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Despite the loss of subscribers, World of Warcraft remains the top subscription-based massively WOTLK Gold multiplayer online role-playing game as per Activision.In contrast, Electronic Arts' Star Wars: The Old Republic has less than 500.000 subscribers at the time of March 31.
The announcement is part of Activision Blizzard's initial quarter-end earnings report, which saw the publisher earn profits of $456 million on $1.32 billion of revenue during the three months that ended on March 31.
Kotick stated that even though the year is off to a good start however, there are reasons to be skeptical of the prospects of Activision Blizzard in the second part in the calendar year.
“While we've had an excellent start to the year, we are now convinced there are risks and uncertainties that lie ahead in the second half of 2013 are more threatening than we had previously thought particularly in the quarter leading up to Christmas,” Kotick said in prepared remarks. “The change in the release dates for competing products and the disappointing release of Wii U, uncertainties regarding the next generation of hardware, and the decline in subscribers to the World of Warcraft business all cause concern, as do continuing challenges for our global economic system.”
These concerns are cause for worry, Kotick said. But he also said the fact that Activision Blizzard will be able to create shareholder value using the same strategies that have made the company one of the biggest publishers over the last 20 years.
“For this reason, we are prudent,” he said. “However our focused and focused approach to business has been a great success in the past, and with continued investment and prudent management of our expenses we anticipate to continue providing value to shareholders over the long run, just as we have done for the past twenty years.”
Activision is currently hosting an after-earnings call for financials.
To accommodate the amount of players who would like to try to play the WoW Classic demonstration, Blizzard has implemented a 60-minute time limit for play. Also, there's a 90-minute cooling down time as well. For instance when you play the game for 30 minutes , and then take a break for 60 minutes then you are able to continue playing for 60 minutes after which you'll have to cheap WOTLK Classic Goldwait for another chance to play.


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10 MAY 2021
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Commenting on the announcement by the European Commission that vaccinated passengers will be able to travel to the EU this summer, Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, said:
“This is an extremely important announcement that will pave the way for the reopening of the EU’s tourism and travel industry in time for the peak summer season. The EU should be congratulated for recognising that the success of the vaccine rollout – coupled with sensible vigilance around variants – is a game-changer that can and should enable a risk-based and proportionate system of international travel to resume.
"It is frustrating that the UK has not gone down the same road, with ministers here still reluctant to acknowledge that we can be more ambitious with our own plans, taking advantage of one of the most impressive vaccination programmes in the world, alongside quicker, cheaper testing and our globally renowned genomic sequencing capability. It's about getting the risk balance right and we don't believe the UK has done that yet."
Click here for a full list of Airlines UK members.
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
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China, EU sign agreements on toy, food safety
Updated: 2006-09-20 09:19
BRUSSELS -- China and the European Union (EU) signed on Tuesday two
cooperation agreements on toy and food safety in a bid to further boost
The agreements were signed by Li Changjing, China's Minister of General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and EU Health
and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou.
"The agreement we have signed today with the Chinese authorities is a
significant step forward in ensuring consumer safety," Kyprianou said.
The "Roadmap for safer toys" outlines a strategy for improving the safety of
Chinese toys exported to the EU, focusing on training and technical assistance,
exchange of information between EU and Chinese authorities and tracing, feedback
and follow up mechanisms for dangerous products.
Under the "Arrangement for the cooperation on joint prevention of illegal
action in the import and export of food," the two sides will improve exchange of
information on illegal activities detected during routine pre-export checks or
other controls, so as to prevent and deter such illegal activity.
Contact points for both sides will be established for the rapid communication
of known relevant technical information concerning potential illegal activities
in food trade.


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One user on TikTok expressed their disappointment in this shocking t-shirt that makes a joke about the BLM movement. In the video, the user reads out the text on the t-shirt before using an expletive to address their anger.
The Black Lives Matter Firestorm
A Black Lives Matter T-shirt has ignited a firestorm of controversy and disbelief among users, leaving everyone scratching their heads.
In a viral video that has amassed nearly two million views, TikToker Ashton, known as @ashray, shared an image of the shirt.
The design featured the unmistakable words “Black Lives Matter” along with a graphic of a coffee mug bearing the phrase “But first, coffee.”
The two messages led to widespread confusion and outrage as TikTok users wonder why this would be sold and who would actually wear it.
Pretty in Pink, or Blue
Ashton’s reaction said it all when they used an expletive to show their anger at those who purchased it.
The bright colors of blue and pink are a strange choice for a top that has such a dark meaning.
The comments section of the video quickly filled with users expressing their astonishment and questioning the inappropriate message.
One user couldn’t help but exclaim, “You just KNOW it was some Karen with a live, laugh, love aesthetic that came up with this.”
“WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS OKAY????”
Another was just as stunned, stating, “I gasped so hard I nearly swallowed my own tongue.”
A third user expressed their disbelief, asking, “WHO THOUGHT THAT WAS OKAY????”
Let us know your thoughts on this shocking piece of clothing in the comments below.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Roman Samborskyi. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.


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The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism in partnership with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) are conducting an awareness workshops in cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre on 17 September 2019 and 19 September 2019 respectively.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Salim Bagus said the AFCTA marks a new beginning for Africa economic transformation and Malawiâs economy stands to benefit with the creation of this single market.
âThe AFCTA will facilitate increased business opportunities in Malawi in terms of unlimited market and economies of scale will result in reduced cost of doing business and improved efficiency and profitability of our industries SMES and Exports.
ECA regional director for southern Africa said the workshops are a major opportunity to raise awareness about the AFCTA amongst Private and Public stakeholders in Malawi
âThe AFCTA provides the opportunity for Africa to create worldâs largest free trade Area. It has the potential to unite 1.3billion people, within an S2.5trillion economic bloc.
Among objectives of AFCTA are: to create a continental market for goods and services, to grow intra African trade through better harmonization and coordination of trade liberalization across the continent and to enhance competitiveness at the industry.
The workshop is supported by European Union, ECA in partners with AUC, International Trade Central (ITC), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and a selection of independent trade experts to ensure effective Implementation strategies.
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Entries in 'no.1' (39)
Sales of EA’s shooter Titanfall climbed 220 per cent thanks to the Xbox 360 release, returning to the shooter to the top of UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
The industry this morning is totally respecting the authoritah of Ubisoft’s South Park: The Stick of Truth after it claimed the charts top spot.
EA’s FIFA 14 has claimed its fourth successive and ninth overall No.1 in the UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
EA’s FIFA 14 is No.1 yet again this week, marking the eighth time it has topped the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Call of Duty: Ghosts has been installed as the odds-on favourite to be this year’s UKIE GfK Chart-Track UK Christmas No.1.
Grand Theft Auto V has claimed its second successive UK No.1 and its third since release, Gfk Chart-Track has revealed.
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V has claimed it’s second UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats UK No.1 after two weeks at the top for EA’s FIFA 14.
Call of Duty: Ghosts has been installed as the favourite to claim the UK Christmas No.1 title by William Hill.
The Xbox 360 Edition of Minecraft has claimed its second successive No.1 in the UK.
Sony’s PS3 exclusive The Last of Us has claimed its second successive UK No.1 in the UKIE Gfk ChartTrack All Formats Top 40.
Deep Silver’s Metro: Last Light has debuted at No.1 in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Microsoft’s Gears of War: Judgment has debuted at the top of the UKIE GfK All Formats Top 40… but the news isn’t all rosy.
EA’s high-tech shooter Crysis 3 is the UK’s No.1 for the second week, despite a 43 per cent drop in sales.
We were treated to a genuine chart battle in the UK this week – and EA’s Crysis 3 has emerged triumphant.
EA’s action horror title Dead Space 3 has, in the words of UKIE GfK Chart-Track, “comfortably” claimed the No.1 spot this week.
Namco Bandai is celebrating what some would call a surprise chart victory for Ni No Kuni this morning.
Capcom’s Devil May Cry reboot is off to a great start with DmC claiming No.1 in its first week in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
Think this year’s Xmas No.1 in games will be Call of Duty or FIFA? It is more likely to be Angry Birds or Minecraft.
Publisher Ubisoft believes it can still become the world’s biggest publisher, despite the changing marketplace.
There are three new entries in the Top Five this week, but it’s Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier that claims the UKIE GfK ChartTrack All Format’s Top 40.
When the trade clicked open its Monday morning UKIE charts update this week, the big story was the data that wasn’t listed.
Namco Bandai’s once PC-only RPG The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is the new UK No.1.
The Force is remarkably strong with Microsoft this week as its new Xbox 360 title Kinect Star Wars debuts at No.1 in the UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40.
FIFA 12 has topped the UK games retail charts for the second week in a row ahead of Modern Warfare 3.
We’re used to the absurd PR merry-go-round that is the betting for Christmas No.1, but even by those standards this is a bit odd.


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6at4 Business Report: Foreclosures; iPhone 5; Fashion Trucks; Bottled Water Sales
April 19, 2012 (WPVI) -- More rumors point to October for the iPhone 5; New foreclosure rules could help homeowners; Bottled water sales are drying up.
There are some new rules now that could keep more homeowners out of foreclosure. The Federal Housing Agency is now requiring lenders to respond to short sale requests within thirty days, and make final decisions within 60 days. Banks can take months to approve these sales. A short sale is when the bank agrees to accept a price for a home that is less than what the homeowner still owes. Speeding up that process could keep more people out of foreclosure.
iPhone 5 expected in October
Apple's next iPhone will likely be released in October, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. As for design, he says the 5th generation iPhone will feature a new body design and work with faster wireless networks, meaning all those 4G LTE networks. The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product accounting for 53% of sales during the fourth quarter.
Bottle Water Sales Drop
Have you been reaching for the faucet when you're thirsty? More people are drinking tap water, instead of bottled water, in order to save a buck and go green by cutting down on the amount of plastic they use. So they may not switch back, even as the economy continues to improve. That's causing a profit drought at the world's biggest food company, Nestle, which has more than 60 water brands, including Perrier, Vittel and Pure Life.
Fashion Trucks on the Rise
Fashionistas, get ready for the "Style Liner." We've all heard about food trucks. The next big thing may be fashion trucks selling accessories from major designers. One, which originated here in New York, was in Florida earlier this month and is making its way next to Washington, D.C. in May and June. Last May, Christie Maruka, owner of the Fashion Fix truck was at our Action News studios for a live chat. You can also Watch a video of her interview.
6at4, stock market, economy, apple, iphone, home sales, banking, business/finance
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This is day-old news for those of you who snort music blogs, but just had to say: M.I.A. IS BAAAAAAAAAAACK! She just posted this video yesterday on her twitter featuring a track called Space Odyssey that she produced with Rusko. It was apparently made as a response to this questionable NY Times article that listed Sri Lanka as the #1 place to visit in 2010 (Maya is a Sri Lankan refugee herself). She's been in the studio since having a baby boy last year and her new album should be out by the summer- so stoked.
Maya looks gorgeous in this month's Vogue working an "Iranian-American princess/Sade look" complete with a Tom Binns cuff, and bathroom tile nails hooked up by Valley NYC. Peep the article to read more about her music plans this year, and interesting bits like her love of Bed-Stuy 99 cent stores, where she finds supplies to fashion imitation Margiela looks.
images via tfs


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Hasbro Names Tim Kilpin as President, Toy, Licensing and EntertainmentHasbro Names Tim Kilpin as President, Toy, Licensing and Entertainment
Hasbro has made two executive leadership team appointments, with the announcement of former PlayMonster executive chairman, Tim Kilpin, as president and Gina Goetter assuming the role of chief financial officer.
April 13, 2023
Hasbro has announced the appointment of Tim Kilpin as president, toy, licensing and entertainment, effective April 24. In addition, Gina Goetter will join the company’s executive leadership team as chief financial officer, effective May 18.
With extensive experience in the consumer products industry, Kilpin will be responsible for Hasbro’s Toy business. He was previously at PlayMonster Group, most recently as executive chairman and, prior to that, chief executive officer. He also served as leader of Activision Blizzard’s consumer products business, chief commercial officer for Mattel and a stint as executive vice-president, franchise management at The Walt Disney Company, where he oversaw the creation and development of global cross-category franchise plans for Disney’s stable of content and characters. In his new role, Kilpin will oversee Hasbro’s Consumer Products Group, with a focus on optimizing the value, relevance and performance of the company’s strategic franchise brands and IP. He will report to Chris Cocks, chief executive officer.
“We are excited to welcome Tim and Gina to Hasbro,” says Cocks. “I am confident that their skills and qualifications will complement Hasbro’s existing leadership team as we execute against our blueprint 2.0 strategy, which is focused on bringing our brands to life for consumers of all ages, maximizing the value of our IP, and creating long-term shareholder value.”
Gina Goetter brings over 25 years of experience across finance and accounting, joining Hasbro from Harley-Davidson, where she has served as chief financial officer since 2020.
Read more about:Hasbro
About the Author(s)
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As Lyft and Uber are slowly replacing cab services, increasingly more individuals are signing up for the job, squeezing in a couple of chauffeuring hours each day. Be it for the sole reason of chasing away loneliness or rounding up their monthly revenue, most people apply for a driver position blindly, ending up quitting the side-job in a fit of rage. Today, we are looking at the two main reasons why people want to apply for a job with a ride-hailing company and the warning signs that come with each one.
Most Uber or Lyft collaborators take up chauffeuring as a side-job in the hopes of rounding up their monthly revenues. At first glance, it looks like a driver can take home a pretty sum after only a couple of hours of work, Uber and Lyft prices being higher than the usual cab rate, especially during high-traffic hours. However, it’s best to never count your chickens before they are hatched.
A 2015 survey showed that Uber drivers in Houston and Denver earned approximately $13.25/hour at the end of the year. In Detroit, a driver received an average of $8.77/hour. The calculation was made by taking into account all expenses (gas and Uber fee). The following year, NerdWallet showed that a Lyft or Uber driver must complete at least 60 orders per week to earn $50,000/year.
In general, the amount of money a person receives is equivalent to the number of hours they are willing to put in. According to Uber, about 80 percent of its collaborators drive less than 35 hours/week. Moreover, 50 percent of all drivers work a maximum of 14 hours in a week.
The conclusion is that Lyft and Uber drivers don’t get paid as much as most people think, so all those interested in applying for the job with the hopes of making some quick money must think twice before committing.
Chasing Loneliness Away
Apart from those who want to earn more money, there are the people who seek to escape daily routine or loneliness. A recent survey showed that over 50 percent of all Lyft or Uber drivers are 51 or over. Furthermore, there are considerably more Uber drivers over the age of 50 than under 30.
In order to support this new trend, Uber decided to reach out to the American Association of Retired Persons and came up with a $35 sign-up bonus for all drivers over 50.
Psychologically speaking, even though the people who apply for the job out of loneliness tend to drive less than those who do it for the money, human interaction helps them maintain their mental health.
Experts recommend that all those interested in a part-time driver position to check out specialized social media group and talk to those already in the business to have a complete and detailed image of how things work to avoid any possible drawbacks. All in all, the job is not that demanding, and it allows individuals to make their own schedule, a perfect way to round up revenues and interact with people.
Image Source: Wikipedia


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The National Retail Federation (NRF) has just released a report on back-to-school spending forecast for 2015. They believe families will be choosing to spend less to get their children ready for school this year following a shopping splurge back in 2014.
The NRF had its Back-to-School and Back-to-College surveys conducted last June 30 to July 8, 2015. It involved a poll of about 6,500 consumers who helped the NRF effectively “gauge consumer behaviour and shopping trends related to back-to-school spending and back-to-college spending.”
The recently concluded NRF Back-to-School Survey that was conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics revealed that families with children who are in grades K-12 see the need to only spend around $630.36 on electronics, apparel and other school needs last year, when they were willing to spend as much as $669.28.
Furthermore, families this year are seeing a lesser need to spend on electronics following their purchase back in 2014 when 58.3% parents have said they are going to spend an average $212.35 for their children who are going to school. This year, families have decided to cut on gadget spending, saying they only expect to spend an average of $197.24.
The recent trend actually makes sense as NRF President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Shay explains, “As seen over the last 13 years, spending on ‘back to school’ has consistently fluctuated based on children’s needs each year, and it’s unlikely most families would need to restock and replenish apparel, electronics and supplies every year.”
Moreover , he added, “Parents this summer will inventory their children’s school supplies and decide what is needed and what can be reused, which just makes good budgeting sense for families with growing children.”
Nonetheless, family back-to-school spending has gone up by 42% over the past ten years.
Among those who have stated they will be doing some shopping to restock on various things their children will be needing for school, 92.7% have said they will spending an average of $217.82 on new apparel while an average of $117.56 will be spent on new shoes. Meanwhile, 94.1 of those who will be doing some shopping have also said they expect to spend an average of $97.74 on new school supplies.
Stores can expect some of the back-to-school shopping to start as early as 2 months ahead of the school year. The NFR survey revealed that at least 19.6% of parents plan to do exactly this while 42.8% prefer to start their back-to-school shopping anywhere between three weeks to one month before school starts. Still, 30.3% of families are confident they can complete their back-to-school shopping just one to two weeks before school starts.
Of the parents who plan to do their shopping two months ahead, 64.9% have said that doing this allow them to spread out their budgets while 51.1% simply want to avoid crowds when they are doing their shopping.
As for shopping destinations for back-to-school items, 62.2% of families plan to check out a discount store while 56.4% will head to department stores. Meanwhile, 35.6% of parents prefer not to go out for their back-to-school shopping and simply purchase everything online. With regard to online shopping, the NRF survey has also found that about 48.4% of families who plan to shop online will be using the retailer’s buy online, ship to store or store pick up options.
As Prosper’s Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow explains, “Savvy and budget-conscious parents today have plenty of experience when it comes to looking around for great deals and value-add promotions, and it seems mom and dad will use that to their advantage this summer to take advantage of retailers’ omnichannel services. To ease hectic schedules and long shopping lists, it’s likely that we’ll continue to see consumers try out and regularly use services like free shipping, reserve online and even same-day delivery — options busy parents have been waiting for.”
Meanwhile, those who are expected to take advantage of online shopping are parents who are millenials. For the survey, millenials have been broken down into 18-24 and 25-34 age groups. Interestingly, about two-thirds of millenials in the 18-24 age group prefer to pick up in store or ship to store option while 15.4% of the 25 to 34 age group will opt for the reserve online option.
For college students, the NRF also found that there is also less spending involved when it comes to electronics and supplies compared to last year. This year, college students and their parents are looking at spending just an average of $899.18. Last year, they were willing to spend an average of $916.84.
Nonetheless, Shay believes that college back-to-school shopping will still involve a splurge on other items. He said, “We fully expect families to take advantage of retailers’ unique promotions on home furnishing items, apparel and even electronics, while still reusing what they can in good frugal fashion.”
In fact, spending on home goods for college is expected to exceed any previous year. The NRF back-to-college survey revealed that about 51.3% of college shoppers plan to spend an average of $126.30 for dorm or apartment furnishings. This amount is higher by 30%, compared to last years planned spending of $96.70. Moreover, more college students (31.3%, compared to last year’s 23.9%) are also planning to stay in a dorm room or college housing during the school year. Nonetheless, 21% of college students prefer to live off-campus while 46.8% prefer to go back home after class.
The NRF believes that total spending for K-12 and college will reach as much as $68 billion.


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Last week, J.C. Penney (NYSE:JCP) presented a three-year plan to return to profitability. The company has identified several areas where it has opportunities to recapture some of the business it lost during the tumultuous Ron Johnson era.
By adding at least $2 billion in sales over the next three years, J.C. Penney believes it can quadruple EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) to $1.2 billion. J.C. Penney executives presented several concrete initiatives designed to drive this sales growth.
However, while J.C. Penney's same-store sales grew more than 6% in the first half of 2014, its momentum is already slowing. Moreover, its financial plans don't adequately account for the fact that competitors are also making progress. Additionally, J.C. Penney has a weaker financial profile than most rivals, with low margins and a heavy debt burden. In the long run, J.C. Penney still faces a significant risk of bankruptcy.
Stabilization has occurred
In 2012 and early 2013, then-J.C. Penney CEO Johnson made major changes that didn't resonate with customers. These included eliminating most discounts in favor of everyday low prices and bringing in new national brands. Current CEO Myron Ullman should be applauded for stabilizing sales in the year and a half since he was called back to save the company.
In the fourth quarter last year, J.C. Penney reported a 2% gain in same-store sales; this represented its first quarter of same-store sales growth since the second quarter of 2011. In the first half of this year, J.C. Penney's same-store sales gains accelerated to more than 6%. In addition to winning back some sales volume, J.C. Penney boosted its gross margin to 36% as of the second quarter (up from 30.2% in the first half of 2013).
Meanwhile, the department store chain has continued reducing operating expenses, further improving margins. Lastly, by keeping capital expenditures in check, the company expects to produce a little bit of free cash flow this year, after burning through more than $2.7 billion in 2013.
Plans for the future
At J.C. Penney's investor day last week, company executives presented plans to boost sales by $3.5 billion over time, of which they think 60% is achievable in the next three years. Of the $3.5 billion target, $1 billion would come from "center core" initiatives, $750 million from boosting home section sales, $800 million from omnichannel improvements, and the rest from market share growth.
J.C. Penney defines its center core category as items customers expect to find in the middle of its stores, including "beauty, footwear, jewelry, handbags, accessories, and intimate apparel". While J.C. Penney has solid market share in beauty and fine jewelry (and is a major apparel retailer), it lags competitors in the other center core areas.
The company plans to boost sales in these areas primarily by changing the way these goods are presented. For example, in footwear, J.C. Penney is moving the men's shoe department to a new location, allowing it to expand the women's footwear section. In the pilot stores, these changes led to a significant improvement in sales throughout the location.
J.C. Penney intends to boost home section sales by returning its focus to "soft" home categories such as bedding, bath, and window. It is also revamping its presentation and pricing strategies. In omnichannel, J.C. Penney plans to drive revenue by reemphasizing online sales, improving its mobile site and apps, and rolling out new ship-to-store and ship-from-store initiatives.
Does this strategy work?
All of these initiatives provide credible ways for J.C. Penney to meet customers' needs and should be a positive for sales. However, in many ways, the "new" strategies are just a return to what the company was doing during Ullman's previous tenure as CEO.
From 2007-2011 -- the last five years of Ullman's first stint at the helm -- the company posted very unsatisfactory results. Sales plummeted from $19.9 billion in 2007 to $17.6 billion in 2009 due to the Great Recession, while net income dropped even more dramatically.
J.C. Penney began to recover in 2010, as same-store sales rose 2.5%. However, it quickly lost momentum, and by mid-2011 sales had completely stagnated. It was around that time that Johnson was hired to revitalize J.C. Penney. This gambit failed, but it is important to remember that J.C. Penney's problems arose under a strategy similar to what it is now implementing.
The limits of J.C. Penney's strategy can also be seen from the modest goals laid out last week. Of the more than $5 billion in sales volume lost between 2011 and 2013, J.C. Penney expects to regain less than half that amount by 2017. The projected 2017 sales level of $14.5 billion would be more than 25% below what the company achieved in 2007.
Competition still on the rise
J.C. Penney has been losing market share for years, and despite the recent rebound, it is likely to continue losing share in the long run. After posting better than 6% same-store sales growth in the first half of 2014, J.C. Penney recently reduced its third-quarter guidance. It is now calling for low single-digit (rather than middle single-digit) same-store sales growth.
Indeed, J.C. Penney's sales growth for the past few quarters has been exaggerated by easy comparisons. In the first half of 2013, comparable-store sales fell 14.3% on top of a 20.3% decline in the first half of 2012. Comparisons will get tougher starting next quarter, making it harder for J.C. Penney to post sales growth -- even with all of its new initiatives.
The same competitors that took share from J.C. Penney over the last seven years or so are likely to continue expanding at its expense. The most noteworthy competitor is TJX (NYSE:TJX), which operates the T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods chains in the U.S.
In 2007, when J.C. Penney's sales peaked at $19.9 billion, TJX's U.S. chains posted sales of $14.1 billion. Last year, TJX's U.S. sales reached $20.9 billion. In other words, it grew nearly 50% in a span of six years that included the Great Recession!
TJX's off-price model allows it to offer fashionable, high-quality merchandise at prices that J.C. Penney and its peers can't match. It also has more convenient locations outside of traditional malls. That's an incredible value proposition for customers, which is why TJX has generated such robust growth. Moreover, TJX's growth is not over.
In the long run, TJX believes it can operate 3,000 T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores in the U.S., up from 2,021 at the beginning of this year. It also sees an opportunity to nearly double the HomeGoods store base from 450 to 825. Consumer spending is not growing that quickly -- this growth entails TJX taking share from traditional department stores like J.C. Penney.
TJX isn't the only growing off-price retailer, either. Ross Stores plans to roughly double its store base in the long run, reaching 2,500 locations. Nordstrom has grown its Rack off-price division from 50 stores in 2007 to 162 today, with plans to reach 230 stores by the end of 2016.
These low-cost retailers will continue to disrupt midprice department stores like J.C. Penney and Sears Holdings for the foreseeable future. Indeed, they have taken virtually all of the business lost by both Sears and J.C. Penney in the last 7 years. Neither department store chain has profited from the other's struggles.
Struggling to break even
J.C. Penney will confront these strategic challenges from a weak position. It posted an adjusted loss of $581 million in the first half of 2014, and analysts expect it to lose money in the second half of the year as well. The company's finances look somewhat better on a cash flow basis, but it still needs mid single-digit annual sales growth in the next few years to produce positive free cash flow.
Meeting these goals will be an incredibly tough task for incoming J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison. He must continue to rebuild J.C. Penney's brand image while fending off competitors, particularly in the off-price segment.
However, while Ellison has the skills to execute on the strategic plans laid out by the current management team, he doesn't have a fashion background. This could be problematic insofar as fashion leadership has been one of the key levers used by off-price stores to gain market share.
Meanwhile, J.C. Penney is struggling with a $5.3 billion debt load that requires more than $400 million in annual interest payments. (That's more than 3% of J.C. Penney's revenue.) The company can't afford even a small setback at this point.
Unfortunately, competitive pressures may prevent J.C. Penney from making the market share gains its leaders are hoping for in the next few years. If that happens, the company will probably need to file for bankruptcy in order to reduce this debt load to a more manageable level. Until J.C. Penney gets back on a firm financial footing, investors should stay away.


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The National Running Show has won the award for Best Launch (Trade or Consumer) at the EN Indy Awards 2018 which took place on Friday 2nd November at The Honourable Artillery Company in London.
Mike Seaman, Director of The National Running Show, also came away with the award for Best Show Director at this exciting new awards ceremony dedicated to recognising the achievements of independent organiser shows, teams and individuals.
Over 300 industry professionals attended the event to celebrate the very best new talent in the exhibition industry. Mike, Darren and Verity were there to collect their awards and it proved to be a valuable afternoon of networking and recognition for the many organisations and companies present.
In addition to the two category wins, The National Running Show’s Treadmill Challenge was shortlisted for Best Feature Area at the EN Indy Awards.
The Treadmill Challenge formed just one of many popular feature areas at the inaugural National Running Show in January 2018, and the 2019 event is set to offer many more interactive sponsored areas to encourage visitors to get involved. The 2019 exhibition will also feature a much larger floor space, the presence of many big names in running and an inspiring speaker programme including Paula Radcliffe, Jo Pavey, Roger Black and Iwan Thomas.
Thousands of tickets have already been sold for The National Running Show 2019 which takes place on 19th-20th January at the NEC, Birmingham. As the only non race-affiliated show of its kind, it will welcome an exceptional line-up of sports brands, retailers, nutrition experts, race organisers and communities, making it a must for any runner as well as any business related to running.
In June this year The National Running Show won the award for Best Consumer Show Launch at the AEO Excellence Awards. It was also shortlisted in the Show Rising Star category at the Exhibition News Awards in March.
Mike Seaman, Director of Raccoon Events, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the award for Best Launch for The National Running Show at the EN Indy Awards. We worked very hard to deliver this innovative new show for runners and ensure that it had all the right ingredients from the outset, so it is fantastic to have this recognised at such a prestigious awards ceremony. There are just over two months until the 2019 event opens its doors and it will be clear just how much the event has grown in one year, which is very exciting for us going forwards. I would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the last year and I am delighted to share the award for Best Show Director with my incredible team, who have been key to the show’s success.”
The National Running Show takes place at Birmingham’s NEC on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th January, 2019.
Go to nationalrunningshow.com for further details, like the Facebook page and follow @nationalrunshow #runshow19 on Twitter and Instagram.
The National Running Show 2019 will be preceded by The National Running Conference in partnership with Running Imp on Friday 18th January. This industry-leading B2B conference will host key leaders and influencers in the running world who will come together for one day to network, share knowledge and keep driving the UK’s running market forwards.


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The concerns over the national security of the United Kingdom from the use of telecommunication equipment supplied by the Chinese tech giant Huawei has drawn sharp criticism from the Beijing which has accused the UK of possessing “deep-rooted pride and prejudice” on the issue.
Complains of the company’s “incredibly unfair treatment” abroad were raised by the chairman of the Chinese company.
Warnings about the use of Huawei’s 5G kit presenting risks to security of UK and therefore warranted a fuller consideration were issued in recent weeks by UK’s Defence Secretary and chief of MI6.
Concerns over the company’s equipment have already been expressed by Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and Japan.
According to allegations against the company, the Chinese government has the capacity to force Huawei to cause wilful disruption in telecom networks where equipment is supplied by the Chinese company is used or can even conduct espionage on the consumers using the equipment. .
Such charges have been repeatedly denied by Huawei. As a part of efforts to counter criticism, the Chinese tech company last week invited the media to visit its 5G and cyber-security research labs in Dongguan, Guangdong, in China.
Huawei has so far managed to beat most of its rivals such as Nokia and Ericsson in terms of cost and technical grounds and this has compelled many of its clients to opt for its products. The smartphones manufactured by the company has also gained popularity among consumers. In a recent announcement, Huawei had revealed that in 2018, it had shipped a total of more than 200 million handsets which makes is the second in terms of smartphone shipments and market share after Samsung
“We are ahead of others in domains like wireless, optical, data communications, and smart devices,” wrote chairman Guo Ping in a New Year’s message shared online.
“For 5G markets that choose to not work with Huawei – they will be like an NBA [National Basketball Association] game without star players: the game will go on, but with less deftness, flair, and expertise.”
The Global Times, an English-language government newspaper in China published the criticism of the UK by China.
Indications that the Chinese government could compromise Huawei’s technologies were “groundless”, claimed the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of National Defence Wu Qian during a press conference. According to the newspaper report, Wu’ made the comments in reaction to a statement by the Defence Secretary of UK – Gavin Williamson earlier this week who said: “We’ve got to recognise the fact, as has been recently exposed, that the Chinese state does sometimes act in a malign way.”
A separate editorial published in the newspaper urged the Chinese company to “calm down and carry on” – taking a cue from a popular phrase while using the Jane Austen novel title in its heading.
(Adapted from BBC.com)
Categories: Economy & Finance, Geopolitics, HR & Organization, Regulations & Legal, Strategy, Sustainability, Uncategorized
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(JustPatriots.com)- Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned in a speech to investors last Friday that in this economy there is pain ahead for American households. The markets took another downturn while he spoke.
Inflation continues to remain high at 8.6%. Gas price, while they have decreased significantly from how expensive they became when President Biden took office, are still well above what they were just two years ago. Despite the messaging from the White House and leftist mainstream media trying to reinvent the meaning of “recession,” the economy is clearly in a recession as GDP has taken a downturn for two consecutive periods.
“[Our) overarching focus is to bring inflation back down to our 2% goal. While higher interest rates will bring down inflation, they will also bring some pain to households and businesses. These are the unfortunate costs of reducing inflation,” Powell said.
"(Our) overarching focus is to bring inflation back down to our 2% goal. While higher interest rates will bring down inflation, they will also bring some pain to households and businesses. These are the unfortunate costs of reducing inflation."
Jerome Powell à Jackson Hole. pic.twitter.com/za7ETypA8Y
— Jean Louis (@JL7508) August 26, 2022
During and after his remarks, the market took a deep plunge southward. The Dow Jones fell 500 points.
The Fed began to significantly increase interest rates to combat inflation in March 2022. The rate went from .08 to 2.33. Inflation is projected to become worse as the federal government continues to spend money it does not have. After continuously giving Ukraine tens of billions of dollars, Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act which will grow spending by $467 billion.
The Congressional Budget Office says that the legislation’s effect on inflation will be negligible in 2022 and into 2023. The higher taxes on corporations will reportedly have a minimal effect on revenue gained in order to offset the spending as the increases taxes will raise prices for households, further chipping away at consumer spending power. Subsidies on the climate which includes electric vehicles may not alleviate the sticker price for families who cannot afford electric vehicles.


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Retail and food sales in the U.S. registered a slower-than-expected monthly increase in December 2019 but managed to eke out gains for the full year amid fears of a potential recession.
Seasonally and calendar-adjusted U.S. retail and food services sales rose 0.3% to $529.61 billion, matching the previous month's revised growth rate, advance data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed. The consensus estimate of economists polled by Econoday was for 0.4% monthly growth.
Sales at gasoline stations climbed 2.8% month over month, while those at clothing and clothing accessories stores rose 1.6%. Sales at food and beverage stores edged up 0.4%. Meanwhile, motor vehicle and parts dealers' sales fell 1.3%.
Excluding motor vehicle and parts stores and gasoline stations, monthly sales rebounded with a 0.5% increase, exceeding market estimates of a 0.4% rise, following a revised 0.2% decline the prior month.
On an annual basis, retail and food services sales jumped 5.8%.
Overall sales in 2019 were 3.6% higher than in 2018, according to the Census Bureau.
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan said Jan. 15 that he expects the consumer sector to support U.S. economic growth in 2020, which he projected to be in the range of 2% to 2.25%.


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We had recently heard rumors about a mini version of the bezel-less Xiaomi Mi Mix. While our excitement was just beginning to build, Xiaomi has now crushed it by rubbishing the rumors.
Xiaomi’s marketing director, Zang Zhiyuan, took to social media to reveal that “there’s no such product as Xiaomi Mi Mix Nano”, thus indicating that the leaked blurry images of the alleged handset were all fake. However, the said post was suspiciously deleted at the time of posting this article, thus raising even more questions.
For starters, it is possible that Zang was trying to throw the media off the scent by saying that the Xiaomi Mi Mix Nano didn’t exist. Further, the handset could be named something other than Xiaomi Mi Mix Nano, in which case Zang might have been referring to the name instead of the handset itself, thus making him technically right. Do you think there could be the Xiaomi Mi Mix Nano in near future?


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Cupertino, California has long been associated with the Apple brand and, twenty years on from the completion of the Apple Campus, work is under way just a mile across town to create a new, ambitious Campus 2 using the ideas put forward by former boss Steve Jobs. A few months before his death, Jobs was keen to create a futuristic, expensive ring-shaped building in the town that would house 13,000 staff in 2.8 million square feet and include a courtyard, cafeterias, gym and its own power source. The original plans started with a 175 acre proposal and a $3 billion budget but how is the construction of the new Apple Headquarters faring nearly two years on?
3 What do we know so far about the design of the new Apple Headquarters?
The artistic impressions of the final building at Campus 2 are remarkable to say the least and it seems that early nicknames of the "iSpaceship" are justified. This really is a futuristic plan with some strange design features and the whole, ring-shaped building looks like it has recently crash-landed onto a wooded area of California. Among the more interesting features are the underground auditorium for future announcements and presentations, the fact that 80% of the redeveloped land will be green spaces and the undeniable love of curves. Fans have been intrigued by the idea of curved glass in Apple designs for a while, especially since the recent announcement of an "iWatch" style gadget, but it seems that all the curved glass is going into this design instead. Trees are another big deal with this creation, with 7000 apparently being planted, and Apple are keen to improve their green image and make the whole building energy efficient.
2 These plans look great on the surface but they are full of problems
The design and vision involved in this new Apple Headquarters is undeniably impressive; however, the majority of press on the subject right now is negative and this is simply due to the fact that the whole venture has been problematic from the start. The key issue here is money; the project is now $2 billion over a budget that was already excessive and the disenchanted stockholders and investors, who have been concerned by the fact that Apple are no longer the leaders of the market, need something a lot different to be appeased. Additionally, the current attempts to trim the budget are putting the finishing date even further back and it is hard to scale down this project when the designs are so extreme and the creators are trying to bring the designs of a much-loved, deceased boss to life.
The ambitious Campus 2 project in Cupertino is clearly having a few difficulties; designers are questioning the logic of the building compared to the new open-plan, adaptable Facebook building, investors are complaining about the blatant disregard for expense and the company are having to work to the ridiculous desires of a leader no longer with them. Jobs knew exactly what he was getting into from the start and appreciated the immense cost of his ideas but, now that Apple have a budget beyond their control and are a year behind schedule, it seems that people are less than enthusiastic about the building. The construction of the new Apple Headquarters is due to finish in 2016 but only time will tell if that is true.
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KitKat Japan is giving its consumers a great opportunity to enjoy the popular sweet snack and use its packaging as a train ticket. Those who travel by the Sanriku Railway in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture are invited to purchase special packs of KitKat at the price that is less than a cost of a standard ticket and use it as a pass to the train.
This is the first time a railway network collaborates with a confectionary brand on such a project that doubles packaging as tickets. As part of this collaboration, the brand has released special packs that will be available to purchase throughout this month and valid for the “transportation” use until May 2015.
The project is launched to support the rebuilding program aimed to revive tourism in the northern province, heavily affected by the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake. In addition to letting people add more sweet notes to the travel, KitKat’s owner Nestle will be donating 20 yen (around $0.20) from each pack to help restore the Sanriku railway.
As part of the collaboration, KitKat has also decorated two trains. The graphics motif is based on the cherry blossom pattern that epitomizes hope in the local visual traditions.


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NEW YORK The release of Kiss’ first new album in 11 years was music to Walmart’s ears as the retailer readies “Kiss Korners,” dedicated areas in its electronics departments and Halloween aisles.
“To complement this highly anticipated music release, we are excited to bring a unique store experience with Kiss merchandise at an unbeatable value for fans of all ages,” said Greg Hall, vp of media services, Walmart U.S. “It has been both fun and an honor to work with the band and celebrate with fans the new music release and album tour.”
The special areas will open Oct. 6 and feature T-shirts, wigs, makeup, limited edition M&M candies and even Mr. Potato Head spuds of all four band members through Halloween. Select items, including the MP3 digital album, will be available at Walmart.com. Pre-orders for the new three-disc set are currently available at www.walmart.com/kiss for $12.
Sonic Boom features an 11-track CD as part of a three-disc set that also features a rerecorded greatest hits CD and a live DVD shot in Argentina during the band’s recent tour. The greatest hits CD will include tracks made famous on the classic Kiss Alive! Album, such as “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Deuce,” “Black Diamond” and “Hotter Than Hell.” The CD/DVD set will retail for $12 exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com, Sam’s Club and samsclub.com.
Kiss will kick off a 40-plus-city tour with a special Kiss Alive 35 show at Detroit’s Cobo Arena on Sept. 25. The basic tracks from Kiss Alive were recorded in Detroit in 1975.


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The European ban on diesel imports from Russia and the price of diesel fuel
Each month we compare the actual level of gasoline and diesel prices with what fundamentals - the price of oil, exchange rates, and the seasons - would suggest. The comparison is carried out for about 100 countries where prices are largely market determined. In all of them, historically the retail fuel prices closely follow the changes in oil prices. Therefore, one can say with a high level of confidence what the retail prices should be given the current oil prices.
Typically, the difference between the actual and the expected level of fuel prices is about zero which means that prices are where they should be. In the last three months, however, the actual prices for diesel fuel have been higher than the price levels justified by fundamentals. The difference was 0.06 percent in October 2022 and increased to 3.86 percent in November. It was 2.80 percent in December and 3.87 percent in January. During the same time, the difference for gasoline prices remained very close to zero.
This suggests that the market for diesel is relatively tight. Supply disruption in a few refineries have been a contributing factor but the key reason is the impending ban by the European Union on diesel imports from Russia. Europe has been stockpiling diesel fuel in anticipation of the ban and this additional demand has pushed prices higher.
Three months ago, actual prices were greater than expected mostly in Europe. Then, the premium spread to other countries. This suggests that global supply is gradually rerouted to Europe creating market shortages elsewhere. But the rerouting is underway.
Also, we should note that while the diesel prices have been higher than expected, the difference is not large or growing. We could have observed a 10 percent or even higher spread but the difference has hovered around 3-4 percent. This indicates that the ban would probably come into effect without major price hikes for diesel fuel. Even if there are some disruptions, they will most likely play out within a few weeks.


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STMicroelectronics Q2 FY2019 profit at $339 million, down 32.7% YoY
STMicroelectronics president Jean-Marc Chery confirms the company’s plans for investment of $1.1 to $1.2 billion in 2019.
STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the second quarter ended June 29, 2019. ST reported second-quarter net revenues of $2.17 billion (Rs 14,937 crore), gross margin of 38.2 percent, operating margin of 9.0 percent, and net income of $160 million (Rs 1,101 crore).
Jean-Marc Chery, STMicroelectronics president and CEO, commented, “As planned, in the second quarter we returned to sequential revenue growth. In fact, revenues increased 4.7 percent, above the mid-point of our guidance of 2.4 percent, driven by specialised imaging sensors, RF products for front end modules, silicon carbide MOSFETs and digital automotive, partially offset by general-purpose analog, microcontrollers and legacy automotive products. We delivered an operating margin of 9.0 percent. During the first half of 2019 we delivered sales and profitability results in line with our quarterly guidance and we continued to advance our strategic investments. Looking at the third quarter, we expect strong sequential revenue growth of about 15.3 percent at the midpoint."
He further confirmed, "The growth will be driven by engaged customer programs and new products in a softer than expected legacy automotive and industrial market. Gross margin is expected to be about 37.5 percent at the mid-point, including about 140 basis points of unsaturation charges. For the full year 2019, we now expect net revenues to be in the range of about $9.35 to $9.65 billion (Rs 64,357 crore to Rs 66,417 crore). We confirm our investment plan of $1.1 to $1.2 billion (Rs 7,571 crore to Rs 8,259 crore).”
Net revenues totaled $2.17 billion. On a sequential basis revenues increased 4.7 percent. On a year-over-year basis, second quarter net revenues decreased 4.2 percent as STMicroelectronics recorded lower sales in Analog, Microcontrollers and Digital ICs, partially offset by growth in Automotive and Power Discrete, MEMS and Sensors. On a year-over-year basis, sales to OEMs increased 10.3 percent, while distribution decreased 27 percent due to the ongoing inventory correction.
Gross profit totaled $830 million (Rs 5,714 crore), representing a year-over-year decrease of 8.9 percent. Gross margin of 38.2 percent decreased 200 basis points year-over-year, mainly impacted by usual sales price pressure, unfavorable product mix and unsaturation charges. Second quarter gross margin was 30 basis points lower than the mid-point of the Company’s guidance, mainly due to unfavorable product mix. Second quarter gross margin includes 80 basis points of unsaturation charges.
Operating income decreased 32 percent to $196 million (Rs 1,349 crore), compared to $289 million (Rs 1,989 crore) in the year-ago quarter. The Company’s operating margin decreased 370 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 9 percent of net revenues, compared to 12.7 percent in the 2018 second quarter.
Also read: STMicroelectronics new GNSS module targets business from tracking and navigation market
STMicroelectronics' introduces new microcontroller for next-gen vehicles
STMicroelectronics and Hyundai Autron open joint development lab for eco-friendly vehicle solutions
JLR honours 16 companies in global supply chain with excellence awards
Annual Supplier Excellence Awards recognises extraordinary contribution by global supply chain guided by JLR’s new Creat...
Jaguar Land Rover unveils new logo as part of JLR rebrand
The company will market its cars under four brand umbrellas: Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Jaguar.
Volvo releases teaser images of all-electric EX30 SUV
Eco-friendliness is a big factor out here and around a quarter of all aluminum used in building the car is recycled, as ...


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Google Now is one of the coolest new features that Google has brought to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but since Jelly Bean has only been announced for three different devices so far, it could be a while before most Android users actually get to use it. But thankfully, an XDA-Developers forum member has come up with a way to bring Google Now to a few extra users by concocting a port over to Ice Cream Sandwich devices. XDA-Developers’ Will Verduzco writes on the official XDA blog that “by simply modifying the build.prop” on the app, Ice Cream Sandwich devices can gain access to the program. XDA developer febycv has posted full instructions for completing the port on the XDA Developers forum.
For those who need a refresher on Google Now, it’s an application that uses search history and location history to figure out what information users might need at what times, such as being able to tell users how long their typical commutes will be given current traffic conditions, and being able to figure out how long in advance users will have to leave for them to make appointments. Google Now can also send out notifications to users telling them that they’ll need to leave at a given time in order to make a meeting based on their location and traffic conditions.


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Welcome to the first edition of Nonrival: It's half newsletter, half forecasting tournament. Read it, then make a forecast.
Thanks for helping test this email—your time and feedback are appreciated! Send bugs, questions, things you liked or didn't like, things that were confusing, and anything else to: firstname.lastname@example.org
Jerome Powell isn’t satisfied.
In his speech in Jackson Hole Friday before last, the Fed chair said that it “will take some time” to tame inflation, and that “While the latest economic data have been mixed, in my view our economy continues to show strong underlying momentum.” In other words, the Fed has more work to do.
The speech sent markets tumbling. It wasn’t particularly new or surprising, but it came on the heels of President Biden trumpeting “zero percent” inflation for the prior month. In July, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) didn’t budge: Prices were the same as in June. That raised hopes that inflation had finally peaked.
Powell’s message was that a single data point was not enough to draw that conclusion. “While the lower inflation readings for July are welcome, a single month's improvement falls far short of what the Committee will need to see before we are confident that inflation is moving down,” he said.
Being the Fed chair is weird. If Powell says inflation has peaked, he makes it less likely to be true—markets will interpret that to mean interest rates don’t have to go up as much, so economic activity will increase and inflation will become more likely.
For the rest of us, though, it’s worth asking: Has inflation peaked? With gas prices easing, the labor market cooling ever so slightly, and the Fed committed to raising interest rates, it’s very possible that it has.
- Inflation refers to a rise in the overall level of prices across the economy. It’s caused by the interplay of supply, demand, and expectations. If a war takes oil fields offline, gas prices rise—an increase in prices due to supply shortages. If policymakers pass a massive stimulus package, consumers might bid up prices on goods faster than suppliers can produce more—an increase in prices due to excess demand. And when people get used to inflation they come to expect more of it, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy: Workers expect future inflation so they ask for higher wages, etc. That’s an increase in inflation due to expectations.
- In early 2020, Covid-19 forced factories and stores around the world to close. Prices in the US fell in March and April, as the economy hit the pause button. Policymakers pumped an unprecedented $5 trillion into the economy to support households and businesses. By December, vaccines were rolling out.
- By spring of 2021, US inflation was rising faster than at any time in the past decade. In June 2022, the CPI was 9.1% higher than the year prior.
- As prices rose, a faction of experts dubbed “Team Transitory” argued that inflation would subside once the pandemic eased, lockdowns ended, and supply chains were able to return to normal. They emphasized price increases in specific pandemic-related sectors like rental cars. Their critics argued prices wouldn’t go down on their own, emphasizing excess demand from stimulus and more general price increases across the economy.
- In late February, Russia invaded Ukraine, pushing prices for food and energy higher. In March, the Fed raised its target interest rate by a quarter of a point. It’s announced three more rate increases since then; its target rate is now 2.25 percentage points higher than it was to begin the year and it’s expected to keep hiking.
- But gas prices are now lower than they were the week before Russia invaded Ukraine. And in August, US unemployment rose slightly, to 3.7%, a possible signal that the red-hot labor market is beginning to cool—which could ease inflation.
Has inflation peaked?
How likely is it that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will have increased in August from July levels (month over month)?
Here’s what prediction markets think:
What do you think?
Click the choice that best represents your forecast
- This question will resolve based on BLS data for the August CPI, seasonally adjusted change from the previous month
- That data is expected Sept. 13
- Make your forecast by midnight Monday 9/5 to have it counted


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Delta Air Lines plans to begin distributing Microsoft Surface 2 tablet computers to its Boeing 757 and 767 pilots beginning in January. Pilots will use the computing device as an electronic flight bag (EFB) to store electronic charts and documents, reducing weight and improving workflow on the flight deck, the airline said. Delta joins other U.S. carriers that have incorporated tablet computers in their flight decks. Delta is the first major airline to select Microsoft’s Surface 2; other carriers, including United, Alaska and American, have selected the Apple iPad.
Apple’s new iPad Air, which is thinner and weighs 20 percent less than the previous-generation iPad, has passed rapid decompression testing conducted by Jeppesen. The company tested the iPad Air to 51,000 feet, similar to tests conducted on all previous iPad versions. “No anomalies were detected during testing of any of the iPad models,” according to Jeppesen, which makes the Mobile FliteDeck and FliteDeck VFR apps for the iPad.
Jeppesen has released version 2.1 of its Mobile FliteDeck iPad app with several significant improvements, including display of own-ship position on geo-referenced approach charts. Jeppesen also revealed that it has begun development of FliteDeck Pro (for commercial operators) for a new platform, and it isn’t Android but Microsoft’s Windows 8/Surface tablet environment.
The Air Charter Association of North America (Acana) will hold an open forum on Tuesday at the NBAA Convention in Las Vegas to discuss the U.S. DOT’s recently published proposal to regulate aircraft charter brokers. The two-hour session will be held at 3 p.m.
Jeppesen has begun development of FliteDeck Pro (for commercial operators) for Microsoft’s Windows 8/Surface tablet. Delta Air Lines is the launch customer and plans to equip its 11,000 pilots with Microsoft Surface 2 tablet computers as electronic flight bags, with Boeing 757 and 767 pilots scheduled to receive their units later this year and the rest next year. The Surface 2 tablets will run Jeppesen’s FliteDeck Pro and will be used for document viewing and checklists, replacing 38 pounds of paper per airplane and saving Delta $13 million a year in fuel and associated costs.
Bombardier’s annual Safety Standdown here in São Paulo on Monday and Tuesday drew a record number of participants, confirming the event’s status as a key part of the build up to the LABACE show. According to the event’s manager, Janet Schiebelhut, the fourth Safety Standdown Latin America drew 325 registered attendees, with 285 present on the first day for six workshops.
Jeppesen signed an agreement with Rockwell Collins to automatically and securely transfer electronic charts via Wi-Fi and cellular networks using Rockwell Collins’s Ascend Aircraft Information Manager (AIM). Operators will be able to use AIM in Pro Line Fusion and Pro Line 21-equipped aircraft to streamline access to Jeppesen flight data, provided through an “enhanced direct connection to the flight deck of the aircraft.” This data includes Jeppesen e-charts, flight management system navigation, performance and V-speed databases and checklist files.
Jeppesen’s newest iPad app, Mobile FliteDeck VFR, is now available for U.S. pilots flying in the continental U.S. The VFR version of Mobile FliteDeck is designed both for flight planning and in-flight navigation, with data-driven navigation information and access to Notams and text and graphical weather data.
TAG Aviation (UK) has become the first UK operator to receive CAA authorization to use Apple iPads as Class 1 electronic flight bags. TAG pilots are replacing paper documents and charts with iPad apps such as Vistair DocuNet (a document management and distribution program) and Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck (terminal charts and other aeronautical documents). TAG Aviation is planning to seek regulatory approval for paperless cockpits in other countries where it holds air operator certificates, including Switzerland, Spain, UAE (Bahrain) and China (Hong Kong).
Jeppesen is advising customers that its JeppView products are currently presenting the wrong image for the ILS or LOC Runway 21L approach chart for Atlanta DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. The obsolete version of the chart has a revision date of March 1, 2013, effective March 7. The current chart, to be included in the next JeppView release, is dated May 24, 2013, effective May 30.
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The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology will host its 50th Annual Convention next month with the boss of Bega Cheese and the country’s national science agency delivering keynote addresses.
The theme of “processed Indian traditional foods” was based on the idea that India’s food processing industry could only sustain growth by making products that Indians were well-accustomed to consuming in large and regular quantities.
Driving exports to Japan and securing new technology partners for manufacturers and suppliers should be the main priorities for the Indian food processing sector, according to exhibitors at FoodEx Japan.
India’s food processing minster has returned home after a trade tour to Japan, where she met executives of close to a dozen food companies in a bid to attract them to invest in production in India—at a time when few others are following that route.
The Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) has welcomed new rules for supplements and nutraceuticals announced by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), saying it is a crucial step towards better regulation in the country
India’s food processing industry is facing an “inconsistent and restrictive regulatory environment”, according to the minister that represents it, prompting the government to implement measures to ease product approval regulations.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the Australasian regulator, has said that consumers’ exposure to acrylamide and aluminium through their diets is within international guidelines, even if these levels are still sufficient to pose a concern to health.
What is the future of food? Simple communication of complex advances will be crucial, as well as picking up the pace amid a global population boom to feed the world nutritiously and sustainably, according to FoodNavigator and NutraIngredients senior editors.
Over 100 food industry leaders and senior directors from Europe, Asia and the Americas will soon convene in Cannes, France for the 2014 Food Vision summit to discuss key issues facing today’s global industry, from sustainability to innovation; alternative...
Following the news that multinational food processing companies invested over US$2bn in India operations between April and October last year, a senior government official has heralded food packaging as the latest segment to be ripe for development.
According to a dispatch to parliament, in just under three years since foreign direct investment (FDI) was opened up for the food processing industry, investors have pumped almost Rs6,200 crore (US$1.15bn) into the segment.
All of India’s state agriculture ministers are currently gathering in Delhi to discuss ways to speed up growth of the food production and processing sector. The meeting will be led by Sharad Pawar, the union agriculture and food processing minister.
Speaking at an industry event in Haryana, the Indian minister for state for agriculture and food processing stressed that finding new ways to detect emerging food pathogens was crucial for the domestic economy’s “sunrise sector”.
Food processing is regarded as a sunrise industry in India. However, while it is true that there has been rapid growth over the past few years, the fact remains that the levels of processing and value addition have remained significantly low.
As health concerns climb the global consumer agenda, manufacturers are quick to respond with new products to meet demand. But when it comes to items claiming that they contain no additives or preservatives, India seems to be leading the way.
A lack of an appropriate cold chain infrastructure and increasing food losses in India has opened the doors for Ingersoll Rand India Ltd to begin offering cold chain consultancy services in the country, the company said last week.
Demand for convenience and ready-to-eat food in India will explode over the next five years as a major shift in food-purchasing habits by the growing numbers of middle-class city dwellers takes hold, according to new research.
Westernised eating habits and the desire for convenient foods to fit into busy working lives are driving demand for food and beverage enzymes in South Asia, according to the president of Novozymes Asia.
Direct foreign investment in the Indian food processing industry rocketed 175 per cent during 2009-10 to reach $279.33m and now plays an important role in developing the sector, according to the national government.
Around US$30bn worth of investment is needed to “revolutionise” India’s food processing sector to boost the volume of processed products to 10 per cent of overall output by 2015, according to a new report.


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On the net Gambling May Be Trim Off By means of New Legislation 10389357
There is a innovative laws waiting to be authorized by President Bush that has been presented to Our elected representatives which is holding the $12 thousand online gambling industry by simply a place. It presents itself that Tennessee Senator Expenses Frist, launched the bill in Saturday by joining that to the Free from danger Port Function before Our lawmakers took its election break in The fall of.
The Unlawful Internet Casino Enforcement Action that is anticipated to get signed by President Bush, will practically down all of online gambling sites by means of making it illegal with regard to any lender, credit greeting card company or on the web monthly payment system to course of action any kind of payments being made to online gambling companies.
This new laws states that will Online Gambling sites will be now banned from receiving any type of take a look at, credit card as well as electric transfer payments intended for world wide web gaming in the US ALL together with seriously puts the particular industry around chaos.
Astonished at the spending associated with this new debilitating law, the leaders in often the online playing industry needed drastic actions and began to advantage stock on the London Stock Exchange which often erased $8 billion dollars coming from the business. PartyGaming, this world’s biggest online playing web site said that they will would cease their neckties with the 920, 500 active US customers with which they are dealing only when Bush in fact warning signs the new act.
Although domino qq online hasn’t yet already been authorized, the industry is currently being drastically affected. PartyGaming’s stocks alone have decreased 60% ending up in a new measly. 81 mere cents a new share. Other sites like SportingBet and 888 Holding were also affected simply by the change and still have since lost the bundle of money with their shares. 888 Running, for example, had a good 48% decrease on his or her shares shedding them down to $1. forty two about the British Market in addition to announced that it had been going to will no longer continue its online gambling enterprise in the United States.
This isn’t the primary Function, however, that provides given the federal government power to help break down the on the internet poker industry. Under often the 1961 Insert Act, often the federal government has the directly to brake down on the net gambling in sports, holdem poker and other casino games that are regarded as illegal below the law.
This can be significantly debilitating the market sectors economy because the US buyer market is responsible regarding 50-60% on the on the web gaming revenue. These kind of essential laws and regulations against the on the internet playing site owners are making companies to shut down as well as move out although what’s distinct is that they are no much longer welcome in the United States.
The Madam Chairman from the Online Video games Council, Claim damages Schneider, provides predicted the fact that over 5 hundred companies operating close to a couple of, 300 internet gambling sites all-around the world will become facing defunctness and is going to most likely be wiped out of the field all together. The small quantity of companies that deal with to live through this specific awesome crisis will own to live with some sort of huge cut back about their income and figure out new ways connected with growing again. The idea of opening up in often the Asian market provides turn into a favored idea for a lot of.


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Foodservice equipment manufacturer Welbilt’s UK business is now worth £85m a year following a year in which the company also posted record profits, latest financial accounts show.
Turnover at the firm increased 10% to £84.9m for the 12 months to 31 December 2017 as the company saw healthy demand for its range of cooking equipment.
The company, which is responsible for brands such as Merrychef, Convortherm, Garland and Frymaster, said it benefitted from “both organic growth and roll-out expansion by major food chains together with continued investment in new products”.
The top-line growth translated into strong profits for the business, with operating profits rising from £9.6m to £17.2m, and net profit up 65% to £16m on the same basis.
The bottom-line growth is particularly impressive given that Welbilt only added two people to its headcount in the year. It employed 286 staff at period-end.
In the report, the company’s directors said they were optimistic about the future. “The business and financial climate remain uncertain in certain sectors and regions but the directors, having reviewed their business plan, are confident of continued progress,” they stated.
Welbilt, which traded as Manitowoc Foodservice prior to a rebrand last year, said its principal activity continues to be the manufacture, sale and aftermarket support of commercial catering and foodservice equipment, including kit brought in from other members of the worldwide group. In the UK it manufactures Merrychef ovens from its plant in Sheffield and these are sold worldwide.
Approximately 50% of the company’s business is derived from the UK, with around 25% from Europe, Middle East and Africa. The remaining chunk comes from Americas and other international markets, with a small percentage from Asia Pacific.


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TIL has offered to share revenues equally with the government's radio channel in the tie-up, chief executive officer Rishi Khiani said. TIL is aiming to seal the agreement before the fifth season of the IPL, a T20 format of cricket, which begins on April 4.
A TIL-led consortium paid Rs 261.6 crore last year to acquire IPL's global internet, mobile and radio rights, as well as television rights in some territories for four years. TIL also partnered with Google last year to stream IPL matches on Indiatimes and Youtube.
Around 72 million people in India watched the fourth season of the IPL online, spending on an average one hour and 15 minutes everyday. For the fifth season, online viewers will get an improved viewing experience on a revamped website with new technology.
The new look of the website will feature high-definition streaming of the matches, which will adapt to slow data speeds and bandwidth availability and offer buffer-free viewing.
An interactive score card will show important highlights such as wickets and runs scored.
With the digital video recording feature, viewers will be able to go back to any point in the match and watch important developments. The video-on-demand feature will offer highlight packages such as fours, sixes and face-offs between players occurred during the match. Sponsors will be able to integrate their advertisements to specialise this page.
TIL is creating content to host on the website and has also tied up with seven teams to offer their merchandise on the portal. The company will introduce new pages on news, latest tweets from players, fun facts, player information and interviews, merchandise, statistics, match schedule by team, date and venue.
Users will be allowed to use their own cheerleaders who will appear on the page to cheer on key moments during live streaming of the match.
Times Internet will also introduce IPL Battleground where viewers can participate in live discussions and support their teams.
TIL will spend around $7 million on marketing this IPL season online and has created applications for Android platform, the iPhone and iPad.
Coke, Samsung, Maruti Suzuki, HUL, Hero, Citi Bank, Ebay, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Karbonn Mobiles will sponsor the online broadcast of the 51-day tournament this year.
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NVIDIA announced its fiscal first quarter 2010 financial results, the company saw its revenue decline 42 percent year-over-year to $664.2 million and recorded a GAAP net loss of $201.3 million, although $140.2 million of this is a non-recurring charge related to a cash tender offer to purchase employee stock options.
The good news is revenue grew 38 percent sequentially from fiscal Q4 2009 and that inventory decreased from 144 to 64 days. Furthermore, the graphics chip maker also beat Wall Street expectations, as analysts were betting on a loss of 11 cents per share on a revenue of $514.7 million.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2010, revenue was $664.2 million compared with $1.2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2009, a decrease of 42 percent.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2010, NVIDIA recorded a non-recurring charge of $140.2 million in connection with a previously announced cash tender offer to purchase employee stock options. This charge represents stock-based compensation expense associated with the stock options that were tendered, plus associated payroll taxes and professional fees.
NVIDIA's results for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, computed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), included a net loss of $201.3 million, or $0.37 per share. Non-GAAP net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, which excludes recurring stock-based compensation charges, the non-recurring charge related to the tender offer, and the associated tax impact of these items, was $46.7 million, or $0.09 per share.
"We made good progress managing expenses and significantly reducing inventory, while continuing to invest in our growth strategies," said Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA. "The GPU is ever-more central to our computing experience. There is a rapidly growing number of applications that rely on the GPU, and the industry is gearing up to launch the next generation operating systems that adopt GPU computing."


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Rising Material Costs: CKD Cars to be Pricier than CBU Cars in the Future?
Automotive giant Kia cites the rising cost of materials and the increasing complexity of modern cars as the leading factors behind the cost increases of locally-assembled (CKD) cars.
This was the message sent by Bermaz Auto executive chairman, Datuk Seri Ben Yeoh, at a press conference last Thursday (28 August). He reveals that the costs of CKD car production have tripled in recent years with new and a greater number of specifications in today's cars that require their own set of tools and processes to implement.
Yeoh brought up the cost of a specific spot welding gun as an example, explaining that using cold rolled steel would entail different specifications than using high tensile steel. This means that they would both incur different costs of investments, a trend to carry on in the future when different materials are used in the manufacturing process.
(Photo Credit: Inokom)
Yeoh has clarified that he has nothing against the greenfield approach or having a new plant being built, however, he suggests a better, more efficient approach, utilising the Inokom contract to implement a plant-in-a-plant concept— citing Mazda's success when Inokom reinvested in a new paint shop to tackle the aforementioned issue with additional assembly requirements.
“The new paint shop has exceeded everybody’s expectations – from a period of time when it was very dull, to now it is going to maximise capacity and going above its installed capacity and we have now a new paint shop coming onstream.”
On top of that, Yeoh also brought up Malaysia's labour shortage as another potential issue when going down the greenfield route, with solutions such as automation opening another can of worms on its own.
(Photo Credit: Inokom)
CKD cars have always been regarded to be cheaper than CBU (locally imported) cars, so these red flags that this might not be the case anymore are alarming. Be it through Yeoh's suggested plant-within-a-plant concept or carrying on with greenfield plants, it will be interesting to see how local manufacturers tackle these rising material costs and more complex specifications to limit the costs passed on to the end users.


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The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Marriott International for two new hospitality projects set on Sharjah’s scenic east coast. The agreement, signed by Shurooq’s Sharjah Collection and Hotels Management, marks the debut of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in Sharjah.
Two of Shurooq’s new hospitality projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan under Sharjah Collection and Hotels Management will operate under the Autograph Collection brand.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during an official signing ceremony held at the House of Wisdom, Sharjah. Marwan bin Jassim Al-Sarkal, executive chairman of Shurooq, and Sandeep Walia, chief operating officer, Middle East for Marriott International, signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from Shurooq and Marriott International.
Talking about the new partnership, Al-Sarkal said: “The new franchise agreement ties in with Shurooq’s vision to foster strategic global partnerships with reputed bespoke brands to add value to the world-class personalized service and care offered throughout Shurooq’s destinations. Joining the exclusive fold of Marriott’s Autograph Collection brings us closer to our long-term goal of empowering Sharjah’s diversified economy and cementing its position as a magnet for global brands.”
Al-Sarkal added: “The proposed hospitality projects in Kalba and Khorfakkan, strategically located in two of the most picturesque and dynamic cities in the eastern region, will cater to the ever-growing demand for tourism and leisure experiences and seek to bolster the emirate’s touristic appeal.”
“We are excited to work with Shurooq to bring our Autograph Collection brand to Sharjah,” said Walia. “We look forward to building on this relationship and supporting the overall growth of the tourism sector in Sharjah.”
Khorfakkan Hotel will be developed on a land area of approximately 38,000 square meters opposite the Khorfakkan Port, to cater to the needs of families and adventurers. The project will feature 75 deluxe units, UAE’s first waterpark on the east coast, a yacht club, residences, and retail options including restaurants, spa and gym facilities. The proposed rooms include 62 single rooms, five double rooms, and eight suites.
The other five-star development, Kalba Hotel, will be spread across a land area of approximately 60,000 square meters in Kalba on Sharjah’s east coast, adjacent to the Kalba waterfront project and opposite the Kalba flag square. This project is close to some of the region’s most renowned diving locations and will feature 80 units, two restaurants, a gym, spa, swimming pool, and meeting halls. The proposed rooms include 64 single rooms, 10 double rooms, five three-bedroom options and one four-bedroom.


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Supporting African start-ups to build the future of smart cities across the continent
Rwanda has positioned itself as a pioneer trialling digital technology and policy. Now, the country is embracing a smart future for its capital city, Kigali. In this dynamic city, pilot projects to evidence advantages of smart technology and their social and environmental impacts are springing up. They cover topics of waste management, e-mobility and affordable housing. To capitalise on the thought leadership born out of Kigali, start-ups from across the continent are flocking into town for a training and networking event.
The Smart Cities Innovation Programme (SCIP) welcomes 31 start-ups from across the African continent in Kigali, where they attend a five-day bootcamp on 22-26 November 2021. SCIP brings together private and public partners, including top industry experts from Siemens, Volkswagen, Angaza Capital, Jasiri, Viktoria Ventures and more. Together with subject matter experts from entrepreneurship support organisations, MEST and AfriLabs, these partners offer masterclasses, co-creation sessions and networking events that further connect the start-ups with Africa’s ecosystem on smart urban development.
Since SCIP’s launch in September 2021, start-ups commenced their six-months journey to scale innovative products which can boost the potential of urbanisation, ensuring smart cities achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth. By scaling innovations for smart cities, the programme concretely contributes to Africa's urban transformation and the creation of new jobs in Rwanda and beyond. This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Smart Cities Innovation Programme is part of the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation and Make-IT in Africa implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). SCIP’s implementation is supported by Luvent Consulting, AfriLabs and MEST.
To find out more about SCIP visit www.scipafrica.com.
To follow the happenings at the SCIP bootcamp, search for #SCIPAfrica on social media.


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APPLETON, Wisconsin (WBAY) – Investing in artwork may not be everyone’s priority during a pandemic, but for many artists, it is their livelihood.
“Our income has been cut,” said Paul Eldridge, artist and Art News co-producer of Northeastern Wisconsin (ANNEW).
For many local artists, the cancellation of summer performances due to the pandemic is a huge blow to their income.
“Summer is like Black Friday for artists because that’s where we go. 90 percent of our income comes from these fairs and festivals, ”Eldridge said.
So Eric Miller, owner of Eldridge and Foxley’s art and framing, came up with a different way to promote local art.
“A bunch of my artist friends were selling their products online for amazing prices so I was talking with Eric and he was like ‘Hey let’s open up the gallery and we can all do it together,’” Eldridge said.
“Normally I have 3,000 prints here in the gallery and we decided to clean everything up and make room for local artists,” Miller said.
The Appleton Gallery’s “Quarantine – The Art Sale” features paintings, photographs, sculptures and more at discounted prices from over 30 artists from Northeastern Wisconsin.
“Most of my joy, my happiness, comes from all of the artists coming together and we’re just here to support each other,” Eldridge said.
So far, the support has been strong.
“We’re just overwhelmed by the number of people who come and actually buy the artist’s pieces,” Miller said.
Pieces that not only support local art, but give people a chance to invest in something with different traits.
“Your money stays here locally, you know what I mean?” It helps everyone, ”Eldridge said. “Plus, you get a unique piece that speaks more to you than something you mass produced.”
The sale runs until August 29. Learn more on the Foxley’s Art and Framing website.
Copyright 2020 WBA. All rights reserved.


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a California-based couple who are creating stunning glass and ceramic artworks. For these two artists too, But I am hopeful that the trend will change some day, “I always wanted to perform in shlf1314 but never got the chance.Soldier, 2011 5:08 pm Related News ‘King’s Speech’ star Colin Firth has teamed up with Oxfam America to auction off a meeting with himself to raise funds for the charity.” it said. with about nine per cent of shared links capturing about 90 per cent of Twitter clicks,it was the larger-than-life canvas that Chopra loved the most.Chopra felt.
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For all the latest shlf1314 News, The list includes popular apps like Mi Store found on all Xiaomi smartphones, Mi Video call-Xiaomi as well.another B vitamin. Mills urged women who do not eat meat or dairy products to be particularly aware of the need to get enough vitamin B12.


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Will the FSA use identity cards to control who can sell insurance? Well that's the latest rumour about FSA regulation. The talk over Christmas drinks and nibbles is that the FSA will require brokers to show customers an identity card each time they provide a quotation.
The FSA laughed off the idea, when Backchat put it to the mandarins. But wags have suggested that it might just have some merit. After all, it would help to reduce incidents of people impersonating insurance brokers - which could be a heinous crime after January 2005.


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Klaytn data relays are being steadily serviced by Pocket Network, as the chain is on its way to making the Metaverse a reality. Pocket has supported Klaytn for several months, boosting its efforts to reach new levels of decentralization, scalability, and cross-chain ability. Discover more about Klaytn and how Pocket is servicing its growth.
Klaytn is a Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT)-based network, enabling the Metaverse revolution by bringing forward key elements for its adoption, from scalability to security, performance, and reliability.Klaytn has pivoted to the Metaverse arena, as this area is exploding in interest, from retail investors to governments, with one of the more attention-grabbing developments being the focus of Facebook and its rebranding to Meta.The Metaverse is growing so much in popularity that even countries and regional governments, from Dubai to Japan and China, are launching widespread campaigns to invest billions in its development, facilitate the creation of decentralized companies, and bring new types of jobs.Klaytn is set to capture some of that attention being driven to the Metaverse, by building a new version of its network targeted at the main use cases in this segment: entertainment and gaming.
Klaytn’s new version revolves around five mantras:
Klaytn is building a chain that provides more use cases with maximum reliability and institutional-grade support, privacy, and security.On the performance side, Klaytn is enabling 4,000 transactions per second. Developers can also tap into more scalability by creating side chains and powering new use cases while maintaining low costs.Those features are essential to building the Metaverse, where scale, speed, and performance are needed to fulfill the vision of gaming, entertainment, and commerce in the decentralized world.Klaytn offers a full package for developers to start their Metaverse endeavors, further facilitating this by being EVM compatible.
Beyond Klaytn’s new focus on the Metaverse, its ecosystem also features many other tools and use cases. Some of the major applications in the Klaytn ecosystem are decentralized exchanges, liquid staking platforms, and lending solutions.According to DeFi Llama, the Klaytn network is currently at more than $335 million in Total Value Locked (TVL), despite the bear market (its TVL record sits above $1.3 billion).
Pocket has been servicing Klaytn data relays for several months, being one of the 40+ blockchains that we currently support for RPC requests.Recently, the number of serviced relays for the Klaytn network jumped towards 300,000 per day, as steady daily relays approaching a quarter of a million have been the norm for the chain.
Pocket is increasingly supporting new blockchains in its ecosystem, on the road to supporting hundreds of chains in the future.We also just launched a new and improved Pocket Portal, including a “Pay As You Go” (PAYG) tier, offering a clear scalability path for applications while keeping cost-efficiencies.If you’re an application developer on Klaytn and looking for RPC endpoints, you can sign-up for the Always Free tier, enabling 250,000 daily relays, or go for the PAYG plan, offering more RPC requests at an attractive cost while enjoying all the perks that Pocket offers (including $POKT rewards for paid service through the Portal!).Pocket is quite different from other providers in enabling maximum uptime, dozens of supported chains, optimized performance, and real decentralization with its globally distributed network of more than 25,000 service nodes.Are you ready to mint a Klaytn endpoint and get started with decentralized infrastructure? Check the new and improved Pocket Portal and start servicing your dApps today!


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Metrostar has already secured four new partners for the U.S.-based doughnut brand.
Furthermore, Metrostar has already signed on four licensees, including Hall & Associates for beauty ranges that will launch at Boots and other retailers; Kimm & Miller for food gift collections; Gibson’s for puzzles; and BCI for women’s nightwear.
“We are thrilled to help Krispy Kreme expand the brand worldwide,” says Ross Misher, chief executive officer, Brand Central. “Metrostar was the ideal choice in the U.K. with their expertise in lifestyle merchandise and food and beverage licensing.”
The first Krispy Kreme-branded products are slated to launch this fall.
“We’ve made a strong start,” says Claire Potter, managing director, Metrostar. “Krispy Kreme is such a well-managed brand here, there are many high-quality partners keen to work with us. It’s exciting to see so many great proposals coming through.”
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That’s according to a report from computerandvideogames.com, who spoke with an unnamed Sony official that said Wednesday’s PS4 unveiling “caught Microsoft off-guard,” and that “we definitely ruffled some feathers.”
Sources said that Microsoft is planning on hosting a one-off event in April to unveil the next-gen Xbox. Many expected Microsoft to debut its new product, believed to be called the Xbox 720, at this year’s E3 convention. Though with this news it appears they’ve moved up the date.
CVG also reports that Microsoft partner Ustech, a company that helps put on media briefing events, registered the domain XboxEvent.com yesterday.
Interesting to note that Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai said in January that he wanted to release the PS4 after the next-gen Xbox, saying, “Why go first, when your competitors can look at your specifications and come up with something better?” But then Sony went ahead and announced the PS4 on Wednesday.
Microsoft unveiled the current generation Xbox at the Game Developer Conference in 2000. That event takes places again next month.
Previously on GeekWire: Sony teaches us how to unveil a console without actually showing it