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Stars of tech rally show weakness
Apple expects strong demand for its 5G iPhone
One of Tesla's top shareholders cuts stake
Announcement of Tesla S&P 500 addition could come within days
Nasdaq gains in spite of Tesla and Apple weakness
US tech sector continues to climb but some weakness could have been spotted on drivers of the ongoing rally - Apple and Tesla. Both stocks booked strong gains on Monday during the first session of post-split trading but struggled in the following days. In our Stock Market Comment we take a look at recent news concerning both stocks.
Following a stunning rally market capitalization of Apple exceeded market capitalization of all companies in the Russell 2000 index. Source: Bloomberg, XTB
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Apple has experienced a strong rally following a drop triggered by coronavirus pandemic in February and March. The stock not only fully recovered from the aforementioned decline but rallied 150% off March's low. High price tag encouraged Apple to perform a stock split and the market rewarded this move with a 4.2% gain on Monday. Stock added to these gains later on and its capitalization exceeded capitalization of all stocks in Russell 2000 index on Tuesday.
Apple gained on Tuesday after reports saying the company asked its suppliers to produce 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year. News signalled that the US tech company does not expect a drop in demand. Having said that, recent weakness could be ascribed to general profit taking and to lesser extent news connected to EU tech tax. Fundamental outlook has been intact.
Apple launched yesterday's trading with a big bullish price gap but ultimately finished the session lower. Nevertheless, as long as the price sits above the lower limit of the Overbalance structure at $127, bulls remain in advantage and uptrend is maintained. Source: xStation5
Tesla gained even more than Apple during the first session of post-split trading. Stock closed 12.5% higher on Monday but started to decline on Tuesday. However, unlike in Apple's case, there was a clear negative catalyst behind the drop. Tesla announced that it will offer new shares worth $5 billion "at the market". While in case of stock split investors retain rights to the same portion of profits (just split among larger amounts of shares), new stock offerings dilute ownership. Tesla shares were trading even 15% lower at one point of Wednesday's session after Baillie Gifford, UK investment firm, said it has reduced its stake at the company from 7.67 to 4.25%.
Share price of Tesla (TSLA.US) cratered yesterday but managed to finish trading off the daily lows. However, the stock is trading 6-7% lower in pre-market trade today. Support to watch can be found at $414. Source: xStation5
However, Tesla shares will be on the watch near the end of this week and at the beginning of the next as it is speculated that S&P Dow Jones indices could announce the addition of Tesla to S&P 500 index. S&P 500 was usually rebalanced on Friday in the middle of September with announcement coming 2 weeks earlier. Hence the announcement on Friday, September 4 cannot be ruled out. Announcement could create additional demand for Tesla shares from index funds and ETFs as they will adjust portfolios to better reflect broad market performance.
In spite of a mixed performance of its star members - Apple and Tesla - Nasdaq (US100) managed to close at yet another record high yesterday. Weakness can be spotted today but given recent parabolic rise, it should not be seen as a warning sign. Troubles could start once a stock breaks below psychological 12,000 pts handle that also marks the lower limit of Overbalance structure. Source: xStation5


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If you listen very carefully, you should be to hear a unanimous yawn.
The yawn is coming from fashion designers all over the world who are exhausted from trying to meet customer demands for off the-runway products. That is with the exception of Parisian couturiers who are saying, “to hell with that!”
But if this season’s Couture Week taught us nothing else, it’s that couturiers are hell bent on maintaining the integrity of exclusive luxury fashion. This Couture Week wasn’t an avant-garde spectacle of artistic expression, so much as it was a doubling down on the brand’s aesthetics in staunch opposition to the See Now-Buy Now wave sweeping over the rest of the industry.
Let’s take a step back.
Technically, couture fashion was created to service those who had the money to pay for exclusively made garments. Another way for the Haves to separate themselves from the Have Nots, it can be argued that couture is the only remaining pure form of artistic fashion.
Hear me out. Couturiers are not at the mercy of mass consumers and their fickle buying habits. The market for their bespoke pieces is small, in comparison, but those customers spend much more money than the typical shopper, which is what keeps them afloat.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, the French fashion business provides some 500,000 jobs and generates 125 billion euros. That’s over $130 billion in revenues; 40 percent of them achieved at export, and numbers support the suggestion that there’s a robust international demand for French apparel and leather goods. In short, Parisian designers are not on the struggle train, proving that their emphasis on clothing and craftsmanship, works for them.
A report conducted by the Fédération Française de la Couture du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode (the governing body of Parisian fashion), concluded that Parisian designers collectively said “No” to See Now-Buy Now.
Not only does this keep an air of mystery and exclusivity to the collections, but also because this would be logistically impossible for some Parisian designers. “Behind a fashion show is an industry,” Federation President, Ralph Toledano told Women’s Wear Daily. “There is a supply chain. It takes several weeks to produce fabrics. It takes some weeks to sew and embellish the garments. The supply chain is something very precise and very organized. It’s not something you can ignore. It’s a reality.”
Global Fashion & Events Consultant and Director of Fashion Programing for PIER59 STUDIOS, Christina Neault agrees, “I think when you’re talking about higher end designers who have a longer lead time on fabrics, and the way things are made, and the price points, I don’t see those brands going see now, buy now,” she told StyleBlazer. “I don’t think it’s even possible.”
And then you hop across the pond where RTW Fashion Week has gotten downright confusing. What was once a trade show for designers to show their upcoming collections to editors, and buyers has become a free-for-all.
The formula for a successful Ready To Wear show these days is:
Invite A-list celebrities to sit front row
Dress said celebrities in your latest collection
Create huge buzz on social media to gain attention for the show
Let the people at home in on the action via live stream
This all sounds like a good idea in theory.
The more people who see the show, the more clothes they’ll sell, right? Well that is until designers realized that these new consumers want to buy what they see on the runway when they see it. Mainstream audiences don’t care about or fully understand the importance of the lead time that goes from conception to production. They see a Kardashian/Jenner in it, and they want it ASAP.
This is a great opportunity for brands that have a reasonable introductory price point, and who can take measures to shorten their lead time. Hence, aspirational brands like Rebecca Minkoff, and Donna Karen can take advantage of this new business model.
“I think See now-Buy Now works for a lot of designers, especially those aspirational designers,” Neault told StyleBlazer.
London-based designers like Burberry, Tom Ford, and Mulberry are also joining in the wave. But, we have to wonder if the lead time continues to shrink, won’t we start to see a decline in Ready To Wear designer’s ability to effectively create unique products? When the bottom line becomes the main focus, doesn’t art suffer? This doesn’t necessarily apply in the realm of couture, because their market is small, informed, and respectful of the process.
“Our clientele is educated and informed on how the system works,” Toledano told Women’s Wear Daily. Which means the couture shows have the option to produce a much simpler affair where the clothes are the focus. The Chanel Couture show this season, for example, featured an old school vibe. Every guest had a front row seat, and there was a much more intimate feel. The focus was on the clothing, the design, and the art. There were little to no gimmicks or tricks to draw lots of media coverage, because their customers are already paying attention. This is a huge contrast to Lagerfeld’s Ready To Wear shows (remember the whole grocery store thing and the feminist protest?).
So what does this all mean? Fashion Week is going to be reeeeaaaallllllyyyy…interesting with a hodgepodge of different business models, locations, and consumers.
If history and the aforementioned facts have taught us nothing, it’s that in fashion, what Paris says, goes.

domain: news


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RIL Shares Cross Rs 1,500-mark, Market Cap Now at Rs 9.5 Trillion
RIL shares rallied on Tuesday after Reliance Jio’s rivals Vodafone Idea Ltd and Bharti Airtel Ltd decided to increase voice and data tariffs with effect from 1 December 2019.
A file photo of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) shares jumped over 3% on Tuesday, crossing the Rs 1,500-mark for the first time. This also makes the company the first among listed entities to hit a market capitalisation of Rs 9.5 trillion.
At 2:45 pm, RIL shares were trading at Rs 1,502.55, up 3%, after hitting the day’s high of Rs 1,511.45. Notably, the stock has risen by over 31% in the past one year compared with nearly 11% rise in the Nifty 50 index.
RIL shares rallied on Tuesday after Reliance Jio’s rivals Vodafone Idea Ltd and Bharti Airtel Ltd decided to increase voice and data tariffs with effect from 1 December 2019. Analysts expect the increase in tariffs by competitors could help Jio acquire more customers as India is considered to be a price-sensitive market. So far, Reliance Jio has not announced any price hike like its rivals.
RIL’s earnings has showed strong growth of late, mainly supported by its telecom (Reliance Jio Infocomm) and retail (Reliance Retail) businesses. RIL’s retail business has posted a seven-fold increase in revenue and a 14-fold increase in profit in the last six years.
Meanwhile, Jio has claimed that it is acquiring more than 10 million new customers every month.
RIL had earlier said that it has received strong interest from strategic and financial investors in its consumer businesses. “The company will induct leading global partners in these businesses in the next few quarters, and move towards listing of both these companies within the next five years, which will result in significant value unlocking,” brokerage firm Anand Rathi noted. Anand Rathi has a ‘buy’ call on the RIL stock with a target price of Rs 1,610.
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Shortlist Announced for ‘Sustainability Business Leader of the Year’ Award
Queen’s Management School is sponsoring the ‘Sustainability Business Leader of the Year’ award at the Business Eye Sustainability Awards 2023.
The Business Eye Sustainability Awards will take place at the Culloden Estate & Spa on the evening of Thursday 23rd February 2023. The Awards allows local businesses and business leaders to enter a range of 13 categories, including awards aimed at sectors such as food and drink, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing and retail, and leadership.
The Sustainability Business Leader of the Year award that QMS is sponsoring is aimed at acknowledging a business leader who has led his or her organisation to real sustainability achievement, and whose leadership can serve as an example for other business owners and leaders to follow.
The shortlisted finalists for the Sustainability Business Leader of the Year award have been released:
- Ian Henry from Henry Brothers
- Alan Lowry from Environmental Street Furniture Ltd
- Carl McGarrity from The Salthouse Hotel
Sustainability is reflected across all aspects of our work at QMS and we are committed to developing leaders who transform a business and society, fully recognising their ethical, social and environmental responsibilities. We are proud to be a Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Champion Institution, and we strive to integrate Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability (ERS) across three interconnected pillars: Education, Research, and Society.
We are looking forward to a great evening of networking with inspirational business leaders and celebrating the winner of the Sustainability Business Leader of the Year award.
- See a full list of shortlisted finalists for the Business Eye Sustainability Awards 2023.
- Read more about sustainability at Queens Management School.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Citigroup lifted its rating Tuesday on motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc.
to hold from sell and raised its target price on the stock to $26 from $14, citing an improvement in sales. "Based on our channel checks, we believe U.S. retail sales trends for [Harley-Davidson] and the overall heavyweight motorcycle category have improved since" the second quarter, wrote analyst Gregory Badishkanian in a note to clients. "We attribute the improvement to the better overall economy, which has also benefited other leisure segments," he continued. Shares of Harley-Davidson ended Friday at $23.29 and were up nearly 4% in premarket trade.


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Martin Racing Performance (MRP) purchased parts from LS Motorsports, which distributed the Diamo brand in the United States, last week at auction. MRP said in a release Thursday that it wants to work with dealers in need of Diamo parts and has lowered its dealer minimums to aid smaller Diamo dealers.
“We are slowly adding Diamo parts to our Web site on a daily basis,” MRP President Joel Martin said in the release. “Having purchased the QJ distributor in Florida and the LS Motorsports - Diamo parts inventory we are in a unique position to help the industry in a time of need.”
To cater to smaller dealers that were previously working with QJ or LS Motorsports, MRP has lowered its minimum yearly requirements to be an active dealer to $200.
The company said the purchase of the distribution warehouses is leading to a change in MRP’s business model.
“In the past we have been known as mainly a performance parts source,” Martin said in the release, “but now our expansion has allowed us to claim a greater share of the OEM business.”
MRP’s business is separate from Precision Powersports, the new owner of the Diamo brand.


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AMD has just released their latest 12.1 Catalyst preview driver, which introduces new features to the Catalyst Control Center, and improved Stereoscopic HD3D.
Trine is fun. Trine 2 is a sidescrolling game of action, puzzles and platforming released on PCs and Macs on December 7th, 2011 for 14.99 US$. Console versions will follow soon.
IF your PC or Mac is 3D enabled, the game switchs automatically to 3D mode. Support of Nvidia 3D Vision and 3D vision2 is Wooow!
This physics-based games offers puzzles with fire, water, gravity and magic and is playable online and local co-op for up to three players. Video trailer here under.
Sony Pictures made the announcement that Men In Black 3 will be released in IMAX theaters as well and making its regular theatrical debut. The release date on IMAX and regular theatres is May, 25 2012 but this week, Sony / Columbia Pictures released the long awaited trailer !
StereoVision Entertainement (Van Nuys, CA, USA) completed today its deal with Sony Pictures Television, securing the future of the "Booty" production.
Story: They're fearless. They're dangerous. They're women...and they're pirates. The Caribbean will never be the same again. As the pirate ship Vengeance sails the seas, its crew seeks ou fame and fortune in the most beautiful of locations in this fun-filled thrill ride across the open waters under ther bluest skies.


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Here at TechBargains, we make Valentine's Day shopping easier by negotiating deals on a variety of quality products to save consumers time and money.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 31, 2013
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner TechBargains.com, and its sister site PlanetBargains.com, are taking the guess work out of shopping for the most romantic day of the year. The Valentine’s Day Gift Guide features exclusive deals offering up to 85% off the retail price and free shipping from 28 popular stores. The guide is divided into seven categories; flowers, jewelry, fragrances, beauty, romantic getaways, tasty treats, and unique gifts. Shoppers can leave the flying around to cupid and instead buy online from the comfort of their own home.
“Valentine’s Day can bring a lot of pressure to find the ideal gift for that special person,” said Yung Trang, president and editor-in-chief of TechBargains.com. “Here at TechBargains, we make it easier by negotiating deals on a variety of quality products to save consumers time and money.”
TechBargains.com also provides helpful resources for consumers including a price comparison tool, deal alerts and its YouTube channel that focuses on product reviews, tech bargains and gadget giveaways.
TechBargains is a deal aggregation website that combines intelligent curation with real-time price-value discovery algorithms. TechBargains uses this technology to highlight the best deals and coupon codes on the internet each day. TechBargains is a division of Exponential Interactive (http://www.exponential.com), a global provider of advertising intelligence and digital media solutions to brand advertisers headquartered in Emeryville, California that offers solutions in 26 countries worldwide. For more information visit http://www.techbargains.com.


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Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest leisure travel company, will be holding a virtual keel laying ceremony for the next generation of LNG Cruise ships. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday 6 September 2017 from 12:15-12:45 hrs at Hamburg Messe und Congress as part of the Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention conference opening session.
Representing a major environmental breakthrough, the seven new ships for four Carnival Corporation’s global brands – Carnival Cruise Line, P&O Cruises UK, Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises – will feature a revolutionary “green cruising” design and will be the first in the cruise industry to be powered at sea by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) – the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel.
The ships with delivery between 2018 and 2022 will be built by the German and Finnish shipbuilders Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku.
To gain access to the conference at Seatrade Europe, you will need to register in advance of the show, which you can do here: https://www.seatrade-europe.com
Alternatively, you can also participate in the keel laying ceremony via live stream. In order to be able to follow the live stream for the ceremony, please register free of charge at the PRESSLIVE (www.presslive.de) journalist platform or directly via this link: https://streaming.presslive.de/
To find out more about the full programme, and for regular updates, please visit www.seatrade-europe.com/programme/conference
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RIM will go toe to toe with Samsung, Sony and Nokia as it bids to establish its BB10 operating system, according to industry souces.
Industry partners believe that RIM's biggest ever above-the-line marketing campaign is on the way.
One distribution source said: ‘We have been told RIM is planning the biggest above-the-line campaign in its history. Spending big is something RIM hasn’t done historically but I hope for their sakes it will be of the size of the Sony and Samsung launches. If not they will struggle to be taken seriously. After all, this is about their future as a credible manufacturer.’
RIM is hoping the new BB10 devices will halt falling Blackberry sales which have seen its share of the global smartphone market plummet from 20% in 2009 to just 6% in 2012.
RIM's rivals are spending big on their product launches. Nokia spent £20m on its launch of its first Windows smartphones – the Nokia Lumia 800 - whilst Sony is set to double its spend on its flagship phones to around £40m this year.
RIM is expected to focus a large part of its marketing campaign on high end business users in the face of growing competition in the enterprise space from Apple and from Android manufacturers.
A manufacturer source said: ‘RIM is set to throw everything behind this launch in terms of marketing and they will need to, since they have a very small window of opportunity with MWC less than a month away and are launching in what is the worst quarter of the year.’


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EBay has patched a severe XSS security vulnerability which exposed potentially millions of users to phishing campaigns and subsequent data theft.
Despite being informed of the bug privately, the online auction trading site allegedly left a critical XSS flaw open to abuse on the ebay.com domain, and only rallied to fix the issue after the media caught wind of the flaw.
An independent security researcher nicknamed MLT discovered the XSS issue and explained his findings in a blog post on Monday.
"This is a fairly basic vulnerability (no WAF bypass or anything of that sort required) on a site where XSS would generally be considered a huge issue (even more so since the main domain is involved)," the researcher says.
The Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability, implemented through Java, allowed an attacker to inject their own malicious page within eBay via an iframe. MLT leveraged the weakness in eBay's domain to inject a login page into eBay's URL system, which made the malicious URL look like it was hosted on the legitimate eBay website.
The researcher's code resulted in an error for potential victims attempting to log in on the fraudulent page, but resulted in their credentials being theoretically captured in plain text.
Once the source code of eBay is copied or a program is used to replicate the website, then users are unlikely to be suspicious when it comes to these kinds of spear phishing tactics -- which could lead to rampant data theft and circumvents the use of encryption and password hashes used on legitimate eBay login pages.
The proof-of-concept video below shows the security flaw in action:
The security flaw paved the way for phishing campaigns to be levied against eBay users. While we often see phishing emails in our email inboxes, XSS-based spear phishing campaigns can be far more damaging as an injection into the vulnerable eBay domain could lead to malicious code targeting visitors in order to hijack their accounts or harvest credentials.
When you consider how many millions of users eBay caters for, this is a critical problem.
According to MLT, the researcher waited a month without a response to their submission. While the problem is now fixed, MLT said, "they only rushed to patch the vulnerability after the media contacted them about it."
In a statement, an eBay spokesperson told ZDNet:
"We did indeed receive the researcher's submission on the 11th of December, and did respond to the initial email address that he submitted the report to on the 12th.
However, he followed up with a different email alias, which resulted in a bit of miscommunication. We have since been in contact with the researcher and have fixed them."
Read on: Top picks


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Coimbatore Manufacturing MSMEs Protesting Against Raw Material Price Hike
M.V. Ramesh Babu, President of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association said, “The prices keep fluctuating. Two days ago the prices of copper products went up INR 90 a kg and dropped by INR 10 or INR 15 after that."
The last few quarters have shown a very tough situation from the perspective of the raw material and input-cost price increase. Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Coimbatore are considering to make a strong protest against the rise in prices of raw materials.
M.V. Ramesh Babu, President of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association said, “The prices keep fluctuating. Two days ago the prices of copper products went up INR 90 a kg and dropped by INR 10 or INR 15 after that. Can we change the prices of the products every day? We are unable to quote a price for our products. There is a lot of uncertainty. We asked for an appointment to meet the Ministers and have made several appeals. But there is no response from the government.”
The drop in prices benefits MSMEs while the hike in prices pose huge losses for the units.
“We need a solution to the issue that is on for almost a year. Hence, the industry associations here are in talks to decide on the future course of action,” he added.
He stated that many MSMEs have informed him that there are no orders this month owing to the high prices of raw materials.
It is suggested by the association that the government should imply zero rate on import duty and should ban export of iron ore and other raw materials.
The administration should provide subsidies to MSMEs for the procurement of raw materials along with GST based funding system for the small units to grow.


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Visa U.S.A. and MasterCard International will release new security rules in the next 30 to 60 days for all organizations that handle credit card data, a Visa official said this week.
The rules will be the first major updates to the one-year-old Payment Card Industry (PCI) data security standard, which analysts said is slowly but surely being adopted.
One set of PCI extensions is aimed at protecting credit card data from emerging Web application security threats, said Eduardo Perez, vice president of corporate risk and compliance at Visa. Other new rules will require companies to ensure that any third parties that they deal with, such as hosting providers, have proper controls for securing credit card data.
Merchants who fail to comply with PCI can face fines or be excluded from processing credit cards.
The standard lists 12 broad controls that retailers, online merchants, data processors and other businesses must implement to protect cardholder data. They include technology controls such as data encryption, end-user access control and activity monitoring, as well as procedural mandates.
Most existing PCI requirements focus on security at the network level, but many of the latest threats are on the application side, said Philippe Courtot, CEO of Qualys a California based provider of managed security services. So it makes sense to update PCI to protect against Web application threats such as SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting flaws, error-handling problems and validation errors, he said.
The PCI standard could become stricter in the next few years. Currently, companies are encouraged, but aren't required, to use payment applications that meet a set of PCI payment application best-practices standards, but that will become compulsory over the next two years, Perez said.
The number of companies complying with PCI requirements finally appears to be picking up after a slow start, several analysts said. Visa says that about 22 percent of Tier 1 merchants, which the company defines as those processing more than 6 million card transactions per month, are already PCI-compliant, with another 72 percent on track to becoming fully compliant.
The numbers reveal that progress is being made, albeit slowly, said Avivah Litan, a Gartner analyst. One of the biggest technology challenges is PCI's requirement for encryption, Litan said. Some companies are uncertain whether they're required to encrypt data or can implement other compensating controls, she said.


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Featured and breaking Reno news.
KPS3, a full-service marketing and digital communications firm, has hired Mike McDowell as vice president of client strategy. [More.]
College-prep charter school Alpine Academy has an exceptional graduation rate. Not only that, but more than 40 percent of its most recent graduating class earned an advanced diploma and received a Millenium Scholarship. [More.]
Dedicated to locally sourced ingredients and supporting responsible ranching, Fat Cat Bar & Grill is partnering with local charity, LEAD with Horses, to give back to the community. [More.]
You can buy edible CBD products from countless stores in Washoe County, but the County Health District recently started to crack on the sales of such products. Dorinda’s Chocolates, which makes CBD chocolates under the [More.]
Leaders of the University of Nevada, Reno, are trying to find ways to keep an advanced-manufacturing research initiative alive even though the State Legislature didn’t approve the funds that were expected to be its cornerstone. [More.]
State Fire Marshal Bart Chambers determined the explosion at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Argenta Hall started in the dormitory’s boiler room and said all campus dorms will be inspected starting today. [More.]


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Last week we reported that Facebook is in advanced talks to buy Israel-born social traffic and mapping app Waze for up to $1 billion, but that there were still some questions over whether Waze’s R&D efforts would remain in their home country, or move to Facebook’s HQ in California. Haaretz has now advanced the story, saying that the current deal has it that Waze’s R&D will stay in Israel, where it will also continue to be a registered, tax-paying company, while Waze’s Palo Alto office will move over to Facebook and Menlo Park. While reports are now swirling that Apple could still come into the negotiating room again (if you believe Apple was ever there in the first place), the deal raises some interesting details and debate about what is happening in the Israeli startup scene currently.
In a country more renowned for its B2B and technical exits — Cisco’s $5 billion NDS deal being one example from last year, but so are Facebook’s two previous Israeli acquisitions, feature phone interface designer Snaptu and facial recognition company Face.com — this is one of the first big consumer tech exits in Israel. Yaron Samid, founder of the Israeli tech startup network TechAviv and himself a serial entrepreneur, notes that this is in fact the first $1 billion exit for such a company. Waze’s rapid rise over the last couple of years, he notes, has already been having an impact on the community, with the exit being the final flourish.
“The inspiration has already taken hold like wildfire among the countless Israeli founders who’ve been told that they can’t produce a billion-dollar consumer Internet/Mobile company – and now know that they all can,” he writes. (He also takes the opportunity for a little self promotion, claiming that he’d been one of those suggesting current CEO Noam Bardin after he couldn’t take the job himself.)
There are numerous Israeli Startups that could get a lift from the ‘new order’ where consumer startups, not just B2B and enterprise, can emerge from the country. These could include Wix, GetTaxi, Fiverr, Bizzabo, MyHeritage, Wishi and Mobli, among others.
Facebook Israel foothold
The other interesting development here is that this could give Facebook a foothold into the Israeli tech world. Unlike Google, Facebook does not have an operation in Israel, which could well create useful ‘boots on the ground’ in a nation renowned for its engineering talent. This would make it the second Facebook development arm outside the U.S., after London.
But the suggestion so far is that Waze will remain an independent company operating in Israel, with R&D staying in Israel, while the business side, including CEO Noam Bardin, is expected to move over to Facebook U.S. HQ.
But, there is a cultural clash on the horizon here.
Some local players are already coming out against this idea. Local VC and TechCrunch contributor Roi Carthy says he would like to see Facebook shutter Waze’s local presence, and relocate the tech personnel to Palo Alto.
Because, he says, although the Waze R&D center could be a beach-head for a full-blown Facebook R&D shop, and thus good for Facebook, “it could have catastrophic effects upon local early stage startups’ ability to compete on salaries and benefits.”
His argument is that if a big company like Facebook stays away, then the Israeli tech ecosystem is more likely to be able to “push more innovation” towards Silicon Valley, which would be in the “best interest of both the local startup industry and Facebook.”
Certainly, such a large acquisition inside such a relatively small country could well change the successful dynamics of the Israeli eco-system. If it became a mere engineering centre for Facebook, Apple and Google, the implication is that we might not see quite the same levels of startup activity as we’ve seen emerge in the past from Israel.
That is almost certainly overstating the ‘problem’. It’s more likely that the experience of being inside these big tech companies in Israel is more likely to create a virtuous circle of new entrepreneurs, spin-outs and new projects. Plus, more eyes and ears on the ground for potential acquisitions.
Haaretz is also reporting some details about the financial terms of the deal. Anywhere from 40 percent to 60 percent of the $1 billion price (the current offer) will be in Facebook shares, with the rest in cash. Israeli investors woud prefer more cash; others prefer Facebook shares. Specific investors like Li Ka-Shing will land $116 million from the deal after investing $30 million via the Horizon Ventures Fund along with Kleiner Perkins less than two years ago. Microsoft will pull in $102 million after investing of $25 million in December 2010.


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Last week, shoppers left the toilet paper aisle nearly empty at
Kennedy’s Fresh Foods.
Kennedy’s, Runnings impacted by pandemic
Across the state, people have been putting unprecedented shopping pressure on their local retail and grocery stores during this national crisis. As a result, local businesses have struggled to keep certain products on their shelves.
Kennedy’s Fresh Foods
Kyle Kennedy, manager of Kennedy’s Fresh Foods, said that on Mar. 16, the grocery store almost set a record for sales at the store. Since then, however, Kennedy said the “craziness” has subsided.


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Retail banking is undergoing something of a revolution. Taking advantage of the fact that traditional banks haven’t changed much over the years, so-called challenger banks and payment firms are starting to capture market share from the younger generation. Although most big banks offer online portals, these are often based on legacy technologies that make them slow and cumbersome to use.
In contrast, the challenger banks and related payment firms adopt a digital-first approach that appeals to millennials and generation Z. These up-and-coming fintech firms are able to develop new platforms, predominantly targeted at mobile users, that are simple to use and streamlined.
In this way, companies can keep technology overheads low while also avoiding the cost of maintaining bricks-and-mortar premises. They can serve millions of users from a single location with a relatively small team, quickly able to adapt to user demands.
A Global Phenomenon
The UK proved to be fertile ground for this phenomenon to take root, but it’s now rapidly expanding across the globe. In 2017, British-based Monzo and rival firm Atom Bank raised $120m and $140m in funding, respectively. Now, similar offerings are popping up in Germany with Solaris Bank and N26, in Brazil with Banco Original, and in China with MyBank and WeBank.
However, the UK fintech shift shows no signs of slowing. Revolut recently made the news when it announced it was seeking $1.5 billion in growth funding.
A New Suite of Digital Finance Services
Clunky legacy technology alone isn’t likely to be the only factor driving the younger generation towards the challengers and payment firms, so what makes these companies different? Another key driver for change is that they tend to hone on niche services that traditional banks have overlooked. For example, pre-paid credit cards for traveling mean that users can avoid paying foreign exchange fees.
They may also offer higher rates on savings than the traditional banks, or the ability to send instant payments to other users. Lower cost, on-demand services such as travel insurance are also alluring for a generation looking for more flexibility from their providers.
Given the focus on digital, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the challengers have now started to differentiate themselves from the traditional banks in another way – embracing cryptocurrencies. This is an intriguing development for the nascent crypto sector, as these companies have a massive user base, bringing Bitcoin and its cousins in front of a new audience of potential adopters.
Digital Banking Frontrunners in Cryptocurrency
Perhaps unsurprisingly given that many challengers originated in the UK, the first movers into the crypto space are also UK-based firms. In contrast, it could be that Brits have more ways to buy bitcoin in the UK, which is why local fintech firms have decided to focus on it.
Either way, one example of a fintech firm adopting cryptocurrency is UK-based payment firm Skrill, which started offering users the option to buy digital assets using their fiat deposits back in 2018. More recently, Skrill has added crypto-to-crypto buy-and-sell services to its platform. Users can swap their Bitcoins for up to eight other cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and EOS, among others.
Skrill has a user base of 20 million people, who can now more easily access crypto and play around with a portfolio using their existing account balances. One of the critical barriers to mainstream adoption is the fact that users need to navigate cryptocurrency exchanges, which have a poor reputation for security following several high-profile hacks. A crypto service through a trusted provider like Skrill is a major key to overcoming that barrier.
Skrill doesn’t necessarily fit into the category of new fintech firms. The company started life as Moneybookers back in 2001 and is now operated by the Paysafe Group. Paysafe also owns Neteller, another payment firm that’s expanded into cryptocurrency services.
Revolut is another example. The company has been steadily expanding its platform based around pre-paid debit cards, savings vaults, and overseas medical insurance. Like Skrill, it also offers users the opportunity to purchase crypto through its platform. If it manages to raise the $1.5 bn funding it’s currently seeking, then Revolut could also be a critical catalyst in bringing crypto to the masses.
Trailblazing a Crypto-Finance Revolution?
Others seem set to follow. German bank N26 has previously indicated it intends to integrate crypto trading into its app. Starling Bank doesn’t currently accept crypto but stated in a Twitter thread last year that it acknowledges cryptocurrency is becoming more mainstream.
Hi Josh! At the moment our cards and accounts do not support Coinbase, nor Crypto Currencies. 😀
— Starling Bank (@StarlingBank) July 28, 2018
The co-founder of Starling Bank also recently joined Gemini as Managing Director for Europe, which may perhaps help to build a bridge between Starling Bank and the crypto space.
Although many of the other challengers have yet to leap into crypto, there was one surprising entrant from the traditional banks reported in November. The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) recently filed four patents in the US and Canada that indicate an intent to incorporate cryptocurrencies into its offerings.
If the RBC can blaze a trail for traditional banks in crypto adoption, the challengers holding back in this regard may have to up their game. However, given that the pace of change in the traditional retail banking sector tends to be somewhat glacial, the more agile challengers are more likely to have a better chance of providing a bridge to crypto for new users.
Although crypto still caters to a niche audience, it seems likely that challenger banks and payment companies could ultimately play a very critical role in bringing crypto to the masses. The question is when, rather than if, they’ll follow in the footsteps of the early adopters.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.


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Osim posts highest quarterly earnings in five years
Published on Jan 27, 2014 7:41 PM
Higher sales and better productivity have lef lifestyle product firm Osim International to report its highest quarterly earnings in five years.
The firm said on Monday that fourth quarter net profit jumped 22.1 per cent to $27.6 million, on the back of a 15.5 per cent rise in revenue to $178.6 million for the three months to Dec 31 last year.
Earnings for the full year came in at $101.6 million, up 16.9 per cent on the year before, while turnover climbed 7.6 per cent to $647.6 million.
Osim International said its stellar performance was due to product innovation and its competitive pricing in different markets.
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What: Shares of The Fresh Market jumped on Thursday following a report from Reuters that supermarket giant Kroger wants to acquire the company. At 3:15 p.m. ET Thursday, shares of The Fresh Market were up about 16%, while shares of Kroger were down less than 1%.
So what: According to Reuters, Kroger is in the second round of an auction process for The Fresh Market. Various private equity firms, including Apollo Global Management and KKR & Co. , are said to also be interested in potentially acquiring the specialty grocer.
In October, The Fresh Market announced that it would conduct a strategic review of its business and strategy, and this auction process appears to be the result of that plan. The company has faced growing competition from traditional supermarkets like Kroger, which have been increasing the amount of natural and organic foods sold in stores.
The Fresh Market wouldn't be the first upscale chain purchased by Kroger. Back in 2014, the company acquired Harris-Teeter, a North-Carolina based supermarket chain. With The Fresh Market having a market capitalization of about $1 billion, any buyout would likely involve a significant premium to that level.
Now what: There's no guarantee that Kroger will end up winning the auction or that The Fresh Market will sell itself at all. For Kroger, an acquisition would boost its revenue by less than 2%, although The Fresh Market does manage far higher margins than Kroger's existing business.
It's unclear whether a deal will be announced, but investors should remember that buying a stock solely based on the hope that the company will get acquired is rarely a good idea.
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Timothy Green has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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LinkedIn has evolved through the ocean of social media websites to earn its position as the most preferred avenue for B2B content marketing. 91% of marketers opt for LinkedIn for its business orientation and customization. In this article, we are going to explore how you can customize your profile for outreach success.
In the last edition, I told you how Twitter had been exposed for tapping into its users’ smart phones to access details of contacts in a bid to create a better experience. It has recently been revealed that Facebook has taken it upon itself to display the @facebook.com email address instead of users’ preferred personal email addresses. Facebook claims that they have only done it for uniformity on the site, but experts claim it is a tactical move to increase advertising revenue by driving more traffic to the site.


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Global consumer analyst JD Power and Associates has delivered a sobering warning to green car enthusiasts, just weeks before the first mainstream electric vehicles are expected to become available.
The firm said that the global market demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) "may be overhyped" October 27, warning that it may be difficult to convince larger numbers of consumers to switch from conventionally powered passenger vehicles.
The "Drive Green 2020: More Hope than Reality" report suggested that global sales of hybrids and BEVs are expected to total 5.2 million units by 2020, or just 7.3 percent of total vehicles sold.
"While considerable interest exists among governments, media and environmentalists in promoting HEVs and BEVs, consumers will ultimately decide whether these vehicles are commercially successful or not," said JD Power and Associates' John Humphrey.
"Based on our research of consumer attitudes toward these technologies - and barring significant changes to public policy, including tax incentives and higher fuel economy standards - we don't anticipate a mass migration to green vehicles in the coming decade."
Most damningly, the company warned that there are a variety of concerns about hybrids and BEVs ranging from their design to dissatisfaction with performance, and said that buyers occupy a unique demographic niche - they are generally older, highly educated and high-income.
With US sales of the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt set to kick off in the coming months and European sales of the LEAF and Mitsubishi i-MiEV shortly afterwards, automakers will be watching buyers closely to see if JD Powers' predictions are correct.
Chevrolet, for its part, has already chosen to appeal to the "Americaness" of early Volt passengers in its new advertising campaign which aired across the US for the first time this week.
In it, US actor Tim Allen exhorts the extended range capabilities of the Volt, saying "we're wanderers, wayfarers, even nomads, so doesn't it just make sense that we build an electric car that goes far?"
Who'll be driving hybrids and EVs by 2020?
United States (1.7 million hybrids, 100,000 EVs)
Europe (977,000 hybrids, 742,000 EVs)
Japan (875,000 hybrids, 100,000 EVs)
China (Under 100,000 hybrids, 332,000 EVs)
Source: JD Power and Associates - http://www.jdpower.com


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The 2004 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) offered a plethora of new portable heating and cooling equipment, from equipment used to cool workers on an assembly line to a new ceiling fan designed to heat otherwise cool rooms.
It's not easy being a portable cooling unit. They can be jostled and bumped on the back of a truck. They may be surrounded by harsh weather and/or extreme heat. It can all be in a day's work for a rugged portable unit.
Creating a great place to work is one of the top priorities for the owners of Pacific Aire Inc. Its empowered employees make the company the West/Pacific Region winner in The News' 2003 "Best Contractor To Work For" contest.
The first Innovation Awards, presented at last year's International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), generated so much interest that it only made sense to have another competition in 2004. As a result, another set of eight Innovation Awards will be presented at this year's AHR Expo, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center Jan. 26-28.
Contractors planning to go to the AHR Expo should also think about attending a few of the 100 sessions that will be presented at the Winter Meeting of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The 2004 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), which will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center Jan. 26-28, will be larger than any previous West Coast AHR Expo, according to the show's management company.
Residential new construction is not an area in which you would expect to see many high-end furnaces. Builders often choose the least expensive units. Some manufacturers are starting to target this market, though, by introducing base models of higher efficiency furnaces.
Forecasters are warning this winter may be colder than normal. The residential price of natural gas is expected to rise higher. But that's good news for the heating industry, since many homeowners are expressing greater interest in high-end furnaces.
When the Church of the Ascension asked Sorg Cooling-Heating to submit a proposal to remove the church's existing mechanical equipment and install new HVAC equipment, Sorg took the opportunity to offer a high-efficiency scenario.
Homeowners and building occupants are more focused than ever on reducing microbes and improving indoor air quality. Companies that manufacture duct products are very much aware of IAQ worries. Thus, companies have responded with antimicrobial duct products.


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Some highlights from the report’s introduction:
The world market price for cocoa saw a steep decline between September 2016 and February 2017.
Smallholder cocoa farmers, already struggling with poverty, saw their cocoa income decline by as much as 30%-40% within a couple of months, with the exception of Ghana, where the government is subsidizing the cocoa price indirectly. Though prices are presently climbing again, farmers bear the risks of a volatile price, and there is no concerted effort by industry or governments to alleviate even a part of the burden of this income shock.
The price collapse is directly linked to a strong increase of cocoa production in the past years, partly driven by new production areas set up at the expense of native forests.
This can be equally attributed to corporate disinterest in the environmental effects of the supply of cheap cocoa, and to an almost completely absent government enforcement of environmentally protected areas. More than ninety per cent of West Africa’s original forests are gone.
Child labour remains at very high levels in the cocoa sector, with an estimated 2.1 million children working in cocoa fields in the Ivory Coast and Ghana alone.
Child labour is due to a combination of root causes, including structural poverty, increased cocoa production, and a lack of schools and other infrastructure. Not a single company or government is anywhere near reaching the sector-wide objective of the elimination of child labour, and not even near their commitments of a 70% reduction of child labour by 2020.
Download the full report here –direct link to the .PDF.


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It’s time to regulate tobacco
In New Hampshire, nearly 1,900 children a year – approximately 37 per day – become regular smokers. In our state alone, we spend $564 million on health-care costs directly caused by smoking. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in New Hampshire, claiming approximately 1,800 lives in the Granite State every year.
These are not just statistics. They are our moms and dads, our brothers and sisters, our grandmas and grandpas, our friends and the people we work with. The best way to reduce the 1,200 tobacco-related deaths in the United States each day is to prevent kids from ever starting to smoke. Nationally, 90 percent of all smokers start at or before the age of 18. Big tobacco companies know that their future depends on their ability to recruit new, young smokers.
According to a recent report by the Institute of Medicine, there are four important measures that, when taken together, reduce the negative consequences of tobacco use. Fortunately, in New Hampshire, state legislators have made progress on three of these goals.
In June, state legislators overwhelmingly passed a law that made New Hampshire the final New England state to require bars and restaurants to be smoke-free, protecting workers and patrons alike. We followed that momentous bill with a 28-cent increase in the state’s tobacco tax, which also deters youth smoking. And, finally, we approved funding for a state comprehensive cancer plan that includes resources for tobacco prevention and cessation.
However, there is a fourth measure that lies in the hands of our members of Congress – regulating the manufacture, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Unbelievably, despite being the most deadly product sold in America, tobacco products are exempt from basic health regulations that apply to other products we consume, such as food and drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration regulates a box of macaroni and cheese and a tube of lipstick, but not a pack of cigarettes.
The tobacco companies continue to take advantage of the lack of regulation to market their deadly and addictive products to our children, deceive consumers about the harm their products cause, make changes to their products without disclosing them (such as secretly increasing nicotine levels in cigarette smoke, as recent studies have shown), and resist any meaningful change to make their products less harmful.
Until Congress grants the FDA authority over tobacco products, the tobacco companies will continue to get away with their harmful practices that addict children and make it difficult for smokers to quit.
Legislation pending in Congress – the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act – would provide the FDA with authority over tobacco, including the authority to crack down on tobacco marketing and sales to kids. The bill would help protect our children and decrease teen smoking rates by banning flavored cigarettes, and requiring larger, more graphic health warning labels on cigarette packages.
The FDA legislation has strong, bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. Fifty-four Senators have already signed on to co-sponsor this bill, and in August, Sen. Judd Gregg voted in favor of the bill in the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. We call on Sen. John Sununu to join his colleagues in support of this bipartisan legislation.
The tobacco industry’s attempts to lure children must be curbed, and this legislation is a step in the right direction.
Terie Norelli is speaker of the New Hampshire House, and Sylvia Larsen is president of the New Hampshire Senate.


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Prices of Silvergate Capital Corp’s shares dipped by over 20 percent on Tuesday after an announcement that it wouldn’t launch its stablecoin before the year ends.
Early Tuesday, the firm’s stock prices were already under pressure after reporting the latest trends as per its earnings release.
The bank stated that clients didn’t exchange their cryptocurrencies as quickly amid the current bear market, comparing trends to those of previous quarters. By mid-Tuesday, Silvergate’s shares dropped by $14.39, down to $56.
Silvergate Planned on Launching New Stablecoin Payments Initiative
Initially, Silvergate intended to launch a new stablecoin payment system, which it developed after purchasing assets from Diem, the failed META stablecoin project.
Silvergate planned on debuting the project before the year ended. However, after the Q3 earnings report was released, the CEO said that it will no longer take place as scheduled.
According to Mark Palmer, a financial analyst with BTIG, investors expected the growth of Silvergate’s assets to rise from its stablecoin project. This would eventually impact the company’s share price.
As of now, Palmer’s expected $135 per share price fails to account for contributions by the unreleased stablecoin project.
Silvergate CEO Blames Regulatory Compliance for Delay
Based on statements by Silvergate CEO Alan Lane, the delay in rolling out the stablecoin project is due to regulatory compliance.
When addressing questions during a Q&A session, he explained that the issue isn’t because the company is unprepared technology-wise.
As for a potential date for when the stablecoin project will roll out; it’s likely that there is none. Ben Reynolds, the Chief Strategy Officer at Silvergate, explains that the company isn’t in a position to give an update on when the stablecoin will roll out.
Silvergate Reports Customer Deposits Totaling $12 Billion in Q3
Before the Q3 earnings call, Silvergate reported that it had accumulated digital asset deposits worth $12 billion in the third quarter.
In contrast, the bank reported an average of $13.8 billion in Q2, $14.7 billion in Q1, and $13.3 billion in the final quarter of 2021.
Its earnings report also said that the company recorded profits of $43.3 million compared to the $38.6 million of the last quarter.
However, its digital asset user base only increased by 5 percent to 1,667, which is quite a decline from the 17 percent increase in the previous quarter.
Silvergate is known for its unique niche that, despite being in traditional finance, banks on the bigger crypto firms. Its latest earnings report shows decreasing interest in trading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Considering how the crypto industry is experiencing one of the worst bear markets to date, this could be a growing trend that will persistently affect cryptocurrency firms.


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Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on W. Wedbush reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of Wayfair in a report on Tuesday, January 10th. Credit Suisse Group AG began coverage on Wayfair in a report on Wednesday, January 11th. They issued a neutral rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. Zacks Investment Research raised Wayfair from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, January 11th. Canaccord Genuity reissued a buy rating on shares of Wayfair in a report on Tuesday, February 7th. Finally, Cowen and Company reissued an outperform rating and issued a $44.00 target price (up previously from $39.00) on shares of Wayfair in a report on Wednesday, February 22nd. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Wayfair has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $53.95.
Shares of Wayfair (NYSE:W) traded down 2.66% on Wednesday, hitting $61.92. 1,494,868 shares of the stock were exchanged. Wayfair has a 52-week low of $27.60 and a 52-week high of $65.80. The company’s 50 day moving average is $49.28 and its 200-day moving average is $40.84. The stock’s market cap is $5.36 billion.
Wayfair (NYSE:W) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 9th. The company reported ($0.48) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of ($0.80) by $0.32. Wayfair had a negative return on equity of 91.94% and a negative net margin of 5.29%. The firm had revenue of $960.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $934.84 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.36) earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 28.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Wayfair will post ($1.60) EPS for the current fiscal year.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Wayfair Inc (W) Given New $55.00 Price Target at Goldman Sachs Group Inc” was originally posted by Chaffey Breeze and is owned by of Chaffey Breeze. If you are accessing this report on another site, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of United States & international trademark & copyright law. The legal version of this report can be read at https://www.chaffeybreeze.com/2017/05/20/wayfairs-w-neutral-rating-reaffirmed-at-goldman-sachs-group-inc-updated.html.
In other Wayfair news, insider Steven Conine sold 12,000 shares of Wayfair stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.04, for a total value of $480,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 84,950 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,401,398. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Nicholas Malone sold 1,000 shares of Wayfair stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.67, for a total value of $35,670.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 3,881 shares in the company, valued at $138,435.27. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 1,107,809 shares of company stock valued at $44,276,715 in the last 90 days. 63.94% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. FMR LLC raised its position in Wayfair by 1.8% in the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 7,550,245 shares of the company’s stock valued at $305,709,000 after buying an additional 133,204 shares in the last quarter. Harbourvest Partners LLC raised its position in Wayfair by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Harbourvest Partners LLC now owns 3,860,511 shares of the company’s stock valued at $135,311,000 after buying an additional 16,842 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Wayfair by 4.6% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,605,201 shares of the company’s stock valued at $105,484,000 after buying an additional 113,613 shares in the last quarter. Spruce House Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Wayfair during the first quarter valued at $101,225,000. Finally, Baillie Gifford & Co. raised its position in Wayfair by 18.6% in the first quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 1,812,214 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,377,000 after buying an additional 284,599 shares in the last quarter. 70.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wayfair Inc (Wayfair) offers browsing, merchandising and product discovery for a range of products from various suppliers. The Company operates through two segments: U.S. and International. The U.S. segment consists of amounts earned through product sales through the Company’s five sites in the United States and through sites operated by third parties in the United States.
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As you remember, p2pb2b team has recently participated in NEO Blockchain Hackathon. The event resulted in another great partnership for our exchange. One of the most progressive and widely-discussed coins was listed on our platform. Users can now buy, sell, and trade NEO token.NEO is a blockchain developed in accordance with the future needs of the global market. It’s a non-profit community-driven project that implements blockchain technology and digital identity in order to introduce the “Smart Economy” concept to the management of digital assets. NEO cryptocurrency is in the TOP-20 list of cryptocurrencies on CoinMarketCap with a capitalization of over $580 million.
NEO is based on a modification of the PoS protocol called Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance (dBFT). Thanks to it, the speed of the transactions increases, while the digitization of assets is ensured to be safe, trustworthy, and decentralized.
Stay tuned and start trading on p2pb2b!


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Negative effects of gmo foods
Side effects of gmos - ask your doctor if cancer is right for (the dairy giant), general mills, kellogg's and smucker are fighting to keep gmo foods unlabeled. Risks & side effects of genetically modified food genetically modified foods have a number of potentially negative side effects list of non gmo foods. What is a gmo gmo stands for genetically modified organisms or genetically engineered it is the process of taking genes from one species and coercing them into the genes of another species. ----- unintended gmo health risks genetically modified foods: yes the gm protein produced by the gene may have unintended properties or effects gm foods on.
While no one knows exactly what the effects of consuming pesticide-soaked genetically-engineered (ge) three reasons gmo foods are unsafe. There is a growing amount of information about gmos in recent years that, (genetically modified organisms), appear to confirm serious health and environmental implications due to these ‘novel’ foods. 10 scary facts about gmos a negative long-term impact on foods worldwide are given complete control over the foods we eat they sell gmo seeds too. Gmo genetically modified organism (gmo) is one of the it is not secret that gmo-ed foods have spread out the harmful effects that have raised up to now. “most studies with gm foods indicate that they may gmo myths & truths (2012 claim that there are no differences between the effects of gm foods and their.
Gmos and pesticides: the lack of conclusive evidence ruling out negative effects of chronic the use of such chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Negative impacts on gm foods: the use of genetically modified plants and animals has already become commonplace in today’s society without many people being. Home » press center » press items » how do genetically modified foods affect long-term effects on mandated that genetically modified organisms. Potential adverse health effects of genetically modified crops modification can produce large amounts of foods that are adverse effects.
(prweb) april 03, 2014 -- effects of genetically modified foods on human these foods cause negative effects to gmo foods can have minerals and vitamins. Possible negative impacts of gmos on health and skin: how to avoid gmos in skincare products home subscribe eating gmo foods has.
Negative effects of gmo foods
Genetically modified organisms also known as (gmo's) can be found in as many as 60-70% of the foods in the us as we have written about in the past dangers of gmo's, a genetically modified organism according to the non-gmo project are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnolog. There’s a lot of noise out there concerning genetically modified organisms real-world examples of the effects of gmo had quite a negative effect on people.
- I'm writing a research paper on the negative effects of eating/planting gmo foods and need some solid studies and articles to back it up anything will help.
- Advantages and disadvantages of gm foods positive and negative effects caused by genetic modified 1.
- Are gmos really that harmful to eat in some genetically modified foods who has written books that include chapters on genetically modified organisms.
Genetically modified organisms (gmo) are organisms made with engineered material with the goal of improving the original organism they can then be used, in some cases, to produce gmo foods. 10 scientific studies proving gmos can makers and the public about gmo foods and examining the possible effects of a diet of gmo maize treated. Genetically modified organisms they debate the long-term effects that producing and eating them will have on our planet and our bodies gmo foods: what you. Voices from both sides of the debate discuss the economic impact of introducing genetically modified foods into gmo adoption often points to a negative impact. The negative effects of gmos of environmental medicine proved gmo foods have serious health effects: are positive effects as well as negative effects.


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In 2014, Disney fans discovered Baymax – an adorable inflatable personal health robot – in the movie Big Hero 6. Baymax quickly became an icon, with Disney creating the character in real life to welcome visitors to some of its theme parks. What many people may not realize is that Baymax and other Big Hero 6 characters are based on Marvel comic book characters. Although not as famous as superheroes like Iron-Man or Captain America, Baymax’s popularity never waned and Disney decided to give the character his own series.
Baymax! — which is produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios – features the adorable robot doing what he does best – helping the people of San Fransokyo. The first season has six episodes, and each episode focuses on a person who needs Baymax’s help. One such episode is going viral for its content, which some consider “controversial”. The scene, which is being shared on various social media platforms, shows Baymax in a supermarket asking a woman which brand of tampons he should buy.
During her exchange, other women come to Baymax and tell her which feminine hygiene products they like to use during their menstrual cycle – from pads to traditional tampons and tampons that are better for the environment. However, that’s not the only thing that gets people talking. One of the women helping Baymax has a lower voice and is clearly wearing a T-shirt with a flag representing the transgender community.
You can see the clip below:
Wait until everyone who was crazy about Turning Red sees the new Baymax series! Bahahaha! We love to see it! pic.twitter.com/5Cf8Zh6uKa
—Patrick Dougall (@PatrickADougall) June 29, 2022
The clip quickly went viral, with many praising the series for representing all different types of women, men, and the communities they belong to. Others, however, didn’t think Disney should address such topics in a show designed for kids.
This isn’t the first time Disney has received backlash for addressing certain topics in its movies and TV shows. Earlier this year, Disney and Pixar released the film turn red — which was aimed at a young Asian girl named Mei Lee who was struggling to get through puberty. More conservative viewers thought Disney should leave that subject to parents, while others felt the film perfectly tackled a topic that was still considered taboo, even though nowadays it shouldn’t be.
All episodes of Baymax! are currently available to stream on Disney+. Disney has rated the series PG, which means parents with younger children may want to research the series further before allowing their children to watch it.


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Budget supermarket Lidl is asking the public to choose their latest doughnut flavour, but you’ll need to be speedy.
There are five new flavours on offer, including Crème Brûlée, Boston Crème and Banoffee Pie. All the doughnuts have been inspired by the Nation’s favourite dessert combos and will be priced at 65p alongside the existing range. But only one will be sold this summer.
Doughnut fans are able to to vote on Lidl UK’s Facebook page here , you’ll need to be quick though as voting closes on Thursday 3 May, and the winning doughnut will then be available in stores this summer.
Which flavours can doughnut fans choose from?
- Bramley Apple: a delicious and zingy contender, to satisfy those who love a Sunday dinner classic, apple pie
- Forest Fruits: a filled delicacy which is a twist on the classic jam doughnut for those who love a fruity explosion
- Banana & Toffee: this classic flavour combo is tried and tested but when added to the doughnut it creates a luxurious and hard to resist treat
- Crème Brûlée: a restaurant classic across the UK – the cool mixture of vanilla and thick custard is a comforting and unctuous treat
- Boston Crème: Paul Hollywood’s favourite dessert from the Bake Off is reimagined in this custard and chocolate-y treat
Richard Inglis, Head of Food Buying at Lidl UK said: “This is the first time ever we’ve put our customers in the hot seat to decide which new treat makes it onto the shelves of our popular bakery. The doughnut has been through so many trends in the last year but you really can’t beat the classic ring and filled style with a novel and delicious topping or filling – we can’t wait to see which flavour our customers choose!”
Voting opens from 11am on Wednesday 2 May, so make sure to choose wisely.
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Self-Driving Uber Car Filmed Running a Red; California Shuts Down Pilot Program
Uber proudly released a fleet of eleven driverless Volvos onto the streets of San Francisco Wednesday morning and one or two immediately started running amok. One person tweeted about seeing a self-driving vehicle nearly hitting another car, while another posted a video showing an autonomous tech-equipped XC90 breezing through a red light and active pedestrian cross-walk.
Before the end of the program’s first day, people were clamoring for Uber to explain the incidents and the California Department of Motor Vehicles had sent the ride-hailing company a cease and desist letter for operating without a permit.
Initially reported by the San Francisco Examiner, the video — taken from a Luxor taxicab dash-cam — shows the autonomous Uber ignoring a red signal around 10:37 yesterday morning. Later that same morning, freelance writer and producer Annie Gaus tweeted that she, “Just passed a ‘self-driving’ Uber that lurched into the intersection on Van Ness [Avenue], on a red, nearly hitting my Lyft.”
Speaking with the Examiner, Gaus explained the Uber vehicle darted out across Union Street on a red light, and nearly hit the Lyft car she was riding in. “It was close enough that both myself and the driver reacted and were like, ‘Shit,’” she said. “It stopped suddenly and stayed like that, as you see in the [tweeted] photo.”
Uber released an official statement that claims the incident in the video was caused by human error and not the technology. “This incident was due to human error. This is why we believe so much in making the roads safer by building self-driving Ubers. This vehicle was not part of the pilot and was not carrying customers. The driver involved has been suspended while we continue to investigate.”
That’s not reassuring, considering it really looks like one of the Volvo SUVs from the pilot, and the best case scenario is that the company has had trouble hiring competent motorists. Uber employees are required to keep their hands on the self-driving vehicle’s controls at all times, so even a technical snafu should be solved by operator intervention. However, that hasn’t kept Uber test vehicles in the Pittsburgh trials from having mishaps. In September, reports surfaced of self-driving Ford Fusions involved in wrong-way driving and a minor fender-bender.
Uber has been ordered by state regulators to immediately stop using self-driving cars in California. It may be allowed to return to public testing after it secures the necessary state permit that allows companies to operate autonomous vehicles on public roads. The California Department of Motor Vehicles issued a statement stating that Uber was expected to secure such a permit, but Uber maintained that it was unnecessary because its vehicles are fully self-driving — requiring them to have a driver on board at all times.
“If Uber does not confirm immediately that it will stop its launch and seek a testing permit, the DMV will initiate legal action,” wrote DMV attorney Brian Soublet in a letter addressed to Anthony Levandowski, who runs Uber’s autonomous car programs.
As of now, roughly twenty companies have received the DMV permits needed to test on California roads, including Ford, Google, and Tesla.
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- MaintenanceCosts I was reading, bobbing my head along, thinking "$5000 and whatever it costs to throw in a 1.8 gasser and we have a winner," and then you have to harsh my mellow by sharing the seller's delusions of grandeur.
- MaintenanceCosts They can't keep selling through the current hodgepodge mess of desperate or disreputable dealers. Somehow the sales model has to change. Whether they become the Don Quixote that tilts at the franchise-law windmill to sell direct, or they cut a deal to get into another OEM's dealer network, something has to change.They've always been able to engineer competitive cars when they want to, but they haven't had a reasonable way to sell them since the Chrysler tie-up ended.
- Sgeffe There’s a guy on YouTube who owns several Oldsmobile Diesel-equipped vehicles, including an A-Body with the 4.3 V6. Might be the Chevy.IIRC, Adam Wade on the “Rare Classic Cars” channel stated that this engine was also available in 1985 only in the redesigned C-Bodies (98 Regency, Electra, DeVille/Fleetwood).
- Tassos It's a GREAT value, but what, if any, profit will GM make from this vehicle? When it prices it at only $30k, while the much smaller and much CRAPPIER FIAT 500E goes for OVER $40k????
- Tassos The consumers (not the "market") DO trust EVs, but those that are superior and well-priced,THey buy millions of TESLAS and very few copies of all the other dozens and dozens of LEGACY BEVs.Makes sense to me. None of these experienced makers have YET succeeded to design and build a better Tesla, that is ALSO PRICED COMPETITIVELY.


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Got $23 million dollars a year to spend on celebrity endorsements and a national ad campaign?
The dairy industry does!
farmers Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are surely, and not-so-slowly, monopolizing the world of milk.
Straight from the cow’s mouth:
There were 65,000 milk cow operations in 2009 compared to 97,460 in 2001, a decline of 33 percent. Despite the large decrease in milk cow operations during this time period, both milk production and milk cow numbers have been on the rise. Milk production increased 15 percent, from 165,332 million pounds in 2001 to 189,320 million pounds in 2009. Milk cow inventory showed a smaller increase of 1 percent, from 9.10 million head in 2001 to 9.20 million head in 2009.
-USDA’s “Overview of the United States Dairy Industry,” September 22, 2010
There are a third fewer dairy farmers, yet 15% more milk being produced? And even more cows than before?
Something smells like seven-acre-wide-liquified-manure-lagoons to me…
Yes, friends, commercialized dairy is just one more giant leg of that big ol’ CAFO monster we’re already familiar with. There are an even greater number of cows being cramped into even fewer dairy farms, leading to less healthy animals and more stress on our environment. And the cows are pumping out massive amounts of the white stuff like never before.
How Do They Do It?
The dairy cows of yesteryear, living a comfortable 12-15 years on an appropriate diet of grass-filled pasture, produced on average about a gallon and a half (12 pounds) of milk per day while lactating, circa 1930. By the late 1980’s, America’s dairy cow had been selectively bred to produce massive amounts of pituitary hormones leading to a substantial increase in milk production — up to 39 pounds per day. But the dairy industry wasn’t satisfied with that, even. In 1994, their neighbors over at the Monsanto corporation had conjured up an idea to get those udders inflated to their absolute maximum capacity — pump ’em up with genetically-engineered synthetic growth hormones! Which, incidentally, significantly increases the risk of developing mastitis, or infection of the udder (by 79%), as well as lameness and other physical ailments (by 50%), contributing to a life expectancy of about 3 1/2 years.
And just like that, we got up to 50 pounds per day — over a four-fold increase in milk beyond what the cow was naturally capable of in the first place. What does that look like?
Bessie’s discomfort doesn’t end there.*
When industrialization took the “farming” out of the dairies, they ran into a few problems. Ever since the commercial dairy business took root in America in the late 19th century, conditions of the dairy farms worsened and worsened. With freakishly unnatural cows being fed an unnatural diet and kept in extremely unnatural confinement, profits soared — while the milk and the cows it came from suffered.
Animals knee-deep in manure, developing infections in the udder, and suffering from crippling illness meant that the “farm-fresh” milk they produced wasn’t so fresh anymore — or safe to sell.
This was a problem that needed a solution.
Got Pathogenic Bacteria? Kill it Off with Pasteurization!
In 1856, a fella by the name of Louis Pasteur developed a process by which beer and wine might be more easily preserved — heat-treating the liquids to kill off pathogens. Years later, when the dairy industry started running into trouble with dirty, sick cows producing dirty, sick milk, they adopted this process to cover up the unhealthy state of their product — in an attempt to render it sterile and therefore unable to pass along pathogenic bacteria and viruses that could make consumers sick, or even die. (E. coli poisoning, anyone?)
The effects of industrialized dairy have, of course, only multiplied in modern times. We’re keeping cows in unthinkably unsanitary conditions, they’re sicker than ever, and the unpasteurized milk from factory farms is still wildly unsafe for human consumption.
What Else Hides Inside
So, aside from (hopefully) boiled-off, potentially lethal pathogens floating around dead in a jug of today’s commercially-farmed milk, what else might you find in there?
- rBGH: As mentioned previously, modern dairy cows are injected with synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormones, intended to increase milk production. rBGH is a known potent carcinogen, and for this reason is banned in every industrialized nation in the world — with the exception of the US. If a dairy product does not specifically state that it comes from “cows not treated with the growth hormone, rBGH,” (or similar label) you can be sure it’s in there. It’s estimated that up to 90% of milk products contain the synthetic hormone.
- Antibiotics: As with beef cattle, commercial dairy cows are fed a diet which leaves their bodies and immune systems so compromised, that they are fed a steady, heavy stream of antibiotics simply to keep them alive. Significant traces of these antibiotics end up in milk. Additionally, since commercial dairy cows commonly suffer from an infection of the udder, mastitis, they require even heavier doses of antibiotic drugs to manage it (again, just to keep the cows alive). This rampant infection leads to further problems in the milk supply, which brings us to…
- Pus: That’s right. The teats on those gigantic, infected udders, are seeping pus straight into the milk. Our pals over at the USDA are allowing up to 750 million pus cells per liter of milk, to be sold legally.
It’s all connected. The synthetic hormones increase infection, the infections require antibiotics, the antibiotics can’t keep up with the infections, the udders secrete pus and other elements of disease (along with the drugs used to treat them) into the milk, which then requires pasteurization just to keep it from immediately harming the consumer.
Don’t Get Milk, Then?
Clearly, commercial milk from industrial dairy farms is something we ought to avoid. That’s not (real) food. But is cutting out milk altogether the right answer for our health?
I don’t believe so.
Check back next week for part two where we’ll discuss your other dairy alternative — real milk.
*Oh, and if you’re brave, there is an absolutely awful YouTube video available that showcases the horrific cruelty dairy animals commonly suffer at the hands of Big Dairy. If you are at all squeamish about seeing these sorts of things, or consider yourself to be an animal lover, I’m warning you that you won’t like this one bit. I couldn’t watch more than a minute of it.
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US Music Spending Hits Highest in Decade at $10 Billion USD
The amount represents only half of the CD-era’s pinnacle in the ’90s.
Continuous increases in music streaming subscriptions have pushed the US market to nearly $10 billion USD in spending for 2018, its highest amount in a decade. As reported by The Financial Times, more than 50 million Americans paid for a music-streaming service last year — five times more than the 10 million in 2015 — according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
The RIAA‘s numbers state that sales jumped 12 percent to $9.8 billion USD in 2018, though the amount still represents only half of the CD-era’s pinnacle in the ’90s. However, with compact discs on a steady decline, revenues from the once-popular format fell to $698 million USD last year — a steep 34 percent decrease and the first time the total has been less than $1 billion USD since 1986. Meanwhile, streaming services including Apple, Spotify and Amazon account for three-quarters of all recorded music sales in the US (which is the world’s largest music market).
2007 marked the last time that the industry hit $10 billion USD in sales. The period was defined by artists such as Avril Lavigne, whose The Best Damn Thing album was the year’s best-seller, and Beyoncé, who claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard charts at the time with her “Irreplaceable” track.
“You can feel rising excitement and optimism within the halls of the record labels, and it’s a moment worth celebrating,” stated Mitch Glazier, chief executive of the RIAA.
He added: “A lack of accountability for many Big Tech companies that drive down the value of music, remain serious threats as the industry strives for additional growth.”
Sony Music, Vivendi’s Universal Music and Warner Music are the current leading companies for the industry’s sales.
To catch up on more music news, check out the full lineup for Pharrell’s ‘Something in the Water’ festival.


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‘Build the Barn’ Kickstarter Project
On February 23, 2013 Poplar Wood Farm’s Kickstarter project to build a new pole barn was successfully funded, setting new boundaries for the farm’s future growth. Kickstarter is a crowd funding platform used by individuals and businesses to fund creative projects. To date, over 38,000 projects have been funded through Kickstarter. Poplar Wood Farm launched their Kickstarter project due to the need for additional capacity to wash, pack, and store their produce.
The farm received a tremendous amount of support from the local community, including many of their loyal farmers market customers. In addition, the project received media attention from Forbes for the creative rewards offered to project backers. Other news coverage included articles in the Warren Reporter, Hoboken 411, The Daily Record, and Food Tech Connect.
The barn is up and operational and will allow the farm to operate more efficiently and expand production capacity. Many of the farm's biggest supporters came out to celebrate the opening of the barn and enjoyed a day filled with music, fresh air, and excitement for the future. Since being completed, the 'Build the Barn' project was also featured on the front page of the Star Ledger.
A heartfelt THANK YOU from all of us at Poplar Wood Farm to everyone who was involved with our Kickstarter project. A special thanks to the following project backers:
Alexandra Bush Purnell
Eric Damon Walters
Kate Meyers Gilbert
Eugene T Murphy
Erin Smith Stehli
Blake H Reiter


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Fifteen years after its TV debut on Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants remains an international pop culture icon with expanded merchandise lines and new collaborations.
Netflix and American Greetings Properties are collaborating on an original kids' series starring the Care Bears.
DHX Media’s Caillou preschool brand is turning 25 next year, and to celebrate, DHX Brands is planning a year-long celebration.
Bleacher Creatures is planning a line of plush dolls featuring characters from New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ The Hobbit trilogy.
Winter sports brand Burton has unveiled a new limited edition holiday line of snowboards adorned with iconic starlet Marilyn Monroe.
Pretty Ugly has partnered with Fathead to create a collection of Uglydoll wall graphics.
Outfit7 has appointed Dream Theatre to represent its digital brand Talking Tom and Friends in India.
Iron Gut Publishing has released a new limited edition print in its Wallace & Gromit art collection exclusively at Selfridges in London.
Uncommon Cases has released a new line of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases featuring Pretty Ugly's Uglydoll characters.
Disney has announced Sofia the First as the newest member of the "Color & Play 3D" app family.
Penguin U.K. has released a new holiday title featuring the British animal charity Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Despite the conclusion of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary, licensees in Australia and New Zealand are continuing the celebration.
DC Thomson is continuing to grow the licensing program for the classic The Beano characters Dennis the Menace and Gnasher.
King Features, worldwide licensor of the Betty Boop and Popeye properties, has appointed Bradford License India as its agent in the region.
Carte Blanche Group has tapped Pioneer Balloon Company to create a line of balloons featuring its Me to You brand.
Poeticgem is planning a new line of women’s apparel that will tap into adult nostalgia for the classic character Miffy.
U.K. app developer and publisher Gazoob has debuted a new app featuring Aadarsh’s brand Purple Turtle.
Carte Blanche’s Tatty Teddy character helped to cheer up Brits at London’s Bond Street tube station Blue Monday, Jan. 20.
Nick Jr. is launching the Step by Step–Explore with Dora campaign this Thursday in Australia and New Zealand.
Big Tent Entertainment has partnered with Bare Tree Media and PicoCandy to create Domo-branded digital images for use on digital devices.
Following last week’s announcement of the new Angry Birds Stella brand, Hasbro will create a line of its Telepods toys for the Rovio property.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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London-based agency Free The Birds unifies Sanofi cough brands’ visual identities
The recently rebranded multinational healthcare company has united the visual identity and packaging of its cough brands, Mucosolvan and Bisolvon. By updating the typography, iconography and layout, the aim is to ensure the product ranges are instantly recognisable on pharmacy shelves.
With the cough brands currently distributed across five markets in Europe, Asia and Oceania – and another two continents to follow – Sanofi wanted its products to become universally recognisable all over the world.
Nick Vaus, partner and creative director at Free The Birds, says, “We wanted to create a commonality in the packaging across all the regions, in order to ensure people identified them as Sanofi brands straight away, no matter the location.”
Further alterations include the use of Sanofi’s heritage colours of blue and yellow across all packaging, utilised within a ‘multi-layered arrow’ which has replaced decorative curvatures. In a bid to enhance the packaging’s messaging, visual icons like a cup, tablet and spray are now used to indicate the form of the medicine, with pieces of fruit indicating flavour.
Appealing to a younger audience sees Bearsolvan, a friendly-looking cartoon bear, debut on the brand’s children packs. The reimagined identity has now been included as part of the broader marketing mix, highlighted by ‘Don’t Hide The Cough, Fight It’ – Sanofi’s 2022 TV advertising campaign.
Vaus adds, “The trend for healthcare brands is to retain a clinical exterior. But Sanofi is an established caregiver known for easing suffering from colds and coughs, which is what we aimed to encapsulate through Bearsolvan.”
The brand identity and packaging will be added to Sanofi’s website and social media communications in due course.


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Watch out, Victoria Beckham! Gemma Collins celebrates 'Designer of the Year' award by posing in her latest clothing range
- Gemma won Editor's Choice' award at the Reveal Fashion Awards
- Says it's an 'honour' to be recognised for her collection
- Is her second fashion award this year
- Has unveiled and modelled range of summer dresses to celebrate
She's the car dealer turned fashion designer who's helped transform the plus-size retail market and Gemma Collins is getting recognised for her efforts.
Romford's finest fashionista has just won the 'Editor's Choice' award at the Reveal Magazine Online Fashion Awards, where she was hailed a 'role model' for the industry.
Gemma, 32, is most certainly making waves in the fashion industry after scooping her second award in less than a year for her plus-size fashion collection - the bubbly blonde was named plus-size designer of the year, too.
Beach babe: Gemma Collins has two reasons to celebrate this week; she's just unveiled her fifth summer range and won a prestigious fashion award
Speaking about her win, Gemma said: ‘I’m so happy; it’s such an honour to be recognised for my collection.
'I designed the range to allow curvy girls to look gorgeous and show their individuality, plus-size doesn’t need to mean hiding under baggy or dark clothes!
'I tried to make the range so it had something in it for everyone’.
Summer's coming: As the weather improves, Gemma has taken it upon herself to model her stylish new range of kaftans and beach cover-ups
Mouthpiece: Gemma, 32, who was hailed a 'role model' for the plus-size fashion industry has created a flattering range of summer dresses
As she models some key pieces from her fifth collection, Gemma shared
her top tips for flattering your figure on holiday. She said:
'Three-quarter length sleeves will flatter your figure more than long or
'They have the effect of making the body, as well as the arms, appear slimmer. Why? Because they stop at the slimmest part of the arm.
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After selling their ridesharing startup, 99, to Didi Chuxing for $1 billion last year, Ariel Lambrecht and Renato Freitas didn’t waste any time throwing their hats back in the ring.
Months after their big exit, the pair joined forces with Eduardo Musa, who spent two decades in the bicycle industry, to start another São Paulo-based mobility startup. Yellow, a bike- and scooter-sharing service, quickly captured the attention of venture capitalists, raising a $12.3 million seed round in April and now, the company is announcing the close of a $63 million Series A.
The round is the largest Series A financing ever for a startup in Latin America, where tech investment, especially from U.S.-based firms, has historically remained low. 2017, however, was a banner year for Latin American startups; 2018, it seems, is following suit. More than $600 million was invested in the first quarter of 2018, partly as a result of increased activity from international investors. And just last month, on-demand delivery startup Rappi brought in $200 million to become the second Latin American company to garner a billion-dollar valuation.
GGV Capital has led the round for Yellow. The Silicon Valley firm is a backer of several other mobility companies, including Grab, Lime, Hellobike and Didi Chuxing. Yellow represents the firm’s first foray into the Latin American tech ecosystem. Brazilian VC firm Monashees, Grishin Robotics, Base10 Partners and Class 5 also participated.
“We think there’s a new economy emerging in Latin America,” GGV managing partner Hans Tung told TechCrunch. “A lot of people are more cautious but what we’ve seen with our experience in China, when internet penetration started to happen, a new economy started to emerge that’s more efficient.”
Yellow’s bikes and e-scooters are only available in São Paulo. With the investment, the startup plans to expand to Mexico City, Colombia, Chile and Argentina, as well as add e-bikes to its portfolio of micro-mobility options.
The company also plans to tap into local resources by building a scooter manufacturing facility in the region. Yellow CEO Eduardo Musa told me the company doesn’t want to be reliant on Chinese manufacturers to import scooters and that a local supplier is a whole lot cheaper. The company’s bikes are already sourced locally.
“Since the beginning, we wanted to be vertically integrated,” Musa told TechCrunch. “We definitely believe you need a constant inflow of hardware and you need control and management over the supply chain … not only because of the cost but also because of the quality control.”
Yellow is one of several e-scooter startups to raise VC in 2018. Bird and Lime, for example, both raised large rounds of capital at billion-dollar valuations. A good chunk of that capital has gone into building more scooters, placing a huge demand on the few Chinese manufacturers that’ve tapped into the market.
“There was simply not available capacity or factories prepared to fulfill the demand that arose from the other scooter sharing companies,” Musa said. “This became, very, very quickly, a major bottleneck for this industry.”