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US consumer prices drop 0.2 pct on cheaper gas
U.S. consumer prices declined last month as the cost of gas fell sharply and food prices were unchanged. The tame reading is the latest evidence that the sluggish economy is keeping inflation in check.
The consumer price index declined a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent in March, after jumping 0.7 percent in February, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Gas prices fell 4.4 percent, reversing part of February’s 9.1 percent gain.
Except for February’s large increase, consumer prices have declined or been unchanged in four of the past five months. In the past year, consumer prices have risen 1.5 percent. That’s the smallest yearly increase in the past eight months.
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.1 percent. In the 12 months ending in March, they rose 1.9 percent.
That gives the Federal Reserve the leeway to continue its extraordinary efforts to stimulate the economy.
In February, consumer prices jumped by the most in more than three years, mostly because of a big increase in energy costs. Gas prices rose by the largest amount in more than 3 ½ years.
Since then, gas has gotten cheaper. Wholesale gas prices plunged 6.8 percent in March, pushing down a measure of wholesale prices 0.6 percent, the biggest decline in 10 months.
Gas prices averaged $3.53 nationwide on Monday, according to AAA. That’s 16 cents lower than a month ago.
Mild inflation gives the Fed the room to keep pursing policies to spur faster economic growth. The Fed is keeping a key short-term interest rate it controls at nearly zero at least until unemployment falls below 6.5 percent. It is also buying about $85 billion in Treasury securities and mortgage-backed bonds in an effort to keep longer-term interest rates low and spur more borrowing and spending.
However, some economists have raised concerns that the policies being pushed by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke could ultimately trigger higher inflation. They also worry that the Fed’s programs could create bubbles in assets such as the price of stocks.
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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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WELCOME TO The THE INTERNET OF THINGS REPORT
Breaking down the IoT journeyBusiness-Transformed
SMSC has been acquired by Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions that offers low-risk product development...
Article | February 26, 2020
A new report from ABI Research predicts that cloud platform suppliers will see a more than $50 billion increase in their share of IoT data and analytics revenue by 2026.Companies providing cloud services have spent years building out their investments in the IoT space and continue to make headway in spreading cloud usage throughout the IoT value chain. The figures come from ABI Research's IoT Analytics and Data Management Services Strategies of Major Cloud Suppliers application analysis report, which examined the competitive outlook of the cloud vendor market and recent acquisitions. The report takes an in-depth look at how leading cloud providers like AWS, Azure, Oracle, Cisco, Huawei, SAP, Google, PTC, Cloudera are positioned in the IoT market and it compares the tools and services offered by each company. It is designed to help IoT companies figure out who the market leaders are, which cloud platforms would be most relevant for their particular industry and revenue forecasts from 2019 until 2026 for IoT integration, storage, analytics, presentation and professional services.
Customer touchpoints throughout the automotive sales cycle are prime candidates for IoT innovation. Across the board, the data derived from these IoT applications have the capability to provide insights and actionable outcomes which can significantly improve the customer experience. When a customer arrives at a dealership, it may be difficult for the dealer to know if they have what the customer is looking for. For instance, a customer might be coming in to see a particular vehicle, test-drive a car they’ve already seen, or to casually browse their options. Without any data behavior on the customer beforehand, sales personnel or the dealership may not be properly equipped to handle the customer’s request. Perhaps a requested car is no longer on the main show floor for immediate display but instead buried somewhere in a backlot. Maybe another car that was requested for a test drive may not yet be properly serviced for operation. These are only a few of the challenges associated with automotive sales that IoT is capable of helping to improve.
IoT protocol stack features have been specified by 3GPP, an engineering organisation that brings national Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) from around the globe to develop technical specifications for the 3rd generation of mobile, cellular telecommunications, UMTS. IoT devices have to interact with different network configurations worldwide. It is therefore important to ensure that these features are working well in all sorts of configurations, configured by different network operators. To address this challenge, digital identity and security provider Gemalto (a Thales company) and Rohde & Schwarz have teamed up to significantly reducing expensive and time-consuming drive tests of IoT devices.
One might be forgiven for thinking that Google had enough operating systems. Other than Android, Google also owns Chrome OS and Google Fuchsia – the latter of which isn’t even finished yet! But then came murmurs of a project called Pigweed, following a Google trademark that surfaced in February this year. At first, speculation was rife that this was yet another operating system, due to wording that described it as “computer operating software.” Now we know that is not the case. So what is Google Pigweed? In a recent blog post, Google officially threw back the curtain. Google Pigweed, it turns out, is a collection of embedded platform developer tools for development on 32-bit microcontrollers. Effectively, these are libraries targeted at Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
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From looped soundtracks of monophonic melodies to Trent Reznor, there have been a lot of changes in video game soundtracks.
August 23, 2017
Anybody who plays video games in 2017 knows how a good soundtrack can get the adrenaline going. Recent hits like Doom have been noteworthy for their visceral music as much as their gameplay, and whether it’s a first-person shooter or even a quick casino game, it’s essential for developers to think about how a soundtrack can augment the on-screen action.
Early attempts at video game music were somewhat brutal. Looped soundtracks of monophonic melodies often made the gamer reach for the volume control. But pioneering works by acclaimed video gaming composers like Nobuo Uematsu, who’s recently had a tribute concert for his work on the Final Fantasy series, have paved the way for more forward-thinking works.
But as gaming technology progressed, bigger budget titles like Call of Duty and Mass Effect started relying on freelance composers to provide the audio soundtracks. And when MTV even began to include a ‘Best Video Game Soundtrack’ category amongst their awards, it was evident just how important this aspect of gaming had become.
This is because video gaming started to overtake traditional media forms like music and movies for entertainment. However as gaming began to grow even bigger than expected through the rise of smartphone gaming, it was clear that not even MTV could keep up and the awards were discontinued.
It wasn’t long before the sonic technology had improved to the level where music stars started to have their works featured in big budget gaming titles. Video games as far-reaching as Burnout to FIFA all benefited from featuring works by popular music stars, and this relationship has helped many titles gain an extra level of authenticity.
One of the best examples of this was the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas game that featured a great in-game selection of radio stations that the player could browse through as they drove around committing drive-bys on the city streets. But even some of the simple mobile games like Monument Valley have benefited as a result of some soothing smartphone soundtracks, whilst the casino games at sites like Betsafe show how easily the ‘ambient’ soundtracks can be adapted to the different themes of their slots, giving an extra sense of atmosphere that subtly push the gaming action along.
As video games have long since overtaken music regarding revenues, it’s been interesting to see how many music stars have diversified their output through curating the soundtracks of games. With post-rock bands like 65daysofstatic producing soundtracks for No Man’s Sky and Trent Reznor acting a music consultant for the Batman: Arkham Knight trailer, it shows just how important soundtracks are to modern gaming.
Read the original article at Magneticmag.com


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Hyundai is one of two automotive brands owned and operated by the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group that operates in the US, the other being Kia. The Korean company entered the US market in 1986 with the Excel, which sold well but established a poor reputation for quality. Quality concerns were addressed with the introduction of the industry's longest powertrain warranty. Hyundai has also expanded its lineup to include larger cars, luxury vehicles, sports cars, CUVs and SUVs.
- Elantra GT
- Genesis Coupe
- Genesis Sedan
- Santa Fe
- Sonata Hybrid
Hyundai brought a pair of very yellow Velosters to this year's SEMA Show. The first is the car you see above - the Veloster Hylighter. Built in a partnership with aftermarket accessory supplier EGR Group, it's based on a Veloster Turbo, but has been extensively modified for its trip to Vegas. The paint, a custom color called Yellowcake, a type of uranium ...
The big guns are starting to roll out at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. This is the Bisimoto Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the promised 1,000-horsepower monster that was first shown at the end of September. We ventured across the SEMA floor to get an up-close look at this hugely powerful two-door. The list of aftermarket parts fitted to this Genesis Coupe is ...
With all the commotion about the aftermarket going on at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Hyundai's timing for this announcement is just perfect - the South Korean brand will launch its first crate engine program. Starting with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and the 3.8-liter V6 from the Genesis Coupe, the program should push Hyundai even further ...
Hyundai has already released sketches and information for some of the show cars that it will have on display next week at SEMA, and with the show rapidly approaching, we're now getting a brief glimpse of the build progress for four of the custom machines. Bisimoto, John Pangilinan and ARK Performance have gone to work on the Genesis Coupe, while EGR ...
Hyundai is preparing to make a rather bold move with its Genesis, as reports are now stating that the next-generation rear-drive sedan, which we showed you earlier this week, will be sold in Europe. The first-generation of the Genesis sedan never crossed the pond. The 2015 Genesis will enter the traditional stomping grounds of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi ...
After we posted the renderings of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis last night, Hyundai issued a full press release revealing some of the details about its next-generation sedan. Set to make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in a few months, the 2015 Genesis promises to bring a whole new level of styling and technology to the Korean automaker's ...
Hyundai is certainly bringing the horsepower wars to Las Vegas next month. We already know that its SEMA lineup includes a 1,000-horsepower Genesis Coupe, but now the company has announced that it is teaming up with Fox Marketing to create a 370-hp Veloster Turbo. Keeping the Turbo's 1.6-liter engine, this show car gets an extra 169 hp by adding a bigger ...
We're currently in Seoul, South Korea, checking in on the 2015 Hyundai Genesis at the automaker's headquarters. We can't yet offer any driving impressions, but at least we can share a few renderings of what the new sedan will look like. As you can see, practically everything above the beltline has been carried over almost untouched from the HCD-14 ...
Following an investigation launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this week, Hyundai will reportedly recall 27,500 Genesis sedans due to braking problems. Roughly 40,000 Genesis sedans from the 2009 model year were originally under investigation, but this official recall affects vehicles from 2009 to 2012. A Hyundai ...
According to The Detroit News, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into 40,000 Hyundai Genesis sedans due to reports of brake problems. All of the vehicles in this probe are from the 2009 model year. NHTSA has reportedly received 23 complaints from owners citing increased brake pedal travel and reduced braking ...
Hyundai's Genesis sedan has been quite the sales success since it first launched in 2008 as a 2009 model, but its rear-wheel drive nature has limited its sales appeal in cold-weather states versus competitors like Audi, BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz, all of whom have offered all-wheel drive in their lineups for years now. We've been hearing that Hyundai ...
Hyundai gave us a tease of its second-gen Genesis sedan courtesy of the HCD-14 Genesis Concept displayed at this year's Detroit Auto Show, and while we've seen numerous spy shots of the car testing since (both on and off the track), all were heavily camouflaged. That all changed today when the South Korean site bobaedream.co.kr posted an image of the new ...
The government shutdown is eroding consumer confidence in the auto market, says John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai's US sales unit, and could lower October sales by as much as 10 percent, Automotive News reports. "It's that anxiety that keeps customers, potential buyers, on the sidelines when making a big purchase like an automobile," Krafcik says, adding that ...
There's little question that Hyundai has emerged as a tuner's favorite, and few have pushed the limits quite like John Pangilinan. The SEMA stalwart is known for turning out candy-colored Korean tuning jobs, and has now teamed up with Hyundai for this bright blue Genesis coupe. Set to debut next month in Vegas, the JP Edition Genesis Coupe features ...
Hyundai has quickly emerged from the sidelines as one of the biggest players in the industry, outselling rivals left, right and center. Still, a dedicated performance division is still something that separates it from the big boys. Now, according to the latest reports, that's just what it's getting. After setting up its own Nürburgring test center ...
The latest body-kitted Hyundai Genesis Coupe scheduled to appear at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas is the ARK Performance Legato Concept. In a nod to performance fiends, Hyundai built a stroker V6 good for 400 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque to really set the coupe off. The extra power is a very good thing ...
Hyundai has announced improvements for the 2014 Sonata, as well as a price increase of $155 for the base GLS model, which has a MSRP of $21,350. That doesn't include the *$795 destination fee. The most expensive Sonata, the Limited Turbo, starts at $28,650, also not including destination. The new features are numerous, but only a fraction of them come ...
Surviving a zombie invasion isn't easy, and Hyundai takes life-or-undead situations pretty seriously, as made clear by its devotion to creating zombie-annihilating vehicles. Earlier this year, Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead comic series that gave birth to the hit television series of the same name, designed a Zombie Survival Machine around a ...
Despite being overhauled for the 2010 model year, not much attention has been paid to the Hyundai Tucson crossover in recent times. But when its overseas twin, the ix35, received modest updates at this year's Geneva Motor Show, we knew it'd only be a matter of time before the US-spec model was blessed with similar tweaks. So, without further ado, meet the ...
Since the US government shut down early this morning, more than 800,000 federal employees could be furloughed without pay until a deal is reached to start the government back up. To help affected employees cope with the temporary layoffs, Hyundai is expanding its Assurance program to defer all of their auto loan or lease payments until they're called back ...
Research Hyundai Vehicles
- Hyundai Elantra Touring 2012
- Hyundai Veracruz 2012
- Hyundai Elantra 2013
- Hyundai Azera 2013
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2013
- Hyundai Sonata Hybrid 2013
- Hyundai Elantra GT 2013
- Hyundai Sonata 2014
- Hyundai Genesis 2014
- Hyundai Accent 2014
- Hyundai Equus 2014
- Hyundai Veloster 2014
- Hyundai Santa Fe 2014
- Hyundai Tucson 2014
- Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2014


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New beers and a festival celebrate Oregon’s favorite brews: craft beer and good coffee
(edible east end.com) Mississippi John Hurt: coffee time, that’s the time he — and most of the rest of us — likes… guitaralliance.com "Coffee time, that’s the time I like," says Mississippi John Hurt at the beginning of "Coffee Blues." Yes, he was talking about Maxwell House, but he certainly could’ve been speaking for most Portlanders. And it’s a good bet he would’ve loved Portland-roasted coffee even more than the stuff in the can. Especially when combined with Oregon craft beers by our talented brewers, and there’s a good bit of coffee/beer buzz happening right now with new coffee beers from a couple of breweries and the Northwest Coffee Beer Invitational set to return a week from Saturday.
Laurelwood is getting set to release Organic Portland Roasting Espresso Stout , another collaboration with Portland Roasting. "Every fall the brew staff looks foreword to picking out that year’s coffee blend," says Laurelwood bewmaster Shane Watterson. "Portland Roasting does a great job with their coffee and they have a lot of organic options for us to blend, so it’s always a really fun experience finding the coffee for our stout each year."
Expect the rich and chocolaty taste you find […]


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CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS), the largest U.S. pharmacy based on total prescription revenue, entered into a new pilot program with Aetna last month to manage the latter’s member prescription. The “Aetna Rx Home Success Program” helps Aetna members manage their health through personal support from a pharmacist including offering in-home consultations and focuses on those who have recently been discharged from a hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation facility. (Read additional details in the CVS press release)
Aetna is among one of the leading diversified health care benefit companies in the U.S., which serves approximately 44 million people with information and resources to help them make more informed decisions about their health care. With 7,531 stores operating across 42 states, CVS is the second largest drugstore chain in the U.S. after Walgreen (NYSE:WAG). CVS runs a Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) business which provides order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy services, plan design and administration, formulary management and claims processing services. The company derives around 60% of its revenue and over 40% of its valuation from this division.
Hospital re-admissions due to improper medication affects nearly 3.5 million patients and results in approximately $15.2 billion dollars in health care costs each year.  The high rates of hospital re-admissions increases the healthcare cost of the patient. In its press release, CVS stated that the intervention of a clinical pharmacist helps patients better understand their medications and avoid potential setbacks to recovery after returning home. The average patient in the program takes over ten prescription medications per day.
Last month, CVS also opened a new state-of-the-art Mail Service Pharmacy and Customer Center in Illinois which supports pharmacy inventory and fulfillment needs across the CVS Caremark Pharmacy Benefit Management business. The new facility has the capability to fill 50 million prescriptions annually. In addition, CVS launched a new online drug information center which helps consumers take control of their health by providing them with best-in-class drug information and a variety of innovative resources.
CVS Caremark’s PBM business serves approximately 60 million members across the U.S. and on an average processes 799 million pharmacy network claims and 82 million mail order pharmacy claims annually. We believe that the growing number of partnering pharmacies and the expansion of healthcare coverage to more Americans will help increase the number of claims processed over CVS’s pharmacy network.
Our price estimate of $63 for CVS Caremark is at a 10% premium to the current market price.Notes:
- Aetna Collaborates With CVS Caremark And Dovetail Health To Help Members Manage Their Prescriptions, CVS Caremark Press Releases, August 20, 2013 [↩] [↩]


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Remember the T-Mobile G1? It was the first Android phone to be released, and didn't prove a particularly auspicious start as it happens. That hasn't prevented T-Mobile, Google and HTC going at it again, however, this time confirming the release of its overdue successor, the G2.
Like its predecessor, the G2 is a touchscreen smartphone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Thankfully the awkward lip-design has been banished and replaced by a more conventional flip-out mechanism. That much was revealed by some shots leaked to Engadget, which also revealed the presence of a smart brushed metal back.
At the moment this is just a US release as the most significant feature of the G2 is its support for the T-Mobile USA 4G (HSPA+) network. Other notable features include a 800MHz Qualcomm processor, a 3.7-inch screen, 4GB of internal memory (an 8GB microSD card will also be bundled), a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, and the ability to play 720p video.
Naturally it will be shipping with the latest version of Android, 2.2 (Froyo), which also means the G2 supports Flash 10.1. There's no word on international releases as yet, but surely it's only a matter of time - even if it means no 4G where it's not available.


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“Soon” Defined: Steam Big Picture Public Beta Opens Monday
The New York Times has brought a boon to those of us who are excited for Steam Big Picture: the open beta for Valve’s project is no longer starting “soon,” but on Monday, September 10th.
What is Steam Big Picture? It’s Valve’s newest baby, a custom UI that will render Steam’s storefront more user-friendly and applicable to gamers’ televisions. If you’ve got a big screen, this is your boon – imagine being able to scroll readily through the entire store from your couch in the living room.
In regards to the Valve’s development, even Peter Moore, chief operating officer at Electronic Arts, says, “They’re on the cutting edge of the future of this industry.”
Keep your eyes and ears peeled if you’re interested in joining the public beta. Will Big Picture have any affect on your gaming life?


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The 15th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show
November 17 - November 20, 2011
Galleries from the United States, Europe will offer more than 3,000 original works of art at the Fifteenth Annual Boston International Fine Art Show (BIFAS), Thursday - Sunday, November 17-20, 2011 at The Cyclorama, Boston Center for The Arts (BCA). The show opens with the Gala Preview on Thursday, November 17 from 5:30 to 8:30pm to The Greater Boston Food Bank. Gala tickets are $100 and $250. Friday evening November 18 is "New Collectors' Night", and guest lectures take place throughout the weekend.
The only show of its kind in New England, BIFAS features 40 galleries from the United States and Europe, with no restrictions on the type of work that may be shown. Works on offer range from fine original prints priced at just a few hundred dollars to museum-quality masterpiece paintings priced at more than $3 million. Last year, over 3,000 people attended the show, which saw very strong sales.
The Greater Boston Food Bank, which distributes more than 34 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to approximately 550 member hunger-relief agencies and 30 Food Bank Direct service programs, will benefit from the Gala Preview this year.


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The enterprise arm of Chinese communications vendor, Huawei Australia, used Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2011 as the springboard to launch its new Telepresence 2.0 systems.
Three Telepresence 2.0 models were launched: the TP3106 model aimed for three to six users, and two room-immersive TP3118S and TP3118 offerings both aimed at facilitating six to 14 users.
The defining characteristic of the newly introduced system is 30 per cent lower bandwidth consumption compared to the industry average for full high-definition 1080p video and surround sound.
For Huawei Australia enterprise managing director, Gavin Milton-White, the launch is important because it represents the company’s next generation of telepresence solutions.
“Huawei has been in the conferencing business for 15 years, and we have an established base of customers with telepresence and video conferencing, and this now is an extension of our capabilities and technology to version 2.0 of the product,” he said.
With affordability, connectivity, and interoperability as obstacles in the way of telepresence, Milton-White hopes that the company’s 2.0 solution will go some way to overcoming those three barriers to bolster telepresence adoption in Australia.
“What’s important with Telepresence 2.0 is that is allows us to continue to focus on our three main differentiators on the marketplace, which are affordability of the product, the low cost of ownership connected to lower bandwidth use, and our interoperability with competitor’s products, to help drive adoption of the solution by enterprises,” he said.
To demonstrate the interoperability between Huawei Telepresence and competitor equipment in Australia, Huawei recently showed how it could connect to AARNet (Australia’s Academic and Research Network) sites in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra, becoming the first company to successfully do so in the process.
Huawei recently rolled out its Huawei Enterprise Advantage Partner (HEAP) program with authorised distributor, Simms International, in Australia.


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It is one of the most important moments of the era of modern motorsport and it is not for less. Rarely do brands trust to take the plunge and jump into a pool where they do not know if they have water or not. This is the case of Audi, which continues to rely on motorsport and have announced that in 2026 it will join Formula 1, where they will have a power unit developed solely and exclusively for this competition, being the neuburg base the headquarters of this ambitious project.
There are several reasons that have made Audi have decided to enter this field and that is that they have ensured that their sustainability strategy is perfectly suited to Formula 1. All this is achieved thanks to a unique technical regulations that will come into force in 2026 with sustainable fuel. On the other hand, Formula 1 has set itself the ambitious goal of being a carbon-neutral competition by 2030.
Audi Sport is focusing on Formula 1 and, as a consequence, discontinues its LMDh project. The motorsport division had recently suspended development of the car for endurance racing. In addition to the customer competition, Audi Sport will continue its innovation project with the RS Q e-tron at the Dakar Rally. Next year, Audi’s goal is victory in the general classification in the desert of Saudi Arabia.
The Chairman of Audi AG, Markus Duesmann, said that the group is preparing to face one of the most important challenges of its history with great motivation:“Motorsport is an integral part of Audi’s DNA. Formula 1 is a global stage for our brand and, at the same time, a very demanding development laboratory. The combination of high performance and competition is always an engine of innovation and technology transfer in our industry. With the new rules, now is the right time for us to get involved. After all, both Formula 1 and Audi pursue clear sustainability goals.”


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The price of a 12 kg domestic gas cylinder would be increased to Rs. 4,610 from midnight today, Litro Chairman Muditha Pieris said.
The new retail price of the 5 kg gas cylinder will be Rs. 1,850, and the price of the 2.3 kg gas cylinder will be Rs. 860.
As a result, the price of refilling a 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinder will rise by Rs 250.
Accordingly, the price of a gas cylinder has increased by Rs. 4,610.
The 5 kg gas cylinder will be increased by Rs. 100, and the 2.3 kg cylinder will be increased by Rs. 45 from tonight.


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Yes, it’s true: Facebook is losing the attention of that prized teen demographic. Executives at the world’s largest social network have warned analysts and investors that daily use among teens is trending downward, and Facebook has tweaked its products in attempts to lure teens back. But a new survey of 170,000 people in 32 countries shows that it’s far too early to dig Facebook’s grave.
In a new report on social networking usage issued Tuesday, research firm GlobalWebIndex said about 83% of all those who surf the Web are signed up for Facebook. About half of Facebook’s users are “active users,” who use the site through the Web or mobile apps at least once a month — Facebook says it has 1.19 billion such users. And about 55% of those active users check in daily, or even more than once per day, GWI said. Suffice it to say, Facebook has a massive audience of people who make it a habit.
“These trends are hardly reflective of a social network that’s ‘dead and buried’ or suffering widespread desertion,” Jason Mander, who wrote the GWI report, said in a statement.
GWI’s report also noted that only about 10% of those who use the Internet aren’t signed up for at least one social network – which is a reason why one of Facebook’s biggest new initiatives is getting more people around the globe on the Internet.
Still, whereas other social networks saw growth in active users last year, Facebook saw a 3% decline, says GWI. Between April and December of 2013, the firm estimated that the number of Instagram’s active users grew by about 25%. Pinterest and Google+ saw growth of about 6% each, and Twitter grew 2% during the same period, the report said.
A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment on the study, but noted that the company would reveal fresh user data when it announces quarterly earnings on Jan. 29.


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Tag : Fashion news
Retailers demand pandemic lease termsSubscription
Retailers are pushing landlords for pandemic clauses to be inserted into leases and negotiating new rent terms including rent-free periods across their closed store estates.
Retailers reopen 'the right way' onlineSubscription
Relaunching online operations with limited stock and increased safety measures is the best way for retailers to survive the coronavirus pandemic, industry experts have said.
Wolverine Worldwide shakes up leadership teamSubscription
US footwear group Wolverine World Wide has restructured its executive team, to help make the company “more nimble” during this period of economic disruption.
Questions have been raised as to what retailers should do with items returned from sales online, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Find out the answer here.
Comment: Retailers facing huge liquidity issue Subscription
Stuart McClure, co-founder of retail sales aggregator Lovethesales.com, provides insight into how retailers and brands are using marketplaces to accelerate the sale of, and clear, discounted inventory.
John Lewis online sales and profits up Subscription
Online sales at John Lewis have grown 84% year on year between the middle of March and 15 April, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus: Lockdown to last another three weeks Subscription
The government has today announced that coronavirus lockdown measures will be continued until at least 7 May, with non-essential stores to remain closed for the duration.
River Island reopens online operations Subscription
River Island has today started dispatching online orders again, after temporarily closing operations because of coronavirus safety concerns.
Harpenne to permanently close Subscription
River Island Holdings-owned womenswear label Harpenne has permanently ceased trading less than a year after it was launched, Drapers can reveal.
Debenhams liquidates Irish business Subscription
Debenhams directors will commence a liquidation process on its Irish, Hong Kong and Bangladesh businesses today, after its UK arm collapsed into administration last week.


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Open International has announced the appointment of Jason Wheelhouse to the newly created role of Group Head of Sales.
This includes responsibility for sales delivery at Mi Limited, part of Open International, alongside his existing Open GI broker sales role.
Since 1999, Mi has been a technology provider of web-based insurance solutions to the Lloyds and London markets for underwriters, brokers, MGA's and coverholders. Mi is renowned for using innovative and proven technology and its leading Mi Trader platform is utilised by many prominent companies in the insurance market.
With nearly ten years' experience at Open GI, Jason will continue to manage its broker channel sales function.
Commenting on the appointment, Jason Wheelhouse, Group Head of Sales, Open International, said: "I am delighted to be able to apply my experience to the Mi business in order to expand its position in the market."
Simon Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director, Open GI, adds: "Jason will be instrumental in shaping Mi's future growth. His in-depth, relevant experience and knowledge will help forge a robust sales strategy to win new business and increase market share for Mi."


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Google’s fee reduction for in-app purchases of digital goods and services only applies to first $1 Mn that a developer earns
There has been no change in stance with respect to integrating Google’s billing system which will sideline other payments gateways
Startups and developers generally use multiple payments gateways for better customer experience
Google will reduce its Playstore platform commission for in-app purchases of digital goods and services for developers around the world to 15% from the current 30% starting July this year, according to a blog post by the search engine giant on Tuesday (March 16). However, this cut in fees will only apply to the first $1 Mn in revenue earned by a developer.
“With this change, 99% of developers globally that sell digital goods and services with Play will see a 50% reduction in fees. These are funds that can help developers scale up at a critical phase of their growth by hiring more engineers, adding to their marketing staff, increasing server capacity, and more,” said Google’s blog.
The move comes after two major developments in the recent past — firstly, Indian app developers had come out strongly against the announcement to enforce the 30% charge last year by making it mandatory for them to use Google Play’s billing system.
More importantly, rival Apple dropped its platform commission from 30% to 15% last year for app developers who earn less than $1 Mn in revenue.
However, Indian startup founders feel that the fee reduction by Google is not enough. According to Snehil Khanoor, cofounder and CEO of dating platform TrulyMadly, “Even if the commission is reduced to 15% for everybody flat it is still very high. The issue is not just the high commission but forcing app developers to remove other payment gateways, which provide the same service at 1-2% commission and remits us money at t+1 as opposed to monthly settlement. As a developer, we should have a choice for what’s good for our business. While it is a good thing that they are doing something, it doesn’t solve the problem completely as of now.”
At present, most apps don’t just have a single payment gateway on their platforms. What they do is enlist the services of multiple payments gateways such as Paytm, Razorpay, Juspay etc and choose which one to use for transactions on a dynamic basis depending on success rates. For example, an app might enable transaction through Gateway A in case it has a bigger success rate than Gateway B on a particular day or if Gateway B is facing a downtime.
What Google’s rule means is that only its payment gateway can be used — in effect, hurting the customer experience when it faces a downtime or has a lower success rate of transaction going through.
“It is absolutely shocking to see Google shrugging off the issue of blocking payments platforms of scale in India, on Android apps. Obviously other payments platforms won’t even charge 1%, that’s why !! Shows how Google ignores pleads made by thousands of developers in India!”, tweeted Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma in reaction to Google’s unchanged stance on the billing system.
What Are Digital Goods And Services?
A top executive at a food delivery unicorn, who didn’t want to be named, said “While Google might be chalking out different deals with the likes of bigger players like Spotify and Netflix, individual developers and small startups who don’t have that kind of bargaining power will lose out”.
Last year, when the search engine giant came out with its deadline for adhering to its Playstore guidelines, it was thought to be aimed specifically at streaming giants like Netflix and Spotify who don’t use Google’s billing system and direct customers to a web browser for processing payments as a work around. But the search engine giant has said in an explainer that such practices aren’t acceptable.
The food delivery executive also said that as of now loyalty programmes like Zomato Pro and Swiggy Super don’t qualify as digital goods and services currently, but foodtech companies will be compelled to sell such deals on their websites in the event the search giant expands its definition.
Presently, digital goods and services cover the following categories:
- Digital items (such as virtual currencies, extra lives, additional playtime, add-on items, characters and avatars);
- Subscription services (such as fitness, game, dating, education, music, video, and other content subscription services);
- App functionality or content (such as an ad-free version of an app or new features not available in the free version); and
- Cloud software and services (such as data storage services, business productivity software, and financial management software).
Is It A Monopolistic Abuse Of Dominance?
The commissions on Google Play Store have attracted considerable backlash from tech startups in the country as Android accounts for over 95% of the smartphone user base in India. Plus, most of these Android smartphones come with Google Play Store pre-installed and rely on Google services for optimal functioning.
“Google’s abrasive & monopolistic abuse of its dominant position in the mobile OS market with 96.18% share with Android,this will further increase prices of digital products in India & finally all the cost will be borne by the end consumer (91% earn<8.5K INR/ month)” tweeted Dr Ritesh Malik, founder of coworking startup Innov8 that was sold to OYO.
Things could get way more darker for companies that have not yet hit profitability and are selling at zero margin in hope to expand the customer base. Giving 30% commission to Google Play would mean taking a 30% hit on the EBITDA, thereby worsening profitability.
Ravi Mittal, founder and CEO of dating app QuackQuack, told us earlier that the repercussions of this payment policy will be huge for digital startups. “Majority of our users are on Android and enforcing Google Play billing will have a huge impact on our margins and user’s ability to pay,” he said.
Mittal added that while QuackQuack can offer a plethora of payment options since payments are so fragmented in India, Google Play doesn’t have such versatility which will further lead to a drop in revenue. In India, Google Play allows purchase of paid apps through credit/debit cards — MasterCard, Visa, and Visa Electron supported and Maestro and Rupay not supported — netbanking, UPI and carrier billing (added to the postpaid bill). In case of in-app purchases too, the same options are available, but that does not hold true for recurring payments for subscriptions, where apps have to use credit card or debit card billing, with UPI also supporting this recently, but hardly any apps are using UPI for subscriptions currently.
Vaibhav Vasa, director of a SaaS company Biz Analyst, which offers enterprise tech applications and services to SMBs said, “SaaS module companies in India have a less margin on the app pricing, so if we have to pay an additional 30% to Google, this increase in cost will directly impact SMBs or the end customers.”


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Back in March, a Qualcomm exec revealed that smartphone cameras will reach the 100MP count in 2019. Phone manufacturers have contentiously upped the ante in the past years and Samsung is looking to bring the latest breakthrough in mobile photography with its 64MP ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor. Alongside it, the company also announced an updated 48MP ISOCELL Bright GM2.
Like the increasingly common 48MP sensors found throughout the smartphone landscape, Samsung’s new 64MP shooter will employ the Tetracell binding technology. It merges four pixels into one, pushing out 16MP images in low light environments and remosaic algorithm for full 64MP shots in brighter scenarios. As is normally the case with those sensors though, you are mostly supposed to shoot in the binned mode as the full res shots don’t really deliver that much extra detail.
The sensor will also bring high-performance phase detection for improved autofocus and support for full HD video recordings at 480 fps. The Quad-Bayer will enable real-time HDR.
More excitingly though the 64MP sensor has the same 0.8μm pixel size as the 48MP ones, making it 33% larger overall. This makes is a 1/1.7″ or 1.8″ type sensor, which is huge in smartphone terms.
As for the 48MP – that’s a minor update over the existing GM1, that’s supposed to utilize the collected light more efficiently in bright environments and offer better autofocus thanks to what Samsung calls Super PD.
Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 and GM2 are currently sampling and are expected to be in mass production in the second half of this year.


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Tuesday in CE: More Apple Woes From Downgrade, iPhone 'In the Late Innings'
Despite all the success of the iPhone X launch, getting the iMac Pro off the ground, and building hype for the HomePod, Apple is leaving 2017 with a black eye.
Brokerage agency Nomura Instinet lowered its rating for Apple shares to neutral from buy, citing the company's high valuation compared with previous iPhone cycles. "We argue that the stock's gains for the iPhone X supercycle are in the late innings," the note reads. "We believe unit growth, if not quite ASP growth, is well anticipated by consensus and a historically full multiple."
Even more troubling is that Apple's services arm, is growing, but only accounts for 15% of the company's operations. In fact, we addressed that exact issue back in June, looking at just how big a liability investing in the iPhone is, even if it is paying off right now.


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Danish company JBS Textile Group, which will produce the CR7 line of innerwear for men and boys, has mandated New Delhi-based consulting firm Inventure Brand Management to find a partner to distribute and retail the undergarments, socks and vests in the country.
"We will pitch CR7 range anywhere between Calvin Klien and Armani undergarments," Asim Khan, vice-president at Inventure, said. That means anywhere between 800 and 1,900 per piece - the price range CK, Armani, Diesel and Hugo Boss sell at, he said. Imported CR7 products are expected to hit the Indian market in the first quarter of 2014, Khan said.
Undergarment sales in India are growing 20% a year and the high-end segment of the market is growing even faster, although the market is quite small. Premium and high-end products constitute less than 5% of the country's estimated $2.4 billion (approx 14,880 crore) annual undergarment market. But the market is growing rapidly, prompting many global players to enter the market.
Diesel recently sold limited editions of Batman series and Warner Bros series of undergarments priced at around 2,400 and consumers lapped it up in no time, Yadav said.
Reliance Brands recently launched high-end European Moskova brand of innerwear priced in excess of 1,800 through its Quicksilver stores and the inventory was sold in just four weeks, he said.
Undergarments of CR7 brand - which gets its name from the two initials of the Real Madrid star plus his jersey number - are created by New York-based designer Richard Chai, who was voted the menswear designer of 2010 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Chai has formerly worked for Mark Jacobs, Donna Karen and Armani Exchange.
On the flip side, celebrity brands have not done particularly well in the country. For example, India's biggest cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar's restaurant ventures bombed. So did his one time opening partner Virender Sehwag's eatery venture.
Gaurav Marya, president for Franchise India that advises companies on licensing and franchisee opportunities in India, says the overall sports licensing- cum-branding market in India is barely around $100 million (approx 620 crore) a year compared to more than $3 billion (about 18,600 crore) in China.
"Nobody did anything in celebrity branding in India and the market is not even peanuts and has not even started," Marya said. "We in India love sports but they don't become a part of our lifestyles," he said.
But Inventure clearly hopes that all those Indian football fans crazy about Ronaldo's jerseys, t-shirts and jackets will go for CR7 undergarments as well.
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Local NPR listeners will recognize the name Trenam, Kemker, Scharf, Barkin, Frye, O’Neill & Mullis – a long-time supporter of the non-profit news and media organization. Founded in 1970 and one of the largest law firms in Tampa Bay, they were known as Trenam Kemker for years, but with their 45th anniversary celebration, they decided to shorten the moniker to Trenam. A new name needs a new brand, so they selected Pinstripe to provide a bright new image.
Reflecting the Trenam Code of Commitment was one of the key requirements of the new brand. The four triangles in the logo signify the four tenants in the firm’s code of client commitment: Understanding Your Business, Certainty, Accessibility, and Deadlines.
“The decision to move to “Trenam” in our branding is a client-centric response to market tendencies and preferences, and is emblematic of a continuing transformation in the firm’s marketing and branding practices,” said J. Eric (“Tate”) Taylor, chair of the Executive Board of Trenam. “Recent updates to our website, offices, and now our name and logo, have all been aimed at aligning the firm’s shared commitment to our clients’ needs, objectives, and preferences.”
In addition to the new logo and color palette, Pinstripe worked with Trenam’s marketing team to create a new stationery package, e-mail communication templates, and other marketing collateral.
The Trenam marketing team also leveraged Pinstripe to design ads, brochures, invitations and event collateral.
Because people often listen to an ‘outsider’ more than the in-house marketing team, they also asked Pinstripe to deliver a variety of marketing and business development presentations to their lawyers, including how to build a personal brand, business development strategies, and tips for improving their LinkedIn profiles.


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Britons burned on hot pastry tax
Adding 50 pence to the price of a Cornish pasty with the so called ‘pastry tax’ has cost Britain’s bakers millions and caused outrage.
Britain’s Greggs bakery chain saw its share price dropped by 5.37%, and 30 million pounds wiped off its value as the UK Government announced plans to introduce 20% VAT tax on hot takeaway food bought from bakeries and supermarkets. The company has already made it clear it would oppose the measure.The Government implemented the pastry tax as a part of new tax regulations approved in the 2013 budget. The authorities stress the pastry tax would raise an extra Ј125 million per year and would defend takeaway cafes against competition from major chains.Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne was grilled by MPs saying he was out of touch after he couldn’t recall the last time he bought a hot pasty. While the leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband accused the Government of cutting people’s living standards in every possible way. “Not just fuel duty going up, child benefit taken away, tax credits being cut, now even putting 20 per cent on the cost of pasties, sausage and the Chancellor's excuse? Well, he says you can buy them cold and you can avoid the tax!” Miliband told reporters.Meanwhile some customers are already hanging around bakeries waiting the pastry to get cold in order to pay less.With the controversial budget approved, the middle class and pensioners would be the first to be hit by austerity measures with raising petrol and income taxes. Once the pastry tax is introduced even an everyday indulgence like a hot pie becomes less affordable.


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Business News›Reliance Fresh
Fresh capex likely to boost RIL’s revenue visibility and profit
RIL would be investing around $14-16 billion of capex each year across business segments for the next three years which would be nearly double that of the past two fiscal years. The street currently ascribes enterprise value (EV)/EBITDA of eight for the petrochemical business, which contributes one-third of the total fair value of the O2C business.
Zomato's Blinkit acquisition: For the investor, the devil is in the details
While Blinkit does align to Zomato’s food delivery business and its ambition to step into online grocery business, the stock price of the company has halved since it listed on July 23, 2021.
Inditex Trent, that runs Zara in India expands 61% during FY22
Inditex Trent, its joint venture with Tata that runs 21 of Zara stores in India, saw revenue expand to Rs1815 crore last fiscal, according to Trent’s annual report. A year ago, it had a net loss of Rs 41 crore on net sales of Rs 1,126 crore. "The incremental store openings for Zara continue to be calibrated with focus on presence only in very high-quality retail spaces," said the annual report.
Reliance Retail to set up own stores in Future's locations, launch many soon
Smart Bazaar will have a bigger focus on everyday apparel and general merchandise than Reliance Retail's existing Smart supermarkets, modelling them on the lines of Big Bazaar so that consumers can feel connected.
Consumer Independence Day sales pip pre-coronavirus levels
Sales of consumer electronics, smartphones, apparel and groceries in the almost week-long shopping period leading up to Independence Day were higher than in the corresponding pre-Covid-19 period of 2019, said executives of several leading retailers and
Karnataka's new app to help farmers sell produce directly to retail chains
The app will enable firms like BigBasket, Ninjacart to connect with consenting farmers and negotiate deals.
Kirana revival a key pivot in distribution chain of FMCG, say industry executivesApart from investment in eCommerce due to surge in online shopping amid the pandemic, FMCG companies are extending support and chasing the modernisation of traditional kirana ecosystem.
Paytm expands postpaid services to cover kirana stores, retail chainsThe service is offered in partnership with two NBFCs that offer an instant credit line for various payments to Paytm app users.
JioMart currently serviced by Reliance Smart, Reliance Fresh; no links yet with kiranas, WhatsApp: AnalystsThe Mukesh Ambani-led retail arm currently operates 621 Reliance Fresh and Reliance Smart stores and sells over 200 metric tonnes of fruits and over 300 metric tonnes of vegetables every day. JioMart lists all the major grocery categories like fruits and vegetables, staples, dairy and bakery, snacks, beverages, personal care, home care and baby care.
As India marched to stock up, stores saw bumper salesEven e-grocers such as Grofers and BigBasket joined the league with record sales in March and April despite disruptions due to lack of labour amid a surge in orders.
Covid 19: Retailers roll out steps to maintain social distancing, sanitisation at storesBig retailers, which are presently dispensing only essential items amid the lockdown, are taking precautionary measures like restricted entry and marked lines to maintain social distancing to avoid coronavirus infection at their stores.
Future Retail tweaks growth strategy"We are challenging any other player to offer a price less than ours. I don’t see the market growing very fast and expansions will be curtailed to focus only on new markets,” CEO Kishore Biyani said. "This growth will be led by technology and credit. We will offer consumption credit through a significant tie-up with Bajaj Finance," he said.
Reliance Retail buys Tamil Nadu based grocery chainReliance told the National Stock Exchange that its subsidiary Retail Ventures has acquired 786,191equity shares representing 100% of the equity share capital of Shri Kannan Departmental Store (SKDS) for Rs 152 crore.
Reliance Retail starts assisted e-commerce for Ajio through Jio storesThis is part of Reliance’s strategy to connect first time online consumers with its e-commerce platform.
Reliance Retail to open grocery stores in tier III, IV townsFor smaller towns, the country’s largest retail group has decided to set up stores in towns up to 75,000 population.
Corporates look to procure apple from Kashmir growers as Himachal braces for another lean season due to climate changeCompanies such as Adani Agri Fresh, CONCOR, Reliance Fresh, Mother Dairy and Big Basket had started direct procurement of apples in Himachal Pradesh in recent years to avoid middlemen.
Reliance Retail may enter apparel wholesaleThe wholesale business will primarily target millions of small and medium retailers nationwide to supply products in bulk, including its own branded material, sources said.
Private equities to buy Vishal Mega Mart for Rs 5,000 croreA definitive agreement was signed on Saturday and an official announcement is due as early as Tuesday, these people told ET.
Reliance Retail sales cross $10 bn markAt ₹69,198 crore, Reliance Retail’s revenue in the previous financial year exceeded the combined sales of rivals Future Group, Avenue Supermart, Shoppers Stop and Tata Trent.
Reliance retail to expand to more small cities“We are the only organised retailer with a significant presence in the northeast,” Ambani said at Reliance Industries’ 40th AGM.
Big Basket, Reliance among firms to feature in organic fairMore people adopting organic food and millets in their diet will not only encourage farmers to grow more of these environment-friendly produce and realise better incomes.
How big conglomerates are setting themselves up for the big ecommerce leapTata Mall, which will be a subsidiary of Tata Industries, has hired a mix of internal recruits and some from Tata Administrative Services, he said.
Online grocers like LocalBanya foray into Pune; challenge supermarkets like Big BazaarAfter BigBasket entered Pune in Dec, LocalBanya has now also forayed into Pune last month. This set the stage for startups to enter multiple cities this year.
E-grocery chains like BigBasket, LocalBanya and others set to sizzle on the InternetAmazon India and Snapdeal’s addition of food and gourmet categories is aimed at converting existing customers to add groceries to their basket.
RelianceFreshDirect.com to deliver fresh groceries in MumbaiRelianceFreshDirect.com will sell fruits and vegetables, dairy products, groceries, packaged food, confectionary items and personal care products.
Reliance Retail set to shut 100 Reliance Fresh storesThe move by Reliance Industries is aimed to increase its focus on India's $450 billion wholesale cash-and-carry business.
Modern retail stores such as Big Bazaar, Reliance Fresh offer super deals to lure inflation-hit customersGeneral retail prices of Soybean oil is Rs 69 per litre in Mumbai and palm oil is Rs 61 per litre, whereas it is Rs 2-4 cheaper per litre in modern retail.
Food retailers including Reliance, Aditya Birla Retail, Wal-Mart, Bharti accumulate Rs 13,000 cr loss in FY14: CrisilCrisil said two large players that have managed to become profitable are Future Value Retail Ltd (Future Value) and Avenue Supermarts Ltd.
Tata opens 'Star Daily' outlet in Pune, makes use of UK firm Tesco’s retail expertise and back-end supportBritish group Tesco has moved a step closer to entering the $450 bn retail market with the Tatas launching a neighbourhood convenience store.Load More
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Los Angeles - The iconic scene from the 1990 LA romcom starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts has entered the frame in a row about a $35,000 piranha skin handbag and Oprah Winfrey's shopping snub.
In the Garry Marshall-directed movie Roberts plays a beautiful hooker who is blackballed at a posh Rodeo Drive boutique by snotty sales assistants prejudiced about, er, call girl stuff.
Fast forward 23 years into the future and the spotlight falls on an exclusive Zurich handbag shop called Trois Pommes [that's Three Apples] where some smarmy mamzel failed the obsequiousness-to-celeb-A-listers test when serving Oprah Winfrey.
The US entertainer made a reported $77m last year and has a credit rating easily capable of taking that $35,000 punch to her plastic.
But not, apparently, in Zurich - capital city of one of the world's most financially secretive countries where women only got the vote in 1971.
Commenting on the handbag fracas a PR source said today that 'Oprah Winfrey does not look like a skint hooker' - just to clarify the overblown picture.
Pretty Woman has now raked in $463,407,268.


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LiquidLink57 writes: "ICANN has voted to allow company to purchase virtually unlimited domain names. Though the application costs a hefty $185,000, they said it will allow companies to protect their valuable trademarks."
"For a male and female to live continuously together is... biologically
speaking, an extremely unnatural condition."
-- Robert Briffault


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Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) climbed 4.5% on Tuesday after the retail giant announced encouraging progress on its strategic initiatives, preliminary guidance for the coming fiscal year, and a big new share repurchase authorization.
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More specifically, ahead of its annual investment community meeting today, Wal-Mart reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2018 GAAP earnings per share in the range of $4.18 to $4.28 and for adjusted (non-GAAP) earnings per share of $4.30 to $4.40. Wal-Mart also offered guidance for adjusted earnings per share in fiscal 2019 to climb roughly 5% year over year, equating to an approximate range of $4.52 to $4.62. In addition, Wal-Mart unveiled a new two-year, $20 billion share repurchase program to replace its existing authorization.
CFO Brett Biggs elaborated:
Wal-Mart also called for revenue in fiscal 2019 to increase "at or above 3%" -- well above the 2.4% growth investors were expecting -- driven by a combination of positive comparable-store sales and roughly 40% growth in Wal-Mart U.S. e-commerce sales. While Wal-Mart plans to prioritize store remodels and digital innovation over new stores going forward, it also anticipates adding roughly 1,000 online grocery pickup locations in the United States by the end of next fiscal year.
As it stands, investors will need to wait until Wal-Mart next reports earnings in mid-November for more color on its progress. But between this preliminary fiscal 2019 outlook and the ambitious new share repurchase program -- and even with shares up more than 17% year to date before this pop -- it was no surprise to see Wal-Mart stock hit a fresh 52-week high today.
10 stocks we like better than Wal-Mart StoresWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*
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Gold Silver Reports — Technically market is under short covering as market has witnessed drop in open interest by 1.39% to settled at 13655 while prices up 311 rupees.
Now MCX Silver is getting support at 40710 and below same could see a test of 40505 level, And resistance is now likely to be seen at 41100, a move above could see prices testing 41333.
Silver on MCX settled up 0.77% at 40909 as weakness in the U.S. dollar, following Wednesday’s Federal Reserve decision, provided a runway for gains.
The Fed on Wednesday lifted benchmark interest rates by a quarter-point as widely expected. The central bank’s statement and forecasts for future rate increases was seen as less aggressive than had been anticipated.
Still, some market strategists see near-term headwinds for precious metals, especially since the bullish sentiment spurred by Trump’s proposals to juice the U.S. economy through fiscal-stimulus measures haven’t entirely vanished. Although there are lingering concerns about Trump’s ability to implement his pro-business agenda, their enactment could cause the Fed to quicken its pace of rate increases.
Meanwhile, mostly upbeat U.S. economic data heaped pressure on prices as manufacturing output and consumer sentiment data topped expectations while industrial production slowed in February.
In a preliminary report, the University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index rose to 97.6 in March from 95.7 the previous month while manufacturing output rose for a sixth straight month. Both consumer sentiment and manufacturing output topped expectations while U.S. industrial production was flat in February, compared to expectations for a 0.2% rise.
First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits saw a modest decrease in the week ended March 11th, according to a report released by the Labor Department. The report said initial jobless claims edged down to 241,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 243,000. — Latest Silver Mcx Reports — Neal Bhai Reports


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Homeland Security Warns Of Holiday Gift Scams In South Florida
Homeland Security Investigations held a press conference Tuesday morning in Doral, warning South Floridians about this year’s holiday shopping season.
They asked consumers to exercise caution as they gift shop for loved ones because some bargains are just too good to be true.
Robert Hutchinson is a deputy special agent for Homeland Security. He spoke to the local press in a room filled with merchandise that, when put together, would be worth about $35 million - if it were all authentic.
"The criminals are using store fronts, the internet, or they may just be selling it out of a flea market or the back of their car," said Hutchinson. "They become very skilled that you may not be able to tell that something is counterfeit."
He says people are drawn to these counterfeit gifts because of their lower prices when compared to the legitimate prices.
Some of the items are even a potential threat to people’s safety, like perfumes that cause skin rashes and toys that contain excessive amounts of lead.
"We encountered counterfeit batteries that leak very quickly," said Hutchinson. "We also encountered things such as extension cords or Christmas lights that are not truly UL certified and are a danger to bring into your house."
Hutchinson asks that if you suspect your holiday gifts to be fakes, contact your local police agency. But he ensures that Homeland Security will be watching extra closely for counterfeits starting on Black Friday through the holiday season.


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Image Gallery: Shorts undone
Google works on narrowing the fake news given in the search results
Google is working on improving the algorithm, where the block "Breaking News" in the search results is based. The company's goal is to promote better news resources and deleting phishing web news.
Earlier this month, the head of Google, Sundar Pichai, was interviewed by BBC and he told that the search engine aims to reduce the probability of dissemination of untrue news to zero.
About two years ago Google made an access to the block of the main news for all publishers, not just Google News sources. As a result, the publications of Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Hacker News, and low quality content blog started appearing in the search results. After starting the AMP the access became even easier since these websites are adopting the new format so fast, therefore more and more news appear in the search results.
Although the websites are approved by Google News, they quite often publish low quality content, that do not meet certain criteria. At the same time the "Breaking News" block does not require any criteria.
We should remind you that in October Google News began to mark the checked articles.
Youtube now supports HDR video
YouTube has announced adding the HDR video format support. One will be able to watch videos in this format with the help of compatible devices such as HDR-TVs with the Chromecast Ultra, Samsung SUHD and UHD. One can feel free to upload video to the service.
High Dynamic Range Imaging, HDRI or just HDR is a technology that works with images and video, the brightness range of which exceeds the capabilities of conventional technology. HDR allows you to display items in the picture at the same time dark and very light areas. This technology improves the video quality by means of approximation to the visibility of human eye, which is able to distinguish details in the shadows and in the light.
According to YouTube reps, the service will also implement the HDR streaming in the nearest future.
The fact that YouTube is planning to add HDR-video support, it was already known in January this year.
Alphabet reveals its investments to Snapchat
Venture Google Capital Fund, which is a part of the Alphabet holding company changed its name to CapitalG and launched an updated website. Reuters journalists discovered the service logo of the missing Snapchat messages.
The company did not make any official statements regarding the investments to Snapchat. The date and amount of investments remained a secret.
Alphabet Press Service has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Currently Snap Inc, owner of Snapchat, is preparing to enter the stock market. It is assumed that after the IPO, the market value of the company will amount to $ 25 billion.
In 2013, Facebook wanted to buy Snapchat for $ 3 billion. However, the service management rejected that proposal.
Seo Facts #186
The vast majority of mobile shopping happened on Apple devices over the Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend – 78.1%, while only 21.6% happened on Android devices. (Source: Custora)
Seo Facts #27
Organic search drives 51% of all visitors to business-to-business and business-to-consumer Web sites, whereas paid-search drives 10% and social 5%. (MediaPost)
Seo Facts #43
U.S. spending on paid search and organic optimization will top $45 billion by 2019. (MediaPost)


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‘Life’s too short for slow proteins’ – Arla Foods Ingredients strengthens its whey hydrolysates portfolio
Posted: 25 January 2017 | New Food | No comments yet
Arla Foods Ingredients has unveiled a new generation of whey hydrolysates set to take gold standard proteins into the mainstream sports nutrition market…
Arla Foods Ingredients has unveiled a new generation of whey hydrolysates that are set to take these ‘gold standard’ proteins into the mainstream sports nutrition market for the first time.
Whey hydrolysates are premium proteins that have been finely chopped – or ‘pre-digested’ – so they are absorbed more quickly by the body than standard proteins. This ensures they get to work faster on helping the muscles recover after exercise.
Arla Foods Ingredients has led the way in hydrolysates for years, having launched Lacprodan HYDRO.365 into the sports nutrition category in 2012. This extensively hydrolysed whey protein ingredient ensures rapid delivery of amino acids to the muscles to reduce recovery times from days to just hours. It is positioned to appeal to core sports nutrition users such as elite athletes and bodybuilders.
Now Arla Foods Ingredients has developed a portfolio of mildly hydrolysed whey protein products that are focused on delivering the benefits of hydrolysates to more consumers than ever before. The products in the range offer all the performance and recovery benefits of hydrolysates in a cost-effective format that delivers greater application flexibility, convenience and an improved flavour profile.
“The global sports nutrition market will be worth $17.5 billion in 2020, compared with $10.8 billion 2015 and $6.7 billion in 2010…”
Targeting casual and fitness lifestyle users of sports nutrition, the products in the new range include:
- Lacprodan HYDRO.clear – a mildly hydrolysed, acidified whey protein specially developed for crystal-clear beverages
- Lacprodan HYDRO.milk – a mildly hydrolysed whey protein specifically designed for producing 100% whey-based milky, high protein drinks
- Lacprodan HYDRO.gel – a mildly hydrolysed whey protein tailored for use in protein gels
- Lacprodan HYDRO.power – a mildly hydrolysed whey protein perfected for use in powder shake applications
Peter Schouw Andersen, Head of Science & Sales Development at Arla Foods Ingredients, said:
“Life’s too short for slow proteins, and today’s active consumers want sports nutrition products that deliver enhanced performance and recovery benefits quickly. With these next-generation whey protein hydrolysates, it is now much easier for companies to create sports nutrition products that are highly effective, convenient to consume, competitively priced, and which taste good.”
“More and more active consumers are discovering the benefits of using sports nutrition products to help them optimise their workout programmes. This means the category is quickly becoming mainstream. Our new range of whey protein hydrolysates offers a straightforward way for brands to create differentiated products that deliver the benefits these consumers want.”
According to Euromonitor, the global sports nutrition market will be worth $17.5 billion in 2020, compared with $10.8 billion 2015 and $6.7 billion in 2010.
Any claimed health benefits should be verified for compliance before being used in the labelling or promotion of food and beverage products intended for the end consumer.


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Move to ban child food products comes after tainted milk crisis sickens 53,000 babies and kills four.
EU plans China food products ban
The European Commission today said it planned a ban on certain Chinese food products for children following a milk contamination scandal in China. "The measures will ... impose an explicit total ban on all products originating from China for infants and young children containing any percentage of milk," a commission spokeswoman said. The measure was intended "to ensure that such products are not imported in any form," she added. All imports of products containing more than 50 percent of milk powder will have to be tested under the new rules due to come into force tomorrow after discussions among the EU's 27 member nations. The announcement came as China scrambled to salvage its reputation after tainted milk sickened 53,000 babies and killed four, as UN agencies deplored attempts by implicated dairy firms to deceive the public. The government has set up working groups in nearly every single province, and has embarked on a sweeping drive to set up a series of new food testing centres and replace outdated equipment, officials said. "Our quality inspection authorities are required to establish nearly 400 product testing centres within the next two years, and 80 of these will be food testing centres," said Hou Linglin, a senior official at the quality watchdog.
Mr Hou was speaking at a food safety conference in Beijing after China and many of its trading partners were rattled by revelations that milk powder and other Chinese-made dairy products contained melamine. Melamine is mainly used for making plastic but when added to milk, the toxic chemical can make it appear richer in protein. "Based on what we've seen in the press I would say this looks like an attempt to deceive the public by milk producers who seem to be trying to water down their milk," said Dale Rutstein, a Beijing-based spokesman for UNICEF, the UN's children agency.
UNICEF earlier issued a statement with the World Health Organisation, saying it had "observed with great sadness and concern the unfolding story of tainted infant formula produced by Sanlu and other companies." The milk crisis continues to escalate beyond the mainland with a fifth child in Hong Kong falling ill with kidney stones. Elsewhere animals also appear affected. Two orangutans and a lion cub at the Hangzhou Safari Park near Shanghai have kidney stones after being fed milk powder for more than a year, said Zhang Xu, a veterinarian with the Hangzhou Zhangxu Animal Hospital.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's authorities said it would destroy 16 metric tons of powdered milk made by one of 22 Chinese dairy companies found to have produced chemically tainted products, a newspaper said. An official at Myanmar's Food and Drug Administration said the milk powder was worth about US$50,000 and would be destroyed on Sept 30, according to the Myanmar-language private paper. *AFP and AP


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Eva Mendes To Strip Down To Her Calvins
First Published: March 18, 2008 3:05 PM EDT Credit: AP
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- It appears not even a spell in rehab can get between Eva Mendes and her Calvins.
Despite her recent rehab stint, Calvin Klein has announced that the sexy actress, will loan her shapely figure to a series of ads for their 2008 underwear ad campaign, Women's Wear Daily reported.
Eva joins a long line of celebrated figures that have fronted their assets for Calvin’s undies including Mark Wahlberg, Kate Moss and Christy Turlington.
According to WWD, Eva succeeds model Natalie Vodianoval, who fronted the campaign in 2007.
Eva isn’t the only celebrity face currently associated with the brand however. Kate Bosworth’s delicate features help promote Calvin Klein jeans.
As for Eva though, she won’t just stop with one CK line. She will also serve as the face of a new, unnamed Calvin Klein fragrance.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Eva entered the Cirque Lodge rehab center in Utah earlier this year for the treatment of "personal issues."
"Eva has been working hard for the past year and made a positive decision to take some much-needed time off to proactively attend to some personal issues that, while not critical, she felt deserved some outside professional support. Out of respect for Eva's privacy, we do not wish to discuss further details," Mendes' rep previously told Access.
She recently left the facility and was spotted shopping in New York City – at – Calvin Klein!
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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|Press Release|: Movements by Collectibles Supports Pakistan Fashion Week1:10 PM
[Karachi: October 27th, 2016]: Fashion Pakistan Council has joined hands with Movements by Collectibles, a leading luxury watch brand in Pakistan, who will be supporting the upcoming Fashion Pakistan Week Winter Festive, scheduled to be held in Karachi from Oct 30, 2016 onwards.
Movements, as a patron of Pakistani luxury fashion, has a wide collection of watches that are chic, trendy and most importantly, affordable.
“The Fashion Pakistan Council welcomes Movements by Collectibles on board as a patron of our upcoming Fashion Pakistan Week Winter/Festive edition. We look forward to building a relationship with the brand for seasons to come and we believe there to be a lot of avenues for synergy between global luxury retail and fashion in Pakistan" comments Nida Azwer, the CEO, Fashion Pakistan Council.
“We are proud to support the upcoming Fashion Pakistan Week,” said Rameez Sattar, CEO, Sonraj Group, the parent company for Movements. “Being a luxury and lifestyle brand, our association with an event the stature of Fashion Pakistan Week is only natural and we look forward to many more exciting ventures with fashion."
Fashion Pakistan Week Winter Festive is scheduled to be held in Karachi from October 30, 2016 onwards.
Join in on the social media conversation: #FPW2016 #MovementsPK
About Fashion Pakistan Week:
Fashion Pakistan Week initiated in 2009, is part of the alliance created by Council of International Fashion Designers, with an understanding of working together to promote and support local fashion designers in the global market place. The members of the Fashion Pakistan Council represent a major segment of Pakistan’s diverse and very talented design fraternity.
For more information about Fashion Pakistan Week visit:


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Alibaba Group will continue to crack down on counterfeit goods in a programme under the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), the Chinese e-commerce giant said after the coalition suspended its membership last week.
Describing counterfeiting as a “complex, industry-wide” issue, the Internet giant that owns China’s biggest online shopping platform – Taobao.com – vowed to continue to work with brands, governments and industry partners in combating fakes, whether or not it was a member of the global anti-counterfeiting body.
In a statement, Alibaba said its recent membership suspension from the body “will not affect the formulation and implementation of our policies”, adding that the company will continue working to protect the interests of international brands.
Alibaba has long been pegged as a haven for cheap imitations of international brands of all stripes, including everything from high-end women’s hand bags to home appliances, apparel, car parts, baby products, consumer electronics including lithium batteries and even pharmaceuticals. Fortune Character Institute, which studies consumer consumption patterns in China, says counterfeit luxury products in the country outnumber genuine items six to one.
The inclusion of Alibaba within the IACC reportedly created unhappiness amongst a number of members, who said the Chinese company was not doing enough to prevent and remove fakes from its online platforms. As a result, Alibaba’s membership was suspended only one month after the IACC created a new membership category enabling the company to join.
Meanwhile, Alibaba said it would go on implementing the IACC MarketSafe Expansion Programme, which expedites the procedure of taking down fakes that have been identified on its Internet marketplaces.
The company added that in its view, the only way to solve the problem of counterfeit goods was through “strong industry collaboration, and we believe that intermediaries, like Alibaba, must be an integral part of the solution.”
Alibaba has said that its biggest website, Taobao.com has revised the rules on luxury brands on its platform this month as part of its efforts to fight fakes. From 20 May, luxury product sellers will be required to submit evidence to prove the goods are genuine before they can list them for sale online.
Proof required will include invoices, receipts or letters of authorisation, which will be examined and verified in three to five working days by Taobao before the products are allowed online. Serious violations will see the details of sellers passed on to commercial regulators, or police for further investigation.


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The SME responsible lending exemption, introduced at the start of the pandemic last year, was due to expire on 2 April but will now be extended until the government secures passage of its credit reforms through the Senate.
The exemption was brought in to help small business get access to credit quickly and efficiently during the pandemic by clarifying that small businesses were not subject to responsible lending scrutiny by the banks.
Mr Frydenberg said the exemption will continue to be in place until the National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Supporting Economic Recovery) Bill 2020 is passed.
“As part of the government’s commitment to these reforms, the small business exemption will be extended until the government secures passage of its credit reforms through the Senate,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“The extension will continue to provide the certainty and confidence necessary to allow small businesses to access credit in a timely and efficient manner.”
Under the credit reform bill, which has now passed the House of Representatives, the current practice of “lender beware” will be replaced with a “borrower responsibility” principle, with the government hoping that the reduction of extensive information and checks required by lenders will help speed up loan approvals and inject credit into the economy.
Responsible lending obligations will continue to apply for small-amount credit contracts and equivalent loans by banks as well as consumer leases.
While small-business lending was not meant to be captured under the Credit Act, the government contends that risk aversion of lenders has meant that some small businesses have struggled to access credit, particularly where it is difficult to separate their business from their household.
The Reserve Bank of Australia noted out this week that small businesses continue to be reluctant to access new loans as a result of stringent lending requirements enforced by banks and other credit providers.
“Indeed, small businesses have reported that the price has not been the biggest impediment to accessing finance over the past few years,” said RBA assistant governor Chris Kent.
“For instance, entrepreneurs in our small business panels have noted that access to finance for start-ups is a challenge. Banks often have substantial collateral requirements, and the process for getting finance is lengthy and onerous.”


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Corporate motivation webinar to take place Friday
Pro Seminars is organizing a webinar titled “21 Ways to Stay Motivated.” The web seminar, which will take place on Friday, is part of the Pro Seminars – Executive Web Studies series of events.
The keynote speaker will be corporate trainer Hatzi Skevofylaka.
Participation costs 65 euros per person. To find out more, visit proseminars.eu.


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BRIDE-TO-BE Keata Jordan will not be able to wear her dream £1,100 dress on her big day – after the wedding shop went bust.
The 21-year-old waitress is among around two dozen women who face losing the money they have paid out for their perfect gowns after Hanley-based Pronuptia called in the administrators.
Keata, of Riley Street South, Burslem, ordered her dress back in August but was then dismayed to receive a letter last week informing her she would not be getting the frock.
She visited her the New Hall Street store only to be greeted by a sign saying it was ‘closed for refurbishment’.
Keata – who is due to say her vows to her 25-year-old fiance James Bridgewood in August – said: “I had been talking about the wedding at work saying that I wasn’t panicking and that everything was running smoothly and then I came home to the letter and I was in tears.
“ I feel cheated. It has ruined the wedding planning . Everything was going so well and now I just feel angry.”
Keata’s nan Carol Hill paid £400 towards the dress on her credit card which she will be able to claim back but will lose the £700 she put on her debit card.
Keata said: “I tried about five different dresses on and knew straight away when I put on the one we eventually bought.
“It was the perfect dress. It was gorgeous with a sweetheart neckline.”
Generous nan Carol, aged 64, has now insisted on buying Keata another dress and took her to Formal Affair, Hanley, where she picked out another gown for £845.
Keata said: “My nan, bless her, was adamant that she would pay for another one because I was so upset.
“I do not love it as much as the first one but it is lovely.
“I am nervous that the same thing will happen again and we will lose more money.
“I am now on edge. You just don’t think something like that will happen when you’re planning your perfect wedding.”
Keata’s mum, June Jordan, aged 47, of Abbotts Drive, Sneyd Green, said: “I am very upset and annoyed by what has happened, more so for my mum because she paid for the dress.
“It looks like she will lose the main bulk of the money.
“Basically it is all of her savings so she is understandably not happy.
“When the money was paid the staff obviously knew what was happening. It is disgusting.”
Eric Sheppard, an insolvency practitioner instructed by Pronuptia, has been speaking to a number of brides-to-be affected by the situation.
Mr Sheppard said: “With the women who have paid deposits or paid in full we are trying to locate the dresses to get them to the brides as soon as possible.
“I am more than happy to talk to people who have concerns who will be understandably upset by it but I am hopeful that quite a few of the women will get their dresses.
“A liquidator will be appointed on January 20 and I would advise any concerned brides who received the letter to contact me.”


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Stent maker wants authority to allow sale at ‘special prices’
On February 15, the government slashed stent prices in the country by nearly 75%Updated: Apr 25, 2017 00:55 IST
Boston Scientific, a stent manufacturing giant, has asked the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to let them sell stents in India at “special prices” higher than Rs 30,000.
Although the NPPA in February capped the coronary stent prices at Rs30,000, section 11B of the Drug Price Control Act, allows companies to seek special category status.
Moreover, two leading international stent manufacturers — Abbott and Medtronics — approached the NPPA last week to withdraw their latest generation of stents from the Indian market.
On February 15, the government slashed stent prices in the country by nearly 75%. While the bare metal stents were capped at Rs7,260 per unit, the price of drug eluting stents and biodegradable stents has been fixed at Rs29,600 per unit. The government made the move after learning that patients were grossly overcharged for stents, with hospitals making maximum margins.
The move had upset international stent manufacturers who said it was not ‘commercially viable’ for them to sell the stents in India, at the capped prices.
Last week, Abbott approached the NPPA to withdraw their two stents Absorb, a bio-absorbable stent and drug eluting stent Xience Alpine, which were priced at Rs 1.9 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh respectively.
Medtronics too has written to the NPPA, asking permission for withdrawal of its drug eluting stent, Resolute Onyx. “We have submitted an application for withdrawal of Resolute Onyx (latest generation drug eluting stent) under the provisions of Drug Price Control Order. We will continue to supply Resolute Onyx till we get the required permissions from the authorities. Our decision to withdraw or introduce products is made only after taking into consideration all guidelines and norms set by the government,” Medtronics told HT.
The NPPA authorities however said they are yet to look at the applications submitted by Abbott and Medtronics. “I haven’t gone through their applications. Will be able to comment on them on Monday evening,” said Dr Bhupendra Singh, NPPA chairman. The decision on Boston Scientific’s application is yet to be put up on the NPPA website.
First Published: Apr 24, 2017 00:14 IST


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Dry Bulk Freight
The global dry bulk freight market, crippled by oversupply but seeing signs of renewed activity, is expected to take at least a year to hit the road to recovery, according to the latest Platts survey of shipping market participants. This inaugural Platts Dry Bulk Market Survey was conducted in July and involved more than 100 dry bulk market participants, with respondents including shipowners, ship-operators, charterers, shipbrokers and analysts. Those polled represented all dry bulk segments across the Capesize, Panamax, Supramax and Handysize markets. Some 89% of respondents felt the dry bulk freight market will need a minimum of one year to recover, while 54% of the industry players questioned were not expecting any positive changes for at least three more years. "Despite some signs of life in dry freight rates over the past few weeks, the results of our survey indicated that most market players do not believe in a sustained upturn any time soon," said Peter Norfolk, Platts editorial director for global shipping & freight. "While demand-side developments, particularly in China, remain of key importance to this sector, the overriding concern remains the oversupply of vessels." Among participants occupying various roles, shipowners were more pessimistic than charterers
The global production of steel dropped in 2015 compared to 2014, to a larger extent outside China, as China exported its surplus of steel to destinations across the globe; it is too complex to single out whether this is positive or negative for the seaborne dry bulk transport demand, says BIMCO. Going forward, the Chinese steel industry is set to grow its global market share, currently at 50%. Depending on domestic steel consumption in China
China's slower growth and economic transition will pose significant risks for the already struggling shipping sector, rating agency Fitch said. The shipping sector is already faces overcapacity, weak freight rates and stretched financials. "Weaker data on exports and manufacturing in China and its economic transition increase uncertainty for container shipping," said Fitch in a report.
Dry bulk shipping companies being hit the hardest on account of the deteriorating business climate are likely to be swept by a new wave of bankruptcies, reports Nikkei. The global commodities bust has rocked the dry-bulk shipping industry, with a wave of bankruptcies washing across the sector and major players forced to restructure, divest or scrap assets. Many in the industry had hoped it would start to recover this year
Dozens of iron ore and coal carriers idled as Baltic dry index falls to all-time low. A second dry cargo shipper has filed for bankruptcy following a collapse in freight rates that has forced many companies to idle vessels used to haul iron ore, coal and grain rather than hire out the ships at a loss. Weaker demand from China and an oversupply of ships has led to the worst industry downturn in 30 years, pushing the Baltic dry index - the industry benchmark for freight rates - to an
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, spiralled downwards to its lowest level in nearly three decades as rates for all the four vessel types continued to flounder. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, was down 34 points, or 5.11 percent, at 632 points, the lowest since August 1986
Owners seeking to push rates higher, close to year-long highs; dry bulk sector to see greater consolidation - BIMCO. Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes are likely to remain steady next week even as owners try to push rates up close to year-highs, ship brokers said. That came as charter rates stayed firm despite China's week-long National Day holiday which ends at the weekend.
The activity on the demolition market is off to a good start in 2015 when looking at dry bulk tonnage, according to international shipping association Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO). The dry bulk market has long suffered from weak freight rates stemming from falling demand and an oversupply of ships. However, despite worsening freight market conditions, the demolition of dry bulk tonnage has not been adapting fully to this trend as could be expected
Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry fell to a record low in the three months to February 2016, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from international accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens. The average confidence level expressed by respondents in the markets in which they operate was 5.0 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high). This compares to the 5.6 recorded in November 2015, and is the lowest rating in the life of the survey
Experts believe the dry bulk market is positioned to become profitable by 2019 – but only if a series of sustained measures are taken year on year by the ship owning community as a whole, according to a report recently published by BIMCO. Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO, discussed the recently published analysis of the dry bulk market - the “Road to Recovery” in an interview at BIMCO House
Greek dry bulk shipping company Diana Shipping has entered into time charter contracts for its two vessels, the M/V Orleans and the M/V Melite, which are scheduled to start in December 2016. "Diana Shipping, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary
Dry bulk shipping company Golden Ocean Group Limited, while announcing its preliminary results for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, informed that it suffered a net loss of $26.7 million and a loss per share of $0.25 Highlights
Australia and Indonesia, being the main exporters of coal to China, are growing their market share at the expense of longer haul exporters like the US and South Africa. Therefore, dry bulk shipping demand does not enjoy full tonne-mile demand, when the imported coal volumes increase.
Scorpio Bulkers, Inc. announced that it has entered into time charter-out agreements for two Ultramax vessels and one Kamsarmax vessel. The two Ultramax vessels are SBI Leo and SBI Achilles and the Kamsarmax vessel is SBI Cakewalk.
Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S has hired Christian Vinther Christensen as new head of the Dry Cargo Department. Christian Vinther Christensen takes up his new position January 1, 2017 and becomes part of Senior Management reporting to CEO Jan Rindbo.
Maritime Strategies International (MSI) is forecasting a firm festive season for the dry bulk market, swiftly followed by a New Year comedown. In its latest Dry Bulk Freight Forecaster* MSI notes that after a steady fall in average daily TCE spot earnings in October
Following the naming of its new cement carrier, MV Aotearoa Chief, in New Zealand yesterday, The China Navigation Company (CNCo) christened its last newbuild, MV Tunsin, on 16 November at the Imabari Shipyard in Japan. Tunsin is the 241st CNCo newbuilding and the 86th vessel in this series
At 104.9 million tons, total seaborne cargo throughput for the first three quarters of 2016, covering general and bulk cargo segments, was up 0.3 percent on the previous year. “Seaborne cargo throughput in the Port of Hamburg has stabilized and for the first three quarters of 2016 again
The China Navigation Company (CNCo) christened its last newbuild bulk carriers, MV Tunsin, on 16 November at the Imabari Shipyard in Japan. Tunsin is the 241st CNCo newbuilding and the 86th vessel in this series. CNCo ordered four handysize bulk carriers (Imbari38 loggers) from Imabari
In the last month, we have seen the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) recover to the same level it was 12 months ago (see circles in fig.1). Vessel values have started to firm, but not at the same rate and are still at historically low levels.
“The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System saw a steady flow of traditional cargoes during the month of October,” said Betty Sutton, Administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. “Last month, shipments of aluminum, steel, generators, crane components
Great Eastern Shipping (GES) Company posted a 23.9 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 268.7 crore ($40 million) for the second quarter ended September 30, 2016, reports PTI. The company had posted a consolidated net profit after tax of Rs 353
U.S. based ship owner and operator Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. has bought its first vessel in more than six years, acquiring a 2016-built dry bulk vessel constructed in China at Nantong COSCO Kawasaki Heavy Industries Engineering Co., Ltd. (NACKS), the shipper said in a statement.
The commercial short sea bulk activities of traditionally shortsea ship owners Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd and Nova Marine Carriers SA will be expanded and consolidated effective January 1, 2017. Notwithstanding both groups’ commercial networking offices
Diana Shipping Inc. today announced that, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, it provided a notice of cancellation of the shipbuilding contract with Yangzhou Dayang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Sinopacific International Trade Co., Ltd