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Six Investor Expectations for the NewSpace Sector
Early stage investors are meeting with space companies on a much more regular basis today than in the past, but many in the space industry are new to this fast-paced world. To get and keep an investor’s attention, they need to know a few dos and don’ts.
July 27, 2016
There is a startup revolution taking place in the satellite industry. Every month, and sometimes every week, a new company announces plans for a product, a constellation, or an unconventional take on the way a particular service is done.
With this wave of new companies has come a second wave of investors, each trying to identify which ones will be the real game changers. These investors mean business, and startups have to convince them that they mean business too. It’s not uncommon for both entrepreneurs and investors to be unfamiliar with each other when it comes to the satellite industry. Lots of satellite programs and technologies are government driven or government influenced, and not incidentally, early stage investors have historically looked elsewhere to more fast-paced, lucrative sectors. But things are changing, as satellite entrepreneurs have taken the buzzword “disruptive,” and made it a real thing instead of a trite industry expression.
Now that startups have groundbreaking business ideas, they need to convey those to investors in a way that will get their attention. Investors meet with hundreds of entrepreneurs, but only put capital into a handful. To stand out from the crowd, here’s what you’ll want to know.
1. Bring Something Big to the Table
Small ideas won’t cut it if you want to get an investor’s attention, says Shahin Farshchi, partner at Lux Capital. Having led an investment in Planet Labs (now Planet), Farshchi tracks new companies in the fields of robotics, automation, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and space. Lux Capital has invested in more than 60 companies, including Kymeta and Orbital Insight, over the course of four funds, and has a total of $700 million under management. When considering which companies to invest in, Farshchi says he wants to find those that are bringing truly remarkable ideas to fruition.
“I’m looking for people who have identified opportunities within the aerospace industry that until now were impossible,” he says. “When I say advances in technology I mean disrupting economies by orders of magnitude with the technology, not just making a cheaper sensor or cheaper device. It’s being able to significantly disrupt an industry as a result of an order of magnitude improvement out of economies of scale.”
RRE Ventures General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Will Porteous echoes a similar point. He says market demand is the single most important criterion for investing in any company. Customers need to really want what the startup is promising.
“For us it’s about seeing substantial, almost overwhelming market demand. Of course we need to see a strong team commercializing a meaningful innovation, but without palpable market demand, we won’t get to a ‘yes,’” he says.
Porteous points to each of RRE Ventures’ space investments as testaments to this principle. Spire had close to 80 letters of intent from prospective customers before RRE Ventures invested. Spaceflight Inc., now a company with multiple lines of business, was arguably supporting more global SmallSat launches than anyone else; and Accion Systems, a startup formed by MIT graduate students, had “substantial commercial traction,” around its electric propulsion technology for SmallSats, he says. The market has to support a company, or investors won’t either.
2. Don’t Expect Special Treatment
Yes, space is sexy, but looks alone won’t convince investors and venture capitalists that a company is worth putting money in. Joe Landon, chairman of the Space Angels Network, helped build what today is an organization of around 180 angel investors — all focused on the space industry. Founded in 2008, Space Angels Network has invested in 32 companies including NanoRacks, Firefly Space Systems and OmniEarth.
Landon says he helped create the Space Angels Network because of his own passion for the space industry and because he saw a gap in the market that caused good companies and entrepreneurs to go unfunded. But while he stays excited about the space industry, his approach to potential investments is levelheaded.
“I subscribe more to the idea that all startups are hard, just for different reasons. Our challenge at Space Angels Network is to find companies who can quickly identify and systematically eliminate those risks, but that is the same in any industry. There are some unique challenges to space, but so are there in other industries,” he says.
Farshchi cites the high fixed costs associated with getting a business model off the ground as one of those unique challenges for space startups, along with the time associated with proving said model. This creates the need for more rigor with the value proposition. However, new technologies are sanding down these industry-specific barriers.
“Just 10 years ago, space was the exclusive province of governments and large contractors,” explains Sunil Nagaraj, vice president of Bessemer Venture Partners. “Due to standardization such as the CubeSat format as well as cost reductions driven by the consumer electronics industry, satellites can now be built and launched for $200,000 to $400,000. Zooming out, a space startup can now build and launch a constellation of SmallSats for about the same amount of capital that a tech startup can build and launch a mobile app — that’s an absolutely amazing fact!”
Bessemer Venture Partners, the first institutional investor in Yelp, has invested in companies including LinkedIn, Skype and Twitch. In the space industry, the venture capital firm invested in Skybox Imaging back in 2011, which sold to Google for around $500 million in 2015 — a deal that still reverberates throughout the industry to this day. Other Bessemer space industry investments include Spire and Rocket Lab. Nagaraj focuses on developer tools and security company investments, and following the Google-Skybox deal, he took the helm for Bessemer’s space investment practice.
Nagaraj points to Skybox Imaging, since renamed Terra Bella, as demonstrative of other parallels between the space industry and typical technology investing. He says Bessemer invested an amount of capital that was on par with any normal tech company, and that the Skybox exit took place in only four years — faster than the average five to seven years expected in tech investing.
3. Don’t Depend on the Government
Governments often require space services, and if they don’t conduct them on their own, they tend to look to the private sector to meet those needs. While governments can be a meaningful source of revenue for space companies, and even startups, investors are cautious of anyone whose business plans depend on such customers. Leaning heavily on the government is an attribute of companies that typically fall outside the purview of early stage investors.
“Conventional aerospace companies, because of the fixed-cost issue, tend to be typically government or contract-based companies, and as a result of that, they typically do not fit within the conventional venture model. The conventional venture model is you invest a given amount of capital and create vastly disproportionate enterprise value as a result,” says Farshchi. “This is why you see aerospace companies, contractors and satellite manufacturers who are billion-dollar companies, but they are not worth disproportionately more than their cash flow.”
Landon says traditional aerospace companies tend to rely on big, established markets and customers that often include government. Big aerospace companies are more systematic, he says, and less willing to chase after big ideas in the face of limited resources. This difference is in part how “NewSpace” companies are often separated from the fold. Though sometimes a divisive term, there are differences between how these companies pursue business against their peers.
“There is a reason we use the moniker ‘NewSpace,’” explains Nagaraj. “It denotes an approach to space that is faster, cheaper, and more risk-tolerant. I don’t love the phrase ‘OldSpace,’ but I do think that the bulk of the space industry has a more traditional approach,” he says, adding that there is good reason for this difference in approach. Mentioning governments, contractors, and large satellite operators, Nagaraj says that these entities usually launch one space asset at a time, with each taking years to design, requiring high-cost, hardened parts, with a very low likelihood of failure. He describes this model as “internally consistent” but cumbersome due to its need for several years and hundreds of millions of dollars to put an asset on orbit.
“NewSpace represents a complete rethink of the approach where cheap parts are used in low-cost satellites that may individually fail but are part of a high-availability constellation. This is another internally consistent model and we are just starting [to see] its successes where the overall constellation can be cheaper and more effective. Furthermore, capital can be slowly doled out over time while the approach is tweaked versus a traditional space model that requires a massive capital commitment upfront,” he says.
This does not at all mean government is not helpful to space entrepreneurs. Porteous says the industry’s relationship with government has been a major help in overcoming industry-specific challenges, like access to space, particularly for the companies RRE Ventures has invested in.
“Government agencies have been among the earliest supportive customers and partners, and through partnerships with government agencies, these companies are doing advanced technology development that they frankly would not be able to fund otherwise. They are getting new capabilities on orbit sooner — that’s true for Accion, Spire and BlackSky because of partnerships with the government,” he says.
Farshchi agrees, adding that government can be a huge help by guaranteeing some of the revenue or taking risks that private entities might not take, like trialing new launch vehicles. The risk is for entrepreneurs to get hooked on government solicitations; it’s up to wise entrepreneurs to avoid this pitfall, he says.
4. Learn from Others
Many early-stage investors putting financial resources into the satellite industry invest in multiple other fields too. Farshchi says it is more common to meet people in highly technical fields like aerospace that don’t know their limitations nor do they know where to look to find advice. Nescient entrepreneurs who “don’t know what they don’t know,” and who “don’t recognize where they need help,” are his two biggest warning signs that would discourage investing.
Farshchi says these entrepreneurs should look to learn from entrepreneurs who have built venture-backed companies that don’t involve cutting-edge technology. Pointing to fields like mobile, social or enterprise, he says learning from experts can help nascent space companies understand the basic fundamentals of business.
“These entrepreneurs tend to have a lot more interaction with each other, whereas aerospace tends to be very small and confined to entrepreneurs who are accustomed to the government contract funded research process. I think if these two got to know each other better … there is a lot that can be benefited there,” suggests Farshchi.
Should entrepreneurs from the space sector branch out to meet these other industries, they would learn that what is occurring today in space is not an isolated phenomenon.
“There are really big enterprise software companies that are being disrupted by Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies,” says Landon. “So NewSpace companies are like the software as a service version of that. This is not unique to space, it’s just the startup philosophy being applied to yet another industry — and that’s good for the space industry.”
5. Some of You Will Fail
The reason entrepreneurs are celebrated is because of their courage, boldness, and willingness to accept the very real outcome of creating a company that does not ultimately succeed.
The causes for failure can be subtle or obvious. Before joining Lux Capital, Farshchi started a company around an $800 medical device capable of monitoring vital signs for hospitals to track patients as they moved around. Hospitals showed interest, but could not buy anything in volume, or pay much, and were furthermore not ready to pay, which made for a poor customer to a fledgling company.
“There are many amazing technologies that aren’t necessarily good products. There are many good products that don’t necessarily underlie great businesses, and there are many businesses that aren’t necessarily attractive investments. What I learned was having built an amazing technology that customers wanted, I was able to build a product that was attractive, but the business that we built around it wasn’t successful,” he says.
Entrepreneurs may also struggle to gain the financial support they need for new technologies or businesses, even when there is potential, if the investors they talk to have different goals. Porteous says, for example, that startups focusing on component-level technologies are challenging to fund, despite having good ideas, just because of the size of their addressable customer base.
“To achieve our rates of return and our overall objective in terms of business growth trajectories and impact, we need large markets and there are only a few within the space industry that we can really go after. We have turned down people doing really important, innovative work — people we like a lot, I should add, as entrepreneurs — because the market opportunity they are focused on we just think is not that big.”
Nagaraj says he has met with more than 150 different space startups over the past 24 months, which to date has resulted in two investments. Having also founded a tech company, and being very enthusiastic about space, he encourages those weighed down by the challenge of starting a company to do their best to make sure they are bringing something the market will crave.
“For entrepreneurs who are struggling to raise money, I would humbly recommend that they focus on their number one priority: customers,” he says. “If they can spend more time with current and prospective customers, they can hone their product or approach further. Armed with more concrete customer input and signals of real customer demand, I believe investor meetings will be more fruitful.”
6. Investors do See Real Promise in NewSpace
Though starting a space business is a rigorous and challenging process, many early stage investors expect investment activity to continue to climb over the coming years, spurred on by a growing number of success stories.
“We are at the beginning of an exciting new phase of commercial space,” says Nagaraj. “The ecosystem is primed and ready for a massive amount of growth in applications for commercial space ranging from remote sensing, microgravity production of materials, communications, and more. The NewSpace segment is smartly borrowing best practices from the tech industry and I expect that it will benefit tremendously.”
Richard Rocket, co-founder and CEO of NewSpace Global, a research firm covering the burgeoning space industry, expects the momentum to reach a fever pitch in a decade’s time.
"When NSG started in 2011 we were tracking around 100 companies — a mix of publicly traded and privately held,” he says. “Today we are tracking over 1,000 companies globally. We will get to 10,000 companies in the next 10 years. Every single company that’s in the satellite and launch market — regardless of size, whether or not they are public or privately held, if they are based in Seattle, Denver, or Nigeria, it doesn’t make a difference — everything is going to be flipped upside down in the next 10 years."
Space sector private investment reached a high water mark in 2015, Porteous says, because of the $1 billion SpaceX investment from Google and Fidelity. Excluding this investment, he expects a “reasonable uptick” going forward. In particular, Porteous highlights new businesses that rise from the influx of data and the new needs of today’s young satellite companies as a major catalyst for investors of the future.
“What nobody is counting on is that there is an entire community of experienced space and particularly satellite investors that is downstream from where these companies are today. Satellite investing historically has been a lot riskier than it’s going to be going forward,” he says. VS


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The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Rivian Automotive, Inc. (“Rivian” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: RIVN) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) issued in connection with the Company’s November 2021 initial public offering (“IPO” or the “Offering”). Rivian investors have until May 6, 2022 to file a lead plaintiff motion.
On November 10, 2021, Rivian conducted its initial public offering (“IPO”), selling 153 million shares of common stock for $78.00 per share.
On March 1, 2022, Rivian announced that it was raising the prices of its R1T pickup by 17% and its R1S SUV by 20%, and that the new prices would apply to nearly all preorders. At the time of the announcement, Rivian had only produced and sold roughly 1,000 vehicles while the number of preorders for the R1T and R1S had grown to approximately 71,000 as of December 15, 2021. The Company’s chief growth officer explained that the price increase was due to “inflationary pressure, increasing component costs, and unprecedented supply chain shortages and delays for parts.”
Then, on March 2, 2022, ARS Technica published an article stating that “[w]hile inflation is likely part of the story, the price hike may have been planned for a while,” citing a lawsuit by Rivian’s former VP of sales and marketing alleging that “concerns over profitability were raised in spring 2021.”
On this news, Rivian’s stock fell $8.41, or 13.5%, to close at $53.56 per share on March 2, 2022, thereby injuring investors.
Then, on March 3, 2022, Rivian’s CEO apologized to customers and stated that the Company would honor original prices for preorders placed prior to the price increase announcement. But an article by The Wall Street Journal reported that some customers who had cancelled their orders did not reinstate them “[e]ven after learning that [their] original price would be honored.”
On this news, Rivian’s stock price fell $2.65 and currently trades significantly below the IPO price.
The complaint filed alleges that the Registration Statement made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, the Registration Statement failed to disclose: (i) that Rivian had underpriced the R1T and R1S to such a degree that Rivian would be forced to raise prices shortly after the IPO; (ii) the potential for significant reputational damage and cancellation of fully refundable preorders for the R1T and R1S that would result from Company’s need to address its underpriced EVs by raising prices shortly after the IPO; and (iii) as a result, Defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.
If you purchased Rivian securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than May 6, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday made available a new application programming interface that allows third-party mobile app developers to integrate the drug store chain’s prescription refill technology. Developers who have scanning functionality within their apps can easily integrate the API to enable their users to order a prescription refill by scanning the bar code on a Walgreens prescription bottle.
“People continue to become increasingly engaged with their mobile devices and use the technology to help make their day-to-day lives easier,” stated Abhi Dhar, Walgreens e-commerce chief technology officer. “By incorporating the Walgreens Prescription API, mobile app developers are providing users with an easy way to refill prescriptions and help them properly take their medication.”
The Walgreens Prescription API has been adopted by several app developers, including Healthspek and PocketPharmacist. “Walgreens' leadership position in technology and consumer empowerment fits perfectly with Healthspek's message to consumers ‘Own Your Chart!’,” noted Randy Farr, president of Healthspek.
"We believe this adds to our goal of helping people better understand and manage their medications [on PocketPharamcist]," added Michael Guren, CEO of Danike, creator of the PocketPharmacist app.
The Walgreens Prescription API marks the first time such technology is available for adoption among mobile app developers who focus on health and wellness, and it is the second API program offered by Walgreens. Last year, Walgreens launched its QuickPrints SDK and API, which provided third-party developers with the ability to integrate in-store photo services for its users.


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There is a sufficient quantity of food reserves in the Czech Republic, with food processors having prepared plans and supply routes secured, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has asked Czechs to stop panic buying in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Agriculture Ministry stressing that people do not need to horde food. However, in some goods, such as pork, self-sufficiency is not present, the Czech News Agency reports.
As the number of COVID-19 infections continues to rise in Europe, the Czech government is increasing precautions. At a press briefing on Thursday Health Minister Adam Vojtěch stressed that as of yet there are no confirmed cases of the virus in the Czech Republic and urged citizens not to give way to panic.
Nearly 80 percent of Czechs consider the dual quality of food in European stores a problem. A study carried out by the KPMG agency suggests that roughly every seventh Czech consumer prefers to buy certain products abroad and nearly one third of them refrain from buying certain products due to the dual quality issue.
Czech agricultural authorities plan to give permits to farmers to use
Stutox II, a rat poison, to combat an infestation of voles in fields,
orchards, meadows and vineyards.
Last summer, the Ministry of Agriculture put a ban on the poison’s blanket use after the Ministry of Environment warned it poses a threat to birds and other animals, including pets.
Now, only areas with five times the so-called harmful threshold of voles can apply for permits to use Stutox II. The authorities expect the first permits will be issued by late February.
Consumer prices rose on average by 2.8 percent last year, the highest annual increase since 2012, according to data released by the Czech Statistics Agency on Monday. The most influential factor on the rise of inflation was the growth in housing prices, the head of the agency’s Consumer Prices Statistics Unit Pavla Šedivá told news site iHNed.cz. Another factor was the rise in food prices, and rents. Meanwhile, clothing and shoe prices had a downward trend.
Czech agricultural turnover exceeded CZK 19.4 billion last year,
discounting EU subsidies, according to preliminary data of the Institute of
Agricultural Economics and Information, released on Thursday.
Agricultural production in 2018 rose by 9.1 billion crowns to over CZK 151 billion, while expenditures increased by CZK six billion to 175 billion.
According to the head of the Agrarian Chamber, Zdeněk Jandejsek, EU subsidies account for up to 25 percent of the country’s overall agricultural production.
The European Commission is seeking the return of CZK 1.6 billion paid out
in agricultural subsidies to the Czech Republic, iRozhlas.cz reported on
Thursday. The penalty is based on an audit carried out three years ago
aimed at establishing whether the funding was actually being used by
farmers under the “active farmer” concept.
The European Commission says the Czech Ministry of Agriculture failed to keep sufficient tabs on how the subsidies were being allocated.
The Ministry of Agriculture disputes the findings of the EU audit and wishes to contest the amount set. It will therefore request a conciliation procedure, iRozhlas.cz said.
Czechs will have to pay more for spirits and tobacco products in 2020.
Under a tax amendment approved by Parliament in December the excise tax on tobacco and cigarettes will go up by 10 percent in 2020, while that on spirits by 13 percent.
Certain forms of gambling will also see a tax increase from 23 to 25 percent.
While the ministry expects the price of a packet of cigarettes to rise by around five crowns next year, tobacco companies say consumers are likely to pay an extra 12 or 13 crowns.
Czech researchers develop top-grade respirator for 3D printing
“I am taking it minute by minute” – Foreigners in the Czech Republic on quarantine and being cut off from their families
A mask-tree as a form of solidarity
Why Chinese masks destined for Italy were seized (not ‘stolen’) by Czech authorities
Coronavirus: Czech scientists focus on role proteins play in spreading COVID-19


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A man was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon at Oakwood Center Mall near Gretna amid the crush of last-minute Christmas shopping, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities quickly apprehended a man suspected in the shooting that they said was a planned attack.
Gary M. François, 25, of Marrero, was taken into custody after being chased to Cherry Blossom Lane and Wright Avenue by someone believed to be an off-duty law enforcement officer, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told reporters.
At least three shots were fired in the incident, which occurred in the Foot Locker store about 4 p.m. shortly after James Vaughn, 24, of Harvey, made a purchase there.
Col. John Fortunato, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said that homicide investigators believe François targeted Vaughn.
Surveillance footage from outside of the store shows François standing outside of the business waiting for Vaughn to finish making his purchase, Fortunato said.
After he made the purchase, François walked into the store holding a gun and began to fire at Vaughn.
François was then seen running from the store into a neighboring shop before running outside to a parking lot, Fortunato said.
Shoppers were asked to leave the mall after the shooting; a traffic jam ensued as panicked shoppers left the mall en masse.
Normand praised mall security for preserving order after the gunshots created “bedlam” at the mall.
François has prior arrests for aggravated battery, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, simple criminal damage and simple battery, among other charges, Fortunato said.
Staff writers Gordon Russell and Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed to this report. Follow Danny Monteverde on Twitter, @DCMonteverde.


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It’s always a risk to keep your smartphone naked. Why not take a look at the best Nexus 5X cases and covers, and see if you can find something that will suit your style and protect your new Android smartphone?
Leading the rest of the world, the Netherlands is now ready for the Internet of Things with nationwide Long Range (LoRa) wireless network coverage. Initial projects include baggage handling, railway switches, and harbor depth sounders.
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems is turning some heads with its robot warship, the Seagull. In a military first, the vessel this week successfully fired a lightweight torpedo via its remote Mission Control System (MCS).
Huawei president He Gang shot down earlier rumors of lowered targets, saying the company will definitely ship 140 million phones in 2016. It shipped over 100 million in 2015, becoming the third-largest phone maker in the world.
Catalyst Lifestyle, manufacturers of waterproof cases for the iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, debuted a few new models at CE Week 2016 in New York City. One, the Limited Edition line for the Apple Watch 42mm, features "premium…
Inspired by accident when a photo flash reflection obscured his friends' faces, Saif Siddiqui now creates fashionable privacy accessories. Those who don't want photographers recording their every movement can now get relief.
Great ideas fail everyday, so when a seemingly silly Kickstarter campaign earns twice it’s goal in the first 24 hours, we take note. Meet the Basslet, a wearable subwoofer the promises to deliver bass deep into your body and soul.
Some drone owners seem unable to resist flying their remotely controlled copters in places they really shouldn't. Take wildfires. The aerial footage may be dramatic, but the risk to air crews fighting the blazes is enormous.
Facebook has launched a set of tools that allow you to raise money from your friends to donate to a registered non-profit charity of your choice. The feature will be rolled out to all U.S. users over the coming weeks.


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Earnings season begins in earnest this week, with profits in a real decline for the first time in six years. Big players to report include JPMorgan, American Express, Intel, and Johnson & Johnson. (CNBC)
The World Bank trimmed its 2015-2016 growth forecast for developing East Asia, citing a continued slowdown China, where exports surprisingly tumbled in March ahead of first quarter growth figures due on Wednesday. Chinese exports tumbled 14.6% from the year-ago. (CNBC)
Sears has struck a 50/50 joint venture with Simon Property Group designed to unlock the real estate value in the 10 properties the retailer will contribute. This follows a similar deal with another mall operator, General Growth Properties, earlier this month. Sears is struggling to survive after three years of big losses. (WSJ)
In the online world of media piracy can have a big impact. Game of Thrones is already the most pirated television show in 2015, research shows, as new episodes were leaked over the weekend ahead of Sunday's official fifth season debut on Time Warner's HBO. (CNBC)
The S&P 500 is down 2 and the NASDAQ is up 2.
In the oil patch there are tentative signs of demand improving and rig counts fell to the lowest level since 2010. On the other hand U.S. inventories are swelling and Saudi Arabian output marked a record high last month. Oil is up 76 cents at $52.48 a barrel. (Reuters)


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The world's most powerful and influential people fast-fashion giant zara, the company's biggest brand e-commerce company's $25 billion initial. Smedley has confirmed to the market that asia will play a substantial role in expansion opportunities for mayne nickless, and that big savings and efficiencies will be made by using e-commerce in the health-care business. That's a key reason that aliexpress, a subsidiary of leading b2b e-commerce website alibabacom, last week announced a new online sales channel that can help chinese companies get exposure to global markets without making major investments. Yum china, which operates several major fast-food brands in china including kfc, pizza hut and taco bell, teamed up with chinese mobile payments firm alipay - started by e-commerce giant alibaba. Hottest global brands chinese fast-fashion giant vancl wields e-commerce savvy clothing retailer turns youthful consumers' love of fashion and photography into word-of-mouth marketing.
Control over product distribution is viewed as a strength by stylists and fashion houses who come to luxottica to produce their eyewear collections and access the group's global and widespread distribution network. Vancl, an online fashion retailer, was the first of the current flock of e-commerce unicorns to be crowned, in december 2010 catering to young and budget-conscious shoppers, the company's early. In late february payfort - a middle-east-based subsidiary of online retailing giant amazon - announced that it was the first non-saudi e-commerce company to obtain an operating licence in the country, building on the firm's activities in egypt, jordan, lebanon, qatar and the uae.
An internet giant 6 e-shopping on the rise 6 catching the e-commerce wave 14 fast penetration into all categories 14 the world s next e-commerce superpower. Web2asia digital pulse is a daily china e-commerce & digital media publication fast-fashion retailers expanded at a faster rate than luxury retailers in china. Can china's e-commerce companies like jingdong mall and vancl replicate their success in international markets just a few weeks before stepping down, jack ma, the founder and former ceo of chinese e-commerce giant alibaba, addressed the students of stanford university while talking of his humble. Vancl china private vancl is gfg is dedicated to bringing fashion online in emerging markets and offers brands the chance to enter the fashion e-commerce sector.
Chinese e-commerce giant alibaba announced on june 18 its 145 yen ($118 million) investment in softbank robotics holdings (sbrh), a company that was previously owned by softbank and recently launched pepper, the world's first robot of emotional capability, as reported by china daily on thursday. Vancl, a chinese ecommerce clothes retailer, is almost a forgotten name it used to have a 45% market share in 2011, but its dream of ipo lie in ashes—how did the once mighty retailer become china's diaosi (loser) brand. Daily updated e-commerce news and ideas for the online business the chinese e-commerce market growth has been mainly self-contained, fueled and satiated by. In true hollywood fashion, cross-border investments, e-commerce, agriculture and infrastructure but mulvaney wields plenty of influence in driving the. (p b1) hong kong -- alibaba's co-founder and executive chairman, jack ma, said he planned to step down from the chinese e-commerce giant on monday to pursue philanthropy in education, a changing of the guard for the $420 billion internet company.
But do you know about single day sales on 11th november 2014 of the chinese e-commerce giant alibaba group vanclcom vancl is fashion and clothing retail. China's leading online search giant is in trouble vancl is one of china's most popular fast fashion brands china's e-commerce web sites, and chinese social. Beijing (ap) - the e-commerce billionaire who was arrested and released by minneapolis police is a prominent member of a chinese tech elite who enjoy the. With the fast growing chinese online shopping market, dangdang is already a widely know e-commerce brand in china in may, beijing eye produced a tv-commercial for dangdang for its special summer sale.
Last night's officiating travesty wasn't just about the 2 missed calls in ot lbj/battier/wade were reffed differently than pierce period. Zara, the flagship brand of spanish retail giant inditex, plans to launch its chinese e-commerce platform in early september according to the president of the company, the online store is vital to the company's further expansion in china. A giant panda, china's most famous china's e-commerce industry has various forms of traditional chinese art, literature, music, film, fashion and.
Fast forward to the end of 2013: with chinese internet users quickly approaching 600 million4 'e-commerce giant will not list on hong kong exchange. The second-richest person in china, alibaba founder and ceo jack ma broke records with the e-commerce company's $25 billion initial public offering in 2014 — the world's largest ever.
Among those investing in xiaomi is a private equity group linked to jack ma, the boss of chinese e-commerce giant alibaba, which recently floated on the new york stock exchange. Velvet is leveraging its team of chinese, english and french copywriters based in shanghai to deliver the latest news around china social media, mobile, e-commerce, startups and new trends technode (formerly known as mobinode) is the leading tech blog uncovering the latest news on start-up entrepreneurs, investors, large companies and industry. Ecommerce for the start-up fashion in china chinese e-commerce goliaths like taobao the chinese giant e-commerce feels grow wings and suggests an ipo on wall.


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A global pandemic didn’t slow the demand for luxury homes in Texas in 2020.
The number of homes in the state that sold for $1 million or more from November 2019 to October 2020 jumped by 23.5% , according to an annual report from the Texas Realtors industry association.
The 2020 Texas Luxury Home Sales Report, which examines housing statistics for luxury homes in the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio metropolitan areas, determined buyers closed on 6,347 luxury homes totaling over $10.3 billion in sales during the 12-month period ending in November. Up 23.8% from the previous year, the total accounted for 8.8% of the state’s total home sales volume.
“One reason we’ve seen strong growth in luxury home sales despite the pandemic is that mortgage rates are so low,” Marvin Jolly, chairman Texas Realtors, said in a release. “Buyers of high-end properties are finding they can buy more for their money, particularly when compared to many real estate markets in New York, California and other pricier areas.”
Texas Realtors reported the median price for luxury homes in Texas for the first 10 months of 2020 was $1.36 million, 0.7% less than the previous year. The average price per square foot for luxury homes increased 3.5% to $361, which was considerably more than the $139 average price per square foot for all residential Texas homes in 2020.
From January to October 2020, Texas Realtors reported that luxury homes in Texas spent an average of 86 days on the market, a decrease of one day from the same time frame in 2019. On average, luxury homes spend more time on the market than lower-priced homes, Texas Realtors said.
The Houston metropolitan area saw buyers close on 1,849 luxury homes totaling $2.9 billion during the year-long period ending in November -- a 7.8 percent year-over-year increase, Texas Realtors reported.
More than 5,000 properties priced at $1 million or more were listed in the area between November 2019 and October 2020 and, as of October 2020, the area market had a 10.3-month supply of luxury homes.
“Buyers in the market for homes priced at $1 million and above will continue to have a good selection in most areas of Texas,” Jolly said.


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Text us your news! Start your message Warrington News and send any photos or videos to 80360
Vote for who you think should win a Warrington Market stall for a year
11:00am Thursday 23rd August 2012 in News
WARRINGTON Market is set to get a new trader offering something different for shoppers – and you get to decide what it should be.
The three finalists have been selected by market bosses and each one promises to bring a unique stall to the centre.
Steve Pickering, market manager, said: “We are delighted with the number of entries from people wishing to start up a new business. There are certainly a lot of budding entrepreneurs in Warrington that recognise the market as the ideal place to trial a new idea.
“The judges had a difficult task selecting the finalists and are confident the three proposed businesses going forward to the public vote have identified a ‘gap in the market’.
“The idea of members of the public voting for their favourite product is a valuable form of market research and will give the winner great encouragement and confidence to start their new venture.”
- Dave Hughes, Welly Envy CALL 0901 151 0274
WELLY Envy would be the first choice for all your festival needs.
Dave Hughes, a 33-year-old from Stockton Heath, wants to become Warrington Market’s first festival specialist with a ‘big, funky range of the baddest rubber boots in town’.
He said: “We should win this competition because we want to bring something trendy and really fresh to Warrington Market. This concept will appeal to a younger demographic and attract them into the market as a destination stall.
“We’re really keen to set up a new business in the area, challenge ourselves to bring to life our idea and help the new-look Warrington Market grow.”
- Laura Rowan, gluten free bakery CALL 0901 151 0275
TASTE comes first for this idea.
Laura Rowan, aged 23, has coeliac disease which means she cannot eat gluten – which is found in wheat used in everyday items like bread and pasta.
It is always a struggle when she goes out and ends up taking her own picnic whereever she goes.
Laura, from Prescot, added: “Gluten free food also known as ‘free from’ isn’t just for people with allergies, it’s much healthier too.
“When I make gluten free food for friends and family, they don’t even realise but they always comment on how good it is.”
- Michele Kennedy, vegetarian food CALL 0901 151 0276
CATERING for the tastes of vegetarians is at the heart of Michele Kennedy’s plans for her stall.
She said: “On looking around Warrington Market and the town as a whole, there seems to be a distinct lack of vegetarian and healthy food outlets.
“My proposal would be to offer homemade vegetarian soups and sandwiches and of course, regular food for non-vegetarians. The soups will only be made with fresh ingredients and be both inventive and tasty.
“We would provide limited ‘counter’ seating for any person who would like to eat their food inside the outlet.”


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Yahoo has admitted yet another cyber attack but this time one billion user accounts may have been affected.
The hack dates back to 2013 and the scale makes it the largest breach in history.
The internet giant says names, phone numbers, passwords and email addresses were stolen, but not bank and payment data.
Last September Yahoo disclosed a 2014 breach affecting 500 million users which it blamed on hackers working on behalf of a government.
IT HAPPENED AGAIN: Yahoo says a billion user accounts were stolen in possibly the biggest hack of all time https://t.co/qLZ5EUWyTO— deray mckesson (@deray) December 14, 2016
The news is a further blow to CEO Marissa Mayer who joined Yahoo in 2012 charged with bringing the company into the smartphone era. However experts say this second breach points to a pattern of serious failures.
Mayer is currently negotiating the sale of Yahoo’s core business to Verizon Communications.
Following the 2014 attack Verizon allegedly devalued Yahoo by one billion dollars. This latest disclosure raises fresh questions about its $4.8bn offer and whether the US mobile carrier will abandon its bid altogether.


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Chennai, Feb 8 (IANS) The Pune-based Garware Motors Ltd Tuesday said it was looking to sell around 2,000 units of Hyosung’s super bikes in its first year.
“We will start accepting bookings for the two models in March and start deliveries in April. We plan to sell around 2,000 units in the first year,” the firm’s managing director Diya Garware Ibanez told reporters here.
Garware Motors has tied up with South Korean company S&T Motors to assemble and sell Hyosung brand super bikes and would soon launch two models GT650R and ST7.
She said GT650R bike will be priced at sub-Rs.550,000 and ST7 will be sold at sub-Rs.600,000.
The company plans to have 10 dealers across the country.
According to Ibanez, the company has invested around Rs.20 crore in the assembly plant near Pune. The plant can assemble around 10 bikes a day imported in a completely knocked down (CKD) condition.


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American multinational conglomerate, Facebook has joined the list of companies valued over a trillion dollars as of today’s market close. The company’s market cap is sitting at $1.008 trillion according to Yahoo Finance, putting it over the mark for the first time in its history. The social media company is the fifth U.S. company to hit the milestone, joining Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google-parent company Alphabet. The company’s shares closed up 4.2% at $355.64 after a favourable legal ruling that dismissed an antitrust complaint brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general.
Facebook gets a majority of its revenue from personalized advertisements across its platforms. Some of the most notable of Facebook’s divisions are the Facebook site itself, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Aside from the popular social media divisions, the company also has a burgeoning hardware business where it is building products like the Portal video-calling device, Oculus virtual-reality headsets and smart glasses, which are set to be released sometime in 2021.
The company who held its initial public offering in May 2012, debuting with a market cap of $104 billion is now the only company founded in the 2000s to reach such a milestone, hence making it the newest — as long as you’re counting from the date that Google was started (which was in 1998), instead of Alphabet (which was created 2015).


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A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) plan to ban most electronic devices on cruise ships as a way to prevent a “catastrophic” cyberattack.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had asked a federal judge to keep the restrictions in place while the agency studies the potential impact on the spread of infectious disease. The CDC had asked the judge to immediately place the restrictions on ships.
If you spend any time on the Internet, you’ve probably seen the so-called “CDC cruise ban” that went into effect this week. As some have pointed out, it’s not an actual law or regulation, but a memo by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that is voluntary and might not even apply to cruises in the first place. Last week, we asked the CDC to comment on the ban and whether it is an actual regulation or not, but they have not responded.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) plea to postpone the lifting of health and safety regulations on the cruise industry was denied by a federal court.
(Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
The ruling implies that, as of July 18, the CDC’s ‘Conditional Sailing Order,’ which governs how and when cruise ships may return to service, would become non-binding suggestions rather than obligatory regulations.
In April, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis filed a lawsuit alleging that the CDC was unjustly targeting the cruise industry with regulations that did not apply to other companies, delaying the sector’s recovery, putting people out of work, and reducing tax income.
Cruise ships, according to the CDC, may contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States and ports of call if they are not regulated. It defended its health and safety policies and procedures, claiming that they were created in cooperation with cruise lines.
READ: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Future Cruise Credits
The appeal filing on behalf of the CDC said, “It does not shut down the cruise industry, but rather offers a reasonable, flexible framework for reopening, based on the greatest available scientific data.”
Judge Steven Merryday ruled in favor of the state three weeks ago, issuing a preliminary injunction barring the CDC from enforcing its restrictions on ships entering or leaving from a Florida port after July 18.
The CDC’s lawyers filed an appeal and requested for the injunction to be lifted during the appeals process, but Judge Merryday flatly refused, accusing the federal agency of overreach.
Merryday wrote in large letters and bold print, “CDC’s request for a stay – a stay that would help to prolong the unjustified, unprecedented, and harmful use of governmental authority by one person, the Director of CDC — is DENIED.”
The court had some harsh words for the health department as well:
“Although the CDC invariably embellishes the argument with dire predictions of COVID-19 ‘transmission’ aboard a cruise ship, these dark allusions dismiss state and local health authorities, the cruise industry’s self-regulation, and the thorough and costly preparations and accommodations by all parties involved to avoid ‘transmission’ and to confine and control the ‘transmission,’ if one occurs,” Merryday wrote.
“In other words, CDC cannot demonstrate that any reason outweighs the necessity to end an unjustified and unprecedented use of state power.”
While the legal battle is ongoing, a limited number of ships, notably those from Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean, have previously sailed from Florida ports under the CDC’s regulations.
READ NEXT: Day 1 of the Carnival Horizon Cruise: Carnival Cruising is Back
On March 13, U.S. District Judge Vinson C. Bangs of the Southern District of Mississippi denied a motion by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stay his February 28 issuance of summary judgment in favor of Carnival Cruise Lines, which challenged the CDC’s regulation of certain infectious disease prevention measures on cruise ships.. Read more about cdc denied and let us know what you think.
This article broadly covered the following related topics:
- norfolk cruise terminal parking
- judge denies cdc cruise
- judge denies cdc appeal
- cdc guidelines for cruises 2021
- cdc cruise guidelines


text: Specialty tea retailer Teavana (TEA), which has recently agreed to be acquired for $620M or $15.50 per share by Starbucks (SBUX), is sliding after a firm with a disclosed short position said the deal could be jeopardized by allegations of consumer fraud at Teavana. Glaucus Research Group claimed in a note to investors earlier today that independent laboratory tests it had commissioned indicated that Teavana's teas contain pesticides in amounts that exceed regulatory limits set by the U.S. and European Union. According to Glaucus, Teavana's marketing practices violate federal and state laws against deceptive marketing and the firm believes Starbucks is likely to walk away from the agreed upon deal once the "inevitable" lawsuits against Teavana begin. Glaucus disclosed in its note, "We are short sellers. We are biased...(But) just because we are biased does not mean that we are wrong." In mid-morning trading, shares of Teavana slid 53c, or 3.43%, to $14.90.


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NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. — As COVID-19 continues to affect the global lobster market, Cape Breton fishermen and buyers say the virus is causing added stress.
The lobster fishing season will begin in area 26B and 27 on Friday, but the uncertainty of the world market has left many wondering what the season will hold for them.
“The world market has collapsed, things are opening a little bit, so we’re seeing a little bit of hope,” said Marlene Brogan of Ballast Ground Fisheries in North Sydney.
“Should the second wave of this virus hit, we don’t know where it’s going to leave us, so it’s concerning.”
For the past six weeks, Brogan has had numerous conference calls with processors, fish organizations, fish harvesters and buyers from the local area, all hoping to receive further guidance from the federal government.
“The federal fisheries minister (Bernadette Jordan) has not offered anything to the fishers,” said Brogan.
“We have been putting everything out there that we know that we foresee as problems and issues – the fish organizations have done up letters and sent them to the minster, telling the government we need them to look at the industry and give us some hope.”
Ballast Ground Fisheries has 18 boats at the North Sydney wharf. The business hopes it doesn’t have to put a quota on fishermen this season.
“If we all go fishing (and) the market collapses in two weeks and it can’t handle anymore, and different countries have a rise in the virus forcing things to shut down, where does that leave fishermen, their deckhands and my employees?” said Brogan.
“We’re like a broker for the fishermen. If we’re not here to advocate for them and try to find markets, what are they going to do with their lobsters?”
Brogan, whose business will mark its 21st year this season, doesn’t think she’ll be forced to set a quota on lobster, but couldn’t say for sure.
“I have secured some of my buyers, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty,” said Brogan. “What if COVID-19 broke out with one of these buyers I’m selling to… there goes that buy, it’s concerning.”
Along with selling product in New Brunswick and other parts of Nova Scotia, Brogan also operates as a retail shop at the North Sydney Wharf, however, that too will be challenging this year.
Brogan said because of guidelines set by regional small craft and harbours, aside from provincial standards, authorized personnel are only allowed at the wharf, meaning customers can’t physically enter the business.
“It’s very challenging for us as a retail outlet,” she said, noting the retail aspect of the business has grown over the years.
“We have to take an order from our customer and bring it up to the gate, so we’re going to lose a lot of customers – my customers like to come into the building.”
Despite the challenge, Brogan said phone and online orders will be accepted and the business will offer delivery service, which is something they’ve never done before, in an attempt to salvage its retail interest.
Brogan believes there should only be one set of rules – the provincial guidelines.
“I can follow the provincial guidelines, I can make sure there’s only one customer at a time while practicing social distancing, so it’s frustrating for me being here for 21 years and not being able to offer my retail.”
Meanwhile, Glace Bay fisherman Dan Munden has been fishing for more than 40 years, and like Brogan, doesn’t know what to expect as the season begins.
“We’re getting ready to go, but we don’t know anything about a price or if we’re going to have a catch limit. It’s questions we don’t know how to answer,” said Munden.
For the most part, Munden, who works the family-owned Munden’s Lobster at Glace Bay wharf, said fishermen usually have a general idea as to what to expect each season, but not this year.
“We always knew buyers were going to take our lobster and knew they were going to pay us somewhat of a price,” said Munden. “It’s unpredictable what’s happening – I don’t think there’s anyone who isn’t worried about this.”
When asked about the price for the season, Brogan said it’s hard to say right now because things change every hour, however, she expects to get a minimum of $5 a pound.
Lobster season in area 26B, which covers the west coast of Cape Breton, was originally scheduled to begin on April 30, however, it was delayed two weeks because of COVID-19. The season there will end on June 30.
As for area 27, the season will officially wrap up on July 15.


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UK-based finished vehicle services provider, Paragon Vehicle Services, has promoted its current director, Paul Bromley, to the role of managing director over its operations in the UK.
Bromley will continue to report to Stephen Hucklesby, chief executive of the Paragon Group.
“Paul’s promotion to managing director recognises his contribution to Paragon Group, and I know that our Vehicle Services operations will continue to grow under his leadership,” said Hucklesby.
Prior to his tenure at Paragon, Bromley headed vehicle logistics operations at Toyota in the UK for 21 years.
Paragon Vehicle Services handles over 500,000 vehicles from its sites in Chaul End, Portbury, Ellesmere Port, Burnaston, and at the port of Tyne.
At each site the company can provide services for the preparation, defleeting and remarketing of vehicles. It handles customs services and storage, along with volume processing, standard fitment of UK market required items and specialised vehicle conversions.
In total the business occupies 12 sites with 158 hectares of storage and 58,500 sq.m of vehicle processing facilities. Each year Paragon handles more than 750,000 vehicles, of which more than 460,000 are new.
It operates a fleet of 110 transporters and 150 single move drivers to ensure nationwide logistics coverage.


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Recipes From Hy-VeeEach Twin Cities Hy-Vee location has a dedicated in-store dietitian whose goal is to help customers lead easier, healthier, happier lives. Here are two recipes that incorporate Greek yogurt into your diet.
Hy-Vee Opens 6th Twin Cities Store In SavageSavage residents now have another place to buy groceries. On Tuesday, the Iowa-based grocery store chain Hy-Vee opened its sixth Twin Cities location in Savage.
Hy-Vee Fights Food Waste By Discounting 'Ugly' ProduceThe newest grocery chain to come to the Twin Cities, Hy-Vee, is already making a name for itself in the fight to end food waste.
Hy-Vee Issues Voluntary Candy RecallHy-Vee says some of their candy trays may have been contaminated with salmonella.
Which Online Grocery Delivery Service In The Twin Cities Is Best?Grocers have found a way to appeal to families on the go, and others who can't get to the store.
Demolition Of Historic Robbinsdale Theater Begins Despite AppealDemolition has begun on an historic Robbinsdale movie theater after a long fight to save it from redevelopment.
Robbinsdale Group Files Appeal After Ruling In Historic Theater CaseThe Friends of the Terrace Theater has filed an appeal on a recent ruling that denied their request of a restraining order preventing the theater's demolition.
Hy-Vee Opens In Eagan, Robbinsdale Location Still On HoldThere is now even more competition in the Twin Cities grocery wars. A fifth Hy-Vee opened in Eagan Monday morning near the corner of Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road.
Robbinsdale Group Files Lawsuit To Save Historic TheatreA group trying to a save a historic theatre in Robbinsdale has filed a lawsuit to stop crews from tearing it down.
Petition To Save Historic Theater Delays Robbinsdale Hy-VeeHy-Vee says it's delaying plans for a grocery store in suburban Minneapolis after a push to save a historic theater on the site.
Robbinsdale Hy-Vee Delayed Due To Terrace Mall RedevelopmentHy-Vee may not be expanding as fast as some Minnesotans were hoping. On Aug. 18, the city of Robbinsdale received word that the grocery store chain is delaying its decision to move forward with its role in the Terrace Mall redevelopment.
Hy-Vee Opens 3rd Twin Cities Store In LakevilleHy-Vee opened its third grocery store in the Twin Cities Tuesday. After opening locations in New Hope and Oakdale last year, the Iowa-based chain opened a store in Lakeville.


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FAST TRACK is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Chance Hill LTD that will see it develop their next online casino.
The new online casino is scheduled to launch in the second half of this year and will offer players popular casino titles on desktop as well as mobile devices with its main focus being towards European markets.
A representative from Chance Hill commented on the new agreement by saying that when they looked for a partner to create their new casino, they found FAST TRACK. He added that they came highly recommended and after speaking with them, they understood precisely what they wanted to achieve. He went on to say that they just knew that they were the right partner for them.
According to Simon Lidzen, the Chief Executive Officer of FAST TRACK they are delighted to partner with Chance Hill who are the perfect client for them to truly showcase what FAST TRACK is capable of. Lidzen also said that it is great to see such a fresh look on what gamification should look like in iGaming and they are looking forward to turning their vision into a reality.
FAST TRACK is a gaming technology and service provider that specializes in providing an online casino with a ready-for-operation casino site to anyone looking to build one.


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Nokia has revealed its plan to lay off an additional 10,000 employees worldwide due to worse-than-expected second quarter losses.
The Finnish phone maker’s announcement to shake off 10,000 jobs by the end of 2013 brings the planned job cuts to over 40,000 since Stephen Elop took over as chief executive officer. The company still scrambles its way in the smartphone market, where Samsung has overtaken it as the world’s top phone maker in terms of sales and shipments. Additional movement related to the job cuts includes restructuring charges of more or less €1bn by the end of next year.
Nokia also disclosed that some of its executives will exit the company effective July 1, namely Jerri DeVard, Mary McDowell and Niklas Savander.
“These planned reductions are a difficult consequence of the intended actions we believe we must take to ensure Nokia’s long-term competitive strength,” Elop said. “We intend to pursue an even more focused effort on Lumia, continued innovation around our feature phones, while placing increased emphasis on our location-based services.”
Carolina Milanesi, a consumer device analyst for Gartner, pointed out on the phone maker’s planned layoffs and staff reshuffling, and apparently remained confident about the company’s future, saying,
“Nokia continues its mutation into a slender more agile company by focusing on opportunities to differentiate such as imaging and maps.”
“In Nokia’s management reshuffle it’s great to see Chris Weber as VP of Sales & Marketing. Chris has done a great job in the US with Lumia. Mary McDowell is responsible for Nokia Asha – a great addition to Mobile Phones. Shame to see her go but Timo Toikkanen has solid background.”
After the announcement, Nokia added that its luxury phone division, Vertu, now belongs to EQT VI, a private equity firm, at an undisclosed amount.


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Apple’s 4th generation iPhone HD/iPhone 4G could be set to launch with a print magazine quality 960×640 in-plane switching (IPS), fringe-field switching (FFS) display, and a beefy 512MB of RAM according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the in hit-and-miss industry trade, Digitimes.
Rumors of a 960×640 display first surfaced back in March from Daring Fireball. Given Steve Jobs’ fondness for calligraphy and type and how much he’s pushed their aesthetics in the digital age finally shipping a display where the dots no longer come between content and eyes would no doubt appeal to him. IPS is the technology used in the new iMac and
iPad, FFS in HTC’s Legend, and they help increase viewing angles and display quality. Resolution and technology would combine to make iBooks on iPhone the most high density, high quality type experience yet.
Further, they report Apple will stick with the ARM Cortex A8 currently found in the iPhone 3GS and iPad A4 SoC, not the multicore Cortex A9, but they’ll be doubling the RAM to 512MB which should be especially useful for the new multitasking API found in iPhone OS 4.
Oh, and Foxconn will ship 24 million of them starting in June.


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Invest in the Intelligent Future: The Best AI Stock Market Leaders of 2023
Aug 28, 2023
The future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here, and it’s driving innovation in exciting new ways. In January 2023, ChatGPT reached a milestone with 100 million monthly users – an impressive feat for a platform that was only launched two months prior.
Generative AI, a branch of AI that is able to generate new and original content from existing data and prompts, has taken the world by storm. Many generative AI tools, such as Dall-E, Midjourney and more, have sparked curiosity with their remarkable capabilities, such as writing poetry, coding and creating visually stunning artwork.
Today, tech giants like Microsoft, Google and Facebook are investing heavily in AI research and development – which has made artificial intelligence stocks a hot commodity. But with so many companies to choose from, which ones should you invest in? In this article, we will explore some of the most promising and forward-thinking AI companies that are pushing boundaries in this new and exciting field.
- Generative AI, a branch of AI that creates original content from existing data and prompts, has become popular among users.
- The top AI leaders in 2023 feature a wide range of tech companies, each with their own strengths and unique approaches to artificial intelligence.
- When considering investing in AI stocks, it is important to conduct thorough research and due diligence.
Overview of the Best AI Stocks in 2023
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
Microsoft Corporation is an American technology company, one of the world’s largest software makers by revenue and one of the most valuable companies in the world. Microsoft is well-known for its Windows operating system, Office suite of productivity software, as well as its Xbox video game console. However, Microsoft’s focus in recent years has been on AI software and the integration of AI features across multiple products such as Azure, Edge, Office and Bing.
By partnering with OpenAI and providing it with a $10 billion investment following the launch of ChatGPT, Microsoft is positioning itself as an innovation leader in the AI market. The company is also leveraging AI to streamline industries such as healthcare and empowering customers with more efficient tools through Azure.
With strong earnings growth over the last five years and expected 13.5% EPS (Earnings Per Share) growth next year, the company is well-positioned for long-term success, signalling that Microsoft’s focus on AI is paying off.
Nvidia Corp (NVDA)
Nvidia Corporation is a leader in developing graphic processors, which are vital to the growth of the artificial intelligence industry. With its graphics processing units (GPUs), Nvidia provides the computing power and performance necessary for crucial phases of machine learning, such as large AI model training, data analysis, and other deep learning tasks.
The company has also seen rapid growth in its data centre business, providing strong financial support for its operations. Additionally, Nvidia’s professional visualisation segment has strong potential for future growth as graphics become increasingly essential to remote and virtual collaboration in the workplace.
All in all, Nvidia is well-positioned to continue leading the AI sector due to its current market dominance in the GPU industry. Over the past year, NVDA has been the best-performing AI stock, and while earnings growth in the last five years has been only 5%, analysts anticipate much greater yearly earnings growth over the next half-decade (and EPS growth by 34% next year).
Alphabet Inc (GOOGL)
Alphabet Inc is an American multinational conglomerate, most known for its subsidiary Google. The company has invested heavily in AI research in recent years, having acquired several sector key companies, including DeepMind and Kaggle — both of which are pushing the boundaries in artificial intelligence capabilities in different industries.
Alphabet’s focus on AI has been one of the key drivers of its success in the past few years. Their technology has contributed to advances in vision analysis, learning algorithms, voice recognition, and more. Alphabet’s AI research has also been the cornerstone of its cloud services, providing businesses with powerful analytics and data collection capabilities.
As a result, many industry experts believe that Alphabet Inc is well-positioned for continued success in the coming years, particularly when it comes to its investments in AI technology. Analysts project that Alphabet’s earnings will continue to grow in the next five years, with EPS expected to reach 17.9% for the next year.
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)
Amazon Inc is the world’s largest online retail company, but what many people don’t know is that it also provides a platform for AI projects to be built and trained on. Amazon offers machine learning capabilities on AWS (Amazon Web Services) to help developers innovate faster with a comprehensive set of AI and machine learning tools, infrastructure, and implementation resources.
Some examples of Amazon’s AI-powered products include Alexa and Echo, which answer questions through voice recognition, natural language processing and data retrieval. In addition, the company offers Amazon Lex, a platform for integrating voice and text input into applications, Amazon Polly, a service that converts text into realistic speech for use in voice-activated applications, and more. Additionally, Amazon uses AI to ensure that damaged products do not reach their customers.
Analysts believe that the company’s stock will experience growth in the next five years. In 2022, the stock lost nearly half its value; however, it is making a strong bounce back in 2023 as earnings recover.
C3.ai is a rapidly growing enterprise AI company with a unique strategy and significant potential for the future. C3.ai focuses on providing AI-based SaaS solutions to accelerate software development, reduce costs, and manage risk. This broad range of applications delivers impressive results, such as the U.S. Air Force predicting aircraft system failures and Engie reducing energy expenditures.
With no known direct competitors, C3.ai has an exciting opportunity to lead the AI revolution in the industry over the next few years. However, this market may become more competitive if larger cloud infrastructure providers enter the fray.
The stock began trading in 2020 and has experienced a strong rally over the past year. Analysts expect significant growth for the company, with average yearly EPS growth predicted to peak over the next half-decade.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is a global semiconductor company that designs and manufactures central processing units (CPUs), GPUs, and other related products. AMD has been at the forefront of incorporating AI technology into its chip designs, positioning the company for success in the sector.
For example, AMD is the technology powering some of the world’s fastest and most advanced supercomputers, such as Europe’s LUMI and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Frontier systems. The company’s Exascale-class computing technologies are ideal for providing the processing power needed to support the most complex Generative AI models.
Over the past five years, AMD has had impressive financial performance and continues to forecast strong growth in the future. Analysts expect AMD to gain market share from competitors such as Intel and Nvidia, further increasing investor confidence in the stock. Despite a recent dip in share price due to global demand fluctuations, AMD’s commitment to integrating AI technology into its products and its strong financial performance make it one of the best stocks for investing in AI trends.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
International Business Machines Corporation is a long-standing tech giant in the global market that has proudly been at the forefront of innovation since its founding. IBM is renowned for its ability to provide enterprises with integrated tech solutions and its own unique AI application strategy. The strategy enhances human intelligence, improves efficiency, and can reduce costs.
IBM’s AI technology has been successfully implemented in the healthcare and financial services sectors, helping to improve operational effectiveness in those industries. With a fragmented market, IBM is still one of the leaders when it comes to software platforms for AI development, and its year-over-year growth rate speaks for itself. Although IBM is a complex company that is undergoing some transformation, it remains a reliable and profitable option for investors due to its strong AI capabilities as well as the presence of other growth opportunities.
Micron Technology, Inc. (MU)
Micron Technology is a leader in computer memory and data storage solutions. The company has a long history of innovation, having developed solutions that power the modern technology landscape. Micron’s expertise in creating memory products capable of storing large quantities of data places it in an advantageous position to capitalise on the growth potential of the AI sector.
In recent times, prices for its DRAM and NAND chips have seen a significant rise, leading to a substantial increase in the company’s earnings. This gave rise to a 20-year high in its share price in early 2022. Looking ahead, Micron has an optimistic future outlook, as demand for its products is expected to increase with the growth of artificial intelligence.
Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)
Qualcomm Inc is a technology company whose focus lies in wireless telecommunications and semiconductor manufacturing. The California-based firm boasts a presence across the world, with products touching virtually every corner of the tech industry. Qualcomm’s portfolio spans a range of services that enable it to provide end-to-end hardware and software solutions for artificial intelligence technology.
Qualcomm’s unique approach to hybrid AI processing is set to propel the company into an even greater leadership role in future years. Its hardware solutions provide superior performance per watt, while its cutting-edge software and Qualcomm AI Stack offer quick and easy development, optimization, and deployment of AI applications across various products and segments.
As artificial intelligence technology continues to proliferate, Qualcomm is an attractive option for investors looking for a company that will remain at the forefront of this rapidly evolving industry in the coming years.
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW)
Palo Alto Networks provides a comprehensive portfolio of network and cloud security solutions that protect customer data from cyber threats. It also offers next-generation firewalls, identity and access management, cloud migration and orchestration services, threat intelligence services, and more.
With the rapid growth of the Internet of Things, AI systems and cloud infrastructure, Palo Alto’s technology is increasingly needed to ensure data safety and security for clouds and networks AI projects are based on. The company has built an impressive network of partners and customers that rely on its cutting-edge security capabilities.
The stock has seen impressive returns in 2023, reaching an all-time high. There is optimism among analysts that Palo Alto will post its first profitable year in 2023, with EPS expected to rise 17.3% in the next year. Subsequent years are expected to see even higher average growth, making this an attractive stock for investors looking to the future of AI development.
How to Choose the Best AI Industry Stocks?
When investing in AI stocks, it’s important to have a good understanding of the industry. Consider companies that are both ‘pure plays’ and those with broader business interests, and decide which kind of exposure you want. You should also analyse earnings forecasts and annual reports for a thorough understanding of a company’s performance and financial health.
Analysing the growth of AI stocks is essential. Factors such as earnings, market share, and analyst projections should be taken into account for assessing the strength and future prospects of a particular company. Finally, keeping up with research reports can provide professional insights into the overall AI landscape and help you evaluate individual stocks.
A number of companies have demonstrated that investing in AI stocks can produce solid returns. Nvidia, for example, has seen a steady rise in its stock value due to their increased production of AI chips to meet growing demand.
Is Investing in AI Companies a Wise Decision?
AI technology is becoming increasingly advanced and widespread. This means that investing in AI companies now could lead to substantial returns down the road as the industry grows and matures.
Still, the decision to invest in AI stocks should be made on an individual basis, taking into account one’s own portfolio and the risks associated with any investment. While there is great promise in this sector, and many believe it has a bright future ahead of it, nobody can guarantee what will come of the technology or business cycles in the near future.
It is important to conduct thorough research and due diligence when considering any investment, especially in AI stocks. Additionally, it’s highly recommended that one consults a financial advisor before making any major investment decisions. Ultimately, the decision to invest in AI stocks should be based on your own personal risk assessment and knowledge of the sector.
How can I invest in AI stocks?
Most of the stocks mentioned in this article can be found on major stock exchanges. You can purchase the stocks directly, through a broker, or through an online trading platform. Make sure you do your own due diligence before investing and consider any associated risks with each stock.
What risks are associated with investing in AI stocks?
AI stocks are no different than investing in any other industry. The risks are dependent on the company and their business model. Some of the most common risks with AI stocks include market volatility, regulatory risk, technology risk, and competitive risk. It is important to consider these factors when investing in any stock.
Where can I find more information about the top AI stock market leaders of 2023?
You can find more information about the top AI stock market leaders of 2023 by researching each company’s individual website, reading financial news reports, and exploring analyst opinions. Additionally, many websites provide comparison charts and detailed analyses of different AI stocks’ performance over time to help investors make informed decisions. This data is usually available free of charge and can be a great resource for those looking to get a better understanding of the industry.


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Magnum was proud to be exhibiting at Milipol 2019 following the very successful event on 2017.
The Spartan Sweden Ultra World Championship took place in Åre earlier in November. A 30-mile long trail with over 120 obstacles.
International Brands Group is proud to announce that we have achieved the honor of ISO certification for our management system
"The 11 Best Shoes at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2019" as posted by Footwear News, covering Outdoor Reailer. The Hi-Tec V-Lite Shift hit the list with Tech, Style and a low price point.
"8 of the BEST OUTDOOR SHOES for Fall'19" as posted by Footwear News, covering Outdoor Reailer. The Hi-Tec Ravus Mid WP is sure to be a hit this coming season. Great product at a great price.


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A recent study, funded by Pharmavite, found that that dietary supplement usage may have a positive impact on the quality of life of cancer patients.
A recent study1, funded by Pharmavite (West Hills, CA), the makers of Nature Made vitamins and supplements, and published in the journal Cancer found that that dietary supplement usage may have a positive impact on the quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of the study was to provide a cost-effectiveness analysis of dietary supplementation in cancer survivors, who are at risk of malnutrition. Researchers estimated the prevalence of supplementation, hospitalization rates, quality of life (QOL), cost of care and mortality among cancer survivors.
Results showed that the probability of hospitalization for dietary supplement users was 12%, and 20.7% for those who do not report dietary supplement usage. The probability of dying during the follow-up period for dietary supplement users was 5.8% without hospitalization in the past year, and 27.3% with hospitalization. For non-users, the probability of dying without hospitalization was 6.6% and 28.7% with hospitalization. Supplement use was estimated to cost $3,650 over 10 years, with a cost of $1.00 a day. Sensitivity analysis utilizing the lower and upper bounds of life expectancy and incremental costs found that after six years of supplement use, the benefit of lower hospitalization rates among dietary supplement users outweighs the cost of dietary supplementation.
"While achieving adequate nutrition through food remains the gold standard, filling key nutrient gaps through food alone continues to present as a challenge for the larger population, let alone people whose cancer impacts the ability to consume and absorb nutrients, even after treatments subside," said Susan Mitmesser, PhD, vice president, Science & Technology, Pharmavite, in a press release. "This study reveals the need for dietary supplementation to be part of the post-treatment conversation between patients and their health care providers."


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As supermarket operators merge, it's time to consider the food chain.
The natural products industry has grown to over $100 billion in the past 25 years as Americans have learned to appreciate the value of healthy eating.
Between yesterday's numbers from Hain Celestial and Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as earnings on the way from Ralph Lauren, Green Mountain, Pandora and Twitter, investors have plenty to keep an eye on today.
U.S. markets are poised to extend gains Tuesday in a shortened trading day.
When you look at the full mosaic of this action, you find it makes a lot of sense.
Here's a whole new crop of stocks that I think can beat next year's market.
Jim Cramer says Hain Celestial is the way to play the natural organic food trend, Men's Wearhouse is a buy on news of their latest bid to acquire Jos. A. Bank and Sprouts Markets could be a quick buy and sell name.
Natural food is flooding the market, and these three names are unabashed beneficiaries.
Dan Fitzpatrick, founder of StockMarketMentor.com, details three stocks Jim Cramer discussed on CNBC's "Mad Money" and how to trade them.
Let's take a peek at the overnight and early-morning trading in the major asset classes. The rundown: S&P futures down 4; Nasdaq futures down 8; Nikkei up 0.2% (strength in tech/telecom while basic materials and energy lagged); China Shanghai flat (...
The demand for gluten free products has caused the market to explode. TheStreet's Debra Borchardt and Laurie Kulikowski go to BabycakesNYC to see whether the fuss is warranted.


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Apple's iPhone 6 survived its first drop test... or accidental drop test.
Australia's 'Today' show was there to interview Apple customer Jack Cooksey, one of the first people in the world to walk out with the highly anticipated new smart phone. But apparently the camera made him a bit nervous and he dropped it right on the hard concrete sidewalk.
Luckily the phone's ion-strengthened glass was still covered in plastic and was completely fine, otherwise he would have waited all night in line in vain. But we now know that the new iPhone really can survive a fall.
Also on AOL:
Calif. wildfire arson suspect detained
Lost dog found thousands of miles away
Affleck confesses to casino ban
GQ's best drinking cities in US


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Simplilearn, the world’s #1 online boot camp for digital economy skills, raised the spirit of upskilling a notch with the launch of the latest phase of the #JobGuarantee brand campaign, promoting its unique job guarantee programs*. A witty campaign focused on cricket, launched during the 2022 IPL season, is an extension of the previous campaign which was an enormous success. The Jan’22 leg of the #JobGuarantee* campaign focused on ‘the Indian cultural norm of asking or giving a ‘treat’ when you acquire a new position or advancement of status.’ The latest part showcases ‘how nothing in this world is guaranteed except Simplilearn’s #JobGuarantee.’ The current campaigns are being activated with two engaging ad films focused on an ongoing cricket match, with each film taking place during team huddles – pre-match locker room and mid-match dugout talk, respectively.
Simplilearn’s recent marketing and advertising activations have seen significant returns, boosting the brand’s confidence in launching the next phase. After the #JobGuarantee* brand campaign launch, 260% of the maximum hike was achieved, and learners received opportunities with 5,000+ hiring partners. The campaign contributed to over 1,000 enrollments in four months. There has been a 75% increase in placement rate since the launch of the previous leg of the campaign in January.
The premise of the latest campaign is that it is a common belief that nothing in this world is guaranteed; however, with Simplilearn, everyone knows a job is guaranteed*. The ad films are based on the same concept where the team captain tells his players that we cannot guarantee anything in life, let alone cricket. In one of the ads, a player responds by saying that the Job Guarantee programs* of Simplilearn ensure that a learner will land a job once he completes the Job Guarantee program with Simplilearn. In another, the team captain himself makes that observation.
Speaking about the campaign, Mark Moran, Chief Marketing Officer, Simplilearn, said, “Given the success of the previous phase of the #JobGuranatee program*, we are thrilled to launch the next leg of the campaign, in line with the 2022 IPL Season fever. We hope that our learners will be able to connect with the latest campaign and want to encourage aspirants to upskill themselves with no worries about finding a job knowing nothing in the world is guaranteed except, of course, Simplilearn’s Job Guarantee programs!”
He added, “We understand the stress and questions learners may face around upskilling during their professional lives – Will they find a new job? Will the new skills help them improve in their current role? Given the most common doubts, we want to ease their burden with the #JobGuarantee program that allows aspirants to learn and upgrade their skillset seamlessly, with a guaranteed job in hand upon program completion.”
Links to ad films:
1. Video 1 – https://youtu.be/T_MdYYirKzc
2. Video 2 – https://youtu.be/MSKZxL2D4Uo
Commenting on the Simplilearn campaign, Carl Savio,CCO, Bluebot Digital, said, “Given how noisy the IPL can be, we wanted to create a campaign that says one thing and says it well. The campaign is built around a fictitious team and the high-pressure, IPL scenarios we all know and love.”
The campaign breaks through the clutter in the crowded and highly competitive space and educates learners on the unique offering of Simplilearn’s Job Guarantee Program. The two programs launched thus far in Data Science and Full Stack Development include a 100% job guarantee (*conditions apply) within 180 days of completing them. The job guarantee and the money-back provision make the Simplilearn Job Guarantee Programs an ideal way for anyone to start their career in these high-growth professional fields. Simplilearn will launch this integrated campaign across multiple digital platforms.
Simplilearn conducts more than 1,500 live classes, with an average of 70,000 learners who collectively spend more than 500,000 hours each month on the platform. Simplilearn’s programs allow learners to upskill and get certified in popular domains. In 2020, Simplilearn introduced a free skills development program called SkillUp. Through SkillUp, learners can explore in-demand skills in the most important professional and technology fields for free so they can make the right learning and career decisions.
* Valid only for Simplilearn Job Guarantee Programs. Please read the applicable FAQs and Eligibility Criteria available at https://onlinetraining.simplilearn.com/job-guarantee-programs carefully prior to enrolment. Program fee refund is applicable if an eligible learner doesn’t get a job within 6 months of program completion. T&C apply.. Past record is no guarantee of future prospects.
Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn, a Blackstone company is the world’s #1 online Bootcamp for digital economy skills training. Simplilearn offers access to world-class work-ready training to individuals and businesses around the world. The Bootcamps are designed and delivered with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies via live online classes featuring top industry practitioners, sought-after trainers, and global leaders. From college students and early career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and big corporations, Simplilearn’s role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs are ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or/and business goals.
For more information, please visit www.simplilearn.com/


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UK stocks dipped modestly in early trading on Wednesday after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its global growth recovery forecast but flagged Britain’s severe pandemic impact as likely to drag on its own economic bounce-back.
The IMF now expects the global economy to grow 5.5% this year, a 0.3% increase from October’s forecast, but cut its UK estimates from 5.9% to 4.5% as virus cases continue to rise and increased curbs on travel upped the worry ante.
At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was 0.15% lower at 6,644.19 with investors primed for more US tech earnings as well as the outcome of the first meeting of the Federal Reserve in 2021.
Market sentiment may also be taking a hit from the prospect of more coronavirus-related lockdowns across the UK and Europe, particularly after Britain announced the death toll from the virus had passed 100,000 yesterday afternoon.
The anticipation over earnings and the Fed meant the main US indexes finished slightly lower overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S& P and Nasdaq all closing modestly lower overnight, despite the bright start to a busy week for tech updates with computing giant Microsoft reporting second quarter earnings that beat market expectations.
Apple, Facebook and Tesla update later Wednesday, while European Software giant SAP is due to provide a strategy update.
There is a more upbeat mood in Asia, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.3% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.1%.
On currency markets, the pound was relatively flat against the dollar at around $1.374, although any news from the Fed meeting later today could provide some catalysts for movement.
RESOURCES IN THE SPOTLIGHT
In company news, Precious metal miner Fresnillo (FRES) topped the blue-chip loser board with a 3.5% fall to £10.225 after forecasting lower gold output for this year than Covid-hit 2020.
This was mainly after a land slip at one of its mines in Mexico restricted operations.
Education publisher Pearson (PSON) led the FTSE 100 risers, jumping 12% to 850.2p. The company talked up its digital initiatives in an update last week.
Oil exploration company Tullow Oil (TLW) dropped nearly 2% to 30.64p even after saying it expects its operating cash flow to reach $500 million in 2021. But that is if the oil price stays above $50 a barrel, a seemingly big if.
IT skills and professional services firm FDM (FDM) nudged marginally lower, reversing 0.6% to £10.12 after it cut its final dividend amid a fall in annual earnings and revenue.
FDM declared a final dividend of 13p per share, down from 18.5p year-on-year, bringing total payouts for the year to 31.5p, down from 34.5p in 2019.
Home repairs and improvements business HomeServe (HSV) moved 1% higher to £10.91 after announcing the appointment Tommy Breen as chairman designate. He will succeed Barry Gibson.
Breen, a former chief executive of Irish marketing group DCC (DCC), would become chairman on 19 May.
Infrastructure investor 3i Infrastructure (3IN) gained 0.6% to 304.35p after it said it was on track to meet its annual dividend target amid a fall in quarterly income that nevertheless met its expectations.
3i Infrastructure was targeting a dividend of 9.8p per share for the year through March, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%.
Furniture retailer ScS (SCS) declined more than 2% to 205p despite unveiling a 14% rise in first-half gross sales thanks to its shift online during UK’s first national Covid lockdown last year.
ScS’s order intake, however, had slumped in more recent weeks due to store closures linked to the country's third lockdown.
Materials developer Scapa (SCPA:AIM) jumped 25% to 222p after the company agreed a takeover deal from rival SWM. The agreement is pitched at 210p per share, valuing the business at around £403 million, but the reaction of the share price today suggests some hope that a rival buyer offering more could yet emerge.
Driver monitoring system designer Seeing Machines (SEE:AIM) jumped 11% to 13p after signing a development deal with US microchip giant Qualcomm.
Wealth management company Brewin Dolphin (BRW) added 0.7% to 298p after it reported a 7% rise in fourth-quarter revenue, driven by a positive market performance and high commissions.
Diversified Gas & Oil (DGOC) shed 1% to 113p, even as it reported an 18% rise in annual output that it said helped its 2020 results meet market expectations.
Agricultural product supplier Wynnstay (WYN) dropped 4% to 3465p as it reported a 7.5% fall in annual profit, after sales were hit by lower commodity prices amid the pandemic.
Wynnstay, however, increased its full-year dividend 4.3% to 14.6p per share after underlying earnings were boosted by lower spending.


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Contribution of knowledge-intensive sectors to the COVID-19 in African countries Tyler Cowen wrote a bo続きを読む
SKY[Skills and Knowledge for Youth] ホーム Contribution of knowledge-intensive sectors to the COVID-19 in African countries
Tyler Cowen wrote a book in 2013 entitled Average is Over, in which he said that the mechanization of labor in production through technology is causing declining wages for the middle class who have been put in that role. As a result, this situation created a disparity between those who use technology and those who cannot catch up and made the middle class disappear. Cowen’s point is suggestive of the way we confront labor and technology and is evident in the context of the current pandemic of COVID-19. With the world economy taking an unprecedented hit due to the spread of the infection, the impact of the shock on the supply side is visible in varying degrees, depending on the level of adoption of digital technology by companies. While companies which have well organized operations, skilled workers, and infrastructure, can seek out new forms of work such as remote work, other companies which do not have the ability to adapt are forced to close their business.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous damage to African countries. As of May, the total number of cases in Africa has reached 60,000, and more than 2,000 people have died（WHO 2020. The economic impact is also worsening, especially in Africa, where many businesses are informal, and micro-enterprises and are reported as having a high rate of bankruptcy (World Bank 2020). Although online learning due to school closures has been promoted in many countries around the world, it is difficult to spread in African countries since the internet infrastructure is generally underdeveloped in the continent（World Bank 2020）.
In this context, the question is now being asked how African countries should respond to the pandemic of COVID-19. In April 2020, via “Africa’s Pulse,” the World Bank analyzed the economic impact of the COVID-19 on African countries and presented policy recommendations for the short, medium, and long term. The report emphazises and recommends the efficient use of mobile money when providing financial assistance since many of the people running micro-businesses do not have bank accounts. There are also reports of the use of drones to provide COVID-19 test samples in Rwanda and Ghana. Moreover, in Uganda, Makerere University has set up a coronavirus resource center, and the website provides information about the COVID-19 on a daily basis. As such, a knowledge-intensive sector that leverages technology has become a key factor for a rapid and comprehensive recovery of African economies. While the dichotomies that Cowen indicated will still be a challenge, innovation does not just create disparities, but in some aspects, technology and knowledge provide a comprehensive social infrastructure for a given country.
Cowen T. (2013) Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation. New York: Dutton.
Kretchmer H. (2020) “How drones are helping to battle COVID-19 in Africa – and beyond” World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/medical-delivery-drones-coronavirus-africa-us/ (Accessed on May 12th 2020)
Makerere University Coronavirus Resource Center Website https://coronavirus.mak.ac.ug/ (Accessed on May 12th 2020)
World Bank (2020) Africa’s Pulse AN ANALYSIS OF ISSUES SHAPING AFRICA’S ECONOMIC FUTURE March 2020 Volume 21. Washington D. C. World Bank Group.
World Bank (2020) “Assessing the Impact and Policy Responses in Support of Private-Sector Firms in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Washington, DC: World Bank, Finance, Competitiveness, & Innovation Global Practice.
World Health Organization Regional Office fot Africa Website. https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus-covid-19 (Accessed on May 12th 2020)


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Last Updated: Saturday, March 02, 2013, 16:06
Nokia Lumia 620 is by far the cheapest Windows Phone 8 smartphone in Nokia’s Lumia category.
Last Updated: Monday, February 18, 2013, 12:01
As per reports, the Lumia 620 was to be unveiled in the second week of February, after its announcement in January this year.
more videos >>


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Uber has announced a new coronavirus policy, including the ability to suspend accounts for drivers and riders who have been diagnosed with the virus. Drivers or delivery persons diagnosed with coronavirus, or who've been asked to self-isolate, will receive financial assistance from the company — a refreshing development in Uber not screwing over its "contractors."
Lack of financial aid can lead an employee to continue working while sick, a brutal reality of capitalism highlighted by the world health crisis.
They may know when you're sick — Uber can obtain information on drivers and riders' status from public health authorities, according to a statement provided to CNET. Notifications will be processed through Uber's online portal, which is also used for law enforcement requests.
"We're also consulting with an epidemiologist to make sure our efforts as a company are grounded in medical advice," Uber said in announcing the new policy.
Last month, 240 user accounts in Mexico were suspended after two drivers came in contact with a rider suspected of having coronavirus. A London-based driver's account was also suspended after she had been diagnosed with the virus.
Other measures — The company is working with manufacturers and distributers to source cleaning products for the drivers while prioritizing cities most in need. In New York, the state is working to produce its own hand sanitizer because of shortages and price gouging.
For delivery, Uber is also reminding customers that they can add notes to their orders indicating they'd like their food to be left at the door — limiting exposure to both drivers and customers.
All things considered, it's a pretty good policy. It's not often that the company is on the receiving end of praise, but it's handling a deadly virus fairly well.