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Wesfarmers Sales Up, Officeworks & Kmart Soar, Target Wobbles
Wesfarmers has posted a moderate 2.7% Q3 sales increase to $14.85 billion, as performance from Bunnings ANZ, Kmart and Officeworks continues to offset struggling sales from Target and Bunnings UK.
Budget department store, Kmart, has continued its winning streak posting a 7.7% increase in like-for-like sales. Third-quarter sales jumped 10.2% to $1.2 billion. The retailer claims results stem from continued “price leadership”.
During the quarter, Kmart completed refurbishments to four stores, and opened three new stores (including a former Target branded site).
Officeworks has also continued to boom, with total sales climbing 7.2% for the quarter to $598 million. The stationery and office supply retailer commends the success of its ‘every channel’ strategy, posting sales growth from both online and physical stores.
Despite several restructures and new turnaround strategies, Target has continued to struggle, with total sales falling 2% to $544 million. Same store sales dipped 2.6%.
Target Chief Executive, Guy Russo, claims the results reflect an ongoing reset of product, price and range.
During the quarter, Target closed one store, which was re-branded and converted to a Kmart site.
As per historic precedence, Wesfarmers does not provide profit results in quarterly earning reports.
For the three months to March 31st, Bunnings ANZ notched a 8.9% total sales increase to $3 billion, with sale-store sales soaring 7.7%. The hardware retailer affirms growth was across “all trading regions” and “product categories”.
During the quarter, Bunnings ANZ opened five warehouses, one “smaller format store” and one trade centre. A further 17 sites are under construction, including six former Masters sites which are scheduled to open in Q4.
Rob Scott, Wesfarmers Chief Executive is expected to announce the sale, or closure, of the struggling Bunnings UK [& Ireland] soon.
For the period, sales for Bunnings UK and Ireland fell 6.5% to $374 million. Store-on-store sales dropped 15.4%.
Preparing for the demerger of supermarket chain, Coles, Wesfarmers is expected to further rely on Bunnings ANZ’s burgeoning performance. The demerged entity is tipped to become a new top 30 ASX company.
Market commentators forecast Bunnings ANZ will become responsible for contributing over 50% of Wesfarmer group profits.


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- 09 December 2014 | Bodyboarding
The second day of competition at the 2014 ISA World Bodyboard Championship was marked by high scores and high-performance prone riding.
Iquique delivered incredible waves and increased in size to four-to-six foot with occasional bigger sets at Punta 1, allowing for deep barrel rides, radical air sections, and critical turns.
In the Open Men's, a new high score of the event was posted by the local Chilean team member Matias Diaz, who earned an impressive total heat score of 16.67.
- 05 December 2014 | Bodyboarding
An alternative San Francisco-based surf craft company has developed a new kind of board. The "Bodypo" is shaped like a bodyboard but thin like a paipo.
The world is changing, and the surf industry is adapting to new times. California Surfcraft, a sustainable surfing project led by Dave Hahn, has designed a hybrid bodyboard/paipo board. In other words, the beautiful "Bodypo" combines the performance and response of a bodyboard with the speed of a paipo.
"The 'Bodypo' design and construction is a big step forward in sustainable surf design, while maintaining, and in some ways improving, on performance," Hahn tells SurferToday.com.
- 01 December 2014 | Bodyboarding
Hubboards have officially launched the Quad Core bodyboard series.
In the last two years, the brand founded by Jeff and Dave Hubbard has developed a new and exclusive core. After testing and perfecting it, the first units are ready to hit the market.
"We fused two different layers of polypropylene around a robust, reactive intermediate layer called tension tech mesh suspension. The bottom layer was designed for speed and projection, and the top layer was designed for softer landings," Hubboards explain.

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Five industries hiring during the coronavirus pandemic
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, millions throughout the country are out of work as businesses have been forced to make cuts or shut their doors altogether—the unemployment rate has skyrocketed, with almost 26 million people filing for unemployment. Even though many companies have laid off workers, some industries desperately need employees. If you’re searching for a job, check out these five industries hiring right now.
Grocery stores are hiring thousands right now—major chains, like Kroger and Publix, are in dire need of store clerks, stockers, and cashiers. Kroger has posted at least 20,000 job openings across the country. Also, with more people staying home, grocery delivery services like Instacart need shoppers.
Shipping and delivery companies
With more people resorting to online shopping, shipping and delivery companies, like Amazon, are hiring thousands of workers—Amazon has posted jobs at their fulfillment centers, as well as remote opportunities. UPS hubs are hiring as well, looking for drivers and warehouse workers.
Popularity in remote meeting platforms has rapidly increased as more of the country’s workforce is telecommuting. Companies like Zoom and Slack have posted various jobs for backend support and customer service, as well as sales. And, tech support companies, such as Support.com, are hiring remote support specialists.
As schools across the country closed for the remainder of the school year, over 50 million kids have been forced to resort to online learning. Online learning companies, like Outschool, are hiring instructors. From math and science to English and art, there are dozens of subjects available to teach and more than 10,000 classes offered.
Almost half of Americans take at least one prescription medicine—despite the ongoing pandemic, people need those medications filled, as well as other conveniences pharmacies provide. So, many pharmacies are hiring more customer service associates and pharmacists. CVS and Walgreens are two major pharmacies that are searching for workers to fill these positions.
We understand that the job market is tough right now—but rest assured, Georgia’s Own is here for you and is determined to help you in any way we can. Please visit our website to view the resources we’re offering to members and the community.


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A meager 5 percent said that social media had a great deal of influence on their purchasing decisions.
This comes on the heels of another study showing that brand engagement has been plummeting on Facebook over the last year, and that the company is debating charging people to promote their content.
A spokesperson for Facebook said: "The only thing this poll shows is that self reported behavioral data is unreliable. For decades, studies that look at people's actual, real-world behavior have shown that ads on all mediums, including social media, effect the things people buy."
A spokesperson for Twitter did not respond to a request for comment.
Gallup's results were based on a web and mail study of 18,525 adults, aged 18 and older, that was conducted between December 2012 and January 2013. The study does not break out influence by platform.
Read MoreFacebook wants to 'friend' small businesses


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These leaks are hard to believe considering the shortage of products we have right now, but the calendar is confirming that Nvidia’s RTX 30 series graphics cards were released over a year ago and the show must go on, and for Nvidia that means the development and subsequent release of their next-gen RTX cards.Whether that means they’ll be good for gamers or miners is a different matter entirely.
In a tweet from the leaker kopite7kimi, he suggests that Nvidia’s next generation of cards, the RTX 4090, 4080 and 4070, could appear in the third quarter of 2022. It is unclear if this time frame would be for the actual announcement or launch. After the announcement we have to wait about two months for them to arrive.
If nothing else, we will see 4090, 4080 and 4070 in 2022Q3. I don’t think this is new information.
– kopite7kimi (@ kopite7kimi) November 8, 2021
Previous rumors hinted at an October 2022 release date for Ampere’s successor, codenamed Lovelace. Assuming the latest rumor is accurate, Nvidia may have changed its roadmap for at least a couple of months.
Nvidia’s Lovelace cards are expected to be built with TSMC’s N5 node and could offer twice the performance of existing Series 30 cards, albeit at the expense of higher power consumption. Another well-known leaker, Greymon55, recently said next-gen GPUs could be twice as powerful as current cards.


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Options grow for bundling wireless, Internet and cable
The good news: Consumers could soon have more options for bundling their wireless, Internet and cable TV services.
The bad news: If you were waiting for more competition — or lower prices — for broadband or wireless service, you could be waiting in vain.
That was the reaction from industry observers and consumer advocates in the wake of federal regulators' approval Thursday of a deal between Verizon and cable operators Bright House, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner. The cable companies will be able to include Verizon Wireless' plans in bundling promotions and Verizon will pay the cable companies $3.6 billion for wireless spectrum they currently hold.
The companies also have entered into a joint venture to develop new wireless and wired technologies that will make their devices work together more seamlessly. For example, your wireless phone voice mail could be accessed from your TV. "This is going to provide more choices and hopefully more innovative products," says Comcast spokeswoman D'Arcy Rudnay.
The Justice Department, which reviewed anti-competition concerns, approved the deal after the companies agreed to submit regular reports and undergo a review after four years.
Those stipulations, along with Verizon's plan to build out the new spectrum quickly, should result in approval by the Federal Communications Commission, says Chairman Julius Genachowski.
Other changes affecting consumers:
•If you live in an area not served by Verizon's FiOS (more than 80% of the U.S.), Verizon will sell the area cable company's Internet and bundled packages. At some Verizon stores, Comcast sells a discounted "triple play" package of Internet, phone and cable service for Verizon customers.
•Verizon stores in FiOS markets will not sell the cable companies' products. But cable companies can sell Verizon Wireless' service.
•In areas where Verizon and a cable company are cross-selling, customers may eventually receive one consolidated bill.
•Cable companies also have the option, though not likely anytime soon, of reselling Verizon Wireless' service under their own branding.
Still, regulators' approval is acceptance that little future competition is expected between cable and telephone companies, says Parul Desai, policy counsel for Consumers Union.
Verizon still has no incentive to expand its FiOS service, leaving a large portion of the U.S. with only a choice between DSL and cable broadband. "We now live in a world where we have regional cable monopolies and essential a duopoly in wireless (in Verizon and AT&T)," says Public Knowledge co-founder Gigi Sohn. "The government has to ask itself, 'How are we going to respond?' "
Roger Entner, a telecom analyst at Recon Analytics, says Verizon had largely stopped investing in new markets for FiOS because they weren't profitable. "Verizon didn't stop building because of this," he says. "(This deal) is somewhere between neutral and good for consumers. … Customers can have a one-stop shop where their communication needs are being served."


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When the toxin from red tide is inhaled, it can cause respiratory symptoms in people, such as coughing, wheezing and sore throats. In marine life, it’s a killer that affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
The algae, which is known formally as the single-cell Karenia brevis, has concentrated near Tampa and neighboring communities.
Scientists have found the algae at rates ranging from 10,000 cells per liter to more than 1 million cells per liter – levels that result in fish kills and breathing difficulties in exposed humans, according to the FWC.
Heading to the beach no longer sounds too appealing, and the presence of red tide begs the question: How safe is it to eat the seafood?
Can you eat fish during Florida’s red tide?
TheFWC reports on itswebsite that “yes, it is safe to eat local finfish as long as the fish are filleted before eaten.”
“However,” FWC cautions, “it is never a good idea to eat dead or distressed animals, especially in a red tide area because the reason for the animal’s strange behavior or death cannot be absolutely known.”
Can you eat shellfish at a restaurant or buy it from seafood market during red tide?
The FWC website also says store-bought, restaurant-served shellfish is “safe to eat during a bloom because the shellfish are monitored by the government for safety.”
“Commercially available shellfish are often not locally harvested, and, if harvested locally, are tested for red tide toxins before they are sold,” the FWC site read.
How far out from shore is it safe to catch seafood from the Gulf
Red tide blooms can extend 20, 30 miles or more from the shoreline into the Gulf of Mexico, so many commercial fishing businesses will head out much farther to play it safe.
Katie Fischer, owner-operator of Island Seafood in Matlacha, Florida, told The Fort Myers News-Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2018 that their company-owned boats during a red tide that year would fish for grouper and snapper 80 to 100 miles offshore.
After Hurricane Ian last fall, some questioned how safe it was to eat fish and shellfish from the Gulf and waterways.
Chanda Jamieson, a Southwest Florida seafood seller-owner of The Fisherman’s Daughter, said fish was safe to eat as long as it was properly prepared and cooked.
What’s everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day.
“Fishing families have seen Southwest Florida’s water quality change over time, encountering red tide and algal blooms, as well as the presence of (Vibrio) bacteria,” Jamieson told The News-Press in November.
“This has been going on for years, and through it all, commercial fishermen and local seafood processors have continued to put time and care into each and every catch, ensuring it is cooled and cooked properly.”
Follow Dave Osborn on Twitter: @NDN_dosborn.
Contributing: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Orlando Mayorquin and Kimberly Miller, USA TODAY NETWORK.


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According to a report from the local Olympic Committee on Wednesday, Mexico will vote online for the clothing chosen by the athletes who paraded at the postponed opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
Voters will be able to choose from three formal suits for men and women. The first is blue, with a floral pattern from the state of Oaxaca in southeastern Mexico. The other is black with pre-Hispanic patterns; the last one is blue, with typical Mariachi costumes.
The head of the textile company High Life reported that they discarded other models internally and chose these three models for voting.
The voting will begin next Wednesday on the official website of the Mexican Olympic Committee and will end on April 21. The results of the voting will be announced the next day.
“Everyone is considering the comfort of athletes, especially in the weather conditions that will appear in Tokyo,” said Alberto Mansur, brand manager of High Life. “They enable us to move forward smoothly without losing the style that represents us.”
Carlos Padilla Becerra, president of the Mexican Olympic Committee, said that 120 uniforms will be produced, although it is not yet certain how many athletes will be able to parade.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics announced that a smaller number of athletes will cross each country at the opening ceremony.
Padilla Becerra added that although the athletes do not have a parade, they will get a uniform dress code, and the High Life brand plans to sell it to the public.
The head of the delegation, Mario García, estimates that 80 Mexican athletes will be placed in the Olympic Village on July 23, the inauguration day.
Padilla Becerra also said that Mexico is considering one man and one woman as standard bearers, but they have not yet determined who they can choose.


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Tasmanian potato growers last night accepted the price increase offer tabled by processor Simplot, heralding the end to a long-running industrial dispute.
Potato growers in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia launched a campaign against processors three months ago, calling for an immediate increase in payment of A$30 (US$15.78) a tonne. The demand sought the first price increase received by farmers for a decade.
Giant US processor McCain found its Tasmanian factory blockaded while farmers sought a deal, and eventually offered an acceptable price increase. Simplot meanwhile refused to offer an increase, and a meeting in Melbourne last week ended in stalemate.
At a meeting of growers’ representatives last night however, Simplot offered an average price rise of A$29 over three years, with the promise of improved bonuses for quality.
Max McKenna, chairman of Simplot growers’ group, revealed that while no one was completely happy with the deal, it was accepted as probably the best outcome possible at this stage of the dispute.


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Rihanna's Cosmetics Brand Under Scrutiny Over Child Labour In India
NGO Legal Rights Observatory has filed a complaint against American popstar Rihanna's cosmetics brand 'Fenty Beauty' for allegedly promoting child labour in India. The complaint to national child rights commission NCPCR stated that "child labourers work in dire conditions" in Jharkhand mines to extract mica used in beauty products. The NGO also sought investigation and supply chain clearances meant for prohibiting child labours. Rihanna was recently in news for supporting the ongoing farmers’ protest.


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WESTBORO — ExhibitSense, a full-service custom portable and modular exhibit company, is sponsoring “ExhibitSmart 2009” at its showroom at 180 Turnpike Road, (Route 9 East) Aug. 13, 14, 17, and 18 from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. each day.
“ExhibitSmart 2009” will focus on cost-effective exhibiting through unique service programs and lightweight, multiuse, reconfigurable exhibit solutions including the new Lite Exhibit system from Protean and the new Foundations system from Nomadic Display.
Additionally, a full range of ExhibitSense products used primarily for trade shows, events, recruiting and presentations will be on display. Information regarding services such as exhibit rentals, graphic design, exhibit storage, shipping, installation and dismantle will also be available.
For more information about “ExhibitSmart 2009” and ExhibitSense go to www.exhibitsense.com or call (508) 898-1991.
MARLBORO — The Post Road Art Center, 1 Boston Post Road, features the works of local artists in its 2009 Landscape/Seascape Show through Sept. 3. Various media are on display.
First prize is $75, second prize and people’s choice prize $50, and third prize $25. An opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the center.
For more information, visit www.postroadartcenter.com or call (508) 485-2580.
NORTHBORO — For a limited time, Boost Fitness will open its health club at 4 West Main St. to the public on Sundays for free
“We want to encourage area residents to come in and take advantage of our facility,” said owner Mark Federico. “Offering the use of Boost Fitness at no charge one day a week gives us an opportunity to get to know more people and for them to get to know us. It’s a good way for us to meet new people and give something back to the community.”
Free Sundays are available only at the Northboro club through August and may be extended into September. Boost Fitness also has clubs in Hudson and Westford.
Boost Fitness is a complete workout facility, with free weights, Cybex equipment, treadmills, elliptical machines, stability balls and more.
Boost also offers free group classes to members, which non-members can attend for $10 per session.
A variety of group classes are designed so that men and women of any age or fitness level can participate.
For more information, visit the Boost Fitness website at www.myboostfitness.com or contact Boost Fitness at (888) 845-5072.


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If you weren’t lucky enough to get your hands on the Nike Air Foamposite One “Stealth” earlier this year, don’t worry! To go along with news of the Air Jordan IV (4) “Blackcat” returning next year, it was also said during Power 105.1′s Fresh Out of the Box sneaker review segment that we’d see a Nike Air Foamposite One “Blackout” retro before year’s end.
Now unlike the “Stealth” foams that were a major hit, it is likely that the “Blackout” will be in even higher demand due to its tonal black motif. We’re talking all-black everything – black branding, laces, outsole, everything. In fact, these foams haven’t been seen since their last release back in 2006 so it’s only necessary that most folks re-up on these must-have kicks.
Stick around with Sneaker Files as we bring you more on the Nike Air Foamposite One “Blackout” due out this Holiday 2013.


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Consumers in the UK are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their online shopping experience, a fresh survey has suggested.
Some 56% of 2,000 consumers polled by YouGov said they had experienced a problem with an online order in the past 12 months, up from 53% in 2016 and 47% in 2015.
Nearly half of those said they had experienced late delivery, while a quarter said they never received the item they ordered.
However, fewer consumers reported experiencing problems with click and collect compared to last year, with nearly a quarter saying they had made an additional purchase in-store when picking up a click and collect order.
"UK retailers face a challenge on several fronts when it comes to online shopping," said Jason Shorrock, vice president of retail strategy Europe, the Middle East and Africa at logistics specialists JDA.
"Fulfillment and 'last-mile' issues continue to hinder retailers' efforts at a time when consumers are becoming increasingly intolerant of poor service.
"Today's shoppers expect retailers to offer a high-level of service across all channels – those retailers that fail to keep up with demand put themselves in serious danger of being left behind."
The study also revealed that a third of consumers who shop online return up to two non-grocery items a year, while a quarter return three or more items.
The most popular reason for shoppers returning items was due to items not being what they were expecting.
"Effectively dealing with returns can't be ignored. The research shows that for nearly two thirds of consumers, the ease of being able to return items factors into who they shop online with," said Niklas Hedin, chief executive of logistics firm Centiro.
"Retailers need to see returns as another customer touchpoint, and a way to make a positive impression that engenders greater customer loyalty. It will be those retailers that offer a full-circle brand experience that will capture the larger share of customer wallets."


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It appears that Digitimes has just got words from their sources regarding to refresh model of MacBook Air from Apple, the Asian trade publisher has just claimed that Apple is readying up for a MacBook Air refresh, as well as preparing to expand its MacBook Air network to one new model of it’s ultra-thing MacBook Air in 15-inch. The publisher has reported that Apple is gearing up to launch refresh anytime in the first quarter of 2012 with new model of MacBook Air.
We have been hearing a lot about the new 15-inch ultra-thin MacBook Air from the last couple of months. It seems now things going to clear the confusion over the new ultra-thin model. According to the Digitimes upstream supply chain sources, Apple has also been seeking to update its currently available MacBook Air models with new-generation technology from Intel.
Digitimes report also claims that Apple is rumored to lower the current generation MacBook Air prices ahead of the refresh of MacBook Air 2012 and the launch of new 15-inch MacBook Air model. The update of MacBook Air should carry the new Ivy Bridge processors from Intel, which consumes much less power than Sandy Bridge processors, as well as provides 4x more GPU on the MacBook Series.


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In the last two weeks, a Munich court threw out four more of Qualcomm’s Patent infringement lawsuits against Apple and in the U.S., Qualcomm got slammed by a California Judge for their procedural shenanigans that produced a baseless injunction against Apple. Today we’re leaning that Apple has already found a workaround to one the Qualcomm patents …
View the original article here: Qualcomm's Infringement Cases against Apple are Dropping like Flies
The article was originally posted on Patently Apple.
Each article is copyrighted to their original authors. We do not own any rights to the news or the images used. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the news posts published are accurate, we cannot guarantee the authenticity of the news article on every occasion. There’s no copyright infringement intended. The news is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice.


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ALDI, the grocery store chain, is breaking ground today on a distribution center in Alabama, the first step to expanding into Lousiana and several other states.
According to a release from the company, ALDI breaks ground today on a new regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama, which will support the company’s expansion throughout the Gulf Coast region.
The 564,000- square-foot facility is the company’s sixth distribution center in the southern U.S., and it will be equipped to service up to 100 stores in Alabama, Southern Georgia, Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and Louisiana, which will be the 38th state where ALDI operates.
We've reached out to the company to see if they can tell us where they plan to open stores in Louisiana; sources tell KATC that property on Ambassador Caffery Parkway near Walmart is being considered as a Lafayette location.
The new Loxley distribution center will feature several sustainable building elements, such as solar panels, LED lighting and an environmentally friendly refrigeration system. The facility will also create an additional 200 jobs when it opens next year.
With the distribution center in place, ALDI plans to open as many as 35 new Gulf Coast-area stores by the end of 2022, with the first two stores in Tallahassee, Florida slated to open later this year.
"We’re incredibly proud to continue growing in all aspects of our business, from opening new stores to enhancing our eCommerce offerings, especially in light of the challenges businesses have faced in the last year,” said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI U.S. "Our commitment to our shoppers, new and existing, is the same — we will do everything in our power to offer the lowest possible prices every day — and we look forward to supporting more communities across the country with amazing ALDI products at a value that can't be matched."


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More than 500kg of cocaine was discovered in a shipment of coffee beans at a Nespresso factory in Friborg, Switzerland, local police said on Thursday.
A group of workers at the factory, located in the city of Romont, discovered on Monday the white powder packed in bags of coffee beans delivered fresh from Brazil. Nearly two dozen customs officials were called in to local authorities to analyze the find, which is reported to be 80% clean and has a street value of more than $50 million (CHF 50 million).
Police claim the drug did not come into contact with the actual coffee, insisting the unusual charge “isolated† The investigation is still ongoing.
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Congestion costs rose to a record high of nearly $7,000 per truck in 2021, the American Transportation Research Institute reported Wednesday.
Traffic had a $94.6 billion financial drag on the industry in the year, a more than $20 billion increase since 2016, according to ATRI’s Cost of Congestion to the Trucking Industry report.
Congestion costs rise to record level
It meant drivers spent roughly 1.27 billion hours waiting — the equivalent of 460,000 truck drivers sitting idle for one year, the group reported.
"Over the last several years, our industry has experienced some of the most dramatic increases in operating costs, including fuel, labor and equipment,” Michael Lasko, VP of EHS and quality at Boyle Transportation, said in a statement. “Imagine how those costs are magnified by sitting still in traffic.”
All that idling took an environmental toll, too: ATRI estimated trucks emitted about 69 million excess metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2021, contributing to the more than 400 million emitted by medium- and heavy-duty trucks each year.
ATRI’s findings won’t surprise an industry already spending record amounts on operations in the past few years. But they highlighted four problem states responsible for almost a third of the congestion and underscored how more commuters returning to in-office work are slowing down shipments.
Worst states for congestion
|Issue||2021 rank||2016 rank|
|4. New York||4||4|
|7. New Jersey||7||5|
About 30% of the nation’s congestion costs reside in the states with the highest populations: California ($9 billion), Texas ($7.3 billion), Florida ($7.2 billion) and New York ($4.9 billion).
The broader New York City Metropolitan Area alone was responsible for nearly $5.5 billion in congestion costs.
California has seen the largest total congestion cost increase, a nearly $4 billion jump from 2016 to 2021, according to ATRI.
The largest congestion cost increases by percentage were found in Nevada (117.2%), Louisiana (83.3%), Georgia (81.3%) and California (77.9%), which ATRI attributed in large part to growth in freight-related sectors.
“We all should keep in mind that those costs are passed down directly to consumers resulting in higher prices for goods and services throughout the economy,” Lasko said. “Hopefully we can leverage the new infrastructure spending to get our supply chains moving again.”


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Footfall in October fell by two per cent on the previous year, according to the latest BRC Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor.
This was a deeper decline than September when footfall fell by 1.7 per cent.
High Street footfall fell by 2.3 per cent, with Northern Ireland and Greater London the only two regions to see growth, with four per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.
Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium said: “October showed another month reflecting the continued long-term decline in footfall.
“This trend is primarily driven by a move from in-store to online purchases.
“With retail becoming more digital, physical shopping locations are working to reinvent themselves as places people go for days-out rather than just for day to day purchases.
“Nonetheless, the vacancy rate is at a 15-month high, with many brands disappearing from the high street, and many more struggling under the cumulative burden of public policy costs.
“The Government’s recent Budget missed the opportunity to halt the rising cost business rates for firms employing the majority of the UK’s 3.1 million retail workers.
“With the rates multiplier now set to rise to over 50 per cent, the Government should reflect on the impact it is having on our high streets and plan for a wholesale reform of our broken business rate system.”
Shopping Centre footfall declined to 3.3 per cent, after a decrease of 2.5 per cent in September.
The national town centre vacancy rate was 9.6 per cent in October, an increase on a year ago when the rate was 9.3 per cent.


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The Crysis developer promises to reveal more info at E3.
Less than two years after it was set up from the rubble of Vigil, Crytek USA will no longer focus on games and has suffered massive layoffs.
Even in the late nineteenth century, the spectre of the dead coming to life looms large. So it's time to pick up some rusted weapons and put them back in their place. Crytek has unveiled a the debut game from their U.S. branch, a brand new IP titled HUNT: Horrors of the Gilded Age.
Crytek USA CEO David Adams has said he plans to bid on the Darksiders IP when it goes up for auction, claiming he wants to bring it "home with its creators."
The newly-formed Crytek USA promises to take some of the talent lost at Vigil, offering "a new start" for members of that team.


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High-end Welsh housebuilder Waterstone Homes has announced ambitious plans to expand its housebuilding activities into the mainstream market, as part of the company’s growth strategy.
The family firm, which is renowned for building large, luxury homes in exclusive sought-after locations, is set to diversify its residential offering, adding more affordable homes to its housebuilding repertoire.
As part of the expansion, the business will continue to offer the premium houses its clients are accustomed to under the Waterstone Homes brand, while also introducing a new range of smaller properties through its new subsidiary company.
The new subsidiary, Abode by Waterstone LTD, will specialise in building smaller scale homes, which will offer the high quality and stylish design that Waterstone Homes is renowned for, but at a more competitive price, with plans to complete more than 100 of the new-style homes across south Wales by the end of 2020.
Waterstone Homes’ change in direction follows a highly successful year for the business, which has seen the company sell more than £19.5m worth of homes in the last 12 months alone. The new subsidiary will provide customers with a greater choice of collections tailored to all budgets.
The company’s expansion into mainstream housebuilding comes in response to market trends and a demand from prospective customers for a more competitively priced housing range.
Lee Woodfine, Managing Director at Waterstone Homes, said:
“We pride ourselves on being a housebuilder that adapts to public demand and market trends to ensure that we continually offer homes that meet our customers’ changing requirements.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a significant rise in the number of requests for smaller scale properties from individuals wanting the Waterstone Homes style and quality, but in a more affordable range of homes.
“Diversifying into new markets was the obvious next step for Waterstone Homes, enabling us to grow as a business by attracting a broader range of customers, while also fulfilling our vision of being able to offer everyone – regardless of their budget or home-owning history – the ability to have a beautiful, quality home. This move will enable us to offer customers real choice – it is a very exciting time for Waterstone Homes.”
As part of the business’ evolution, Waterstone Homes will continue to offer luxury four- and five-bedroom homes on small, exclusive developments of around 10 to 30 plots. In comparison, Abode by Waterstone will comprise of larger developments of approximately 50-100 homes, containing a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom properties.
Whereas Waterstone Homes’ properties retail at an average cost of £650,000, the new more affordable homes will be priced between £130k and £375k, varying between developments, and will be available to purchase via the Welsh Government’s Help to Buy Scheme.
Each Abode by Waterstone development will consist of competitively priced and intelligently designed homes, tailored to their specific location. The first new development, located at Coed y Darcy in Neath Port Talbot, is already under construction. The £18m scheme will consist of 93 private homes and apartments for sale, as well as 50 much needed affordable homes.
While the new homes will have a smaller footprint than their higher-end counterparts, the properties will still retain the high quality and style associated with the Waterstone Homes brand thanks to their innovative design, high specification and attention to detail.
“With their reduced size and price compared to our other homes, Abode by Waterstone’s properties will appeal to everyone from first and second-time buyers, looking to move up the property ladder, to home-owners looking to downsize. The properties will not follow the same format and style at every location, which will allow us to ensure that homebuyers have homes that are suitable to the setting and a style that’s unique to the individual development.
“Our aim is to lead in quality and style within the mainstream property market. We will achieve this through smarter building approaches and by continuing to employ high quality tradesmen. We’ve taken a great deal of care and time building our reputation, and we are confident that our move into the mainstream market will enhance this, while strengthening our position within the industry.”
For more information on Abode by Waterstone, please visit: https://www.waterstonehomes.com/site/abode-at-coed-darcy/


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iPhone X has been launched internationally and people literally waited for hours in queues to get their hands on the new iPhone before anyone else. The phone’s pre-orders were started at the end of October and it went out of stock in less than an hour.
The official price of iPhone X is $999 for 64 GB model and $1,149 for 256 GB model. But as you may know that Apple does not officially launch the iPhone in Pakistan so there is no official price for our country. Hence, every site is selling the iPhone X at its own decided prices and people are left with the only option to buy at ecommerce stores decided prices.
For instance, iShopping is offering the 256 GB version of the iPhone for Rs. 190,000. That’s nearly 2 lac rupees and you can get an excellent gaming laptop with that money. The 64 GB version of the iPhone is offered for Rs. 160,000 by the same site. Similarly, HomeShopping is offering the 256 GB version for Rs. 186,000 and the 64 GB version is offered at Rs. 157,000. Shophive has gone even further and is offering the 256GB iPhone X for Rs. 200,000 and 64 GB for Rs. 175,000. Not to mention some other sites which are offering the iPhone in the same range.
As you can see that there is no fixed price and every site is demanding a different price for the same iPhone. Do you think that there should be a check in Pakistan so that the variable prices can be controlled?


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Postal delivery outlets in areas such as Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu will ban the use of non-degradable plastic packaging and disposable woven bags by the end of 2022.
The ban decision of 2020 will also include single-use straws that are used in the restaurant industry. The country will also completely ban the import of plastic waste, the NDRC said on Sunday, without giving a deadline.
Looks like it's only a matter of time before we say bai bai to plastic waimai containers - just like it should be.
China produced 60 million tonnes of plastic waste in 2010, followed by the United States at 38 million tonnes, according to online publication Our World in Data based at the University of Oxford.
By 2025, China expects to effectively control plastic pollution, substantially reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills of key cities, establish a complete plastics management system and make progress in the development of alternative products, said the document. "The EU is the leader in solving the plastic crisis and has already passed a law to widely ban single-use plastic items in 2019, and many developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia are also tracking the problem".
The use of plastic in the world's most populous nation has risen as online shopping and food delivery apps have become part of everyday life, even in rural areas.
S Korea confirms 1st case of new coronavirus in Chinese visitor
Last year, more than 60,000 passengers arrived in the USA from Wuhan , the vast majority coming through those three airports. In Wuhan , 170 people remain treated at the hospital, including nine in critical condition, the city health commission said.
Zimbabwe ‘have to enjoy first home Test since 2017
Zimbabwe selected all-rounder Sean Williams as captain for the series following retirement of Hamilton Masakadza. The two-Test tour by Sri Lanka was hastily arranged, having only been announced on January 8.
2 officers killed in Hawaii 'active shooter' situation
No arrests have been made, although local media is reporting the suspect is believed to have died in one of the burnt houses. The fire at the home since has spread to at least four neighboring homes and a parked police vehicle.
The rubbish produced by the 1.4 billion Chinese citizens have been for years a struggle for the government to deal with.
"Biodegradable plastics have shortcomings and should be limited in use as well", Mao told Sixth Tone.
Disposable plastic products should not be "actively provided" by hotels by 2022.
In 2018, China announced it would no longer accept other countries' plastic waste for recycling, citing environmental concerns.
The European Commission estimates some 70 percent of plastic waste clogs the world's oceans, killing a range of species from turtles, seals, whales and seabirds to fish and shellfish.


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Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic (SPCE) saw its financial situation change drastically in the second quarter as the space tourism company officially began flying paying customers. Though the company has yet to prove its business model profitable, it’s plowing in significantly more revenue as amateur astronauts line up. Virgin Galactic yesterday (August 1) reported revenue of $1.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, up from just $357,000 in the same period a year ago. Quarterly revenue was driven by “commercial spaceflight and membership fees related to future astronauts,” the Branson-owned company said.
Nevertheless, net loss came at $134.4 million, or $0.46 a share, up from $110.7 million last year, during the quarter due to “an increase in research and development expenses related to the development of the future fleet,” Virgin Galactic said. Virgin Galactic is aiming to fly customers monthly with its current vehicle, VSS Unity. It is developing a next-generation spacecraft known as Delta-Class to fly passengers weekly. The company spent $87 million on research and development in the April-June quarter, up from $62 million a year ago, and incurred $51 million in other expenses. Virgin Galactic successfully flew its first commercial flight on June 29. It expects to fly the second commercial spaceflight on Aug. 10 with three private astronauts.
“Our financial position remains strong, and we remain focused on scaling the business and delivering our Delta Class spaceships for commercial service in 2026,” Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier said in a statement yesterday. The company expects to generate $1 million in revenue in the current quarter and the fourth quarter of 2023. Virgin Galactic shares fell 6 percent today as the broader market turned down.


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Pumpkin Festival To Return In Canton
Riverview Christmas Tree Farm will be opening up shop early this year
After a five year hiatus, a popular pumpkin festival is returning to the Sioux Empire.
Riverview Christmas Tree Farm in Canton will be opening up shop early this year.
During the first weekends of October, the seasonal business will be selling pumpkins.
But that’s just the start of it.
Kids will also be able to enjoy free inflatables, a pumpkin launcher, and a pumpkin painting station.
For the adults, craft beer and wine will be available, and there will be multiple TV’s to watch football on.
There’s even something special for those who serve in the community.
“We are offering a first free pumpkin to any law enforcement family, so any law enforcement family that comes out, the first one is on us,” says Riverview Christmas Tree Farm Owner Todd Gannon.
Pumpkin prices will range from $2 to $10 dollars, depending on the size.
“We’re really trying to make it a family event where people can spend the whole afternoon,” says Gannon. “It’s not just pick your pumpkin and leave, there’s lots of activities for people to stay all afternoon. We’ll also have some food vendors and meal options for people as well.”
The festival is open on the first two Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the first two Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.


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AUSTRALIA: Colorado Profit Up 31% On Soaring Sales
Clothing and footwear chain The Colorado Group Ltd on Thursday reported a 31 per cent jump in 2002 net profit to A$22.5 million (US$13.4m) from A$17.1m (US$10.2m) in the year-ago period amid soaring sales.
The Brisbane-based company said sales in the 53 weeks to February 1 climbed 16 per cent year-on-year to A$442.1m (US$264m) and added it remains confident of continued double-digit earnings growth from its core business in 2003.
The firm's banners and brands include Colorado Adventurewear, Mathers Shoes, Williams the Shoemen, Skids and Palmer Corp, including signature JAG and DKNY labels, said its strongest performer was Williams the Shoemen which more than doubled its profit.
Managing director, Rowan Webb, commented: "Strong performances in Queensland and New Zealand, coupled with nine new stores, helped Colorado top line sales grow by more than 10 per cent, although this was slightly below expectation mainly due to a difficult Sydney consumer market.
"Overall, the group achieved low single digit comparable store sales growth without sacrificing margins and all divisions contributed positively to the bottom line."
Help test our new apparel sourcing tool.
Clothing and shoe retailer Colorado Group said its full-year earnings took a 19.1% dive, caused by stock difficulties and sluggish consumer spending....
High-street fashion favourite Hennes & Mauritz is to open a store on the trendy Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles....
Stage Stores has appointed a new COO and president....
Federated Department Stores said it would close five distribution centres in 2006 as part of its realignment of the Macy's business....
Golf apparel and outerwear company Sport-Haley has signed a joint venture deal with apparel manufacturer and marketer Explorer Gear USA to make and market Top-Flite branded apparel to Wal-Mart Stores ...
Outdoor apparel and shoe company Timberland has signed a definitive deal to buy apparel and socks company SmartWool....
Shoe and clothing retailer Colorado Group Ltd today reported a 41 per cent drop in half-yearly net profit to $A7.6 million....
Floundering department store retailer Mervyns LLC says continuing losses are causing it to shut almost a quarter of its stores at the cost of 4,800 jobs....
- Outlook 2017 – What else is the industry watching?
- Outlook 2017 – What next for apparel sourcing?
- Outlook 2017 – Strategies for sourcing success
- Is China about to burst its apparel trade bubble?
- Outlook 2017 – Challenges and opportunities
- M&S quality focus finally lifts clothing sales
- MAS Holdings planning second industrial park
- 22 dos and dont's – When sourcing goes wrong
- Sri Lanka on track to regain EU GSP+ benefits
- Aéropostale to reopen 500 stores across the US
- Global apparel markets: product developments and innovations, October 2016
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022
- Anti-odour clothing: fresh fashion for an active lifestyle
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar


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Bose Portable Home Speaker
QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II
SoundSport Free wireless headphones
Bose Frames Alto
What to expect
Bose is bringing it this Black Friday with up to 50% off select items purchased directly through its website. Big news, since the company rarely holds a sale. But be prepared to act quickly — discounted items are usually available in limited quantities, and once they sell out, they’re gone.
Is the Bose Black Friday sale only online?
Bose has around 40 factory outlet stores scattered throughout the US, but your best bet is to shop the sale online.Shop now
When can I start shopping?
Early Black Friday deals have already hit, but hot items are known to sell out quickly. Be on the lookout for even better deals as soon as official Black Friday sales drop.
Bose Black Friday deals and doorbusters
Expect select items to be up to 50% off on the Bose website for its official Black Friday, with the first deals dropping as early as Thanksgiving morning.
Just a few of the top deals this year include:
- Save $30 on the SoundSport free
- Save $100 on the Soundbar 700
- Save $500 on the Life Style 650
- Save $350 on the Life Style 600
- Get the SoundLink Micro bluetooth speaker for $69.95
- Get SoundSport wireless headphones for $99.95
- Score QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II for $279.95
- Save $80 on the Soundlink Revolve+ bluetooth speaker
Bose Cyber Monday deals
Bose usually extends its Black Friday deals into Cyber Monday, so you can expect up to 50% off even if you miss the Friday sales — though we can’t promise your desired item will still be in stock.
Bose Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals
Frequently asked questions
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Markets have been off to a nice start to begin 2023. Today’s CPI was quite positive, increasing by 6.5% from a year earlier, marking the sixth straight monthly deceleration since peaking in the middle of last year. While 6.5% is still an ugly number, which I know we all feel when we go out to dinner, or shop for groceries, the downward trend is building momentum. Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, rose by 5.7%, from 6% in November. Clear signs of inflation easing can be seen in used cars (down 6 months in a row for biggest decline in history according to Mannheim), shipping prices, energy prices, and now we are seeing rent and housing prices declining a bit. Food inflation is a big problem, as you can see quite clearly if you’ve tried to buy eggs at the grocery store.
There is an interesting dynamic as the inflation data is improving, but the unemployment rate is still sitting at 3.5%, which is incredibly low. That is a pretty optimistic setup on the surface, but most people believe we will go into a recession later this year. As the old saying goes, “a recession is when your neighbor loses their job, a depression is when you lose yours.” Different industries will be impacted disproportionately in any potential recessionary scenario. Housing and mortgages are already tilting into a recession. Tech layoffs are pretty substantial. Many people are canceling their new home purchases, or negotiating for pricing discounts. While backlogs are still big, construction at some point will be impacted. Meanwhile, travel, entertainment and leisure is booming, as global markets continue to open up with less restrictions. Office buildings are priced as though they are shopping malls during a pandemic/lockdown and that few people will continue working in them. Opportunity arises by taking advantage of the disconnect between price and value.
Most people seem to be bullish on energy prices and I’d find myself in that camp. However, energy stocks roared last year and haven’t really come down materially despite big declines in both oil and natural gas prices, so the market is expecting those prices to rally. If oil and gas don’t perform well this year than those energy stocks might be due for a correction. Conversely, bank stocks are priced as though we are going into a Great Recession, despite solid credit performance and booming net interest income and trading. If we don’t see a recession where unemployment meaningfully picks up to 5.5-6%, these prices will seem unreal when people look back given the strong financial/business performance we are seeing.
Big cap tech is getting more and more attractive despite revenue headwinds, such as weak advertising revenues, and slower consumer spending. I think investors need to pick and choose though, as some of those stocks still seem too expensive in my eyes. Google and Meta remind me of Microsoft around 2013-ish, when we owned it at 11 or 12 times free cash flow, which was enormously attractive. Tesla and even to some extent Apple aren’t as obvious of values to me, though I’m always hesitant to bet against the Apple machine. Amazon is expensive on conventional value metrics, but when you make some adjustments for capital spending and R&D that will bear fruit for decades, I think there is good opportunity there. Using options to manufacture cheaper entry prices and/or dividends via covered calls is such a great way to play these names. Google, Meta, and Amazon don’t pay dividends but we can sell covered calls way out of the money and manufacture a 4% yield to go with 30-40% upside, which is a great risk/reward scenario.
I’m glad we took advantage of the bond selloff last year and were fortunate in our timing as yields have come down quite a bit. We will continue to look for opportunity there where it makes sense. Selling deep out of the money put options on deeply undervalued stocks remains the best risk-adjusted return in my opinion, as I don’t think the market is that cheap on an overall basis, so creating a larger margin of safety is prudent in this environment.
Bank earnings start tomorrow, so I’ll have plenty of updates for you! Below are our three most recent research reports on Bank of America, Capital One Financial, and MGIC Investment Corporation for you to review at your leisure.


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Today, the company is making good on that deal with the launch of Spotify Greenroom, a new mobile app that allows Spotify users worldwide to join or host live audio rooms, and optionally turn those conversations into podcasts.
In fact, Spotify tells us, current Locker Room users will see their app update to become the rebranded and redesigned Greenroom experience, starting today.Where Locker Room had used a white-and-reddish orange color scheme, the new Greenroom app looks very much like an offshoot from Spotify, having adopted the same color palette, font and iconography.In time, Spotify tells us the plan is for Greenroom to leverage Spotify’s personalization technology to better connect users to content they would want to hear.
For example, it could send out notifications to users if a podcaster you already followed on Spotify went live on Spotify Greenroom.
If a user reports something in a Greenroom audio room, Spotify can go back to look into the matter, to determine what sort of actions may need to be taken.
Of course, how quickly Spotify will be able react to boot users or shut down live audio rooms that are in violation of its Code of Conduct remains to be seen.While the app launching today is focused on user-generated live audio content, Spotify has larger plans for Greenroom.The company also says it will be marketing Spotify Greenroom to artists through its Spotify for Artists channels, in hopes of seeding the app with more music-focused content.
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Uber Technologies Inc. reportedly paid higher-profile lecturers in the United States and Europe to generate studies that could be made use of in the company’s lobbying, although continuing to combat a force to disclose much more information and facts about its present-day lobbying.
The Guardian described Tuesday dependent on files leaked by a previous Uber govt that the organization compensated lecturers hundreds of thousands of pounds to generate and endorse studies that justify the journey-hailing company’s small business product — of utilizing motorists it does not immediately make use of — as ground breaking and useful for culture.
For far more: Uber whistleblower — Corporation ‘massaged the information to get paid the trust of motorists, of shoppers and of political elite’
In just one example pointed out by the Guardian, a review cited in a 2016 news short article did not disclose that it was backed by Uber and that 1 of its co-authors was an economist utilized by the corporation. One particular of the co-authors of the examine was quoted as calling Uber a “social sport-changer.”
“Uber has a prolonged heritage of acquiring research that presents a rosy photo of their organization design,” stated Ken Jacobs, chair of the UC Berkeley Heart for Labor Research and Education and learning, on Tuesday. “It is depressing when revered lecturers enable by themselves to be employed this way.”
Jacobs observed that it is consequently not shocking that unbiased scientific studies occur to “very different conclusions.” An illustration of this: Uber’s estimates of the hourly earnings of staff who use its system are usually bigger than all those by other people.
In reaction to MarketWatch’s query about no matter if Uber continues to shell out lecturers to do research that is then used for lobbying, a firm spokesman mentioned: “In the uncommon situations when Uber has contributed fiscally or the authors are contracted by Uber, this facts is obviously said.” He also mentioned the company’s “unpaid educational study associates are generally contractually confirmed the suitable to publish their results.”
Shareholders have pushed for Uber
to much more absolutely disclose its lobbying things to do: The Teamsters have put the concern just before the company’s traders for the earlier two many years, coming close to passing their proposal this yr.
See: Uber, Lyft deal with shareholder press to disclose how substantially they are spending in combat for new labor legislation
The Teamsters’ proposal — which asked Uber to disclose far more details beyond what it is legally demanded to provide, these types of as recipients and payment amounts related to indirect lobbying efforts — acquired 45% of shareholder votes in May perhaps, up from the 31% of votes it secured previous calendar year. Uber’s board advised against the proposal, expressing the firm by now offers “industry-leading” details about its U.S. company political contributions and independent expenditures on its web page.
“If you never have suitable specifics to lobby with, you build them it all feeds into the similar multimillion-greenback influence campaign,” Michael Pryce-Jones, senior governance analyst for the Teamsters, told MarketWatch on Tuesday. “For buyers, it raises specifically the same worries: How significantly is Uber shelling out to protected favorable ailments for its organization design and what reputational threats are being run?”
Uber stock increased 1.8% to $21.57 Tuesday, just after falling 5.2% Monday, following the initially reviews stemming from the leaked paperwork being produced around the weekend. Uber inventory has declined 48.6% so significantly this 12 months, as the S&P 500 index
has dropped 19.9%.


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Shifts in market shares among carrier alliances
Sea-Intelligence has analysed the shifts in capacity market shares among the three main carrier alliances on key trade lanes. The alliances saw a collective loss in market share on the Asia-North America West Coast route, particularly during the pandemic due to significant non-alliance capacity deployment.
In 2023, Ocean Alliance recovered its position, whereas 2M remained below its pre-pandemic level. On the Asia-North America East Coast route, 2M's market share dropped considerably from its pre-pandemic heights, with both Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance also experiencing declines.
In the Mediterranean market, The Alliance slightly increased its share during the pandemic, now closely trailing 2M alongside Ocean Alliance. The most notable change occurred in the Asia-North Europe trade, where THE Alliance has kept a steady market presence.
Meanwhile, 2M has steadily lost ground to Ocean Alliance, indicating a shift in dominance towards CMA CGM, COSCO, and Evergreen at the expense of Maersk and MSC, and this trend appears to be unrelated to the initial disbanding of 2M. (pb)


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Sales of plug-in electric vehicles in the U.S. continued their rise in July. Sales of the all-electric Nissan LEAF set a July record at 3,019, while for the Chevrolet Volt crossed the 2k mark for the first time this year.
NOTE: This article is updated throughout the day as soon as more data is available.
Last update: Tuesday, August-05, 2014 @ 05:08 am.
Sales of the all-electric Nissan LEAF set a July record at 3,019, marking an increase of 62 percent over the previous year. It’s also the LEAF’s 17th straight month of record sales. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Nissan LEAF now stand at 15,758, an improvement of 34.6% compared with 2013 when 11,703 were sold.
GM said sales of the Chevrolet Volt rose to 2,020 in July, up about 13% over last year’s number of 1,788 and almost the same over June’s number of 1,777. Sales for the year are still off 8.7 percent to 10,635.
|Toyota Prius Plug-in|
Prius Plug-in Hybrid sold 1,371 units during the month, which is up 61% compared to July of 2013. Previously in June, Toyota Prius Plug-in sold 1,571 units. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid now stand at 10,671, an improvement of 112% compared with 2013.
|Ford C-Max Energi|
Ford C-MAX Energi sold 831 plug-ins, which is down 16% compared to June. Overall for the year, 4,759 Ford C-MAX Energi plug-ins have been sold, a 63.3% improvement of 2013.
|Ford Fusion Energi|
Ford Fusion Energi finished last month with 1,226 deliveries. June was the best-ever month for Ford Fusion Energi with 1,939 sales, an increase of 44.5 percent over May, the previous best-ever month for the fusion Energi. Overall Ford has now sold 7,461 Fusion Energi plug-ins, a 274.7% improvement of 2013.
GM sold 188 Cadillac ELRs last month, which brings the total amount sold in the first 7 months to 578 units. The 2014 Cadillac ELR has a starting price of $75,995, including a $995 destination charge but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees.
|Porsche Panamera S-E Hybrid|
Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrids finished last month with 63 deliveries. Previously in June, May and April, Panamera S E-Hybrid sold 111, 53 and 63 units respectively. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Panamera S E-Hybrid now stand at 544 units.
|Tesla Model S – Does not report exactly monthly sales|
Tesla Motors delivered 7,579 Model S vehicles and produced 8,763 of the cars, according to second-quarter results. The California-based electric carmaker lowered its forecast for revenue and deliveries for the third quarter to 7,800 vehicles from 9,500 because it had to shut down its factory in Fremont, Calif., to install equipment in July. Tesla said it should be able to ramp up production in the final three months of 2014 to reach its sales goal of 35,000
|Ford Focus Electric|
Deliveries of the Ford Focus Electric were 198 in July, which was just a single unit more compared to June’s number of 197. In May, deliveries of the Focus Electric were 177. Overall Ford has now sold 1,094 Focus Electric EVs.
The BMW i3 achieved 363 sales last month. Previously in June, BMW i3 sold 358 units. In May, the BMW i3 set a new record for plug-in sales in a debut month with 336 deliveries. BMW is now offering a new low cost DC fast charger for $6,548 at authorized BMW partners.
|Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive|
In its first month on the market, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive managed to sell 41 units. The B-Class Electric Drive starts from $41,450 and has an all-electric range of 87 miles. For an extra $600, one can purchase the extended range package which allows the driver go 104 miles.
|Toyota RAV4 EV|
Toyota RAV4 EV sold 68 units last month, after selling 91 in June and 149 units in May. Toyota RAV4 EV sold 69 units in April. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Toyota RAV4 EV now stand at 614 units.
|Honda Accord Plug-in|
The 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid logged 41 units last month. Previously in June, May, April, March, February and January, Accord Plug-in Hybrid sold 28, 46, 37, 18, 24 and 27 units respectively. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Accord Plug-In Hybrid now stand at 180.
|Smart Fortwo Electric Drive|
Last month, smart fortwo ED sold 298 units, after selling 278 units in June and 206 units in May. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the smart fortwo ED now stand at 1,390 units.
For July, Fiat 500e sold 119 units. Previously in June 166 Fiat 500e EVs were sold, Overall Fiat has now sold 1,135 500e EVs. The 2013 Fiat 500e is priced at $32,500, which includes a $700 destination charge. However, eligible California residents may be able to purchase the 2013 Fiat 500e for as low as $20,500, after federal credits.
|Chevrolet Spark EV|
GM sold 128 Spark EVs in July. Previously in June, the Spark EV sold 85 units and in May, the Chevrolet Spark EVs set an all-time record in 182 deliveries. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the Chevrolet Spark EV now stand at 764.
Mitsubishi sold just 17 i-MiEV electric cars in July. Previously in June, Mitsubishi sold 22 i-MiEV electric cars. In terms of year-to-date results in 2014, sales of the i-MiEV now stand at 114 units. 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV starts at $22,995 including CHAdeMO DC quick charge port, representing a $6,130 reduction from the starting price of the 2012 model that preceded it.
|Honda Fit EV|
Honda sold 42 Fit EVs in July. Previously in June, Honda FIT EV sold 38 units. Honda Fit EV production will be halted this fall when the automaker produces its 1,100th Fit EV. With the Fit EV being halted this fall, Honda will be left without a all-electric vehicle to compete in the growing segment.


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If you think the wealthiest Americans all drive either a Lexus, Mercedes or Porsche, think again!
A new study from MaritzCX found that the Ford F-150 was the most popular vehicle among people earning more than $200,000 a year, according to USA Today.
Read more: Top 7 cars that owners regret buying
5 vehicles that rich people love
Why’s that? Many “regular cars” now offer the same features that come equipped with expensive vehicles.
MaritzCX told USA Today that there’s been a steady shift out of luxury vehicles as more wealthy people opt to buy SUVs and trucks instead.
That’s certainly reflected in the top 5 list below:
1. Ford F-150 (MSRP starting at $26,730)
2. Jeep Grand Cherokee (MSRP starting at $30,395)
3. Honda Pilot (MSRP starting at $30,595)
4. Jeep Wrangler (MSRP starting at $23,995)
5. Honda Civic (MSRP starting at $18,740)
Read more: New ranking: The most reliable car brand is…
Although the vehicles on this list have starting prices of $30,000 or less, they can easily cost more than $40,000 once you add on the features that you really want.
USA Today reports that a third of Ford F-150s sell in the “luxury price realm.”
Interestingly, the Honda Civic is also on the list of top-selling vehicles for those making $400,000 or more, behind Lexus RX350 and Tesla Model S.
More Clark.com stories you may like:
- 10 vehicles that owners keep for 10 years or longer
- Top 7 cars that owners regret buying
- 5 warning signs your mechanic should not be trusted
- New report: These are the 38 safest vehicles for 2017


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The industry — historically reliant on older, white male drivers — is facing a record shortage with an estimated 50,000 more drivers needed to meet demand, according to the American Trucking Associations. The lack of available drivers is rippling through the supply chain, causing a bottleneck of goods that is delaying deliveries and prompting some companies to increase prices.
The Trump administration and the industry are trying to alleviate the problem by loosening federal rules and enticing nontraditional drivers like women, teenagers and minorities to operate big rigs…
The White House is also backing a pilot program that allows younger drivers with military training to operate commercial vehicles across state lines. While the program is a trial, it represents a broader willingness to allow drivers under 21 to make interstate deliveries — something federal regulations currently prohibit.
And, in a bid to recruit more drivers, many trucking companies have added perks, including signing bonuses and increased pay.
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ChairmanN Chandrasekaran. Photo: PTI
Tata Motors will focus on turning around the domestic business, particularly the CV segment which has suffered due to a challenging environment as also the company's sub-optimal execution and market misses, its Chairman N Chandrasekaran said today.
Addressing shareholders of the company for the first time after taking over as Chairman, he also expressed regret over its inability to pay dividends due to losses in the domestic business and said it is working "with tremendous urgency" to deal with the matter.
"Looking ahead, we expect the business environment to remain dynamic and unpredictable. Our clear focus is the turn-around of the domestic business," he said at Tata Motors' Annual General Meeting here today.
In 2016-17, he said, Tata Motors' standalone gross revenues was at Rs 49,100 crore, up 3.6 per cent from the previous year. The loss after tax, on a standalone basis, was Rs 2,480 crore compared to Rs 62 crore in the previous year.
Elaborating on the reasons for the dismal performance of the company's domestic business, Chandrasekaran said the commercial vehicles (CV) business faced challenging and uncertain environment due change over to the GST regime, demonetisation and "unexpected Supreme Court ruling on BS 3 to BS 4 migration".
"On the other hand, the company's performance also suffered due to sub-optimal execution and market misses. We have continued to lose market share in the commercial vehicles business, reaching 44.4 per cent in March this year from a high of nearly 60 per cent, five years back," he said.
Tata Motors' CV volumes have remained more or less constant at around 3,20,000 vehicles, over the past three years, while the operating costs have gone up over time, Chandrasekran added.
"This has impacted the performance of the company this year," he said.
On plans to reverse the situation, Chandrasekaran said: "In CV, we are focused on ensuring that all product launches happen within our laid down timelines without any delay, changing the trajectory of our market share curve and start gaining market share, and serious cost improvement plan."
The management team is working on these on a priority basis, he said, adding that the team led by Guenter Butschek is working together to deliver a strong execution led operating performance.
On the passenger vehicles segment, he said the company has improved domestic market share but costs have been going up due to investment in current and future portfolio.
"We are excited by the prospects of Nexon, which we will launch in September this year," Chandrasekaran said.
Overall, he said, Tata Motors is "working with renewed focus to make our processes efficient and agile to be able to respond quickly to the market".
"We are streamlining our end to end visibility of the supply chain. We are also focusing on accelerating the timeline of delivery of new products to the market. We are getting ready to leverage the expected market recovery," he added.
On dividends, Chandrasekaran said: "I know that from a shareholder perspective it is disappointing that the company has been unable to pay a dividend in light of its significant losses in the standalone business.
"I assure you that we are working with tremendous urgency in this matter and making an earnest effort to turn profitable."
On the performance of Tata Motors' British arm Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), he said the UK, the US, Europe and China remained the key markets.
The UK is expected to face challenges going forward due to the currency depreciation and uncertainties related to Brexit despite the country's economy doing well, securing its seventh consecutive year of growth since the recession, he said.
Tata Motors took unanimous decision to stop Nano: Mistry
Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry on Tuesday said Tata Motors had taken a unanimous decision to discontinue production of loss-making Nano almost a year back, which, however, continues to be manufactured at a sub-scale level till date.
He also alleged that "the practice of lending without adequate risk assessment" particularly in Nano and small commercial vehicle segment (SCV) caused huge NPA loss to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore to the company and Tata Motor Finance.
Chairman of the Board of Tata Sons, N Chandrasekaran, along with non-executive independent director of Tata Motors, Nasser Munjee (left) and CEO & MD of Tata Motors, Guenter Butschek, during the 72nd annual general meeting of Tata Motors, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photo: PTI


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770.com Has Had a Facelift
The Group 770.com has just announced a complete renovation of its website. Already at the cutting edge of technology and considered to be the internet’s best online gaming portal, the group is currently the indispensable tool in terms of gaming, practicality and speed for all online gaming fans.
A specialised customer services team answers requests 24/7 as quickly as possible and with an impressive degree of professionalism and courteousness. Boasting a clear and easy to navigate design, the site provides members of 770.com with an ideal environment for online gaming and betting, as well as an atmosphere where players can feel just as comfortable as if they were playing in the comfort of their own home.
For more information, visit http://770.com/en/ or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.


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With only five banks scoring above the threshold of 98% in the 2022 Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana Customer Satisfaction Index, Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), one of Ghana’s leading indigenous banks, has taken centre stage by emerging as the overall winner of the coveted “Best Bank” title in the 2022 CIMG Customer Satisfaction Index Awards, held at the Labadi Beach Hotel over the weekend.
This prestigious recognition signifies the indigenous Bank’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional banking services and placing customer satisfaction at the heart of its operations.
The awards which was held on the theme ‘Marketing a Tool for Economic Recovery”, saw various individuals and companies recognised for using effective marketing strategies and campaigns to champion the growth of their respective organisations, products and services as well as good causes.
The survey, organized by the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana saw a significant improvement over the 2021 edition where only two banks met the threshold. With UMB leading the pack with 100% and followed closely by Stanbic Bank and Republic Bank, scoring 98% each, UMB’s achievement is a testament to the bank’s dedication to excellence and its customers’ unwavering trust.
A statement released by the Bank on the achievement noted, “UMB is very proud about this achievement which underscores our 50-year heritage and pedigree in this market. We have prioritized Customer Service and this objective feedback from our customers is gratifying. This validates our strategy of “Knowing2Serve”, Digital 1st and Transparency as our pillars to drive customer centricity. We dedicate our leadership in service to our customers. They are the reason we are, and we commit to continue to serve mother Ghana with S.P.E.E.D., as we have done since 1972. We must also commend the CIMG and GAB for the world class effort they have put into providing an empirical basis for measuring service in the industry.”
The Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG) is renowned for its rigorous assessment and evaluation of businesses across various industries in Ghana. The CIMG Customer Satisfaction Index serves as a vital benchmark for assessing customer experiences and the quality of services offered by companies operating within the country.
Dr. Daniel Kasser-Tee, President of the Chartered Institute of Marketers Ghana, highlighted the importance of the awards and emphasized that high service quality promotes customer satisfaction, loyalty, and positive financial outcomes for organizations.
He noted that the awards provide a valuable measure for Ghanaian banks to evaluate their performance against peers and industry benchmarks.
He again advised consumers of the report, particularly the banks, to learn how to put the results e announced to good and prudent use, adding “they should first look beyond their positions on the various tables to identify how they fared, for each of the 5 dimensions of service quality, overall customer satisfaction and either dimension of customer loyalty”.
Lead Researcher and Chief Executive of the Consumer Insights Consults Limited, Dr. Ireneus Gundona, added that banks should improve customer service to enhance the financial sector. “Banks have been doing well and it shows in this report, but we need to work more looking at the current problems the sector is facing,” he said.
John Awuah, CEO of the Ghana Association of Banks, urged members to prioritize improving customer service based on the CIMG report, highlighting the need to recognize both strengths and areas for improvement.
Ghana is considered to have one of the most advanced financial services and banking sectors in Africa, regulated by the Bank of Ghana. The overall customer satisfaction for remote banking was 88%, while that of total customer loyalty was 81%.
Customer service is defined by saleforce.com as the support a company offers its customers — both before and after they buy and use their products or services — that helps them have an easy, enjoyable experience with the brand. Customer service is so important that it is now considered a strategic function for organizations across industries.
The Banking industry has particularly focused on customer service in contemporary research, learning and practice as it is considered the key variable to customer acquisition and retention in the industry.
UMB, the overall winner in the survey was established in 1972 as a policy bank of the Republic. The indigenous bank is reputed for bringing a uniquely Ghanaian perspective to banking.
Headquartered in Accra and licensed by the Bank of Ghana, the bank operates out of 35 branches across Ghana and operates the popular mobile banking apps- UMB SpeedApp. The Bank’s strategy is to be number 1 in customer-centricity in Ghana.


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Walter Liebe, senior investment adviser at Pictet Asset Management, believes tech companies are well-positioned and not overpriced.
'Modern tech companies have valid business models with specific products on the market in comparison with companies of the dotcom bubble period. Technology companies' valuations didn’t increase faster than global equities,’ Liebe said at DAB Investmentkongress 2017 in Munich.
He added that the valuations in the sector are way below the level of the technology bubble in 2000, when price-earnings ratios were reaching 44.3 on average.
On 2 August 2017, price-earnings ratios of tech stocks reached 17.5, which is even lower than the MSCI World Technology price-earnings ratio at 19.1.
Robotics and autonomous cars
The asset manager also sees growing potential in the robotics space, as the industry’s sales are expected to increase by 36% by 2020.
He added that the real growth opportunities in robotics lie in the private sector. However, Liebe is less convinced when it comes to autonomous cars.
'The assisting systems in modern cars are precursors of autonomous driving, but in my view we are not that far from 2030.'
Liebe said the digital economy is expanding and companies should invest in digital services in order to protect their market share and returns.
‘US researchers say we are experiencing a second machine revolution after the invention of the steam engine. It affects our thinking and penetrates every area of our everyday life.’
In his view this concerns specific traditional businesses, for example trade, which will be forced to face the digital world.
'We are experiencing a massive transformation of business models towards the digital world.'


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Clever Carnivore Names Russell Thomas VP of Product Development
May 16, 2023 - 3 min read
- 33-year food science veteran from Tyson Foods joins Chicago cultivated meat startup
- The Clever Bratwurst is one bite closer to your grocer’s meat department
CHICAGO — May 16, 2023 — Clever Carnivore, a Chicago-based biotech startup working to bring cultivated meat — pork, beef and chicken — to consumers, today announced Russell Thomas, MSc, has joined the team as vice president of product development. A triple-decade food scientist with expertise in food safety, product development and operations management, Thomas will accelerate the development of Clever Carnivore’s debut consumer product, the Clever Bratwurst.
“Russell’s experience as director of research and development at Tyson is a huge asset to Clever Carnivore as we aim to unveil our prototype product later this year,” said Clever Carnivore CEO Virginia Rangos, Ph.D.
Thomas’ resume includes a bachelor’s in animal science and business and a master’s in poultry science and product technology from the University of Arkansas. Most recently, Thomas served as vice president of product development with a Silicon Valley cultivated fat company founded in late 2010.
Prior to that, during Thomas’ more than 33 years at Tyson Foods, one of the largest food companies in the U.S., he served as manager, then director of research and development.
Thomas’ hiring represents a milestone for Clever Carnivore. The addition of an experienced executive with demonstrated success bringing innovative products to the global market propels Clever Carnivore into the exciting prototype development stage. Leveraging his decades of accomplishments in the food sciences, Thomas will spearhead the creation of a delicious, accessible product line — starting with sausages.
“I’m excited about joining Clever Carnivore,” said Thomas. “I entered the food industry more than three decades ago because I believe there’s no greater way to serve humanity than by working to provide accessible, sustainable food to people. The technology being developed by Clever Carnivore aligns with that mission.”
Clever Carnivore has been focused on scaling meat production and bringing costs down — producing high-quality pork at consumer-ready prices. With Thomas on the team, the company is ready to start turning pork into bratwurst. Clever Carnivore’s cost and scale advantages put Thomas on track to cook up something delicious.
Clever Carnivore’s headquarters and lab are located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Thomas’ appointment is effective immediately.
EDITORS’ NOTE: A photo of Russell Thomas, vice present of product development of Clever Carnivore, is embedded in this news release. A high-res image is available upon request.
**About Clever Carnivore **
Clever Carnivore, Chicago’s first cultivated meat company, is a mission-driven startup deploying cutting-edge biotechnology to bring low-cost, top-quality cultivated pork, beef and chicken to the consumer market. Using Clever Carnivore’s high-efficiency model, cruelty-free, sustainable and cost-competitive sausages, burgers and chicken nuggets will soon be a reality. The company works to develop cultivated meat products using cell biology, recombinant protein technology and advanced bioreactor design, with the objective of creating consumer products that compete on taste, price and convenience with conventional meat, delivering a gastronomic experience that satisfies vegetarians and carnivores alike.
To learn more about Clever Carnivore’s work to bring sustainable, affordable cultivated meat to market and to receive updates on our progress and employment opportunities, please visit clevercarnivore.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Public Affairs


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A rhondda company has hit out at the 'doom and gloom' caused by the proposed Burberry closure.
The owner of Vansdirect, which employs 106 people in the valley and has an annual turnover of £85m, said it is possible to run a successful business here.
The company sells light commercial vehicles and is the third largest motor dealer in Wales.
Carl Platel, who runs the Coedely-based company with his twin brother Mark, said: 'The press about the Burberry coverage has been very doom and gloom.
'You see all the bad press about jobs being lost and companies closing down, but we want to let people know that it's not all bad news.
'We started out with a budget of £2,500 but have just continued to grow.
'We try to employ people from the Rhondda because they are very loyal, hard working and serious about their job.
'They want to get on in life.'
The company relies on the internet and strategic advertising for its business.
Mr Platel, aged 40, said: 'We sell more than 10,000 vans a year all over the world, which means we are bringing business and money from other places into Wales.
'Coedely is a happy place for us to be and I wouldn't want to live or work anywhere else.'
But the road to success has meant a lot of hard work, and Mr Platel has plenty of advice for people thinking of starting their own business in the Valleys.
He said: 'The biggest thing is to take advice from people who are running businesses here.
'One thing I did wrong was not to join any business associations.
'In my experience, people in Wales are always willing to help others in Wales and I would certainly set aside time to discuss a business idea that would bring employment to the Rhondda.'


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The Federal Communications Commission issued citations to 13 companies it accused of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the agency said yesterday.
A majority of the citations involved charges of placing unsolicited commercial prerecorded message calls to residential phone lines. Others included unsolicited commercial faxing and violations of do-not-call requests.
No fines issued with the citations were disclosed.
Ten companies received citations charging violations of the TCPA's ban on unsolicited commercial prerecorded messages: Accurate Collision Repair Inc.; A Friendly Carpet Cleaning; Integrated Chiropractic Clinic; Silverleaf Resorts Inc.; American Health and Life Insurance; Executive Carpet & Beyond Inc.; JZA Development Corp.; Inbound Calls Inc.; Chon-Ji Academy of Martial Arts Inc.; and Captain Clean Carpet Care.
Cardon Enterprises and Toner World Inc. received citations on charges of sending unsolicited commercial faxes, which also are banned under the TCPA. Newgen Results Corp., a subsidiary of Denver-based teleservices firm TeleTech Holdings Inc., received a citation involving failure to honor a consumer no-call request.


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[C]ranstons Foodhall at Orton Grange opened its doors to members of the public last Wednesday, 23rd November, for an evening of festivities to raise money for of Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland.
During the event, a total of £1,485 was raised through entry ticket sales, donations and raffle ticket sales.
Guests enjoyed an exclusive first look at Cranstons Christmas range as well as the opportunity to meet and chat with local suppliers Gretna Bakery, Kin Vodka, Farrer’s of Kendal, Handmade Ice Cream co and Traybakes, who offered samples and fun ways to use their products.
Orton Grange Gift Shop hosted Dalston Ladies Choir who greeted guests with Christmas Carols which produced a very fitting atmosphere for the relaxed event.
Orton Foodhall manager Peter Potts and butcher Joe demonstrated their butchery skills throughout the evening by breaking down a hind quarter. Managing Director Philip Cranston demonstrated to guests the best way to carve Turkey.
Michelin Star Chef Steven Doherty, showed Preview Night guests how to make simple yet tasty canapes as well as making the most of Christmas leftovers in a cookery masterclasses.
Orton Grange Food Hall, 4 miles West of Carlisle recently celebrated its 3rd birthday and was named UK food hall of the year back in November at the Butchers Shop of the Year Awards. The food hall offers north Cumbrian shoppers Cranstons renowned butchery and delicatessen produce along with a whole host of food and drink from over 30 Cumbrian suppliers.
Cranstons 2016 Hospice at Home fundraising continues with a second preview night on Thursday 1st December at the company’s flagship food hall in Penrith as well as, 50p from every Christmas pudding and Cranberry and Orange pudding sold over the festive period being donated to the charity. The puddings are available from any of Cranstons six stores.
Peter Potts, Cranstons Foodhall at Orton Grange manager said: “This year’s preview night was a real festive celebration. We raised, with the help from our local suppliers and customers a great amount of money for Hospice at Home. The generosity of everyone who attended was amazing, and I’d like to thank those who joined us.”
Cath Coates, Marketing and Communications, Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland said: “Following the very successful Christmas Preview Evening at Orton Grange on Wednesday, we were absolutely delighted to hear the news that £1,485 had been raised. The event was superb and the Food Hall looked wonderful with all the Christmas decorations, festive treats and delicious food on display.
“We would like to thank Cranstons for their continued support, and also express our gratitude to Orton Grange Café and Gifts, David Allen for volunteering on the night and our Hospice at Home volunteers who sold raffle tickets throughout the day.
“This generous donation will enable our Clinical Team to provide vital care at a particularly difficult time, which will make a huge difference to the lives of local patients. This is particularly appreciated following a dramatic increase in referrals over the past two years and we sincerely thank all involved.”


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By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
In an effort to catch the convergence wave, CompUSA is expanding its A/V assortment with more brands and models, and is rolling out a new store format to house them. The new design features a significantly larger A/V area, taken from under-utilized backroom space. About 100 of CompUSA's 240 stores will be converted to the new format this year.
The first two retrofits, unveiled here and in nearby Altamonte Springs, Fla., last month, feature home entertainment sections that were expanded from about 800 square feet to upwards of 3,200 square feet, and an extended offering of premium products by such brands as Bose Lifestyle, Klipsch, LG, Mitsubishi, Niles, Pioneer, Rockustics and Samsung.
Here's a look at the prototypes, which provide a preview of things to come at CompUSA.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.


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The North American cannabis market is going through growing pains and companies focused on making profits from the new green gold experienced major losses. Meanwhile, in Europe, the emerging cannabis sector opens up new opportunities of expansion to companies like World High Life PLC (NEX:LIFE).
It is time for a fresh look at the cannabis sector because while equity valuations and investor sentiment change, the cannabis market itself remains attractive.
Canopy Growth (TSE:WEED) is the blue-chip cannabis market leader and the company that was the first to secure significant capital, when Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ) acquired its first stake in October 2017. In the days prior to the legalization of cannabis in Canada, Canopy shares reached a record high of $55.45 (CA$73.75) on October 15, 2018. Since then, shares have fallen by more than 73% and the largest losses have been recorded in the last six months.
At the end of April, the stock market still valued the cannabis producer at $18 billion (CA$24 billion). Currently, this value has fallen to less than $5.2 billion (CA$7 billion), because the company’s second quarter results, released last week, confirmed the doubts: Canopy’s sales were down 15% compared to the last three months.
In addition to Canopy, Aphria Inc.(APHA:NYSE) shares have fallen 59% since April and Aurora Cannabis Inc.(TSE:ACB) shares have fallen 76% since March. The speculative bubble has burst. In general, the sector is struggling with dwindling liquid assets, expensive financing and shareholder dilution.
However, some stocks showed a nice upswing on Tuesday. The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (TSE:HMMJ), an exchange-traded fund holding dozens of cannabis stocks, gained 4.9%, suggesting that some investors are once again seeing opportunities in stocks that have fallen to a two-year low. Canopy stocks closed at $20.31, a gain of $1.53 or 8.2%.
Canopy’s trading volume in the third quarter was only 173 million shares, a significant drop from 2018, when quarterly trading volume easily exceeded 500 million shares. This suggests that demoralized private investors have lost interest in the stock. The situation is different for institutional investors. A look at Canopy’s 20 largest investors shows that these funds have increased their holdings by more than five million shares on a net basis since the end of September.
The initial attraction for the sector was that these companies were providing a newly legalized product that would ensure strong growth in the future. Canopy’s disappointing quarterly results suggest that the strong growth is delayed but not dead – and Canopy is in a good position to outperform its competitors during this period of uncertainty.
After all, its balance sheet still shows $1.5 billion (CA$2 billion) in cash, which could be the most valuable asset, as many companies in the cannabis sector suffer from a lack of capital. Maybe that’s why institutional investors are increasing their stake in Canopy.
Europe seems to be an attractive choice for cannabis companies
While the growing cannabis market in North America struggles between massive stock prices falls and cannabis oversupply, the emerging European cannabis market draws more and more investors. These investors are aware of the huge potential that the cannabis markets from over the ocean have and don’t want to miss this exciting new opportunity.
The new frontier market in Europe is likely to become the most important cannabis market in the world within a few years. By 2029, the medical cannabis market in Europe and the UK is estimated to be worth $64.2 billion (€58 billion).
World High Life PLC (NEX:LIFE), a UK-based company, is one of the few cannabis investment companies that know how to take full advantage of the many possibilities that have arisen, as more European countries are changing their policies towards cannabis.
The cannabis industry in the UK and Europe is clearly evolving and World High Life comes with a remarkable plan of becoming the leading player in the global medical cannabis market.
WHL identifies and acquires cannabis companies from different European countries and the UK. This way, the company is creating a top portfolio of companies that have the potential to become key players in the cannabis industry. By investing in a single stock, investors have access to all the stocks in World High Life’s portfolio.
On its way to becoming the most important player in the burgeoning European cannabis market, World High Life announced on October 18 that it has completed the process of acquiring UK’s leading cannabis company in the medical sector, Love Hemp.
Europe is set to become the most valuable legal cannabis market in the world. The new frontier market offers a fresh chance for investors and companies that missed out when cannabis was legalized in Canada and profits reached the highest peaks.


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Travis Perkins still growing
Published: 20 February, 2013
Travis Perkins met forecasts with a 2.1% rise in 2012 earnings. Travis predicts growth will return to the markets later this year.
Geoff Cooper, chief executive, Travis Perkins, said: "While there are indications, for the first time in a while, that growth will return to our markets later this year, we anticipate volatile conditions will persist in the short term, further troubling weaker operators."
The firm, with brands that include City Plumbing, Keyline, Tile Giant, BSS and Wickes, said this morning it made adjusted earnings per share of 95.1 pence, in line with analysts' consensus forecast and up from 93.1 pence in 2011. Underlying pretax profit was up 1.1% to £300m in 2012 on revenue up 1.4% to £4.85bn.


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- Investment in nonresidential structures fell at an annual rate of 15.3% in the third quarter and has now contracted in 10 of the past 12 quarters, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
- That decline, the steepest contraction since the second quarter of 2020, follows a 2.6% annualized rate growth in the U.S. GDP in the third quarter. Investment in the residential sector tumbled 26.4%, according to the ABC.
- Nevertheless, contractors remain optimistic about the construction outlook, said Anirban Basu, chief economist at ABC.
The increase in borrowing costs in 2022 has yet to make its statistical mark on much of the economy, said Basu.
The Federal Reserve will likely raise its benchmark interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point again on Wednesday, its sixth interest rate bump of the year, reports the Wall Street Journal.
“Today’s GDP report could be considered the calm before the storm,” said Basu in the release. “Growth is likely to slow significantly going forward, but for now, the U.S. economy continues to expand as consumers keep spending on travel and goods, even in the face of significantly elevated inflation.”
Nevertheless, contractors remain “somewhat upbeat,” said Basu. More than 47% of contractors expect their sales to rise over the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.
ABC’s Backlog Indicator jumped to nine months in September, about 1.4 months higher than in September 2021. That’s largely due to an increase in heavy industrial projects, including a 21.5% year-over-year increase in manufacturing-related construction spending, according to the ABC.
“The construction confidence and backlog metrics appear strong despite the U.S. economy facing headwinds like inflation, financial market volatility and rapidly rising borrowing costs,” said Basu in last month’s release. “Contractors remain decidedly upbeat, with backlog expanding and expectations for rising sales, employment and profit margins over the next six months.”
Total construction starts declined 19% in September, according to a Dodge Data & Analytics report. But that drop in starts should not be considered a sign of a pending pullback in the construction industry, said Richard Branch, Dodge chief economist, in the report.