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Denham, United Kingdom-based InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) recently announced the opening of a 160-room hotel under its brand Holiday Inn Express in Brazil.
The new hotel named ‘Holiday Inn Express Maceio Ponta Verde’ will be owned and managed by MC3 Imoveis Ltda. under a licensing agreement. It is located in close proximity to one of the most exotic tourist destinations in Brazil- the Ponta Verde beach in Maceio, the capital of the Alagoas state. Maceio is centrally located between the Atlantic Ocean and Mundau Lake in Northeast Brazil.
Additionally, the hotel is also well linked to Maceio’s famous tourists’ attractions like Theo Brandao Museum, the Craft Fair, Ruth Cardoso Convention Center and the EcoPark Water Maceio.
Holiday Inn Express, one of the world’s fastest growing hotel brands, currently has more than 2,100 hotels located in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations across 60 countries.
Owing to the saturation in the U.S. market, major hoteliers are exploring growth opportunities in the fast-growing emerging economies of Latin America and Asia-Pacific. In 2011, RevPAR for the comparable system wide properties increased 9.9 percentage points year over year in the Caribbean and Latin America. The stellar performance in this region is expected to continue going forward.
Moreover, with the affluence of the middle class in Latin America, inclination to spend on travel and leisure has somewhat risen. Apart from tourism, the region is also successfully emerging as a business hub.
Holiday Inn Express Maceio Ponta Verde marks InterContinental’s 19th hotel under the Holiday Inn Express brand and 79th hotel under various brands in Latin American and the Caribbean region. This includes company's 13 hotels under various brands in nine cities of Brazil.
InterContinental Hotels also recently announced the launch of the ‘Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Siam’ in Thailand to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific and plans to open 12 additional properties by 2014. Moreover, the company has five hotels in its development pipeline that are slated to open by 2014 in Brazil.
However, the market is not devoid of competition. One of the company’s peers, Hyatt Hotels Corp. (H) recently announced the acquisition and rebranding of a 756-room hotel under the brand Hyatt Regency Mexico City in Polanco, Mexico. Several other major hoteliers like Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT) and Marriott International Inc. (MAR) are poised to beef up their portfolio in Latin American region.
InterContinental Hotels currently retains a Zacks #3 Rank, which translates into a short-term Hold rating. We are maintaining our long-term Neutral recommendation on the stock.
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By this time, we’ve all seen the higher prices. Gas is more expensive. Lumber prices have just about doubled.
This got me thinking: Inflation really hasn’t been an issue for over a decade. In fact, from 2009-2020 the Consumer Price Index, which is how the government measures inflation, has averaged a measly 1.6% annually.
Many experts feel that this is changing. In fact, they think it could change in a big way THIS YEAR!
Two kinds of inflation
Here’s a quick reminder of two different kinds of inflation:
Cost-push inflation is when the price of supplying something gets more expensive.
An example of this is back in the 1970s when the oil cartel OPEC decided to raise the prices of oil on the rest of the world.
I still remember my dad leaving for work extra early to get in line at the gas station. The lines were around the block and only certain cars would have the “privilege” of paying exorbitant prices to get gas that day. It depended on if your license plate ended with an odd or an even number.
Demand-pull inflation is when demand for a product increases faster than the supply chain can produce it.
We all experienced this recently with surging toilet paper prices and shortages.
A one-two inflation punch
We could be in for a double whammy with inflation prices. Right now, we have supply chain shortages (cost-push) from, amongst other things, a lack of shipping containers(?) which is causing shipping delays from things bought overseas.
Combine that with the trillions of dollars that are flooding the economy (demand-pull) from Coronavirus relief packages, infrastructure spending, and record-breaking budgets and many experts think we could be in for a BIG and SUDDEN jolt of inflation later this year.
What does this mean for us tile setters?
For starters, watch your household bills. Inflation is like a tax: it makes things more expensive. If you’re spending more money on gas and food can your still afford that new truck you’ve been dreaming about? Has your credit card balance been sneaking higher?
Secondly, think about buying in bulk. If you can buy your board and mortar at today’s prices you won’t have to pay tomorrow’s more expensive costs. Additionally, you make sure that you have what you need when you need it.
Thirdly, make sure your pricing is increasing to keep pace with inflation. One of the perks of being your own boss is you can give yourself a cost-of-living raise. Employees can’t.
Finally, construction business guru Michael Stone advises us to watch our contracts. Don’t lock yourself in so you’re the one paying the higher material costs. He’s got a couple of suggestions on how to combat this here.
Once you think you’ve figured out contracting, it has a way of evolving just so it can punch you in the face once again.
Don’t get caught by surprise. Make money in every environment
Bonus: This article from Business Insider has some great photos of the 1970s oil crisis

domain: news


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Middle East Communication Network (MCN), has announced the launch of Capella, a new specialised entity that will employ advanced media tools to guide strategy and improve the productivity of marketing and media spend for MCN’s client portfolio through consumer insights, research and performance analytics.
Capella was conceived to leverage the ever-increasing volumes of Big Data being generated by brands and consumers. The MENA market is a dynamic, competitive environment, making insights obtained through data analysis a crucial advantage for any advertiser. The optimisation of media spend is key in the region, and Capella will identify trends and insights that will maximise the efficiency of media transactions.
Headquartered at MCN’s Hive building in Dubai, Capella will be led by George Papandreopoulos, who transferred to the region from the New York office of Interpublic Group, MCN’s parent network. While there, he held a senior role in forecasting and intelligence at Magna Global, the strategic global media unit of IPG Mediabrands.


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Two technology firms from Taiwan are among 11 new members announced by casino industry trade body the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM).
EFCOtec Corp, based in Taipei, Taiwan, supplies embedded computing and related services. Touch Embedded Solutions Inc, also based in Taipei, provides touch display technology.
The 11 entities newly-inducted to AGEM take its total membership to 157, described by the body as “an all-time high”.
AGEM is a non-profit international trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of electronic gaming devices, lotteries, systems, table games, online technology, key components and support products and services for the gaming industry.
The body’s work includes representing the sector in dialogue with regulators and lawmakers.
Jul 19, 2018Japan’s second piece of enabling legislation for establishing a domestic casino industry, the Integrated Resorts (IR) Implementation Bill, passed on Thursday its penultimate hurdle according to...
Jul 19, 2018
"If the [Macau casino] concessions are put up for bid, there will also be a lot of giant Chinese companies, some having nothing to do with gaming, which would like to take over these enormously successful casinos”
Professor emeritus at Whittier Law School in California, in the United States, and a visiting professor at University of Macau


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BEIJING (AP) — China said Wednesday that it is blocking some imports of the agricultural product canola from Canada because of fears of insect infestation.
The move, which comes amid heightened tensions over Canada's arrest of a Chinese tech executive, is seen by some as a new tactic to seek leverage over Ottawa.
China suspended canola imports from a Canadian company "in accordance with laws and regulations and international practice," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a daily news briefing.
He cited "harmful organisms" that he did not identify further, and said China's government "needs to protect the health and safety of its own people."
"I can tell you responsibly that the Chinese government's decision is definitely well-founded," Lu said. "Upon verification, China customs has recently detected dangerous pests in canola imported from Canada many times."
One of Canada's largest grain processors, Richardson International Ltd., said Tuesday that China had revoked its permit to export canola there.
Some saw that as retaliation for Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Chinese tech giant Huawei.
Canada announced recently that it is going ahead with an extradition hearing for Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder. Canada arrested her at the request of the U.S., where she is wanted on fraud charges for allegedly misleading banks about the company's dealings with Iran.
Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in a statement that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency conducted investigations after China issued notices of non-compliance on canola seed imports, including nine since January. She said the agency had not identified any pests or bacteria of concern.
China, whose rapid growth has made it an important market for many countries, has a history of using commercial retaliation against those at odds with Beijing.
The most recent high-profile target was South Korean retailer Lotte, which sold land to the Seoul government for a U.S. anti-missile system opposed by Beijing. Authorities closed most of the company's 99 supermarkets and other outlets — often alleging safety violations — and a theme park project.
China suspended a trade deal with Norway and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Chinese political prisoner Liu Xiaobo in 2010. It stopped buying fruit from the Philippines during a dispute over territory in the South China Sea. Britain and other countries also faced retaliation over meetings with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, considered a dangerous separatist by Beijing.
China receives about 40 percent of Canada's canola exports, and the revocation of Richardson's permit hurts the entire chain of industries involved in the market, the Canola Council of Canada has said.
Canola prices already have been hit by China's retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports. Further cutbacks on Chinese buying would deal a major blow to what is a lifeline for agriculture in western Canada.
"We are working very, very hard with the Chinese government on this issue," Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday.
China has warned of serious consequences if the Huawei executive is not released. China arrested two Canadians on Dec. 10 in what was widely seen as an attempt to pressure Canada.
After Meng's arrest, a Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier.
Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.


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Want to join the conversation?
$GME General Update: Kicking off summer in a big way with #SummerAtGameStop: a five-week contest series aimed at gamers sharing their personal stories on how video gaming brings fans together and have a chance to win big this summer. The program encompasses five themed weeks: Never Met, Romance, Reunited, Game Night, and Rematch.
I haven’t seen a drop in banks like this in a long time. Looks like $WFC is still facing pressures from its sales practices scandal..!!
Helping President-elect's America first focus, $WMT set to create 10,000 retail jobs in the US in 2017.
Looks like Trump has his eyes on the $MON and Bayer merger next. He had a meeting with the CEOs and apparently got job promises from them.


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The CET is a single tariff rate agreed to by all members of the CARICOM on imports of a product from outside the CARICOM region.
An invitation was extended to various business owners to attend a consultation on Wednesday 12th July 2023 at the St. Kitts and Nevis Customs and Excise Department’s Conference Room.
The overall objective of the consultation was for stakeholders, to discuss measures that will ensure Saint Kitts and Nevis realigns itself with the provisions of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, while still establishing parameters to assist with the reduction of food prices within the Federation.
Government officials, including Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew; Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Rt. Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas; and Ambassador to CARICOM, His Excellency Larry Vaughan, met this morning with representatives of major food suppliers and traders in Saint Kitts and Nevis in an effort to find solutions to reduce the cost of food in the supermarkets.
Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew in his address to the attendees spoke of the rising cost of food which is driven by external forces, and the Government’s resolve in its efforts to find the right solutions that will bring relief to the people.
“One of the main concerns that I have, and the Government has, is the increased cost of food. We all have to work together to manage what is affecting the cost because that cost is affecting all of us.
He further added “We understand that there are factors outside of the Federation that affect the price of food.
The Prime Minister stated that it is critical for the Family Shopping List to be closely looked at to ensure that the cost of these essential items is more affordable.
To date, in an effort to address the cost of living issues with the Federation, the Government has lowered corporate income tax from 33% to 25% and unincorporated business tax from 4% to 2% until December 31st, 2023.
The Government has also provided financial ease by granting concessions on school supplies for the upcoming school term.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
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United States Saw Record Cargo Theft, Natural Disasters Impact Commercial Supply Chain
While global supply chains across the world saw many new threats and hardships in 2016, cargo theft remained among the most prevalent in North America, according to a study published by the British Standards Institute earlier today.
The Annual Global Supply Chain Intelligence Review, which monitored supply chain risks across the world last year, also reports that the issue of cargo theft and potential drug smuggling cases is expected to continue throughout 2017 in North America….
Conflicts, disasters uprooted over 31 million people in 2016
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre say political turmoil and climate change-related disasters displace one person every second, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Iraq and China the worst affected…


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Ten children have already died of heatstroke from being left in hot cars this year.
In order to connect with the U.S.'s largest and fastest growing consumer group, brands must develop new and better marketing tactics
Mashable's latest Twitter chat centered around how tech innovation is disrupting industries and the ways business owners can embrace these changes.
Facebook engagement won't necessarily rev a brand's sales, but it does serve one purpose, according to a new report: It acts as market research for social media advertising
Despite a fairly negative reaction to its introduction on social media on Monday, McDonald's says you'll be seeing a lot more of its new Happy mascot -- just maybe not on social media. Julie Wenger, senior director of U.S. marketing for McDonald's sa...
The restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese's announced Tuesday it will begin offering an Oculus Rift experience at about 16 of its locations.
I have been in the email and digital marketing space for a long time. The start of my career was seeded in the data-intense direct mail space before making the leap over the digital divide. The good and bad of the email channel is that engagement is ...
"Your long-term purpose and the tone of your brand and your belief system should never change, but the way you express it can change time and time again," says Gap CMO Seth Farbman.
Heathrow's T5 will be rebranded as the "Terminal Samsung Galaxy S5" for two weeks to promote Samsung's new flagship phone.
In a new low in ghoulish marketing, an ad agency in India has used the shooting of Malala Yousafzai to sell mattresses. Since the theme of the print campaign for Kurl-On mattresses is “bounce back,” a cartoon image of the young Pakistani activist bei...


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Omega (AIM: ODX), the medical diagnostics company focused on CD4, infectious diseases and food intolerance testing, announces that its CE-Marked Mologic ELISA1 antibody test has been approved for testing of COVID-19 in India.
Yesterday the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, part of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, published a list of approved Rapid / CLIA / ELISA kits approved for testing of COVID-19, which included Omega’s ELISA antibody test.
Approval for sale remains conditional on the submission of supporting technical data and the Company is confident that this submission will be successful, and that Omega will be able to sell its ELISA antibody test directly into this potentially significant target market. The laboratory-based ELISA antibody test has high quality performance data and has been independently validated by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and St George’s, University of London.
Whilst the quantum of future sales in unknown at this stage, India is clearly a significant addressable market for COVID-19 antibody testing and Omega will use its direct sales team in India to establish commercial roll-out in the region. The Company expects to update shareholders on first commercial orders as they are received.
Colin King, CEO of Omega commented: “I am delighted that we have received approval to sell the Mologic ELISA antibody test in India as this is a key target market. We have an established direct sales team and we believe a reliable and high-performance antibody test will be very attractive to our laboratory customers. India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has a population of over 1.3 billion people. Clearly this is an important market for us to target and I look forward to updating shareholders on our commercial traction.”
1 ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay) tests are one of the most tested and proven laboratory technologies used by the global diagnostic industry and remain the principle reference point from which rapid diagnostics are coordinated, especially serological tests, including tests for COVID-19.
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- Sony Entertainment Network Marketing Manager Jeff Safran
has confirmed today that the new The Last of Us Trailer is set to debut at the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards.
To quote: The 2012 Spike Video Game Awards
will be underway in just about an hour and we can't wait to unveil our brand new The Last of Us Story Trailer to the world!
We're peeling back the curtain...


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A springy Tuesday but big changes are ahead
A group plans to build a 100,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse in Kansas City's Berkley Riverfront Park to grow local produce to sell to a grocery store chain.
Say so long to the mild weather. Arctic air is on the way for Kansas City, as well as a chance for snow.


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New life in MacLife
The MacLife store at the corner of 8th St and Myrtle St. closed in 2017, and remained vacant over the past two years.
Now, the former computer and peripherals store will soon have a new tenant. But it won’t be a new retail shop or restaurant.
Seed Boise LLC purchased the condo that contained the store, and applied with the City of Boise to convert it from retail to office space for “Exceed Investment Firm.”
The buildout is valued at $530,000, according to permit records.
Renewal for… Renewal
Alphagraphics plans to open a reproduction shop in the former Renewal consignment furniture shop about a block away at 8th St. and Fulton St.
Renewal closed in May, leaving the 1920s-era warehouse vacant for the first time since 2000.
AlphaGraphics merged with BizPrint in June of this year.
The current BizPrint location would give way to a new 8-story residential tower planned on its current site at 6th St. and Front St. in Boise.


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With the next generation of the console wars just around the corner fans are anxiously awaiting not just the release of the new consoles but news of what will be available on them. Microsoft held their Xbox Series X Games showcase recently and people are sharing on Twitter what they are most excited for in the next generation console.
Let’s take a look at what people on Twitter have to say about the showcase using the hashtag #XboxGamesShowcase.
Almost an hour long the official video had lots to share.
Not sure Microsoft really learned their lesson after the 3rd party showcase. Outside of Halo Infinite, very little gameplay was shown at the #XboxGamesShowcase. To end the show with a pre-rendered trailer of a game everyone already knew about was a bit meh as well.— Kage Maru #BlackLivesMatter (@_Mike_Skiles) July 23, 2020
Not everyone is impressed but most everyone is excited for Halo.
Other people thought it was a huge success and that Microsoft will clearly win this console war.
The new Fable game was announced and teased and I’m one of many people super excited about it. Had so much fun with the Fable games back in the day.
some people are excited for the new game experiences such as Everwild
I mean you could just own both…right?
So Halo Infinite looked like a return to form, gave me Halo 3 vibes which is cool.— Cassie Cage (@mariokart) July 23, 2020
Obsidian working on a real game instead of just Grounded which is nice + OUTER WORLDS DLC!
not bad. But also a lot of crap too.💀#XboxGamesShowcase
Most people agree that there is lots to get excited for by it was no means a perfect showcase.
So in other words, it wasn’t great but it wasn’t horrible either.
2/2 #XboxGamesShowcase stuff that caught my eye— Chris Majewski (@MagicWhiskey) July 23, 2020
* Avowed looks great
* Hellblade Senua’s Saga still most impressive
* The Medium looks like Silent Hill meets Soul Reaver meets The Evil Within
* Fable is a thing
Really looking forward to the next Hellblade game as the first one touched on subjects most games don’t dare to and they did it very well.
This screenshot alone has me interested in this game.
Darktide is another one of the games really garnering some attention.
What are your thoughts? Was the showcase a success?
What are you most looking forward to or will you be skipping this console this next generation?
Let us know in the comments 🙂
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Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Gamers and movie watchers are binging on entertainment during the pandemic, and U.S. game companies and streaming movie services are vying to sign up consumers, according to Deloitte‘s 14th annual Digital Media Trends report. This data is a clue to habits being formed during lockdown, but the question is how long an expanded interest in gaming is going to last.
“We saw a surge in esports in terms of virtual games and virtual sports during the pandemic,” said Kevin Westcott, the vice-chair and leader of the U.S. telecom, media, and entertainment sector at Deloitte, in an interview with GamesBeat. “Do those become permanent parts of the entertainment package that people consume at home? Or is that really just a phenomenon of being locked at home and they had to find alternative entertainment? I expect that at least some portion of that will continue. We’re going to be watching very closely.”
Deloitte found in a survey of more than 2,000 people that 29% of consumers binge on games on a weekly basis, with the average session lasting 3.3 hours. But 38% of consumers said they binge-watch streaming video services, with the average session lasting 4.2 hours.
When Deloitte dug deeper into the data, it found that 52% of Gen Z consumers (born 1997 to 2006) and 46% of millennials (born 1983 to 1996) binged on games, while 46% of Gen Z consumers and 45% of millennials binge-watched video. This suggests that while streaming video is dominant now, it won’t be when demographics change in the future.
GamesBeat Summit 2023
Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles this May 22-23. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.
“A lot of this new generation is binge-watching content,” Westcott said. “And the social aspects of gaming have been increasing. People tell us they play games to connect with their friends and family.”
Earlier this year, 24% of consumers surveyed listed playing video games among their top three favorite entertainment activities. For Gen Z and millennials, it was 44% and 37%, respectively.
But since the crisis began in early March, nearly half (48%) of U.S. consumers have participated in some form of video gaming activity. For millennials it’s 69%, while for Gen Z it’s a whopping 75%. And 29% of U.S. consumers said they are likely to use their free time to play a video game rather than watch a video.
Seven percent subscribed to a video gaming service for the first time during the pandemic. Among those participating in video gaming activities during this period, 34% are playing more video games at home with their families, and 27% are playing to socially connect with others.
Deloitte surveyed 2,103 people in January and 1,101 consumers again in May to compare pre-COVID-19 numbers with sentiments during the pandemic. By the second survey, nearly 95% of the U.S. population had been under “shelter in place” orders, business activity had been widely restricted, and more than 20 million people in the U.S. had lost their jobs.
Increased subscriptions and cancellations
At the end of 2019, consumers were loading up on paid media subscriptions and sampling free services. They subscribed to an average of 12 media and entertainment services while also seeking more free and subsidized entertainment, such as ad-supported streaming video. With so many entertainment options, competition to attract and retain customers was fierce, and costs, competition, and subscription fatigue were already setting in.
Signups accelerated during the pandemic, as people found themselves in lockdown with more time on their hands. But COVID-19 has also accelerated cancellations as people face loss of income and economic uncertainty. While it’s too soon to say what trends will look like after lockdown, consumer choices today could shape the industry for the next decade, Deloitte said.
“The No. 1 reason people actually sign up for a service is for some exclusive content,” said Westcott. “So they’re chasing content someone has told them about. They go sign up for that. But then during the COVID-19 crisis, the No. 1 reason that people actually canceled services was either costs or the free trial ended. We continue to see a lot of new subscribers, but also we continue to see quite a bit of churn.”
Westcott said media consumption is now more fluid and round-the-clock. Customer acquisition has accelerated, especially in paid streaming video, music, and gaming subscriptions. People have more time on their hands to watch, listen, and play games, and they are adding services to get new content. Social viewing, livestreaming, and first-run movies that release directly to digital services have all shown strong engagement during shelter-in-place guidelines.
At the same time, it is harder to keep customers. Introductory offers of free or reduced rates, along with compelling original content, are attracting subscribers. But these subscribers are likely to cancel the service if content dries up and they can’t justify paying the full price. For instance, people might subscribe to Disney+ to watch The Mandalorian. But once they do so, they may quickly cancel.
“My expectation of the evolution of the streaming platforms is we will end up with a handful of dominant players who not only have their own exclusive content, but they’ll aggregate a lot of content,” Westcott said.
The emergence of free, ad-supported alternatives makes it even more critical for subscription services to deliver value, especially since they’re up against growing competition from livestreaming video services and video gaming, Westcott said. Cost is a big issue here — 39% of COVID-19 survey respondents reported a decrease in their household income since the pandemic began.
These consumers have been adding and canceling subscriptions in search of entertainment and savings. For example, 20% of U.S. consumers made changes to their streaming music subscriptions: 12% added at least one service, 5% canceled at least one, and 3% added some and canceled others. This means they’re searching for new entertainment but staying conscious of costs, Westcott said.
In the pre-COVID-19 survey, 27% of U.S. consumers said they had planned to add a new streaming video service in the coming year. Since the pandemic began, 23% have added at least one new paid streaming video service. With this leap, 80% of U.S. consumers now subscribe to at least one paid streaming video service, up from 73% in the pre-COVID-19 survey.
Subscribers now have an average of four paid streaming video subscriptions, up from three in the pre-COVID survey. Not only do more consumers have streaming video services, the average streamer pays for more services than ever. However, as more media providers join the fray — including Disney+, Apple TV+, and HBO Max — competition is putting pressure on content and pricing.


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McGraw-Hill first to sign on
Although the Kindle DX, which was supposed to be a digital replacement for school textbooks, was a pretty big flop, startup company Inkling is bringing the same concept to the iPad.
How To: Buy a Pokemon Go Plus
Former Apple employee Matt MacInnis started the company and hopes to do for iPad what Amazon was unable to do for Kindle.
In a survey among college Kindle DX users, it was discovered that students actually like having a physical book to use and, perhaps, abuse. They like being able to thumb through chapters, highlight lines of text, and follow along with professors during class.
MacInnis is taking a different approach, though. Inkling will not just simply take existing textbooks and copy/paste them into a digital reading format. Instead, textbooks on the iPad will be specially crafted for the device and have interactive elements to them.
Inkling has already struck a deal with McGraw-Hill, the country's largest publisher of textbooks, to bring content in the form of what is kind of a digital encyclopedia. Users will be able to buy chapters for around $3 - $4, or entire volumes for $70 - $85. So far McGraw-Hill has confirmed four titles to be brought to the iPad through Inkling.
The app itself will be free of charge.
Don't Miss: Nintendo Switch: Everything You Need To Know
Via the Wall Street Journal


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Busworld 2017 news in forehand…
For the first time, BussiPro Oy is participating Busworld Europe exhibition in Kortrijk and already our brightened concept is causing buzz before the fair in Germany and Benelux areas.
Well respected German bus and coach sector professional magazine, Omnibusrevue, published in print and digital format releases of our renewed BusCare concept in their Busworld novelties article (page 42). Our service business model was mentioned in esteemed group and their new products, mainly article was focused on Mercedes-Benz, Setra, Solaris, Van Hool and Eberspächer new busses,coaches and technologies.
Welcome to discover more of our BusCare concept in Kortrijk 20.-25.10.2017 to our booth in hall 1 / 109d.


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India raises import duties on gold, other precious metals
today Jul 5, 2019
India has raised the import duties on gold and other precious metals to 12.5% from 10%, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her first federal budget speech on Friday, which may boost smuggling in the world’s second-biggest bullion consumer.
Shares of jewellery makers such as Titan and PC Jeweller fell as much as 5% after the announcement.
Jewellery trade associations have asked India’s government to reduce gold import duties, which has caused a surge in smuggling.
India, which vies with China as the world’s top gold consumer, raised import taxes on the metal to 10% in a series of hikes to August 2013 as policymakers attempted to narrow a gaping current account deficit and arrest a decline in the rupee.
© Thomson Reuters 2019 All rights reserved.


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The Minister of Tourism last week said companies offering ‘zero-dollar’ tour packages are damaging the tourism sector and vowed to take action to protect the industry.
Speaking at a tourism event in Siem Reap province on Sunday, Minister Thong Khon said that low-cost or ‘zero-dollar’ tours bring unsuspecting tourists to businesses in which they are coerced into purchasing expensive goods.
In exchange for bringing in tourists, the tour operators receive large kickbacks from the business, he said.
“This is a problem damaging the country’s reputation. This practice needs to be eradicated,” he said, explaining that the practice makes tourists feel “cheated” and discourages them from visiting the country again.
“Please don’t blame the tourists. Blame the companies that are selling ‘zero-dollar’ tour packages,” Mr Khon said.
“These companies are not thinking about the experience of tourists. They just want to cheat them out of their money by selling them overpriced souvenirs and fake products and providing a very low-quality service, while they get a commission from the businesses,” Mr Khon said, promising to eliminate the practice.
The minister said that some hotels and restaurants had to close because ‘zero-dollar’ tour operators collected money from the customers, but did not give it to them.
Clais Chenda, president of the Cambodia Hotel Association, agreed with the minister’s comments, saying that the country faces a potential decline in tourism activity if companies continue engaging in the practice.
“Tourists should not be cheated. It damages the reputation of our tourism sector. If customers feel cheated, they won’t come back,” Ms Chenda said.
“If you are honest with your guests, they will tell their family and friends about Cambodia and the good service they had here and more people will visit us,” Ms Chenda said.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), also called for an end to the practice.
“There are some tour operators offering ‘zero-dollar’ tours in Cambodia. Fortunately, the practice has declined so far this year due to the warnings of the ministry,” Ms Sivlin said.
CATA, which has nearly 300 travel and tour companies as members, has advised members not to offer ‘zero-dollar’ tour packages.
In the first three months of the year, 1.8 million tourists visited the Kingdom, a 9.7 percent increase compared to the same quarter in 2018.


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Over the past few weeks, Amazon and Google have been at wits with one another. Google announced at the beginning of December that it had plans to pull the YouTube app from the Echo Show and Fire TV, and as we recently learned, Amazon used this same day to file trademarks for what appears to be its own YouTube competitor.
A few days after this, Amazon tried being the bigger company and said it'd once again start selling the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra, and it now appears the online retail giant is offering yet another olive branch to Google by releasing a Prime Video app on Android TV.
Amazon's had a Prime Video app on the NVIDIA Shield TV since its release, but this is the first time we've seen any sign of it expanding to other Android TV-powered televisions/streaming boxes. The listing for the app on the Play Store looks a lot like the one that was recently released for the Apple TV, but at the time of this writing, you don't seem to be able to actually download it on any devices.
Spotted by Android Police, the Prime Video Android TV app is not compatible with any devices. It's said that it's unable to install on the Nexus Player and other Android TV-powered tech, so it's possible Amazon isn't actually ready for a full launch quite yet.
Even so, the fact that we're now getting Prime Video for Android TV is still exciting. Not only is this good news for Prime subscribers that prefer Google's television platform, but this should also hopefully encourage Google to cease its ban of YouTube on Fire TV.
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VivaTech improved the attendee experience at its global technology conference by using Uber for Business.
VivaTech is a globally recognised technology event for startups and leaders to celebrate innovation. More than 100,000 attendees from around the world go to Paris every May to hear top speakers, see new innovation launches, and enjoy live experiences. To guarantee success in 2018, VivaTech needed to ensure that its visitors and employees could get to and from the event quickly—and with minimal fuss.
Using Uber for Business for VIP guests
It was especially important that VivaTech’s numerous high-profile guests could get around Paris quickly, which isn’t easy when all these visitors are in town. So VivaTech turned to Uber for Business. VivaTech partnered with John Paul, a top concierge service in Paris, to use Uber Central to coordinate rides for 100-plus VIPs. The elevated service meant VivaTech could get speakers to their venues on time in a convenient and scalable way.
Monitoring traffic to improve attendee experiences
Demonstrating its spirit of innovation, VivaTech conducted research into the previous year’s traffic around the event in Porte de Versailles as the team sought to improve transportation flow for all attendees. By using Uber for Business, VivaTech could select specific pick-up and drop-off points at optimal locations to keep journeys away from likely traffic jams.
“We also took it a step further by adding markings on the ground to guide our visitors when exiting the event,” explains Nicolas Douchement, head of operations at VivaTech.
To encourage attendees to test VivaTech’s new strategy, the event team distributed a discount code for rides with Uber to and from the venue. Not only did attendees’ transportation flow improve with the changes, but also attendees were happy with the perk—and usage suggests that they preferred it. “Uber for Business has allowed us to streamline access to our event.” says Douchement. “We found 4 times more rides from or to our event compared to the previous year.”
Easing employee travel with simplified expensing
To help make the event go smoothly, VivaTech needed to provide transportation to its employees as well. The company’s Uber for Business account is set up so that when VivaTech team members switch to their business profile, they can request rides with Uber and have the cost automatically synced to the company account. This gives VivaTech’s travel team visibility into all the trips taken (the route, time, employee, and cost) and allows its admins to set key policies (such as time of day to ride or type of vehicle). Meanwhile, employees save time on expensing, as VivaTech’s central credit card automatically pays for every trip.
Says Douchement: “We want to provide a fluid and effortless ground transportation solution to our visitors and staff during our event.” With Uber for Business, VivaTech’s team delivered a smooth ride experience for every group it needed to move.


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Apparently, ZTE has confirmed that the first batch their latest ZTE Nubia X6 flagship has been sold out in less than 10 seconds. We’re not sure how may units there are in the first batch, but no matter what its still pretty impressive to get them all being sold out in such a short period of time.
In case you do not know, the ZTE Nubia X6 is a 6.4-inches phablet featuring a 1080p Sharp OGS display powered by a Snapdragon 801 chipset and 2GB RAM. Besides that, the phablet is also equipped with a 13 megapixels rear camera and a 5 megapixels front camera which comes with auto-focus feature as well. Just to let you know, the ZTE Nubia X6 is currently the first smartphone to be equipped with a front camera which has the auto-focus feature – not even the might HTC One (M8) or the Galaxy S5.
According to ZTE, the next batch of Nubia X6 will go on sale once again on May 27th next week. So if you’re one of those who’re interested in this device, do stay tune for more updates in the next few days!


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Runner’s World Review
The Rider has put on weight due in part to more materials added to the sole. This update is two ounces heavier than the previous version. While this change has improved the shoe's stability, it has also made it firm underfoot, according to our lab tests. It's now less of a go-fast shoe and more of a go-long trainer. Several testers noted problems with the shoe's fit, pointing to the toebox, which is shallow. Recommended as an everyday trainer for runners who don't mind a tight forefoot.
Runner’s World Wear Testers Say
"While the ankle collar was high, I felt the shoe on the whole had the stability I needed without the extra weight."—Martha McGonegal, 31, East Lansing


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Sam’s Club is hoping to see a drone on every child’s wish list when the holidays come around this year.
The retail chain, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, plans to stock its locations with roughly a dozen different models of consumer drones ahead of this year’s holiday season, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The chain expects drones to fly off the shelves once the holiday gifting season begins. There will be plenty of varieties of the product for Sam’s Club customers to choose from, including entry-level drones that cost as little as $100 as well as higher-end devices that cost thousands of dollars and come equipped with high-resolution cameras or claws that can pick up certain objects.
Sam’s Club, which made the move after one of its pricier drone models started selling particularly well online, likely hopes its bet on drones will help to boost consumer electronics sales at a time when rivals like Costco are seeing stronger sales growth.
One way Sam’s Club has looked to differentiate itself from rivals like Costco is by focusing on its customers who are small business owners — a segment that makes up as much as one-third of the retailer’s membership base. As the Jorunal notes, Sam’s Club has found that roughly half of the customers buying its drone products do so with professional goals in mind, from real-estate agents looking to take pictures of properties from the sky to professional photographers using the devices for event photos.
To help boost drone sales, Sam’s Club even plans on setting up in-store interactive drones that customers can touch while watching demos of the products flying around the store.
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Super Smash Bros. got a big update today, adding something that fans of Nintendo’s colorful mash-up fighting game have been eagerly awaiting: an online tournament mode. Once they started to get their hands on the update, though, many weren’t thrilled to see what had become of it. »
Nintendo put out its version 1.1.0 update for the 3DS and Wii U Super Smash Bros. games today. Along with adding new stages, costumes for Mii players, and nifty-sounding features like tournament modes and YouTube replays, the patch came with a ton of balance tweaks. Specifically, a ton of buffs. »
Smash Bros. is getting two familiar-looking Mii Fighter costumes—the left one’s based on Chrom from Fire Emblem: Awakening, and the one on the right is based on Donkey Kong big bad King K. Rool. They (and the Smash Hoodie in the middle) will be available as Premium DLC for both the 3DS and Wii U versions this Friday.
If you talk to Smash Bros. players right now, they’ll tell you there’s a war going on over the Wii U game’s custom moves. The next front will be waged this weekend at EVO, because it’s the first major fighting game tournament that’s made them legal. »
Ryu’s a Smash combatant now, but players familiar with the source material will have a distinct advantage over their Super Smash Bros. foes. Oh, and he’s the only fighter in the series with two Final Smashes. So...he’s new. »
Lucas from Earthbound is headed to Super Smash Bros. on June 14 at 8 a.m. PDT, according to Nintendo. Maybe they’ll make another joke about Mother 3 at E3 soon, too. »
Gonzalo “Zero” Barrios is on a hot streak. Since November 2014, he’s come in first for every Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tournament he’s participated in. That makes a whopping 34 consecutive first place wins for the 1v1 category. It’s absurd. »
Forget the “mom guesses the name of Smash Bros characters” memes. Smash Bros. dads are coming out of the woodwork, and they’re improving Smash Bros. in their own special ways, too. »
You can stop feeling jealous about all the people who got to test drive Mewtwo early: the legendary Pokémon is now up for sale in the Smash Bros. shop. »
Kirby turns 23 today. Let’s celebrate the pink blob’s early twenties by looking back at the times he proved himself a worthy foe in Super Smash Bros. »
Rejoice, Diddy Kong haters. The latest Smash Bros. patch has changed the annoying chimp, making him a bit less of a powerhouse than he was before.
Meet the new Mewtwo, same as the old Mewtwo. Like always, the psychic cat-lizard-Pokémon chimaera is spending most of its Smash time floating around and conjuring big blasts of purple energy to knock opponents off the stage. »
Kirby inhales so many things with reckless abandon that it was only a matter of time before one such thing came back to haunt him. And so Smash players discovered an exploit this week that turns him into an raging fireball. Fire Kirby doesn’t change much, gameplay-wise. But it’d make a hell of an anti-smoking ad. »
Want to see how each version of Mewtwo stacks up? How was the character’s Smash Bros. incarnation changed? Let’s find out! »


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Amazon said Tuesday that it had acquired Ring, a maker of internet-connected doorbells and cameras, pushing more deeply into the home security market.
The deal is worth around $1.1 billion, according to a person briefed on the deal who would speak only anonymously because the terms were private.
Ring is best known for a doorbell with a security camera inside. The device allows homeowners to monitor visitors at their front door through an app on their phone, even if they’re not at home. Amazon has made home automation a major focus because of the success of its Echo family of products, which allow users to control thermostats, surveillance cameras and other connected devices using voice commands.
Amazon’s Echo Spot device already works with Ring doorbells, allowing people to look at footage from the cameras on the Echo Spot’s screen. Amazon had invested an undisclosed amount in Ring through its Alexa Fund, which finances start-ups that integrate their products with Alexa, the Amazon intelligent assistant that powers Echoes and other devices.
Buying Ring, though, suggests that Amazon has more ambitious plans for the product than it could achieve through a partnership.
Luke Schoenfelder, chief executive of Latch, a start-up that makes a family of smart locks, said he believed that Amazon would make a more serious effort to enter the home security market and compete against companies like ADT, Comcast and Alarm.com. Mr. Schoenfelder speculated that Amazon could seek to make home security part of its Prime membership service, which today includes free and fast delivery of orders and video streaming.
“You could imagine some kind of bundled offering with Ring’s capabilities,” he said.
ADT’s stock fell sharply after the deal became public on Tuesday afternoon. It ended the day down 4.6 percent.
The companies declined to say much about their plans. “Ring’s home security products and services have delighted customers since Day 1,” Amazon said in a statement. “We’re excited to work with this talented team and help them in their mission to keep homes safe and secure.”
Ring’s statement said: “We’ll be able to achieve even more by partnering with an inventive, customer-centric company like Amazon. We look forward to being a part of the Amazon team as we work toward our vision for safer neighborhoods.”
Ring’s internet doorbells start at $179. People who want to use them to record video must pay for that capability, with plans starting at $3 a month or $30 a year. The company also makes stand-alone security cameras.
Amazon has taken some baby steps into home security. Last year it began selling an indoor security camera of its own design, Amazon Cloud Cam, and in December it acquired Blink, a maker of inexpensive internet security cameras and doorbells.
Google, one of Amazon’s biggest rivals, is also an increasingly important player in home automation and security, with its Nest thermostats and security cameras.
James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester Research, said he believed that Amazon had bought Ring so it could add more intelligent capabilities to its doorbells and cameras, like the ability to use software to recognize faces at the front door.
“I think it’s about going to the next level and having Alexa say, ‘James, your fifth grader just walked in, and I locked the door behind them,’” he said. “It’s where these technologies have to go.”
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If you’re not reaching, engaging, and monetizing customers on mobile, you’re likely losing them to someone else. Register now for the 8th annual MobileBeat
, July 13-14, where the best and brightest will be exploring the latest strategies and tactics in the mobile space.
A startup team made up solely of college students may find themselves making tons of rookie mistakes, but a company founded by veterans may be trapped in yesterday’s thinking. And any company made up solely of either demographic has virtually no chance of getting VC money. That’s why Heidi Roizen, managing director for Mobius Venture Capital, says the best way to turn heads is to have a combination of both in this older, but still relevant entrepreneur thought leader lecture given at Stanford University.


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Samsung has started rolling out the May security update to its Galaxy J7 Prime as well as Galaxy C9 Pro handsets. Notably, this is the first security patch the company has released in this month for any of its devices.
Arriving with the build G610YZTU1AQD7 and C9000ZCU1AQE2 for Galaxy J7 Prime and Galaxy C9 Pro (China) respectively, the update installs the May security patch on both the handsets.
As is the case with any other security patch, the update brings along several bug fixes alongside performance and stability improvements.
Also, make sure to backup your data before you install the update and switch to a Wi-Fi network to avoid additional data charges.


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When the lights go up at Christopher Raeburn’s 10th anniversary show at London fashion week men’s on Sunday, the world can expect to be presented not just with a clothing collection but – as the designer puts it – “a manifesto for change”.
In the decade since he started his fashion label, the Royal College of Art graduate has become to the menswear fashion industry what Stella McCartney is to womenswear – the leading advocate of sustainability and responsibly sourced style. His brand’s “remade, reduced, recycled” ethos permeates everything that comes out of his design studio in Hackney Central and has done from the start.
Utilising used fabrics – including kites and vintage parachutes and other military stock – his designs have taken on a utilitarian-meets streetwear aesthetic. He is now looking to see how he can “push things further than ever before”.
“It’s our opportunity to say, ‘hey, that’s been an amazing first chapter for the business and now we’re building on our learning from the last 10 years’,” says Raeburn. His team has been “mulching, shredding and making our own insulation from the off-cuts of materials that are being made in our atelier in east London and then making them into Puffa jackets” for today’s collection.
There’s never been a better time to be leading the charge. Last year the United Nations launched a fashion industry charter for climate action and the Commons environmental audit committee announced it was investigating the sustainability of the fashion industry. Burberry pledged to reuse, repair or recycle products after the shocking revelation that it had destroyed £28.6m of stock in 2017.
But 36-year-old Raeburn has been driving fashion in a responsible direction since he was discovered by the industry expert Susanne Tide-Frater in 2009. Asked by the British Fashion Council to mentor a new ecological brand, she chose Raeburn, having identified his “radically different vision from what was then considered recycled”.
“When I first met Christopher, his vision immediately exceeded other designers in his segment,” says Tide-Frater, currently board director of Browns Fashion. “In fact, I have always considered him a creative entrepreneur rather than a fashion designer predicting or chasing the next trend. It was really just at the start of a very personal journey [for him], which at times has been challenging.”
One of the main challenges facing sustainable design is dispelling the scepticism surrounding the “homespun” aesthetic. A major part of Raeburn’s success has been his belief that covetable design and responsible infrastructure are not necessarily incompatible.
“I’ve always approached my business from a design-led perspective first,” he says. “Our obligation as a company and for me as a designer is to make sure I’m embedding good design with really considered choices around the way the materials are made, who’s making them, where that item is made and what happens to it afterwards. If you’ve ticked those boxes and something is fully recycled and recyclable, it becomes unquestionable.”
Another challenge is keeping financially afloat while retaining creative control. “Where other designers expanded and took on major investment, Christopher self-financed and was always independent,” says Tide-Frater.
Collaborations with brands including Eastpak, Umbro and most recently Timberland (where he has since taken on global creative director duties) must be mutually beneficial in this respect, as well as pushing the brand’s message into the mainstream. “Not connecting with him would have been a big miss as he cares passionately about the overall ‘making it better’ concept which motivates Timberland’s world, environment, design and products,” said a spokesperson for the US brand.
Recognition came in 2016 when Raeburn was named breakthrough designer at the GQ Men of The Year awards and the appetite for his designs and approach is picking up pace. His recent pop-up in London’s new Coal Drops Yard development proved so successful that he is hoping to open a larger permanent space there in the spring, while the #buynothing campaign he launched on Black Friday “as a challenge to the industry” went viral.
“With this race to the bottom of selling products at increasingly discounted rates, you have to really question where that’s going to end up and we, within the industry, have an obligation to question ourselves,” says Raeburn, who refused to sell anything that day.
“It’s really important for designers like Christopher to make a stand against over-consumption and to lead the way for a more responsible fashion industry,” says Tamsin Blanchard, who works closely with the not-for-profit reform movement Fashion Revolution. “By disabling his online shop for Black Friday it was a way for him to protest against the insidious culture that is constantly nagging away at us to buy more, buy cheaper and buy it now.”
A decade in, Tide-Frater predicts a happy birthday for the designer. “His time may have finally come,” says Tide-Frater. “I strongly believe that only authentic designers and personalities like Christopher will give weight and credibility to the topic of sustainability which now has to be all our top priority.”


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Following the massive announcement of Forza Horizon 2‘s first 100 cars last week, Microsoft and Turn 10 have followed up with another 16 cars that players will be able to get behind the wheel of this September.
“Many of this week’s cars were chosen with heritage in mind; from the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2, a direct descendent of Alfa’s TZ1 race car, to the truly awesome Ferrari Enzo, a supercar so emblematic of Ferrari’s legendary history that they named it after the company’s founder,” Turn 10 writes. “This week also includes one of the most recognizable cars from the 1980s in the Lamborghini Countach, as well as the SRT Viper GTS ACR, a car that managed to scare even veteran Viper owners with its laser-like focus on road-racing performance.
“As always, diversity is the key – whether you’re hanging out with your friends in your cherry ‘67 Stingray, or bombing across the fields of Tuscany in your Ford SVT Raptor, the list of cars in Horizon 2 is as varied as it is thrilling!”
Forza Horizon 2 will be set in Southern Europe and features a dynamic weather system, as well as an adapted version of Forza Motorsports 5‘s Drivatar system. The Xbox One version of the game is in development at Playground Games with input from Turn 10, while the Xbox 360 version is being worked on by Sumo Digital.
A list of the recently announced cars can be found below:
- 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2
- 2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
- 2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
- 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
- 1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
- 1971 AMC Javelin AMX
- 2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback
- 1999 SRT Viper GTS ACR
- 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
- 1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
- 1986 Lancia Delta S4
- 1997 Mazda RX-7
- 2012 MINI John Cooper Works GP
- 1995 RUF CTR2
- 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
- 1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6
You can take a look at the first 100 cars announced here. Forza Horizon 2 is set to launch September 30 for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.


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An increase in off-lease terminations and a heavy supply of trucks imported from Canada, coupled with a softening of retail demand, has accelerated vehicle depreciation in October. Auctions in the Pacific Northwest and across the northern tier of the U.S. have seen a healthy influx of Canadian units over the past two years as a result of a softening economy in western Canada and a weak Canadian dollar.
As the remarketing industry in the region experiences its annual fourth quarter downturn, auctions are well positioned to handle the increased numbers by aggressively pursuing in-lane and online sales channels to serve their customers, said Bob McConkey who operates DAA Northwest and DAA Seattle as well as KCI Auto Auction in Kansas City, Mo.
"The forecasts have been there for a huge increase in off lease volumes in 2016, and most expected it to adversely affect the market much earlier in the year," McConkey said. "Until October, we were handling the volumes with little change in conversion rate. We did see a slowdown in October, which is typical. The retail market is still there to support the increased volumes. We are not panicking. What we are experiencing is a more typical fall market adjustment, like the ones we experienced before the great recession of 2008 and 2009 that resulted in a real pinch in used-car supply."
Overall, used car volume has increased about 35% from 2009, when the country faced its worst recession since the 1930s. DAA Northwest will sell about 55,000 units this year, which is up nearly 15% from the 48,000 that moved through the lanes in 2015 and up 57% from the 35,000 in 2011.
Much of higher depreciation has hit the 2015 and 2016 models. This should be expected as new car sales soften and rebates increase, especially with luxury cars and SUVs. Luxury models from 2013 and newer have been effected the most, McConkey said.
Truck demand has remained strong in the region with imported vehicles from Canada bringing "a huge upswing" for McConkey's auctions this year.
"It's really across the northern tier of the U.S.," he said. "It's a bunch of extra supply for very vital demand. To have that extra volume available has really been good."
The influx has been driven by a Canadian recession and sharp decline in the Canadian dollar in the past three years, as sellers seek to exploit the arbitrage of the exchange rate. The Canadian dollar fell to $1.346 on Nov. 21 from $1.029 on Oct. 22, 2013 versus the U.S. dollar, according to XE.com.
"That deviation between the two currencies has created an onslaught of vehicles crossing the border," McConkey said.
Corporate and OEM consignors send large volumes of rentals and off-lease units to DAANW and DAA Seattle from as far away as California, Hawaii, Alaska as well as the East Coast. Activity from truck buyers in Alaska usually ramps up between February and July, he said.
About 65% of the volume handled by the McConkey Auction Group comes from dealer consigners as trade-ins and Canadian trucks, while the remaining 35% is divided off-lease vehicles from OEMs (about 60%) as well as commercial fleet vehicles and repossessions (about 40%).
Editor's note: This is part of an ongoing series that goes beyond the numbers to provide a snapshot of market conditions in the vehicle remarketing industry in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Rocky Mountain and Pacific regions. The Pacific region includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.


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A recent study suggests that while the nutritional quality of snacks sold in schools has improved, many “Smart Snacks” are virtually indistinguishable from less nutritious versions widely sold outside of schools. This practice likely benefits the brands, but may not improve children’s overall diets and undermines schools’ ability to teach good nutrition.
In 2013, the USDA established nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold in schools and designated products that meet these standards as Smart Snacks. However, many brands that offer Smart Snacks for sale in schools continue to advertise and sell their less nutritious products to young people outside of schools and have very similar branding to Smart Snacks.
659 students and 859 parents examined a page with images of 12 snacks explaining that a hypothetical school was considering offering these products for sale to students (image above). They found that students and parents rated look-alike and store versions similarly in taste, healthfulness, and purchase intent, while considering repackaged Smart Snacks as healthier, but less tasty. Students did not believe that even the less nutritious versions of the snacks sold in stores were unhealthy (rating them neutral to somewhat healthy), and look-alike Smart Snacks in schools may worsen this misperception.


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- 2 min read
Smartphone prices may rise ahead of festive season as component rates hiked
Smartphone prices in India may rise with Chinese suppliers of key smartphone components such as display panels and battery packs hiking prices by approximately 15%.
For leading smartphone brands including China’s Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus who are pre-building inventory for the festive season, the component price hike could mean a cumulative cost escalation of close to Rs 15,000 crore, with their sales for second half of 2020 estimated at 50 million units, according to industry estimates.
“Suppliers of LCD/LEDs in China have hiked prices by almost 15%....which means a hike of $3-4 for smartphone screen sizes of 5 inches and 5.5 inches and tablet screen sizes of 6 and 7 inches,” Noour Ali Zehgeer, Global Sales Director, of Hong Kong-based brand Nuu Mobiles told ET.
“So phones priced below Rs 5000 could see a difference of Rs 150-200 while higher value phones above Rs 25,000 could see a cost increase between Rs 380-400,” he added.
He said that the disruption in the demand-supply equilibrium between India and China has created a backlog in manufacturing for almost a quarter which has caused a delay in stocking up for the festive season which has already started in India.
Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus did not respond to ET’s emailed queries.
Even e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart will have to shell out more money, which could be difficult looking at the macro scenario. Alternatively, this means lesser discount rates,” said another industry analyst. The two online majors didn’t respond to ET’s emailed queries.
“There has been close to 10%-15% surge in certain components of a smartphone, mainly display and battery packs,” said Jayant Jha, CEO and co-founder of re-commerce firm Yaantra. “Besides these prices of accessories such as chargers, power banks, earphones, wireless headsets and cooling pads for laptops etc. have also gone up by 5%-10%.”
Another re-commerce firm Cashify which acquires phone parts from the local market said current prices are 15% higher to pre-Covid levels. “Cost had started rising in the local market in February itself when China was in lockdown which gave suppliers an opportunity to stock up in anticipation of further price escalation,” said Aksh Chauhan, VP, Operations-Warehouse at Cashify.
Neil Shah, Research Director, Counterpoint Research said that Chinese brand Huawei, which is also world’s number one, could be another reason for hike in component prices. He said that Huawei has begun stocking critical components to last for more than a year from suppliers domestically and abroad before the US ban deadline sets in which has caused a supply-demand imbalance which may have led to an increase in prices.”


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France’s financial markets authority AMF has created its own blacklist of cryptocurrency websites, which unlawfully target French investors.
Yesterday, France’s financial market authority AMF published its list of 15 websites, which unlawfully ask individuals in the European country to invest in cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Additionally, the AMF has reminded potential investors that digital-currency-related businesses are subject to Sapin II law and that the following websites listed are not compliant.
The AMF names the following websites on its black list:
The AMF’s list follows only weeks after its European counterpart in Belgium published a similar blacklist of illegal cryptocurrency websites that are targeting potential investors.
As noted by FinanceFeeds, the AMF concluded in February that platforms offering cryptocurrencies and related digital assets must follow laws related to business authorization and conduct, in addition to refraining from digital advertising — as defined by the Sapin II law, which strictly prohibits binary options and some CFDs from electronic advertising.
The AMF also deems cash-settled cryptocurrency contracts to be derivatives, irregardless of the specific cryptocurrency in question. Therefore, all online platforms offering cryptocurrency derivatives are governed by MiFID II — which requires authorization, proper business conduct, and trade reporting. However, advertising is seen as a greater concern and is strictly prohibited.
France is no fan of cryptocurrency
France has already made clear its fear of cryptocurrency’s disruptive potential.
Last month, French Finance Minister Bruno le Maire and interim German Finance Minister Peter Altmaier signed a letter to fellow G20 finance ministers, in which they claim cryptocurrencies are not only risky for investors but also threaten long-term global financial stability.
Earlier this week, inside reports claimed that both France and Germany are set to put forth joint proposals calling for strict regulation of the cryptocurrency market.
The European countries’ proposals are said to focus on preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, in addition to consumer protection. Rules will also be proposed, which prevent banks from holding cryptocurrency.
Nevertheless, France and friends are said to represent the minority on the European continent and is unlikely to receive much help in its efforts against virtual currencies.
Images courtesy of AdobeStock, Shutterstock


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Ahead of its AzureCon event, Microsoft has announced several improvements to Azure’s big data capabilities. Most notably, the company launched Azure Data Lake Store, an expansion of Azure Data Lake. “The Data Lake Store provides a single repository where you can easily capture data of any size, type and speed without forcing changes to your application as data scales,” T. K. Rengarajan, corporate vice president of Microsoft Data Platform, said. “In the store, data can be securely shared for collaboration and is accessible for processing and analytics from HDFS [Hadoop Distributed File System] applications and tools.”
In addition, Microsoft launched a new YARN-based analytics service called Azure Data Lake Analytics. This new service introduces a new language called U-SQL, which combines “the ease of use of SQL with the expressive power of C#.” Microsoft also announced that Azure will now support HDInsight on Linux.


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CRA Travel & Entertainment News – South Africa
By Sisonke Mlamla
Cape Town – The Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has finally been opened up to visitors for self-drive excursion, according to the South African National Parks (SANParks).
Chief executive Fundisile Mketeni said SANParks used the time to prepare for the expected arrival of guests.
He said they appreciated that after three months of confinement, the public was keen to engage with nature and enquiries from their loyal visitors were encouraging.
“We are obligated to ensure that the opening of our national parks for self-drive excursions is done under the strictest health protocols to safeguard both our staff and guests.”
TMNP spokesperson Lauren Clayton said a maximum of 250 vehicles a day would be allowed daily, with no more than 75 vehicles allowed in at any time.
“The daily quota could be revised in terms of compliance with the lockdown regulations,” she said.
Clayton said daily operating hours were between 8am and 4pm.
“A Covid-19 health-related questionnaire is to be completed upon arrival at the gates, as well as mandatory temperature screenings being done by our staff.”
She said visitors with a temperature screening of 37.4ºC and above would not be allowed access.
“Wearing masks is compulsory. No mask, no entry,” she said. “Permitted activities include self-drive vehicles limited to three persons per vehicle of the same household, and motorbikes limited to one person per bike only.
“Prohibited activities such as surfing, cycling, fishing, hiking/walking, trail running, launching of vessels, braaiing and picnicking are not permitted as per Covid-19 alert level 3 regulations.”
Clayton said Olifantsbos and Bordjiesrif roads, the Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre, restaurant, shops, the funicular and accommodation facilities within the Cape of Good Hope section remained closed.
Andricus van der Westhuizen, the DA Western Cape spokesperson on environmental affairs and development planning, said reopening was a good move.
“I am in full support of recreational activities that will not lead to increased exposure to infections by the virus.”
However, people must “please not undertake these activities with people other than those with whom they already share living spaces”.
Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy said: “It really is fantastic to see tourism businesses slowly but surely opening up across Cape Town.
“The latest announcement about Cape Point opening for self-drive excursions, and the excitement around this announcement, just goes to show that people are, in fact, itching to travel and explore once again.
“We are hopeful that this gradual opening of attractions, along with our bounce-back efforts and the work done by the City of Cape Town, will mean a quick return of travel, even intra-provincially, and that many of those who benefit both directly and indirectly from tourism will once again reap the benefits of this industry.”
Clayton encouraged guests to adhere to the speed limits within the park and to take pictures only from their vehicle, in the designated areas.
“Everything as we knew it has been changed by Covid-19, therefore we are requesting guests to adhere to all official alert level 3 regulations.”
Credit to Cape Argus


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NEW YORK – At the beginning of this year, we launched a series called "Rebuilding America" in which we attempted to explore the prospects for reviving U.S. manufacturing. We acknowledged at that time that we could be accused of beating a dead horse since many in the electronics industry favor the outsourcing of manufacturing to Asia as a way to reduce costs.
Beyond that is the reality of globalization and what has been called the global "fragmentation of production." Still, we argued, the engineering importance of "making stuff" as a way of understanding the product design process can't be underestimated.
With that in mind, you have no doubt heard about Apple’s plan to spend more than $100 million to bring back “some production of Mac” to the U.S. from China. If you’re like me, you probably rolled your eyes and said, “Yeah, right!”
A healthy dose of skepticism is in order here.
First, what’s Apple’s business case? Setting aside the goodwill Apple has already gained from media coverage, we need to ask whether it actually makes sense to manufacture Macs at home.
We need to see a cost analysis. What’s the labor cost? What’s the shipping cost for finished products? Do we still have a supply-chain infrastructure capable of bringing all the components necessary to make Macs here and deliver them on time? What’s Apple's operating margin for this product line? How much will it cost to operate a U.S. factory?
We need to know the cost structure for moving in-shoring "some" production. Corporations frequently use cost as the alibi to ship jobs overseas. If some manufacturing jobs are returning, we must understand the business case for such a move.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, in interviews with Bloomberg Businessweek and NBC's Brian Williams disclosed none of these details. Cook never revealed the actual products Apple will be making in the U.S. or how many Apple expects to make.
Cook vaguely suggested producing some Mac computers here "beyond the assembly work" it already does stateside. Cook’s statements implied that Apple will have "partners.". For instance, he told Bloomberg Businessweek that the plan “doesn’t mean that Apple will do it ourselves, but we’ll be working with people, and we’ll be investing our money.”
Again, what “people”?
So far, all we’re looking at is a symbolic gesture by Apple -- just in time for the holidays.
Companies don't deal in macroeceonomic arguments. That's governments' job. Companies worry about the bottom line. Whether it makes sense to manufacture close to the customers or not is entirely a question of cost tradeoffs. It might make sense or it might not. For tiny products like cell phones, I have my doubts.
I was surprised to read this in the paper on my way to work this morning. If I remember correctly, Steve Jobs, in a conversation with the US administration about bringing manufacturing back to the US, said something like "Not only no, but hell no."
So I found this surprising. Maybe the change in management?
In my opinion, it's pretty clear that Apple's decision to build some computers in the U.S. is aimed at nabbing a little good will. Google got lots of props when it strategically revealed that it's Nexus Q is made in the U.S.
In my opinion, there is a business case to be made for setting up shop close to customers. But it takes a back seat to the economic arguments associated with building stuff in China and other places.
That said, regardless of the reason, we should applaud this small gesture. Those of us who want manufacturing to revive in the U.S. should take any momentum we can get.
PS- Just for the record, I think most analysts don't expect Apple to build that many PCs in the U.S. As the story notes, Apple has been cagey and has not given any numbers. It's largely a PR stunt.
Here's what analyst Craig Stice of IHS iSuppli had to say on the subject.
“The percentage of production likely to be shifted by Apple from Asia to the United States in 2013 is likely to be negligible, both for the company and for PC industry at large,” said Craig Stice, senior principal analyst for computer systems at IHS.
“Apple’s move appears to be a symbolic effort to help improve its public image, which has been battered in recent years by reports of labor issues at its contract manufacturing partners in Asia. However, given Apple’s high profile in the market, the company’s ‘insourcing’ initiative could compel other companies to follow suit and transfer production to the United States over the next few years.”
There are many foreign car makers producing cars in the US. Samsung has a big chip manufacturing fab in Austin making SoC's for Apple and memory chips.
Nobody finds that hard to believe or question the economics. But when an American company announces that they will resume manufacturing in America, their action is labeled as a PR stunt.
Has the American people completely given up all hope for competing in manufacturing ?
I think that both Apple and Lenovo are simply "testing the waters" to determine what manufacturing costs really would be here in the US. You can try to estimate and get a general idea of what you THINK the costs would be, but you won't really know until you actually do it. Tim Cook is a supply chain expert and he knows there is value having multiple manufacturing locations. You don't want all of your eggs in one basket, etc. IBM used to make Thinkpads in NC, Lenovo acquired that heritage. The know how is still there. It will be interesting to see how these two "experiments" work out.
I don't think it is a question of logistics or supply chain. It wasn't a really a question when things moved overseas. Labor was less expensive and management made it happen. Somebody says "do it" and it gets done. Bringing it back will probably be easier. And given the breadth of electronics distribution in the U.S. (Arrow, Avnet, Future, TTI, Digikey, Mouser, Newark, Allied...) engineering builds will probably become a whole lot easier. In fact there are probably more than a few Apple engineers breathing a sigh of relief that they can now spend more time with their families and no longer have to make multiple trips to China every year. I look forward to further EETimes coverage and analysis on this as the events unfold. If Honda can manufacture cars in the U.S. then Apple ought to be able to build a PC here.
What does manufacturing means? Mac chips are already made in America by Intel. PCB boards? Displays will not be made in the USA and will come from China, Taiwan or Korea. Plastic molding? Final assembly? Boxes? Globalization is driven by costs (wages, logistics), regulatory costs (taxes, healthcare, pension) and regulation arbitrage. High value added products (planes, chips, medical devices) can still be made profitably in the US but I don't hold my breath for finished electronic goods like PCs.
Yes it was cheaper to make US companies more money overseas. President Bush even pushed hard for it. And now what we are no longer the leader in technology. Jobs and manufacturing must be kept in the USA. I never understood why we sent American jobs over seas! How may people lost there jobs and the snow ball effect. We send drones overseas that are open to invasion. The gps is weak and the video images can be seen by our adversary. When will USA government turn around and take pride in American workers! Our engineers are super but there must be a temwork effort on the USA.


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Pets adding personality to downtown GH stores
ow much is that doggy in the window at The Michigan Rag Co. in Grand Haven?
Don't even think about it.
He's not for sale.
Neither are the dozen or so other dogs that spend their days in downtown Grand Haven stores. Merchants and employees say they love having their little buddies around. Shoppers seem to like it, too.
"Personally, I think it adds to the feeling of a small town, close-knit community," said Dana Boulson, director of the Main Street development board. "Given the amount of time merchants spend in their stores and the downtown, it just makes sense that their dogs be with them."
Although many cities and towns have some businesses where the owner brings their dog to work, Grand Haven appears to be unique in the number of businesses where dogs greet customers.
In the first three blocks of Washington Avenue, shoppers will come across big and small dogs -- from a Pomeranian and a whippet to a treeing coon dog and a lab mix.
Randy Smith, owner of Michigan Rag Co., 121 Washington, doesn't need a door chime to let his employees know when customers enter. That's the job for his tan Chihuahua named Cabo. A bark does just fine.
When a family recently walked into the store, Cabo barked once. A store employee quickly told the visitors: "Don't worry, he's not very scary."
The rest of the day, Cabo does tricks for customers and sleeps in the front picture window. Employees take him for walks when they go to the bank, get coffee or run other errands.
Cabo -- and the rest of Grand Haven's shop dogs -- have become stars of the central business district.
"Everyone who works here gives Cabo treats and he jumps around when they come in the back door," Smith said. "But he doesn't do that for me. He never gets treats at home."
He said all the treats have made Cabo "a little overweight. We like to think of him as a little golden retriever."
Laura Mahnken of Plymouth was shopping at Michigan Rag Co. recently with her husband and twin 4-year-old daughters, who gave the dog treats for tricks.
"We love it. It's something for them to look at, which gives us time to shop," she said. "It just puts everyone in a good mood."
There's Daisy, a treeing coon hound, who spends most of her days sitting in the doorway of Hostetter's News Agency, 135 Washington.
She basks in the afternoon sunlight and doesn't budge as people attempt to enter the store. Shoppers often have to step around or over her. Daisy is the third shop dog for Linda and Tom Tebeau.
The trend of Grand Haven store owners bringing their dogs to work started in the early 1990s at Buffalo Bob's, 136 Washington and Hostetter's, merchants said.
Many of the stores have doors that remain wide open when the weather is nice -- but the dog owners say they're not worried about their pets running away.
They say the dogs know they're supposed to stay inside.
At Buffalo Bob's, owners Bob and Jill Hutchinson said their daughter's mutt, James, serves as a watchdog and companion.
"I like that he can be a little intimidating if you needed him to," she said. "If Bob's not here, he gets real protective."
Store owners say they rarely receive complaints about the dogs and they aren't concerned about liability issues. They say the dogs are used to being around people.
As far as Bob Hutchinson is concerned, "Every store should have a dog."
In Grand Haven, that might just happen.


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It’s no surprise that a business famous for its printers says the world will continue to print. But it’s worth exploring why we believe this with such conviction when digitalisation continues to revolutionise every sector within industry.
In short, printing in the form most people will think of is here to stay. But there’s far more to printing than just ink on a page. There are multiple factors making it increasingly vital to organisations around the globe, with many leveraging our printhead technology that has the capability to print using almost any liquid or substrate.
Printing has no limits
Print has become highly intelligent. There have been huge advances in bio printing where organic and living materials can be produced for medical procedures, research, training and testing, in addition to developments in printing textiles, packaging, circuit boards and metals.
Across the world, exciting developments are taking place in healthcare. For example, 3D printing is already being used to print human organs. UK scientists have used stem cells to print human corneas. The proof-of-concept research for the 3D-printing technique saw human corneal stromal cells being taken from a healthy donor cornea and then mixed with alginate and collagen to create a ‘bio-ink’ solution that could be printed. Using a low-cost 3D bio-printer, the bio-ink was successfully printed in concentric circles to form the shape of a human cornea in less than ten minutes.
But it’s not just the healthcare industry that’s making waves. The use of 3D printing for the creation of foods has moved into the spotlight over the last few months as it continues to expand steadily. Recently, international deep-tech food company Steakholder Foods Ltd announced the release of a new, 3D printed meat cut called Omakase Beef Morsels. The richly marbled structured meat product is the first of its kind and was created using a specific 3D-bioprinting technology, inspired by the famous Japanese Wagyu beef.
Not only is this technology highly innovative. It also offers a solution to some of the pressing environmental issues that the world is facing. Currently, industrialised meat farming is one of the biggest contributors to climate change but in this instance, slaughter-free food removes the need to raise animals for the consumption of meat products. In turn, this will help to reduce the food industry’s impact on the environment and make food production more sustainable.
A new era for industrial printing
In contrast to traditional methods, digital printing has accelerated in recent years as the capabilities for packaging, textiles and labelling have expanded. Digital printing technologies are by nature more sustainable than traditional analogue alternatives, and offer a way forward towards clean, efficient, profitable, localised manufacturing.
While digital printing was previously adopted to improve quality and save on time and resources, organisations are now also making the switch because of positive impacts on the supply chain. As a result, nearshoring has become a recognised benefit of digital printing as it streamlines the entire production process, enabling products to be produced on-demand. In fact, according to a McKinsey & Company survey, 71 per cent of clothing and fashion companies expect to raise their nearshoring share by 2025.
When looking at the fashion industry specifically, a major factor driving the adoption of digital printing is the use of sustainable practices, including water efficiency and reduced chemical wastage. When compared to traditional analogue systems, which are heavy on water and energy consumption, digital printing systems reduce unnecessary waste. In fact, digital textile printing can save as much as 95 per cent of industrial water usage, while energy consumption can be reduced by 75 per cent – leading to the minimum use of resources.
Through shortened supply chains, on-demand production and nearshoring, which are all possible because of digital printing, organisations can improve their environmental footprint, as well as their efficiency, quality and costs.
Commercial printing goes green
And while printing now means much more than just office documents and photos, there will always be a need for paper alongside digital media. In fact, 55% of respondents in a recent study said they’re more productive and retain information better when working with paper. Fewer than 20% preferred digital documents. This means printing is still important, and in general, printed materials are unlikely to go away anytime soon.
But there is pressure to boost sustainability and while office printing may not immediately be thought of as a positive in this context, carful technology selection can have a major impact on sustainability goals. In the last few years, commercial inkjet products have been gaining traction as they use up to 90 per cent less energy and create less waste than equivalent laser printers.
Epson inkjet printers use Heat-Free Technology which means heat is not required in the ink ejection process. Instead, pressure is applied to the Piezo element, which flexes backwards and forwards firing the ink from the printhead. In contrast, laser printers need to heat a fuser to enable printing, which results in significantly more energy consumption, CO2 production and increased costs.
Many companies are investing in inkjets to improve sustainability. According to IDC data, the business inkjet market is expected to grow at +7.2 per cent, per annum, contrasting with a decline of -1.1 per cent year-on-year in demand for laser printing. Leaders who are not already considering the change could secure a quick win by doing so.
Home printing is on the rise
Hybrid working is here to stay, and home printing volumes have risen as a result. So too has awareness around ink subscription services. In fact, research has revealed that 63 per cent of people are printing more at home than they were a year ago, while 56 per cent say they need to print documents for signature or archive.
To unlock the benefits of hybrid working, organisations need to address home worker print requirements. Now, more than ever, certain factors are bringing these requirements to the fore, from spiralling energy costs, to higher expectations when it comes to the standard of living and working.
Chosen carefully and used well, printers can help cut costs, reduce energy consumption and improve outcomes in many ways – from sustainability and workflow, to reducing lost hours of work.
Long live printing
Printing has an exciting future, especially as organisations continue to embrace innovative technology and materials that go beyond the imagination. The fact that we continue asking whether the printing industry is dying is a testament to its future.
From the humble printing press to printing human corneas – print is thriving.


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LatAm List – QED Investors and Invus Opportunities have just led a $22.6 million investment in Escale, a São Paulo-based tech company that partners with Brazil’s largest brands to optimize their customers’ buying experience using data. Escale’s round also includes investment from Kaszek Ventures, Rocket Internet’s GFC and Redpoint e.Ventures.
“We’ll invest heavily in our technology and data platform to ensure a more efficient and transparent online-to-offline buying experience for consumers. We’ll deepen our relationships with brand partners in the telecom and health insurance markets, as well as expand into consumer finance, insurance, education and other markets. And we’ll continue expanding our demand generation volumes to deliver even more customer prospects to our brand partners’ sales funnels,” said Matthew Kligerman, CEO of Escale.
Escale has over 500 employees and works with clients such as NET, Claro, Sul america, Bradesco, GNDI, and Amil. The startup’s employees have also ranked it as Brazil’s second most-loved company according to a ranking of large companies from LoveMondays that collected results from over 180,000 companies.
“We’ve backed many of the largest consumer-facing brands in the world and deeply understand the challenges brands face around customer acquisition. When we look at Brazil, we see an opportunity for Escale to fundamentally transform the market far and beyond its existing model. We look forward to being long-term backers of Escale and continuing to invest to build out its full vision,” said David Kahane, partner at Invus Opportunities.
Read more on LAVCA.


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Last Build Date: Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:02:23 GMTCopyright: Copyright:(C)2016 Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd, http://info.indiatimes.com/terms/tou.html
Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:44:29 GMT(image) With very little cash at their disposal, consumers not only put their leisure plans on hold, but also cut back on purchase of durables and appliances.
Thu, 08 Dec 2016 16:35:44 GMT(image) 94 per cent of the respondents believe the private sector should be covered under the amendments proposed in the Prevention of Corruption Act, it added.
Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:46:42 GMT(image) The Central bank lowered the country's growth forecast for 2016-17 to 7.1 per cent from 7.6 per cent during its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review.
Wed, 07 Dec 2016 00:57:30 GMT(image) Demonetisation torpedoed India’s economy just when it was getting into a cruise mode, fired by good monsoon-led rural demand and urban buying.
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 16:19:47 GMT(image) It said that India's growth prospects have got a boost from the acceptance of the 7th pay panel recommendations and likely implementation of the Goods and Services Tax.
Tue, 06 Dec 2016 14:21:33 GMT(image) The rate cut will help revive private investments and can act as a counter to the demonetisation drive, which is slated to impact growth in the short-term.
Mon, 05 Dec 2016 20:04:35 GMT(image) “Cash shortages resulted in fewer new business intakes, which in turn caused a fall in activity and ended a 16-month expansion sequence.”
Mon, 05 Dec 2016 14:06:10 GMT(image) Anecdotal evidence suggests a sharp rise in gold imports in Nov 2016, on the back of inventory replenishment, festive season and wedding demand.
Mon, 05 Dec 2016 05:24:01 GMT(image) Data released by the same agency last week had shown slowing manufacturing production growth due to cash shortages.
Sun, 04 Dec 2016 19:45:52 GMT(image) The cost of medical treatment in India is much cheaper as compared to Western Europe, North America and some South East Asian countries.
Sun, 04 Dec 2016 19:40:12 GMT(image) Crisil, the country’s biggest rating agency, sees growth in the year to March next year at 6.9 per cent. Citi sees it at 7.2 per cent with a downside risk.
Sat, 03 Dec 2016 12:03:08 GMT(image) Notwithstanding economists' prediction that demonetisation would hit the country's GDP growth, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said when informal economy goes into the formal mode with the banning of high-value currency, this will add to the GDP.
Fri, 02 Dec 2016 14:48:31 GMT(image) "Everybody who had any amount of currency notes with them of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, would deposited the money," Mistry said.
Fri, 02 Dec 2016 13:49:19 GMT(image) "We have revised GDP growth forecast for 2016-17 to 6.8 per cent, 100 basis points lower than earlier projection of 7.8 per cent," it said.
Fri, 02 Dec 2016 06:44:15 GMT(image) The report said India's economic growth is expected to remain at 7.6% in 2017 as investment regains momentum and the manufacturing base strengthens.