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In fall 2007, after two years of research and deliberation, the Dental Trade Alliance unveiled an unusual manifesto that called for a voluntary overhaul of dental exhibitions. An association of manufacturers and distributors of dental equipment and supplies based in Alexandria, Va., the DTA felt its members were being drained by an industry that produced 167 meetings with trade shows annually in the United States alone, or one show for every 1,200 practicing dentists.
"The Dental Trade Alliance has concluded that the current model for dental meetings and exhibitions in the United States is no longer efficient or effective," the position paper began. Trade shows were too expensive and too long, and attendance was slipping, the paper argued. Too many meetings were poorly organized and held in uninspiring locations, and organizers were not reaching out adequately to young professionals. The paper contended that only dental shows that attracted more than 5,000 dentists provided maximum return on investment for exhibitors and attendees. "Therefore, the trade strongly endorses a nationwide consolidation of dental meetings, so that each meeting meets the 5,000-dentist target." At the time, only about 10 dental events in the U.S. were that large.
Not wanting the paper to be empty rhetoric, the DTA delivered concrete proposals and initiatives for the industry to consider. The alliance detailed a list of attributes that contribute to worthy exhibitions, urging organizers to adjust their meetings accordingly (see "Anatomy of an Ideal Dental Meeting"). The DTA also promised to start rating industry trade shows, based on a combination of exhibitor surveys and empirical metrics such as attendance, drayage costs and amount of time dedicated exclusively to the exhibition without competition from educational programming -- a process begun this past January.
Recognizing that associations often use exhibitions to generate nondues revenue, the alliance also pledged financial assistance to groups that choose "to encourage the merger of smaller dental meetings into larger, regional meetings that better fit what today's dentist and dental company demands."
The DTA is unique in taking this aggressive stance for self-regulation, but it's hardly alone in thinking that must-attend megashows are the way of the future. Trade show organizers across all industries are coming to similar conclusions: To stay competitive in crowded marketplaces, they need to merge exhibitions or partner with organizations to produce joint meetings.
"I do think that in this economy, travel budgets have been tightened, limiting the number of conventions individuals can attend," says Jackie Williams, executive director of the Society for Nutrition Education, based in Indianapolis. The SNE collaborated with the Institute of Food Technologists in Chicago in 2007 to produce a single exhibition while each organization held its own meeting in the city.
A few notable examples of show consolidation include:
• The Professional Convention Management Association, which is poised to colocate annual conferences with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives as part of a strategic alliance announced in June (see Newsline);
• InfoComm and the National Systems Contractor Association, which merged their exhibitions last year to "save industry professionals time and money by offering everything they need under one big roof";
• The Newspaper Association of America, which this year replaced two of its conferences with a single event, mediaXchange; and
• Messe Frankfurt GmbH, which will colocate its new Texprocess exhibition with the well-established Techtextil beginning in 2011 to create "a textile powerhouse" where "manufacturers have the chance to make contact with twice the number of potential customers while visitors benefit from a much bigger and optimized range of products and services."
The concept of partnering to increase value isn't new, but John Graham, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, says show consolidation has picked up recently, along with outright mergers of associations. "Companies that belong to multiple associations are taking a hard look at dues expenditures," he notes. "When you have multiple players in the same space in a vertical industry, companies are saying, ‘We really can't afford the luxury of two associations.' "
That attitude is true of meeting attendance, too, Graham says, which along with everything else is forcing associations to reevaluate what they offer their members and how they run their organizations and their meetings. Graham doesn't agree that only the largest events will be viable going forward, but he does allow that if two trade shows serve largely "the same customer base with the same companies exhibiting at both shows, then yeah, I think the industries are better served with fewer shows."
Trade show organizers in a wide range of industries are experimenting with mergers or colocated events as a way to increase value to their members. A few recent examples:
The Wisconsin Jewelers Association canceled its Midwest Jewelry Expo to join forces with a new launch, The Instore Show, which debuted in Chicago in April.
The American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science produced a joint Winter Meeting in Chicago in February.
The Institute of Food Technologists and the Food Processing Suppliers Association will colocate their annual expositions -- which typically attract 18,000 and 10,000 people, respectively -- next year in Chicago.
The LA International Textile Show will colocate with the Material World & Technology Solutions at the California Market Center this fall, to "eliminate market confusion and bring together an unprecedented international product and service resource that promises to become the must-attend event for the sewn products industry," according to Tim Von Gal, president of Material World & Technology Solutions.
Hanley Wood Exhibition's The TFM Show for facility management professionals colocated with Construct2009 for the first time in Indianapolis in June.
In the U.K., the Bible Society's National Christian Resources Exhibition absorbed the Christian Booksellers Convention in May.


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President Obama announces financial plan for small business owners
POSTED: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 6:08pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 12:02pm
LONGVIEW - President Obama announced his plan to "bail out" small business owners, by making it easier for them to get loans.
Brant Brantley owns Skinners Grocery Store in Longview and he said, "If we have to spend the money if its gonna go through I feel the largest portion of the money should go to small businesses, they are the back bone to this country."
Reports show he plans to use $730 million from his stimulus package to cut fees for loans, made by the small business administration.
The president's aids say this will help create more jobs, but small business owners in Longview have mixed feelings about the financial aid.
Brantley said, "Give with one hand, take with the other, here's money to go get a loan but we're gonna take it right back in taxes."
While the plan is geared to help small business owners expand and get loans, some aren't convinced this will help.
Tonny Spraggins owner of Spraggins Auto Repair said, "What we want to achieve through this trying time is to hold our own and not do a lot of expansion...but I can see where it could help with some immediate relief with other small businesses."
Brantley said, "Its great if you're looking to get a loan but now everyone is cutting back so much , I don't think anyone is looking to expand their just looking to hang on."
President Obama also announced the 21 largest banks receiving government funding will have to report monthly on how much money they lend to small businesses.

domain: news


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Travel around the world this fall at the 79th Annual Holiday Folk Fair International in West Allis over the weekend of Friday, Nov. 18. It’s a good thing that this fair spans three days because this festive world of music, food, dance and culture is neverending.
Tag: WI Food Festival
Milwaukee Vegan Pop-Up Market
Eat, drink and socialize at the plant-based party of the year. Come join the cruelty-free fun at the Milwaukee Vegan Pop-Up Market on Sunday, Nov. 20, from noon to 5 p.m.
Beer & Bacon Walk
Either you love bacon or you’re missing out. The Beer & Bacon Walk in Downtown Racine, which runs from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, will satisfy every bacon enthusiast.
MKE Food Truck Fest
Milwaukee World Festival and OnMilwaukee are excited to announce that MKE Food Truck Fest will be back at Henry Maier Festival Park on Saturday, July 23.


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BENGALURU: The cash crisis and an overlapping weekend have prompted Bengalureans to opt for home parties on New Year’s Eve. A couple of five-star hotels have seen a slight dip in the number of tickets being sold for parties, and hoteliers blame house parties and people travelling to their favourite getaways.
Shruti, 26, a techie, said: “House parties are very convenient and are way cheaper. I can have as much food and drinks as I want, and don’t have to worry about bills making holes in the pocket. Also, a house party gives me the chance to pick the crowd of my choice, play music of my taste and avoid the inconvenience of travelling home from the party venue in the middle of the night.”
Some five-star party venues are already houseful, with the tickets sold out. “We haven’t faced any issue selling party tickets due to demonetization, as most of those attending lavish parties transact through net banking or use debit and credit cards. There’s hardly any cash-based transaction,” said the manager on duty at Sheraton Grand.
Bhaskaran T, general manager at The Lalit Ashok, said: “We will be hosting three events for the New Year. We don't have any problems with demonetization as we deal with established vendors and most of our transactions are already cashless. However, there has been a dip by 20% in ticket sales, as people are more into house parties this year.”
A source at The Chancery Pavilion
added: "Although we’ve seen a slight drop in ticket sales, I would point to the overlapping weekend rather than demonetization. Most of our customers use cards to pay, and not cash. But as it is a weekend, most people are taking short trips out of Bengaluru.”
Goa, Gokarna, Puducherry, Madikeri and Kodaikanal have seen a rising demand this New Year, among travel lovers. “Partying hard and celebrating New Year has become common and spending on parties is a waste. As it’s coinciding with a weekend, I am not losing the chance to get away from the city bustle and enjoy some fresh air on the beach,” said Sandipan, who has planned a three-day trip to Goa.
Swarnima Reddy, a design student at Srishti School of Art Design and Technology
, said, “When I went shopping yesterday, I saw barely any people in the stores, though it’s the festive season and there are sales everywhere. I have also decided to cut down on splurging on goodies as I don’t have enough cash.”


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A recent study presented just yesterday by Columbia Engineering computer science professor Jason Nieh and PhD candidate Nicolas Viennot might be the most comprehensive look yet at the Google Play store and some of the issues plaguing it. The bad news is the researchers were able to discover what they think is a pretty serious security flaw (TheLoop via Phys.org):
Nieh and Viennot discovered all kinds of new information about the content in Google Play, including a critical security problem: developers often store their secret keys in their apps software, similar to usernames/passwords info, and these can be then used by anyone to maliciously steal user data or resources from service providers such as Amazon and Facebook. These vulnerabilities can affect users even if they are not actively running the Android apps. Nieh notes that even “Top Developers,” designated by the Google Play team as the best developers on Google Play, included these vulnerabilities in their apps.
According to the report, Google is working with the researchers to prevent similar problems in the future and has already started the process of informing developers about necessary changes:
“We’ve been working closely with Google, Amazon, Facebook, and other service providers to identify and notify customers at risk, and make the Google Play store a safer place,” says Viennot. “Google is now using our techniques to proactively scan apps for these problems to prevent this from happening again in the future.”
Back in April, Google announced that it would soon begin continually scanning apps for malware even after installation to improve the overall security of apps and cut down on malware that makes it past the initial approval process for Google Play.
The full study made for some other interesting findings as well. The researchers found around a quarter of Google Play free apps are clones of other apps, for example. The full study can be viewed online here.
Another research firm, FireEye, has made its own discoveries regarding the Google Play vulnerabilities in a recent report detailing what it calls a new type of malware.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment but didn’t hear back immediately.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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OPXBIO’s EDGE technology creates cost-performance optimized microbes and bioprocesses faster and at lower cost than conventional methods. It is also flexible with demonstrated ability to convert multiple feedstocks into a wide range of bio-products.
The company’s second product is diesel fuel bio-processed from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded OPXBIO $6M to support this development.
Genomatica’s sustainable chemicals will cost 15-25% less to produce than today’s petrochemicals.
Genomatica took only 2.5 years to achieve pilot production with its first product, a green version of the chemical BDO.
Genomatica’s sustainable chemicals produce 70% less greenhouse gases. This is a potential reduction of 7 billion pounds per year for their first product, BDO.
Genomatica is focused on the core of the chemical industry: the 50 intermediate and basic chemicals that are used to make thousands of others. Each has an existing market in the billions to scores of billions of dollars.


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Gencor Industries, Inc. (DE) major shareholder Sherry Houtkin Unloads 2,200 Shares (GENC)
Gencor Industries, Inc. (DE) (NASDAQ:GENC) major shareholder Sherry Houtkin sold 2,200 shares of the stock on the open market in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.16, for a total value of $22,352.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,717,185 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $17,446,600. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a company’s shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.
Shares of Gencor Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:GENC) opened at 10.15 on Thursday. Gencor Industries, Inc. has a 1-year low of $7.75 and a 1-year high of $11.62. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $10.65 and a 200-day moving average of $10.54. The company has a market cap of $96.6 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.50.
Gencor Industries, Inc. (DE) (NASDAQ:GENC) last released its earnings data on Tuesday, August 5th. The company reported $0.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.03. On average, analysts predict that Gencor Industries, Inc. will post $0.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Gencor Industries, Inc (NASDAQ:GENC) with its subsidiaries is a manufacturer of heavy machinery used in the production of highway construction materials, synthetic fuels, and environmental control equipment.
Receive News & Ratings for Gencor Industries Inc (DE) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Gencor Industries Inc (DE) and related companies with Analyst Ratings Network's FREE daily email newsletter.


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Retailers hope to boost sales as people’s access to consumer loans improves
As of May 1st, 2017, the National Bank lifted the requirement to provide a certificate of income when applying for a consumer loan. This requirement was introduced in April 2014 in order to restrict loans to individuals who later could not service the loan. Amid lowered interest rates and small share of troubled loans among the population, most banks are likely to abandon the income certificate rule for small loans. The competition on the consumer lending market is likely to increase, as well, the length period for instalments in some retailers on consumer purchases could be increased and size of overpayments decreased. As people’s wages increase, they could step up demand for consumer loans, and retailers could offer more goods with a low initial payment or without the down payment altogether.
According to Belstat, in August 7,600 people were dismissed, including 4,800 civil servants. Dismissals of civil servants were due to the optimisation in the public administration by up to 30%. Some civil servants would retain their job however would lose the status of a civil servant. Vacancies on the labour market are likely to reduce in number, thanks to the optimisation, the state administration would increase wages for public servants. The payroll fund for retained employees is likely to increase and some former state employees are likely to get jobs in affiliated organizations. The optimisation of the state apparatus should complete by January 1st, 2018, and some former civil servants are likely to join the ranks of the unemployed.


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Apple has launched two new television commercials for the iPad family of tablets called “Alive” and “Together.”
The focus of Apple’s two latest television spots for the iPad and iPad mini seems to be more on the apps that are built for the devices more than anything else. Throughout both spots we are shown a barrage of apps while adjectives flash on screen every so often to announce words such as “bright,” “loud” and “alive.”
AppleInsider has also stumbled across some new billboards that accompany these ads.
It seems it would be safe to assume we are definitely back in the land of classic Apple commercials instead of that odd side journey we took during the Summer Olympics with the Apple Genius ads.


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Daily analysis 26.06.2014:
Lower than expected final GDP reading from the US and weak durable goods orders are putting pressure on the dollar. PCE inflation across the pond. A slight appreciation on the zloty is levelled off by weak retail sales reading. Belka in Bloomberg interview is still far from suggesting any rate hike.
Macro data (CET- Central European Time). Survey is supplied by Bloomberg unless otherwise noted.
- 14.30 CET: PCE inflation from the US (survey +0.3% m/m ; +1.8 y/y).
- 14.30 CET: weekly jobless claims form the US (survey 310k).
Weak GDP. Korne. Inflation
Yesterday the US GDP reading surprised even the strongest pessimists. In the Q1 2014 the economy shrank by 2.9% (q/q, seasonally adjusted, annualized data) and it was the lowest reading since Q2 of 2009.
Final Gross Domestic Product was revised downward again (first it was +0.1%; second minus 1%; third minus 2.9%). This time, besides discussed on several occasions “the weather effect”, we got a significant revision on the health spendings. As “The Wall Street Journal” reports: “The move was partly due to the difficulty interpreting the impact on the economy of the new health-care law which began to take effect in January". The “WSJ” claims that the Commerce Department firstly reported an increase on health related services at +9.1%, but when the “hard data” was available, it dropped to minus 1.4%. In result, instead of positive contribution to the GDP at 1.01 percentage point, we got a negative one at 0.16 percentage point.
There were hardly any positive sings in the durable goods. Instead of projected gain at +0.4 m/m, we received a drop at 1% m/m. Publication excluding transportation was better and the slide was only 0.1% with a revision for last month at 0.2 percentage point.
Nordic currencies have still been under pressure. At the European opening the EUR/USE rose to new 2-year highs and we are slowly approaching 9.20 level. The weakness of the local currency is caused by zero inflation and growing probability of interest rate cut. As Bloomberg reports, citing two currency strategists (Chris Turner from ING and Richard Falkenhall from SEB), the cut during July's meeting is already priced in and the market speculates on the next one this year. It is also worth remembering that the most recent sump on Swedish krone was caused by its Norwegian counter part which reacted to much more dovish than expected statement from the central bank. Until next week Riksbank rate decision we have retail sales reading tomorrow. If it fails short of expectations and we get a cut in July combined with a dovish message, then we should expect that one Euro may cost 9.30 krone.
Summarizing, the Wednesday's GDP data was weak. However, taking into the account that the reading was clearly deviated by weather issues and health-care spendings, we should not expect a persistent dollar weakness. Additionally, the second quarter GDP growth may be around 3.5%-4.0% so the sump in the economy is not expected. Today it is worth to point the PCE inflation readings. If we get a reading above 1.8 y/y, we should expect dollar strength and a slide under 1.3600 on the EUR/USD. On the other hand, in case of lower reading (1.7% and below), the most heavily traded may remain at current level till the end of the week.
Belka and the retail sales
Bloomberg published an interview with Marek Belka yesterday. The NBP chief said that “As you've heard at our past two press conferences, up to a certain point the only option for the future was to increase interest rates. Now, we have to take into account the option to decrease them as well. Of course, we're not panning to and a rate cut is still rather improbable”.
Due to a fairly hawkish comment from Belka and government success on “vote of confidence”, the zloty has still been traded around 4.14 per the Euro despite a weak retail sales (+3.8% y/y vs Polish Press Agency survey at +6.5%).
The Central Statistical Office of Poland publication, however, casts some doubts whether the economy will be able to grow at 3.0% y/y in the second quarter. If Poland fails to report a solid GDP and the inflation remains near zero level for the next month or new macroeconomic projections show slower expansion on the horizon, we may expect more pressure on the PLN and more discussion on interest rate cuts.
Summarizing, a significant decrease of domestic political risk and overall positive global sentiment should keep the zloty near the current levels till the end of the week.
Expected levels of PLN according to the EUR/USD rate:
Expected GBP/PLN levels according to the GBP/PLN rate:
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More solid data from the US but with no impact on the EUR/USD. Comments from the FOMC members. Le...
No reaction on the solid data from the US and weaker from Germany. The Russian rouble cut almost ...
Fairly good PMI readings from China, weak from France and in line with expectations from Germany....
Higher US inflation readings may push the Fed to more hawkish stance. The FOMC meeting in focus. ...


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Interbrew announced today (Tuesday) that it has acquired a 70% controlling interest in Zhejiang Shiliang Brewery Company located in the wealthy coastal province of Zhejiang. ING acted as the financial advisor to Interbrew in the $53.2 million transaction.
The transaction strengthens Interbrew's number one position in Zhejiang Province, where the company already has a 70% stake in the KK Group. The company says the most recent transaction will give it a market share of close to 50%.
The takeover is expected to close later this summer. It will raise Interbrew to the number two position in terms of market share in China, producing some 30 million hectolitres through 17 breweries, or 10% of the total market. The new acquisition will contribute around two million hl to the total figure.
In the wake of Anheuser Busch's acquisition of Harbin Brewery earlier this month, many observers were waiting to see if the acquisition would signal a major increase in the price of brewing assets in China.
But Interbrew paid around 11 times EV/EBITDA, compared to the whopping 17 times EV/EBITDA paid by Anheuser Busch to secure victory over SAB Miller for Harbin Brewery.
Late last year, Scottish and Newcastle paid an even more eye-watering 20 times for 20% of Chongqing Brewery, while Danish brewer Heineken paid around 13 times EV/EBITDA for its acquisition of a 21% stake in Guangdong Brewery in January this year for $72.5 million. Interbrew's previous acquisition in China was a two-step buy-in of the beer business owned by the Lion Group, a Malaysian conglomerate, for $263 million, and at an EV/EBITDA of 13.6 times.
The transaction gave Interbrew access to six provinces. The second tranche of the acquisition occurs in September this year, with each tranche amounting to 50% of the shares.
“So far it's difficult to draw any conclusions," one banker comments. "Although the price paid by Interbrew implies there has been little asset inflation, one should remember that the Interbrew transaction was well underway before the Anheuser Busch acquisition. We'll have to wait for further acquisitions to see if beer assets have seen a real mark-up. Of course, contested takeovers often see prices going through the roof."
Some say Harbin Brewery is worth a higher multiple than Shiliang because it has a strong presence in the north-eastern parts of the country, where beer consumption is highest. It also has brands with potential for national recognition such as Snowflake.
By contrast, Shiliang's main brand, Red Shiliang, has a significant presence in just one province, although a wealthy one by Chinese standards, with a population of 47 million.
Interbrew's acquisition shows how China is shaping to be a key battle ground for global brewers. It was Interbrew's recent merger with Latin American giant AmBev which knocked Anheuser Busch off the global number one position by volume.
However, in China, Interbrew is still No. 2 behind the Qingdao-Anheuser Busch Axis. Qingdao has the biggest market share with around 10%, while newly acquired Harbin Brewery has a market share of 4%. Anheuser Bush also brews relatively small quantities of Budweiser in Wuhan. Anheuser owns just under 10% of Qingdao with the option of increasing that to 27% through a convertible band.
Brewers in China are trying to get the balance right between selling high-priced foreign beers to the price-conscious local market and acquiring a stable of strong local brands. The hope is that the better local brands can build on their local reputations to become national brands and entice China's picky consumers to pay a few extra cents over less-well known beers.
During the first phase of foreign expansion into China in the 1990s, foreign brewers focused only on their own brands. But the strategy proved an expensive failure, since local drinkers felt no empathy for classic UK brands such as Tenants Lager and were reluctant to pay the significantly higher prices.
Thanks to the presence of some 400 small brewers across the country, many of which are state-owned and operate at a loss, 640 ml of beer in China can be found for as low as $0.18.
Interbrew has six breweries and one bottling center in Zhejiang Province, representing operations in the cities of Ningbo, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, Yandangshan, Pingyang, Jinhua and Yuyao.


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With the midterm elections just barely in the past, this has been somewhat of a tumultuous few months for many Americans.
Many retailers remain hopeful that the economy is starting to recover, as consumer spending has begun to slightly increase recently. Although, a more reliable indicator will be the upcoming holiday season, even if retail sales are strong, there is no mistaking that the American economy still has a long recovery process ahead. Unemployment still remains high, and when jobs are at risk, spending drops because of the need to consider financial self-preservation measures.
Although the war outlook seems to be brightening thanks to troop withdrawals, there are new and existing threats on the global front that cause doubts to linger in the hearts of soldiers and in America overall.
Government approval rates are constantly fluctuating, and especially so with the recent elections. Many Republicans won back positions of power that had been previously lost, leading to an overall shake up within Congress. Such shifts in power are cyclical though, and will not likely result in any major issues until the next presidential election in 2012. President Obama and his administration have done much to inspire the American youth to get involved in the broad grassroots movement of inspiring change within the American people. However, it remains to see if the momentum of the movement can linger through until it is time to elect new leadership.
Although Obama has taken steps to encourage the recovery process, it is a long and hard road, and he is meeting the resistance of many who expected him to work miracles the moment he stepped into office. The United States is a nation that has seen itself through many challenging times, and with time and effort, will be able to emerge from these current difficulties, too.


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Chinese women are experiencing a noticeable surge in financial independence. As society undergoes changes, women’s priorities are also shifting. They are moving beyond traditional family roles to prioritize self-care. This report examines diverse consumption patterns among Chinese women, identifying opportunities in the “she economy.” It underscores their pivotal role in household decisions, evolving dynamics, and focus on self-fulfillment. The document also analyzes trends like women’s expanded notion of health, embracing a relaxed mindset, the influence of solo female travelers on the travel industry, and tapping into traditionally male-dominated sectors.
Download the full report on the She economy in China!
Some key findings from our report
- Chinese women play a significant role in driving household purchasing decisions, with 86% of household purchases made by women and contributing 41% to the country’s GDP.
- Women’s health expenditure has seen a 20% average annual increase, with women outspending men by 63% on health products.
- Chinese women have been focusing on psychological health, with 17.5 times year-on-year growth on personal emotional management, 16.2 times year-on-year growth on workplace psychological counseling, and 5.6 times year-on-year growth on workplace marriage counseling.
- Traveling more, spending more, and eating better are the three growth directions of Chinese women’s tourism.
- Men are no longer the main provider of houses and cars in higher-tier cities.
- Debunking the myth that gender influences consumer behavior in financial management products, women exhibit similar risk preferences to men.
Our hypotheses about the future of women’s spending in China
- Women are going to adopt a lifestyle that can grant them more freedom and entrepreneurship.
- Turning any fragments of life into a memorable experience: female consumers are going to push the experience economy outside its traditional boundaries.
- Chinese women will trailblaze the demand for mental health services.
- As Chinese population ages, senior women are going to play an increasing role in the skincare, fashion, and fitness market.
- There will be a growing demand for less hypermasculine videogames.
- The real estate and the automotive market are going to adapt to single women’s needs.
- Chinese women will turn into a driver for wealth management and pension services.


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Less Intake of Salt Guarantees Good Health
If you make a small change in your eating habits, that will do a world of good in improving your health. Experts advise that the daily salt intake should not exceed 1,500 mg. The American Heart Association has conducted an extensive research on this topic and they have issued this advice to people. The suggestion that people should reduce their salt intake is meant not only for those who have medical conditions but for those who are maintaining good health also.
According to AHA findings, reduced salt intake will lessen the risk of ailments like high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. A medical survey has found out that over 76 million American adults and more than 1 billion people throughout the world have blood pressure-related problems. These problems may lead to serious cardiovascular diseases, say a statement from Tulane University.
The fact is that the average daily intake of salt of adults and children is more than 3,400 mg. that is much more than what the body needs. The problem is that most of this intake comes through processed and packaged ready-made foods. According to AHA, by improved systems of labeling, the sodium contents of food items can be revealed to people. In addition to that, there should be stringent measures to limit salt intake, especially the intake through processed and ready-made packaged foods.
People, on their part, should make conscious changes in their dietary habits. Instead of eating processed and ready-made foods, they should develop the habit of eating fresh fruits, vegetables, food items made of wholesome grains, etc. Processed foods come with another danger also. Most of them contain chemical preservatives that can do immense harm to the health of people. These chemicals settle in the fat cells of the body. When fat cells get stronger due to this, people may find it difficult to reduce their excess weight or fat. This may ultimately lead to several ailments like blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, diabetes and so on.
So, by reducing your salt intake and by getting rid of dietary mistakes like eating processed foods, etc., you can be certain of maintaining a good health.


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Microsoft today revealed more about its Cortana voice assistant strategy at the Build annual developer conference. This included a demo of..
Monthly Archives: May 2017
Amazon is continuing its global expansion for Echo and Alexa. The company announced it will open a new development centre in Cambridge, England this fall.
Allo was a testing ground for Google Assistant in learning conversational interaction in English. True Viral News is reporting that..
The Facebook AI research team announced today it has developed a new approach to language translation that is nine times..
Forrester put out a report last week that focused on how advertisers are demanding more accountability for their ad spend..
Update May 9: AFTV News is reporting that the device will be called the Amazon Echo Show, will be available today..
Today Harman Kardon released new details about its new smart speaker device powered by Microsoft Cortana. The speaker is named Invoke and looks very similar to the Amazon Echo.
eMarketer is forecasting that 35.6 million Americans will use a voice activated device like Amazon Echo or Google Home monthly in..
Economic Daily News reported that Inventec has been tapped to build Apple Smart Speakers to take on Amazon Echo according..
VentureBeat reporter Evan Blass tweeted a leaked image of an expected Amazon Echo with display screen this afternoon. It may not be..


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Glorious Friday, we’re always so happy to see you. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
(Web visitors, you can find an easier-to-read email version of this morning’s newsletter here.)
Top News in the A.M.
Google’s “right to be forgotten” requests from European citizens have come under fire by regulators. They say the company restricted the removal of Internet links to European sites only, reports Reuters.
Bloomberg Beta’s Roy Bahat on Year One
In the spring of last year, former News Corp. executive Roy Bahat was hired to head up a newly created, $75 million tech fund with a single LP, the financial news giant Bloomberg. Since then, that outfit, Bloomberg Beta, has made 28 investments, and two of its companies have been acquired. One deal isn’t yet announced; the second, the machine learning startup Newsle, was snapped up last week by LinkedIn for an undisclosed amount.
While Bloomberg Beta appears to be off to a fast start, Bahat isn’t ready to break out the champagne just yet. He says instead that he’s “still getting used to the pacing” of venture capital. “It’s like a chess game, where every move is separated by a year to 18 months.”
That isn’t typical talk in the world of VC, where sugarcoating things is standard operating procedure. But telling it like it is seems to be among Bahat’s biggest differentiators in the competitive field of seed-stage startup investing. We caught up yesterday; our chat has been edited for length.
Broadly speaking, what you are you trying to do with Bloomberg Beta?
A lot of recent [investing] trends [center on] making progress with fewer dollars and funds that act more like individuals and less like institutions. We didn’t invent them but we like them and we’re taking them to their logical extreme. Our standard first check is $250,000. [The biggest check we’ll write is a] seven-figure check. We like to get involved really early and remain valuable and invest much more over time.
What’s the benefit of having Bloomberg as your LP?
We aren’t a strategic investor, but our LP cares about tech companies, so there’s plenty of value beyond the financial [muscle it gives us]. We can provide startups with technical feedback when they want it, validation with customers, customer trial runs. There are never companion deals, but if a startup wants a relationship with Bloomberg, [we can help].
Bloomberg Beta is a five-person operation. Does majority rule when it comes to what to fund?
If anyone on the team says yes to a deal – if they want to make an investment – we’ll do it. There’s no voting. At the seed stage, the risk of missing something is worse than the risk of investing in the wrong company. We know the best deals in particular tend to be controversial, so we wanted a process that sidesteps that.
Are you “thesis driven”? You’ve invested in numerous media companies, for example.
I’m not a huge believer in thesis-driven investing. The best founders teach you more about an industry than you can learn [by researching it].
I’m not a huge believer in boards for very young companies, either. I’d rather be on the private Github repository of a startup or be on Google Analytics than have them prepare a PowerPoint presentation every month or so and bloviate on the state of the industry. That’s going to be an unpopular view, but it’s my view.
You were the head of the game and entertainment business IGN at News Corp. Tell us more about your transition into VC.
It takes some getting used to. I think we’re trying to do things in a different way, and when you do that, there’s some chance that you create something special. There’s also a chance that you create something that blows up in your face. With a startup, if something isn’t working, you know three months [into it]. Here, maybe in five years I’ll have the data to know if what we’re doing works.
That’s refreshingly candid.
[Laughs.] Well, everyone wants you to be blunt and transparent until you’re in the room with them. I just met with someone and told him that his startup wasn’t right for us for XYZ reasons. He said, “Don’t you want to think about it for a few days and get back to me?” I said, “I could pretend to think about it and not email you for a week and then tell you. Or I can tell you right now.”
Atox Bio, an 11-year-old, Ness Ziona, Israel-based company that develops therapeutics for severe infections, has raised $23 million in Series E funding led by SR One, with participation by Lundbeckfond Ventures and OrbiMed Israel. The Globes has more here.
CounterTack, a three-year-old, Waltham, Ma.-based firm that makes threat detection and response software, has held a final, final close on its $20 million Series B round, adding to two previous closings with additional funding from Alcatel-Lucent. Earlier investors in the round include Razor’s Edge Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Siemens, Fairhaven Capital and OnPoint Technologies. The company has raised at least $36 million altogether.
Deem, a 14-year-old, San Francisco-based cloud and mobile commerce company based in San Francisco, has raised $50 million in funding led byHony Capital. The deal follows a recent recapitalization financing led by PointGuard Ventures, which was joined by mutual fund investors, Stern Aegis Ventures, Keating Capital and Deem CEO Patrick Grady.
Fixed, a year-old, San Francisco-based mobile application that helps you fight your parking tickets by snapping a photo of the ticket with your mobile phone, has raised $1.2 million in seed funding, including from Y Combinator, Merus Capital, Scott Banister, John Cobbs, Mark Randolph, Matt Humphries, Eric Wu, and David King. TechCrunch has much more here.
Glow Digital Media, a 3.5-year-old, London-based social ad platform ad tech platform that helps marketers create, improve, and understand Facebook and Twitter ad campaigns, has raised $7 million in Series A funding from Notion Capital and White Star Capital. Project A Ventures and Avonmore Developments, which had provided the company with $1.3 million in seed funding, also participated in the round.
NextNav, a seven-year-old, Sunnyvale, Ca.-based company that’s focused on indoor-position services for both commercial and public safety applications, has raised $70 million in Series D funding led by New Enterprise Associates and Oak Investment Partners. Earlier investors Columbia Capital, Telcom Ventures, and Goldman Sachs, also participated. The company has now raised at least $100 million altogether, shows Crunchbase.
Intigua, a 3.5-year-old, Newton Lower Falls, Ma.-based container technology company, has $10 million in Series B funding led by Intel Capital. Earlier investors Bessemer Venture Partners and Cedar Fund also participated in the round, which brings the company’s total funding to $21 million.
Tyto Life, a two-year-old, Burlingame, Ca.-based company that’s focused on the Internet of Things but not talking publicly yet about its business, has raised $7 million, according to an SEC filing that shows an $8.1 million target. The company is headed by Sam Jadallah, a former partner at the venture firm Mohr Davidow Ventures.
iTOK, a 10-year-old, Lehi, Utah-based remote technology support company, has raised $18 million in Series B funding led by ABS Capital Partners, with participation from earlier investor Signal Peak Ventures.
PhysIQ, a nearly 10-year-old, Naperville, Il.-based spinout from Argonne National Laboratory that makes a chest strap that tracks patients’ health away from the hospital, has raised $4.6 million in Series A funding from the Chicago firm LionBird and several angel investors. Crain’s Chicago Business has more here.
Weimob, a year-old, China-based customer relationship management startup built on the messaging service WeChat, has $4.8 million in Series A funding from Meridian Capital China. TechNode has more here.
Garage Technology Ventures, a 16-year-old, Santa Clara, Ca.-based seed and early stage venture capital fund, has signed up two anchor investors for its latest fund, it says in a press release. The fund, whose target isn’t mentioned in the release, will be the firm’s fifth capital pool.
Lightspeed China Partners, the Shanghai-based Chinese venture firm whose mid-June SEC filing showed that it was back in the market and raising $260 million for its second fund, has now closed on that capital. The Lightspeed Venture Partners affiliate had closed its first fund with $168 million in January of last year.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., in Enfield, Ma., has a new, $100 million venture fund, reports the Hartford Business Journal. MassMutual Ventures plans to invest in technologies that leverage the insurance giant’s life, retirement and asset-management businesses, and it’s being led by Doug Russell, a MassMutual senior VP; Eric Emmons, who previously headed Siemens Venture Capital North America; and Mark Goodman, who has launched two previous venture funds, Terawatt Ventures and Brookline Ventures, both in Cambridge, Ma.
Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, the venture capital arm of Mitsubishi UFJ, a major bank in Japan, is coming to the U.S., so to speak. In an interview with Tech in Asia, the firm’s senior VP Yoshihiko Kawamura says it will be establishing a fund that targets American startups after years of focusing instead on China-based investments. Says Kawamura, “This reflects our internal situation. Ten years ago, 15 years ago, China was booming, so we heavily invested in the mining sector, base metals. The major destination for production was China. But China is down now. So we are getting back to the U.S.”
Qualcomm Ventures, the venture arm of the San Diego-based wireless technology giant Qualcomm, has launched a new, $150 million strategic venture fund in China to fund Chinese companies working on mobile technology. More here.
MyCityVenue, a three-year-old, London-based experiences and events platform, has been acquired by the three-year-old travel club Secret Escapes for undisclosed terms. MyCityVenture doesn’t appear to have raised funding; Secret Escapes has raised $12.9 million from Octopus,Atlas Venture, and Index Ventures. TechCrunch has the story here.
Twitch, a three-year-old, San Francisco-based social video game platform, has officially sold to Google for $1 billion. VentureBeat has more here. Twitch had raised $35 million from investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, Alsop Louie Partners, WestSummit Capital, Take-Two Interactive Software, Thrive Capital, and Draper Associates.
Zillow is in talks to acquire rival Trulia in a deal that could value Trulia at as much as $2 billion, reports Bloomberg. Talks between the pubicly traded companies are ongoing and may not lead to a deal, noted the Bloomberg report.
Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar of the online collaboration tools maker Atlassian prove you don’t need to move to Silicon Valley to succeed. So writes the Financial Review of the Australia-based founders, whose company is currently valued at roughly $3.3 billion.
Aaron Krane, founder of the sports-centric mobile apps company Hitpost (acquired by Yahoo last fall), has joined Khosla Ventures as an entrepreneur-in-residence, reports TechCrunch.
Another day, another set of not-great diversity numbers. This time they’re from Pinterest, which is less white than Twitter and Google (it’s 50 percent Caucasian and 42 percent Asian) but just as male dominated. More here.
Yammer founder David Sacks announced yesterday that he’s leavingMicrosoft, almost exactly two years after it acquired his social networking company for $1.2 billion in cash.
SecondMarket founder Barry Silbert is stepping down as SecondMarket CEO to focus exclusively on Bitcoin.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now richer than Google co-foundersSergey Brin and Larry Page.
Facebook is looking to add someone to its business development operations.
Square 1 Bank is hiring a venture banker in New York.
Google‘s new moonshot project: the human body.
It turns out all anyone needs to break into a friend’s apartment is an off switch for their conscience and an iPhone.
A guy walks into a bar. (H/T: Olivia Wilde.)
What a plagiarizing 12-year-old has in common with a U.S. Senator.
The bikes of the Tour de France.
Brogamats: Yoga mats for dudes.


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Stock Market Outlook & Predictions
Once again a rep at the Fed had to make a speech about possible interest rates hikes. The intent was not appreciated by investors, and the Dow Jones dropped about 700 over two day.
Perhaps the intent is an effort to cool inflationary expectations as they mentioned future rates hikes in 2022 and 2023. Additional news regarded jobless claims, which were up 52,000 above expectations. Supply side issues including oil and computer chips are weighing on the recovery.
Another report on jobs has more people quitting their jobs recently. Could be the turmoil in the labor markets is uneasing some of the large cap investors who are seeing higher wages for good workers and more inflation will erode profits.
On Friday, the Dow Jones 30 fell -533.37(-1.58%) to 33,290.08, while the S&P 500 fell -55.41(-1.31%) to 4,166.45. The Nasdaq lost -130.97(-0.92%) to 14,030.38, while the Russell also declined -49.71(-2.17%) 2,237.75.
The downward momentum will likely subside, as the Fed messages will lose their impact. GDP is rising, consumer spending is up, and earnings reports are generally positive. This should carry the stock market outlook for 6 months and well past 2022. But will 2023 be the year of the crash when investors see rates rise while staring at the US debt load and trade imbalance with China? The Democrat deficit supported strategy will run out of gas at some point which suggests that rates might not be raised for 10 years.
Consumer spending rose 11.3% in the Q1, yet fell 1.3% in May. Consumers shifted their spending into hospitality and leisure and small ticket items. Yet, consumer spending was 20% higher in May versus same time in 2019. GDP for the first quarter was up 6.4%. The economy may be growing at above 10% rate this 2nd quarter. The cyclical change is still rolling along which is why investors are feeling confident. However, there’s a lot of phoniness in this market with Tesla, Bitcoin, Dogecoin, AMC and other stocks flying high.
“The great consumer spending rotation to services has begun,” said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. “As health conditions continue to improve and the economy reopens, generous fiscal stimulus, rebounding employment and rising optimism will help unleash pent-up demand. Daco forecast that consumer spending, the main driver of the U.S. economy, could grow this year by around 9.5%. If so, that would amount to the strongest such showing since 1946, when the nation was emerging from World War II rationing and other restrictions.” from report on the thenewstribune.com.
The Fed likes inflation and wants to hit targets that aren’t really outrageous. The Fed will win, and inflation may help fuel a great recovery. Joe Biden’s $6 Trillion infusion won’t hurt either.
Today, the Dow Jones is up today +119.12(+0.35%) to 34,566.26, the S&P hit a new record lifting +24.67 (+0.58%) to 4,244.22, while the NASDAQ rose +104.29 (+0.75%) to 14,016.04. The Russell 2000 sagged a little by -8.19(-0.35%) to 2,318.93. WTI oil prices is up over $70 to $70.25. Lumber prices continue to fall which is great news for the housing market and pressure on home prices. Rising consumer prices due to supply shortages may grow large cap profits while putting a burden on small businesses looking to recover.
Top Losing Stocks on the Dow
IT, Health Care and Consumer Discretionaries lead the way today.
This brings us to the matter of the Democrats and how they’re treating rich corporations and the billionaires. Right now, it looks like they’re serious about taxing them. They’ve spent so much money, they have no choice but to tax the rich to get the trillions needed. The working poor have no money. The G7 accord to ruin the billionaire’s tax havens is excellent news but likely won’t be enforceable. Too much corruption internationally.
For the average American, taxing the rich is a good thing. However, small business may need a bigger boost. 100,000 businesses were lost, but like a forest fire, the landscape could look very lush and green in 2022.
WTI Oil price has risen above $70 and are poised to rise. Experts are torn about how high they might go, but you can bet the will rise above $80 a barrel with gas prices skyrocketing too. Thankfully, tax increases are still off in the future. Gold is staying high around $1894.10. In 2023, Gold could take off in the face of economic slowdown, rising taxation, and rising interest rates.
Top Gaining Small/Mid Caps as of Thursday June 17th
Commodities like lumber, oil and steel prices are inflating fast so this has to be another stock market crash signal. The rising lumber prices are adding an extra $34,000 to the price of a home. This will affect the housing market forecast.
Inflation was reported at 4.2% for last month and .8% for consumer prices. Wages grew strongly in May There are rumors the Fed might raise rates to control the warming trend. Jobs numbers were off dramatically as some economists suggest workers don’t want to go back to work.
Yet what they might be overlooking is the factor that’s also harming the housing market: lack of supply. With the pandemic shutdown in the US and with regulatory restriction on materials/manufacturing, the market is grossly undersupplied. The economic recovery will be hampered by the adjustment of people returning to work and by supply chain issues (including from China where containers are empty).
The stock market trend away from tech stocks (FAANGs) and growth stocks to industrials continues. Wealthy and institutional investors may be withdrawing from US equities and this might be due to tax increases, inflation, potential rising rate rumors, and a belief that the economy may not grow strongly from here on. Yet, in the short term, some companies are benefitting from inflation.
The Fool advises to check out U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), Glacier Bancorp (NASDAQ:GBCI), Progressive Auto Insurance (NYSE:PGR), and Chubb Alarms (NYSE:CB) as stock which might benefit from inflation.
And investu says you can avoid picking individual inflation boosted stocks by investing in these funds:
- IShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (NYSE: GSG)
- Global X Internet of Things ETF (Nasdaq: SNSR)
- Vanguard Real Estate ETF (NYSE: VNQ)
- Invesco DB Base Metals Fund (NYSE: DBB)
- SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD)
Is inflation really all the bad for the economy? Inflation is currently caused by insufficient supply (productivity) combined with excessive money supply. Too many dollars, trillions in fact, chasing stocks, real estate, commodities, consumer products, and more. Inflation can support speculative investment and push money where it’s needed most. Inflation increases liquidity and spending that way, so it can be good.
Yet jobs, GDP, consumer spending are all rising and stimulus spending will continue, so the downside by the bears might be overstated. The possibility too that investors may be eyeing better returns in Europe and Asia and this could erode US market strength over the next few years. The perception of Democrat taxes, regulations, and anti-energy market policies will weigh the market down whether Dow Jones or Russell 2000.
As amazing as the US pandemic recovery is going, there is still significant problems in Brazil, India and other countries as dangerous new Covid 19 variants persists. That will help suppress demand and keep inflation under control.
See more on the Dow Jones Forecast, S&P 500 Forecast and NASDAQ forecast, along with this next weeks outlook, and the 6 month forecast. Keep an eye on potential stock market crash threats and review the top market crash indicators to protect your hard earned investment.
The Fed’s J Yellen said the proposed $6 Trillion spending plan would be spread out over 8 years, which could lend strength to the economy, unless the rosy picture breaks down and ends in a vicious stock market crash . And the worries over a major correction are just ahead as well. What are the crash indicators? Is there a way to hedge the threat?
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Where Will the Stimulus Funds Really Go?
Some believe the stimulus spending will end up boosting imports of foreign products and not help the US recover. Some of these funds could actually convert to investments in China bonds and equities. China is a major competitor and one coming of the Covid 19 pandemic with minimal debt.
Reports showed American foreign investments have doubled recently while domestic investments are beginning to lag. The tax hike announcement worsens that funds exodus, and pushes the markets closer to the big day of correction ahead. The wealthy will not willingly pay 44% tax and instead will move their money to safer havens and any tax increases will be passed onto customers.
These facts plus rising imports will begin to eat away at the economic recovery, which right now is looking weaker than forecast.
“Markets look ahead to economic normalisation as vaccines will go around. Stock prices are likely to rise gradually while looking at upcoming earnings,” said Tomo Kinoshita, global market strategist at Invesco Asset Management in Tokyo. — from Reuters report.
Tech has been hot. Investors should investigate the best tech stocks, including Google, Facebook, Amazon and Tesla. Tesla is up $21 in the last 2 day. Check out the oil stocks, 5G stocks and find those that are ready rise in value.
Stock Market June 17, 2021:
Good employment and earnings reports are sending the indexes higher. The outlook for Tomorrow and next week and the next 6 months looks positive (with big correction worries). Oil is strong and US dollar is rising.
US GDP to Grow 7.9% in 2021
US Gross Domestic production grew 6.4% in the 1st quarter, no doubt meeting the approval of investors. Some are predicting GDP growth to reach near 10% in the April to June quarter.
Is anything still holding back the stock markets right now? Three things: Biden Presidency, inflation, and the belief that interest rates have to go up sometime. Smart investors look 6 months to 5 years down the road.
The Covid 19 infection numbers need to plummet to consistently low levels before investors feel at ease and stats show the 7 day moving average for Covid cases in the US is heading down. A good sign for the economy and markets. Make sure you check out the best stocks to buy, penny stocks, best tech stocks, best 5G stocks, and watch the top gainers and top sectors going. Check out the forecast for next week.
Inflation a Threat on the Horizon?
With the economic outlook brightening, Covid-19 cases falling and more fiscal stimulus on the horizon, nervousness about inflation is percolating. That means pricing power is set to become an intriguing alpha generator due to the wide variance in how companies cope with it” according to Tobias Levkovich, Citigroup Inc.’s chief U.S. equity strategist.
3 Month Market Forecasts
See more on the new outlook for April, May and June in anticipation of strong economic performance for the 2nd half of 2021. The markets should keep their current rate of growth until May even with volatility.
Who else is bullish on the US Economy? Goldman Sachs for one. The company foresees GDP rising 6.4% for 2021, pushing the S&P up 14% to 3756, and growing to 4600 in 2022.
The Federal stimulus funds are on their way and there’s little doubt much of it will end up in the market this month. Yes, $1.9 Trillion will make a lot of people happy. Another factor to watch is inflation, which some say will really heat up. Inflation generally makes markets happy.
Additionally, vaccine production and distribution are progressing well, meaning there’s more optimism about the end of Covid 19. At the end of this 3 month period, a sizable number of vaccinations will have happened and it means the economy could recover faster than expected.
However, Americans in particular are becoming aware that this administration is not producing GDP output the traditional way — that moving money from the rich to the poor (wealth equity is a good thing) doesn’t make a country suddenly competitive with China. Other effects are being created via interstate business movement as companies try to elude high state taxes in New York, New Jersey and California and run to Florida And the housing market is forecasted to soar by spring.
Use good sense in your investment strategy and use stock market forecasts as a guide to gauge the key determinants of market trends.
Is a stock market crash or downturn even remotely possible over the next year? How about in the next 5 years? Should you wait and buy the lowest stocks in the next dip?
Hottest Market Sectors
Tech, Energy, and communications were the flavor of the day As the summer progresses, more accent will move to real estate as homebuyers hunt for any home they can afford. Post pandemic travel is off to a strong start.
Market sectors which continue to show the best growth:
- consumer discretionary (travel, entertainment, retail)
- technology (computer hardware/software, and technological service industry companies)
- industrials (manufacturing, consumption and inflation drive commodity prices)
- real estate (builders, brokerages, multifamily, commercial)
- energy stocks (oil, green energy, electricity)
- medical and health care (biotech)
6 Month Stock Market Forecast
Look ahead to the next 6 months and fall. Moving into the summer season, with 218 million vaccinations completed as of today, consumers and businesses will get the green light to spend and sell.
Best Stocks to Buy
Top Gaining Stocks (May 12, 2021)
Top Gainers Small & Mid Caps
Top small cap stocks this week. Screenshot courtesy of Yahoo Finance.
US Economic Forecast
Market Factors affecting 2021 Outlook to watch:
- economy had a solid 4% growth in the 4th quarter 2020
- inflation rises and low interest rates pushing treasury and bond prices down
- markets climbed as investors seem optimistic
- corporate earnings will sour in the 4th quarter
- Fed says they’re not going to raise rates, and may not for years
- $5 trillion sitting in money markets
- Oil price is rising to $63 a barrel
- S&P, and Dow keep reaching new records and NASDAQ and Russell 2000 are next
- US dollar is falling
- new government injecting $2.1 trillion in stimulus
- Covid pandemic moving past its worst months?
- trade war with China continues to heat up emotionally
- Facebook, Google and Amazon stocks under pressure of DOJ anti-trust investigations
- renter evictions, landlord bankruptcies looming
- jobs reports very strong
- earnings reports so far are strong
5 Year Long Term Forecast is Optimistic
The 5 year stock market forecast (and 5 year housing market forecast ) look really good too because the American consumer is well employed and will see plenty of jobs as business is rebuilt from the ground up. Intent to buy homes is strong and construction rates will grow fast through the spring. If the economy stutters, the Biden admin will not be reluctant to give stimulus. Small business will need a transfusion, and it will get one.
The latest US jobs report is excellent. The 2020 to 2024 5 year forecast period is not priced into the market, but instead is focused on current earnings/sales and wishful thinking over the 5 year term.
Bank and Broker Forecasts
Goldman Sachs projects GDP will grow at a 5.3% pace in 2021 and forecasts a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%. They expect the S&P to rise 17% to 4,300 points, and driven by an expected 30% growth in corporate earnings.
Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and LPL Financial see the S&P rising 6% to reach 3,900. Oppenheimer boldly sees it hitting 4300.
Those US companies are becoming lean and powerful, and those who survive the pandemic will be unusually competitive in 2021. The question for some investors is whether airlines, cruise lines, hotels and other sectors are good long term buying opportunities, or whether buying more Tesla, Google, Facebook and Amazon stock is the safer route. Some believe they’re a good buy during a coming market correction. Buy the correction they say.
Will Self Directed Investors be the Story in the Next 3 Months?
The growth of self-directed trading is impressive as day trading investors feel they can find the best stocks on their own. With the level of insight and opinion and stats available online, these self-directed investors are still guided by the same investment pros. It could be Wall Street feels threatened by a change in the investment landscape, with new investment tools, software and advisors becoming more in vogue.
There are plenty of ups and downs recently though to keep them cautious. And the odds of a stock market crash are low right now.
If self-directed stock trading is working for you, please let me know in the comments at bottom.
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Still wondering about the Amazon stock price, Google stock price, and Facebook stock price forecast? Brush up on the Apple stock price lately. Anti-monopoly winds are blowing stronger and might hit gale force closer to the election as neither political party supports monopolies.
Important news of recent is the intent of US lawmakers looking to invest tens of billions of dollars in microchip manufacturing in the US. China has been pouring money into that industry. The rationale for this is due to the pre-eminence of chips in tech innovation as AI, 5G and robotics require faster, newer chips.
What Caused the Last Stock Market Drop in April 2020?
Here’s the key factors that took the market down in March and April.
- Corona Virus work stoppage – no income, cities emptied,
- a WHO global pandemic declaration
- growth in US virus cases and deaths
- US travel bans for Americans and advice to stay at home
- oil price wars
- bond market weakness
- global economic setbacks
- government corrective actions not enough to solve the issues
When Will US Consumers Return to Save the Markets?
It will take more than a 3 month shock to upset consumers. Banks too are very strong coming out of this recession. Bailouts help.
Questions About the Stock Markets
Your questions about stock prediction and the Stock Markets are likely regarding which are the best stocks to buy, which index has better performing stocks, and whether you should invest in the big tech companies? The markets are peaking so what will drive stock prices higher? Should you buy Tesla Stock, or Apple Stock and play follow the leader, or speculate on some energy stocks or even penny stocks?
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Nevertheless, the Dow Jones forecast, S&P forecast, NASDAQ forecast and Russell 2000 long term outlook are once again positive. The reason the majors have been doing so well, is due to the struggles of small business.
See more on the best stocks to buy including penny stocks, oil stocks, 5G stocks, and perhaps small caps on the Russell index. Check up on why Amazon stock, Google stock, and Facebook stock. Brush up on the Apple stock price lately.
Check the Tesla stock forecast along with forecasts for Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, and Netflix. See the post on best stock picks, best 5G stocks, and whether oil stocks are the best bargains of 2020.
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Yes, with US wages growing, unemployment low, and interest rates remaining low, you have strong evidence that Google stock price, Facebook stock price, Apple Stock Price, and Amazon stock price growth will continue in 2021. Tesla stock price is on fire.
More interesting insight: Stock Market Today | Stock Market Next Week | Stock Market Correction | Is the Stock Market Going to Crash? | Hedging a Stock Market Crash | 3 to 6 month Outlook | Stock Market Next Week | Stock Market Crash Signals | Stock Investing | Stock Investing Sites | Self-Directed Stock Investing | 6 Month Forecast | Housing Market Predictions 2022 | Oil Price Forecast | Russell 2000 Forecast | Will Stock Prices Fall in 2021? | Best 5G Stocks | Stock Market Forecast 2022 | Google Stock Price Forecast | Apple Stock Price Forecast | AI Stock Market Prediction | Tesla Stock Price Outlook | Amazon Stock Price Outlook | US Economic Forecast 2022 | US Job Outlook 2021


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There could be as many as 8,000 people unable to purchase the proper foods to satisfy the needs of their allergies in Summit and Portage counties.
To address that need, Amy Adams and Lisa Herman, both of Stow, decided to create The Celiac and Allergy Friendly Food Initiative, a food pantry service for people with special dietary needs who lack the means to satisfy those needs.
"Amy had the idea," Herman said. "We were just talking and wanted to do something. She had the idea because she’s gluten intolerant and can’t eat eggs, and I have celiac disease."
The organization distributes food through Mobile Meals’ location at the Center of Hope in Ravenna and their site in Akron.
People with serious food allergies or celiac disease do not have the option to buy regular, less-expensive food, according to Herman. The consequences of even a small contamination from gluten are miserable for her.
"For celiac disease, it damages your small intestine," she said. "Just a tiny bit of gluten can do the damage. If I get gluten, I will feel very sick. My legs start hurting; my head will hurt; there are intestinal problems; you just feel like you have the flu, and it can last for days."
Adams said she feels similar if she accidentally consumes gluten or eggs, but the Celiac and Allergy Friendly Food Initiative is about more than gluten-free food.
"Right now, our facility is gluten- and peanut-free," she said.
She said there are a lot of people with milk allergies, as well.
Herman said she and Adams try to check their food donations closely, which have to come from special sources.
"Even if it says ‘gluten free,’ it could have been cross contaminated. If it’s not certified gluten free, I can’t eat it," Herman said.
One of the challenges the initiative faces is finding food donors who are able to provide items appropriate for the people they serve, Adams said.
"Seven Grains has given us donations, and we had contacted some manufacturers of gluten free food and a few of them gave us donations," she said. "We’re looking for food donations or monetary donations."
Manufacturers who have donated include Udi’s, Namaste and Daiya, a dairy-free food maker. Herman also said she and Adams shop for items at Giant Eagle, Aldi’s and Seven Grains.
"Dairy-free stuff is so expensive," said Herman, who thought she had it bad buying gluten-free items.
Right now, Adams said she’s hoping to raise awareness of the organization with potential donors, as well as families that could benefit from the pantry’s service.
"As far as we know, there’s no other organization like this in Ohio," she said. "I read an article about one in St. Louis."
She said she also found similar organizations in Pennsylvania and Maryland, no others.
Adams and Herman thanked Family & Community Services, Inc. Executive Director Mark Frisone, who permitted the organization to operate under its 501(c)(3) non-profit permit until Adams was able to get the initiative its own.
Those who wish to support the initiative can set it as their charity on Amazon or send donations to Gluten and Allergy Friendly Food Initiative, 3732 Fishcreek Road, Number 903, Stow 44224.
For more information, check out the initiative’s website, http://allergyfriendlyfood.org/index.php/contact-2/.
Reporter Bob Gaetjens can be reached at 330-541-9440, firstname.lastname@example.org or @bobgaetjens_rpc.


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The FDA has issued a warning letter to Jimmy John’s claiming the sandwich shop served produce implicated in five outbreaks of salmonella or E. coli in the last seven years. According to the FDA, Jimmy John’s engaged in a pattern of receiving and selling cucumbers, clover sprouts, and other fresh produce that was believed to be contaminated.
According to Frank Yianna, FDA Deputy Commissioner, “Jimmy John’s restaurants have been implicated in multiple outbreaks that have spanned the past seven years and impacted consumers in no fewer than 17 states. Jimmy John’s has not demonstrated the implementation of long-term sustainable corrections to its supply chain to assure the safety of ingredients used in its products.”
In response to the accusations, the restaurant removed sprouts from all of its shops and according to James North, Jimmy John’s president, “Food safety is our top priority.” North said the removal was not due to a specific known threat and called the removal something done out of an abundance of caution.
Penalties Ahead If Restaurant Does Not Resolve Problem
The FDA is asking that Jimmy John’s has 15 days to clarify the specific things it will do to address the violation and if it fails to correct the violation, the restaurant chain could face seizure or injunction.
In addition to Jimmy John’s receiving notification about the violation, its supplier was also notified by the FDA. According to the agency, the supplier was responsible for delivering sprouts to Jimmy John’s in Iowa that sickened at least 22 people with E. coli.
Additional outbreaks include:
- February 2018 salmonella outbreak that infected 10 people in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Eight of the 10 people affected had dined at Jimmy John’s, while the other two purchased sprouts from a food market.
- August 2014 E. coli outbreak that affected 19 people in California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Jimmy John’s clover sprouts were likely the source of the outbreak.
- An October 2013 E. coli outbreak that affected eight people in Colorado who ate raw cucumbers from the Denver area Jimmy John’s restaurants.
- An April 2012 E. coli outbreak that affected 29 people in 11 states who had eaten at Jimmy John’s.
What are E. Coli and Salmonella?
Salmonella and E. coli are different types of bacteria. Both produce digestive distress and are most often contracted when contaminated food is eaten.
Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria and is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the United States.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include:
- Abdominal cramps
These symptoms usually last four to seven days and most people recover without treatment. However, salmonella poisoning can be serious, especially for the elderly, infants and people with compromised immunity. It can also be serious and potentially life-threatening if salmonella gets into the bloodstream. Treatment usually entails antibiotics, dehydration monitoring, and rest.
Some E. coli bacteria are non-threatening, but others can make you sick and cause diarrhea. The worst strain of E. coli causes bloody diarrhea and can lead to kidney failure and even death. Again, the highest risk for complications from exposure to E. coli is for the elderly, children, and adults with weakened immune systems.
The illnesses associated with E. coli and salmonella are extremely unpleasant. In rare cases, especially for children and the elder, both can lead to serious health concerns.
Jimmy John’s is a sub and sandwich shop that opened in Illinois in 1983. Today it has more than 2800 franchise locations in 43 states.


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Quantum Foods LLC, a Bolingbrook-based meat supplier, is looking at liquidating its business after attempts to find a buyer fell through.
The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, supplies raw and precooked meat products to restaurants and the military.
It had an agreement with Raging Bull Acquisition Co. LLC to buy its assets for $54 million in cash plus the assumption of $30 million in liabilities, but that turned sour in recent weeks. Raging Bull is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Oaktree Capital Management LP.
Raging Bull is accusing Quantum of misrepresenting estimated 2014 revenue, concealing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation and allowing the company founder to take steps to start a competing firm. Raging Bull claims management's forecast for $8 million to $10 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are actually an $8 million to $10 million loss, according to a document filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. It also accuses Quantum's financial lender of imposing restrictions that inhibited daily operations.
Raging Bull wants its $5.4 million deposit back, but Quantum has no intention of returning the money and calls the claims "baseless and unsupported by the facts," according to another bankruptcy document.
Representatives of Quantum, Raging Bull and Quantum's creditors were not available for immediate comment.
Quantum, which started in 1990, landed in bankruptcy court after losing business from two of its top retail clients and a reduction of overseas military business. The company originally had a $51 million purchase offer from CTI Foods Holding Co. LLC of Wilder, Idaho, but Raging Bull came in later with a better deal.


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Majestic Princess first guest makes sport bet at sea – cruise industry news
Majestic Princess guest Mark Wilson, Vice President of Product Strategy for Cruise & Tour for Arrivia (center), was the first Majestic Princess guest to place a bet at sea using the new sports betting experience in real-time Ocean Sportsbook, available through the Ocean Sportsbook, part of the Princess MedallionClass experience, according to a press release.
John Chernesky, senior vice president of North American sales and marketing for Princess (left) and Kevin Tugwell, cruise director for the Majestic Princess, joined Wilson to mark the occasion.
Sportsbook is the latest addition to the Princess MedallionClass experience and is enabled by MedallionNet elite level bandwidth powered by SES. According to Princess, this fast, real-time connection gives customers the ability to bet on major sporting competitions like professional and college football, basketball, baseball and hockey, as well as a wide variety of other events. national and international.
When the ship is in international waters, or wherever the law permits, passengers can use the MedallionClass app to bet on a multitude of major sporting competitions, as well as to place prop bets at events in live that take place during their cruise. g
Built in partnership with software developer Miomni, Ocean Sportsbook is now available on all Princess MedallionClass ships currently in service.


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Users of Microsoft’s original Surface and other Windows RT devices won’t have to wait much longer to get some features of Windows 10.
As WinBeta notes, Microsoft has updated its Windows 10 FAQ with a short line about what Windows RT users can expect. “If you’re running Windows RT, your device won’t upgrade to Windows 10, but we will have an update for you around the time of Windows 10 release,” the FAQ says. (Note: Microsoft’s popular Surface Pro line runs the full-blown version of Windows and will receive Windows 10.)
Windows RT was Microsoft’s ill-conceived effort to run Windows on ARM, the architecture that powers most smartphones and tablets. Although Windows RT looked similar to Windows 8, it couldn’t run desktop software with the exception of Microsoft’s built-in apps and Office suite. The benefits of Windows RT were minimal, as Intel quickly closed the battery efficiency gap with its lightweight Atom processors, and the drawbacks of limited functionality and customer confusion were significant. PC vendors quickly abandoned ship on the whole concept.
With Windows 10, Microsoft is changing course. The only ARM-based Windows 10 devices will be descendants of Windows Phone, with screens 7 inches or smaller, and these devices won’t have a desktop mode. Larger devices will run full Windows 10 on x86-based processors, but will offer universal apps that run across all screen sizes.
In January, Microsoft said Windows RT devices will get some Windows 10 features in a future update, but the company hadn’t revealed timing until now. With Windows 10 set to launch on July 29, it sounds like users can expect their update some time this summer.
The impact on you at home: The update to Microsoft’s FAQ should provide some comfort to those who believed in Windows RT, though it doesn’t give any sense of what features they’ll actually get. Windows 10’s big ticket features include the Cortana virtual assistant, the new Edge browser, a pop-up desktop Start menu, and a “Continuum” feature that seamlessly switches between full-screen and windowed apps. Any bets on which of those features land in the updated Windows RT?


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J.Hilburn recently announced that Dave DeFeo has been named chief executive officer.
DeFeo replaces Andy Janowski, who served in the position since April 2018 and will resume his role as chairman of the J.Hilburn board of directors.
“It’s been an investment year focusing on the strategic vision of the company, assembling a world-class leadership team and positioning the company for aggressive growth,” said Janowski. “With that said, the time is now to hand over those reins to someone who is incredibly additive to our amazing team. Dave is a passionate and proven leader and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the business with more experience in the direct sales of luxury apparel.”
DeFeo most recently served as CEO of Worth, where he led the brand for more than 10 years. Prior to that he was president and COO of The Longaberger Company, president of Doncaster and held leadership roles at Milliken & Company.
“J.Hilburn is a modern-day direct sales business with tremendous upside and I’m thrilled to join this dynamic, leadership team to grow the company,” said DeFeo. “I’m passionate about the vision that Andy has set for the company, the personal stylist network, product development and the commitment to marketing and technology. I look forward to contributing to the organization, to scale it and maintain its position as the leading lifestyle brand for custom-made men’s clothing.”
J.Hilburn is led by an expansive network of nearly 2,000 personal stylists across all 50 states. The company operates four showrooms, as well as online sales at jhilburn.com. The company plans to launch its new fall collection later this month, as well as make continued enhancements to its omnichannel initiatives and digital platforms in the back half of the year.
“The combination of Dave’s strengths and experience in direct selling combined with Andy’s talent in product and brand building is a powerful one-two punch for the company,” said Michael Brown, Battery Ventures General Partner and J.Hilburn Board Director. “We are excited to see the incredible advancements the company will make in the coming months.”


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Poverty is also leading to a rise in childhood obesity (Credit: Newham Council)
Roughly half of kids in the borough are living in poverty and 17,000 of them will have to rely on food vouchers this summer.
The Young People and Food Security strategy will look to encourage healthy food retailers to open in areas where none are available.
It will also look to pilot healthy eating projects in secondary schools, introduce borough-wide food clubs and a digital map on the council’s website showing where food support services are located.
The strategy is building on a £6 million raft of emergency initiatives that were brought in to support families during the pandemic.
Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, said: “Poverty is the main cause of food insecurity and it is an outrage that so many of our residents cannot afford enough food to live a healthy and happy life. This is a basic human right.
“The campaign by Marcus Rashford highlighted why government needs to do much, much more; and all of us stand united with him to say we will not accept allowing our children to go hungry any more.”
There are also concerns poor children are being forced to rely on less healthy but cheaper foods.
Around 43 per cent of pupils are overweight or obese by the time they reach Year 6, the second highest rate in London.
Cllr Sarah Ruiz explained: “For too many families, the only affordable option is food that is high in fat, sugar and salt – being forced to choose between cheap, processed food, or hunger is not Food Security as defined by the United Nations.
“Undernutrition and obesity are two ends of the scale highlighting a diet that is not providing the right nutrition. This strategy addresses the structural inequalities and gives residents access to foods we need for good health and wellbeing.”
Newham Council is also launching a summer holiday action plan to promote the Healthy Start scheme.
It will encourage stores to accept Healthy Start food vouchers for under fives and continue the Eat For Free programme which ensures up to 14,000 primary school children receive a nutritious school meal every day.
For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FMTags: Newham, Poverty, Child Poverty
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Treyarch’s Call Of Duty Black Ops II has fended off efforts from big-name titles like FIFA 13, Far Cry 3 and Hitman: Absolution to remain at the number one spot in UK sales for the fourth week in a row. This comes at a time where there’s concern over the reduction of year-to-year sales of the Call of Duty franchise, along with a reported 15% sales decrease compared to last week according to GfK Chart-Track.
As of now, Black Ops 2 is followed by Far Cry 3 and FIFA 13, both at number 2 and 3 respectively. However, with the Christmas season now approaching, titles like Just Dance 4 saw a 54% increase in sales, thus elevating it to the number 4 spot, while WWE 13 saw a 124% increase to claim the number 10 spot.
Oddly enough, Wii U titles failed to secure a top spot in the sales last week due to the shortage of units on hand. Nevertheless, New Super Mario Bros 2 stays at 17th, while NintendoLand falls to 26th.