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Pharmaceutical Network June 11th, the domestic insulin leader Gan Li Pharmaceuticals by the Securities and Futures Commission issued an IPO approval, causing market concern, which means that the official landing of A shares is close at handIn addition, The Recombinant Human Insulin Injection, the first insulin product of Dongsun Pharmaceuticals, was approved for saleBehind a series of "actions", the domestic insulin market may make waves againAccording to Minnet.com, sales of insulin and its similar drugs at the end of China's public medical institutions in 2019 were nearly 25 billion yuanBrand TOP10, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Lilly and other foreign pharmaceutical companies occupy 7 seats; In addition, there are seven brands with over 1 billion yuan, of which Novo Nordisk's Mendon insulin 30 injections ranked first, with sales of more than 5 billion yuan.
The 25 billion insulin market is climbing, with foreign drug companies accounting for 70% of the year, and the prevalence of diabetes has been rising, becoming a global problemAccording to the Diabetes Map (9th edition) released by the International Diabetes Alliance (IDF), there were 463 million people with diabetes worldwide in 2019, equivalent to 1 in 11 adults with diabetes, and 700 million people are expected to have diabetes by 2045It is worth noting that the number of diabetics in China is 116 million, ranking first in the world.
In recent years, china's public medical institutions terminal chemical drug insulin and its similar drugs sales (units: 10,000 yuan) For patients with type 1 diabetes, insulin is the only treatment drugIn addition, 30-40% of people with type 2 diabetes end up using insulinAccording to Minet.com, sales of insulin and its similar drugs in the terminal chemicals of public hospitals, county-level public hospitals, urban community centers and township hospitals (referred to as public medical institutions) in China reached nearly 25 billion yuan in 2019, up 7.33 percent year-on-year.
In recent years, China's public medical institutions terminal chemical drug insulin and its similar drug channel pattern From the channel pattern, in recent years, urban public hospitals continued to decline, from 56.76 percent in 2015 to 43.58 percent in 2019, while urban community centers and township health centers have been growing steadily.
In 2019, The competitive landscape of china's public medical institutions terminal chemical insulin and its similar pharmaceutical companies from the competitive landscape of enterprises, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Lilly three foreign pharmaceutical companies have been in the top three positions, the total market share in 2019 is nearly 75%, Novo and Nordisk is the firstIn recent years, Novo Nordisk's sales growth has slowed, from 55.91 percent in 2015 to 47.41 percent in 2019, as domestic pharmaceutical companies such as Ganli Pharmaceuticals, Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceuticals and Federal Pharmaceuticals have continued to grow.
7 over 1 billion brands bright eyes! Gan Li Pharmaceuticals, Tonghua Dongbao..Domestic pharmaceutical companies broke out of 2019 China's public medical institutions terminal chemical drug insulin and its similar drug brand TOP20 (units: 10,000 yuan) brand TOP10, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Lilly and other foreign pharmaceutical companies occupy 7 seats; In terms of sales, there are seven sales of more than 1 billion yuan, of which Novo Nordisk's Mendon insulin 30 injections topped, sales of more than 5 billion yuan.
2 billion varieties hit the world, domestic insulin leader In the day before, domestic insulin leader Gan Li Pharmaceuticals by the CSRC issued an IPO approval, causing market concern, the purchase date on June 16, the issue price of 63.32 yuan (estimated), which means that the official landing of A shares has been close at hand Data show that the company is mainly engaged in the reorganization of insulin analogue raw materials and injections research and development, production and sales Its main products include recombinant insulin insulin injection (commodity name: Changxiu), recombinant recombinant insulin injection (commodity name: quick show, refined protein zinc recombinant recombinant insulin mixed injection (25R) In 2019, the company's revenue was RMB2,895 million and net profit was RMB1,167 million, of which insulin preparation revenue accounted for 95.10%, and the recombinant insulin injection was the main source of revenue.
In recent years, china's public medical institutions insulin glargine sales (units: 10,000 yuan) minet data show that in recent years, China's public medical institutions terminal insulin glargine sales growth rate of more than 10%, in 2019 as high as 6,078 million yuan The main production enterprises are Sanofi, Ganli Pharmaceuticals and Federal Pharmaceuticals, among which, Ganli Pharmaceuticals' exclusive product recombinant insulin injections are growing rapidly, with sales exceeding the 2 billion mark.
Gan Li Pharmaceuticals said that while maintaining high-end market growth, the company, with the help of policy advantages, strong development of the grass-roots market, in the low-end market share further increased, covering the number of terminal hospitals increased more, the company's products in the domestic diabetes treatment drug clinical drug market share continues to increase.
Tonghua Dongbao focus esctic diabetes drugs, hybrid recombinant human insulin steady growth In recent years China's public medical institutions terminal hybrid recombinant human insulin sales (units: 10,000 yuan) mixed recombinant human insulin is Tonghua Dongbao's exclusive products According to Minet.com, in 2019, the sales of mixed recombinant human insulin at the terminals of public medical facilities in China exceeded 1.8 billion yuan Among them, including 30/70 mixed recombinant human insulin injection (commodity name: Ganshu-30R) and 50/50 mixed recombinant human insulin injection (commodity name: glycema 50R), while Ganshu-30R is the leading product.
Tonghua Dongbao has been committed to focusing on the development of the treatment of diabetes field of products, to develop the field of diabetes treatment as the core, rich in the field of diabetes treatment product line In December 2019, Tonghua Dongbao developed insulin glargine injections approved the market, becoming the third company in China to obtain the product registration approval Tonghua Dongbao said that on the basis of the second generation of recombinant human insulin, the company is actively engaged in the research and development of three generations of insulin analogue (insulin glargine, mendong insulin, dieduinsulin, repufusand insulin), as well as anagogenic anti-sugar drugs, chemical oral anti-sugar drugs, to meet the drug needs of different diabetic patients.
1 billion varieties set a new high! Federal pharmaceutical market share far ahead in recent years China's public medical institutions terminal sperm protein recombinant human insulin sales (units: 10,000 yuan) minet data show that in recent years, China's public medical institutions terminal refined protein recombinant human insulin sales grew rapidly, after breaking the 1 billion mark in 2018, 2019 year-on-year growth of 10.35 percent At present, the production enterprises have the Federal Pharmaceutical, Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceuticals, BIOTON and Hefei Tianmai Bio 4, of which, the federal pharmaceutical market share of nearly 65%, Tonghua Dongbao accounted for 23.71%.
In its 2019 annual report, The Pharmaceuticals said the insulin line continued to drive the growth of the company's preparation products business, with total sales revenue of $900 million, and sales of recombinant human insulin injections and insulin gland injections increased by 12.7% and 158.5%, respectively, year-on-year In the future, the company will continue to use the insulin series as a strategic variety to drive its sales growth and increase market share.
Source: Minnet Database, Announcements of Listed Companies


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Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) share price fell nearly 5 per cent to Rs 935.55 apiece on BSE, a day after the company reported a 45 per cent on-year decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 1,410 crore in the July-September quarter.
Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) share price fell nearly 5 per cent to Rs 935.55 apiece on BSE, a day after the company reported a 45 per cent on-year decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 1,410 crore in the July-September quarter. The stock was the top Sensex loser in the early morning trade today. In fact, the company’s announcement of a special dividend of Rs 18 per equity share failed to cheer up the market. “Volumes are just beginning to pick up, it has not reached its pre-Covid peak in terms of momentum and I think the EBITDA will improve in line with the improvement in volume lines,” said R Shankar Raman, chief financial officer, L&T.
According to the analysts at Motilal Oswal Financial Services L&T’s reported PAT increased 118 per cent on-year to Rs 5,520 crore, but was 52 per cent below expectation, largely on account of a miss in adjusted PAT and impairment in Forgings and Power Development. The brokerage firm has maintained its buy rating to the stock post Q2 earnings.
The company reported an exceptional gain of Rs 3,919 crore on the sale of the electrical business to Schneider Electric, which led to an overall consolidated net profit of Rs 5,520 crore. Raman added saying that the second quarter of the current fiscal has been representing a road to revival from the dips of the April-June quarter.
Research and brokerage firm Edelweiss has also recommended to buy Larsen & Toubro stock post-Jul-Sep quarter results. It said that the Indian economy is witnessing signs of revival with sectors such as Water, Power T&D, Metro/RRTS, Railways, Roads and Expressways witnessing increased traction. On the global front, the outlook on economic recovery remains uncertain with the resurgence of Covid in parts of Europe and US Presidential elections.
Larsen & Toubro revenues and EBITDA declined 12 per cent and 17 per cent on-year. Core E&C revenues declined by 17 per cent on-year with EBITDA margins declining 170bps on-year to 8.1 per cent. Order inflow (ex-services) declined 54 per cent on-year to Rs 17,300 crore. “Low special dividend (INR 18), sharp write-offs (forgings/power utilities) and weaker core (execution, OPMs) are key disappointments,” the brokerage firm added.

domain: news


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The risky business of lending to people with poor credit records
IN 1880, Sir Joshua Waddilove, a Victorian philanthropist, founded Provident Financial to provide affordable loans to working-class families in and around Bradford, in northern England. This month his company, now one of Britain's leading providers of “home credit”—small, short-term, unsecured loans—began the nationwide rollout of Vanquis, a credit card aimed at people that mainstream lenders shun. The card offers up to £200 ($380) of credit, at a price: for the riskiest customers, the annual interest rate will be 69%.
Provident says that the typical interest rate is closer to 50% and that it charges no fees for late payments or breaching credit limits. Still, that is triple the rate on regular credit cards and far above the 30% charged by store cards. And the Vanquis card is being launched just when Britain's politicians and media are full of worry about soaring consumer debt. Last month, a man took his own life after running up debts of £130,000 on 22 different credit cards.
Credit cards for “sub-prime” borrowers, as the industry delicately calls those with poor credit records, are new in Britain but have been common in America for a while. Lenders began issuing them when the prime market became saturated, prompting them to look for new sources of profit. Even in America, the sub-prime market has plenty of room for growth. David Robertson of the Nilson Report, a trade magazine, reckons that outstanding sub-prime credit-card debt accounts for only 3% of the $597 billion that Americans owe on plastic. The sub-prime sector grew by 7.9% last year, compared with only 2.6% for the industry as a whole.
You might wonder, though, how companies can make money from lending to customers they know to be bad risks—or at any rate, how they can do it legitimately. Whereas delinquencies in the credit-card industry as a whole are around 4-5%, those in the sub-prime market are almost twice as high, and can reach 15% in hard times.
Obviously, issuers charge higher interest rates to compensate them for the higher risk of not being repaid. And all across the credit-card industry, the assessment and pricing of risks has been getting more and more refined, thanks largely to advances in technology and data processing. Companies also use sophisticated computer programmes to track slower payment or other signs of increased risk. Sub-prime issuers pay as much attention to collecting debt as to managing risk; they impose extra charges, such as application fees; and they cap their potential losses by lending only small amounts ($500 is a typical credit limit).
All this is easier to describe than to do, especially when the economy slows. After the bursting of the technology bubble in 2000, several sub-prime credit-card providers failed. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, an American bank regulator, in December 2000 there were 156 lenders specialising in the sub-prime market (including mortgage lenders and car-loan companies as well as credit-card issuers). Now there are only around 100, of which nine issue credit cards. Survivors such as Metris and Providian, two of the bigger sub-prime card companies, have become choosier about their customers' credit histories.
As the economy recovered, so did lenders' fortunes. Fitch, a rating agency, says that the proportion of sub-prime credit-card borrowers who are more than 60 days in arrears (a good predictor of eventual default) is the lowest since November 2001. But with American interest rates rising again, some worry about another squeeze. As Fitch's Michael Dean points out, sub-prime borrowers tend to have not just higher-rate credit cards, but dearer auto loans and variable-rate mortgages as well. That makes a risky business even riskier.
This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline "Sub-prime time"
Finance & economics February 19th 2005
From the February 19th 2005 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
More from Finance & economics
After Credit Suisse’s demise, attention turns to Deutsche Bank
How serious are the difficulties facing the German lender?
The battle for Europe’s economic soul
Policymakers in Brussels ready their response to America’s protectionism
How much longer will America’s regional banks hold up?
Despite the danger, policymakers must not intervene prematurely


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Napoli's has moved twice since opening in 1972 but still sells high-end men's clothing, with a European flair, from its current store in East Amherst.
O'Connell's Clothing, known for its collegiate American styles, has been a mainstay of the University Heights neighborhood since 1959.
Those men's clothing stores are newcomers compared to the New York Store, which has operated on the same block in the Village of Lancaster since 1929.
And the granddaddy of them all, of course, is the Riverside Men's Shop, which closed its namesake store in 2005 but carried over its traditions and longtime employees to Amherst's Northtown Plaza.
"It's such an icon of Buffalo," said Natalie Neumann, co-owner of the store that was established in 1918. "Our tagline is 'Empowering the men of yesterday, today and tomorrow.' "
These stores, and a few others like Get Dressed, seemingly defy the march of time, standing firm as purveyors of service and quality that they say will never go out of style. They have managed to stay open even as many of the Buffalo area's well-known men's clothing stores have closed -- Leib's Men Shop, Charlie Baker Clothier, Peller & Mure and Kleinhans Co., to name a few.
Those retail victims folded in the face of "casual Fridays," the growth of the shopping mall and the deep-discount clothing store, population shifts and the rise of online commerce.
The survivors say they've adapted to changing tastes in fashion, adding more sportswear and casual wear, for example, or replacing a full line of boys' dress clothes with women's clothing.
They say they provide top-level service and high-quality suits and dress clothes to a customer base that includes the sons and grandsons of previous shoppers.
"I think Buffalonians are exceedingly loyal," said Tom Barnett, owner of Tom Barnett Custom Tailored Clothing in Snyder and New York City.
These stores are selling men's suits that can cost $800, $1,000 or much more, in a blue-collar community that has a reputation for appreciating coupons more than cutting-edge fashion.
But store employees say people are willing to pay a little -- or a lot -- more to get the best quality and a personal touch, along with free alterations.
"We're not faddish. Our best customer is a guy who can appreciate workmanship, who can appreciate value, who appreciates longevity of style," said John Huber of O'Connell's.
Napoli's, O'Connell's and the like serve a clientele that doesn't want to shop at the mall, that cares about clothes or that works in a field where dressing well still matters.
Their customers are mostly professionals -- doctors, lawyers, judges and business owners -- but also laborers and people who need a suit for a wedding, a graduation ceremony or another special occasion.
"The most important thing about this store is the service," Anthony Napoli said. "The product speaks for itself -- we have to supply the service."
Napoli's sells suits from Ermenegildo Zegna and Canali that typically have a slimmer cut and can start at $650 off the rack.
The store's custom-made suits start at $1,050 and can cost up to $5,000. Employees offer espresso to customers while they shop, and they maintain a shopping history for each customer.
Joseph Napoli opened the company's first store in 1972 at the corner of Bailey Avenue and East Lovejoy Street. He moved the store five years later to Delaware and Kenmore avenues, where Napoli's remained until closing that location in 2005.
Napoli's already had opened a second store on Transit Road in East Amherst three years earlier, said Anthony Napoli, Joseph's brother, who joined the company in 1980.
"We were following the money, basically," he said, noting the growth in Clarence, East Amherst and Williamsville.
He said business is going well at the new location, but Napoli's recently asked the Clarence Zoning Board of Appeals for permission to put up a 14-square-foot LED sign to boost sales and make the store more visible to passing motorists.
"We're trying to get more exposure," said Anthony Napoli.
O'Connell's, on Main Street near the University at Buffalo South Campus, was started by three Buffalo Bills players in the late 1950s.
Employee Bernie Huber bought them out a short time later, and the store has remained in the Huber family ever since.
The store draws customers from Western and Central New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario with its classic American suits and sport coats -- such as an H. Freeman & Son sack suit with a natural shoulder -- made from seersucker, madras and other fabrics. "We're American-style, through and through," said Bernie's son, John. "What we sold in the '50s is very similar to what we sell today."
Wool suits start at $495 -- with custom suits costing $2,000 or $3,000 -- and their sizes have expanded as the American male has expanded over the years.
Riverside Men's Shop served generations of customers, beginning with its first store at Ontario and Tonawanda streets.
After a fire destroyed that building in 1940, the replacement shop was the first in the city to boast air-conditioning and fluorescent lighting.
In response to changing population and shopping patterns, Riverside Men's Shop moved to the suburbs -- first to Williamsville, in 1987, before losing the lease in 2003, and then to the Northtown Plaza, in 2004.
Riverside Men's Shop closed its Tonawanda Street store in 2005, and James and Natalie Neumann bought the Northtown Plaza store in 2007.
They offer suits, blazers, sport jackets and dress slacks, with suit prices off the rack ranging from $280 to $800. Custom Hart Schaffner Marx suits start at $1,000.
"We can sell a cheaper suit, but it's going to fall apart in a few years," said Tom Lanighan, the store's sales manager.
The New York Store isn't high-end, with suits starting at $199 and topping out at $575.
Alan Kurtzman's grandfather, Henry Kahn, started the company in 1929, around the corner from its current location on Central Avenue. His father, Shelly Kurtzman, is retired but stays involved in the business.
"We're the type of store that used to be in every neighborhood 20 years ago, 50 years ago," Alan Kurtzman said.
Like the others, the New York Store tries to strike a balance of remaining current on fashion trends while still offering the classics -- blue blazers and charcoal gray dress pants, for example -- that customers expect to find.
"We get to know our customers. We know their families," Kurtzman said. "Sometimes people stop in just to say hello."
Tom Barnett has stores on Main Street in Snyder and on Park Avenue in Manhattan. He modeled the stores, which are open by appointment, after the shops on London's Savile Row.
He produces custom-made suits, after a lengthy fitting session with his clients, of high-quality materials that start at $800 and can reach $30,000 for the best suits made from the most expensive fabrics and threads. "They're Old World, artisanal garments," Barnett said.
His customers include professional athletes, elected officials and high-powered business executives, and Barnett also flies to meet customers -- often Buffalo expatriates -- in Boston, Chicago and other cities.
"I didn't know these guys existed, until I started my business," Barnett said.
>Just enough change
These men's clothing stores vary by price and selection, but they all strive to build close, long-term relationships with their customers.
They face myriad challenges, starting with the economy. Even someone willing to pay $4,000 for a suit may worry during a recession.
"When the stock market suffers -- that's our customer," Riverside's Natalie Neumann said. "We're a luxury item."
Another threat comes from casual Fridays, an informal fashion concept that has spread to every day of the week in some offices and that makes Natalie Neumann cringe.
The stores have adjusted by offering clothing that reflects less-formal modern tastes.
Riverside Men's Shop has had success in selling Buffalo-themed belts, flip-flops and polo shirts, along with T-shirts featuring Sattler's and other long-gone local companies.
At Napoli's, the store has added a line of Nike Golf clothes -- the shop isn't far from Transit Valley and Brookfield country clubs -- and has boosted its offerings of colorful, lightweight shirts and other vacation-wear. The Nike shirts start at $50.
The New York Store replaced its line of boys' formal clothing with women's clothes and began pushing into big and tall sizes. Tom Barnett Custom Tailored Clothing has started making slightly less-expensive suits for high school students, college students and young adults.
These stores also have fought back a challenge from mall and big-box men's clothing stores, including the shops that offer buy-one, get-one-free sales on suits and dress clothes.
The Internet has helped and hurt the stores. Sites such as thetiebar.com and cufflinks.com, for example, offer accessories at discounted prices, while upscale clothiers from Vineyard Vines to Brooks Brothers offer convenient online shopping.
Huber said some of O'Connell's suppliers have started selling online, directly to consumers, and the store has stopped doing business with those companies.
But, for the most part, people don't want to buy something without having the chance to try it on and interact with a sales associate.
And most of the stores have started selling their own clothes online. Several have set up Facebook pages and have made other efforts to reach prospective customers on the Internet.
"We're only a click, or a phone call, away," Huber said.


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The U.S. trade deficit narrowed much more than expected in October, as exports rose a robust 3.2 percent and imports declined slightly in the face of slackening demand for industrial and petroleum products, a Commerce Department report showed on Friday.
The trade gap totaled $38.7 billion, down from a revised estimate of $44.6 billion for September. Analysts surveyed before the report had expected the October trade deficit to narrow just slightly to about $43.60 billion.
The smaller-than-expected deficit could boost estimates of U.S. fourth-quarter economic growth because it implies a larger share of U.S. demand is being met by domestic production.
This suggests that the economy is accelerating, said Neil Dutta, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York, raising his forecast of fourth-quarter economic growth to about 3.0 percent.
But one big reason the trade deficit is shrinking is because we're still in a slower-growth economy. You'd imagine that a smaller number would be a good thing, but it's because people still have to contend with a slower economy, said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners in New York.
U.S. stock index futures held onto their gains after the trade data, while U.S. Treasury bond prices added to losses. The dollar held steady.
On an annual basis, the trade deficit has widened sharply this year and could surpass $500 billion when final figures for 2010 are available. Last year, in the midst of the global financial crisis which put a squeeze on world trade, the U.S. trade gap narrowed about 46 percent to $374.9 billion.
Record exports to China and Mexico in October helped push the overall export tally to $158.7 billion, the highest since August 2008. Exports to the European Union and Japan also showed growth.
Overall U.S. imports fell 0.5 percent to $197.4 billion, led by drop in imports of industrial supplies and materials and the lowest petroleum imports since November 2009.
Despite the overall drop, imports from Mexico were the highest on record and imports from Japan and the European Union were the highest in two years.
Imports of advanced technology products also set a record.
Despite record exports to China in October, the U.S. trade deficit with that country in the first 10 months of 2010 was $226.8 billion, up 20.3 percent from the year-earlier period.
The sharp rise is likely to keep China's trade and currency policies on the minds of U.S. lawmakers in 2011.
China on Friday reported a trade surplus of $22.9 billion in November, as imports and exports were much stronger than expected. Imports rose 37.7 percent from a year earlier and exports jumped 34.9 percent.
Meanwhile, U.S. import prices in November rose at their fastest pace in a year as petroleum and food costs maintained their upward trend, according to a second government report that hinted at a pick-up in imported inflation.
Import prices jumped 1.3 percent, the largest rise since November 2009, after advancing by a revised 1.0 percent in October, the Labor Department said.
(Editing by Andrea Ricci)


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Technology and the payment bank licence look all set to expand and intensify financial inclusion as never before
If you thought financial inclusion reached a new high with Jan Dhan, think again. Technology and the payments bank licence look all set to expand and intensify financial inclusion as never before.
Let me start with what technology is doing. Meet KK Jain of Vote4cash. Jain has developed a proprietary algorithm which analyses Facebook and other social media information of a person to arrive at her social respectfulness score. Jain argues that a person’s social interactions can be analysed successfully to arrive at whether the person will prefer self respect over cash. His company has already dispensed Rs 13.6 crore by way of loans, each loan being of a ticket size between Rs 1,000 and Rs 50,000. The company dispenses loans in a minute for a tenure of one day to 90 days. But the most fascinating factoid is that his NPL or default rate is 1.82 percent! Jain also has a company called vote4edu.in which gives loans to parents of school going children up to Class 12, to help them pay fees. What happens if the parent does not have a Facebook or Linkedin account? Jain’s company seeks the borrower’s permission to use the data in her smart phone and this, he says is adequate to gauge the borrower’s social emotional score. And here’s more. His next venture is a company called smebank.in, which will give loans to SME s again without looking at the company’s income tax returns. The social media and smart phone data of the borrower will suffice for Jain to arrive at a social-emotional score, which according to him works as well as or even better than a CIBIL score.
Payments banks and legacy banks have been meeting Jain to partner with him or to buy his algorithms. Payments bank licence winners with a telecom company and an NBFC in their group are close to cracking their business models with the help of persons like Jain or with proprietarily developed algorithms. There are still some niggling worries about whether they will be able to use their telecom retail outlets as their bank outlets or will arms length rules require them to have separate outlets. Jain’s technology should help them solve some of their problems.
Payments banks are still working on how to dispense cash to their future account holders. They will probably see microfinance companies as potential business correspondents. In any case, MFIs who have not got bank licences are looking to tie up with payments banks so that they can reduce the amount of cash that they currently handle. MFIs who have won small bank licences, meanwhile, can also look at algorithms developed by the likes of Jain to dispense both personal and SME loans.
PayTM, the online payments company, which has won a payments bank licence is hoping to start its bank by March. Telecom players say they may take until September next to start their banks. Meanwhile, Jain is all set to launch his SME loan product by this Diwali. The inclusion puzzle looks set to be cracked. In the next one year or may be two, there may be no more unbanked areas, with or without Jandhan.


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The rumoured buyout of Nokia by Microsoft was dismissed as “baseless” by Stephen Elop back in June. But with the Google Motorola acquisition nigh-on done and dusted, a deal to place the Finnish phone maker in Redmond’s hands is suddenly starting to look more likely.
The man who mooted the tie-up earlier this summer, Eldar Murtazin, has been at it again tweeting that the Big M was closing in on a colossal $27 billion deal for Espoo. And there’s simply no escaping the fact that this is a takeover that makes sense for both parties.
For Microsoft, buying Nokia is a no-brainer. Yes, it’ll be expensive. But if it really wants to compete properly in the smartphone space, it’s going to need a gesture this big. In terms of volume, Windows Phone just hasn’t cut it in the year since launch.
Granted, this might compromise other partners. But it would mean Microsoft could fully focus on delivering an all-round software and hardware solution like Apple’s iPhone.
It would make rolling out software updates easier, stopping customer confusion and reigning in any danger of bloatware hitting Windows Phones too.
There’s a growing sense that a Nokia Windows Phone will not be enough to push to Microsoft’s OS further, or save Espoo from inexorable decline. While a deal would be hard to swallow for Nokia’s Finnish shareholders, so was appointing an American as CEO or deciding to ditch MeeGo and push Symbian aside in favour of Windows Phone.
This deal is the logical next step for Nokia. It’s been on the back foot ever since Steve Jobs showed off the first iPhone and has failed to respond to the growing challenge of Android.
By getting the full financial backing of Microsoft, Nokia could keep its brand identity and break the hallowed ground of America quickly. Without it, promoting a Nokia Windows Phone on US shores and around the world won’t be as easy. This could energise a company in desperate need of a boost.
Then, of course, there’s the looming issue of patents. Google’s deal for Motorola comes with a huge 17,000 patents.
Nokia has in excess of 20,000 patents and Microsoft is hungry for more as it looks to up the ante in its battle with Google.
Using Nokia as a (pricey) pawn might seem churlish, but Microsoft isn’t short of cash and patents would not be the sole reason for a buyout. But it’s certainly the biggest draw.
Eldar Murtazin was nailed on when he said Nokia and Microsoft will tie up a deal for Windows Phone and his track record is nigh on impeccable when it comes to Espoo’s affairs. It’s only a matter of time until this takeover takes place.


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The latest drone footage filmed outside of the new Apple headquarters in Cupertino, CA, shows a number of developments in the construction. The glass-filled main atrium can be seen, and solar panels are noticeable on the top of several buildings, including the garage structure and main building.
The video was shot last week by David Sexton and offers views of structures beyond the main "spaceship" including the 100,000-square-foot fitness center, massive parking structure and the underground auditorium. Landscaping also has started, with trees appearing in different areas on the new campus.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company will move into their new $5 billion home in early 2017. Landscaping and other site work will last into the second quarter, according to Business Insider.
More From Popular Mechanics
From: SF Gate


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In celebration of Safer Internet Day, which is something that you’d probably never heard of before today, Google is giving all of its users a chance to earn 2 gigabytes of free storage on Google Drive by completing a Security Checkup on their accounts.
It’s an exceptionally simple process that should take you less than five minutes to complete. Just head to this link, log in, follow the instructions, make sure no unrecognized devices have been logging into your account and claim your free data.
Google has yet to post an official blog post about the offer yet, but as Android Police notes, the promotion was available for a week last year. We’ll probably hear something from Google soon, but in the meantime, you might as well upgrade your Drive account for free.
Even if you don’t use Google Drive for your cloud storage needs, it’s still never a bad idea to make sure your account is as secure as it can possibly be. Google has been making an effort to save Chrome users from fake download buttons and social engineering ads, but you can do your part by simply updating your password and changing your security questions.
If you want to know more about Safer Internet Day, which has apparently existed for at least two years now, you can read up on it at SaferInternetDay.org.


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As President Obama has said, “our Nation's doers, makers, and entrepreneurs have proven time and again that, in America, it takes only a single good idea and the courage to pursue it to change history.”
Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing segments of the small business community, but women continue to face challenges, including access to capital and lack of opportunities to grow.
Ask questions and learn more about the federal government’s policies and programs that are designed to help women entrepreneurs at our upcoming “Open for Questions,” session with Christine Koronides of the National Economic Council, and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for Small Business, Ana Harvey.
- What: Open for Questions: Women’s Entrepreneurship
- Who: Christine Koronides, White House National Economic Council, and SBA’s Associate Administrator for Women’s Business Ownership, Ana Harvey
- When: Tuesday, December 20, at 3 p.m. EST
- Where: Watch live at WhiteHouse.gov/live and submit your questions via Facebook, Twitter using the hashtag #WHChat or our webform.
Hallie Schneir is Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement


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Tesla started offering selected Full Self-Driving features in another lower-cost package called Enhanced Autopilot to Australia and New Zealand customers last week. Upon the strong request of the Tesla Community members, Tesla CEO Elon Musk agreed to bring Enhanced Autopilot back to the United States and Canada. Europe already has it for a while (detailed discussion and video below).
Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot was first introduced as a feature-limited advanced driver’s assistance (ADAS) package back in 2016, it was also called EAP in short at the time. After the launch of the Tesla Model 3, the automaker offered EAP separately from the Full Self-Driving (FSD) package. This created a long debate and confusion on the pricing structure at the time.
However, Enhanced Autopilot was a base Autopilot package in 2017 that Tesla offered for $5,000 — and if you wanted FSD, you would pay another $3,000 for the upgrade.
Fast-forward 5 years and we have Enhanced Autopilot back, first introduced in the Australian and New Zealand markets and now Musk has agreed to bring it to other markets but he did not give a timeline as to when it will start rolling out.
Tesla is offering Enhanced Autopilot in Australia for $5,100 AUD and the Full Self-Driving package for $10,100 AUD. While in New Zealand the pricing is set as $5,700 NZD for Enhanced Autopilot and $11,400 for FSD.
Following is the list of features that Tesla has added to the Enhanced Autopilot package:
- Navigate on Autopilot
- Auto Lane Change
- Smart Summon
Tesla has kept the Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control plus the Autosteer on City Streets (currently in FSD Beta) features for the Full Self-Driving suite.
Enhanced Autopilot in Europe
Tesla has set the price of Enhanced Autopilot as €3,800 in Europe, and the Full Self-Driving package as €7,500.
Enhanced Autopilot has been available in Europe for quite a while now but it has not been a success because of the UNECE regulations. But when it comes to the United States in the coming days or weeks, Tesla will have more freedom to roll out features in the home country with fewer regulatory issues.
I asked my Tesla friend in Belgium, Steven Peeters about his feedback on the Enhanced Autopilot package that he has bought with his new Model Y electric SUV. He has been reviewing and posting his thoughts on Tesla Autopilot in Europe on his YouTube channel for the past few years now.
This is what Steven said to me about his thoughts on questions about Enhanced Autopilot and other features in Europe.
Auto exit taking has just been disabled. Unconfirmed lane change has never worked, but might get approved by UNECE this week (video below). So the car suggests lane change, but you have to initiate them. As of 2022.16 update, also the auto exit needs to be initiated by the driver.
I bought it, mainly because of the lange change capability. With basic AP, you constantly have to turn it off and on again when passing into another lane. All those nagging sounds all the time are very annoying.
The removal of the auto exit taking is actually not really the UNECE, but industry and local governments that demanded a more strict intepretation of the UNECE regulations.Steven Peeters via Twitter (private interview)
Steven also recently talked in detail about the new Dynamic Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) regulations that the UNECE is working on. These new regulations could pave the way for easier implementation of Tesla Full Self-Driving in Europe but the lobby of legacy local automakers is very strong in this region.
The UNECE is currently drafting a completely new set of regulations for advanced semi-autonomous driving that could allow Tesla FSD beta to be rolled out in Europe. However, at the moment there is very little information publicly available and the information that is available has a lot of open gaps and questions.
Nevertheless, these new regulations open the door for FSD beta and will also ease the transition to L3 and L4 autonomous driving as basically only the driver monitoring part would have to be removed. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. They are still in a very early draft and knowing the UNECE, it will take a very long time before it will actually be approved.Steven Peeters via YouTube.
- The true story of how FSD V12 helped a Tesla owner reach hospital and saved his life
- Elon Musk discloses the Tesla Robotaxi unveiling date — know what to expect from the event
- Tesla FSD (Supervised) v12.3.3 goes wide release, triggers debate if it’s impressive or whacky (video reviews)
- How Do Autonomous Vehicles Handle Fixed Road Obstructions?
- New Tesla customers to get FSD Beta v12.3.1 test drives, capable cars to get a one-month free trial in the US, Elon Musk
- Chuck Cook tests Tesla FSD Beta v12.3 at challenging unprotected left turns (video)


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The phrase "Hazel Daze" – the name of the latest shop to open in Fairfield – was coined on a train ride home from New York City.
Storeowner Lib DeNure and her family were heading back to Fairfield from the New York International Gift Fair, brainstorming names for the store they would soon be opening at the start of the Post Road.
"Daze" stems from DeNure's description of her son, Peter Aspinwall, a "mellow musician" and Norwalk Community College student. "Hazel" was the name of DeNure's grandmother.
"She was a really amazing woman...she lived through two World Wars, she wrote a book," DeNure said.
"The z's are funky," she added. "We knew it would be a little offbeat."
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The funky, family name fits the shop – a unique home boutique on 86 Post Road, made possible by the ideas and efforts of family and friends.
"All of us were getting this idea," DeNure said of opening the shop at the former site of Casablanca, a hookah lounge.
DeNure, a Fairfield resident of 17 years and former dance teacher, had been selling gifts online for the past eight years; opening the "brick and mortar" shop was the next step. The boutique opened officially on June 8.
Not only did friends and family help get the store open -- one friend built the counter the register sits on, another helped create the store's lighting, and a gardener friend created the storefront's window boxes -- but Hazel Daze sells their wares.
For example, DeNure's daughter, Amelia Aspinwall, a student at , designs bracelets, anklets, and necklaces while also helping her mother run the store.
The store sells the jewelry and photography of local artists as well as multiple jewelry and boutique lines. DeNure, feeling that affordable, unique gifts and decor were lacking in Fairfield, said the items are priced reasonably -- most under $50.
Here's a rundown of the lines you will find when you walk into Hazel Daze:
- MIYA and Co. – Japanese pottery
- Karma Living – throws, fringes, pillows
- Lolita – hand-painted wine glasses
- Maggie Bags – bags made from recycled seatbelts
- Resource Revival – items (like frames, key chains, and bottle opens) made from recycled bike chains
- Standard Specialty – stained glass lamps
- Vinylux – Recycled vinyl records transformed into clocks and mirrors
"We chose product lines that are interesting, different, and colorful," DeNure said – just like Hazel Daze.
Hazel Daze Boutique is located at 86 Post Road in Fairfield. The store is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Sunday and Monday. Visit the Hazel Daze official website, or contact the store by phone – 203-292-9662 or email – firstname.lastname@example.org. You can also follow Hazel Daze on Twitter and Facebook.


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Schaap Holland B.V Acquires Shares in Breeders Trust
Schaap Holland B.V. – a family-run company that specializes in peeled potato products, seed potatoes and potatoes for the processing industry – has recently acquired 5% of the Brussels-based Breeders Trust shares.
Breeders Trust is an organization that was set up in 2008 to monitor the enforcement of Plant Breeders’ Rights. Every year, investments worth millions of Euro are poured into the breeding of new and promising potato verities. The association also provides information explaining the importance of using certified seeds.
Among other things, Breeders Trust assists the participating companies in the implementation and enforcement of their Plant Breeders Rights protection and in the prevention of the illegal trade in plant propagation material. Current member companies include Agrico, Europlant, Danespo HZPC and Solana.
“Together with a close-knit group of potato breeders, we invest considerable resources into the development of breeds and research. We, therefore, appreciate the importance of joining forces in the international arena, to strengthen the enforcement of rules and regulations around Plant Breeders’ Rights,” said Hand Geling, director of consumption and seed potatoes for Schaap Holland.


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Some day in the future when high-tech, self-driving cars are available, consumers may think of them as high-tech first and cars second, and look to buy them from high-tech companies instead of car companies.
That’s a takeaway from a thought-provoking study on self-driving cars from KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm.
Other key findings included what Silberg found to be the most appealing hypothetical customer benefits: shorter and more predictable commute times – predictability was an important benefit -- plus the ability to “turn off” self-driving when desired.
So-called “mobility on demand” could be another important attraction, he said in a recent phone interview. That is, a pay-as-you-go setup as opposed to full-time ownership of a vehicle which after all is sitting around most of the time doing nothing, when you’re not using it.
The results are based on respondents in California, Chicago and New Jersey who were interviewed in focus groups in the late spring and early summer. It’s qualitative – a deep dive with a relatively small sample – as opposed to quantitative, like an online questionnaire with a big, nationwide sample.
In all regions, Silberg said, respondents rated the tech companies higher than automotive brands, even premium automotive brands, when it comes to developing self-driving cars.
“Why? This is all about software, connectivity, lasers – it’s all tech. And people think these companies know how to integrate all these technologies,” he said. “It’s not about the engine and the power of the car.”
Meanwhile Google for instance reportedly has logged more than half a million miles in self-driving mode in modified Toyota Prius models fitted out with its experimental self-driving technology.
Who knows? Google says it’s just experimenting with self-driving in a high-level, Looking at Big World Problems sort of way, and not for any specific outcome, much less with any idea of getting in the car business.
But if some day Google ever decided to build its own self-driving car, “Google it,” could mean getting from Point A to Point B, instead of looking something up.


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Byron Connolly, CRN
eBay wants IT resellers moving products through its portal to start listing their warranties, after realising that only 50 per cent of its suppliers were advertising warranty terms through the site.
Starting next month, computer equipment sellers will have their product listings promoted on a 'seller warranty' page which it claimed will reach more buyers and in turn increase the seller's sale price.
Sally-Anne Newson, category manager, computers and IT at eBay, said eBay research suggested that some sellers of computer equipment were 'not clarifying' warranties in their listings.
'It [warranty listings] give buyers a greater choice. People also want some form of assurance,' Newson said, adding that resellers tend to list the basic product information without warranty details.
She said consumers selling through EBay could also place 'third-party' warranty details on the site. Over 70 per cent of computer sales through eBay are generated through 'business sellers,' she said.
Newson declined to reveal what proportion of eBay's revenue is generated from IT-related sales. She said, however, that the company was seeing the highest growth from sales of mobile products such as laptops and PDAs.
Over 200,000 computer-related items are listed on eBay each month.


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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita Family Dollar store is left with fire, water and smoke damage after a fire Wednesday morning.
The Wichita Fire Department got the call of a fire at store at 5120 E. 21st Street North at 10:45 a.m.
Employees found fire and smoke in back interior of the building.
Two employees and the store customers left the building and fire crews put the fire out quickly.
The fire department says there is a lot of smoke still in the building.
They are investigating the cause of the fire.


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NEW YORK – Frozen pizzas, sodas and frozen pizzas are usually high in salt, sugar and fat, but scientists are now struggling to determine if there is anything else that could harm processed foods.
Already, the spread of cheap packaged foods has been linked to rising obesity rates around the world. Still, tips to limit processed foods may seem unnecessary, given their ease of use and the growing range of products falling into this category.
Three recent studies offer more insights into how our increasingly industrialized food supply can affect our health, but they also show how difficult science and nutrition advice can be. Here is what they say.
What does "treaty" mean?
Whether it's curing, freezing, milling or pasteurizing, almost all foods are processed. Even though the treatment itself does not automatically make unhealthy foods, "processed foods" is usually a negative term.
Sodas, wrapped cookies, instant noodles and chicken nuggets are examples of highly processed foods. Products that may look healthy, such as breakfast cereals, energy bars and some yogurts, are also included.
What is the problem with processed foods?
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found that people consume an average of 500 extra calories a day when they are fed mostly processed foods, compared to low-processed foods. Even though researchers have tried to match meals with nutrients such as fats, fiber and sugar.
This is not all bad news.
In another study based on questionnaires, French researchers found that people consuming more processed foods were more likely to have heart disease. A similar study in Spain showed that consumption of more processed foods was linked to a higher risk of death in general.
What about processed foods?
Besides the fact that they are really good to taste, there may be other reasons why it is so difficult to stop eating foods such as cheese puffs and ice creams.
In the clinical trial, people participating in the clinical trial were producing more of a hormone that suppresses appetite and less of a hormone that causes hunger. The reason for the biological reaction is unclear. Another finding is that people eat processed foods faster.
"These foods tend to be softer and easier to chew and swallow," said Kevin Hall, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health who led the study.
Hall noted that the source of nutrients could make a difference. Whole fruit and vegetable fiber, for example, may be more effective at satisfying us than the types of fiber added to packaged foods such as cookies, yogurt and soft drinks.
What should you eat?
Even without the latest studies, the advice to limit processed foods probably makes sense to most people. Minimally processed foods tend to be richer in nutrients and harder to eat because they are not as widely available and convenient.
Nevertheless, it can be difficult to follow these tips, especially for people with little time and money to feed themselves.
"What frustrates me is that the message" change the way you eat, "without asking why people eat the same way," said Sarah Bowen, a professor at North Carolina State University, who is studying nutrition. food and inequalities.
Another challenge is the wide range of processed foods, and one should distinguish between those that could be better or worse as companies continually rethink their products to make them healthier. Thus, while the latest studies may give us more reasons to avoid industrialized foods, they also highlight the difficulty of finding solutions.


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PSN Network is still down and Sony has announce that it will take another week to restore it fully. According to a forum post, rumors are flying around on several “underground credit card trading forums” that a database of over 2.2 million working credit cards numbers of PlayStation Network users is for sale to the highest-bidder.
The database seems to be from the recent security breach that occurred on the PlayStation Network, where Sony fears users’ credit card information was exposed. The database also includes other personal information of PSN users.
The following screenshots are of what appear to be the aforementioned ”underground” credit card trading forums, where users are discussing the database that is up for grabs:


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ClassicCars.com has been named as a recipient of a highly coveted bronze Stevie Award for Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year-Other Service Industries, according to the company.
One of the preeminent honors in international business, the Stevie Awards recognize companies in multiple categories including sales, customer service and business development. Established in 2002, the awards honor the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide, according to ClassicCars.com.
The Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year-Other Service Industries category pitted ClassicCars.com with internationally recognized companies like Travelzoo.com and DHL Express.
The ClassicCars.com team was lauded by the judges for its effective strategy and execution to generate the best results, its ability to be highly engaged to meet expectations while maintaining customer structure and its exceptional personal service, according to the company.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our sales team’s tremendous achievements,” said Roger Falcione, president and CEO of ClassicCars.com. “The backbone of our business is customer service, so assuring that everyone is satisfied with their experience in both buying and selling vehicles on our website is essential. It’s especially gratifying for our team to be recognized for all their hard work.”
The ClassicCars.com customer service team performs a multitude of tasks including personalized customer service for each sale-by-owner listing and troubleshooting listing challenges such as writing descriptions and uploading photos. The team prevents fraud by confirming the listing price, photos and seller information on all private listings.


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Exactly a year after unveiling the Chiron at the previous edition of the Geneva International Motor Show, Bugatti has initiated deliveries of the hyper-car. The company has released a video that shows the first three units of the Chiron rolling out of the factory, getting ready to be delivered to its customers.
To be shipped to their respective customers in Europe and the Middle East, the three units are a part of the 70 Chirons that Bugatti would be manufacturing this year at the company’s facility is Molsheim, Alsace, France. Each unit of the Chiron takes about six months to be built and includes various personalization options based on the choice of the customer.
A year into the unveiling, the company has also showcased a single unit of the Chiron at the ongoing 2017 Geneva International Motor Show. Destined for a German customer, the model has been finished in a shade of blue-tinted carbon fibre for the exterior while the interior receives a dual tone theme of deep blue and French racing Blue.
Bugatti has also revealed that the order books for the Chiron have made it to the half way mark, meaning that 250 of the 500 units of the Chiron have already been accounted for. Powering the Chiron is an 8.0-litre 16 cylinder engine capable of producing 1480 hp and a maximum torque of 1599 Nm. This motor propels the hyper-car from 0-100 kmph in less than 2.5 seconds while the restricted top speed figure stands at 420 kmph.
Here is the official video of the first batch of Bugatti Chiron customer cars leaving the factory:
Following is an image gallery of the Bugatti Chiron (click to expand):


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Chapman's hope winning regional food accolade will be a piece of cake!
A FAMILY run seafood business from Grimsby has been shortlisted for a regional food award, as it looks to innovate further.
Chapman's Fishcakes, which is based on the South Humberside Industrial Estate, has made it through to the final of the Deliciouslyork- shire awards for the second successive year.
Its haddock bake has made the shortlist of three in the best fish and seafish category.
The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in York on Thursday, October 25.
Urgently Seeking two(2&4)bedroom properties for our Lengthy list of possible suitable tenants with the lowest FREES in town and excellent turn around rate for sourcing and managing.
Terms: terms and condition apply
Contact: 01472 355 553
Valid until: Tuesday, June 18 2013
Paul Chapman, who runs the business with his brother Kevin, said the haddock bake was proving particularly popular with customers around the UK. He said: "It's a good product. It's very tasty and we are selling more and more to the farm shops and delis across the country.
"Last year we entered one of our fishcakes and we made the shortlist. Hopefully this year we can go one better and win it."
Chapman's, which has two varieties of its fishcakes stocked in Lincolnshire Co-op stores, is now looking to expand its product range further.
Mr Chapman said: "We have just started working with a new product development chef to look at some new products.
"We've had 13 products for the past couple of years, so we've decided it's time to add something new."


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Orlando, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/24/2016 -- Turmeric is widely believed to be therapeutic. As a matter of fact, both turmeric powder and supplements have been widely used over the years by many people for medicinal purposes. This ancient, medicinal spice is thought to improve the health of various bodily organs, including the pancreas.
Preclinical study reveals turmeric extract could potentially kill highly fatal pancreatic tumors. Turmeric contains polyphenol called curcumin, which has been a subject of many research studies due to its potential ability to kill cancer cells.
According to Greenmedinfo, there are more than 1,500 studies about turmeric and 24 of which focus on its anti-pancreatic cancer properties. The healing effects of turmeric are believed to come from its phytochemical, curcumin.
In new preclinical research, it was revealed that liposomal turmeric extract could potentially inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumor by 42 percent. This can be quite amusing considering that the conventional treatment of advanced stage pancreatic cancer is only 1 percent 5-year survival rate.
The Anticancer Research also featured a study that reveals liposomal curcumin, which is a unique turmeric extract, has the potential to become an ideal chemotherapy alternative in fighting fatal pancreatic cancers. The Anticancer Research is a medical journal published by the International Institute of Anticancer Research.
According to the American Cancer Society, there is also 14 percent 5-year survival rate in Stage IA cancers and 1 percent for stage IV types.
A new study from the Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, and Institute for Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas reveals that liposomal curcumin formulation has the ability to inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cell in vitro.
Curcumin has also been found to have an antiangiogenic effect. This means it has the potential to reduce pro-angiogenic factors linked with the growth of the blood supply of the tumor.
"Curcumin has long been believed to be a safe, affordable, and effective remedy for a wide range of diseases," said Divine Bounty spokesperson, Melissa Scott.
Today, there are many curcumin supplements available in the market. Individuals who want to take advantage of its health benefits may incorporate turmeric powder in their diet by adding it in their food and beverages. They can also directly consume turmeric through supplementation.
Most of the best curcumin supplements contain a bioavailability-enhancing ingredient such as BioPerine. This is a black pepper extract that is thought to be effective in increasing the delivery of curcumin nutrients inside the human body (amazon.com/Turmeric-Curcumin-BioPerine-Pepper-Extract/dp/B00VSVKJ8I/).
About Divine Bounty
Divine Bounty is a family-owned brand that manufactures high-quality turmeric curcumin supplements. Passionate about the potential health benefits of turmeric, the team behind Divine Bounty have carefully researched and sourced only the best ingredients to create the ideal blend of turmeric curcumin.
More details are available at http://www.DivineBounty.com.
MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION:


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Sharethrough is shutting its European operations. The San Francisco-based company said it is centralizing support for its U.K. and European accounts out of its North American offices. As part of the move, 11 employees in the London office will be let go.
Sharethrough CEO Dan Greenberg told Digiday its European operations were hit “severely” by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation last year. Other U.S. ad tech firms including Verve, Kargo and Drawbridge have also recently retreated from Europe, citing uncertainty surrounding GDPR compliance.
“While our exchange has recovered and is hitting record levels of consented supply, the political and competitive conditions in [the] U.K. have led us to decide that the best way for us to continue to operate an efficient exchange for our customers is to centralize our support to the U.S.,” Greenberg wrote in an email.
Sources told Digiday Sharethrough appointed a bank and was exploring a potential sale of the company earlier this year.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in programmatic ‘enhanced ads’ this year and have looked at some interesting opportunities this year. We’re always exploring strategic paths for the company,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg said many of Sharethrough’s publisher clients were already managed out of the U.S. and that the broad publisher adoption of header bidding meant a centralized support model was more appropriate.
Sharethrough was founded in 2008 by Greenberg and Rob Fan, and has raised $30 million in venture backing. Its last funding round — a $10 million Series D raise — was in 2014. Sharethrough has recently looked to expand its offering beyond its native supply-side platform, this year launching an “enhanced ads” product that helps advertisers turn their existing display and video ad assets into native formats
Sharethrough competes with other native ad platforms such as Adyoulike, Nativo and Triplelift, as well as the native ad offerings from larger players such as Google and Verizon Media. After the London office closes it will have six locations, spread across North America.
In its most recently filed U.K. accounts, for the year to March 2017, Sharethrough Limited generated a turnover of £2.2 million ($2.8 million,) up 48% on the prior year. The company booked £109,300 ($140,000) in profit in the period. U.K.-specific revenue currently represents less than 5% of Sharethrough’s total revenue, Greenberg said.
Update: This story has been updated reflect Sharethrough has raised $30 million in venture backing. A previous version of the article stated the amount as $38 million.
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: Omnicom Media Group tackles supply-chain challenges for its clients
The media agency network created a metric designed to help brands calculate where and when to redirect media spend as a result of supply chain issues they face — rather than just putting a halt on spend when there’s a supply crunch.
The Rundown: Podcast production companies and platforms pitch diverse audiences and ad targeting improvements at IAB’s Podcast Upfront
The three-day podcast-focused event highlighted improvements in dynamic ad insertion, machine learning and diversity of creators, content and audiences.
Member ExclusiveMedia Briefing: Publishers continue to push advertisers to check out their shoppable video pitches
In this week's Media Briefing, media editor Kayleigh Barber checks in on how publishers' attempts to win over advertisers with their shoppable video and livestream shopping programs are going.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
In graphic detail: How influencers drive social commerce sales
Influencers have a huge impact on the success of social commerce, and yet a large portion of micro influencers are not given the credit they deserve.
The Trade Desk weathers Q1 headwinds with $315 million in revenues marking a 43% increase
More publishers join its OpenPath land grab but sources fear trading deals can come with strings attached


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Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun - and scientists now say it is good for them.
If the sun appears this bank holiday weekend, people should expose themselves for 10 to fifteen minutes without sunscreen, said Ann Webb, an ultraviolet radiation expert at the University of Manchester.
Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D and Dr Webb said: "Our calculations have found that the best time to be out in the sun if you want to maximise vitamin D production and its benefits is midday.
"This is when there is more UVB radiation in the spectrum, which triggers vitamin D production in the skin."
She calculated that 10 to 15 minutes at noon is the optimum time for the average person in the UK to spend in the sun without sunscreen.
"You do not need to sunbathe to get your vitamin D and we are not advocating people do not protect themselves with sunscreen, but if you put sunscreen on before you step out of the house, you will not reap health benefits provided naturally by the sun."
Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphate from food, and is essential in the formation of bones and teeth. A deficiency leads to bones failing to grow and causes rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.
Cancer Research UK said: "We recommend people stay out of the sun between the peak hours of 11 and 3.
"Fair-skinned people can burn in less than 30 minutes even on cloudy days and the danger is that you lose track of time."


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Entries in 'hd' (128)
Microsoft is unlikely to pillage its back catalogue of Xbox titles for the high definition remake treatment on Xbox 360.
The total value of the US games market hit $1.22bn in September, down from the $1.32bn seen in the same period the year before.
Sega has confirmed that its HD remake of cult arcade racer Crazy Taxi will be released in the UK on November 24th.
With Beyond Good & Evil 2 seemingly still a long way from release, Ubisoft has confirmed a surprise re-release for the original title.
Online retail listings have appeared suggesting that publisher Ubisoft is preparing two HD remake trilogies for PS3.
Sony has at last officially unveiled the Team Ico Collection, a SKU that contains HD re-imaginings of PS2 classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
Weekly Japanese games mag Famitsu has got the first official details on one of Sony’s worst kept secrets – the HD remakes of PS2 classics Ico and Shadow of the ...
2005 Xbox release Oddworld: Strangers Wrath is to get an HD makeover and be re-released on Sony’s PlayStation Network.
Rockstar has announced that an HD version of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be released for the Apple iPad on September 9th, priced at $9.99.
Developer Firemint has confirmed that its hugely popular iPhone game Flight Control is heading to PlayStation 3, complete with Move support, stereographic 3D functionality, and HD visuals.
EA has detailed the goodies that are set to be included in the Limited Edition version of upcoming FPS Medal of Honor.
“We’ve got no surprises left!” That’s what a Sony rep jokingly told MCV last month as rumour upon rumour about possible E3 reveals flooded the internet. But if current talk ...
With many technology and media firms doing all they can to crank up the 3D bandwagon ahead of the official UK release of the first 3D TV sets next month, ...
While Microsoft’s Natal looks to take the motion gaming revolution on an entirely different direction, the similarities between Sony’s PlayStation Move and Nintendo’s Wii are hard to escape from.
Sony is throwing a host of extras at those who invest in its launch range of 3D TVs this June, including four free 3D PS3 games.
How will the Wii respond to Sony and Microsoft’s imminent motion control offensive? There are many answers out there. A price cut is one option, though many analysts believe there ...
Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that all six major Hollywood studios will be bringing their movies in high definition to PlayStation Network.
At its media summit in America yesterday Nintendo once again reiterated Nintendo’s stance that either a Wii HD or Wii 2 is nearing release.
There’s no way of knowing how far off the announcement of a successor to the Wii actually is, but new comments from Nintendo boss Saturo Iwata suggest that when the ...
Some observers would have you believe that Wii HD is just around the corner and whilst a recent Nintendo investor call suggests this is certainly not the case, Nintendo is ...


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At a tense July 22 meeting, with Penney’s business still swooning, a source said Ackman demanded that Penney find a new CEO by the time it announced second-quarter results on Aug. 20 — and threatened to sell his 18-percent stake if the board didn’t agree.
Ackman, the largest shareholder in JCPenney who has a seat on the retailer's board, sent a letter yesterday saying that the board is looking for a new CEO to replace Ullman, who took over the helm again after Ron Johnson stepped down back in April.
JCPenney fired back at the activist investor saying his "latest actions are disruptive and counterproductive."
Ackman's $12 billion Pershing Square Capital Management owns a 17.74% stake in JCPenney, according to the latest 13F regulatory filing for the fund.
He started building his position in the retailer September 2010.
So far, he has taken a bath on the stock. Since September 28, 2010, the date of his initial 13D regulatory filing on JCPenney, shares of the retailer have tumbled more than 47%.


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Posts tagged with "Figures"
The latest issue of Dragon+ magazine has just hit Android and iOS devices and it contains the first detailed description of the upcoming Tyrants of the Underdark board game, which launches in spring 2016. According to Peter Lee, game designer at Wizards of the Coast, you get to play the bad guys (taking control of a house of drow in the Underdark region) and monsters.
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Following the recent announcement that DC Comics is launching their open beta on their latest game Infinite Crisis, based on the 2005 comic book run of the same name, a new Infinite Crisis book is set to launch digitally in May of this year with print copies coming in June. That’s right, it’s a comic book of a game of a comic book! But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and here’s why.
First of all, Dan Abnett will be DC’s...


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Kith to open retail location at Bergdorf Goodman, launch partnership
Kith, in 2016 alone, launched collaborations with Adidas, Levi’s, and Garrett Leight California Optical among others, and opened pop up stores with Nike and Bleacher Report. The New York-based lifestyle retailer on Monday announced Bergdorf Goodman as its latest collaborator, and the new partnership will include a collection and storefront.
Bergdorf Goodman will house a Kith shop at its Men’s Store, which will sell Kith branded products and a Kith x Bergdorf Goodman capsule collection. Snarkitecture designs the store which features herringbone marble walls, a custom Carrera marble bench, and casted Air Jordan IVs, a motif found in all Kith stores.
The Kith x Bergdorf Goodman collection includes six limited-edition co-branded styles including a t-shirt, hoodie, crewneck sweater, full tracksuit and wool cap. The collection also marks as the first time the Bergdorf Goodman logo will appear on outside of a garment.
The store will open on Wednesday, September 14, just one day after Kith’s first fashion show, KITHLAND. The fashion show will feature 90 different looks that will launch in the remaining months of 2016. KITHLAND will begin at 9:30pm on September 13 and will be held at the Samsung 837 store in New York City.
The Kith x Bergdorf Goodman collection will launch at Kith’s retail locations at Bergdorf Goodman, NoHo, and Brooklyn as well as its website.
Copyright © 2021 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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How exactly do affluent Chinese millennials make travel decisions?
Well, according to a new report from ILTM and The Luxury Conversation, it’s children who are the biggest influence on travel decision-making, at least for millennials with children. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise—families around the world prioritize family when making travel decisions. However, this may be even more significant in China, given how important children are culturally in light of the One Child Policy.
For affluent millennial families in China, children are the biggest factor in making decisions on where to travel and stay
When making travel choices, features like a “kids’ club,” “kids’ menus,” and “local experiences/activities” were important for virtually all respondents, with around 65 percent to 70 percent considering these three “very important.”
In fact, having organic menu items for kids was also quite important for these millennial families. While it may seem surprising, Chinese media this year has been awash with stories of poor-quality food at schools. With stories like these making the rounds on social media, it’s unsurprising that quality food for kids is a priority for parents when traveling.
While kid-friendly accommodation was the most important consideration for millennial parents, WeChat features at hotels also proved important
WeChat features associated with travel accommodation were considerably less important, but nonetheless significant considerations, the survey found. The availability of a WeChat mini-program for accommodations, WeChat customer service, and a WeChat loyalty program were important to 88 percent, 95 percent, and 95 percent of respondents, respectively.
Of course, this still means that WeChat remains very important for these consumers. If it isn’t obvious by now, any major hotel brand that wants to attracts Chinese consumers needs to have some kind of WeChat presence. For many Chinese consumers, WeChat is the first stop for looking for relevant travel information, not to mention paying for goods and services with WeChat Pay.
In terms of destinations, unsurprisingly traveling domestically in China and to Hong Kong were by far the most popular, with around 50 percent of respondents opting for domestic travel. Japan came in third with 44 percent of respondents visiting in the year. Australia and France followed with 39 percent and 29 percent, respectively.
It’s an impressive figure for a long-haul destination like Australia, although unsurprising in the context of the explosive growth of Chinese tourism to the country. Chinese tourists to Australia grew by 13 percent year-on-year in the 12 months ending June 30, with a record 1.3 million arrivals.
The report’s authors note that destinations with strong reputations for adventurous, outdoors tourism have trended upwards this year. Canada and New Zealand also posted impressive figures because of this.
The report’s conclusions are based on a survey of 400 affluent families from around China, with almost 70 percent of families spending over $432 (RMB 3,000) per night on accommodation while traveling. The mean per-night spending on accommodation reported by participants was $756 (RMB 5,265).


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Dear loving couples! Valentine`s Day became a great occasion for everybody. It’s a day of love, tenderness and care.
Dear students! The Motor Service announces a new promotional offer for students who can and want to save money!
Our taxi service appreciates its clients, And we’ll be glad to make You happy on Your birthday and allow You the discont of 10% for all trips!
Dear friends! The Motor Service announces a new termless promotional offer aimed to enhance the living conditions of retired people, veterans, disabled war veterans, disabled workers!
The Motor Service and the Sushechki.ru caterer have organized a joint promotional offer ‘Tasty Trip” for those who like tasty food and pleasant trips.
The Motor Service Company announces a joint loyalty programme with the largest chain of the Kruzhka beer restaurants. Kruzhka is more than 30 restaurants in Moscow.


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ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Still unsure of what to get your valentine?
A Bethlehem native has found a way to make shopping for gifts - of any kind - easier than ever before!
Julie Mauser, founder of Wrapped by J.A.M, joined WFMZ's Eve Russo on 69 News at Sunrise to tell us about her unique "one-stop shop."
- APD looking for three bumbling armed robbers
- Police: Winery owners unlawfully recorded customers, employees
- YOUR PHOTOS: Snow falls across the region
- Pennsylvania's first marijuana dispensary opens in Bethlehem
- Mayor champions Lafayette College expansion plans
- New Lower Saucon police chief a lifelong resident
- City Council acts to ensure vacancies filled by members of same party
- Association moving forward with plans to revitalize three neighborhoods
- Hamburg copes with half a foot of snow
- South Whitehall grants second extension to developer


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About ECAD Technologies
ECAD Technology Service Provider (TSP). aims to provide Engineering Consultancy in areas like Signal Integrity, Thermal analysis and EMC engineering solutions for circuit boards used in high-performance system.
Missing: ECAD Technologies's Product Demo & Case Studies
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May 13, 2019
August 05, 2005 17:54 IST Austria-based manufacturer of branded circuit boards, Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG (AT&S) has acquired ECAD Technologies, a Bangalore-based IT company, for a total consideration of Rs 7.5 crore (Rs 75 million), it was announced on Friday. SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd (SVCL) and Karnataka IT Venture Capital Fund (KITVEN) had invested Rs 2 crore (Rs 20 million) and Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million), respectively, in ECAD over a period from 2001 and 'now they have exited', officials said at a news conference. ECAD was promoted by S L N Murthy, an ex-Bharat Electronics Limited executive and others in September 1997. It is mainly engaged in design, simulation, testing of high-end printed circuit board used in critical applications, they said. AT&S is said to be a Euro 332 million firm and Europe's largest supplier of printed circuit boards. SVCL Chairman N Balasubramanian said investment in ECAD was made by SVCL out of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) National Venture Fund for Software and Information Technology, a venture capital fund launched in 1999. Balasubramanian said the Fund had committed investments aggregating Rs 75 crore in respect of 30 early stage companies in various segments of software and IT industries. "We expect to commit the remaining investible corpus of the Fund entirely during the current year," he said. "We expect to achieve a few more exits during the current financial year." An SVCL statement said ECAD's customer list includes Texas Instruments, BEL, HAL and ISRO.
ECAD Technologies Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Where is ECAD Technologies's headquarters?
ECAD Technologies's headquarters is located at 1008 Atlanta, Ahmedabad.
What is ECAD Technologies's latest funding round?
ECAD Technologies's latest funding round is Acquired.
Who are the investors of ECAD Technologies?
Investors of ECAD Technologies include AT&S, SIDBI Venture and KITVEN.
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The Bitmap Brothers’ Z has finally hit GOG and Steam. That is correct. For the first time, the cult classic strategy game, has been officially updated in a “remake” for modern systems. It seems it would be about time, too, as the game has garnered nearly 2600 votes on the GOG Community Wishlist. Not nearly the amount System Shock 2 had, mind you, but a sizable amount, nonetheless!
Unfortunately, this edition of Z, developed by TickTock Games and published by Kiss, Ltd., seems to be, well, lacking.


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VF Corp. begins custom-fit jeans as part of major restructuring
NEW YORK (AP) _ Those jeans too tight around the hips or loose in the rear? The maker of Lee and Wrangler jeans may soon have your perfect fit.
Like rival jeans-maker Levi-Strauss & Co., VF Corp. is heading into the custom-fit business, catering to those folks who want made-to-measure pants to suit their body contour.
``Each person has their own unique fit problems,″ said Mackey McDonald, VF’s president and chief executive. ``This offers a solution.″
The program is part of a four-year restructuring plan VF announced Tuesday aimed at saving $150 million a year as it focuses on its core product lines, like jeans, intimate apparel, backpacks and work wear, such as uniforms.
VF Corp. denied a Wall Street Journal report that said the restructuring will call for the elimination of up to 3,000 jobs over the next four years through a mix of voluntary and involuntary departures.
``We are not announcing any layoffs now,″ said Cindy Knoebel, director of investor relations at Wyomissing, Pa.-based VF. ``It is possible that there would be some loss of jobs, but we haven’t put a number on it.″
Starting later this year, women will be able to order jeans based on their dimensions. The service will be available at stores where VF products are sold and the company is also exploring other means of distribution for the custom-fit line, but Mackey refused to elaborate.
Levi’s began a similar service in 1994, and won praise from consumers who finally found wearable jeans.
Under the restructuring, VF will introduce new technology to allow individual retailers to customize their product assortment on a store-by-store basis. That means stores in college towns may have a different product mix from stores near retirement communities.
Mackey said the restructuring would cost about $150 million to combine its manufacturing and administrative functions. An additional $250 million would be spent on brand development.
The restructuring will have no impact on earnings, he said.
``VF has a presence in every layer of retailing and they are trying to customize products to service each layer,″ said Jay Meltzer, managing director at LJR Redbook Research. ``VF is definitely on the cutting edge of technology and shouldn’t have a problem with these changes.″
On Tuesday, VF also reported fourth-quarter earnings of $82.7 million, or $1.28 a share, compared with a loss of $35.6 million, or 57 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales rose to $1.38 billion from $1.27 billion.
For the year, VF earned $299.5 million, or $4.64 a share, compared with $126.8 million, or $2.41 a share, in 1995. Sales rose to $5.14 billion from $5.06 billion.
VF shares rose $1 to $69 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.


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Once the exclusive preserve of the wealthy, high-return global property investments are about to become accessible to everyday South Africans. This is thanks to a new property investment crowdfunding service. The announcement comes from Alex de Bruyn, CEO of DoshEx, a Johannesburg technology firm that runs blockchain-based DoshExchange, through which its DoshProp service is being offered.
“It’s time everyone had a shot at building their wealth portfolio without breaking the bank,” says de Bruyn. “DoshProp gives mid-income earners inclusive access to one of the world’s largest investment classes at an entry-level price.”
DoshProp, along with the first of many investment opportunities to come, is available as a service on DoshEx’s DoshExchange. After registering, either through the company’s mobile app or its website, interested parties can log in and start investing immediately.
Every DoshExchange user will get the chance to invest in a luxury apartment complex for only R100 per share. The Paradiso, to be constructed in the upmarket Como district of Perth in Western Australia, promises a 20% return on investment over 18 to 24 months. However, shares are limited and are expected to be snapped up when the offer is released to global traders on 1st November.
DoshEx representatives are available online and through dedicated social media channels and online support channels to explain how the fund will be administered, how to sign up to DoshEx, how to manage one’s digital portfolio, and how participants can track the progress of the project online.
Because investment is through a publicly registered South African company, Paradiso COMO Limited, the public can avoid the constraints of South African foreign trade regulations. In addition, the fund is being hosted on blockchain trading technology, which is immutable and tamper resistant.
DoshEx will be partnering with Edgars Club to bring DoshProp to a wider audience. The retail giant has recognised the potential in offering its customers this innovative approach to inclusive wealth creation. Plus, Club members will enjoy additional rewards.
Says Candy Steyn, Edgars Club Head of Operations: “We are committed to constantly refreshing our mix of benefits as lifestyle needs are constantly shifting and our mission is to reflect contemporary living. We don’t simply respond. We anticipate change and new trends. DoshEx is an example.” De Bruyn says buy-in from Edgars Club is validation of the service’s relevance to today’s consumers as a lifestyle enabler.
The system may also be a refreshing change for existing crypto traders, who make up 11% of the country’s 31.18 million internet users. “For some, cryptocurrency trading may become somewhat two-dimensional over time,” suggests de Bruyn. “DoshProp is integrated with DoshExchange and welcomes bitcoin investments, allowing traders to diversify their portfolios and lock in profits.”
Crowdfunding for capital-intensive property development is likely to gain rapid popularity as it exposes developers to a massive untapped source of financing. At the same time, it opens the door to inclusive economic participation for those who were unable to do so until now. “Through DoshProp, we’re offering both groups unlimited potential to realise their goals in a mutually beneficial way,” says de Bruyn.


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Bucharest, 23 January 1998 (RFE/RL) -- Despite Romania's economic and political troubles, the country's auto industry is fighting hard to ensure its future, and with some success.
The major domestic manufacturers are Dacia, based in Pitesti, northwest of Bucharest, and Daewoo, of the southern town of Kraiova. In comments to RFE/RL this week, spokesmen for both companies exuded optimism, despite difficult conditions.
Dacia had its origins in the Communist era and its outdated cars, based on an ancient Renault design, have been a familiar sight puttering around the roads of East and Central Europe for years. By contrast Daewoo is an ultra-modern offspring of what was the South Korean economic miracle. Of the world's car-makers, Daewoo has probably staked most on the growth of the car market across the eastern transition states.
Dacia continues to hold a dominating place in Romania's domestic market, where its low prices have ensured a continued ready acceptance among Romanian buyers, despite its dated design. But the company had a hard year last year as the austerity program introduced by the reform-minded government of Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea bit deep into local purchasing power. Higher purchase taxes and fuel prices also helped depress sales. But Dacia, having gained experience in an earlier crisis in 1991-92, reacted quickly with cost cutting measures and a new focus on modernization, exports and also on finding a wealthy partner for the future.
By autumn long-term prospects improved with the signing of an agreement with South Korea's premier car maker Hyundai to produce 50,000 Hyundais annually from the Dacia plant, starting by early 1999. The modern assembly line will be set up this year with the help of a $2.4 million low-interest loan provided just last week by the Romanian government.
Apart from the financial gain of the Hyundai contract, it will allow Dacia to gain invaluable experience of high quality-control in production processes in that the South Koreans, like the Japanese, are very meticulous in this area.
Dacia spokesman Nicolae Badiu says that the government has also just granted an even bigger credit -- some $3.6 million -- for development of a brand new model, code-named the D33, which will be aimed for sale on the sophisticated West European markets. Badiu said the car is being designed by the Italian design consultantcy IDEA, and will be powered by an engine from a leading international manufacturer.
Dacia has also sharpened its export orientation, both with the old model and a newer model, called the Nova. In the next three years some 50,000 vehicles will go to China, as the result of a deal signed in Beijing during a visit by President Emil Constantinescu.
The Nova, which suffered some initial troubles after introduction, has been redesigned and will be marketed more aggressively on overseas markets, including Egypt and Turkey, as well as Latin American countries like Venezuela and Argentina. For the main Western markets, the Nova will be further upgraded by the fitting of Peugeot-designed engines capable of conforming to strict pollution emission laws.
Dead, the other major manufacturer in Romania, has already invested $800 million in its plant and related facilities. Public relations chief RDA Andrea says the severe financial crisis in South Korea, which has affected all that country's big industrial companies, will not lessen Deal's commitment to Romania. Dead has maximized its presence in the emerging markets, having plants also in Poland, the Czech Republic, and.
In Romania, it produced a total of 38,000 cars last year, and plans to raise this to 46,000 units in 1998. Like Dacca, the company is planning an export thrust, with production from Romania earmarked for Slovene, Croat, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, as well Poland and Russia, and also to several Latin American countries.


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Brits Spending More on Leisure, Less on Vice
Britons are spending more on food and leisure and less on alcohol, smoking and drugs according to a recent family spending report from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data, released in February 2017, is based on total UK household expenditure between the financial year ending 2002 to the financial year ending 2016.
Average total spending (adjusted for inflation) was unchanged from a year earlier, at about £529 ($657) a week. The report showed households have still not fully recovered from the blow dealt by the financial crisis, with family spending still below 2007 levels. However, ONS statistician Jo Bulman explained: “While overall household spending didn’t change much in real terms since the previous year, we did see some interesting shifts in the types of things people are spending their money on.”
While UK households spent more than £45 ($55) a week on restaurants and hotels for the first time in five years, average weekly spending on alcohol, tobacco and narcotics fell below £12 ($14). In addition to eating out and holidays, UK households spent money on traditional recreational pastimes, including 70p ($0.87) a week at the cinema and £4.60 ($5.70) on pets.
See Wellbeing Warriors for more on consumers’ expanding interest in holistic wellbeing and Moderate Millennials for strategies that tap into the increasingly health-conscious millennial market. For a deep dive into the growing consumer preference for experiences over ‘stuff’, see Luxury Changes Gear.


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While the brand rolled out several new drinks during the quarter, including the Midnight Mint Mocha Frappuccino, an Ombre Pink Drink and the Iced Coconutmilk Mocha Macchiato, none elicited the same frenzy as the limited-time Unicorn.
"The slowdown included a lower-than-expected lift in non-discounted Frappuccino beverages following Happy Hour as well as somewhat lower-than-expected sales of other core beverages during the period," the company said.
And Johnson sees sales continuing to slow into the company's fourth quarter.
"We saw in the back half of last quarter, we saw industry data around away-from-home food and beverage that prompted us to take a cautionary posture for Q4," he said.
The company lowered its estimates for full-year 2017; it now expects to see earnings per share to be between $2.05 and $2.06. Previously, the company forecast EPS in the range of $2.08 to $2.12.
In addition, the company said it expects revenue growth will be on the lower end of its previous range of 8 percent to 10 percent.
"This is a near-term phenomenon," Johnson said. "Nothing to be concerned about long term."
Some may have expected Starbucks would benefit from back-to-school shoppers hitting the malls and discounters like Target, where Starbucks operates hundreds of cafes.
However, many retailers have been seeing softer sales in recent quarters. The National Retail Federation, the industry's trade group, expects fewer consumers will shop for back-to-school supplies in department stores this year.
That's bad news for Starbucks, since many of these department stores draw shoppers to the mall, where they might pick-up a Frappuccino while hunting for that first day of school outfit.
The NRF said that about 57 percent of customers will shop for back-to-school goods at department stores this year, down nearly 3 percent from last year.
In comparison, 46 percent of shoppers plan to purchase school items online this year. Last year the same percentage of customers said they would shop online, a 10 percent jump from 2015.
Shares of the company fell nearly 9 percent on Friday, amid several downgrades.


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A Discord user with the username Panfyero has posted a message on behalf of the unnamed cheat provider they work with announcing that subscriptions to the provider’s Battlefield 2042 cheat packages are being discontinued on their store. This decision might look like a victory for Electronic Arts at first, but the reason for stopping the cheats is actually pretty damning.
“The reason for this decision is the ongoing performance issue of the game which affects cheat and that most people don’t use their subscription anymore since the game is dying.”
This announcement follows the news that Activision is suing EngineOwning over its Call of Duty cheats. EngineOwning also offers subscriptions to cheats for a range of Battlefield games, but those for Battlefield 2042 are currently missing, so it seems probable that Panfyero is a representative of EngineOwning. Either that or more than one cheat provider is abandoning Battlefield 2042.
Whether Battlefield 2042 is dying is a matter of opinion, but it’s certainly struggling to retain players, and it’s definitely buggy, to put it mildly. According to data shared by SteamDB, Battlefield 2042’s player count in November 2021 peaked at over 100000 concurrent players, but that number has dropped every subsequent week.