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Revenue at the world’s biggest generic drugmakers has been hit as the Donald Trump administration approves generic rivals at a record pace to increase competition. At the same time, the industry is under fire in a set of sweeping price-fixing lawsuits filed by US states that allege companies
inflated prices on drugs.
Generics makers, including Mylan and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, are following a path similar to Sun’s. But Mylan’s investments in patented products have contributed to a drag on its profitability, and the company is now conducting a strategic review of its entire business, as it has no obvious successor on the horizon for its blockbuster patented medical device, the EpiPen. Meanwhile, sales of Teva’s lone success in innovative drugs, the multiple sclerosis treatment Copaxone, are dropping faster than expected.
The two branded medicines the Israel-based firm had been counting on to replace Copaxone’s billions of dollars in annual revenue produced only about $100 million in combined sales last quarter.
Shanghvi says he and Sun have a better chance of success. For one, he’s proved adept at dealmaking. Shanghvi recognised the opportunity in generic dermatology products at an early stage, acquiring a controlling stake in distressed Israeli drugmaker Taro Pharmaceutical Industries in 2010 and using price increases on its portfolio to help improve Sun’s profitability. Sun is India’s largest drugmaker, thanks in part to the 2015 acquisition of a troubled local rival, Ranbaxy Laboratories.
Shanghvi says the inspiration for his strategy is British drugmaker Shire, which largely eschewed R&D in favour of a “search and development” model: acquiring and licensing products created by others. Shire was bought for $62 billion earlier this year by Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical to bolster its own dwindling product pipeline.
Because he controls 55 per cent of Sun’s shares, Shanghvi says, the company can pursue opportunities more nimbly than rivals weighed down by corporate bureaucracy. “The advantage is that I have end-to-end understanding of all aspects of the business,” he says. “It’s easier for me to take decisions involving risk, because I am able to assess risk from multiple dimensions. In a big company they will need 8 or 10 people who have to look at it.”
Investors are more sceptical. Sun’s shares have fallen 6.8 per cent over the past year, while India’s benchmark stock index has climbed 14 per cent. The industry price-fixing case is likely to add to the pressure. More than a dozen top generic-drug makers, including Sun, have been sued in US by more than 40 states, which accused them of inflating prices of at least 100 different drugs. “We believe the allegations made in these lawsuits are without merit, and we will continue to vigorously defend against them,” a Sun spokesman says.
Many analysts are also doubtful about the company’s plans to move beyond generics. “It’s a different ballgame altogether,” says Surajit Pal, an analyst with Prabhudas Lilladher, who has a reduce rating on Sun. “I don’t have any data on any company, be it Indian or non-Indian generic majors, who have made an impact out of launching or selling new drugs.”
Shanghvi estimates that Sun has invested about $1 billion in its patented-drug programme so far. He says growth in the Indian generics business, a push into China, and new generic products in the US will generate cash that can be plowed into reinventing the company. “The performance of many large multinational Big Pharma companies
has been mixed,” says Shanghvi, whose personal fortune now stands at about
$7.8 billion, making him India’s eighth-wealthiest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. “I think one can learn from that.”


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KEBE: Educates and opens doors to young men and women - Sectors it concerns
New business and employment opportunities in innovative and sustainable agricultural sectors
Living in an era where entrepreneurship has become a difficult puzzle and its traditional sectors face subjective and objective difficulties, new business and employment opportunities have begun to emerge in innovative and sustainable agricultural sectors.
Such sectors, which are currently promoted internationally and promoted by the European Union, are organic agriculture, sustainable food processing, aquaponics and hydroponics.
For the development of these branches in Cyprus as well, the KEBE offers free training to young people, who are interested in engaging in these innovative activities.
Already, KEBE has organized two events to inform young people and women as well as businesses active in the agriculture and food processing sectors to register and attend the training.
The entire educational program was developed within the framework of the participation of the KEBE in the European CLUSTER project, co-financed by the European ENI CBC Mediterranean Basin program.
The program aims to increase employment opportunities in sustainable industries and offers free learning, through online education, on-site training, corporate social responsibility (CSR) coaching sessions and internships (for a fee).
It is worth noting that the development of these sectors is also promoted by the Government through the Long-Term Strategy "Vision 2035", which aims to transition to a new economic model aimed at the long-term sustainability, competitiveness and resilience of the Cypriot economy.
According to a recent briefing given by the Economy and Competitiveness Council to the Minister of Agriculture Mr. P. Xenophontos, this Strategy aims to increase productivity, strengthen the activity of the primary and secondary sectors and transition to a green economy. Special emphasis was made by the President of the Economy Council and
Competitiveness Mr. T. Cleridis in the promotion and use of agrotechnology, which is very important for the development of the agricultural sector. For his part, Mr. Xenophontos pointed out that one of the objectives of the Ministry is to promote important actions in order to "convince young people to stay in the agriculture sector".
Based on the above, it is clear that the program promoted by the KEBE is consistent not only with the goals of the European Union, but also with the priorities of the Cypriot government.

domain: news


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Coors Light iced tea beer to launch in Canada
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Lime beer? That’s so yesterday.
Molson Coors is hoping beer drinkers don’t mind another flavour in their brew — tea. The company announced Tuesday it’s launching Coors Light Iced T, a tea and citrus-infused brew, next month. And it’s making Canadians the guinea pigs.
At a meeting in New York with analysts, Molson Coors revealed it will launch the brand in Canada first, but might consider expanding it to U.S. markets as well.
Despite its April 1 launch date, the reason for the tea beer is no April Fool’s gag: Canada’s national drink has been getting an ever-shrinking share of the alcohol market.
“We need to broaden our appeal,” said Dave Perkins, Molson Coors Canada’s president and CEO, in an interview. The idea for the new brew was conceived in Canada, Perkins said.
The Coors Light Iced T won’t, however, be a trailblazer in Ontario — two years ago, Toronto’s Mill Street Brewery unveiled its own lemon and tea beer.
At the meeting with analysts, Molson Coors CEO Peter Swinburn put the beer world’s dilemma even more bluntly.
“Someone else is eating our lunch in the alcohol space,” Swinburn said.
In 1981, Canadians drank an average of 99.69 litres of beer per year, according to Statistics Canada. In 2008, the most recent year for which data is available, we chugged a whole lot less — 77.22 litres per person.
And beer’s loss has, for the most part, been wine’s gain — statistics show Canadian wine consumption has been rising consistently for the past three decades.
In short, says Perkins, brewers face the challenge of not just hanging on to existing beer drinkers, but winning over the wine and cocktail crowd. That’s one reason, according to Perkins, that there’s a proliferation of flavoured brews, whether it’s something like Anheuser Busch-InBev’s Bud Light Lime, or Molson’s own citrusy, low call and now, tea-flavoured beers.
“What we’re seeing with things like Molson Canadian 67 or 67 Sublime is that 50 per cent of the volume is from non-beer drinkers,” said Perkins.
In mid-April, AB-InBev is launching Michelob Ultra 19th Hole Light Tea and Lemonade, a similarly-flavoured brew.
New products, however, are only one part of the equation. Also key, says Perkins, is putting together advertising and marketing campaigns that win over women and older consumers to the company’s core brands like Canadian and Coors Light. Fewer beer babes in bikinis, and more flowing fields of barley, in other words.
“We’ve traditionally appealed to legal drinking age to 25-year-old males,” said Perkins.
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- Stephen Harper 'sorry, frustrated, angry' over secret payout to Mike Duffy
Zoocasa to feature property listings, realtor information.


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SINGAPORE: Car leasing companies are seeing brighter prospects with the recent car loan curbs. Some companies said enquiries have gone by 10 to 30 per cent and they're hoping to cash in on the potential demand.
Car prices have risen in light of the smaller supply of Certificates of Entitlement. The recent car loan restriction of up to 60 per cent also means that buyers have to fork out more cash upfront to get that set of wheels. But it seems that more are considering leasing as a viable and temporary solution to car ownership. Joseph Poh, honorary secretary of the Singapore Vehicle Rental Association, said: "I think people are reluctant to come up with such a huge amount and most showrooms are looking at offering leasing packages to the car buyers.
Most of these packages would target the middle-income group, those who do not want to put up a large sum of money upfront to buy cars. "Usually a leasing package will involve two months' deposit and one month of upfront payment for the lease. Upfront may be about S$4,000 to S$6,000 as compared to perhaps S$40,000 to S$50,000 that you need to fork out to buy a new car.
Leasing can be a rather attractive option as one does not need to pay for insurance, road tax and maintenance of the car. A replacement car can also be provided in the event of an accident. Prices for leasing used cars are typically lower, with some starting from S$1,200 per month.
MKM Car Leasing, which leases cars for a minimum period of one year, aims to offer the perfect fit to the cash-strapped. Its business manager Mick Teoh said: "We are seeing a lot of customer queries and also we also trying to offer slightly older vehicles - for example, 2006-2007 models to Singaporeans who are a little bit of budget conscious but the vehicle itself is actually quite well maintained." The company expects business to grow by 10 to 20 per cent in the coming months.


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Lenovo introduces the Yoga A12, ultrabook convertible tablet
Lenovo has just introduced the Yoga A12, its ultrabook-tablet without a physical keyboard. MeltyStyle takes stock of its features.
Just a few weeks meltyStyle confided to you that Lenovo had issued invitations to the 2017 MWC . On February 26, the Chinese manufacturer will hold a press conference during which several products – including the Moto G5? – will be presented. But one thing is for sure, he did not wait until the Barcelona show to raise the veil on his new ultrabook … Yeah, Yoga A12 has just been formalized! This is a new version of the Yoga Book unveiled during the IFA in Berlin last September. But this time, Android is the only option – Windows 10 was also part of the first product.
The A12 Yoga is equipped with a 12.2-inch screen with a 720p resolution, an Atom x5 processor coupled with 2 GB of RAM, and a storage capacity of 32 GB. It also has a battery life Of 13 hours. Apart from this last point, the characteristics are not eggs, it must be admitted! Lacking physical keyboard, Yoga A12 has a touch keyboard that adapts to the typing user . Thanks to the intelligent learning system, it finds the most used words, and makes them go up. Finally, a highlight of this ultrabook, it can be transformed into a touch pad via the hinge pivoting 360 ° – a stylus is proposed with the device. As for price, we are on $ 299 and color, you have the choice between a gray version and a pink gold version. The A12 Yoga will be available from February 7th. Meanwhile, (re) discovered the patent filed by Lenovo for an iris scanner . Interested in Yoga A12?


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RoadSync, a two-year-old startup, spotted a major pain point — when goods are unloaded — for its entry into developing a cloud-based mobile payments platform replacing paper invoices, checks and cash transactions around loading docks.
“Amazon is raising the bar on efficiency standards across the entire delivery supply chain, making people in other industries take a closer look at their operations to improve efficiency,” said Robin Gregg, RoadSync’s CEO.
RoadSync focuses on warehouse operators and crews who unload goods — called “lumpers” — which have lagged behind other industries in adopting digital payments, according to Gregg.
It’s a business closely related to, but not in direct competition with, fleet and fuel card payment specialists like WEX and FleetCor that have revolutionized trucking payments in recent years.
Before joining RoadSync in 2017, Gregg worked at fleet card giant FleetCor on products and growth strategy with fuel cards, and prior to that she worked at payments startup RevolutionMoney, which American Express eventually purchased.
“At RevolutionMoney I learned a lot about payments strategy, and at FleetCor I learned a ton about commercial payments and small-business distribution, which is why I saw the opportunities for RoadSync,” Gregg said.
While fleet card payments largely focus on fuel expense management, RoadSync aims to streamline invoicing and payment collection for everything associated with deliveries that’s not fuel, and usually with a changing array of players, according to Gregg.
One of the first orders of business was rebranding RoadSync from its original name of MyLumper, Gregg said.
“We broadened services beyond paying lumper crews to include warehouse operators, freight handlers and related logistics-industry suppliers, she said.
There is little direct competition so far in RoadSync’s niche.
“Most participants in this industry were using Square, if anything, to speed up payments,” Gregg said.
RoadSync has created a platform with tools specific to logistics industry payments, including supplier and carrier lists to streamline transactions by automatically populating details.
Most recently the company introduced Express Deposit, enabling customers to receive payments immediately after transactions are completed via debit push payments, versus two to four days. RoadSync created the service through its integration with Stripe, Gregg said.
Revenue comes from RoadSync’s platform user fees and also from Express Deposit, she said.
One analyst said RoadSync’s Express Deposit product underscores how debit push payments can provide documentation and assurance of collected funds to solve a business case that’s been a perpetual headache for years.
“If truckers don’t have good funds when they arrive at the warehouse they need to track down the person who can make the payment, and make sure the funds are received before they unload their truck, which can waste a lot of time,” said Sarah Grotta, director of debit and alternative products advising at Mercator Advisory Services.
Still in a relatively early stage, RoadSync has raised about $3 million from private investors since entrepreneurs Akmann Van-Mary and Ryan Droege founded the concept in 2015 after participating in Flashpoint, an Atlanta-based incubator, rolling out services in 2016.
“As we rebranded early last year we saw opportunities to serve the logistics industry more broadly with the overall goal of getting drivers and crews paid efficiently and back out on the road,” Gregg said.
RoadSync also developed a mobile app that enables users to create digital invoices, generate receipts, and track and oversee services with new data streams to analyze operations.
“What’s new for this industry is the ability to make payments happen on the spot, from a mobile device or desktop, to speed up the flow of funds and overall lower costs,” Gregg said.
It’s time to go RoadSync
- No hidden fees
- No long term contracts
- Clear pricing
Get Your Free, No Obligation Demo


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News Briefs for March 22, 2013March 22, 2013
•America’s beer industry currently contributes $246.6 billion annually directly and indirectly to the U.S. economy, according to a study done by the Beer Institute. The industry also generates more than 2 million American jobs, creating some $79 billion per year in wages and benefits, as well as contributing nearly $49.1 billion in 2012 in business, personal and consumption taxes. The industry directly employs about 1.1 million people among brewers, distributors and retailers and indirectly generates approximately $153.2 billion in economic activity through sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction and transportation, among others.
•Beam Inc.’s Sauza Tequila has released Sauza Sparkling Margarita, a new line of premixed cocktails featuring three flavors—Original Lime, Wild Berry and Mango Peach. Each is 19.9 proof and has a suggested retail price of $12.99 a 750-ml. (they’re also available in 375-ml. bottles). The new Sauza offering is hitting store shelves this month.
•Brown-Forman has released a special edition Early Times Mint Julep bottle to commemorate the 2013 Kentucky Derby, which will be held May 4. Available in limited quantities starting this month, the collectible bottle features imagery from a painting entitled “The Derby Dance,” created by equine artist Celeste Susany. The 1-liter pre-mixed cocktail offering is 30% abv and priced at $14.99. A longtime sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, Early Times’ Mint Julep has served as the annual horse race’s official drink for the past 26 years.
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Syed and Kubra Hussain moved from California to Cedar Rapids to open Miracle Boutique, a store offering one-of-a-kind merchandise in Lindale Mall.
Kubra Hussain contends the store, which celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 23, is the first of its kind in Iowa.
"There’s no store like this in any mall that sells handmade, imported items from India," Hussain said.
The boutique offers traditional South Asian and western-style women’s apparel, jewelry, tribal handbags, pashmina shawls, tapestries and other home décor at affordable prices. Many of the items are hand-sewn, hand-painted or hand-sculpted.
“It’s all unique,” Kubra Hussain said. “I don’t have two of anything.”
Hussain, who is a first-generation American, says the store is a reflection of her South Asian heritage.
“I love my traditions and everything about my ethnic place,” Hussain said. “The vibrant colors are warm and inviting, just like the Indian culture.
"The store is not just for the Indian community. It’s for everyone."
Hussain, who has a degree in apparel marketing and design, had long dreamed of having a shop like Miracle Boutique. However, she put her ambitions on hold to marry and have children.
“One part of my life is successful,” Hussain said of being the mother of two young children. “Now it’s time to work on my career."
Kubra and Syed Hussain came to Cedar Rapids at the urging of Syed’s sister and brother-in-law, who operate Miracle Eyebrow Threading and Henna Tattoo, also located in Lindale Mall.
"They said business is good here, that there are a lot of small business owners who support other small businesses," Kubra Hussain said. "We decided to give it a try and used our savings to move out here."
The Hussains arrived in Cedar Rapids in April, but had to wait several months for space to open at Lindale Mall. They did not give serious consideration to locations outside the mall.
“Other locations would be hard to market,” Kubra Hussain explained. “Everything is already right here.”
Miracle Boutique is located in the Center Court Lower Level. It previously housed an Army recruiting center and then served as a temporary location for GNC.
The Hussains remodeled the space themselves, installing shelving, mirrors and crown molding to create a cozy boutique atmosphere.
Because of its location in a relatively quiet part of the mall, the shop has not had as much foot traffic as Kubra Hussain would have liked in its first weeks of operation.
“We’ve done some tables upstairs and have had really good response from that,” she said. “Now we need people to come down here and see us. Come, check it out and see what we are."
At a glance


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We’ve seen quite a lot of iPhone clones, but what makes the Goophone i5S special is that it’s maker has taken the privilege to affix the device with the ‘5S’ moniker, a branding which is suppose to be featured on Apple’s next best thing. Well, that’s provided the Cupertino giant follows its popular naming tradition.
A post on Phandroid states citing GizmoChina as its source that the i5S smartphone is highly similar to the iPhone 5 in appearance. So how is it a rip-off to the Apple’s next iteration? Well, that’s quite simple – The guys over at Cupertino tend to retain the previous design for its ‘S’ models, which is why the current smartphone and the future addition could be the same in appearance.
This piece of hardware comes with the Android Jelly Bean 4.1 platform preloaded. But there’s a slight twist – The interface seems to have been heavily modified to look identical to iOS. Potential buyers will also get the basic Android layout as switching between the skins is convenient and takes not more than a simple key code in the dialer.
Coming to the technical specifications, the handset packs in a capacitive multi-touch screen that spans 4 inches wide and proffers a resolution of 854 x 480p pixels. The device has a thickness of 7.6mm and it comes loaded with a decent offering of components which place it as an entry-level candidate. A dual core MTK MT6577 processor clocked a 1GHz runs the show here with 512MB of RAM.
Users will have 8GB of integrated storage for hoarding content and a 5MP rear-facing camera to capture images as well as videos. A 1.3MP front-facing snapper enables live-face-to-face calling. On the connectivity front, the handset renders support for GSM, EDGE and GPRS as well as WCDMA networks, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g and GPS. Embedded above is a video showing off the handset’s features and capabilities.
The Goophone i5S is currently available for purchase through Android Sale for $149.99 in black, while the white option is out of stock. The device went on sale for a discounted price of $99 for the 1000 buyers and according to the retailer, the orders were surpasses in just 21 minutes of going live. Those units are expected to ship in 48 hours’ time.


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The BlackBerry smartphone Motion will be protected from water and get capacious battery
Recently, we published «live» pictures smartphone BlackBerry Krypton, which is preparing for the announcement. Then, on both pictures the camera was captured from behind, and now there are photos of the front surface.
First, you can see that physical keyboard, the new model will not. Secondly, there is a physical button under the display, which is not typical for the previous touch models.
It is also worth to tell that the novelty will be called Motion and Krypton was just a code name. It is reported that the novelty will be protected from water and dust, and the capacity of the battery will be considerable 4000 mA•h About the rest of the options as the price data yet.


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DALLAS — Get ready for Italian fashion, Texas-style.
Italian Fashion Week, a series of shows, festivities and seminars beginning here Oct. 22, has big ambitions to sell Italian goods and raise Big D’s profile as a fashion mecca.
“Italian fashion has always concentrated on the same three cities [in the U.S.] — New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas,” explained Silvia Raffa, director of the promotion for the Italian American Chamber of Commerce, Midwest division. “We think it’s time to move on, and we want to develop Dallas as a fashion capital.”
The Chamber and Italian Fashion Expo, a Chicago company that organizes Italian food and fashion exhibitions, plans to produce Italian Fashion Week annually here for the next five years, Raffa said. The delegation from Italy is expected to include about 40 vendors, the leaders of four major trade associations and seven journalists.
The city of Dallas is on board with the project.
“Dallas has a long and successful history in the fashion industry, being birthplace to Neiman Marcus,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, noting the project is part of the city’s drive to develop new relationships within the industry. “Because [fashion] plays a vital role in our economy, the city is working toward developing a sponsorship arrangement for Italian Fashion Week in Dallas and we look forward to developing a multiyear program with the show coordinators.” RELATED STORY: DMC Readies for Buoyant Market >>
The promotion targets retailers and consumers with exhibitions and events at the Dallas Market Center during spring market, Oct. 25 to 28, and public fashion presentations in various galleries. It opens with a press luncheon Oct. 22 at the Nasher Sculpture Center.
“We think Texas is a good market for Italian companies,” said Maurizio Muzzetta, president of IFE and a board member of the Italian American Chamber. “The economy is strong, and we think there are the right people here to partner with. You have Stanley Korshak and Neiman Marcus here because the people want to have beautiful style.”
Ilaria Venturini Fendi, of the famous Roman fashion family, headlines the Italian entourage. The designer will receive an award from Rawlings for “excellence in ethical business” on Oct. 26 at the Forty Five Ten boutique. Her whimsical Carmina Campus handbags are assembled from repurposed materials in Africa and finished in Italy.
Fendi will show Carmina Campus bags — along with about 40 Italian fashion vendors — to buyers at the Italian Fashion Expo at the Dallas Market Center.
Another highlight of the week is emerging designer Stella Jean, whose colorful spring collection will be shown on the runway Oct. 24 at 129 Leslie, an event venue. A young Italian-Haitian designer based in Rome, Jean is known for exuberant multicultural style and vibrant combinations of print, color and pattern. Jean showed at Milan Fashion Week for the first time in September, and last year she won the Who Is on Next contest cosponsored by Italian Vogue and AltaRoma.
Jean’s spring collection will be followed by a runway show of C.M.J., a high-end collection of embellished leather jackets for men and women that’s been in business more than two decades.
Another featured designer is jeweler Lucia Odescalchi, an Italian noble whose showroom resides in her family’s palazzo in Rome. Odescalchi and her modern jewelry handcrafted of silver, chain mail, fossils, diamonds and other materials will headline a cocktail reception Oct. 23 at Muzeion gallery of art and antiquities.
A simultaneous party next door at Samuel Lynne Galleries spotlights the worldwide debut of Pump, a western-influenced jeans line by Antonio D’Amico, who was Gianni Versace’s longtime partner and a former designer of Versace Sport, and Pump codesigner and co-owner Massimo Lotti.
Leaders of several major Italian trade associations are also flying in for the event, including Cleto Sagripanti, president of A.N.C.I., a national association of about 1,000 footwear manufacturers; Antonio Franceschini, national director of CNA Federmoda, which represents nearly 25,000 fashion, textile, fur and shoe producers, and Giuseppe Mazzarella, president of Confartigianato Moda, a fashion, textile, shoe and eyewear group with about 28,000 members.
They are scheduled to appear at a round-table discussion on marketing high-quality fashions on Oct. 26 at the Dallas Market Center.
Italian Fashion Expo, which hopes to add home furnishings to Italian Fashion Week next year, is also hosting Robert Snaidero, president of FederlegnoArredo, the furniture federation that launched the Milan Furniture Fair.
The week of festivities expands on last year’s inaugural promotion that featured 45 Italian vendors at the Dallas Market Center.
@beyonce chose a custom gown by @falgunishanepeacockindia for mother @mstinalawson 's second annual Wearable Art Gala last night. The gown, which took 10 days to make, was inspired by Nubian warrior queen Amanishakheto. Reporting by @hernameislex . #wwdeye 👑 🐝#beyonce
After dressing @justintimberlake for his Super Bowl halftime performance last month, @stellamccartney has designed the star’s "Man of the Woods" tour wardrobe. Timberlake will be wearing a mix of pieces from McCartney’s fall men's collection as well as custom designs and items from his own closet. #wwdfashion
@carmeloanthony is upping his fashion game once again, introducing a hat collection with @goorinbros. Called Fresh Greens by Melo x Goorin, the line consists of five unisex models, all of which are made in America from 100 percent wool. Each hat is lined with Anthony’s signature and the inscription “Knowledge of self, wisdom and understanding.” You can purchase the collection line at Goorin’s website as well as three off its stores in San Francisco, New York City and Las Vegas #wwdaccessories
“I am of tradition, but that doesn’t mean I have an old outlook on life,” Hubert de Givenchy told WWD in an interview in 1978. The legendary designer, who died last week at the age of 91, achieved wide success soon after launching his own couture boutique in the early ’50s, but he refused to pine for that time. For the first time since its original publication, read our interview with Givenchy on his awe for Audrey Hepburn and looking forward. Link in bio. #wwdarchives #fbf (📷: Pierre Schermann)
About last night: @alexachung and @supergausa toasted the launch of their capsule collection. “It’s the shape that I love, so rather than amend the last and make the sole crazy or do anything wild, we just did really subtle additions that I think make it look really luxe-y,” said Chung. #wwdfashion (📷: Marc Patrick)
Exclusive: @off____white’s @virgilabloh is launching an exclusive eyewear capsule collection @sunglasshut. The unisex collection, which is made up of three styles, first made its debut on the brand’s fall runway show in Paris. Get all the details on WWD.com – link in bio. #wwdnews #wwdfashion


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Hong Kong must impose checks on its pre-cooked meat imports
Albert Cheng says even the most radical lawmakers would not dare to filibuster legislation on pre-cooked meat in light of the Husi scandal
Last year, Forbes named McDonald's the seventh most powerful brand in the world. The brand value of the golden arches was estimated at a staggering HK$290 billion. One would have thought its executives would guard the company's business reputation like their own lives. This, however, is hardly the case for McDonald's operation in Hong Kong.
In the span of less than two weeks, local consumer confidence in the giant fast food chain has plummeted. McDonald's Hong Kong is now synonymous with a total public relations failure.
McDonald's has been implicated in an international food safety scare, as it was caught selling meat imported from Shanghai Husi Food Company , which an exposé revealed had repackaged out-of-date meat. After the exposé, McDonald's in Japan and mainland China reacted swiftly by acknowledging Husi was a supplier and severing commercial dealings with the company.
They have positioned themselves as innocent victims of yet another food safety scandal in China. After all, malpractices in the mainland food industry are well documented.
Shanghai Husi is a subsidiary of US-based OSI Group. Sheldon Lavin, the chairman and chief executive of OSI, told the press the group's headquarters in Illinois had no idea about what was going on in the Shanghai factory.
As The New York Times put it in its leader on July 24, "Anything goes in China's food system". The newspaper recalled: "Since April 2013, more than 155 people have died from a strain of avian influenza, a disease linked to poor sanitary conditions in poultry markets. Last year, officials found high levels of cadmium, which has been linked to organ failure and cancer, in rice at markets and restaurants in Guangdong province. And, earlier this year, Walmart stores in China recalled packages of donkey meat that contained meat from other animals."
The Husi shambles follows hard on the heels of a long list of meat-related public health crises originating from China. These reported cases of malpractice in the Chinese food sector are only the tip of the iceberg.
Thus, people would have sympathised with McDonald's if it had been straight when it told its side of the story.
Instead, McDonald's Hong Kong opted to take its chances when it was questioned by the Centre for Food Safety and the media. It initially came up with a written statement claiming that it had not used any supplies from Husi.
That turned out to be a lie. The Centre for Food Safety has ascertained that Hongkongers may have consumed 380 tonnes of Husi meat at local McDonald's outlets since last year. The company later ate its words and admitted it had indeed imported a large quantity of foodstuffs from the problematic supplier.
McDonald's Hong Kong then sought to play down the blunder as a mere miscommunication. It even tried to accuse the Centre for Food Safety of violating a gentleman's agreement by hosting a press conference before an agreed discussion between the two sides.
In fact, Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man has been criticised for not acting quickly enough against McDonald's.
McDonald's managing director in Hong Kong, Randy Lai Wai-sze, made a half-hearted public apology six days after the onset of the crisis, but refused to take any questions from the media after her stand-up briefing. The fast food giant's arrogance so far is beyond belief.
The website of McDonald's Hong Kong quotes founder Ray Kroc as having said, "We take the hamburger business more seriously than anyone else." It then goes on to pledge, "At McDonald's Hong Kong, we don't just live by our founder's values. We are also passionate about exceeding them."
The way the company is handling the problem with its hamburgers does not indicate any passion for excellence.
Its management's uncaring attitude only amplifies the public outcry for more stringent control over food imports. The McDonald's fiasco has fuelled public worries over the quality of food served in our restaurants. In particular, the latest incident has exposed the reality that, unlike raw meat, no permit is required to import pre-cooked meat into Hong Kong.
The tally of patients suffering from intestinal cancer is rising steadily, and the disease is now one of the deadliest forms of cancer in Hong Kong. No one knows how many of these cases are related to the use of dirty or rotten food, pre-cooked or otherwise, from dubious sources in mainland China.
The public health regulators should use the current wave of discontent with McDonald's to push through legislation to plug the loophole over imported pre-cooked meat. This is an initiative that even the most radical lawmakers will not dare to filibuster.
Albert Cheng King-hon is a political commentator. firstname.lastname@example.org


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The global economic outlook remains lackluster, dragged down by a string of economic and political huddles. While most of the economic woes are tied to the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, political issues in many countries stem out of their respective government policies. Dampening growth in emerging economies also pose a threat. In such a scenario, one could focus on the U.S. economy and domestic companies, which have been shielded so far to a large extent.
Major Emerging Economies Aren’t in Good Shape
Emerging economies that are taking a toll on global markets are China and India. China is a crucial market for companies worldwide. The trade conflict that started between the United States and China last year in July doesn’t seem to have a definitive end.
reports state that the two countries plan to go back to the negotiating table, China’s economy has already been hurt by the incumbent tariffs. This slowdown in China’s economy is affecting the purchasing power of its people, which in turn is resulting in lower demand.
Also, India is facing a rather sharp and persisting economic slowdown for the last 18 months. The reasons are decline in business confidence and consumption demand, record-high unemployment, and introduction of the new goods and services tax that had compelled foreign institutional investors to pull money out from the Indian equity market and park them in safe havens like government bonds.
Growth in Eurozone is Stalled
Germany’s economy is nearing an imminent recession, with business confidence in the country falling to its lowest level since November 2012. The economy contracted by 0.1% in Q2, and is expected to slow further in Q3. A major
reason for this slowdown is the U.S.-China trade war.
Secondly, the uncertainty hovering over Britain’s policies ahead is already pulling down investment and GDP growth. The British economy sank 0.2% in Q2, dipping for the first time in seven years. If the United Kingdom parts with the European Union without a deal, the effect on UK’s and the global economy would be vast.
Political & Economic Crisis Worldwide
In addition, an increasing number of countries have already stepped into recession or are at the brink of it. Prominent among these are Iran, Venezuela, Argentina, Turkey and South Africa. Growing unrest on the political front, increasing debt and economic uncertainties are a few reasons for the crisis faced by these countries.
U.S. Economy Still Looks Promising
No matter how much worrying the international economic and political scenario might be, the U.S. economy appears as though it still has room to run.
Firstly, the U.S. economy added as many as 164,000 new jobs in July, per the Labor department. Job growth across sectors was broad-based, with professional and technical services, healthcare, social assistance and financial activities adding a decent numbers of new positions. July marked a record-high total labor force of 163.4 million.
Secondly, wages also rose at an annualized basis of 3.2%. Unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7%.
Lastly, consumer confidence also rebounded in July after sliding in June. The consumer confidence index rose to 135.7 last month, which is the highest level since November. It is notable that a glum global economic outlook and trade worries haven’t affected consumer spending, which accounts for more than 70% of economic activity in the United States.
We have, therefore, chosen four domestic stocks that may be less affected by the economic and political crisis worldwide. You may consider adding these to your portfolio. All of these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy).
Casey's General Stores, Inc. ( CASY Quick Quote CASY - Free Report) is a convenience stores operator under the names of Casey's and Casey's General Store. The company offers various consumer products such as food and beverages, automotive products and health and beauty products.
Casey's General Storescarries a Zacks Rank #1. In fact, the company’s stock price has already outperformed the Zacks
Retail – Convenience Stores Market on a year-to-date basis (+32.6% vs +29.9%). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 1.2% over the past 60 days. You can see . the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here J & J Snack Foods Corp. ( JJSF Quick Quote JJSF - Free Report) offers branded, nutritious and affordable snack foods and beverages to food service and retail supermarkets.
J & J Snack Foods carries a Zacks Rank #2. In fact, the company’s stock price has already outperformed the Zacks
Food – Miscellaneous Market on a year-to-date basis (+32.2% vs +11.2%). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 1% over the past 60 days. American States Water Company ( AWR Quick Quote AWR - Free Report) is a provider of water and electric services to a few select regions in California. The company offers water services to about 260,000 customer connections and electric services to approximately 24,000 customer connections.
American States Water carries a Zacks Rank #2. In fact, the company’s stock price has already outperformed the Zacks
Utility– Water Supply Market on a year-to-date basis (+33.1% vs +32.4%). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 2.5% over the past 60 days. Cesca Therapeutics Inc. is a developer and marketer of integrated cellular therapies and delivery systems that boost the efficiency and safety of Regenerative Medicine.
Cesca Therapeutics carries a Zacks Rank #2. In fact, the company’s stock price has already outperformed the Zacks
Medical – Instruments Market on a year-to-date basis (+14.3% vs +9.0%). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has risen 77.5% over the past 60 days. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.
Click here for the 6 trades >>


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As part of its continuous support toward startups with creative and innovative ideas, and as part of its social responsibility toward environmental sustainability, MenaITech, a company specializing in human capital information systems and HR management solutions, recently adopted Recycly, a new startup by two 18-year-old Jordanian entrepreneurs.
MenaITech adopted Recycly’s products, which are smart waste bins built on a technology that encourages recycling and sorts trash, so it can be easily recycled through a rewards-based system for users to reinforce the positive behavior.
The Recycly initiative aims to distribute its products in public places across the Kingdom with help and support from medium and large companies. MenaITech is the first company in Jordan to utilize Recycly’s smart solutions for collecting trash and sorting it before recycling. In addition, Recycly’s smart waste bins encourage people to not litter in public places through its built-in rewards program.
Recycly, which is considered an innovative Jordanian startup, was launched in 2015 by Jordanian entrepreneurs Abdalrahman Al Dalaq (17-years) and Ahmad Hobbi (18-years) to develop smart waste bins that promote recycling through a rewards program commensurate with the user’s age. By simply placing waste in the bin, whether it be plastic, paper or something else, it will provide the user a product to match, such as a sparkling water. The smart bin also sorts this trash in order to be recycled.
Founder of Recycly, Abdalrahman Al Dalaq reaffirmed the importance of MenaITech’s support for the startup by adopting its products and utilizing the smart waste bins in the company, which represents a major endorsement to the idea in its early stages. He added, “MenaITech’s support for environmental causes and efforts to protect it helps raise awareness of the recycling concept amongst employees.”
Founder and CEO of MenaITech, Dr. Bashar Hawamdeh said, “This step comes as part of achieving the company’s strategic goal to support Jordanian startups and innovative ideas to encourage them to grow. In addition, supporting this particular idea helps raise awareness on the importance of environmental protection and recycling which aligns with our sustainability mission.”
Hawamdeh added, “This support is not the first of its kind. MenaITech was also the first company to adopt technology from the Mind Rockets Inc. startup which provides a virtual sign language assistant for the deaf and hard of hearing. MenaITech was also the first company to adopt Sadeed’s technology, a Jordanian startup which uses artificial intelligence to help companies manage their social media pages.”
MenaITech, for over 15 years, has served over 1,700 companies and 500 cloud-computing clients in the Middle East and North Africa region with its comprehensive suite of HR technology solutions. MenaITech is the largest provider of HR technology in the region and has a portfolio of over 1.7 million users across 25 countries.


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On August 27, Annie Chen, founder and CEO of Kuaikan, a comic art platform in China, announced in an internal letter that the company has received an investment of $125 million from Tencent Holdings.
Founded in December 2014, Kuaikan is a comic platform that mainly targets the younger generation. As of January 2019, the comics app had over 170 million users in total, with 40 million monthly users, owning more than half of the market share for comics.
Ever since its launch, the comics app has received several rounds of over $100 million in funding. In addition to receiving three rounds of financing from Sequoia Capital China, the company also won the favor of Bytedance in 2017 during its Series C round of financing.
“Tencent is optimistic about the comics and animation industry in the long run. Over the years, Tencent has invested in the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, including many platforms and comics, animation studios, etc. The investment this time reflects the continuation of this strategy.” said Li Zhaohui, investment managing partner of Tencent Holdings.
In recent years, comics have become an increasingly lucrative market, largely due to the prosperity of TV and film adaptations of different comics. One of the series adapted from the works on the platform is called “Take My Brother Away”, which became popular in 2018. The main development strategy for Kuaikan is “IP+Community”. The platform has put a great deal of effort into increasing the support for original Chinese comics, exploring quality creators and developing IP through the whole industrial chain including merchandise, films and TV dramas.


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As more and more digital devices enter the market, the way that humans interact, communicate, play, and purchase will change dramatically. Over 75% of the world’s population now has access to a mobile phone, and these users download over 30 billion apps per year. With the widespread adoption of digital media, users are changing their habits from consuming traditional media like print magazines, or newspapers, to online sources like RSS feeds, websites, and apps.
Mobile Technologies Offer Exciting Developments for ITS Industry Professionals
Mobile communications can provide valuable information for local governments, transportation authorities, and more.World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyle said, “Mobile communications offer major opportunities to advance human and economic development –- from providing basic access to health information to making cash payments, spurring job creation, and stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes,”1 Now, the challenge will be to enable people in various countries to connect with local businesses and governments so that all parties can take full advantage of the spread of ITS information. For example, governments need to communicate to drivers when there is an accident on the road, or a traffic jam. Parking authorities need to be able to communicate with commuters, and visitors to a city to giver them up to date information on available parking spaces. Additionally, businesses want to tap into data on consumer behaviors so that they can better target their potential customers.
Although cell phone usage has skyrocketed across most of the world, smartphones and data packages are still out of reach for most people. Apps in developing countries often use low-bandwidth solutions using WAP, SMS, and other technologies to get messages to their constituents. Although these methods may be considered low-tech to many app developers who develop for cutting-edge technology, these solutions can provide critical information to people in need across the world. Surveys and polling are another way that cellphones can contribute to developing countries. By using tools like form hub, an open-source project from the Earth Institute, surveys can be created easily, and distributed to consumers.
In 2011 Singapore, the UK, the U.S., Australia, and Japan all had more than 5% of their internet traffic coming from non-computer devices such as tablets, or mobile phones. Singapore led the group with 7.2% of traffic coming from non-computer devices. The increased availability of WiFi, as well as mobile broadband adoption has helped to drive this connectivity. Smartphone adoption has also helped to push the growth in mobile media. The iOS platform has the largest share of connected devices and smartphones in use in the United States, and also accounts for the largest share of internet traffic in the U.S.2
The surge in connectivity, as well as the widespread adoption of mobile apps offers an exciting opportunity for ITS professionals. Whether using apps to inform, persuade, or collect data, mobile technology will no doubt become the future technology employed by the ITS industry. It is now really a race to see which companies will capitalize on this new trend, and who will remain behind.


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Visa has processed more than half a billion additional touch-free payments, where previously consumers would have needed to use a PIN pad, since contactless limits were increased in more than 29 countries across Europe.
It said contactless transactions rose by 15% year-on-year in Ireland alone, with the average purchase amount also increasing by over 25% due to the new contactless limit of €50 being introduced on 1st April earlier this year.
According to Visa, the growing demand for contactless is visible across Europe, where over 75% of in-store Visa payments are now contactless.
It said in some European countries, the share of Visa transactions that are contactless have more than doubled year-on-year and in many of the largest European nations, the share of Visa transactions that are contactless has increased by at least 20 percent in the past year.
Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager of Visa, said the increasing popularity of contactless payments in Ireland is not new.
"The pandemic has only served to accelerate an existing trend, only now touch-free payments are no longer a convenience, but a necessity," he said.
"When the global pandemic hit, we worked with our partners in Ireland to raise the contactless payment limit to €50 in April in order to help consumers pay more easily and securely and reduce the need to enter their PIN," he added.


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Valleywag realizes that Google will not likely do phone hardware themselves. Whatever. As long as it supports the software, hopefully some shiny Mobile Google OS, we're interested. Either way, this is what the WSJ and Reuters said today:
•"Now it is drafting specifications for phones that can display all of Google's mobile applications at their best, and it is developing new software to run on them. The company is conducting much of the development work at a facility in Boston, and is working on a sophisticated new Web browser for cellphones."
•Google has invested hundreds of millions on the project.
•Google has also developed prototype phones, with partners like LG Electronics.
• "ads in the mobile phone is that they are twice as profitable or more than the nonmobile phone ads because they're more personal" says Eric Schmidt (from AllthingsD)
•In Europe, T-Mobile and Orange are believed to be partners. Verizon rejected their plans in the US because they wanted to share ad revenue.
•Taiwan's High Tech Computer Corp to design a Linux software-based phone for launch in the first quarter of 2008


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From the booming oil region in western North Dakota to the rich agriculture fields of eastern Oregon and Washington, RDO Equipment Co. does business with several types of customers and in numerous regions, cities, and communities. Depending on the time of year, there's a lot going on – and it might not be what most would expect.
Here's a special look at what's going on in RDO's Northern California Vermeer region this time of year with the region's General Manager, Brandon Kyse and Regional Sales Manager, Jeff Sobrero.
The Region Overview
The NorCal Vermeer region includes three stores:
Fowler, Hayward, and Sacramento
What's Unique About This Region?
While small in number of stores, the NorCal Vermeer region is massive in geographical footprint, covering customers just south of Bakersfield all the way up to the California/Oregon border, as well as northern Nevada, almost as far east as Utah.
What Types of Customers Make Up the Region?
The RDO team supports several areas of business in the region. According to Kyse, two of the biggest right now are also those that have grown out of incredibly different opportunities — wildfire clean-up and underground technology customers.
"We had so many wildfires the last few years that really ravaged the state," he said. "Many of our tree care and our forestry customers have stepped in to take on the clean-up and prevention work that came as a result."
Sobrero added "Natural disasters aren't pretty; they're certainly not how we want our customers to grow and stay busy. But they happen and, in this area, we had several customers who were poised to take on the opportunity to expand or grow their business, thanks to the Vermeer equipment they already had and that we sell and support."
Underground fiber optic and telecom business, on the other hand, is one being driven by a positive trend.
"The way we all communicate, work, and live now, the demand for data continues to grow," Sobrero explained. "Our phones, streaming television, how businesses operate — everything needs data, so underground drilling for fiber optic line installation is a booming market for us."
Kyse agreed, adding, "The growth is country-wide, but here, we're kind of the hub of the technology industry. A lot of cities want to be at the forefront of going to 5G, and be able to deliver fiber to homes and businesses."
What's Going on for Customers This Time of Year?
Unlike many RDO regions, the NorCal Vermeer region doesn't see much of a seasonal aspect affecting customers, except for one key area that will be ramping up in the next few months: orchard removal.
"A big part of our customers' business in the orchard industry is the removal work," Kyse said.
Whether fruit-producing or nut-producing, orchard trees are often viable for many years, some lasting two, three, or even four decades. However, once they stop producing, they need to be removed to make way for a new batch to be planted. Kyse further explained, "Vermeer recycling and forestry equipment is used to grind dozens of acres of orchard trees so the growers can rotate their crop."
What's Exciting for the RDO Team in This Region?
Every RDO region, every RDO store, and every RDO team is unique. Kyse and Sobrero agree their region is no exception and point out the energy that comes from the region's ongoing success.
"The NorCal Vermeer team has been steadily growing for years," Kyse said. "We continue to see revenues grow and continue to add more team members every year, and I think it shows that the work we do to support our customers matters and it's valued."
Sobrero built on Kyse's comments, saying, "Our team members here are passionate about what they do, and our customers have very deep brand loyalty, both to Vermeer and RDO. That's a testament to Vermeer for delivering quality machines but it's also a nod to the RDO team for the service and support we back it up with."
Finally, both agree that Vermeer's specialized equipment and the variety of customers the region supports offers makes it unique and creates a fun atmosphere for the team.
"We get to work with all different sizes of customers," Sobrero said. "Some purchase millions of dollars of equipment every year, then there are also the owner/operator guys who have one machine and you get the opportunity to interact with them on a daily basis, really work with them to help their company grow. It's really fun and exciting to work with someone to buy their first grinder then ten years later, they've grown and we're still their partner."
Today's top stories


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| Dec 31, 2014
| 12:26 PM
Two Florida men are suing Apple, charging that the company is misleading customers about how much storage space the iOS 8 operating system uses.
In a U.S. District Court lawsuit filed Tuesday in San Jose, the two allege that Apple doesn’t tell...
| Dec 22, 2014
| 8:15 AM
Ever scramble to snap a photo and realize your iPhone has no space for it?
If photo storage is a constant struggle for you, too, consider Flic.It's quicker than deleting, and more fun, too, so you're more likely (maybe) to keep up with pruning your...
| Dec 21, 2014
| 5:29 AM
HARTFORD — The coming legislative session is likely to be dominated by the usual fights over taxes and spending.
But lawmakers are also poised to ponder other issues that reflect changes in the social fabric propelled by technology.
| Dec 19, 2014
| 9:00 AM
I don't know about you, but I like to plan. Forget those yearly planners. Those are for amateurs. Mine stretches out to the end of the decade. When my wife asks if I can do something about the ants swarming the kitchen, I open my book, flip through its...
| Dec 15, 2014
| 2:30 AM
"COMMON sense is not so common," said Voltaire.
I KNOW I shouldn't be, but I continue to be astounded by what people at the highest levels of various business -- and just plain folks -- put into emails, on Facebook, iPhone, iCloud, Twitter, Instagram and...
| Dec 2, 2014
| 12:25 PM
Will one man's selfies turn into potential mugshots?
Stockton police say they are looking for an alleged cellphone thief who has been taking photos of himself that keep appearing on the victim's iCloud storage.
The victim told police his car was...
| Nov 13, 2014
| 10:52 AM
Kim Kardashian can do whatever she wants with her own derriere.
She can allow it to be photographed and Photoshopped. She can take pride in it and profit from it and predict that the mere sight of it unclothed will #BreakTheInternet.
What she can't do...
| Oct 27, 2014
| 8:36 AM
El presidente ejecutivo de Apple, Tim Cook, dijo el viernes que mantuvo conversaciones "muy abiertas" sobre privacidad y seguridad con funcionaros chinos, según una entrevista difundida por la agencia oficial Xinhua.
Las declaraciones llegan sólo días...
| Oct 23, 2014
| 2:11 AM
Facebook has been blocked by Chinese authorities for over five years, but company founder Mark Zuckerberg appears to be on a new charm offensive to crack the massive market. In a move that has sent tongues wagging across China and around the globe,...
| Oct 21, 2014
| 11:35 AM
Apple Inc's iCloud storage service in China was attacked by hackers trying to steal user credentials, a Chinese web monitoring group said, adding that it believes the Beijing government is behind the campaign.
Using what is called a "man-in-the-middle"...
| Oct 21, 2014
| 11:03 AM
Apple has begun automatically collecting the locations of users and the queries they type when searching for files with the newest Mac operating system, a function that has provoked backlash for a company that portrays itself as a leader on privacy.


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GM workers received positive news over the weekend as reports from UAW indicate the union has reached agreement with General Motors for a new labor contract.
Read This Article
Chevrolet offers a two-day program for Stingray owners to get more out of their cars.
Remember that report earlier this year that consumers, yet again, were losing interest in hybrid vehicles?
This week has proved to be one of tribulation and triumph for Bugatti.


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Spanish food company Deoleo, which owns oil brands like Carbonell, saw a 78% increase in its share price yesterday. This came in the wake of the presentation last Friday of its Q1 2020 results. Deoleo reported net profit of 3.4 million euros in the first threee months of the year, compared with a loss of 10.6 million euros a year earlier. These figures represent the company’s return to profit for the first time in six years.
The group’s EBITDA increased by 167% to 16.2 million euros. Meanwhile, the continued improvement in the business boosted sales by over 14%, to 151.4 million. This compensated for the drop in the price of raw materials, with an increase in volumes of 28%. This recovery trend has been witnessed since 2019 and is clearly evident at the start of this year. In January and February, before consumers started to stock pile due to the Covid-19 crisis, volumes were already up 17% and EBITDA up 142% compared to the previous year.
The positive performance can be seen in all of the group’s business units, which recorded sustained growth in both sales and EBITDA. This is particularly the case in Spain, Northern Europe and North America. In Spain, volumes sold increased by 31%, well above the olive oil market’s average growth of 19%.
Since the beginning of the year, Deoleo’s value has increased by 115%, pending the firm’s restructuring process and its 50 million euro capital hike, expected to take place in Q2 2020.


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Toronto will host the 81st annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) convention March 3-6, 2013. In 2012, more than 30,000 people attended. With Canada leading all countries with 18% of global mineral exploration spending and Toronto as its finance capital, “we’re looking forward to another banner year for the convention,” said Glenn Nolan, president, PDAC.
Investors, analysts, executives, geologists, prospectors and delegations from around the world will be attending. Last year, 25% of delegates came from overseas. “Programming reflects economic and industry trends, and provides networking and educational opportunities to encourage a healthy mineral exploration industry,” said PDAC Executive Director Ross Gallinger.
The convention includes technical programs by industry experts, a trade show with 445 exhibitors promoting technology, products and services, an “Investors Exchange” featuring 580 exhibitors and prospectors along with a Corporate Social Responsibility event series. For more information about the convention or to register, visit www.pdac.ca.


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From 2010 to early 2014, global oil prices have been stable. By mid-2014, oil prices started to drop and have continued to do so until now. One supposed reason for the drop in oil prices is the decline in demand for oil in 2014.
Green advocates have greatly encouraged less use of oil to decrease carbon emissions. Energy efficient vehicles, appliances, light bulbs, and other products result to less fuel consumption. This even includes homeowners who have reverted to using old fashioned fireplaces to warm their homes this winter to ensure that logs burn efficiently and produce less air pollution.
Another reason for the price drop is the growth of shale oil production in the United States. These may likely be the main driving force for the decline in global oil prices.
However great low oil prices sound to consumers, this sudden drop may forebode economic fallout in some countries. Falling oil prices will drag the price of other commodities down which may hurt emerging economies. Even stronger economies can be gravely affected as price deflation can spill to other sectors causing financial asset deflation which can cause a chain reaction that will eventually collapse markets.
On the other hand, more optimistic forecasters see a boost in consumer spending due to low prices of commodities. This increase will likely offset any ill effect on investments. Continued global economic growth would eventually push oil prices back up and stabilize it.
This is simple a great news to everyone. Even for budgeting Moms who will have a chance to buy extra edwin jagger razors for their husbands because of the little savings.


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Technology companies, Nokia Corporation (ADR)(NYSE:NOK), Motorola, Amazon.com, Inc.(NASDAQ:AMZN) and Apple Inc.(NASDAQ:AAPL) are all launching new smartphones in the coming days. This would be a challenge because smartphone penetration is already above the 50% mark. So most of the purchases will be upgrades and first time buys will be few in number.
Finland based Nokia along with Microsoft, its smartphone operating system partner are scheduled to hold an event in New York on September 5. They are likely to showcase the new Lumina smartphone which runs on Windows 8 OS. The launch of the Windows 8 Operating System is slated for October 26. Rumors are rife that Nokia will also introduce a Windows 8 tablet.
Motorola with partner Verizon is likely to launch its new phone on September 5 as well. The former being Google’s subsidiary, the device will surely run on Android. There also likely to introduce an updated tablet.
Get Free Special Report On The Smartphone Industry Here
The other company Amazon.com is all set to make an announcement on September 6. The company has already stepped into the tablet space with Fire. It had introduced its E-reader Kindle even before that. The company might now come out with a smartphone.
Lastly, Apple’s launch of iPhone 5 is slated for September 12.
All four products will surely hit the markets by the Christmas season, the time when sales will be highest. Which product will the consumer pick up? Will Nokia, Motorola and Amazon prove to be competition for Apple? Or will Apple continue to be the leader? We will know the answer in December.


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These Lotus spy shots show a revamped Lotus Exige masquerading as what could possibly be the new future Lotus Esprit. In fact, the rear is almost unbelievable and it is what indicates the new Esprit powertrain, according to reports. There are plans to build a new Lotus Esprit, considered essential to the brand, which would have an impressive power-to-weight ratio.
The new Esprit engine is unknown as yet, but it could be a V8 from Toyota, and it’s not entirely certain how modifications to the aluminium chassis will play out. The project is apparently in a very early stage, and will use a version of Lotus’ Versatile Vehicle Architecture.
The Lotus Esprit would be the top-of-the-range model, described as the “ultimate expression of the brand”. We should soon get a full Lotus product plan from the new CEO Danny Bahar, and reports already show a rough idea of what that will be. The Exige, Europa and Elise will be entry-level models with their four-cylinder engines, while the V6 Evora will take up the middle in the Lotus range, with the Esprit right at the top.
Source | Autocar


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According to the rumors, Apple could be planning to refresh its iPad lineup. One of the tablets part of the refresh is the iPad mini 5 and also the budget iPad model that was originally launched in 2018. However it turns out that the refresh of the budget iPad could also come in a new design.
This is according to a leakster by the name CoinX who claims that Apple could actually be working on two new iPads – a 10.2-inch model and a 10.5-inch model. He/she also claims that the tablets will be launching separately as opposed to together. If true, it will be put the iPad lineup in a bit of a weird spot.
As it stands Apple has two iPad Pro models. They also the budget iPad which is keeping the 9.7-inch display, so it is unclear where these new models will fit. Will Apple replace the 9.7-inch model with the 10.2-inch model? And if so, what will the 10.5-inch represent? Will it still be part of the budget lineup except with a slightly larger display for those who might need the screen real estate?
As AppleInsider notes, CoinX has in the past been pretty accurate with their leaks, such as predicting the 2018 iPad Pros and also the 2018 iPhones, so there is a chance that their latest revelations could be spot on as well, but until we get the official word, take it with a grain of salt for now.
Filed in iPad.. Read more about


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Sucker Punch has finally revealed the release date for their upcoming action-adventure stealth game, Ghost of Tsushima.
The news comes in the form of an official story trailer, which you can watch here:
The story trailer reveals quite a bit about what’s going on and a little bit more of what players can expect from the gameplay. Fans of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Nioh, or any other samurai game, in particular, should definitely consider picking this up and see what it has to offer.
Along with the announcement, PlayStation provided details for different editions of the game that are now available for everyone to pre-order. Players can also pre-order the digital versions of the game on the PS Store.
Ghost of Tsushima follows Jin Sakai, one of the last samurai. Set in the 13th century, the game takes place in Tsushima Island, during the time of the first Mongol Invasion of Japan. Jin has to master a new fighting style, the way of the Ghost, to defeat the Mongol Empire and liberate Japan.
The game was first announced all the way back in 2017 and had its first gameplay trailer released a year later at E3 2018.
This game marks Sucker Punch’s departure from the Sly Cooper and inFamous genre of games. Their last game release was inFamous: First Light, a standalone game that was released back in 2014.
The game will be released worldwide on 26 June 2020, exclusively on PS4.


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Recently, the device Motorola Moto Z2 Force with the serial number XT1989-05 spotted on AnTuTu listing and revealed few of its specifications. Now the company sent out invites for its announcement on 25th July at 11:00 a.m. ET in New York City.
According to the latest rumor, the device Motorola Moto Z2 Force will come with a 5.5-inch QHD Shatter Shield display. It will have 6GB RAM, internal storage capacity of 128GB. The device will feature a dual rear camera of 12MP and a front-facing camera of 5MP. It will be powered by Qualcomm snapdragon 835 processor and runs on runs Android 7.1 Nougat. It will come with Dual- SIM functionality and will support USB Type-C 1.0 reversible connector. It will feature 1Gbps LTE, and Moto Mods support. The device will be designed on ShatterShield technology, which will make it to prevent the screen from easy breakage in case of a drop. It will be powered by a non-removable 3000mAh battery.
Proceed with us for more information.


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Analogue is known for creating sleek and modern versions on classic video game consoles, and now it is coming into the world of portable computers. Today the company has announced the Analogue Pocket, which is essentially the most advanced Game Boy ever made. The beautiful device has the form factor of the original Game Boy and can play cartridges from the GB, GBC and GBA – that's more than 2,700 games – with a display that has ten times the resolution of the classic Nintendo device, according to analog.
"We wanted to pay tribute to portable gaming from the start," says Christopher Taber of Analogue The edge.
The Pocket has a 3.5-inch LCD screen of 665ppi with a resolution of 1600 x 1440 and built-in background lighting. It is powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery, charged via USB-C, and also includes an SD card slot, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and reusable buttons. There is even a built-in synthesizer called Nanoloop, which should come in handy given the history of the Game Boy in the chiptune scene.
Device support will also extend beyond the line of Nintendo handhelds. Analogue says it makes adapters, so the device can also play titles from the Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color and more. (There is no idea how much the adapters will cost.) "Pocket is a tribute to all portable games," says Taber. “Our goal is to provide support for all portable game systems for Pocket. The adapters will be rolled out with launch, some will come later and plan to continue developing and releasing more system support. "
Perhaps even more surprising, Analogue also makes a dock that is connected directly to an HDTV, so that you can play the original Link & # 39; s Awakening on a big screen. The dock is sold separately (again, not a word about the price) and supports both Bluetooth controllers and wired USB controllers.
This is of course far from the first release of Analogue, which has designed modern versions of consoles such as the NES, SNES and Sega Genesis. But Taber says the company has always wanted to tackle a portable device, even though it was a much more complicated machine to design and produce.
"Handheld game systems are another category of video game history that is full of problems," he explains. “Extremely low quality screens, no background lighting, limited to one platform, etc. Pocket elegantly solves all these problems. It really came down to the display. We have been working with suppliers for years to find the perfect screen – one with the right aspect ratio, resolution, pixel density, color accuracy, pixel refresh and brightness. We could finally show our dreams for retro image ratios. "
Between the analogue pocket and the equally beautiful Playdate, 2020 will be a kind of banner year for retro handhelds. The portable Analogue device will be launched somewhere next year for $ 199.


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eWeek Reports on New Mozilla Roadmap
Wednesday April 30th, 2003
Peter Lairo wrote in to tell us that eWeek has a report about the new Mozilla Development Roadmap. The article, which is mostly accurate, outlines the changes proposed in the new plan and evaluates their likely effects. eWeek describes the new strategy as "overwhelmingly positive" but does express concern that the stronger module ownership model could slow down innovation.
#7 Re: Go Seamonkey!
Wednesday April 30th, 2003 12:45 PM
You are replying to this message
Splitting the a product into several products does not remove the suite. Still it is possible to bundle them in one installation with options to select.


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ST PETERSBURG, 16 July (BelTA) – Problems with the compensation for the tax maneuver, natural gas pricing, and the export of Belarusian products are the main issues in Belarusian-Russian relations, BelTA learned from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Vladimir Semashko on 16 July.
The diplomat said: “I would like to mention four problems we have to resolve: the compensation for the tax maneuver, natural gas pricing, the promotion of our meat and dairy products, and the promotion of industrial products. These are top-priority tasks we have to accomplish within the framework of the effective agreements of the Union State of Belarus and Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union.”
The ambassador believes that Belarus and Russia are capable of greatly increasing the mutual trade turnover. The current figure does not satisfy Belarus right now despite its growth. In 2018 Belarus-Russia trade rose by 9.4% in comparison with 2017, however, the trade turnover growth was fueled primarily by import from Russia.
“On the one hand, prices for oil and natural gas have increased, we are now discussing the matter. If we are part of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the prices should be close to each other, however, the price we pay is twice as large as that in Smolensk Oblast. On the other hand, we should more actively promote our own products. Our manufacturers are to blame and there are certain barriers that disallow competition on an equal footing. We are trying to resolve the problem as part of the work on the program on implementing the Union State Treaty, it is one of the key problems,” the diplomat added.
Vladimir Semashko stressed that Russia was, is, and will be the main market for Belarus. “However, its share in our export is not the 53-55% it was 10-15 years ago. It was 38.8% in 2018 and yet it is a lot,” he remarked.More about Politics


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Manama, Bahrain – 9 March 2020 – Innovate Finance UK announced “The Women in FinTech Powerlist 2019” which included Head of Fintech & Innovation Unit at the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) Ms. Yasmeen Al Sharaf. Ms. Al Sharaf was selected amongst the Policy Makers and Regulatory Experts category which caters for Regulators, Policy Advisors and Compliance Professionals.
The Women in FinTech Powerlist initiative was launched to recognize women leading innovation in financial services and has recently published the list of 200 women shaping the future of finance. Innovate Finance received over 650 applications for this year’s list which incorporates 7 different categories including; Senior Leaders, Rising Stars, Technology Professionals, Investors, Policy Makers and Regulatory Experts, Marketers & Communicators and Financial & Professional Services; resulting in applications and nominations from around the world which were reviewed and finalized by a panel of independent judges and experts in FinTech. It is worth noting that Innovate Finance UK is an Independent industry body that represents and advances the global FinTech community. Innovate Finance’s focus ranges from startups to global financial institutions to investors, professional services firms, and global FinTech hubs.
On this occasion Ms. Al Sharaf commented: “I am honored to have been selected amongst 200 other inspirational women from all around the world, to be part of Innovate Finance’s “Women in FinTech Powerlist 2019” under the ‘Policy Makers & Regulatory Experts’ segment. I am proud to be representing Bahraini women in the FinTech field and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Innovate Finance for this selection and for their recognition and I look forward to seeing more recognitions for successful Bahraini women.”
The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) extends its congratulations to Ms. Yasmeen Al Sharaf on this achievement and praises the role of women across all sectors including FinTech.


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The EU has released comments indicating that the committee charged with looking into possible antitrust violations by Microsoft has found the company guilty of abusing its dominant market position in the past, and continuing to do so up to the present time. From the press release:
"This evidence confirms and in many respects bolsters the Commission's earlier finding that Microsoft is leveraging its dominant position from the PC into low-end servers and that Microsoft's tying of Windows Media Player to the Windows PC operating system weakens competition on the merits, stifles product innovation, and ultimately reduces consumer choice."
The EU is giving Microsoft time to reply to the charges, but it's not expected that the company will find some way out of this mess. The EU's punishment remains to be seen, but it is certain to carry heavy financial penalties. The EU can legally fine the Redmond Giant with 10% of its annual revenues, but some suggest that 3% fine is more likely. In either case, it's money the company would surely rather not give up. Furthermore, it is expected that the EU will order Microsoft to reveal more information about its server technology to competitors, and some remedy as regards the bundling of Windows Media Player will likely be imposed:
Microsoft would be obliged to reveal the necessary interface information so that rival vendors of low-end servers are able to compete on a level playing-field with Microsoft. With respect to tying, the Commission has set out two alternative proposed remedies. The first would be the untying of Windows Media Player from Windows, whereby Microsoft would be required to offer a version of Windows without Windows Media Player included. This is the normal remedy for a tying infringement. The second would be a ?must-carry? provision, whereby Microsoft would be obliged to offer competing media players with Windows. Both solutions seek to ensure that consumers have a fair choice as regards media players.
So, even though Microsoft's legal problems in the US seem to be winding down to a trickle, things in Europe may just be picking up. Of course, from a legal perspective, the timing may be intentional. It will be interesting to see how the company reacts to this turn of events.


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The wonderful world of Disney earnings
Media giant says net more than doubles on solid DVD sales, ESPN ratings; stock rallies after-hours.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Walt Disney Co. Wednesday reported solid gains in sales and profits for the latest quarter, driven by healthy sales of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Cars" DVDs as well as strong results at its ESPN and ABC networks.
The news sent the stock higher after hours.
Disney (Charts) reported sales climbed 10 percent to $9.7 billion for its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 30, ahead of the $9.5 billion that analysts were expecting, according to estimates from Thomson First Call.
The Burbank, Calif.-based media giant, which also owns a theme park business, reported net profit more than doubled to $1.7 billion, or 79 cents a share. Excluding a one-time gain from the sale of assets, earnings came in at 50 cents a share, well ahead of consensus forecasts of 39 cents on Wall Street.
"I am very pleased to report such strong quarterly earnings to kick off 2007," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. "These results are particularly gratifying given the great year we had in 2006 and are another clear sign our strategy is driving growth and creating shareholder value."
Disney's studio entertainment division was the star performer in the quarter thanks to the strong DVD sales. Sales jumped 29 percent and operating profit soared 372 percent.
"The earnings are great. It's hard to find any holes here. They had a great year in the studio business," said Joseph Bonner, an analyst with Argus Research.
Sales in its broadcast business rose 6 percent and were up 12 percent at its cable networks. Operating profits in the broadcast division gained 24 percent.
During a conference call with analysts, Disney chief financial officer Tom Staggs said that the cable networks were continuing to perform well during the second quarter, with ad sales at ESPN, for example, expected to grow in the mid-single digits on a percentage basis during the quarter.
Staggs added that advertising sales in the so-called scatter market, which represents commercial time that is not sold when advertisers and networks negotiate ad rates before the fall TV season begins, were also strong for ABC, thanks to demand for ads during hit shows such as "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost."
Disney's theme park sales grew 4 percent and operating profits rose 8 percent. The one sore spot was Disney's consumer products division. Sales fell 6 percent in that segment and operating profits fell 13 percent due to lower revenues from Disney-branded video games.
Disney is the latest media company to report upbeat quarterly results. Time Warner (Charts), the parent company of CNNMoney.com, reported fourth-quarter results last week that matched expectations and issued profit guidance for 2007 that was in line with Wall Street was expecting.
And on Wednesday morning, News Corp (Charts)., the parent company of the Fox TV network and movie studio, reported fiscal second-quarter results that beat forecasts and reaffirmed its profit growth outlook for the current fiscal year.
Although Disney no longer gives guidance, analysts are predicting another relatively year for the company.
Analysts expect Disney to report revenue of $35.7 billion, up 4 percent from a year ago, and earnings per share of $1.73, an increase of 7 percent.
Bonner said that even though Disney's movies did so well last year, the company is poised to have a solid 2007 at the box office as well.
"Given the film slate this year, it's highly feasible that Disney can match last year's performance. There's another 'Pirates' movie coming out and another Pixar movie coming out," Bonner said, referring to the final movie in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, which will be released in May, and "Ratatouille," which comes out in June.
Disney, a Dow component, has been one of the best performing media stocks of the past year due to the box office success of many of its movies, strong ratings at ABC and ESPN and optimism about the company's new-media strategy. Disney was the first media company to partner with Apple (Charts) to sell TV shows and movies on Apple's iTunes store.
During the call, Staggs said that Disney expected to generate about $25 million in revenues from downloads during the current fiscal year, which ends in September.
Staggs added that the company should generate more than $700 million in revenue from all of its digital media businesses, excluding revenue from online booking for travel to Disney's theme parks, in this fiscal year. That's up from about $500 million in digital revenue during its last fiscal year.
One analyst asked Staggs if the company's sales of movie downloads on iTunes was hurting Disney's relationships with high profile retailers such as Wal-Mat and Target, which are big sellers of DVDs.
Staggs said selling downloads through Apple was not a problem and added that Disney movies would also be available on Wal-Mart's new movie download service, which the retailer unveiled on Tuesday.
Shares of Disney have surged 41 percent in the past year, outperforming media rivals Viacom (Charts), CBS (Charts) and Time Warner and slightly lagging the performance of News Corp, which has gained 44 percent.
Disney's stock gained 2 percent in after-hours trading following the earnings release. The stock rose nearly 1 percent in regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday.


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Norwegian Jewel will begin new season in Alaska
Norwegian Jewel cruise ship will begin this season with cruises to Alaska. Alaska trip will be the first cruise of such type for the liner.
The first cruise to Alaska on the Norwegian Jewel will start on May 19, 2012. NCL company will also be interested in Alaska for another reason. Another cruise liner of similar to the Norwegian Jewel class from the Norwegian Pearl operator will also be travelling this route.
The company started to sell cruises to Alaska for both liners in February. Special discounts are now offered for the passengers. Thus, every tourist, who books cruises for May in February, has an opportunity to improve the living conditions at the booking stage. NCL offers in Febcruary to order a mini-suite cabin for the price of a cabin with balcony, room with a balcony for the price of a cabin with ocean views, and suites with ocean views at a price of inner cabins.
In addition, the percentage of cruise deposits for early booking in February was reduced by 50%.
On the cruise route Sawyer Glacier to Alaska Norwegian Jewel will visit such ports as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. This route will be available from May 26 to September 8, 2012. In addition, the ship will serve a seven-day popular cruise to Alaska from Seattle to Vancouver on May 19, 2012 and from Vancouver to Seattle on September 15, 2012.
Sawyer Glacier cruise was named after the famous ice formation, which is located in the Tracy Arm fjord, which consists of two glaciers - North Sawyer and South Sawyer. These places are popular due to rich wildlife presented by bears, wolves, seals and hundreds of bird species.
Cruise from the Norwegian Jewel will be designed primarily for the family tourists. Especially for the family tourists in partnership with Nickelodeon on the liner will be organized an animation program with a number of attractions, including rock climbing simulator.
Riviera will start its first Caribbean cruise in Miami
Riviera, which is the newest ship of the Oceania Cruises company, will depart for the first winter cruise from Miami on November 29, 2012.
More cruises in Northern Europe
It is expected that 2012 will be one of the most successful season in the modern history of the cruise traveling for the Northern Europe region. The European Cruise Council (ECC) has estimated that the number of passengers in the current season will increase by 16% compared with 2011 and reach 1 million 490 thousand people.
Norwegian: free cruises for children
Norwegian Cruise Line, the third-largest cruise company in the world, announced a special offer â€“ â€śKids Sail Freeâ€ť. As part of the offer potential customers will be able to book on favorable terms cabins on the cruise ships for themselves and their children â€“ the third and fourth beds in the cabin for the children under 17 years can be booked for free.


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With Australians buying zero-emission cars in increasing numbers, we look at which suburbs have the highest concentrations.
Newly-released data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed the top suburbs in Australia for electric vehicle (EV) ownership.
The government authority has also included plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models within its data set, which typically allow the driver to travel up to roughly 50 kilometres on a single charge of an onboard battery pack, before the internal combustion engine kicks in.
All but one of the top ten slots belong to postcodes within New South Wales and Victoria – though hardly surprising, given they are home to more than half of Australia’s population, as well as the bulk of the country’s charging infrastructure.
At the top of the list, Australia’s top EV suburb belongs to Melbourne (postcode 3000), with a total of 145 battery-powered vehicles registered within the Victorian capital.
Despite Melbourne’s central business district not having a large number of residences with garage space, the city is home to a long list of private companies, many of which own electric cars, driven by business owners and employees.
However, when looking at total number of EVs as a percentage of all vehicles registered within that postcode, Derrimut and Laverton North come out on top, with EVs making up 2.74 per cent of the total number of cars in that locale.
While the list does not reveal owners, it’s no coincidence the postcode is across the road from Toyota’s former manufacturing plant, now the location of its hydrogen refueling facility.
It’s believed many of the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai sedans found homes in the local area under the company’s trial program, allowing drivers to easily fill up the cars at Toyota’s refueling station nearby.
But the results are skewed. Halfway down the list is the postcode of 3170: home to the headquarters of Nissan, Mazda, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, all of which boast EVs among their model line-ups.
It’s unknown whether electric airport ground vehicles are included in the count, with Melbourne Airport’s suburb of Tullamarine taking out the number eight spot.
The only suburb not found in Victoria or NSW sits in second place (on both total number of EVs registered, as well as percentage), and encompasses Bedford Park, Clovelly Park, Pasadena, St Marys, Tonsley, and Flinders University in South Australia.
Flinders University not only owns a fleet of more than a dozen electrified cars, including the Hyundai Ioniq and Hyundai Kona Electric, it’s also home to 13 electric vehicle charging points for students and staff to use.
Dr Elliot Fishman, Director of Transport Innovation at the Institute for Sensible Transport – the Melbourne-based consultancy which compiled the list from ABS data – says the take up of EVs in Australia is based on two factors.
“The percentage growth in EVs has been very strong in Australia over the past year,” Fishman told Drive.
“This reflects a growing awareness of the benefits and capabilities of EVs, such as lower costs of ownership and reduced emissions. It is also a consequence of a growing number of models available, including lower-cost vehicles, as well as stronger battery range,” he said.
“Finally, the growth in the fast charging network is giving people confidence for using EVs for longer trips.”
But while there’s an increasing trend towards zero-emission cars, Fishman says there is still a long way to go, with EV ownership accounting for just 0.7 per cent of new-car sales in Australia.
“There are a range of measures government could take to boost the efficiency of the fleet, including a luxury car tax exemption, stamp duty exemption and other measures to lower the upfront cost of purchasing an EV. As the cost of EVs comes down, it will be possible to wind back these measures.”
Extracted from Drive


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Good morning, and welcome to our rolling protection of the world economic system, the monetary markets, the eurozone and enterprise.
Inflation within the UK has slowed sharply final month, dragged down by falling costs for clothes amid the Black Friday gross sales rush final month.
The buyer costs index rose by simply 0.3% within the 12 months to November, down from 0.7% in October, the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics studies.
Meals and non-alcoholic drinks additionally pulled the price of dwelling down final month, the ONS provides, whereas lodging and a few video games costs rose.
- Falling costs for clothes, and meals and non-alcoholic drinks resulted within the largest downward contributions (of 0.17 and 0.09 proportion factors respectively) to the change within the CPIH 12-month inflation charge between October and November 2020.
- These had been partially offset by upward contributions from video games, toys and hobbies, and lodging providers.
Clothes costs had been a significant reason for the drop in inflation final month, the ONS says, with clothes and footwear costs down 2.6% in November in comparison with October.
It factors to the surge of discounting on Black Friday final month as retailers tried to spice up gross sales, notably on-line, after a really tough yr.
The ONS explains:
Costs total fell by 2.6% between October and November 2020, in contrast with an increase of 1.0% between the identical two months a yr in the past. Costs normally rise between these two months however value actions throughout 2020 have been uncommon in contrast with earlier years and seem to have been affected by the coronavirus lockdowns.
The worth fall in November this yr displays elevated discounting and there have been media studies that some Black Friday gross sales could have unfold additional throughout the month.
Extra particulars and response to comply with…
Additionally arising at the moment
A flurry of surveys of buying managers from the UK, eurozone and the US will point out how firms are faring this month.
These flash PMIs are prone to present that Britain’s non-public sector returned to progress this month, after output slumped throughout England’s November shutdown, with factories rising sooner than the service sectors.
The eurozone economic system should still be shrinking, although, as harder restrictions are imposed to battle the second wave of Covid-19.
Michael Hewson of CMC Markets explains:
The newest flash PMIs for the UK are additionally anticipated to color a barely higher image for the UK economic system after the slowdown in November, with an enchancment in each manufacturing and providers, with manufacturing anticipated to stay pretty resilient at 56, because of a component of pre-Brexit stock-piling, whereas providers are anticipated to rebound to 50.7, after the financial reopening because the November restrictions got here off.
The announcement of prolonged lockdowns for the likes of Germany, and the Netherlands earlier this week, together with an extension of some restrictions in France augurs unwell for the outlook for northern Europe’s largest economies over the subsequent few weeks. Immediately’s flash PMI for manufacturing and providers is anticipated to deepen that financial gloom, at the same time as manufacturing continues to assist offset the hit the providers sector is taking.
The prognosis was already wanting bleak after the prolonged restrictions that had been introduced initially of November, in each France and Germany, because the optimism of the summer time restoration has given solution to the pessimism of a protracted darkish winter
Later, the US central financial institution, the Federal Reserve, will maintain its remaining assembly of the yr.
- 9am GMT: eurozone flash PMI index of providers and manufacturing for December. Anticipated to rise to 45.8 from 45.3, displaying a contraction.
- 9.30am GMT: UK flash PMI index of providers and manufacturing for December. Anticipated to rise to 53.1 from 49, displaying a return to progress
- 1.30pm GMT: US retail gross sales for November. Anticipated to fall by 0.3% month-on-month
- 2.45pm GMT: US flash PMI index of providers and manufacturing for December. Anticipated to drop to 55.7 from 56.7, displaying slower progress
- 7pm GMT: Federal Reserve’s FOMC assembly
- 7.30pm GMT: Federal Reserve press convention