote Raymond James, which rates Bed Bath & Beyond stock a strong buy with a $17 price target.
On Monday, Bed Bath & Beyond was upgraded at Wedbush based on factors like store remodels and sale of non-core assets.
Bank of America published a bullish note, also in favor of these actions. Analysts there estimate that the sale of non-core assets could generate $850 million to $900 million along with $1 billion in cash on the company’s balance sheet.
“This could be used for significant share buyback and/or debt reduction with ample capacity for capital expenditure needs,” analysts said.
Moreover the potential for tariff impact turns out to be much less than analysts anticipated.
On the call, Chief Financial Officer Robyn D’Elia said the “vast majority of its products” are sourced domestically.
Bank of America reiterated its buy stock rating and $20 price objective.
Not everyone is upbeat, with CFRA maintaining its sell rating based on the same-store sales result, which were down 6.7%.
But even other concerned analysts see positive signs ahead.
“While we continue to see risk to sales , we also believe new management can find cost, margin and capital allocation opportunities that could create meaningful value for shareholders, particularly considering the current valuation of the stock, though this seems more likely to bear fruit in 2020,” KeyBanc Capital Markets analysts wrote in a note.
KeyBanc rates Bed Bath & Beyond shares sector weight.
Bed Bath & Beyond stock closed Wednesday at $10.02, and are down 28.8% over the last year. The S&P 500 index SPX, +0.67% is down 0.8% for the period.


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Porsche Announces Faster, More Extreme 911 GT3 RS With 450 Horsepower
Hot on the heels of announcing the 2010 911 Turbo for the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, Porsche has also spilled the beans on its newest hardcore, purist sports car - the next-generation 911 GT3 RS. Yes, what many consider to be the ultimate road-going Porsche 911 has just gotten more, well, ultimate. With increased power, shorter gear ratios, and a higher-tuned chassis, the new 911 GT3 RS takes extreme to a whole new level.
Based on the previous iteration, the new GT3 RS utilizes the same core flat-six engine as the previous version, but it's been bored out from 3.6L to 3.8L - enough to provide an extra 15 horsepower over the standard 911 GT3, bringing output totals to a full 450 naturally aspirated ponies. A revised, short-throw, close-ratio six-speed gearbox has been thrown in to produce a vehicle that revs faster and produces more dynamic acceleration traits - and higher top speed -- than the version before.
But this being Porsche, the powertrain is only half the story. The newest GT3 RS has also been sharpened underneath, resulting in a wider track both front and aft, and corresponding wider bodywork. New wheels measure a full 9-in. wide up front and 12-in. wide at rear, wrapped in 245/35 ZR 19 rubber and 325/30 ZR 19 respectively. Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts (PADM) are featured as standard, changing in stiffness and damping according to road surface and driving behavior, for reduced body roll and dive.
Even the details have been fine-tuned, with the new 911 GT3 RS featuring a larger carbon fiber rear wing and lower ride height than previous versions, along with an optional lithium-ion battery that saves weight over the conventionally lead-based version by over 22 lbs. The distinctive dual exhaust tips of the 911 GT3 RS remain a trademark feature of the new car, and as before the entire exhaust system is constructed of lightweight titanium.
The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS is slated to hit U.S. showrooms next year after a Frankfurt debut. Base price will be $132,800 excluding delivery charges.


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California ends cannabis cultivation tax, partly blamed for strangling the legal industry
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signing of the $308 billion state budget Thursday evening handed California’s struggling cannabis industry long-sought tax relief.
The state eliminated the cultivation tax on growers and capped the excise tax at point of sale at 15% for three years, moves hailed by industry advocates as a victory after a prolonged push in Sacramento to lighten the tax burden on the legal trade.
Growers have felt the pinch over the last two years as they watched the wholesale price plummet amid a glut of product. All the while, state taxes have gone up and the illicit market has remained intact.
“I’m celebrating,” said Amy O’Gorman Jenkins, the California Cannabis Industry Association lobbyist who has worked on reform for four years. ”The Legislature seems to have grasped a lot of what’s affecting the cannabis industry. More work needs to be done, but I see this as a big win. To critics, I say this is a significant first step.”
Much of the language of the trailer bill that enacted the tax relief came from state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, who introduced legislation early this year that sought to shift the state tax growers pay to the excise tax paid on point-of-sale transactions. Senate Bill 1074 was blended into the state budget legislation as part of a reform package lawmakers passed Wednesday night.
McGuire’s involvement earlier this year came as more than 400 cannabis industry advocates signed a letter to the Legislature demanding tax relief.
That push, however, imperiled funding for youth organizations and services that draw revenue from the cultivation tax. The reform package preserves that funding by other means.
“We appreciate the governor and Legislature to take into account the funding for kids and childcare and to look to protect these funding streams,” said Jim Keddy, executive director of Youth Forward, a Sacramento-based youth advocacy entity.
“The bottom line is this, cultivation taxes have been crushing small farmers throughout the North Coast and impeding the state’s efforts to transition family cannabis growers from the unregulated market to the legal market,” McGuire said Friday in a statement to the Business Journal.
He said “basing taxes off of a cannabis flower’s weight” was flawed, while the state faced a potential market collapse.
“That’s why we’re thrilled our legislation has been included in the state budget. This action will give family farmers a fighting chance,” he said. “This is a lifeline for generations of families who built California’s storied cannabis industry.”
The tax relief comes as California first-quarter cannabis tax revenues were down 7% to $293 million, from $316.5 million in the fourth quarter of last year, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration reported.
The state cultivation also rose this year from $9.65 to $10.08 per dry weighted ounce.
Many insiders have attributed the decline to the rising cost of business
Sonoma County, the most prominent North Bay local government allowing cannabis cultivation, has taxed growers from $1.12 to $12.65 per square foot, depending on which of the dozen types of licenses is held. The Board of Supervisors agreed in March to slash by almost half the tax paid by local cannabis cultivators.
The state tax system was established through the passage of Proposition 64, which in 2016 legalized adult, recreational cannabis use statewide. The state subsequently set up a license and tax program that imposes obligations at every level of the supply chain, from cultivation to sales, and rolled out excise taxes over a year later.
But the green rush anticipated at that time has not unfolded, at least not in way that’s benefited a wide cross-section of the industry. Only about a third of California’s local jurisdictions have permitted new businesses under the state law, while black-market growers, wholesalers and retailers continue to operate statewide.
An estimated half of California’s growers have opted in the past year or two to wait out the sour market conditions by fallowing their land
To acclaimed cannabis grower Mike Benziger of Glentucky Farms in Glen Ellen, the tax relief is necessary considering the plummeting price his crops are gaining in the market.
“I was getting $3,000 a pound. I turn around, and I’m getting $500,” he said. “Every penny (of relief) counts.”
A National Cannabis Industry Association survey released a few months ago indicated that only 26% of cannabis business respondents in California were making a profit. Over half said they were not, and 17% were simply breaking even.
But the recovery may not come quick enough for some.


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While the fashion world convenes for the London shows, the glow from New York’s latest fashion week shines on, as experts continue to dissect the runways and the Met Gala from talent both familiar and new .
Adding to the spectacle was the technology spotted in and around the shows to strut their own technical stuff. The projects, some of which will extend throughout the month of September, brought augmented reality, behind-the-scenes reports, live shopping and even holograms, among other initiatives, to attendees and online viewers around the world.
More from WWD
Today’s spate of innovations, flexed by giants across media, social media and e-commerce, delivered new ways to experience the action.
Snapchat’s release of fashion-oriented augmented reality lenses is based on forecasted style trends pegged to each of the four major cities to host fashion weeks this month. Launched with New York Fashion Week, the lenses — a product of the company’s work with digital fabric and body mesh technology — will roll out every week to let users walk their own personal runway by virtually trying on as many as nine different looks.
Yahoo , a Verizon Media company, had its own AR project from its latest partnership with Rebecca Minkoff, this time to feature digitized looks from her latest collection. The immersive experience offered online visitors a virtual version of New York to tour and model photos featuring Minkoff’s styles via NFTs. Additionally, 3D versions of her products will be available for sale through digital fashion marketplace The Dematerialised.
An official innovation partner of IMG’s New York Fashion Week, Yahoo was rather busy this season. The tech and media company also worked with Christian Cowan on a new project pegged to his event, with the designer appearing as a photorealistic hologram, triggered by QR codes.


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NEW YORK —
Nordstrom plans to cut between 350 and 400 jobs in a bid to slash $60 million in costs.
Like most American retailers, Nordstrom is struggling. When the it reported sluggish summer sales last year, co-president Blake Nordstrom admitted executives couldn’t pin down why customers weren’t shopping. “We’re not economists, we’re merchants,” he told investors in November.
Shares shed nearly 32 percent in 2015, but things are looking up for the store this year. Shares have climbed 15 percent in 2016 on stronger sales.
On Monday, the Seattle-based company said the cuts, which will be completed by July, will primarily affect positions at its headquarters and regional offices rather than sales floor positions.
It added that employees “whose roles are eliminated will receive separation pay and benefits.”
Nordstrom has about 72,500 full and part-time employees, according to a public filing from February. It operates 323 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores across 39 states.
The store said it’s focus is to stay competitive online.
Digital giants like Amazon have changed the game for companies with brick-and-mortar stores, and Nordstrom is one of many retailers looking to save on payroll expenses. So far in 2016, Walmart and Macy’s have each announced plans to cut thousands of jobs.


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Registry Services Corporation
Joined on June 19, 2011
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Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Registry Services Corporation (RSC) has provided a robust and stable platform for the .PRO top-level domain (TLD) since 2004.
With its state-of-the-art technologies and highly secure datacenters across the globe, RSC offers registry operators advanced tools and outstanding customer support for the most critical component of their businesses.
Hostway, parent company of RegistryPro, (operators of the .PRO the top-level domain for professionals), announced today the launch of Registry Services Corporation, the retail version of its highly secure registry back-end service. more»


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By Sara Moulton
The Fernie Holiday Craft Fair hosted a full house of artisans on Saturday, November 16, with a wide range of merchandise offering something for everyone.
The holiday fair is one of three annual craft gatherings for the year, alongside a fall event and a special fair that coincides with the Griz Days festival. The popularity and demand for spaces at this year’s winter fair has prompted the organizer of the event, Tanya Malcolm, to offer an additional winter event next month.
“We have 68 vendors here today, which means we’re completely booked up,” said Malcolm. “Our second holiday fair on December 15 will give everyone a chance to do some last minute shopping ahead of Christmas.”
Products available ranged from clothing and accessories to jewellery, ornaments and gourmet food items. Other tables specialized in home decoration; selling handcrafted candles, lamps and artwork. While the weather outside was wintery and cold, the Fernie Community Centre was a warm and cozy space to spend some time browsing for the perfect item.
The silver-coin admission raised money for the Elk Valley Society for Community Living, while the Fernie Christian Youth Group provided refreshments and goodies for hungry shoppers. Details for registering at upcoming fairs can be found at www.ferniecraftfairs.blogspot.ca or by searching for Fernie Craft Fairs on Facebook.


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The poll body said 111 were prosecuted for carrying messages of the Congress while 466 such vehicles carrying slogans of independent candidates also faced action.
Projects of South Zone (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Pondicherry, Karnataka) and Central Zone (Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat) will be reviewed on Thursday, while the projects of Haryana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal will be taken up on Friday.
The announcement comes amid an increased conversation on climate change, with the 50th session of the World Economic Forum in Davos generating the maximum flutter, which has also seen US President Donald Trump calling the greens "prophets of doom".
Prior to this, Hardeep Singh Brar worked as the director of sales and network in Nissan Motor India for two years. He has also worked with auto brands like Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen and General Motors.
The third largest Japanese automaker will announce in Ohio it will provide expanded job training opportunities to 50,000 workers by 2025.
Mahindra will showcase three production-ready electric vehicles at the Auto Expo. It claims this will be the biggest e-vehicle lineup among the Indian OEMs.
In recent months, the government has announced a number of steps to shore up the economic growth including a corporate tax rate cut.
Funded by M&M until now, Mahindra Electric is open to investments for expanding its EV portfolio.
To reverse the ongoing economic slowdown, the immediate priority is to stimulate demand in the system.
FASTag enables a driver to pay the toll tax cashlessly. The money gets deducted from the bank account connected with the FASTag automatically.
The slowdown in China, the largest producer of aluminium have impacted global production significantly.
"India will ensure that any cross border investment, including for outbound investments, in infrastructure does not result in any kind of domination," said Goyal.
Trump opted not to impose any immediate tariffs on imported cars or auto parts.
Weaker greenback overseas and easing crude oil prices helped the rupee restrict its losses to some extent.
It has also asked for relaxation of end-use norms of external commercial borrowings (ECBs) for HFCs to facilitate credit flow to the entire housing finance sector.
With automobile companies expected to bring to the market the car models showcased in the upcoming Auto Expo - The Motor Show in Delhi, the consumer sentiment is expected to go into positive lane, said a top official of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
India needs a whopping USD 2.64 trillion investment to meet the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs), offering the private sector an investment opportunity of over USD 1.12 trillion by 2030, according to a report.
Based on responses from 6,051 new-vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle from October 2018 through October 2019, the study reveals that new vehicle owners report fewer problems as compared to repeat or replacement vehicle buyers.
The settlement was reached pursuant to the discussions held through the Conciliation Committee of Independent Experts appointed by NHAI, it said.
The report comes at a time when India's GDP growth is estimated to have slowed down to a decadal low of 5 per cent in 2019-20 as per official estimates.


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Volkswagen has received a lot of attention since unveiling its plans for EV supremacy, but is the industry giant’s stock a buy right now?
Like a lot of automotive companies, the Volkswagen (OTCMKTS: VWAPY) share price tumbled when COVID-19 set in. However, it didn’t take long for this European giant to recover, with its share price up more than 63% since March 2020 lows. The stock has been taking off since Volkswagen outlined its expansive electric vehicle (EV) plans in March of this year, with many investors unsure which Volkswagen ticker was the right one to buy.
The bull case for Volkswagen
In 2021, Volkswagen expects to sell one million EVs. These will mostly be battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), with these targets being very close to Tesla’s sales forecasts this year.
Volkswagen aims to be the market leader by 2025. Its EVs, including its electric SUV, are on sale in major markets like the U.S., China, and Europe.
Tesla was the EV company that had been receiving most of the love for the past year, leading to an $800 per share peak. However, Tesla has been caught up in the recent tech sell-off and has been involved in countless controversies which have resulted in the stock falling to just over $600. Now that Volkswagen has committed to the EV market in a significant way, it looks relatively undervalued with its market cap being almost 4.6x less than Tesla.
While it has not really scaled up its operations to date, it certainly has the capacity to do so, with the Volkswagen Group selling over nine million cars in 2020. This compares to just half a million sales for Tesla. It has also been making numerous acquisitions to aid its EV efforts, focusing on self-driving software, charging, and battery technology. Europe is a major EV market, with Volkswagen already having a significant foothold in the region. Many governments now offer major incentives to EV buyers.
Recently, Schmidt Automotive Research released data that showed Volkswagen more than doubled Tesla’s EV sales in Europe, growing to 856,000 from May 2020 to April 2021.
In its most recent earnings call, Volkswagen stated:
“We managed the effects of Covid-19 and the semiconductor shortages responsibly, continued to invest in the electrification and digitalization of our vehicles, and simultaneously worked on our cost base.”
It also plans to invest EUR15 billion ($17.6 billion) in its China EV infrastructure in the next four years, with sales in the nation being strong to date. Finally, the Volkswagen Group owns a number of strong brands, including Audi and Porsche. These brands will aid the EV rollout, as well as continuing to generate revenues in the non-EV side of the business.
The bear case for Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a tried and tested manufacturer, but the EV sector is a different ball game. A lot depends on building costly infrastructure across many regions before EVs can become commonplace.
Volkswagen appears to be positioning itself as an EV-focused company, which has the potential to backfire. With its plan to invest huge sums in the coming years, any hiccups along the way could derail the company’s share price.
Finally, the company’s 2015 diesel emissions scandal is still fresh in the minds of many people after it was found that Volkswagen had rigged millions of its diesel cars to cheat emission tests. When this scandal went public, nearly 40% was sliced off the share price. Some investors will be wary about trusting a company that was involved in such a recent major scandal.
So, should I buy Volkswagen stock?
There is a lot to like about Volkswagen going forward as its lofty goals have been backed up by strong sales last year. The German-based company is well-positioned to become the major player in the European EV market as its brands are already extremely popular there. Its success in China to date is also very promising.
Who is the CEO of Volkswagen?
Herbert Diess has been the CEO of Volkswagen since 2018.
What are some of the Volkswagen Group brands?
Porsche, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, SKODA, SEAT, Audi, and Volkswagen are among the brands.
How profitable is Volkswagen?
Operating profit for Q1 came in at EUR4.8 billion ($5.8 billion) despite the pandemic and impact from semiconductor shortages.
MyWallSt operates a full disclosure policy. MyWallSt staff currently holds long positions in companies mentioned above. Read our full disclosure policy here.


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December 14, 2023
The evolution of Industry 4.0 is causing an increase in smart manufacturing technologies, as businesses prioritize automation solutions to ease ongoing pressures on a dwindling workforce and supply chain issues.
With COVID demonstrating the inadequacies of rigid, monolithic processes, businesses have turned their attention to flexible, adaptable systems that favor plug-and-play and interoperability, and tech innovators are rising to meet this changing need.
IoT World Today collected smart manufacturing predictions from companies across industries, looking into how they expect the industry to change in the coming year, what technologies are set to emerge and how businesses can adapt to meet the changing landscape.
“Smart manufacturing is boosted for transformative changes in the coming year. We are placing much more significant emphasis on real-time data monitoring, predictive analytics and automation as a direct response to the increasing demand for market adoption to support personalization, flexibility and speed.
“One of the noticeable changes we anticipate is the accelerated adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. Central to this evolution is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). As more devices and systems get connected every day, smart factories will become more integrated, networked and ultimately more intelligent. With this will come enhancements in sensor technology, wireless networking and edge computing.
“In addition, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are also set to drive changes by empowering more informed decision-making, optimizing efficiency and enabling predictive maintenance routines. With such technologies, smart manufacturing is not only about streamlining processes but also about achieving self-optimization and self-learning capabilities.
We also anticipate a great deal of attention dedicated to cybersecurity as companies move towards a more interconnected, data-driven model.”
“Technologies that enable remote operation and virtual training, like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) will gain popularity and potentially shape the future workforce of smart factories.
“Despite the exciting opportunities these technologies offer, the journey towards fully-fledged smart manufacturing is not without challenges. One of the leading challenges companies are expected to face is the integration of their legacy systems with new technologies. For many customers, this will involve strategic planning and investment to ensure a smooth transition and continuous daily operation. Cybersecurity is another big concern. As factories increasingly connect their machines, assets and processes they become more vulnerable to cyber threats.
“Another challenge is the skills gap. With new technologies come new competencies. Not only will businesses need workers trained in these new technologies, but they will also need to focus on continuous learning environments to keep abreast with the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
“However, despite these challenges, the potential benefits far outweigh the hurdles. It's an exciting time in the world of smart manufacturing and we look forward to being part of the journey to deliver the digital factory as a service.”
Roger Sands, CEO, Wyebot
“Innovative network automation solutions are used to improve user experiences, boost operational efficiency and deliver lasting benefits to an organization, however, these solutions are sometimes only adopted when companies realize they’re experiencing network issues. In the manufacturing industry, enterprises will thrive by utilizing automated Wi-Fi monitoring to streamline every process that depends on Wi-Fi, where answers to any network performance issues are delivered in real time.
“In 2024, manufacturing enterprises will accelerate the adoption of network automation similar to other verticals with business-critical Wi-Fi deployments. Manufacturing organizations are leveraging inventory management solutions via barcode scanners along with robots for automating operations which are both dependent on high availability WiFi connectivity.
“We expect to see network automation become mainstream given the dynamic nature of these environments (IoT explosion, mobile connectivity and evolving Wi-Fi technologies). There will be early adopters deploying cellular networks to complement Wi-Fi.
“Companies can ensure they’re remaining ahead of the changes by adopting network automation solutions. Companies adopting new automation solutions is important, but also ensuring that while doing so, they are also adding in any necessary new infrastructure, devices and/or software to further support the technology adoption.
“Security continues to be an important element of networking and customers should continue to ensure their networks are locked down to complement the ongoing automation. In addition, as new Wi-Fi infrastructure technologies are deployed (i.e. Wi-Fi 6E), clients have to be updated to take advantage of the new technology.
“Contrary to the popular standard narrative surrounding supply chains, in 2024, supply chains will no longer be the primary obstacle hindering manufacturing networks when transitioning to Wi-Fi 6E. Instead, the biggest obstacle will be the time it will take to ensure WiFi 6E is widespread enough to support successful implementation.
“We expect 2024 to be an important year for manufacturers as they explore the potential of AI in their businesses.
“Manufacturers will use AI to analyze demand trends from multiple data sources. Finding the earliest leading demand indicators allows them to update products, secure suppliers, and adjust order quantities before competitors do. With enhanced demand visibility, OEMs can adopt better-informed procurement and design strategies to maximize profit.
“Given past product performance and a stream of IoT data from instrumented products in the field, AI can monitor usage patterns to predict when machines and equipment are likely to fail, allowing for preventive maintenance. This reduces downtime and helps bolster customer satisfaction.
“AI can help companies determine if their supply chain is at risk from a variety of factors, including part availability, end-of-life, supplier quality and regulatory compliance. Reducing risk means less chance of failing to meet customer commitments, critical launch windows or having products held up in production.
“By analyzing customer feedback, supplier performance, and product operational data, AI can inform sustaining engineering or the design of future products, leading to continual improvements in quality.
“AI is being used to make the entire design and sales process more efficient, from streamlined decision making that accelerates approval timelines to automated process routing that ensures no steps are missed, to generative AI that transforms detailed product specifications, to customer-facing promotional descriptions for distribution through eCommerce channels. Consumers and businesses both benefit when manual processes are augmented with AI that executes with the same or better effectiveness in a fraction of the time.”
Assistant Editor, IoT World Today
Scarlett Evans is the assistant editor for IoT World Today, with a particular focus on robotics and smart city technologies. Scarlett has previous experience in minerals and resources with Mine Australia, Mine Technology and Power Technology. She joined Informa in April 2022.
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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly working with suppliers on a new souped-up iPhone that is expected to launch in the third quarter.
Apple has placed orders for components for an aggressive 25 million new iPhones by the end of the year, the wire service reported.
The latest incarnation of the iPhone is expected to be thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4, its predecessor. Apple sold 18.6 million iPhones in its fiscal second quarter, up 15% from the quarter before.
Separately, analysts at Sterne Agee boosted their profit outlook on Apple, projecting fiscal third-quarter EPS of $5.95, up from $5.75 previously, according to MarketWatch.
Apples stock had a muted response to the days news, trading virtually unchanged at $349.43 ahead of Wednesdays open. The stock has rallied over 8% year-to-date.


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In which country is it easiest to do business online: 42 countries ranked
How easy is it to develop an online business on a global scale and what policy changes could improve the current situation? According to a new survey by Harvard Business Review, the United States is outperforming the rest of the world in facilitating the growth of a digital business ecosystem.
The analysis takes into account 236 variables in 42 countries: Half of the score comes from the prevalence of e-commerce, digital media, the sharing economy and independent online platforms in each country, while the other half was calculated on the basis of criteria such as data accessibility, government policies on data privacy and the presence of digital and analogue databases needed for digital platforms to function properly.
The ranking is based on the World Bank’s annual “Doing Business” survey, which, although influential, does not take into account the digital usability of each country. The score of each of the 42 countries in the 2019 survey was also taken into account in HBR’s numerical scorecard.
The United States is therefore ranked first, barely ahead of the United Kingdom. The Netherlands, Norway and Japan follow, followed by Australia, Denmark, Switzerland, Canada and Finland, which complete the top 10.
Although all current companies incorporate elements of digital technology, the authors define “digital companies” as those for which a digital platform is at the heart of their business model. They analyzed four types of digital platform companies that represent distinct value propositions:
e-commerce platforms (e.g. Amazon);
digital media platforms (e. g. YouTube);
the sharing of economic platforms (e. g. Airbnb);
independent online platforms (e. g. Upwork)
Creating an index
The authors wanted to know how easy it is for the most important digital platforms to enter, operate, prosper or abandon markets around the world and what are the main facilitators and barriers. A country’s Ease of Doing Digital Business EDDB index was obtained from a combination of platform-specific indices and other factors, including for example free flow of data and privacy measures.
The most efficient countries in the ranking
The Nordic countries
As a group, the Nordic countries score high on the EDDB scale. Nordic consumers have adopted subscription models for access to news and digital media much faster than in other countries. The region is home to some of the most sophisticated online shoppers – one-third of all Nordic consumers do cross-border e-commerce on a monthly basis. Finland is a leader in the sharing economy; its success has been shaped by the combination of open government and a high level of trust.
Opportunities for improvement
Emerging markets present significant opportunities for improvement, but each country presents a different challenge. For example:
India – although the number of mobile broadband Internet users has increased rapidly, the country is limited by its digital and physical infrastructure. Recent changes in e-commerce rules make it difficult for foreign actors to navigate the country’s digital environment.
Turkey – `Even though the country has an advanced and rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, there are many challenges for those seeking to create digital businesses. Turkey has one of the widest gender pay gaps in the world.
Main factors impacting the EDDB index
Digital regulation and public policy
Policy makers interested in promoting robust digital economies would do well to measure and monitor what we call their raw data product and assess barriers to data accessibility.
Infrastructure such as Internet and mobile phone access, as well as payment and shipping platforms are essential to improve the EDDB index.
The user’s skills, sophistication and willingness to engage in digital platforms are also factors.
Cross-border data flows
Finally, digital platforms are global. Not only are national regulations important, but cross-border restrictions on data flows and regulations governing payment flows can also govern the growth of digital platforms.