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In 2015, organizations in the United Kingdom spent nearly 20% less on IT outsourcing and BPO than in the prior year. But this drop was due to lower prices more so than sagging interest, and thus mirrors global results in which there was an 8% drop in year-over-year value in 2015 but a record 1445 contracts signed, according to Computer Weekly. “They’re buying flexibility with cost variability, utilizing smaller deals more than ever as they revamp their processes around cloud, digitalization, and automation,” John Keppel, partner and president of ISG, told the magazine.
Mexico to Plug the Gap
Gustavo Parés, Founder and CEO of NDS Cognitive Labs, argues that Mexico can play a large part in supplying highly-skilled, bilingual tech workers for the digital transformation US companies are pursuing.


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The Collision Industry Conference Database Task Force (DTF) recently expressed its displeasure over CCC’s reintroduction of the "Bumper Refinish Prompt" in its Pathways 4.5 release, saying it was "shocked" and "disheartened," considering the many years it took to convince CCC that the bumper refinish prompt in its estimating system was in direct conflict with paint manufacturer-approved refinish procedures.
“Interestingly, after literally years of discussions and the Task Force providing documentation, coordinating meetings with all the paint manufacturers, as well as providing accolades publicly for CCC ‘doing the right thing,’ they elected to ‘forget’ to discuss the change in direction with the Database Task Force prior to implementing the change,” the statement from the DTF read.
The DTF cited a statement read by CCC representative Bruce Yungkans at a Collision Industry Conference meeting at NACE 2007 as evidence of CCC’s commitment to the change: “Based on some documented and very compelling and convincing new information to us, we’ve been able to determine unequivocally that…refinishing non-metallic bumpers require use of a material that is not recommended on the rest of the vehicle.”
CCC did remove the bumper refinish prompt in its March 2008 software release, but reintroduced it in the new Pathways 4.5 release.
A statement from CCC supporting its decision reads, “Information from paint manufacturers and industry experts indicate that bumpers and other panels can be refinished in a continuous process, resulting in a quality repair. The logic used in Pathways reflects the basic refinish rules outlined in the Motor Guide to Estimating, where the refinish times for bumpers are based on the items being refinished prior to installation off the vehicle. With that in mind, Pathways will deduct no more than a ‘non-adjacent’ overlap from the refinish time allowance, even when bumpers are refinished in the same continuous process with the rest of the vehicle. No overlap deduction is taken where bumpers are refinished in a separate process.”
CCC Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Markets Jim Dickens said this week that company research showed that some repairers still prefer to refinish bumpers in a continuous process, so for the sake of accuracy, the company made the prompt optional for Pathways 4.5 users. Dickens added that users of the latest version of Pathways will not encounter the prompt unless they choose to.
“We didn’t turn the prompt back on. What we did was, we made it an option for those who were [refinishing bumpers] in a continuous process to be able to configure their system so they could utilize the prompt to reflect their refinish process,” Dickens said. “[Pathways is] evolving. I’m arguing against the idea that we reinstituted the prompt as it was before. We didn’t do that. If you get the software, nothing will happen. The prompt will not be there unless you consciously go in and turn it back on.”
The DTF said that CCC provided it with documentation on Dec. 16 to support its reintroduction of the bumper refinish prompt. According to the DTF, this documentation consisted of excerpts from trade publications, paint manufacturer marketing materials and e-mails to and from paint manufacturer representatives. However, the DTF said that these documents did not adequately justify CCC’s decision and “paled in comparison to the ironclad and unequivocal documentation that the Database Task Force had to furnish to CCC to remove the prompt.”
“In fact, the majority of the documentation references the ability to utilize the same refinish products,” the DTF’s statement read. “However, it did not specifically address the need for additives or additional processes in order to properly use the products on flexible substrates.
“Most disturbing is the apparent fact that the paint manufacturers were first formally contacted on this issue just this month (December), while the decision to reintroduce the refinish prompt was made as early as September of this year. One can’t help but conclude that CCC made the decision first, and then later, only after being challenged, unsuccessfully attempted to generate and furnish documentation supporting the decision.”
Dickens emphasized that to build its products, CCC constantly researches and analyzes information from several sources repairers, insurers, manufacturers, research organizations and other groups such as the DTF and said that the decision to make the prompt available was carefully thought out. Dickens believes concern over the prompt’s availability goes beyond whether the refinish process in question is a sound practice.
“By making the prompt available again, there is the opportunity for people to get paid less time, and that’s what’s upsetting because there’s a worry that people could get paid less, and I think that’s the core of the issue,” Dickens said. “Our stance is, we try to make the product as accurate as we can. We advocate that the estimate should reflect the process used for repair, and we only advocate processes that produce a high quality repair.”
The DTF’s statement concluded by saying that “this type of biased alteration to the system without justification from manufacturer recommendation is exactly the type of activity that causes the industry to question the accuracy of the databases as well as the motivation of those responsible for these decisions.”
Dickens, who declined to specifically address the DTF’s statement, maintained that CCC was not biased in its decision to reintroduce the prompt and that any allegation that insurers or any other group was given unfair consideration in making the change is false. He added that company policy dictates that products are tested by a core group of users several months before being released and that several users, including repairers and insurers, had access to the software before its release.
The DTF is comprised of representatives from the Association of Automotive Service Providers, the Automotive Service Association and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. For more information on the DTF, click HERE.
For more information about CCC, visit www.cccis.com.

domain: news


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bridgestone Americas Inc. last week introduced the FuelTech Drive retread for the drive wheel position, the newest addition to the tire manufacturer’s Bandag MaxTread line.
The MaxTread FuelTech Drive is a SmartWay-verified, closed-shoulder retread engineered for fleets operating in over-the-road hauling services. The retread, which uses a special tread compound to lower rolling resistance and deliver excellent mileage performance, is also California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant.
“The new MaxTread FuelTech Drive retread is a fuel-efficient tire solution that maximizes mileage and performance,” said Keith Iwinski, director of marketing, Bandag, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. “Ideal for fleets operating in truckload and less-than-truckload applications, this drive tire position retread delivers reliable and sustainable tire performance positively impacting a fleet’s bottom line.”
The MaxTread FuelTech Drive tire is engineered to reduce energy loss by lowering rolling resistance for optimum fuel efficiency. The tire is designed for long, even tread wear and features advanced technology that controls the movement of the tire’s ribs and tread blocks during rotation, according to a statement from Bridgestone. The MaxTread FuelTech Drive tire also provides multiple gripping edges and a siped tread design to provide trusted traction on wet and dry surfaces.
Earlier this year, Bridgestone introduced the Bandag MaxTread line designed to deliver reliability comparable to new tires, featuring quality Bandag retreads as a stand-alone, single-unit tire solution rather than a traditional tire cap and casing offering. The line includes trailer, drive and all-position fitments for light truck, waste, long haul, severe service, and pickup and delivery applications.
The Bandag MaxTread line includes nine popular Bandag retread patterns outlined below:
- Drive position: BDM, BDLT, BDV, DR5.3, DR4.3, FuelTech Drive;
- Trailer position:1, Eclipse SST; and
Each Bandag MaxTread tire is locally retreaded and backed by a lifetime limited warranty that features 100% coverage for the life of the tread, according to Bridgestone.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.


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The Select Group Partners with Elon University
April 12, 2012
Sheldon Wolitski, founder and CEO of The Select Group, announced the company has partnered with Elon University’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
Through the partnership, The Select Group will collaborate with the school’s Chandler Family Professional Sales Center to assist with curriculum development. The recruiting company also will have access to sales research that is conducted by Elon, and it will have a chance to recruit students at related events including its Sales Meet and Greet and annual sales dinner. Representatives from The Select Group also will have an opportunity to serve as guest speakers during sales-related events.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a great business school and be a part of a thriving program,” Wolitski says. “We look forward to further developing our relationship with the Chandler Family Professional Sales Center, which has been a great source for finding top talent for The Select Group family.”
Specifically, the Chandler Family Professional Sales Center works to promote professional selling and sales management. To that end, it provides instruction to both students and sales executives and conducts sales-based research as well. For more information on the program, visit www.elon.edu/salescenter.


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The Walt Disney Company is expected to post third-quarter earnings of $13.17billion, an increase of 6 per cent on last year’s results.
The firm will report its Q3 earnings when the market closes later this evening, but expectations are already booming.
Disney shares are trading at an all-time high, up nearly 45 per cent over the past 12 months, in the lead up to the reveal on Tuesday, August 4th.
It is projected that Star Wars will gross around $2.2billion globally, despite the fact that Star Wars: The Force Awakens isn’t scheduled for release until this December.
Elsewhere, Disney’s theme parks continue to drive growth and the opening of a new Shanghai Disneyland Park next year is expected to make an impact on the more volatile Chinese market.
However, it is predicted that by analysts that Disney’s biggest challenges in its results will be foreign exchange rates.


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Big businesses urged to sign up to payment code
Business minister Shriti Vadera has urged big business to sign up to the government’s Prompt Payment Code, an initiative which urges large companies to pay suppliers promptly.
Vadera also revealed that 11 new FTSE 100 companies, including Barclays, Sony UK and B&Q, have committed to sign-up to the code of practice.
A further nine, including Alliance Boots, have committed in principle to adhering to it. The retail chain has been criticised for last year’s increase of its payment terms from 30 to 75 days.
“Late payment can be the final straw for small business in the current climate. So the commitment by major companies heading up supply chains to pay on time is a win for all businesses,” Vadera said.
She added that she will “continue to press” the remaining FTSE companies yet to commit to paying suppliers on time to sign the agreement.
The average delay in companies paying bills has increased from 20 days a year ago to 23 days, putting increasing pressure on cashflow for small firms.
In October, Gordon Brown announced a commitment to pay all central government suppliers within ten days.
Business secretary Lord Mandelson said: “Government has taken the lead with nine out of 10 central Government invoices now being paid within 10 days – the challenge is now for business to step up and play fair.
Building a website for your business idea is easier than you might think. Our online tool ranks the top website builders that offer free trials.
“The promise by FTSE companies to pay on time is very welcome and will hopefully bring an end to the devastating impact which late payments can have on small business.”
The Tories had previously labelled the initiative a “damp squib,” after it emerged that only a handful FTSE 100 companies had signed up to the government-backed code.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2009


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Beer Truck Overturns, Ruins Morning Commute
|When beer trucks lose their load during commute hours, we all lose|
Southbound lanes are blocked, and the beer will have to be offloaded to another truck on scene. San Franciscans attempting to get an early start on Labor Day Weekend plans in Santa Cruz -- which almost certainly involved beer -- have now had their plans dashed, by beer.
It is unclear how much beer was irretrievably lost in the accident and is now trickling down Highway 17. But, to answer the natural question of "How much beer is 43,000 pounds?":
- A bottle of beer weighs about 1.33 pounds: So that'd be about 32,250 bottles, which is 5,375 six-packs
- A can of beer weighs about 0.82 pounds: That comes to around 52,440 cans, or 8,740 sixers
- A keg weighs 162 pounds -- so that's about 265 of them.
H/T | KTVU-TV
Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly


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Welbeck Publishing Group (WPG) has partnered with Australian online book retailer Booktopia to establish a standalone subsidiary to publish its titles directly into the Australia and New Zealand market.
Booktopia has taken a 25% stake in the in the London-based publisher’s new standalone subsidiary Welbeck ANZ. The deal is expected to be finalised by 30th September 2021 and Welbeck ANZ is expected to be fully operational in January 2022. Booktopia will invest approximately $3m in the new business.
Under the new partnership, Booktopia’s distribution arm, Booktopia Publisher Services (BPS), will distribute Welbeck ANZ’s catalogue of approximately 250 new titles each year and the backlist of 4,500 titles directly in the Australia and New Zealand market.
WPG also announced the formation of a local ANZ publishing programme with the aim of publishing 50 titles a year. The new programme will publish fiction, narrative non-fiction, children’s books, and a small range of illustrated and gift titles.
The strategic partnership with WPG extends Booktopia’s investment in publishing and follows the integration of Brio Books earlier this year, as well at the creation of its own imprint, Booktopia Editions, in 2019.
The Welbeck ANZ management team will be announced shortly, and the publisher’s executive director Mark Smith will relocate for a few months in early 2022 to assist with the establishment of the business and the recruitment of key publishing and operations staff. Fellow executive director Marcus Leaver will also base himself for part of each year in Sydney.
Smith said: “Marcus and I have long harboured ambitions for Welbeck to establish its own operations in Australia and New Zealand and we are delighted that we have agreed this partnership with Tony Nash and the team at Booktopia.”
“Having published key Australian and New Zealand authors such as Peter Temple, Isla Fisher, Heather Morris, Monica McInerny, Robert Ingpen, Bernard Beckett and Withi Ihimaera in international markets and successfully connected international authors such as Stieg Larsson, Stef Penney, Lisa Hilton, Lynda la Plante and Wilbur Smith with Australian readers, we are very excited to now be in a position to discover new authors and work with established writers through our new Sydney-based publishing operation.”
Leaver added: “Within a short period of time, we plan to be a significant independent publisher in the ANZ market with a fresh, innovative and entrepreneurial approach that connects as many authors with readers as possible all around the world. Tony Nash and the Booktopia team are the perfect partners for Welbeck as their entire focus mirrors ours: putting great books in customers’ hands.”
Booktopia founder and chief executive Tony Nash said the investment was part of Booktopia’s strategy to be at the core of the Australian and New Zealand book industries: “The big winners from this partnership are the readers, who will now have better access to Welbeck’s huge catalogue of the very best and most commercial books. In bringing together two well-known businesses with strong track records, we’re excited to deliver positive outcomes for authors, our customers and the industry in Australia and New Zealand.”
“We have known Mark Smith and Marcus Leaver for many years and have always been impressed with their publishing prowess. It is an honour and a privilege to be able to invest in their publishing programme moving forward. The Welbeck Publishing Group is on a fast track to becoming a major player in the global independent publishing world. As a shareholder in Welbeck ANZ we will be able to champion their international and local titles into the Australian market. They have 4,500 titles on their list already and it continues to grow. Booktopia’s mission is to be at the central core of the ANZ book industry and investing in publishing companies like the Welbeck Publishing Group takes us one step closer to our goal.”
Source – The Bookseller


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The rumor mill is at it again.
UnwiredView is reporting that Apple has ordered the first screen samples from LG Display and AUOptronics. According to sources, Apple has already set the spcs for the new iPad Mini, which is rumored to ship next spring.
The screens that Apple ordered are supposed to be the iPad mini display panel size, which is 7.85”. Screen resolution is the same as the iPad, reportedly.
While I’m sure any gadget lover would to see the iPad Mini, it simply doesn’t fit with Apple’s plans in the past or with what Steve Jobs has said in the past. Steve was vociferously opposed to a 7″ iPad, and his objections are still as true now as they were then. “It’s meaningless unless your tablet also includes sandpaper, so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one quarter of their present size.”


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Amid a plethora of holiday launches, many gamers are already looking ahead to spring 2013 as Microsoft and Epic Games recently released the official “Gears of War: Judgment” box art and kicked off pre-orders at participating retailers. The next marque instalment to the Xbox 360 franchise that’s sold more than 19 million units, “Gears of War: Judgment” takes fans back to the immediate aftermath of Emergence Day.
Fans who pre-order “Gears of War: Judgment” now at participating retailers will receive an exclusive in-game multiplayer weapon at launch, the Classic Hammerburst, along with potential retailer-specific content. The Classic Hammerburst was the standard-issue assault rifle of the Locust Army during their E-Day onslaught. Highly accurate with a six-round burst, it helped give the Locust a decisive advantage. For more info, click here: www.gearsofwar.xbox.com. In the meantime, check out a new video of the Classic Hammerburst in action below:


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Aspiring entrepreneurs have a little more time to get their entries ready for the fourth annual Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge at the University of Northern Colorado. “We’ve extended the deadline for entries to Friday, November 30,” said David Thomas, assistant professor of management at the college.
This year’s event offers $50,000 in prize money. The first place prize is $25,000, second place will win $15,000 and the third place prize is $10,000.
The competition is open to Colorado-based start-up ventures. “By start-up venture, we mean anyone who has an idea for a new business based in Colorado is eligible. They must be have begun or be ready to begin business development, market research, and product development, but must not have received payment for the sale of product or services yet,” Thomas added.
Entry guidelines are available at www.mcb-echallenge.com.
Successful applicants will be selected and notified by Friday, Dec. 7 to participate as semi-finalists in the Preliminary Challenge where they will present their business concepts to a panel of experts. The Preliminary Challenge takes place on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at the University of Northern Colorado Center at Centerra in Loveland.
Five finalists will be selected at the Preliminary Challenge to present their business plans in a “Shark Tank” format during the Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge on Thursday, March 7 at the University Center on the campus of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. The event will be open to the public and the winners will be announced that night during the Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards, a Northern Colorado Business Report event sponsored by the Monfort College of Business.
“The prize money we’re awarding could go a long way to help an entrepreneur’s dream of launching a business come true,” Thomas concluded. “Most importantly, the advice entrants will receive from our panels of judges and entrepreneurial experts is invaluable.


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SAN FRANCISCO ( TheStreet) -- Apple ( AAPL) announced its new iPad, simply called iPad to thousands of onlookers in California. TheStreet live-blogged the event, which was held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater.
Don't worry about a little selloff, says Jim Cramer. The data and earnings signal an improving economy.
Executive Chairman Paul Jacobs took a jab at the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust lawsuit at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.
TheStreet's Action Alerts PLUS portfolio manager Jim Cramer has some advice for investors new to the world of exchange-traded funds.
Binge-watching has become an integral part of modern TV viewing, and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is taking every opportunity to remind viewers that it's not offered on Time Warner's HBO.


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German car manufacturer BMW will recall nearly 200,000 of its cars for servicing in China because of problems with their airbags, state media reports, citing the Chinese quality control agency.
When activated, driver or passenger airbags could damage a gas generator which could cause debris injuries, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine wrote on its website on Monday.
The recall will affect 193,611 vehicles which had airbags made by Japanese car parts supplier Takata.
BMW says it will replace the defective parts free of charge.
Takata's defective airbag inflators have forced carmakers to recall tens of millions of vehicles worldwide.
Its faulty airbags can potentially rupture explosively when deployed in a collision, spraying metal fragments at drivers as well as passengers.
At least 15 deaths and more than 150 injuries have been linked to the defect worldwide, Takata said in June.


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How a prominent Detroit distillery shifted gears to make a crucial safety product
June 15, 2020
Michael Forsyth is the founder of and partner in Detroit City Distillery and a VIP member of the Small Business Association of Michigan. When COVID-19 hit, the distillery shifted to making sanitizer — over 20,000 gallons to date. “Small businesses have really stepped up and led the way through this crisis to fill some critical needs, and it’s going to be the way out,” he says.
The Small Business Association of Michigan’s weekly podcast presents a dynamic audio interview from a top-notch expert on entrepreneurial success. Hear great tips and advice on how to be a more effective small business owner. Get a new episode every week by subscribing via iTunes.


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Ghosn: Renault May Have To Leave France
September 28th, 2012 8:33 AM Share
Renault chief Carlos Ghosn said in a radio interview with RTL that his company could leave France if it is unable to compete at home. Asked if Renault could disappear, Ghosn said: “In its current form, yes.”
Renault will not be able to avoid cutting jobs in France if the market’s decline proves to be deep and lasting, Carlos Ghosn said in another interview during the Paris auto show today.
According to Reuters, Renault has forecast a 13 percent drop in the car market in France and an 8 percent decline in Europe this year.
Due to its wider international footprint and its alliance with Nissan, Renault is in better shape to get alive through this slump, in one form or the other, than its rival PSA.
Published September 28th, 2012 8:33 AM
Join the conversation
The new tax increase in France can't be helping things either.
Nissan have already moved their EU HQ from Paris (near Renault) to Switzerland. and the Nissan HQ in Rolle is part of a new office building complex that I'm sure could be expanded to fit renault. It definitely has enough of space for corporate management and functions such as sales/marketing, purchasing, product planning etc. They can leave the Technocentre in France (the way Nissan have NTCE in the UK)and this could be a good way to move the Renault-Nissan purchase organisation out of Paris to a combined Renault-Nissan HQ in Switzerland.
Renault leaves France. Toyota leaves Japan. GM leaves California. What happens when all the workers in third world economies demand a living wage? In the future, every car will be made on the moon.
My heart aches for the French auto industry. They are in long term decline and do not really have enough exposure to emerging markets to survive. Renault will be okay, its ran by someone brilliant and its tied together with Nissan, but PSA? Toast. Whether you like French cars or not, one has to admit that no other country has ever produced strange or radical cars with such regularity. In an age of automotive homogeneity, the loss of the French auto industry is thus tragic indeed.


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Tesla updates Theater Mode for smoother navigating
Tesla is pushing a new software update that includes an improved Theater Mode. It’s a small change, but it will provide a much smoother experience when using streaming platforms inside Tesla vehicles.
Tesla vehicles are equipped with an in-car app called Tesla Theater, which includes several streaming services, like YouTube and Netflix, that Tesla owners can enjoy when their vehicles are parked.
The feature is especially useful when a Tesla owner is stopped at a Supercharger station to charge.
Tesla Theater now includes YouTube, Disney+, HBO, Twitch, and more.
Tesla 2022.28 software update
With this new software update (2022.28), Tesla is improving the Theater Mode with a new minimizing function.
From the release notes via Notateslaapp:
Full screen Theater Mode can now be minimized, allowing access to vehicle controls without video playback interruption. Tap the minimize button on the top left corner of the window to toggle full screen mode.
The update has just started pushing out, and it can take some time to propagate throughout the fleet.
This sounds like a very small change, and it is, but it is a much-needed improvement to Tesla Theater.
Almost every time that I use Tesla Theater, I end up wanting to look up something else in the center screen, generally to plan my route in the navigation system, but it always takes me out of the streaming service I am using in Tesla Theater.
You have to go through the whole process of going back to your stream after you are done. It’s annoying. This is a small change that will get me to use Tesla Theater a lot more.
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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Dutch chip equipment maker ASML Holdings
said Thursday that it has seen a severe deterioration in order intake due to the global economic crisis. "Never before have we witnessed such a sharp and sudden fall-off in lithography system demand, triggered by an unprecedented mix of falling end-demand for semiconductors, weak memory prices and restricted access to capital for our customers," said CEO Eric Meurice. ASML now expects fourth-quarter sales of between 450 million euros and 500 million euros, after previously guiding for sales of 530 million euros. First-quarter sales are expected at 180 million euros to 250 million euros. ASML said that it will take measures to cut costs, including reducing its workforce by more than 10%, or roughly 1,000 jobs.


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We’re less than two weeks away from Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked event on August 2nd, but the leaks just keep on coming.
The Galaxy Note 7 was spotted in the wild yet again, but this time on video. Unfortunately, the quality of the video itself was disappointing to say the least but we still get to take another look at the phone.
The video shows a screen protector maker testing the phone with their newest product, but in return giving us a look at the updated TouchWiz UI that many will expect to make its way to current Galaxy S7/Edge owners.
Additionally, Evan Blass has gladly provided another press render of the phone, clearly showing off the dual edged display, new colour scheme, S-Pen and USB C port on the bottom.


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What you need to know
- Google Pixel phone sales in Japan rose by over 500% last year.
- Google was the only major phone brand to grow its market share in this period.
- Google moved into third place in Japan for overall market share.
New sales data recently released suggest that Google Pixel handsets are rapidly becoming one of the most popular brands in the Japanese market. The figures show that Google is now challenging Sharp for second place in market share, behind Apple.
The figures from Counterpoint Research (via Android Authority) make for some interesting reading. Across the whole of 2023, mobile phone sales declined by 11.6% compared with the year before. Interestingly, iPhone shipments declined by 6.1%, while Android sales went down by 16.3%.
Despite these challenging figures, Google Pixel handsets bucked the trend, with year-on-year growth of 527%. It was the bestselling phone brand in both Q2 and Q3 of 2023. Google was the only one of the top five smartphone brands in Japan to see sales growth last year. In Q1 2023, Google became the second best-selling brand overall in Japan for the first time.
This meant that Google’s overall market share leapt from 1.5% in 2022, to 10.7% by the end of 2023, narrowly missing out on second place to Sharp, which, according to the report, “regained its second position in the market with steady following in the elderly segment for its affordable smartphones” (almost 30% of Japan’s population is 65 or older).
Counterpoint suggests a few contributory factors to explain Google’s rapid growth in the market. Firstly, a new partnership with Docomo, a Japanese mobile phone carrier, meant Pixel devices were available on three networks rather than two. Additionally, some local brands were subject to takeover by bigger brands or withdrew from the consumer market.
Masafumi Inbe, Market Analyst for IDC Japan, said: “local vendors in Japan are gradually finding it difficult to compete with global vendors in terms of product development and competitiveness, including foldable smartphones and AI smartphones.” The expectation is that this trend is likely to continue as larger brands with deeper pockets continue to gain traction in the Japanese market.
Pixel sales are growing in other parts of the world, too, albeit not quite as dramatically as in Japan. We recently reported that Pixel sales represented 3% of the market share in North America last quarter, placing Google fourth behind Apple, Samsung, and Motorola in terms of sales. And with the Pixel 8 named “best smartphone” at MWC recently, there’s plenty of room for optimism for the future growth of the Pixel brand.


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The new version is most likely to replace the most unpopular version Windows 8, which has brought criticizes from the corners of the world for inefficiency to pronounce better in non-touch screens.
There were expectations that the Microsoft would announce Windows 9, but the company preferred to skip the version and named the latest as Windows 10.
The announcement was made in San Francisco on Tuesday.
On the occasion, Terry Myerson, Head, Operating Systems, said, “our greatest enterprise platform ever”.
“Windows 10 adapts to the devices customers are using, from Xbox to PCs and phones to tablets and tiny gadgets”, added Terry.
Microsoft had enjoyed monopoly in personal computing worldwide till some years back but the company now only holds 14% share in the personal computing, says research.


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School of Sport and Service Management PhD Student Jennifer Holland has won 1st place in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition at the University of Brighton’s Festival of Postgraduate Research which took place on 7 June.
Hosted by Vitae, the 3MT invites doctoral students to explain their research and its significance to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes, using only one slide, which is a huge feat when an 80,000 word thesis would take nine hours to present! Continue reading
Finalists in a University of Brighton ‘bright ideas’ contest visited 10 Downing Street to discuss student entrepreneurship.
One explained his idea of turning the seven million tonnes of food thrown away each year into nutritious juices.
The students met Government business advisor Jimmy McLoughlin on the invitation of Enterprise Nation, the business support tool available free to all student and graduate entrepreneurs from the University. Continue reading
Krunali Mane, a second year International Hospitality Management BA(Hons), was invited to attend the Unpack the Future of Hospitality event organsied by the British Association of Hospitality, The British Institute of Inkeeping and The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers.
Krunali, who is taking part in the Springboard GEMS Mentoring Scheme, tells us about the event.
“In our fast-paced modern society, single-use food packaging is an endemic problem, from meal boxes, coﬀee cups, plastic cutlery and plastic straws, through to the vac packs and containers used in kitchens. While non- degradable disposable items may be convenient and important to ensuring food hygiene, they are problematic for our environment.” Continue reading
Many congratulations to our first group of students to have taken their BIAAB Award for Personal Licence Holders course.
The students, all studying on the International Hospitality Management BA(Hons), achieved amazing results and now have a great addition to their CVs as a Personal Licence is required by anyone authorising the sale of alcohol from a licensed premises.
Pictured left to right are Ilaria, Luke, Matthew, Cheri, Dylan and Vicky who will be making use of their qualification on their upcoming placements.
Luke, Ilaria, Dylan and Vicky have a double the reason to celebrate as they have recently passed their Level two Wine and Spirit Education Trust exams with flying colours too!
Travel and tourism e-commerce expert Tim Williamson visited tourism and hospitality students to provide an in-depth, contemporary review of what is currently happening within the sector.
Tim, who helps run on-line activist travel company Responsible Travel talked about using e-commerce in the real world. He showed in some detail how building a good looking website may be relatively easy but the challenge of getting traffic to the site and getting customers to buy something from it is less so.
The students discussed how Google works and how you either need deep pockets to buy a slot at the top of their listings or you need to be great at Continue reading
The School of Sport and Service Management and Students’ Union collaborated to provide a practical learning experience for students.
Second year students studying International Hospitality Management BA(Hons) and Senior Lecturer Angela Maguire, welcomed Justin Brentnall (Commercial Manager) and Richard Burgess-Gamble (Finance Manager and Lecturer) from the Students’ Union to discuss how resource and revenue management theory is put into practice across Students’ Union bars and cafes. The Students’ Union operates five shops, two cafes and a bar across the University’s campuses. Continue reading
Congratulations to International Hospitality Management BA(Hons) graduate Astrid Krauss who has won the Deutscher Hotelnachwuchs-Preis 2018. The annual prize, which is now in its 7th year, recognises exceptional performance in the hospitality industry.
Astrid graduated from the University of Brighton in 2008 and her first role in the industry was as Global Sales Trainee with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Global Office which included time in their five properties in Frankfurt. Astrid worked through the industry and is currently Director of Convention Sales at the Frankfurt Marriot Hotel. Continue reading
Two brothers behind the world’s largest underground skate park – set up with help from the University of Brighton – have been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2018.
Lifelong BMX riders, Richard and Marc Moore, run The Source (Hastings) Ltd an online BMX retailer which in 2016 converted derelict Turkish bath under the White Rock area of Hastings seafront into the ‘Source Park’.
The University, through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), is partnering with The Source to develop the world’s first BMX freestyle coaching framework. This recently achieved University of Brighton’s Recognising Educational Quality REQ mark for freestyle BMX and skateboarding. Continue reading
Image by Steven Lewis
Tourism needs a radical overhaul to help secure the sustainability of the planet, tourism activists will argue.
Tourism and the impact of climate change, marine pollution, biodiversity loss, food and water security, health wellbeing and equality will be discussed at a seminar organised by the University of Brighton’s Tourism, Hospitality and Events Research and Enterprise Group. Continue reading
Daniel Neilson, a freelance travel writer and book editor specialising in travel, has been teaching tourism and hospitality students this term as a guest lecturer.
Daniel has edited more than 25 guidebooks for Time Out, written several books including the recent Wild Pub Walks for CAMRA and edited national magazines such as The Great Outdoors.
He also contributes to magazines and newspapers including National Geographic Traveller, Wanderlust and The Guardian, and also is a regular speaker at the Adventure Travel Trade Association and with National Geographic Traveller.
Daniel was able to bring his real-life experience to the course and has even got students to contribute to real time projects. Currently he is online and special projects editor of adventure journal Sidetracked and works with tourist boards to produce content. Continue reading


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Led by the addition of Sunquest and other acquisitions, Roper Industries (NYSE:ROP) revealed sharply higher fourth-quarter earnings that topped expectations on Monday despite a disappointing increase in sales.
The company also unveiled an upbeat outlook on the current fiscal year, anticipating full-year non-GAAP earnings between $5.60 and $5.82, bracketing the consensus view of $5.69.
Continue Reading Below
The Sarasota, Fla.-based maker of industrial electronic equipment reported net earnings of $143.5 million, or $1.44, up 18% compared with a year-earlier profit of $121.6 million, or $1.23.
Excluding one-time items, Roper earned $1.48 a share, nudging two pennies ahead of average analyst estimates in a Thomson Reuters poll.
"Our businesses performed exceptionally well in the fourth quarter, as we established records for revenue, orders, gross margin, operating profit, net earnings and cash flow," said Roper CEO Brian Jellison.
Revenue for the three-month period grew 10% to $810 million from $739.2 million in 2011, but missed the Street’s view of $819.2 million.
Roper invested heavily in acquisitions during the year, including buying Sunquest Information Systems in July for $1.4 billion in an effort to give a boost to its medical-equipment business.
The company is expecting first-quarter EPS excluding special items in the range of $1.19 to $1.23, below average analyst estimates of $1.30.


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Obligation still driving UK tipping culture
06 November 2012
- Many customers still feel obligated by society to tip, despite economic pressures
- Servers are more likely to negatively affect their tips than positively do so
London, 6th November 2012 – When receiving the bill at a restaurant, there is always one familiar question: “How much should I tip?” A new study on tipping habits by Canadean Consumer shows that only 3.4% of people never tip, but the motivations of those who do can differ dramatically. Indeed, 30% of restaurant-goers leave a tip because they feel socially obligated to do so.
Tipping customs vary greatly across all demographics in the UK. In terms of frequency, 30.8% always tip, 58.2% sometimes or often tip, and 7.7% rarely tip. Men are more likely than women to tip, while the least generous tippers in the UK are based in the East Midlands.
That the waiter/waitress displays a cheerful manner (65.2%) is most important to tippers, followed by good food (52.9%) and fast service (49.5%). Moreover, 7.4% will tip if they find the server attractive (a figure rising to 11.9% for males, and 15.9% for Londoners).
Conversely, rude service was by far the biggest reason why a customer would not tip. 79.6% of consumers would not tip because of this. Meanwhile, nearly one in 10 (9.4%) disagree with the tipping culture entirely. Notably, one in five (20.5%) don’t tip if they feel they cannot afford it.
For Mark Whalley, Lead Consultant at Canadean Consumer, the results show that tipping remains a divisive element of the foodservice experience: “It appears that many customers in the UK feel as though tipping is a custom they have little choice over. That nearly a third of people feel obligated by society to tip is an interesting finding. When adding this to the fact that only half of us believe that fast service is tip-worthy, it’s safe to say many are driven by social custom and even awkwardness when deciding how and what to tip.
“Moreover, the economic crisis is forcing a fifth of us to consider our finances before automatically tipping. But, ever polite, rather than leave no tip at all, most Brits will choose to leave a minimal tip instead.”
To illustrate this, a majority (56.9%) of UK consumers tend to tip 10%, with a further 19% only stretching to 5%. Only 8% claim to tip between 15-20% - a rate regarded as common in the US.


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THURSDAY MARKET CLOSE: Footsie jumps 2.3% as Tesco delivers
The wider FTSE 100 Index rose sharply for the second session in a row – up 150.13 points to 6,569.96 – as confidence was also boosted by positive economic news from the United States and signs of stabilisation in oil prices.
On the Continent, French and German markets were up even more steeply, with the CAC 40 and the Dax each adding more than 3 per cent.
Grocers took the first three places on the top flight leaderboard after Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis also impressed the City with his plan to close unprofitable stores.
Alastair McCaig, market analyst, IG, said: “Tesco’s share price jump is maybe as much a reflection of how aggressively its shares have been treated over the last six months as it is of the optimism that the figures have generated.”
Tesco shares were 27.25p higher at 209.25p, even though the company announced it would axe its dividend for the current financial year. Sainsbury’s was up almost 10 per cent, adding 22.8p at 252.4p, and Morrisons climbed 13.3p at 184.7p.
Tesco’s appointment of Matt Davies as the new boss of its UK business dealt a blow to shares in Halfords, which he currently heads – shares in the FTSE 250 stock were almost 9 per cent lower at 423.3p.
The other major retail story concerned Marks & Spencer after more disappointing sales figures from its general merchandise division.
Chief executive Marc Bolland blamed unseasonal weather conditions and teething problems at the company’s new distribution centre but investors were unforgiving as shares in the chain fell almost 4 per cent or 16.3p to 446.9p.
Outside the top flight, fashion retailer Ted Baker reported better-than-expected trading for the festive period, and its shares lifted 124p to 2,384p.


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Recently, a new survey was released in Britain and it reveals that a good number of those who invested in cryptocurrencies have plans to buy more coins this year. The survey was executed by some financial professionals in Britain, and they calculated the following numbers after interviewing people. They found out that more than half of those who have been investing in cryptocurrencies are planning on purchasing more coins this year. However, just 8 percent of those involved in the survey are determined to sell their cryptos. Most of the investors anticipate the price of crypto to increase within the next 12 months.
Citigate Dewe Rogerson, one of the most respected names when it comes to communications released a survey recently. As stated in the survey, professionals of the Financial Service Authority and retail investors are confident about how cryptocurrency is going plus they plan on increasing its publicity. A calculated 54 percent of those interviewed expect the prices to go up in the next 12 months. On the other hand, just 32 percent of them predict a slump in the prices.
The survey also discovered that up to 56 percent of those interviewed plan on possessing more cryptocurrency. Those who have already planned on keeping a hold of their crypto hold or put some of it for sale recorded 31 percent and just a mere 8 percent for those who plan on selling all their coins. The survey was done online and it was conducted by the Consumer Intelligence unit of the communications company. Up to 146 people in the UK took part in the survey and 104 of them still possessed cryptocurrencies, at the time of being a question back in late February.
The authors of the report called Investor Perception: Cryptocurrencies note that 32 percent of the professionals predict a significant rise in the price of cryptocurrency by the year 2021, that is three years from now. As for those who think that valuation will drop recorded 28 percent and just 18 percent for those who see just a slight increase.
Phil Anderson, the Executive Director at Citigate Dewe Rogerson stated that; Many cryptocurrencies have seen a huge increase in valuations, but also exceptional levels of volatility. He also said Cryptocurrency millionaires have been created, but many other investors have lost money. Despite the significant levels of volatility and price fluctuations, our research reveals many financial professionals remain optimistic about the future for cryptocurrencies.
He added that market capitalization for cryptocurrencies was up to $800 billion, by the beginning of the year. Mr. Anderson also stated that over half of the financial professionals like 59 percent expect it to be over $1 trillion by 2021, while 15 percent anticipate it to be more than $2 trillion. However, just 19 percent of those who took part in the survey believe the market will shrink and the market cap will be less than $800 billion.


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The Luxury watch market was hit by a perfect storm in 2020: Supply was low, demand was high, hype was rampant, and lots of people were stuck home with money to burn. Record-breaking auction results and skyrocketing prices on the secondary market—fed by the rise of watch–oriented social media—caused a horological frenzy in which everyone and their brother fancied themselves collectors, speculators, and experts.
It’s also the year I launched Dimepiece, my femme-forward watch platform. I’d spent the previous year newly fascinated by timepieces after a brief stint working at Sotheby’s—but not seeing myself, a newbie to horology, at all represented.
I arrived just in time. Because that wild year also inspired a new set of women to kick open the door to this historically male-dominated arena—and those who have been here the whole time are enjoying the cultural (and financial) shift.
According to Deloitte’s 2023 Swiss Watch Industry Study, “the untapped potential of the female watch buyer is significant.” Women are making more money (in this economy?!) and making more luxury watch purchases than ever before.
Deeming women—fully half the human population—as an “untapped” growth market seems somewhere between obvious and oblivious, but also leaves out the other half of the equation: Women are only just now becoming leaders and voices in the watch world. This is a centuries-old industry built on a love of the old ways. Plus, it’s dominated by Switzerland. In one canton in that tiny, beautiful country, women weren’t even allowed to vote in local elections until 1991. Nineteen ninety-one!
To capture the spirit of this exciting moment, and to understand how the watch world can build off of this female-powered momentum, I sat down with three women who’ve become major players in horology.
First is Ginny Wright, who dove headfirst into the pandemic-induced watch mania by joining Audemars Piguet as its CEO of the Americas in January 2021. Wright (rightfully) brags about AP’s track record, having championed female talent including influential watch designer Jacqueline Dimier (responsible for the first ladies’ version of the Royal Oak in 1976) and appointed women to key roles. “I came into the industry from cosmetics, in which women make up 95 percent of the consumer base and were running brands. Coming into watches was a bit of a shift,” she says. “Women are absolutely the minority in executive roles across the industry, but three out of our six regional CEOs are female”—as is the brand’s new global CEO, Ilaria Resta. (Honestly, it’s shocking for this space.)
Then there’s Rebecca Ross, vice president, head of sale,watches, at Christie’s. She’s a bona-fide watch guru with a decade of experience. In the early days, literally everyone else in her department was a man. As she continues to rise, she’s come to see how essential her role is as a much-needed female voice in the industry.
Rounding out my roundtable is fine-jewelry designer Lauren Harwell Godfrey, who happens to be building one of my favorite personal watch collections out there. With a to-die-for, absurdly rare gold Rolex “Concorde” GMT-Master 1675 and some insane factory gem-set pieces, it’s clear how her expert jeweler’s eye drives her collection. But Harwell Godfrey stresses that she couldn’t have sourced these pieces alone, crediting her trusted watch dealer with opening doors for her in the secondary and vintage watch markets (which could be much, much friendlier to women).


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Boosted by the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the benchmark Sensex jumped 300 points to post the best one-day gain in over a month as consumer goods companies along with metals led the gains on the indices. The 30-share Sensex resumed with a gap-up at 31,156.04 and touched a high of 31,258.33 and a low of 31,017.11 before concluding at 31,221.62, showing a smart rise of 300.01 points or 0.97 per cent. Similarly, the NSE 50-share Nifty also finished with a solid gain of 94.10 points at 9,615 after briefly reclaiming a high of 9,624.00.
However, the rupee plummeted by a whopping 30 paise to close at an over one-month low of 64.88 against the US dollar due to fresh demand for the American currency from importers. Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services, said, “the market welcomed the new tax regime with a positive note while shrugging off the initial hiccups of investors during the last couple of weeks where market witnessed consolidation. Spending is likely to increase due to the impact of lower tax and increased sales volume will continue to benefit the earnings potential in the future.” The sentiment was buoyed by expectations that the implementation of the GST will provide the much needed stimulant to the country’s economic growth.
“FMCG stocks drove the indices higher on expectations of better sales under reduced retail prices, following the GST rollout. Early hesitation now look to be wearing off as traders embrace the new GST regime, and as companies pass on the benefits to the economy. Fertilizers sector surged as the government decided to cut tax rates on fertilizers, which was further augmented by IMD’s report on active monsoons,” said an analyst. Wobbly rupee has instilled buoyancy in the IT sector but a prolonged rupee weakness may impose pressure on the market in the near term, he said.
Karthikraj Lakshmanan, Senior Fund Manager, BNP Paribas Mutual Fund, said, “the markets started the month of July on a buoyant note with indices witnessing a gap up opening as the landmark GST came into force from July 1, 2017. Investor sentiment was firmly launched in the positive zone for the day even as lacklustre macro-economic data failed to dampen the mood.” Shares of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms led the rally, followed by telecom, metal, realty and auto counters.
ITC shares rose six per cent on the bourses in the wake of GST rollout, helping the cigarette-maker to become the fourth firm to cross Rs 4 lakh crore in market capitalisation. The Finance Ministry has removed additional excise duty on tobacco, pan masala and cigarettes with effect from July 1, following the implementation of the GST. ITC surged 5.70 per cent on BSE to settle for the day at Rs 342.30. The market capitalisation of ITC rose to Rs 4,15,805 crore, leading to the firm joining the likes of TCS, RIL and HDFC Bank in the over Rs 4 lakh crore m-cap club.
The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.13 per cent and Small- Cap index gained 1.05 per cent. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. In the foreign exchange market, the rupee registered the lowest close for the home currency since May 23, when it had ended at 64.89 against the US dollar. The implementation of the GST spelt worries that the new indirect tax regime could bring some renewed upturn in inflation and may impact the economic growth.


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The most immersive Samsung Experience Store in Canada soon be calling Toronto’s Eaton Centre home.
The 21,000 sq. ft. innovative space will provide a stunning retail and technology experience is set to open this summer, and will be Samsung’s sixth and largest Canadian store to date.
“Our new Samsung Experience Store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre is, simply, unlike anything we’ve ever launched before in Canada. From the moment our guests join us, they will experience the Samsung Galaxy Life connected ecosystem,”said Patricia Heath, Vice President, Retail Excellence, Samsung Canada in a press release. “The dynamic and innovative space will bring our guests closer to the Samsung brand and our latest innovation, enabling them to get closer to what they are passionate about and reach their full potential”
The new Samsung Experience Store at the Eaton Centre will feature two entrances, and in the massive space, customers will be able to experience:
Designed by award-winning Canadian design firm Quadrangle, the new store will feature a fluid, contemporary design that will delight visitors through a variety of innovative, hands-on experiences.
This marks the sixth Samsung Experience Store in Canada since 2012, with retail locations already in Ontario at Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale Shopping Centre, in British Columbia at Metrotown Mall in Burnaby and Richmond Centre in Richmond, and in Edmonton at the West Edmonton Mall.


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It looks like player outcry concerning full cross-play support for Fortnite on the PlayStation 4 has finally bent Sony's ear. In a recent interview, Sony Interactive Entertainment of America President and CEO Shawn Layden has offered the first glimmer of hope that a solution is being worked on, so, hopefully, battle royale fans will soon have a reason to put down the pitchforks and get back into the game on any and all platforms of their choosing.
When Fortnite rolled out for the Nintendo Switch during E3 2018, some players were upset to learn that, if they had ever played the game on the PlayStation 4, they were unable to use their existing Epic account on Nintendo's platform. Sony offered a couple of statements about the issue that boiled down to a heck of a lot of nothing in the days that followed but, at long last, we've finally received a comment on the matter boasting actual substance. Here's the word from PlayStation head Shawn Layden, who, according to Eurogamer, was speaking to a crowd as part of the Gamelab conference in Spain:
Cross-play is a somewhat new concept in the world of gaming. Well, the idea has been around for a while, but it hasn't been implemented across platforms too many times until recently. Surprisingly, Nintendo and Microsoft seem to be totally on board with the idea if the situation makes sense, as has been seen with both Minecraft and Fortnite recently. If you have either of those games on the Xbox One, for instance, you can play with your friends on the Switch. Similarly, if you're playing Fortnite on your Switch, you can boot up your Xbox One later and keep right on trucking using the same account. Both of those platforms, as well as the PlayStation 4, also support cross-play with mobile and PC.
But, that's where Sony exits the party. As was discovered following the Switch rollout of Fortnite, you can't use your Epic account within that version of the game if you've ever played on the PS4. The hubbub is that this all boils down to where your money is spent; Sony isn't too keen on you spending $20 on Fortnite skins in the Nintendo eShop and then having the ability to use that content on the PlayStation 4, even though Sony never saw a cent from the transaction.
Layden's comment has us wondering if that's the piece of the puzzle he's talking about. Maybe a revenue share for all platforms can be worked out? Either way, we can't help but wonder how much money Sony is worried about missing out on if both Microsoft and Nintendo are comfortable with the current arrangement.
Here's hoping things get worked out soon. Holding accounts under lock and key seems like the antithesis of Sony's brand this past generation, and we'd hate to see all of that good will lost over something as silly as not allowing folks to access their Epic account on other platforms.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Staff Writer for CinemaBlend.


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ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Looking for a summer job?
Some business owners say young folks with good attitudes and work ethics shouldn't have problems finding work.
Nature's Cure owner Jami Jones just hired some new employees in anticipation of a busy summer.
She says restaurants, clothing stores, and vet offices are good places for young people to apply.
"Last year was the first year we had the juice bar opened and we were very busy, so I'm hoping this year will be even more busy,” says Jami Jones, Nature's Cure Owner.
She says she looks for well-groomed people who show enthusiasm.


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Shares in ASOS, which sells speedy-vogue aimed at 20-somethings, were down twelve.2% at 1014 GMT, extending a decrease this calendar year to 49%.
Beighton experienced been with ASOS for twelve several years, such as 6 as CEO, and the company explained his rapid departure would permit it to come across new leadership to speed up international development and produce seven billion lbs ($nine.5 billion) of annual earnings inside of 4 several years.
ASOS experienced carried out perfectly by way of the pandemic but warned in July that development experienced slowed.
Chairman Adam Crozier explained Beighton would not commit to continue to be at ASOS to see by way of at minimum half of its up coming 5-calendar year approach.
“In that discussion with Nick more than the very last minor although we’ve kind of just come to the watch jointly that he is not likely to be all around for all of that, hence it really is much better to make the adjust now,” Crozier told Reuters, including this year’s share value slide was “unhelpful”.
Finance chief Mat Dunn will just take on the added purpose of chief operating officer and lead the business on a day-to-day basis although a new CEO is sought. Katy Mecklenburgh, currently director of group finance, will turn out to be interim chief monetary officer.
Ian Dyson, ASOS’s senior impartial non-government director, will turn out to be chairman on Nov. 29, succeeding Crozier, who, as earlier introduced, is becoming chairman of BT.
“While our overall performance in the up coming twelve months is probable to be constrained by demand volatility and global supply chain and charge pressures, we are self-confident in our skill to capture the sizeable opportunities in advance,” explained Dunn.
SUPPY CHAIN DISRUPTION
ASOS noted a 36% increase in calendar year to Aug. 31 adjusted pretax gain to 193.six million lbs, pushed by a 67.three million pound increase from the pandemic when buyers purchased leisurewear, relatively that partywear alternatives for a evening out, some of which were then returned. Income rose 22% to three.ninety one billion lbs as its active client base amplified 13% to 26.four million.
For the new 2021-22 calendar year, ASOS forecast an adjusted pretax gain of a hundred and ten-one hundred forty million lbs, as client returns normalise. Using the mid-stage of the variety, that is 35% down below analysts’ normal forecast of 193 million prior to Monday’s update.
Product sales development was forecast in the variety of 10% to fifteen%. Analysts experienced anticipated 20%.
ASOS warned that supply chain pressures that have hit the motion of container ships and vehicles globally throughout the pandemic were anticipated to keep on by way of the 1st half, resulting in for a longer period lead instances and constrained supply from spouse brands.
ASOS also confronted greater inbound freight and outbound supply expenditures, Brexit-relevant responsibility expenditures and labour wage inflation.
Previous month shares in rival Boohoo fell twelve% after it noted a slowdown in development and warned on comprehensive-calendar year gain.
ASOS explained it strategies to double the measurement of its combined U.S. and Europe business inside of 4 several years and incorporate at minimum one billion lbs to the group’s annual individual manufacturer profits.
“If we do the right factors and we execute there, then the share value should just take care of by itself,” explained Crozier.


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Last week, bitcoin’s price skyrocketed after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) said it would begin bitcoin futures trading on December 18th. (See also: Bitcoin Price Reverses Course After CME Announces Futures Trading Date.)
CME is just one among many institutions with plans to introduce bitcoin futures trading. For example, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) is expected to follow suit soon after CME and Nasdaq are reportedly considering the launch of a bitcoin futures trading platform for the second quarter of 2018.
The announcements have been cheered by traders and investors alike in the hope that regulation will bring transparency and price discovery to the otherwise opaque market. “One would hope the advent of a futures market now will provide us with idea of the future price of bitcoin and perhaps take out some of the speculative bubble element,” said Ben Jessel, managing principal at Capco. (See also: CME To Launch Bitcoin Futures.)
Bitcoin's Identity Crisis
But futures trading may not be enough to resolve crucial questions plaguing bitcoin.
For starters, there’s bitcoin’s identity crisis. Is it a stateless digital currency for daily transactions or a store of value? Bitcoin has a long way to go in terms of volume to lay claim to the former. For their purposes, government agencies have begun treating bitcoin as a store of value. (See also: Could Bitcoin Futures Destabilize The Broader Economy?)
But their approaches to the cryptocurrency differ. For example, the IRS taxes bitcoin as property even as Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) treats it as a traded commodity. A clarification of bitcoin’s identity will also curtail dissent within its ranks. An effort to increase the number of transactions (and increase bitcoin’s velocity as a currency) has already split the cryptocurrency’s core development community and led to the emergence of Bitcoin Cash, which forked off bitcoin’s blockchain and has a valuation of $1.3 billion, as of this writing.
Then there is the problem with the unregulated markets associated with bitcoin. “The problem with the (CME's) futures contracts is that they are regulated derivatives that are based off underlying trading in unregulated markets,” said Richard Johnson, a market structure analyst at Greenwich associates, in a conversation with Bloomberg. This lack of regulation is reflected in bitcoin’s wild price swings.
That bitcoin is not a physical commodity or currency has only added to the problem. For example, CME will use a daily bitcoin reference rate (BRR) to compute the settlement amount for bitcoin futures. The BRR will be computed by aggregating trade flow of four major bitcoin spot exchanges - Bitstamp, GDAX, itBit and Kraken - during a calculation window into USD prices, as of 4:00 p.m. Easter time. Again, given the opaque nature of bitcoin trading volumes, the price index is susceptible to being gamed, especially as the settlements will be made in cash.
Finally, there is the question of the effect of hard forks. As bitcoin has garnered media attention, several developers have broken away from its blockchain to start their own cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin Cash was just the start. A flood of cryptocurrencies based off bitcoin’s blockchain is expected to enter the market in 2018. Since the forks have a direct impact on bitcoin’s price, CME will have to contend with their effect on its futures contracts.
Should Retail Investors Lay Off Bitcoin Futures?
While CME may not be able to solve all problems associated with bitcoin, it has made provisions to account for some of them. It has instituted price limits of 20% above or below bitcoin’s reference price to prevent excess volatility. In an interview with Bloomberg, Terry Duffy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at CME, indicated that the agency was likely to make spec design changes for its contracts for bitcoin forks.
According to Duffy, most of the trade in bitcoin futures will happen upfront; hence, contract spec changes will have minimal effect on its future price trajectory. This is unlike EUR/USD contracts, where the open interest is spread out over a long period, such as 10 years and 40 quarters. The agency will also bring transparency to bitcoin by creating an “instant audit trail” that will identify traders in the cryptocurrency.
CME and CBOE trading is expected to legitimize bitcoin trading. To a large extent, this will be determined by the number of traders who will sign up for it as well as market size of the transactions. In the latter respect, bitcoin is at a disadvantage. In comparison to gold, a commodity to which it is often compared and which is a $7 trillion market, bitcoin has a valuation of $197 billion. Some investors anticipate bitcoin trading will mainly consist of miners and institutional investors. In that respect, bitcoin is similar to gold, whose derivatives are hedging tools for commercial producers and users of gold.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The stalled contract negotiations between West Coast dockworkers and port owners has many stakeholders on edge, including Japanese fans of McDonald’s fries.
McDonald’s Japan in mid-December began to ration its fries to small sizes, causing a local consumer outcry, because the slowdown at the ports delayed the import of potatoes.
The letter came after both parties accused the other side of causing, in PMA’s words, something “approaching complete gridlock ” at the five largest ports on the West Coast, the main processor of U.S. import and export cargos.
While both sides agreed to the involvement of a federal meditator in early January, their latest public salvo raised fears that the ports are heading toward a shutdown, which could cost the economy $2 billion daily if it lasts 20 days, according to Jonathan Gold, National Retail Federation’s vice president for supply chain. Trade through the 29 West Coast ports represents 12.5% of U.S. GDP, Gold told MarketWatch.
The impact “could be catastrophic,” he said.
The slowdown that began in the fall has already wreaked havoc. Retailers have told NRF that it now takes them anywhere from 7 to 10 days to weeks to get goods into their local warehouse once ships have been docked. Typically, it would take only two to three days, Gold said.
“Our members desperately need this negotiation to be concluded and operations returned to normal levels,” the letter representing the trade groups said. “It is a black eye for the broader economy and some jobs have and will continue to be lost as a result.”
Manufacturers in the Midwest have had to slow and even halt production due to delays in receiving components, the letter said. Retailers are experiencing delays in early spring merchandise, including products for Valentine’s Day and Easter.
The latest ISM report released this month also mentioned the port issue. Fabricated metal products makers, for instance, have flown parts in from Asia to support production while their parts sit on the dock. Textile mills are also reporting delays in receiving imported goods.
Even the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book released this week mentioned the port issue. It cited a Boston manufacturer’s export being hurt, while a toymaker said delays in getting products has hurt sales.
Retailers from New York & Co. US:NWY to Steve Madden Ltd. SHOO, -0.80% this month joined Lululemon Athletica Inc. LULU, +1.27% , Ann Taylor parent Ann Inc. US:ANN and GameStop Corp. GME, +2.22% in singling out the issue. Some have cut sales or profit forecast after having to fly products in.
A Cowen report on Thursday said that while lower gas prices could boost consumer spending, retailers face increased shipping costs due to the port slowdown.
McDonald’s Japan resumed the sale of normal portions on Jan. 5, after flying in potatoes or sending shipments from the East Coast.


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Hero Electric, a pioneer in the electric vehicle industry in India, today announced its Be Safe – Keep Safe program in collaboration with Pathkind Diagnostics – a leader in healthcare and diagnostics. During this COVID-19 crisis, being safe while keeping others safe is very critical.
With that in mind Pathkind Diagnostics found a unique solution of using electric powered Hero Electric scooters to achieve that goal. These scooters would be used by Pathkind to provide end to end, completely safe and fully sanitized sample collection process across the country.
The collaboration between the two organizations is supported by their shared ideology of ‘prevention is better than cure’. While Hero Electric works towards the betterment of environment before it reaches a state where there is no coming back from, Pathkind Diagnostics works towards detecting any signs of early diseases in order to give people a longer, healthier life, especially in these unprecedented and uncertain times.
Collection of test samples from far-flung areas is a stressful job and very costly. Hero Electric scooters provide a perfect solution for a “home to home” commute at a fraction of a cost of a public transport or even a petrol bike. These custom Hero Electric scooters will come with a cargo compartment and a unique branded livery. This would allow riders to safely take and transport samples efficiently and securely across Pathkind’s centres.
Hero Electric scooters will also allow riders to be extra cautious and avoid shared mobility and even petrol pumps where usually currency exchange poses a problem. All these benefits will be accorded to the riders who will also simultaneously be contributing towards a safer, cleaner environment. Hero Electric scooters come with portable light weight Li-batteries that get fully charged in 4 hours, giving riders a range of more than 100 kms. The option of a third battery furthers this range to over 150 kms, thereby addressing any concerns and anxiety over range. Hero Electric scooters have minimal maintenance and service needs thus, taking away the stress from the riders.
The coming together of Hero Electric and Pathkind Diagnostics is a testament to the endless possibilities and potential-usage of EVs in real-life applications across industries. This partnership will set an example for other organizations to also overhaul their fleet in favor of an increase in savings, efficiency, and reduced operational costs.
Hero Electric is ambitious about its expansion in the B2B space and will continue its disruptive efforts in this field through partnering and collaborating with leading organizations across India and support them in their efforts to go green; thereby bringing an eco-friendly change, the company statement said.


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Recent data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) showing that in the July-October period the home textile export climbed 47.86% to $354.25 million this year from $239.59 million last year.
The export number also indicates an 18.24% growth than the quarterly target of $299.61 million set by the government earlier.
In the previous fiscal year, Bangladesh’s home textile sector earned $758.91 million.
Besides the everyday items such as bedsheets, curtains, kitchen linen, napkins and covers for quilts, blankets, comforters and cushions; items like hospital bed sheets and gowns have skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.
As more and more people are staying home, and even at hospitals, is resultant in a thriving trade for the seemingly inobtrusive fabric.
Rashed Mosharraf, General Manager for Marketing and Head of Operations of Zaber & Zubair Fabrics said, “The shipments from Bangladesh increased mainly because its use has increased.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are staying inside for extended periods, and this has augmented the use of home textiles a lot, said the official of the country’s major home textile exporter with annual figures reaching some $200 million.
Though sales of garment items declined in retail stores in the European and American markets, that of home textiles improved, he said.
As the tourism industry came to a halt with hotels shut – decreasing the home textile with it – but this, in turn, is countering the reduction in sales of fabrics and sheets used in hotels and airplanes during the pandemic.
Industry experts say Bangladesh has become the main source for home textile because of massive investments made by local entrepreneurs. As a consequence, Bangladeshi manufacturers can also supply a massive quantity of requirements of buyers.
According to Monsoor Ahmed, secretary of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), more than Tk 25,000 crore has been invested in the homes textile sector over the last couple of decades in Bangladesh.
Monsoor also said local exporters would end up shipping more than $1 billion worth of home textile from the country in a year.
The dyeing and other businesses associated with the home textiles sector are employing thousands of workers across the country, said Ahmed.


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"Department store operators are starting to shift from their mall bases to more freestanding stores, a strategy that offers more flexibility in opening stores and tries to capitalize on changing consumer shopping preferences," USA Today reports.
Apparently, increasing numbers of shoppers are discovering that they don't like the experience of parking in enormous asphalt lots and then taking an unappealing walk through pedestrian-hostile space to the mall, where they then have to wade through a crowded, artificially created space to get to their destination.
Bloomingdale's, for example, just opened a store in New York's SoHo neighborhood, "a densely populated area made trendy in recent years as former warehouses have been converted to boutiques, restaurants and other shops."
Shoppers probably have to walk MORE in such areas to get to the stores they want -- but the walking is a much more pleasant experience than going through a mall parking lot.
Downtown-type retail areas with pleasant walking ambiance and a true sense of place are making a comeback. See areas like Waltham and Somerville locally for evidence. Is Framingham finally ready to take advantage?


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Standard Chartered to partner Ant Financial
By Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered Bank (“SCB”), a leading international banking group with a strong presence in Asia, Africa and Middle East, and Ant Financial Services Group (“Ant Financial”), one of the world’s leading digital financial services providers, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Standard Chartered Bank has been operating for more than 150 years in some of the world’s fastest growing economies, including many along the “Belt & Road Initiative” route. With around 1,000 branches and outlets in 65 countries and regions, 69% of its global footprint overlaps with the “Belt & Road” countries. The bank is an industry leader in RMB, SME and Retail financial services, and has been supporting Chinese companies to expand their operations globally with innovative financial products and services.
Ant Financial launched its globalization strategy in 2007. Today, its leading third-party payment and lifestyle platform, Alipay, has more than 520 million active users, working with over 450 financial institutions and providing in-store payment services for Chinese tourists in more than 30 countries and regions. Leveraging the company’s technological know-how and experiences of building a payment solution from scratch, Ant Financial empowers its strategic partners in emerging markets, including India, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia, to provide inclusive financial services, such as e-wallet solutions for local populations.
José Viñals, Chairman of Standard Chartered, remarked: “It is our great pleasure to deepen the strategic partnership with Ant Financial. The MOU marks a new era of the cooperation between the most dynamic TechFin company and the most active international bank in emerging markets. Built on our joint commitment to inclusive financial services, and with the combination of cutting-edge technology and banking expertise, we aspire to explore and make due contributions to broaden access to inclusive financial services along the Belt & Road route.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to further collaborate with Standard Chartered Bank,” said Eric Jing, Chief Executive Officer, Ant Financial Services Group. “With the mission to ‘bring the world equal opportunities’, Ant Financial is dedicated to using technology to make financial services more inclusive on a global scale. This MOU with SCB is an important milestone in our efforts to enable our partners to better service their clients around the world. ”
Standard Chartered Bank has been working together with Ant Financial since 2012, in areas including funding settlement, FX services and Alipay wallet related solutions.
The MOU was signed following the 9th UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, which was held from December 15 to 16 in Beijing, China.


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Customers will see a memorial outside with flowers and a picture of Ray Wishropp, who gunned down at the Stop & Shop in West Hempstead.
- A Long Island grocery store reopened today nearly one week after a shooting that left a store employee dead and two workers hurt. Customers see a memorial outside with flowers and a picture of 49-year-old Ray Wishropp, who was gunned down inside the Stop and Shop in West Hempstead last Tuesday. He leaves behind seven children. Inside the store, customers see a second memorial to the victims. The suspected shooter, 31-year-old Gabriel Dewitt Wilson, is now facing murder and attempted murder charges.


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Shell partners with Globe to offer better connectivity, aid in nation-building
Jan 31, 2018
Shell network to serve as GoWIFI hotspots once new cell sites have been installed
Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) recently signed a partnership agreement with Globe that would allow for the installation of new cell sites in a number of its retail stations. Once completed, Shell’s network of strategically located stations throughout the country shall become Go WiFi hotspots where customers can enjoy better connectivity. After all, the energy and gas technology leader believes that providing better connectivity is a vital component of progress.
Cesar Romero, President and CEO of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) aexplained that the partnership with Globe supports the company’s drive and advocacy towards nation-building by helping people connect with each other. “Our partnership with Globe is in line with our vision for nation-building that includes developing smarter cities and smarter infrastructures,” he said. “We believe providing better connectivity is a vital component of progress.”
For his part,Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said that the partnership with Shell supports its commitment in continuing to build a robust and reliable network for its customers’ expanding data needs. “We are constantly seeking ways to improve customer experience, especially in high-traffic and strategic areas. The partnership, which we project will lead to improved mobile services, is a win-win collaboration for the two companies, benefitting both our customers,” he emphasized.
As part of the agreement, the two companies have identified as target sites 14 of Shell’s retail stations, most of which are located along major thoroughfares and major areas of convergence.
With the partnership, faster and more reliable GoWiFi hotspots will soon become available in select Shell retail stations, thus providing customers with better Internet connectivity.
Apart from the installation of new cell sites in a number of its retail stations, Shell also stands to become the first petrol station to offer the Scan to Pay facility of Globe’s GCash.
Through this new payment option, customers can pay for Shell quality fuels and other items inside Select and the newly opened Deli Cafe via mobile wallet. This add-on service also forms part of Shell’s Go Well advocacy, which seeks to bring to life the company’s vision of helping make life’s journeys better and humanizing the Filipino motorists’ experience at every Shell retail station. Shell Go Well aims to give customers the best experience before, during, and after they refuel, with retail stations becoming a one-stop-shop for customers with the offering of premium fuels and lubricants, quality service from Shell forecourt service champions, delicious food and beverage at Shell Select, and well-maintained rest rooms.
Aside from its partnership with Globe, Shellalso continuously collaborates with the government and the private sector along with the youth to promote smarter mobility and energy efficiency. The company also endeavours to provide innovative fuel and lubricants technology.


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Montage, which launched in 2002 with a resort in Laguna Beach, California, currently operates eight hotels and generated $400 million in revenue last year.
Chief Executive Officer Jon Bortz said he remained bullish on the West coast and that the additional asset sales would probably increase Pebblebrook’s concentration in the market, meaning the sales would come from other regions.
Blackstone will walk away with a $112 million breakup fee if LaSalle reaches an agreement with Pebblebrook.
The latest version of Pebblebrook’s bid, from last week, may lead to a superior proposal to the agreement reached with Blackstone, a determination made unanimously by LaSalle’s board.
Average daily rates are growing, but the increase is only barely keeping up with inflation.


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A ‘CYBER GAP’ has been spotted by experts in Google Chrome, which affects over 2.5billion users.
Google Chrome users have been urged to check their settings immediately to make sure they are protected against the vulnerability.
Cybersecurity experts at Imperva found a vulnerability within Google Chrome which lets hackers steal sensitive data through symbolic links, also known as symlinks.
Symlinks can take users directly to a file, simply by clicking on a link.
Google Chrome will usually alert users when a link is risky.
But the ‘cyber gap’ means that the browser does not properly check if the symlink was pointing to a location that was not intended to be accessible, which allowed for the theft of sensitive files, the cybersecurity company warned.
Impreva raised concerns with Google, which then swiftly patched up the hole on the newest version of the browser – Chrome 108.
Users must make sure their they have updated their browser to Chrome 108 to avoid falling victim to these symlink attacks.
Ron Masas, a researcher at Imperva, said: “An attacker could create a fake website that offers a new crypto wallet service.
“The website could trick the user into creating a new wallet by requesting that they download their ‘recovery’ keys.
“These keys would actually be a zip file containing a symlink to a sensitive file or folder on the user’s computer, such as a cloud provider credential.
“When the user unzips and uploads the ‘recovery’ keys back to the website, the symlink would be processed and the attacker would gain access to the sensitive file.
“The user may not even realize that anything is amiss, as the website could be designed to look legitimate and the process of downloading and uploading the “recovery” keys could appear normal.”
Table of Contents
How to protect yourself against crypto theft
Hackers are increasingly targeting people who own cryptocurrencies, Masas explained.
“To protect your crypto assets, it is important to keep your software up to date and avoid downloading files or clicking on links from untrusted sources,” he said.
“It is also a good idea to use a hardware wallet to store your cryptocurrencies, as these devices are not connected to the internet and are therefore less vulnerable to hacking attempts.”
Masas has also advised crypto holders to consider using a password manager to generate strong, unique passwords for crypto accounts.
Enabling two-factor authentication whenever possible is also a good move.
“By taking these precautions, you can reduce the risk of your crypto being stolen by hackers,” he said.
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Debenhams have announced the closure of a further 22 stores as the struggling retailer battles to survive.
One of those is the Orpington branch.
The company recently entered into a pre-pack admin in an attempt to stay afloat. As part of that move shareholders were pretty much wiped out with Sport’s Direct chief Mike Ashley losing up to £150 million. He had long attempted to take over control.
Debenham’s chief exec announced his departure last week.
Jim Tucker, at administrators KPMG said: “Today’s announcement marks the next phase of Debenhams’ financial and operational restructuring strategy, following the comprehensive funding package announced at the end of March.”


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The German coffee giant will work with the sustainability auditor to support coffee producers with agroforestry, profitability and climate resilience
A Tchibo coffee farm in Vietnam | Photo credit: Tchibo
Tchibo has launched a new coffee sustainability programme with a pledge to source 100% of its coffee ‘responsibly’ by 2027.
As part of the pledge, sustainability auditor Enveritas will conduct an annual independent assessment of Tchibo’s supply chain to measure progress on environmental, economic and social KPIs and develop sustainability programmes tailored to individual coffee producing countries.
Tchibo sources its coffee from approximately 75,000 small farmers across Guatemala, Honduras, Vietnam and Brazil, but reports just 20% is currently Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or USDA Organic Seal certified.
The Hamburg-based coffee roaster said the new initiative will enable it to reach farmers ‘beyond certified premium coffees’ on initiatives including agroforestry, reforestation and planting new coffee climate resilient coffee varieties.
“The coffee industry needs to change significantly so that our favourite drink has a future. As a company, we must take responsibility more consistently. For each of our coffees we need to know where it comes from and under what conditions it is produced,” said Pablo von Wanderfels, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Tchibo.
Tchibo is one of Europe’s largest coffee groups, operating in more than 60 countries with a portfolio of packaged coffee brands including Davidoff Café, Smokin’ Bean, Piacetto and Caffè Molinari.
It also operates a vast wholesale business alongside 550 branded coffee shops across Germany and a further 320 across Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Turkey.
New York-based Enveritas works with a growing number of prominent coffee brands and has verified sustainable practices at more than 200,000 coffee farms globally to-date against its set of sustainability standards.
In 2021 JDE Peet’s subsidiary Peet’s Coffee announced it had reached 100% responsibly sourced coffee through its partnership with Enveritas. In May 2022, JDE Peet’s announced it would extend the reach of the partnership across its broader coffee supply chain, allowing the JAB Holding-backed company to reach its ambition of 100% responsibly sourced coffee by 2025.
In February 2024, the Amsterdam-based coffee group said it would work with Enveritas this year to conduct deforestation assessments with coffee producers in Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Uganda to ensure its supply chain complies with EU deforestation rules.
Enveritas also works with Blue Bottle Coffee, Counter Culture, Dunkin’, Espresso House, Origin Coffee and Tim Hortons.


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Atlanta has an amazing ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship. But one area today's experts say we can improve on? Venture Capital. ATDC General Manager, Jen Bonnett and MiRus Founder, Dr. Jay... read more →
Eric V. Holtzclaw is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience and a founding member of multiple successful start-up companies, including one of the first profitable Internet enterprises and a company that appeared on the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row.


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Bell tolls for 24-hour shopping at Tesco as two stores cease all-night opening due to low numbers of night-owl customers
- Two Tesco Extra stores will shut between midnight and 6am
- Impact on jobs will be 'limited' says Tesco
- Move comes as beleaguered supermarket giant struggles to cut costs and grow profits
- Sales have fallen once again in the past 12 weeks, says Kantar Worldpanel
It's the eleventh hour for round-the-clock shopping at Tesco as the company confirmed today the end of all-night opening at two stores which have not been pulling in night-owl customers, according to reports.
The supermarket giant is shutting two of its Extra stores, thought to be in the London area, between midnight and 6am.
More late-night closures could be on the cards if deemed appropriate, although Tesco emphasised it is not phasing out round-the-clock shopping.
The company stressed the impact on jobs would be 'limited' as the majority of night operations will continue, such as preparing online deliveries and replenishing stock.
Readjustment: Tesco is ending 24-hour trading at two of its stores and could consider rolling out to others where appropriate
It will not reveal the names of the stores until it has completed consultation with staff members.
The move is yet another sign of the shrinking back of the supermarket, following years of what seemed like never-ending growth.
It's another indicator that Tesco is facing a completely different climate to when it introduced round-the-clock trading in 1996 and optimistically proclaimed it wanted to help customers shop whenever they wanted.
Until recently, Tesco accounted for nearly £1 in every £7 spent on UK high streets. However the beleaguered supermarket giant has suffered a series of setbacks, which have squeezed its profits, share price and market share.
Sales fell once again over the last quarter, by one per cent, market researcher Kantar Worldpanel said today.
Sales fell at three of the big four supermarkets, thanks largely to the rapid growth of budget rivals Aldi and Lidl, which proved the darling of cash-strapped shoppers throughout the economic downturn and are still going from strength to strength.
For years it seemed the big supermarkets could do no wrong; from bigger and bigger superstores to increasing numbers of stores and longer opening hours, the big four were all about growth.
However, stiff competition and falling food inflation mean shoppers are now paying significantly less for the same basket of goods as a year ago, and it seems the pressure on prices has no end in sight.
The move is part of chief executive Mr Lewis's Project Reset drive to cut costs and get the supermarket giant back on track after profit-warnings last year.
Costs at some of Tesco's big out-of-town stores have been a key issue, which have been hit by the growth in online shopping and the rise of discount supermarkets.
Shopping habits have also changed rapidly in recent years, so quickly that the supermarket giants have struggled to keep up.
Increasing numbers of households are ditching the 'weekly shop' in favour of smaller 'top-up shops' and online shopping for bulkier items.
Supermarkets have raced to open convenience stores to serve this new way of shopping. However servicing a larger number of smaller stores is more costly than running bigger out-of-town stores, and so margins have suffered.
Last week Morrisons announced it was all but giving up on competing in the convenience store space, as it ditched 150 smaller stores and took a £30million hit.
Meanwhile supermarkets have been left with thousands of square feet of unprofitable superstore space, which they are struggling to turn around.
When Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis started joined last year he halted 49 future store openings, most of them large stores.
The move to cut opening hours in the UK follows a similar move by Tesco in Ireland last year.
A Tesco spokesman said: 'We're always thinking about how best to serve customers in each of our stores.
'Where there is a case to look at the opening hours of a store, we will do so, but any decisions will be made locally and our colleagues will be the first to know.'
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On-demand car service and Uber competitor Lyft recently removed the cap it places on bills that customers face while riding during periods of increase demand.
Quartz recently reported on the issue after folks on the UberPeople.net forums started noting that they were being advertised 250%, 300% and even 400% price increases in areas such as Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California. Many of those users didn’t seem to be aware of the policy change from the previous 200% cap, though the information was made widely available to drivers in the Lyft program – including in a blog post and through emails. Oddly, Lyft decided to never alert users that they faced exorbitant fees if they rode during particularly demanding times.
According to Quartz it all came down to competition with Uber. Drivers who work for both services would simply drive for Uber when demand was high because they could make more money. With a cap at 200% of the base fare, there wasn’t much of a reason to drive for Lyft instead. Now that the cap is increased, drivers can start to work for Lyft instead, or choose the rate that fits them best.
It’s kind of win-win and kind of lose-lose.
Drivers win because they can make more money, and riders win because there’s more of an incentive for drivers to hit the streets, thereby increasing the number of rides on the road. It’s lose-lose because drivers are going to hit the roads, creating a greater supply of rides for consumers and – if we’re lucky – keeping those surge prices from getting too high except at the most-demanding times. And riders lose at that point, too, because we’re paying more.