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While the federal government estimates that SMEs could achieve approximately $20 million per annum in tax savings when the new legislation comes into effect, William Buck believes the overall cost savings for SMEs will be much higher “when reductions on general restructure costs, such as advisers' fees and valuation costs, are also factored in".
The firm said in a statement: "In addition, stamp duty on NSW business transfers is also legislated to be abolished from 1 July 2016. If this duty abolition also proceeds, restructures will be a more realistic alternative for businesses."
According to Todd Want, tax director at William Buck, these changes have the potential to save SMEs millions of dollars every year on their tax bills.
“Business owners who set up their operations on a limited budget and didn’t seek appropriate advice for their initial structure are set to be the big winners from the government’s new changes,” he said.
“If these changes make restructuring easier and cheaper, we expect that the savings from these proposed measures will be used by many SMEs to grow their businesses, which in turn will assist economic growth.”
Mr Want said there are also potential benefits for family businesses looking at succession planning.
“The ability to move from a sole trader or company structure to a family trust has been challenging in the past because it can trigger significant tax issues and restructure costs. The proposed changes could overcome this by allowing families to more easily and cost effectively move their business to a flexible structure, such as a family trust.”
He added: “This could allow one generation to pass the business onto the next generation when the time is right for the family, and not be constrained because the tax costs would otherwise be too high."
However, despite the significant advantages that small businesses could achieve from these measures, business owners need to pay careful attention to the hidden costs that are associated with changing their structure, according to Mr Want. While the new tax changes could be a way to save money on a restructure now, Mr Want said it is important that business owners think about the impact the restructure will have on their exit plans.
“The measures may allow a business to restructure from a sole trader to a company without triggering any tax now; however, the tax payable when the business is eventually sold could be significantly higher under the new structure if it is not carefully planned. It is important to think about the future tax impact and not just the potential savings now," he explained.


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Frozen Food Companies Look For Image Makeover
Apr 19, 2013 01:49 PM EDT | By Jason Pollak
Frozen Food Companies are looking to overhaul their image.
In response to what they feel are mediocre sales, two major food organizations, The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and Frozen Food Roundtable (FFR), signed a $50 million advertising deal with two ad agencies, including ad giant McCann Erickson says NPR.
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The frozen food organizations represent some of the largest companies in the United States such as H.J Heinz, ConAgra, Kellogg Co, Nestle USA and Walmart.
One nutrition manager and registered dietician with ConAgra Foods commented on the image overhaul, saying that frozen foods are actually fresher than their counterparts in the produce section.
"What we call fresh in the supermarket is really better termed raw," said Kristin Reimers, the dietician who works for ConAgra. "A lot of times, those vegetables have been transported for days, and then sit. It could be a matter of weeks between when they're picked and consumed."
She claims, frozen vegetables are "probably more nutrient-rich than many of the raw vegetables in the produce section."
The goal of the image overhaul is to "change the way consumers think and feel about frozen food by promoting positive messaging regarding the benefits and attributes of frozen food," according to AdAge.
Although frozen food sales accounted for $5.7 billion last year, which is up 1 percent in sales according to NPR, the food giants aren't content. They are still worried about how their foods appeal to older demographics in their 30's and 40's.
NPR was able to catch up with the Vice President of Communications of AFFI, Corey Henry, who elaborated on their groundbreaking advertising plan.
"We're going to do this in a way that hasn't been done before," Henry said. You've had various voices weighing in here and there on the value of frozen. Here, frozen food manufacturers are united to weigh in in a comprehensive fashion."
According to Henry, the campaign should launch later this year.
New McDonalds slogan lovin beats hatin stirs more comments and opinions than the fast food maker envisioned. Here’s why the new slogan ‘Lovin beats hatin’ could potentially cause more hate than love.
The second largest fastfood chain in the world will launch its first stores in India in the coming months. Target locations will be New Delhi, Mumbai and NCR.
Panera Bread Co (PNRA.O) on Tuesday lowered its full-year earnings forecast as it works to speed up service at its popular bakery cafes.
Utah Family Found Dead – In Springfield, five family members, including two parents and three children ranging from the ages of 11 to 14, were found dead by an older son.
The first batch of robots which will be called as Pepper will be assigned on their stations at the end of the year to sell home espresso machines and coffee capsules.
A new study has found that there is such a thing as the brain’s calorie counter, which explains why the brain has a tendency to choose junk food over healthier one, as it’s attempting to fill a quota. The discovery of the brain’s calorie counter explains the body’s need for fatty foods, beyond the fact that these types of meals are cheaper.

domain: news


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Deciding whether or not to opt for an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or best-of-breed system has long been a difficult decision for logistics providers. Historically, ERP systems have been thought of as cumbersome, restrictive, and costly. As a result, companies turned to the more flexible best-of-breed systems, which offered a simpler, quicker integration process.
Today’s global trade environment and predicted economic downturn means competition is likely to stiffen even further in 2008. Lorne Jones, director of industry marketing, logistics and wholesale distribution at Sterling Commerce, says: “Ten years ago the average number of trading partners for an organisation was 15, it’s now 65, with 35 per cent of companies trading globally.
“Growing recognition that ERP systems are not effectively addressing some of these challenges that businesses face in an increasingly global, multichannel market, for example, collaboration across enterprise boundaries, has meant that many are now turning to boutique-style, best-of-breed systems that specialise in and address a specific business pain.”
But this is changing. The need for end-to-end IT systems has given rise to ERP vendors expanding their supply chain offerings and creating additional modules to the core software – what they call ‘bolt-on’ systems.
Andrew White, research vice president of Gartner, recently told an SAP insider conference: “A company’s business network is becoming a primary source of competitive differentiation. Managing relationships with geographically dispersed customers, suppliers and partners, has resulted in a need for increased levels of adaptability, collaboration and visibility when dealing with supply chain systems.”
A successful supply chain demands a fast information flow. Patrick Crampton-Thomas, SCM business development director at SAP, says: “Fast cycle times with automated data flows between planning and execution systems drive accurate demand fulfilment while holding minimum inventory safety stock.
“ERP systems enable this through tight integration and data flow between planning and execution and across organisations. Information exchange can be near real time.”
The UK is one of the most expensive areas to operate, what with high oil, fuel and property prices. Therefore, “it’s important for a company to be able to look at where its products are stored, where they should be, and move them on fast,” says Sarah Taylor, senior industry director of Oracle Retail.
“Interfacing properly is key to achieving the right transparency – having the right information at the right time to make accurate decisions and planning. It must be as standard as possible, as it can be maintained more cheaply if it’s a standard interface.”
Lorne Jones says: “Effective collaboration across enterprise boundaries is crucial to success so competitive advantage can only be achieved if business processes are automated, streamlined, integrated and coordinated with those business partners.
“For example, warehouse management is increasingly becoming a battleground for competitive differentiation by third party logistics providers. As warehouses grow and evolve to cope with the challenges and complexities of fulfilling demand in a multi-channel retailing environment, 3PLs need to consider a solution that supports not only their immediate business strategies but also longer term strategic growth.
“The answer lies in a move towards Service Orientated Architecture (SOA)-based systems which help to ease the challenge of integrating point solutions – with existing legacy systems and connects seamlessly with legacy ERP systems if that is what is already in place.”
SOA is an automated workflow solution designed to speed up integration. The technology enables the more sophisticated best of breed systems to be plugged into the ERP core.
Supply chain management specialists such as Manhattan Associates, are taking a two-pronged approach and creating systems which are complimentary to an ERP system. Allen Scott, UK managing director of Manhattan Associates, reckons there has been a mood swing in businesses in the past year, whereby companies are now moving away from investing in ERPs because of the high cost.
But Mark Greatrex, product & services director of ERP vendor Lakeview, says costs used to be measured by the ratio between money spent on the licence and the money spent on implementation. Five years ago, for every pound spent on licence fees, five times that was spent on services. Whereas, now, the ratio is more like one to one.
Crampton-Thomas of SAP, says: “Problems generally come from the boundaries of an organisation. ERP systems have invested significantly in collaboration systems that share data, and support processes between network partners like outsourced manufacturing, vendor managed inventory and collaborative quality management.
“Companies should concentrate on their organisation, network and business processes first, not the tools and features and functions. Best-of-breed can bring advantages in niche speciality areas, but ERP Suite systems, which are comparable in capability in many situations but with the advantage of tightly integrated business processes across the organisation, execution and planning.”
When it comes to integrating ERPs and supply chain management systems, there are a number of issues. “Best-of-breed implementations need a custom data environment to stage data between ERP and planning where missing elements are added,” says Crampton-Thomas.
Integrating best-of-breed means building a legacy integration environment which carries a cost of ownership and which drives up migration and upgrade costs over time.
Also, “the number of interfaces can be large to support real time end-to-end processes. As well as delaying the project, this inevitably leads to compromise on integration and any advantages of specific functions or features can be lost where the process is compromised.”
Three years ago Oracle expanded beyond ERP and bought best-of-breed retail system providers: Retek, ProfitLogic and 360Commerce, to form Oracle Retail, providing high-end industry-specific software. Oracle integrated the best-of-breed IP with its own systems, so as to remove the complexities and costs associated with integration from its customers.
Sarah Taylor, Oracle Retail’s senior industry director for EMEA, says the type of businesses that would benefit from an Oracle system are complex ones which operate across multiple channels that have a turnover in excess of £80 million. “These are the types of businesses that demand an ERP system – they need a package that they will be able to grow with.”
By offering a fully scalable, integrated ERP system that spans the whole retail business – including planning, merchandising, supply chain management, in-store operations, multi-channel retailing, finance, human resources, and real estate management – it can reduce the total cost of ownership for its customers while easing integration and providing flexibility of implementing either key solutions or an entire system.
“Companies can see a return on their investment within a year,” says Taylor.
Bernd Kosnar, business practice leader of Basware Corporation, which provides Enterprise Purchase-to-Pay and Financial Management systems, says: “The time and cost involved in implementing an internal SAP invoice processing tool is precisely why many companies opt for an external best-of-breed third party expert system that is a module of a state-of-the-art purchase to pay system.
Kosnar reckons what users need is a system which easily and seamlessly integrates into the existing SAP platform, without needing timely and costly upgrades and custom coding. He says the best way to approach this is to either use a tool installed inside SAP, or a SAP-accredited best of breed third party tool working alongside SAP.
“You’d assume that a product programmed inside SAP would be the perfect fit, developed with the latest functionality and easily integrated. You would be wrong on both counts,” says Kosnar.
Much like the SAP databases, office and business intelligence tools, third party IP workflow software inside of SAP is not as advanced or as flexible as some outside systems. So-called ‘open-heart surgery’ systems which operate from within the SAP environment also need to be professionally installed, integrated and maintained by SAP engineers, which can be costly and can require key systems to be newly customised or even re-done.
“By opting for a SAP-accredited third party automation system, you’ll also get the buy in of the CIO, who has the reassurance of simple out-of-the-box installation and easy integration via certified SAP interfaces – meaning no downtime, no impact on SAP resources and minimal set-up cost,” says Kosnar.
Lawson now delivers QuickStep solutions – pre-configured, industry-tailored systems which are easier and faster to implement. Martin Hill, vice president of marketing, EMEA at Lawson, says it’s now possible to install systems within three to six months.
Hill says: “The cost of integrating systems has fallen dramatically and by cutting implementation times, total cost of ownership is reduced.” Pork Farms, which supplies savoury pastry products, chose QuickStep for Food and Beverage to help improve business processes and provide real-time operational transparency.
The reduced cost of ownership means implementation time has halved. Alan Webster, chief information officer for Pork Farms, says the company will also benefit from savings in consulting and internal resourcing costs and reduced risk. Best-of-breeds deliver advanced systems which focus on a particular area, but tend to come with a large cost of ownership in supporting and maintaining interfaces.
But John Jackman of 3M Supply Chain Solutions, points out that while the licence cost of ERP modules such as warehouse management may be provided at little or no cost, there may be a high per-user charge. “These licences may already be part of an enterprise or pre-purchased licence deal but the supply chain operations may still be charged internally for these.
“Even if initial costs are low, companies have found the gap in costs shrink when viewed from a five to seven year total cost of ownership. In general, over this time period the costs involved in making custom modifications and implementation services to meet changing requirements are significant and grow over time.”
Jackman reckons ERP users have found it difficult to drive continuous improvement and provide direct benefits as they are unable to quickly and easily adapt the system to changing requirements. “ERP systems generally need programming that demands a skill set that is expensive and may be difficult to find. Logistics Managers also often find their needs are down the ERP project queue and so have to wait months or longer for even simple changes.”
At the SAP UK and Ireland User Group conference last November, SAP’s UK managing director Steve Rogers, revealed his frustration at how the majority of users were only using a “modest slice” of the software they had bought.
ERP consultancy West Trax, confirmed this in its SAP Cost/ Benefit study. The study, which took into account 13 industry sectors, revealed that less than 50 per cent of the standard SAP code that incurred licence and maintenance fees was being used. It found that more than a third of customers were not using their custom programmes, but were still maintaining them.
“Redundant customs programmes are often kept in a system for years. This is a critical issue for expensive upgrades, especially if the organisation does not know which programmes have been used and which have not.”
David Long, chief executive of West Trax, says: “One of the challenges companies face once the excitement of the system’s roll out has passed, is the language barrier between the IT people that run the system and the senior executives.” With these complex systems, a lot of jargon is used to explain them, which the boards often don’t understand.
Martin Hill of Lawson agrees, saying: “Companies that have had the most success from their ERPs are ones where the bridge between their business and IT people has been breached.”
John Jackman of 3M reckons the future functionality of ERP systems may be tied to upgrades. “Companies operate on differing versions of ERP. While ERP vendors have made incremental changes to the warehouse functionality over time functionality in older versions, it is still considered limited.
“Convincing the senior management to upgrade their ERP version to accommodate more advanced features and functionality is unlikely to happen in the appropriate timescales to benefit the current supply chain operation.”
SAP is now urging users to upgrade their systems, and has said UK organisations are among the slowest to adopt the latest version of SAP’s core ERP product.
One of the reasons for this reluctance to upgrade, according to David Long of West Trax, is the high levels of customisation in current systems. In the systems analysed in the study, between 20 and 40 per cent of the transactions used were customised, racking up development and support costs on top of SAP’s licence and maintenance fees.
“These enormous systems must be constantly monitored and realigned or they will collect customised programmes, which act as ballast, and become less finely tuned.
“Often the case is that customers want to change the system to fit old business processes. But if you’re going to invest in an ERP system, you can’t just implement it, you have to alter the whole business outlook.”
Linda Rodway of Proteus, says: “Because of the instantaneous need to have information at your fingertips, ERP vendors are moving towards browser-based systems, enabling you to log into a system anywhere in the world.”
There is a trend for increased investment in role-based user interfaces to match the experience users get when they surf the web or do their email. But it’s not just a technical issue, ERP companies have a wealth of experience and IP in business processes and the workflows and information needed to support them and this can be built to improve efficiency and user experience.
For example, SAP uses Adobe forms, where users can create ERP data and records (like purchase orders) via an Adobe form. Similarly users can interact with SAP’s Demand Planning tool via Excel, not just basic upload or download, but with the ability to maintain hierarchies and create alerts for new data via Excel.
Kosnar says SAP users are turning their attention to extending process automation across the organisation, beyond core processes to traditionally paper-intensive areas such as procurement and invoice processing.
“If critical data from key documents such as orders, invoices, goods received notes and so on, is taken into digital form that is usable in the SAP core and other management systems, it’s possible to make a real dash toward efficiency.”
“While traditional invoice management and workflow solutions deliver savings up to 40 – 50 per cent, in a full e-invoicing environment automation of invoice processing activity can bring about cost savings of 70 – 95 per cent – making it a compelling business proposition,” he says.


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As part of our mission to help businesses look after their staff, we’ve launched a dedicated service aimed at those new to staff perks.
The Paycare team is delighted to have launched Paycare Protect — a brand-new entry-level plan aimed at helping businesses effectively support their team’s mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Sounds great, right?
We’ve carefully crafted the new plan following feedback from fellow Patrons and Members of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, who — like us — understand the very real need for businesses in the region to support their staff’s health and wellbeing.
It’s been designed with businesses in mind who are new to the concept (and perhaps don’t know where to start), don’t have big budgets, or want a more streamlined level of cover.
Paycare Protect is available to businesses employing over 20 employees and costs just over £4 a month per employee, offering cashback on dental, optical, and professional therapy bills, including physiotherapy, hypnotherapy, chiropody and chiropractic treatment – there’s a lot!
It also includes Redundancy Premium Protection for up to six months, free cover for any children under 18, and Paycare Perks — an exclusive online platform for individuals to access discounts, vouchers and rewards on everyday purchases such as insurance, travel and entertainment.
What’s more, employers can choose to introduce an Employee Assistance Programme for just 10p per employee per week as an additional service, which provides a completely confidential support service for any employees struggling with mental, physical or financial worries.
Our CEO, Kevin Rogers, explained: “We recognise that some businesses simply don’t have the budget to spend on employee packages with bells and whistles, or those new to the idea could think it’s something that only big corporates can do.
“However, SMEs are critical to the wider economy in terms of employment opportunities, and we wanted to launch a service that brings them benefits as employers too by offering their staff cover for core healthcare services, including optical, dental, and professional therapies.”
Not only can such benefits help retain existing staff, but they can also make a company attractive to potential recruits – win win! A UK study by Glassdoor found that 57 per cent of respondents said that benefits and perks play a major role when deciding whether to pursue a particular job and Inc. reported 80 per cent of employees would choose additional benefits over a pay raise.
“In many areas of the UK and within many sectors, employees can often become swayed to a company that not only offers a fair salary, but which invests in its team’s health.
“Our new plan will help businesses compete with firms who are already heavily investing in staff health and wellbeing, and benefit from similar results including better productivity and profitability, retention of existing staff and attracting new ones.”
If you’re a HR Manager, and fancy getting hold of a bit more information regarding ‘Paycare Protect’, don’t hesitate in dropping us an email to firstname.lastname@example.org with the subject line Paycare Protect and we’ll be in touch!


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Orpheus Brewing (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Can Release of City in the Trees, a long boil Doppelbock, on Wednesday May 12.
Dropping as Orpheus Brewing’s first release for American Craft Beer Week 2021, City in the Trees is a Doppelbock “brewed with 100% Barke pilsner malt and boiled for 16 hours to develop richness and color before lagering for many months.” Coming in at 9% ABV, City in the Trees features “vibrant notes of toffee, burnt caramel, dark fruit, and leather lending this beer light sweetness mixed with a surge of bitterness.”
City in the Trees hit the taps at Orpheus Brewing on May 11 and 4-packs of 16 oz. cans will drop at the brewery on May 12 at 3 p.m. City in the Trees is a brewery only release and will not see distribution. Prost!
Vital Information for City in the Trees from Orpheus Brewing
Release – Limited; cans drop on May 12, 2021
Style – Doppelbock
ABV – 9%
Treatment – Brewed with 100% Barke pilsner malt & boiled for 16 hours
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – None. Brewery only


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Pleasanton, Calif. – Simpson Strong-Tie has announced its support of Clemson University’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute with a $50,000 donation.
The Institute brings together foresters, architects, engineers and other building industry professionals to design advances in wood-based products through education and training, product research and development, and development of technical and design solutions.
“Simpson Strong-Tie has been a strong supporter of Clemson University’s work in wood construction for many years, with sponsored research, product donations and other projects,” said CEO Karen Colonias. “We are pleased to continue our support by funding the Wood Utilization and Design Institute.”
Source: Simpson Strong-Tie


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Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is on its way to enter into the processors of computers and smartphones. From robotics to transportation, AI is prevailing in every sector in the world. Today’s computer programs have vast user data and it becomes a laborious task to handle the data using traditional chips.
However, incorporation of AI chips offered novel methods such as pattern recognition to analyze the data. With the use of AI chips, the simple tabletop speaker can be transformed into a smart home assistant and mobile into a smart camera, which increased the demand for AI chips. According to a research firm, Allied Market Research, the rise in demand for AI chips and the emergence of autonomous robotic technology is expected to boost the growth of the AI chip market. Moreover, the rivalry between tech giants such as Google, Intel, and Tesla to deliver the fastest computing chip supplemented the growth of the market.
Tesla To Lunch Self-Driving AI Chip
Elon Musk, the Co-founder, and CEO of Tesla, recently announced that Tesla’s super-advanced AI chip will unveil in the next four to six months. These chips will take over the existing Nvidia Drive PX 2 that are currently operating in the self-driving cars. Moreover, Musk confirmed that the users of pre-ordered “full self-driving” feature will get the upgraded chip for free.
According to the company, Tesla’s AI chip can process up to 2,000 frames per second, unlike the PX processors that compute 20 frames per second. Pete Bannon, the leader of the design team, stated that the AI chip supports the existing machine learning (ML) networks “with a lot of idle cycles to spare”.
Tesla has thus far relied on Nvidia’s Drive Platform. However, to focus on the particular operations and to improve efficiency, Musk decided to develop in-house AI chips that can boost the performance of the self-driving cars. He recently declared, “We have been in a semi-stealth mode in developing AI chips since last 2-3 years. However, it is time to let cats out of the bag.” According to Musk, in the next four to six months, the world will witness the fastest AI chip in the market, catering to the specific requirement of Tesla’s autonomous cars.
Nvidia Unstoppable In AI Chips Business
The inventor of the graphics processing unit (GPU), Nvidia, is using AI chips to offer a more realistic gaming experience. Moreover, AI can help to tackle the challenge of creating lifelike light and shadow effects in the game. Recently, Nvidia unveiled a new graphics chip, Nvidia Turing, that fuses together real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence, and programmable shading. Making illusions such as lifelike reflection, refractions, and other effects require high computing power, which traditional chips fail to deliver. On the other hand, AI chips can speed up the process. Nvidia’s AI-based approach involves creating an image by overlaying multiple elements to achieve illusions of tackling lights and shadows. The traditional approach increases efficiency by rendering part of an image and AI predicts and fills in the remaining light effects, which offers a lifelike experience in gaming. Apart from that, AI chips favored the revenue generation of Tesla. Since the launch of Turing, the company shares have skyrocketed, making it unstoppable in the AI chip market.
Surge In AI Chips Start-Ups
For decades, leading tech companies ignored start-ups that manufactured AI chips, questioning their ability to compete with the goliath such as Intel and Google. However, the innovations in AI and ML reopened the question of how to build computers and start-ups offered ground-breaking ideas and technologies to build a faster computer. Today, there are at least 45 start-ups that are on the verge of redefining the AI chip industry. Furthermore, there are about five companies that successfully raised more than $100 million from investors. For instance, Venture capitalists invested more than $1.5 billion in AI chips start-ups in 2017, nearly doubling the investments of 2016.
It is a challenging task to go toe-to-toe with Intel and Nvidia in the AI chip business, which would require at least billion dollars of investment. However, these start-ups help to develop dedicated chips that provide a particular kind of computing power to support ML and get acquired by the existing tech giants. Due to the increasing hunger for new and fast processing power, start-ups have gained a rare chance against the entrenched companies in building faster AI chips.
Swamini Kulkarni holds a bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation and control engineering from Pune University, and works as a content writer at Allied Market Research. She is deeply fascinated by the impact of technology on human life, and loves to talk about science and mythology. When she is not glued to the computer, she loves to read, travel, and day dream about her areas of interest.


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Oath revenue declined almost 7.0%
Verizon (VZ) expects to take a $4.6 billion impairment charge related to its Oath media business in the fourth quarter. Oath is Verizon’s media and advertising division, consisting mostly of the AOL and Yahoo assets acquired for more than $9.0 billion between 2015 and 2017.
According to Verizon, Oath has experienced increased competitive pressure in 2018, resulting in lower-than-expected revenue and earnings in the business. Oath’s revenue declined 6.9% year-over-year to $1.8 billion in the third quarter. Verizon expects the pressure on Oath to continue in 2019, resulting in Oath losing market share to the competition. Verizon no longer expects Oath to hit $10 billion in annual revenue by 2020.
Oath to capture 3.3% of US digital advertising market
According to eMarketer data cited by the Wall Street Journal, Oath’s share of the United States digital advertising revenue will shrink to 3.3% this year, down from 4.2% in 2017. Google (GOOGL), Facebook (FB), and Amazon (AMZN) are expected to capture 37.1%, 20.6%, and 4.1% of the US digital advertising market in 2018, according to data from eMarketer. Microsoft’s (MSFT) share of the US digital advertising market is estimated at 4.1% in 2018. Oath will change its name to Verizon Media Group next year.
Focus investors on network business
By admitting Oath’s challenges, Verizon is being open with investors and focusing them on its network business rather than on media breakthroughs at this moment. Verizon wants to lead the 5G network rollout race. It started offering residential 5G service in parts of the United States in October.


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Beauty Industry Diversity And Inclusion News: Latest From L’Oreal, Ulta, Edgewell, Fragrance Creators
From Black-owned business investments to corporate board diversity commitments and civil rights advocacy on Capitol Hill, leading beauty and personal-care companies, retailers and trade associations are finding ways to advance social responsibility initiatives and shine in today’s progressive political climate.
You may also be interested in...
Data presented at AAAI meeting show reduced annualized asthma exacerbation rates across all patient populations, but doctors are unlikely to switch patients served well by existing biologics.
The RNA drug’s accelerated approval brings Sarepta’s exon-skipping market share to nearly 30%.
Limiting interactions to two-dimensional settings will hinder collaboration, innovation and the mentoring of younger employees, Merck & Co. CEO Kenneth Frazier says. Frazier, who will retire in June, is looking forward to returning to public service but says "politics with a capital P is not my thing."


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DNA Damage Control SILC Sheer SPF 45 by NEOVA wins Daily Glow Award in Biggest Breakthrough 'Sunscreen with Superpowers' category by Today Daily Glow
December 19, 2011
– Today Daily Glow has announced the winners for their inaugural awards program to acknowledge the top beauty products that are bringing innovation to the forefront of the industry. NEOVA® is pleased to announce that DNA Damage Control™ SILC SHEER SPF 45 earned a Daily Glow Award in the Biggest Breakthrough "Sunscreen with Superpowers" category.
Damage Control SILC SHEER SPF 45 by NEOVA is an advanced, broad spectrum sunscreen with a tint to create perfect complexions today and tomorrow by protecting and repairing the skin. With micronized Titanium Dioxide, organic blockers and DNA repair enzymes, SILC SHEER works to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature aging, both caused by photodamage from sun exposure. Its DNA repair enzymes are clinically shown to reduce UV damage by 45% and increase UV protection by 300% in one hour. The intense results are an effect of the patent pending formulas and superior technology which uses liposomes to deliver the DNA repair enzymes deep into the skin, to the cellular level, hyper-targeting the site of the DNA injury. SILC SHEER SPF 45 is suitable for every skin type.
"NEOVA® DNA Damage Control™ SILC SHEER SPF 45 is a Daily Glow Award winner for its unique benefits of protecting users from incidental UV radiation while repairing past damage caused by the sun's harmful rays," says Senior Editor Liesa Goins. "I also love that SILC SHEER has a sheer tint that can double as a makeup primer."
This year marks the first annual Daily Glow awards with six categories including Skin, Hair, Makeup, Hand/Foot/Nail care, Biggest Breakthroughs and Editor's Picks. Among NEOVA®'s SILC SHEER, 85 products were declared first-year winners and granted "Glow-Getter" status by celebrity beauty experts, some of the most reputable medical doctors and Daily Glow's beauty specialists.
Daily Glow, where health meets beauty, is unlike any other beauty site, providing a smart, fresh perspective from credentialed experts on healthy beauty, with credible, solution-oriented information that helps women look their best on a daily basis. Daily Glow features articles from authoritative expert voices, galleries of looks and makeovers and problem solving tools with community engagement to uplift and encourage users, plus daily newsletters that provide tips on daily regimens, routines and rituals.
SILC SHEER SPF 45 Retail price: $39
NEOVA® is the first clinical skin care company to bring real innovation to the photo aging category by introducing Copper Peptide Complex technology products. These award-winning formulas target photodamaged skin, help to visibly repair it and revolutionize the way women and men care for their skin. NEOVA® is the first and only skin care brand to make the association between DNA damage and premature skin aging while providing complete, continuous and optimized correction with DNA Repair and Copper Combination Therapy skincare. NEOVA®'s unique liposome delivery system allows women and men to see results faster than ever before.


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SHANGHAI — China will promote travel to countries along the Silk Road in 2015, according to the latest decision by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
Du Jiang, deputy director of the CNTA, said at the China International Travel Mart 2014 (CITM) that the decision was made against the backdrop of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives which were proposed by China to boost regional economic and infrastructure cooperation, as well as people-to-people exchange in Asia.
Tourism marketing and promotion in China next year will focus on travel products related to the Silk Road concept, Du said.
The State Council, China’s cabinet, released guidelines to promote tourism in August, urging better cooperation and more exchanges with countries in central Asia, south Asia and southeast Asia.
The CITM, Asia’s largest professional travel mart, takes place in Shanghai from Nov 14 to 16, with exhibitors from 106 nations and regions invited this year.


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Great little article in the New York Times Friday on PRC economic development policy. To readers of China Hearsay and, frankly, readers of most other China blogs that deal with development issues, the Times piece will not tell you anything you don’t already know. To everyone else this is a nice primer/reminder of what the PRC is trying to achieve with policy and where the government hopes the country will be in the next 10-50 years.
A couple of good excerpts:
No longer content to be the home of low-skilled, low-cost, low-margin manufacturing for toys, pens, clothes and other goods, Chinese companies are trying to move up the value chain, hoping eventually to challenge the world’s biggest corporations for business, customers, power and recognition.
The government is backing the drive with a two-pronged approach: using incentives to encourage companies to innovate, but also moving to discourage low-end manufacturers from operating in southern China. That step would reverse one of the crucial engines of this country’s spectacular economic rise.
But by introducing tougher labor and environmental standards and ending tax breaks for thousands of factories here, the government has sent a powerful signal about its global ambitions, and helped encourage an exodus of factories from an area long considered the world’s shop floor.
We’ve heard a lot of folks complain about China’s labor and environmental policies, usually tying this to trade issues. I haven’t heard many of these people bring up China’s development plans and the pivot away from low-end manufacturing. I get the feeling that as jobs migrate from South China over to Vietnam and Bangladesh, and China moves more into high-tech, the same people will find other things to complain about.
Another good quote:
Government policies now favor high-tech economic zones, research and development centers and companies that promise higher salaries and more skills. A computer chip plant being built by Intel in the northern city of Dalian is welcomed; a textile mill churning out $1 pairs of socks is not.
“When a country is in its early stages of development, as China was 20 years ago, having an export processing center is good for growth,” said Andy Rothman, a longtime China analyst at CLSA, the investment bank. “But there’s a point when that’s no longer appropriate. Now, China’s saying, ‘We don’t want to be the world’s sweatshop for junk any more.’ ”
The sad part of all this is that Beijing has been discussing this development strategy for many years. Now that they are implementing the policy, we get to hear from all those politicians and journalists who have living in caves for the past ten years and who now describe all this as a "new initiative". Shameful.


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Trump said he will raise tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods to 30% and hike duties on another $300 billion in products to 15%.Politicsread more
China said on Saturday it strongly opposes Washington's decision to levy additional tariffs on $550 billion worth of Chinese goods and warned the United States of consequences...Politicsread more
The European Union will respond in kind if the U.S. imposes tariffs on France over digital tax plan, EU chief Donald Tusk told G-7.Technologyread more
Stocks dropped after Donald Trump ordered that U.S. manufacturers find alternatives to their operations in China.US Marketsread more
The final week of August could be highly volatile as markets fret over the economy and the latest developments in trade wars.Market Insiderread more
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said Friday that the global economy has deteriorated in the past month.Marketsread more
The latest escalation in the trade war ups the odds the economy will fall into recession and that the Fed will aggressively cut rates.Market Insiderread more
Here are the products that stand to be the most affected by China's new tariffs on $75 billion worth of U.S. goods.Marketsread more
"We don't need China and, frankly, would be far better off without them," Trump tweeted.Politicsread more
Recent trade friction between the two Asian powerhouses has morphed into a dispute with political implications that go far beyond the region.Asia Politicsread more
"My only question is, who is our bigger enemy, Jay Powell or Chairman Xi?" Trump wrote amid a series of tweets that rattled markets Friday.Politicsread more
Despite some pushback from global regulators, Wall Street veteran and CEO of Japanese online broker Monex Group says the new crypto asset class could take off like derivatives did 38 years ago.
"Regulators really hated derivatives in 1980 but just soon after that they really embraced them," Oki Matsumoto, CEO of Monex, said on stage at the Japan Society in New York Tuesday. "What's happening in the crypto world today is very similar to derivatives in the 1980s, and sooner or later all of those regulatory frameworks will be fixed."
The Japanese CEO started his career in derivatives at Solomon Brothers in 1987. Matsumoto later spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs, where he launched the investment bank's yen fixed-income trading desk.
Matsumoto now runs Monex, which he established in 1999 with Sony Corporation. This week, Monex Group completed its acquisition of cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck, which was the target of a $534 million hack in January.
"We work beautifully together, they can provide a lot of value," the CEO said, adding that shares of Monex have doubled since that deal was announced in April.
Having a regulated public company in Japan buy a crypto exchange was widely seen as a confidence boost for the space.
Similar to cryptocurrency, Matsumoto said the concept of derivatives was confusing in the early days.
"Only a few people could understand derivatives, just the rocket scientists and those people," Matsumoto said. "But five years later, all the biggest schools in the world were teaching derivatives."
High tax rates on cryptocurrency, which can be as high as 55 percent in Japan, have been a roadblock for retail investors, he said. Traders however, aren't as worried.
"You don't drink thinking about getting hungover the next day," Matsumoto said. "I think it's going to take time for Japanese retail people to move a good portion of money into crypto."
Cryptocurrency volatility has captured the attention of traders looking to profit, especially after bitcoin rose more than 1,300, to near $20,000 last year. The cryptocurrency was trading near $9,000 Tuesday, according to CoinDesk.


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Design may be one of the few industries powered primarily by self-expression, but that hasn’t deterred the White House from putting a lid on any leaks about Wednesday’s Celebration of Design.
First Lady Michelle Obama is hosting the workshop-cocktail-party that will be held at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Thom Browne, Narciso Rodriguez, Reed Krakoff, Prabal Gurung, Zac Posen, Maria Cornejo, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nanette Lepore, Wes Gordon and Preen’s Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi are among the designers who will be making the trip to the Beltway. Executives from Ralph Lauren and Talbots have also signed up.
But when asked about the event, several designers declined to comment or deferred any questions to FLOTUS’ press office. While a few in the New York crowd said they were keeping mum with respect to the First Lady’s wishes, others said their own inquiries about the event had yet to be answered.
One exception was Mary Alice Stephenson, who posted on her Facebook page that she was excited to be participating in Michelle Obama’s first Fashion Education Workshop at the White House. “As part of Mrs. Obama’s #REACHHIGHER initiative, this first-ever fashion education workshop will enlighten, educate and mentor the next generation of fashion leaders,” Stephenson gushed. “The First Lady’s goal is to provide a forum for the world’s leading fashion professionals to share their personal story and insight. I can’t wait to share this inspiring day with so many incredible young people and, thanks to social media, will also be posting special moments from this historic day with all of you! #FashionEdu #GLAM4GOOD.”
In response to an e-mail sent to FLOTUS frontwoman Maria Cristina González asking about the number of designer participants, the likelihood of any special performances and a few other routine matters, WWD received the press-pool breakout of the First Lady’s schedule for Oct. 3, 7 and 8. Once back from Boston; Bangor, Maine; Madison, Wis., and Chicago, Obama will host the workshop with “leading fashion professionals — from designers to magazine editors to fashion technologists — to show young people what it takes to succeed, and how important it is for the next generation to commit to their education.”
The designer-loving mom-in-chief plans to visit two of the five student workshops, which will be led by experts in their field. After the First Lady delivers her remarks in the East Room, there will be a live-streamed panel discussion “comprised of designers and experts.”
Once the high school and college students exit Wednesday, the designer crowd will no doubt be a lot looser at 6 p.m., when Obama welcomes them to a Celebration of Design cocktail party.
The First Lady, however, will not be winging it to New York for another design extravaganza Thursday night — the 15th anniversary of the Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Awards. Last week, she hosted another East Wing affair, welcoming NDA winners to a luncheon. Rodriguez will be doing double duty as this year’s Fashion Design honoree — he has also created the costumes that the Stephen Petronio Company will wear to perform an excerpt from “Locomotor (2014)” for the Pier Sixty crowd.


text: After taking a place in almost all parts of your home, technology is all set to make its place in your kitchen. German scientists are wholeheartedly working on a device that makes it easier for consumers to estimate the freshness of foods. Developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institutes for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Schmallenberg and for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM in Freiburg, this little device using metal oxide sensors, checks gas emissions online. The new system based on metal oxide sensors ensure the safety and quality of foods which indeed is reliable, quick and economical too. It’s still a prototype but if it actually makes it into production, it’s surely gonna be a hit!


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Senior refining executives were called to Washington, DC, in June, around the time U.S. gas prices hit their high-water mark for the year, as the government sought recommendations about how to increase the supply of gasoline. One suggestion made to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm was to relax sulfur specifications on fuels, including the Tier 3 gasoline sulfur specifications. But what is the connection between those rules and the U.S. refining system’s ability to produce gasoline? In today’s RBN blog, we explain how the Tier 3 rules constrain gasoline supply capacity in the U.S. and discuss ways to break free from those chains.
In Part 1 of this series, we detailed how the retail “price” of octane — the primary yardstick of gasoline quality and price — has marched steadily higher over the past decade, led by a market now impacted more by demand than production costs. Just as octane demand has been increasing, however, a number of factors have been tamping down octane supply and recently spurred a run-up in the retail price of octane, measured by the difference between the pump prices of premium and regular gasoline, which has gone from a 20-cent differential to about 80 cents per gallon. In Part 2, we focused on a critical refinery stream called fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) gasoline. It is produced in the FCC (see dashed black oval in Figure 1), a chemical reactor that “cracks” high-sulfur oil molecules into valuable gasoline molecules. FCC gasoline (labeled as FCC naphtha) makes up 40% of the U.S. gasoline supply.
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It is almost impossible for Apple to keep details of its upcoming iPhone under wraps. Part of the challenge is the global supply chain, which includes manufacturers in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Another challenge is the ravenous interest in details on the iPhone by its fans – even after almost a decade on the market.
For instance, reports of leaked information on the upcoming iPhone 7S raised quite a few eyebrows on Friday. Granted the days before New Year’s tend to be a slow news period. But if you are a regular follower of Apple, then you know that entire careers have been built on tracking developments in the company’s iPhone platform.
As such, Friday’s DigiTimes report was viewed as confirmation that Apple will offer a ‘supersized’ iPhone model in 2017. According to reports, the updated iPhone platform will include three phones – 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch, and a 5.8-inch version. The latter is larger than the existing ‘Plus’ versions of the iPhone which were first introduced with the iPhone 6.
The reports of the larger iPhone 7S are more than just speculation. According to reports from DigiTime, shipments of a 5.8-inch TFT-LCF panels have been clocked from factories. The report also claims that Samsung will be the exclusive manufacturer for the larger iPhone with capacity to deliver nearly 20 million panels per month.
This highlights the curious relationship between Apple and Samsung. While they are largely known for their competition in the smartphone space, Samsung is also one of the leading suppliers of OLED in the world. As such, it makes sense that Apple would tap Samsung as their supply chain partner for this project.
Reports of a larger iPhone are a far cry from the direction taken by Apple when founder Steve Jobs was in charge. Mr. Jobs was known for his derision of the oversized screens, but customers tend to like the larger screens. This is evidenced by the success of larger phone sizes by companies such as Samsung, LG, and the Chinese headset maker, Huawei.
Even though Apple has begrudgingly added larger phones to its repertoire, critics note that the iOS experience has yet to be optimized for the bigger screens. While it is unclear how this would happen, some point to the need for the company to update its developer tools to offer support for the full range of Apple products – from Apple Watch to iPhones and iPads to Macs. This does create challenges for the company and might explain why Apple has been slow to offer multiple screen options for its popular smart phone line.


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On the sunny Hawaiian isle of Oahu, things are looking even brighter! That’s because Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club has recently added new enhancements to make your stay even better than before. And right now, you can take advantage of availability at this fabulous resort, call us TODAY to book your Hawaiian retreat!
Guest suites feature a king bed, a sofa bed, balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, kitchenette with mini fridge and microwave, silverware, dishes, coffee maker and tea service.
While you’re indulging in a spectacular Oahu vacation, you’ll also notice these great resort enhancements they’ve recently made:
Check out the brand new on-site fitness program featuring explorational activities, fitness classes, nutritious food options, overall wellness advice and more.
The Hale Kona villas have been made over, from new ceiling fans to the carpet and everything in between (except for the cabinets and countertops). And villas in Hale Nai’a have also undergone a refurbishment including new carpets, mattresses, sofa beds and reupholstered dining room chairs. Plus, the outside of the Hale Moana building and parking structure have been spruced up with fresh paint.
New Resort Amenities
Take advantage of a new Wi-Fi infrastructure that will improve connectivity for multiple mobile devices in each villa. You can also order pizza and other food to be delivered to your villa, enjoy food and beverage delivery to your beach cabana, and choose from expanded grocery and takeout selections at The Marketplace. Drop off the kids at the renovated Kids Club, or you can circle around the new fire pit in front of Hale Nai’a.
Owner-Exclusive Golf Special
From now until October 1, 2015, Ko Olina Golf Club is offering Owners an exclusive deal: Enjoy nine holes of golf every Thursday for $97 ($20 off the regular rate).


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It is clear that either Congress or the administration, or both, are going to take some action in the online privacy space. At stake are billions of dollars in targeted advertising. Having heard in last week’s issue from government movers and shakers and a high-profile professor on the importance of a privacy protection regime, B&C looks at some arguments from the other side on why government needs to be careful about putting too heavy a hand on the mouse.
The American Bar Association, for example, suggests that overregulation of the online ad space in the interest of protecting privacy might depress prices by reducing competition. And while that would hurt ISPs like cable operators, the ABA suggests it might actually benefit broadcasters.
Not surprisingly, self-regulation and industry codes of conduct were the order of the day from industry fans of a government light touch. But if there has to be more government involvement, cable operators argue, it should be “platform neutral.” Translation: Whatever you do to us, you have to do to our competition, and not just in the ISP space.
Boon to Broadcasters: Calling for a rigorous cost-benefit analysis of any proposed privacy-protection regime, the ABA, in comments to the Federal Trade Commission (which is preparing a report to Congress on privacy), argues that a too heavyhanded privacy-protection regime could actually reduce price competition, to the advantage of broadcasters.
The way the ABA sees it, the FTC needs to do that analysis before it recommends a do-not-track regime for behavioral advertising. It argues that do-not-track could reduce the number of online ads, raising the price and providing less competition to targeted local advertisers like broadcasters who “have information about local readers and viewers that allow better audience targeting and thus support higher prices for advertising.”
Competitive Neutrality: The National Cable & Telecommunications Association points out that wearing their ISP hats, cable operators are looking at expanding their interactive advertising. Government should not be a regulator in the privacy space, it argues, but more of a “coordinator” of voluntary codes. The NCTA has two fundamental requests of any privacy regime: 1) that it draws a distinction between personally identifiable information and anonymized information and 2) that it establishes “competitive neutrality” as a “bedrock” principle. In other words, whatever framework the government comes up with, search engines and not just networks should be included. “Cable operators compete, of course, with other providers of broadband Internet access service, including telephone companies and, increasingly, wireless service providers,” says the NCTA. But ISPs “also compete with other Internet entities—including entities with access to consumer information—in the highly competitive Internet advertising marketplace.” The Digital Marketing Association seconded NCTA’s call for “competitive neutrality.”
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DirectX 12 won't be made available for Windows 7 users, according to AMD
It's not exactly a shock, but an AMD rep recently stated that DirectX 12, the next version of Microsoft's graphics API for Windows, won't be made available for Windows 7. Microsoft has already announced that DirectX 12 will launch alongside Windows 10 sometime in 2015.
The news came from AMD's Chief Gaming Scientist Richard Huddy at a presentation during the recent PDXLAN gaming event. As he stated, "One thing that's not going to happen to it is DX12. Yup, DX12 is not coming to Windows 7." This isn't surprising, since Windows 7 mainstream support is scheduled to end in January 2015, which means that new features won't be added to the OS after that date (it will continue to receive security and bug updates for several more years).
Microsoft has so far only confirmed that DirectX 12 will be added as part of Windows 10 out of the box and it's also due for Windows 8 and 8.1 as well. DirectX 12 will also be made available as a software update for Xbox One game developers. Should Microsoft go ahead and add DirectX 12 for Windows 7 as well?
Source: PC Gamer
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Just force everyone to upgrade to windows 10 and then we will have much larger user base for phone, tablet, PC and everything


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Nicolas Bidon, previously chief executive officer of EMEA, has been appointed as Brian Gleason’s successor as Xaxis global president.
Bidon, who was previously responsible for leading operations across the company’s 25 EMEA markets, will now guide the overall strategy including growth, client development and operational leadership across regions.
“Xaxis continues to set the standard for the programmatic industry when it comes to delivering performance, innovation and measurable results for our clients and I am honored for the opportunity to lead our extremely talented team in the next phase of our development,” said Bidon.
“Our mission has not changed: we aim to leverage our technology and data assets to deliver guaranteed ROI for brands, while making advertising more relevant and timely to consumers. We look forward to continuing to advance the state of the art in audience and performance driven media products to achieve that goal.”
Prior to his chief executive EMEA role, Bidon worked as global chief executive officer of native ad specialist plista. He succeeds Brian Gleason, who is joining GroupM’s new [m]Platform division as global chief executive officer.
“Nicolas has played an integral role in the Xaxis success story over the past four years and we are pleased to welcome his leadership as global president,” said Gleason.
“His extensive knowledge of the Xaxis business, proven leadership ability and experience developing and launching new programmatic products across global markets makes him an ideal choice for the position.”
In light of the recent acquisition of US retail media specialist Triad, Gleason told M&M Global last week that Xaxis has completed its shift from general programmatic buying platform to performance media specialist.
“Xaxis is projecting higher growth [in 2017] than this year,” he insists. “It is the largest outcome-based business in the world. More and more clients are asking for a guaranteed performance model, clients are looking for help with guaranteed sales.
“Xaxis sits at the intersection of sales and marketing. With Triad, they are as close to the transaction as you can get.”


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WELL DONE Gr/eat greek cuisine in Terminus Road!
They have been awarded the Constituency Responsible Business Champions, a nationwide competition.
They were also shortlisted among other 8 companies for the National Award!
The national winners were
Camelot UK Lotteries
“A huge applause goes out to our amazing and hard working team.
Vasilis was the lucky one to represent gr/eat at Westminster.”


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Apple is all set to unveil its latest iPhone 12 series this fall. We have been seeing quite a lot of leaks and speculations around the new iPhone 12 variants. A few days back, the analyst Kuo suggested that Apple might not ship the EarPods along with the upcoming iPhones. Now, a new report from Barclays also claims that the Cupertino-based tech giant may not include the EarPods and the power adapter either. Furthermore, Apple iPhone 12 series will start at around USD 549, roughly Rs. 42,000 this time around making it the cheapest Apple flagship in years.
We all know that Apple always makes the bold moves which will later be followed by a lot of other OEMs. For example, the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack on its devices. The last iPhone came out with a 3.5mm headphone jack is the iPhone 6s which was launched back in 2015. The company removed the headphone jack on its devices starting with the iPhone 7 series. The wireless headphones market was on the rage ever since! Now, analysts from Barclays suggest that the iPhone 12 series will not come with EarPods and power adapter in the box.
If this turns out to be true, then we might witness the rise of this new trend where manufacturers ship the devices without the power adapters. Do not take this report lightly as the previous reports from the firm turned out to be positive. In the past, they have suggested that the company might not bundle the headphone jack adapter in the box with the iPhone Xs and iPhone XR and the removal of 3D on the iPhone 11 series also turned out true. Now this means that the iPhone 12 series is expected to pack just the device and USB Type C to lightning cable. According to the Barclays analyst, the information has been sourced based on discussions with various suppliers.
Not adding the EarPods in the box makes a lot of sense as, as per Kuo’s statements, this is expected to drive more people to get the AirPods this year. He further added that the sales of AirPods are collapsed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But non-inclusion of the power adapter is too much to cut-off! With that being said, analysts from Barclays also expect the two devices from the upcoming iPhone 12 series will feature triple rear cameras and a LIDAR sensor.
Bringing back the story to the iPhone 12 series pricing, the report comes to us from a leakster OmegaLeaks. According to OmegaLeaks, we get to see a 4G variant of the iPhone 12 which will be announced at USD 549, roughly Rs. 42,000 and the 4G iPhone 12 Max variant will be launched at USD 649, approximately Rs. 50,000.
Also, Jon Posser from Front Page Tech claims that the 5G iPhone 12 variants will start at a price of US 649, roughly Rs. 50,000 and goes all the way up to USD 1,099, roughly Rs. 83,000. Jon also added that the Pro model of this year’s iPhone 12 series will come with the LiDAR sensor which was first announced with the iPad Pro 2020. Regardless of that, the iPhone 12 pricing seems very interesting as the cheapest iPhone currently is the recently launched iPhone SE 2020.
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Schneider Electric has broken ground on its $36.82m (Rs3bn) smart factory in Telangana, the southern state of India.
Erith Group is constructing a production facility for sealing products at the Al Hamra Industrial Area in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, reported TradeArabia.
Intel is close to signing an initial $5bn deal with Italy to construct an advanced semiconductor packaging and assembly plant in the country, Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.
US semiconductor manufacturer SkyWater Technology has announced plans to build a $1.8bn semiconductor R&D and production facility in Indiana, in partnership with the state and Purdue University.
Taiwan-based GlobalWafers has announced plans to invest $5bn on a new silicon wafers plant in Texas to meet the demand for semiconductors across the US, reported Reuters.
J.C. Bamford Excavators, known as JCB, is set to build a new plant in Staffordshire, UK that will entail an investment of more than £50m.
Bosch Group has laid the foundation stone for a €1bn wafer fab facility in Saxony state capital of Dresden, Germany.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has unveiled plans to build a new tyre factory in Luxembourg to meet the demand for premium tyres.
LG Electronics has broken ground on its new $250m home appliance manufacturing facility near, Clarksville in Tennessee, US.
Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor have signed an agreement to establish joint venture (JV) production facility to manufacture vehicles in the US.
Lockheed Martin has started construction on a $350m satellite production facility at its Waterton Canyon campus near Denver, US.
Roxul, a producer of stone wool insulation products and part of the Rockwool Group, has unveiled its plan to build a new manufacturing facility in West Virginia, US.
Petrochemical company Braskem is set to move forward with the construction of a new polypropylene factory next to its existing production facilities in La Porte, Texas.
Collins Earthworks has taken delivery of the first 75t Volvo EC750E excavator to reach the UK market, after the machine was launched at Bauma 2016 earlier this year.


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For the first time in 15 months, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the rate of inflation, dropped to 17.78 per cent (year-on-year) in February 2017, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Tuesday.
The naira also maintained its momentum against the dollar on the parallel market, rising to N454 on news that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had pumped another $195 million into the interbank foreign exchange market.
In its latest CPI report released on Tuesday, NBS said the figure was 0.94 per cent points lower when juxtaposed with the 18.72 per cent posted in January.
According to the NBS, the new figure marked the first time in 15 months that the headline CPI has dipped on a year-on-year basis.
The NBS traced the development to the effects of a slower increase in food and non-food prices as well as favourable base effects over 2016 prices.
However, price increases were recorded in all divisions that constitute the headline index, said the report.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel, education, food and alcoholic beverages, clothing, foot ware and transportation services provided the major divisions that accounted for accelerating the pace of increase in the headline index.
On a month-on-month basis, the headline index rose by 1.49 per cent in February 2017, representing a 0.48 per cent points higher from the 1.01 per cent recorded in January.
Similarly, the food index rose by 18.53 per cent (year-on-year) in February, up by 0.71 per cent points over what was recorded in January (17.82 per cent).
The NBS report indicated that the rise was propelled by increases in the prices of bread, cereals, meat, fish, potatoes, yams and other tubers, and wine, while the slowest increase in food prices year-on-year were recorded by soft drinks, coffee, tea and cocoa.
Price movements recorded by all items less farm produce or core sub-index rose by 16.00 per cent (year-on-year) in February, down by 1.90 per cent points from the 17.90 per cent recorded in January.
The highest year-on-year increases were in electricity, liquid and solid fuels, fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, clothing materials, other articles of clothing and clothing accessories, and books and stationeries.
The urban index also rose by 18.57 per cent (year-on-year) in February from 20.31 per cent in January while the rural index increased by 16.98 per cent in February from 17.34 per cent in January.
Equally, on a month-on-month basis, the urban index increased by 1.52 per cent in February from 1.03 per cent posted in January, while the rural index rose by 1.47 per cent in February from 1.00 per cent in January.
The composite food index rose by 18.53 per cent in February 2017, a rise that stemmed from increases in the prices of bread, cereals, meat, fish, potatoes, yams and other tubers, vegetables, wine, milk, cheese and eggs, sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery and fruit.
On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.99 per cent in February, up by 0.7 per cent points from 1.29 per cent recorded in January.
The “All Items Less Farm Produce” or Core Sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce declined by 16.0 per cent in February 2017, 1.90 per cent points from 17.90 per cent recorded in January.
Commenting on the 0.94 percentage points decline in inflation in February, the Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, attributed the moderation in the CPI largely to the base effect.
“The base effect would be more pronounced in May 2017 inflation because it was in May 2016 that the uptick was higher. So, if nothing significant occurs in the economy, we are going to see a drastic reduction, to maybe single digit in May 2017 inflation,” Chukwu predicted in a chat with THISDAY.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, described the drop in February CPI as good news for the Nigerian economy.
“We expect inflation to drop further in March because the base-year effect is waning and would wane further. It was in February last year that this ‘madness’ started.
“But in February this year, we started seeing improved foreign exchange supply and if that continues, we expect inflation to continue to decline.
“So, good things are happening and confidence is gradually returning to the economy,” Rewane added.
Ecobank Nigeria’s analyst, Kunle Ezun, who said the drop in inflation was expected, predicted that the CPI might fall to 14 per cent at the end of the year.
“The issue now is how does that translate to an improvement in the living conditions of Nigerians? For me, government must ensure that the power sector is fixed so that the high cost of power by firms and households is reduced.
“There is also the need to bring down the cost of transportation,” he added.
The naira also edged higher on the parallel market on Tuesday to close at N454 to the dollar, stronger than N460 to the dollar from the previous day, as the CBN sustained its intervention in the foreign exchange market.
The central bank intervened with a total of $195 million on Tuesday.
A breakdown showed that it auctioned $150 million through special wholesale FX forwards and sold $45 million for invisibles.
Confirming this, the acting Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said all the pent-up demand for visibles had so far been cleared, while the demand for invisibles “has been dropping”.
Okorafor said that the central bank was determined to sustain liquidity in the FX market in order to enhance accessibility and affordability for genuine end users.
Okorafor also cautioned dealers not to engage in any unwholesome practices detrimental to the smooth operation of the market, warning that the CBN would impose heavy sanctions on any organisation or official involved in such acts.
However, the spot rate of the naira on the interbank market depreciated to N306.25 to the dollar on Tuesday, after the central bank sold the dollar at its highest level ever on the official market.
The central bank sold $1.5 million at N305.75 to the dollar. Commercial lenders then resold dollars at a 0.50 naira margin, leaving the naira at N306.25 at the end of trading on Tuesday.


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Harry themal | Newspaper The $ 200 payday loan that ended up pulling a 838% “unreasonable” interest and the wrath of a Delaware judge cost the loan company well over thousands of dollars. Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster has now ordered National Financial to pay $ 331,024 in legal fees …Read More »
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty Thursday to his role in two fraud schemes involving bogus payday loan debts and tax evasion totaling more than $ 8 million, said the federal prosecutors. Joel Jerome Tucker, 51, of Prairie Village, Kansas, has pleaded guilty to one count …Read More »
When cash runs out and bills loom, some consumers turn to payday loans. If not approached with caution, these loans can snowball into large debt, with high interest rates and collection tactics under pressure. Payday loans involve borrowing money against your next paycheck. Borrowers write a check for the amount …Read More »
Enrich Shoppe invites customers to earn Enrich Miles at over 500 popular online stores in 4 different markets in South East Asia SINGAPORE, January 13, 2021 / PRNewswire / – Malaysia Airlines frequent flyer program Enrich is pleased to announce the launch of Enrich’s new online shopping platform called Enrich …Read More »
MoneyGram’s direct-to-consumer digital business, MoneyGram Online (MGO), saw 142% year-over-year growth in cross-border transactions in December and recorded the highest number of transactions on record in the past year. ‘in a given month. The growth rate marked a significant acceleration from the previous year with record online transactions during the …Read More »
Alternative IQ’s “Winners Showcase Investor Conference” is live this year. Investors, investment advisors and industry experts will review 5 award-winning Canadian hedge funds.
Toronto, Ontario – (Newsfile Corp. – February 23, 2021) – Alternative IQ announces a 1.5-hour virtual conference where investors, investment advisers, family offices, institutional investors and experts from The hedge fund industry hears from some of Canada’s brightest and best experts their wallets. A very timely conference, amid the volatility …Read More »
(Bloomberg) – Boxed, an online bulk retailer, is in talks to publicize a merger with Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp., a blank check company, according to people with knowledge of the matter. One deal is expected to value the combined company at over $ 1 billion, said the people, who requested …Read More »


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$FTR announced the addition of Roy Labrador to lead commercial sales efforts in the Southeast region covering Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Labrador has been hired as VP, commercial sales and will be located in the Tampa regional headquarters. He will lead Frontier Business Edge efforts in the region.
Samsung’s S8 will have 6.2 inch curved screen and iris scanner to take on $AAPL, according to leaked report.
For the past few years, $AAPL has been buying domains with the iCloud name. According to a report from TechCrunch, the latest acquisition was of the domain name iCloud.net.
$AAPL just released the first look of its $5 billion Cupertino campus, now named Apple Park. Take a look.
Looking forward to the first $TSLA earnings after SolarCity acquisition.


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This year, Netflix has put together two things to make most binge-worthy stories from South Korea: the thrilling drama set in ancient Korean monarchy and the threat of an impending zombie apocalypse. To take this launch to the next level, Netflix Philippines once again strengthened its partnership with global electronics and home entertainment giant LG.
On January 25, Netflix released a contagious case of binge-watch fever as it launched its newest original Korean series Kingdom. Set in Korea’s ancient Joseon Period, Kingdom follows the journey of a crown prince sent on a suicide mission to investigate a gruesome plague spreading inside the kingdom only to find zombies threatening his reign and his people.
And the best way to give justice to the thrill and excitement of “Kingdom” and its mind-blowing cinematic appeal is to watch it with the LG 30th Anniversary TV — the OLED B8 4K TV, which was recently launched in the Philippines.
LG Electronics Philippines partnered with Netflix to have a preview screening event on January 24 with more than a hundred guests at the Korean Cultural Center (KCC).
Guests were treated to a traditional Korean feast and had a blast at the hanbok photo wall where they got to dress up in a traditional Korean hanbok to pose against the realistic Kingdom backdrop.
The latest partnership is also a reminder of the strength and reliability of the flourishing friendship between the Philippines and South Korea. 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the friendship between the two nations, which started when the Philippines became the fifth country to recognize the Republic of Korea in 1949. Since then, the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries has grown in every aspect: economically, technologically, culturally, and even in military and government support.
To honor the two countries’ thriving relationship and strengthen KCC’s mission to “deepen the understanding and appreciation of Korean culture among Filipinos by providing diverse cultural programs and events”, LG Philippines has donated five 55-inch UHD 4K TVs (four 55UK6300 and one 55UK6500) to the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines.
The growing partnership between LG Philippines and Netflix Philippines, on the other hand, further solidifies the bond between Filipinos and Koreans. While LG has a number of TVs that are officially recommended by Netflix after passing a series of rigorous tests, the B8 4K OLED TV is one that stands out from the pack. It boasts a list of impressive features, starting with its top-of-the-tine 55″ 4K Cinema HDR display providing sharp contrast and vibrant colors. The B8 is made to deliver an immersive viewing experience powered by the Smart Brain α7 Intelligent Processor to make sure all TV functions and features are working together for a seamless user experience. Aside from its stunning visuals and cutting edge smart TV technology, LG has equipped the B8 4K OLED TV with a Dolby Atmos sound system for a true cinematic experience in the comfort of your own home.
Take home the LG B8 OLED TV the most competitively priced high quality OLED TV in the market today for PhP 89,991. As a gift, every purchase of the LG B8 comes with six free months of Netflix access, so the entire family can enjoy high quality entertainment at home.
MAIN PHOTO: (From left) LG Philippines Managing Director Inkwun Heo, Netflix Partner Marketing Creative Paolo Banaga, Netflix Partner Marketing Head Helen Hidvegi, and Korean Cultural Center Director Lee Gin Cheol.


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VistaCam cameras are designed and manufactured by the same company who create the much loved Vera range of gateways. As such, these cameras are by far the easiest cameras to integrate into your Vera based Smart Home system.
Many of you might have heard of CES before, but for the uninitiated, CES is a yearly gathering of tech companies, manufacturers and innovators from around the globe where they showcase their latest and greatest advancements in technology!
There hasn’t been this much anticipation for an announcement since the season finale of GoT! Vera and Google have been working on this integration for over a year, but we are excited to announce all Vera gateways now natively integrate with Google Home!
Vera has created a new look for the Vera app dashboard, and it comes with several improvements to the overall experience that makes using Vera easier than ever. This feature is now available on UI7. Here’s a quick overview of the key benefits.


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What you need to know
- Netflix is reportedly working on live streaming capabilities for upcoming content.
- The live component would allow viewers to vote on the outcome of unscripted shows.
- Disney+ and Apple TV+ have already made moves into the live TV world.
You could one day be able to watch live content on Netflix and vote on the outcome.
Netflix is reportedly making plans to offer some of its upcoming unscripted content live for the first time, opening the door to online competitions and live voting.
Deadline reports that the plan could see the upcoming dance competition series Dance 100 and other similar unscripted shows be streamed live on the Netflix platform. That would allow for new interactive options including giving viewers the chance to vote — something that has previously been limited to traditional television platforms like cable and satellite channels.
The report also suggests that the live-streamed content could include ‘Netflix is a Joke,’ a festival of comedy that could be streamed rather than recorded moving forward.
Similarly, it could use it if it decides to bring back its Netflix Is A Joke festival. The live comedy event featured around 300 stand-up performances across LA including Dave Chappelle, Larry David and Pete Davidson. Many of the shows were being filmed with plans to air around 12 of them on the service. In future, it could potentially air shows live, albeit with a few seconds delay in case things get saucy.
Netflix reportedly confirmed that live streaming is “in the early stages of development,” but there is no doubt that the move could make for some interesting possibilities. Disney+ is already making moves in a similar direction with ABC’s American Idol and Dancing with the Stars in the process of switching to the streamer.
Apple TV+ has already made its live debut, of course. Streaming live sport via Friday Night Baseball is potentially just the beginning for Apple TV+, with the service also thought to be keen on an NFL package as well.
If you want to enjoy streaming services like Apple TV+, Netflix, and Disney+ in style, be sure to check out our list of the best Apple TV deals on the market today.
$5 per month at Apple
100% exclusive content for the price of a cup of coffee.
With TV+, you can watch well-produced, big-budget TV shows from famed directors, and starring award-winning actors and actresses across all your Apple devices and with up to six members of your Family Sharing group.


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Recently, things have been looking good for MTG Arena players. Wilds of Eldraine has been released, Rotation and Renewal just happened, and there are big plans for the future. Between a tournament playable pioneer, Modern Horizons 3, and even Commander in the future, MTG Arena players certainly have a lot to look forward to.
Unfortunately, while the smorgasbord of reveals at Gen Con was terribly exciting, these sets and releases aren’t here yet. We may be waiting until 2025 for some of them, in fact. While this obviously isn’t good news for impatient players, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. In a new statement, Wizards has revealed a dramatic, somewhat excepted, change of plans.
Crushing the dreams of hopeful players, Modern is dead of MTG Arena, and Wizards pulled the trigger.
Modern Is Dead (On MTG Arena)
Yesterday, Wizards of the Coast started their celebrations for Magic: the Gathering Arena’s fifth anniversary. To do this, Jay Parker, Arena’s Game Director, took players on a deep dive into the current state of Constructed. Highlighting countless juicy details about formats, their aspirations, and current standing, this deep dive was incredibly informative. As you can tell from the intro, it also contained a bombshell reveal.
Toward the end of the State of Formats article, Parker mused about the future of MTG Arena as a whole. This led them to talk about the hopes for Modern on the platform. Recently, this has seemed more and more like a possibility thanks to Modern Horizons 3 and Khans of Tarkir. Introducing plenty of new Modern staples and Fetch Lands, these releases would undoubtedly make Historic feel a lot more Modern-y.
Latching onto this prospective feeling, a lot of MTG players began calling for Modern to make its way to Arena. Sure, this might take a lot of time, but surely it was doable with enough remastered sets and anthologies, right? Technically, the answer to that question is yes, however, it would take an incredibly long time. So long, in fact, that Wizards isn’t latching onto the idea themselves.
Delivering a crushing blow to players’ hopes, Parker stated “Modern on MTG Arena, […] isn’t something we currently have in our plans. There’s simply too large of a content gap there for us to close anytime soon.”
Considering the hope players have had recently, this is obviously very disappointing to hear. That being said, however, it’s not entirely surprising either. After all, Modern has access to almost 18,000 cards, while MTG Arena only contains around 9,000. Even knowing all these cards aren’t tournament-playable, that’s still an utterly immense difference.
Change Is Coming… Maybe
While Wizards may not have a focus on Modern for the time being, the is the possibility that changes. After all, “anytime soon” does technically leave the door open for the format in the far future. Depending on how much Modern Horizons 3 changes the meta, that future could be somewhat sooner than expected.
Admittedly, the above is a somewhat desperate hope for Modern, rather than any forgone conclusion. Nevertheless, there’s definitely the possibility that Wizards’ attitudes could change as time goes on. Until we hear more about that, however, it’s probably for the best not to get your hopes up too much.
Thankfully, while Modern on MTG Arena may be dead, Historic is still getting Modern Horizons 3 next year. In theory, this should dramatically shake up the meta, to keep things interesting. Unfortunately, however, that’s not necessarily a good thing. After all, if the meta is warped too much, players may have to craft new decks and spend valuable wildcards.
Since Historic is meant to be a “nonrotating digital format with a curated set of cards to ensure balance,” a forced rotation is inherently rather problematic. For better or worse, however, Wizards seems to be well aware of that. So much so, in fact, it seems Wizards may try to combat it!
When speaking on Modern Horizons 3, Parker acknowledged how the set will impact Historic with “many powerful new cards.” This, however, isn’t necessarily what Wizards want, as they “like the fundamental power space that Historic is occupying.” Thanks to this, Parker states Wizards will “continue to manage the cards that enter the format, as you saw with the pre-banned Enchanting Tale cards.”
From this statement, it certainly seems that Modern Horizons 3 will feature numerous pre-bans to ensure the format’s health.
Another New Format
Considering the problems with forced rotation, it may indeed be for the better that MH3 cards are pre-banned. That being said, however, there is definitely a growing number of cards that are banned in Historic. With many of these being pre-banned, MTG Arena players have never had a chance to properly enjoy these cards. Thankfully, however, that may be changing soon.
Speaking at the end of the recent article Parker explicitly noted how “We are also starting to accumulate several cards that are too powerful or disruptive for Historic.” Stating this is something Wizards is “thinking about” it may not be possible that MTG Arena soon gets a true Vintage-esque Eternal format. Who knows, it’s entirely possible that the previous no-ban list event was the first trial of what this format might be like.
Ultimately, while it seems Wizards does have a lot of plans in the works, they’re still a long way away. Modern Horizons 3, for instance, doesn’t release until Q2 in 2024. Similarly, Pioneer isn’t expected to launch on Arena until late 2024, or even 2025. Beyond this, Commander still only exists in the far-off future, vaguely planned for 2025 or 2026.
From these dates, Arena’s next major developments are clearly a long time coming. Thankfully, however, there should still be plenty to enjoy in the meantime. Wilds of Eldraine, for instance, just launched to hopefully reinvigorate each format’s metagame. Additionally, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan isn’t too far out either! With all these sets, hopefully, time will fly by.


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The Before the Bell report is compiled by editors of The Globe and Mail and is updated throughout the morning to reflect latest developments. Colin Cieszynski, Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Market Technician, is chief market strategist with CMC Markets.
Stock markets around the world, particularly in the United States, have staged major rallies in recent weeks. Gains were driven by speculation that U.S. president Donald Trump would bring in sweeping pro-business change. Traders are starting to find out, however, that the speed of government is a lot slower than the speed of business, let alone the speed of markets.
Although some indexes have managed to reach new all-time highs this week, the pace of gains has slowed suggesting markets may be getting priced for perfection, and it wouldn't take much to spark a correction.
Overnight action suggests that profit-taking may be getting underway. The Nasdaq turned down Thursday and this morning, US index futures are trading down 0.3 per cent to 0.5 per cent, while the FTSE is down 0.6 per cent and the Dax is down 1.0 per cent.
On Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated he hopes to pass tax reform by the end of August, but that this could slip to late in the year. Meanwhile, other reports suggested Congress may not get to infrastructure funding until 2018.
Action in indexes and in sectors that have benefited from "Trump trade" anticipation, like industrials and construction, could indicate if ttired of waiting. Next Tuesday, Mr. Trump is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress. The street may be looking for something big and could be disappointed if he doesn't deliver.
Currency trading finds gold and yen rallying overnight and building on Thursday's gains as political risk concerns return for the U.S. and Europe. GBP continues to attract support with Cable holding above $1.2500. Last night, the Brexit cause got a big boost from a by-election that saw a big swing to the Conservatives enabling them to take a seat that Labour had held for about 80 years. Meanwhile, on the continent, France and Italy apparently have come out in support of taking a tough stance, but at this early stage that is to be expected and both countries could have new leadership within six months anyway.
Canadian markets could attract attention today, especially with U.S. news flow light. Consumer price inflation is unexpectedly jumped to 2.1 per cent in January, its highest for more than two years, on a surge in gasoline prices, Statistics Canada data indicated on Friday. Analysts had projected an annual rate of 1.6 per cent.
It's also another big day for Canada earnings. Royal Bank has picked up where CIBC left off, beating the street by a wide margin and raising its dividend. Husky Energy had a positive report while Magna International disappointed badly.
Now, here is a closer look at what's going on this morning and what is still to come.
Futures (as of about 8:45 a.m. ET)
Dow -0.37 per cent; S&P 500 -0.43 per cent; Nasdaq: -0.55 per cent; TSX 60 -0.45 per cent
Japan's Nikkei -0.45 per cent
Shanghai composite index +0.06 per cent
Hong Kong's Hang Seng -0.62 per cent
Germany's DAX -1.61 per cent
London's FTSE -0.89 per cent
France's CAC 40 -1.47 per cent
WTI crude oil (Nymex April) -0.66 per cent at $54.09 (U.S.) a barrel
Gold (Comex Feb.) +0.48 per cent at $1,257.40 (U.S.) an ounce
Copper (Comex March) +0.64 per cent at $2.66 (U.S.) a pound
Canadian dollar +0.12 at 76.42 cents (U.S.)
U.S. dollar index -0.27 at 100.71
Canada 10-year bond yield +0.21 at 1.64 per cent
KEY ECONOMIC RELEASES
(8:30 a.m. ET) Canada consumer price index for January. The consensus estimate is an increase of 0.3 per cent from December and 1.6 per cent year over year.
(10 a.m. ET) U.S. new home sales for January. Consensus is an annualized rate increase of 7.3 per cent.
(10 a.m. ET) U.S. University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment for February (final). Consensus is 96.0, down from 98.5 in January.
(1 p.m. ET) Baker-Hughes rig count
Also: Canada budget balance for December of 2016.
Earnings include: Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.; Foot Locker Inc.; GDI Integrated Facility Services Inc.; Husky Energy Inc.; J C Penney Company Inc.; Magna International Inc.; Morguard Corp.; Royal Bank of Canada; Royal Nickel Corp.; Ur-Energy Inc.
KEY STOCKS TO WATCH
Also see: Friday's small-cap stocks to watch
Royal Bank of Canada (RY-T) reported a 24-per-cent rise in first-quarter net income to more than $3-billion, beating analysts expectations. Canada's biggest bank said it benefited from strong performances by its personal and commercial banking and capital markets businesses. Net income in the quarter to Jan. 31 rose to $3.03-billion, from $2.45-billion a year ago with earnings per share rising to $1.97 per share, compared with $1.58 a year earlier.
MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA-T) said on Friday it had agreed to buy U.S.-based DigitalGlobe Inc for about $3.10-billion to strengthen its position in the lucrative satellite imagery market. Under the deal, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates will offer $17.50 in cash and 0.3132 of its share for each DigitalGlobe share held.
Canadian oil producer Husky Energy Inc. (HSE-T) reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss, helped by lower production costs and higher margins in its refining operations. Husky, controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing, said overall exploration and production operating costs fell 4 per cent to $13.92 per barrel in the fourth quarter. Average realized U.S. refining margins more than doubled to $9.86 per barrel from a year earlier.
Canadian auto parts maker Magna International Inc. (MG-T) reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit as costs rose. Aurora, Ont.-based Magna said the cost of goods sold jumped 7.7 per cent to $7.90-billion in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. Magna, which is primarily an auto parts supplier, also assembles cars under contract from motor vehicle manufacturers. Its biggest customers include General Motors Co, Volkswagen AG, BMW and Ford Motor Co .
Department store operator J.C. Penney Co Inc. (JCP-N) said on Friday it would close about 130-140 stores over the next few months, and reported a 0.7 percent drop in same-store sales for the holiday quarter. The company will also initiate a voluntary early retirement program for about 6,000 eligible employees and close two distribution facilities. The stores being closed represent about 13-14 percent of the company's store base and account for less than 5 percent of annual sales, the company said on Friday.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT-N), owner of the Waldorf Astoria hotel chain, said on Friday it would buy back up to $1-billion of its shares, and that it would change its corporate name to 'Hilton Inc', effective March 6. Last week, Hilton reaffirmed its 2017 forecast for a key revenue metric and said it felt more confident about achieving it, as U.S. economic growth gains steam.
Germany's BASF, the world's largest chemicals group by sales, forecast a rebound in earnings this year after higher petrochemical prices boosted profits in the final three months of 2016. The company, whose products include catalytic converters for car engine exhausts, insulation foams, vitamins and plastics, said it was targeting a gain in operating profit before one-offs of up to 10 per cent in 2017 after a 6-per-cent decline last year.
With files from wire services


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Sept. 29, 2011
Minnesota's exhibition game against British Columbia this Sunday is not available on television or the radio, but fans will still to be able to watch and listen to the game.
GopherSports.com will stream live video and audio of the game in the All Access section of the site. A subscription is $9.95 a month or $79.95 a year and fans are able to register for a subscription by following this link.
In addition, fans who secure an All Access account will also be able to watch the Gophers second game of the season on Oct. 8 against Sacred Heart as that game is also not on television. Minnesota's two Mariucci Classic games on Dec. 30 and 31 will also be streamed live on GopherSports.com.
Frank Mazzocco and Wally Shaver will call the game for GopherSports.com this Sunday.
TOP PLAYS COUNTDOWN: NUMBER 9
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- With Gopher Hockey's exhibition game set for Oct. 1, we're counting down to the 2017-18 opener by looking back at some of the top moments from last year'...
Top Plays Countdown: Number 10
With Gopher Hockey's exhibition game set for Oct. 1, we're counting down to the 2017-18 opener by looking back at some of the top moments from last year's campaign.
Exhibition Game Time Set
Puck drop for Gopher Hockey’s exhibition contest against Alberta on Sunday, Oct. 1 has been set for 5:00 p.m. CT at 3M Arena at Mariucci.