- April 24, 2024
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The median sales forecast for the second quarter published by US company Meta Platforms on the 24th was below market expectations. Photograph taken on the 22nd (2024 Reuters/Annegret Hilse)
(Reuters) – Meta Platforms (META.O) New Tab, opens a new tab The median sales forecast for the second quarter was below market expectations. Expectations that artificial intelligence (AI) products will significantly boost business results may be fading.
Meta’s stock price fell 10% in trading after the US stock market closed. The market capitalization of $125 billion was wiped out.
Revenue estimates for the second quarter ranged from $36.5 billion to $39 billion, with the median estimate at $37.8 billion, below market expectations of $38.3 billion.
At the same time, it revised its cost forecasts for 2024 due to significant spending on new AI products and related infrastructure expansion.
The forecast for capital investment is 30 billion to 40 billion dollars. Previous expectations were between $35 billion and $37 billion.
Japanese Yen Falls To Lowest Level Against Dollar…
Around 8:05 pm GMT, the Japanese currency fell 0.32% against the American currency, to 155.32 yen per dollar. Earlier, it fell to 155.37 yen, the first time since June 1990.
“The pressure is mounting” on Japan, forcing it to “come to the rescue of its currency,” observed ForexLive analyst Adam Button. “But unfortunately, the dollar is fundamentally strong and I don’t see what the Japanese Ministry of Finance can do about it,” he said.
The financial markets have been buzzing, in recent weeks, with rumors of a possible intervention by the Japanese authorities in the foreign exchange market, as they did three times in 2022, successfully, once in September and twice in October.
“But other than palaver, we haven’t heard anything,” notes Matthew Weller, an analyst at Forex.com.
The “buck”, the nickname of the dollar, is still won by “the basis of high interest rates and more vigorous economic growth” in the United States, recalls this analyst.
“Having crossed 155 (¥ to the dollar) now, (American growth for the first quarter published on Thursday) and (the price index) PCE (estimated Friday) would be enough to get us closer for 160.
End Of An Era: TikTok Ceases Daily Payment…
The TikTok Lite App Faces Scrutiny in the EU
The recent launch of the light version of the TikTok app in two EU countries introduced a reward feature that compensated users with a small daily amount for engaging with videos. This move prompted European regulators to initiate an inquiry due to concerns about the potential addictive nature of the feature, especially among young individuals. In response to the investigation, TikTok has decided to suspend the feature in the EU.
TikTok Lite: A Brief Overview
TikTok Lite serves as a streamlined alternative to the main TikTok app, catering to users with slower internet connections. While it has been accessible in certain Asian regions for some time, its availability expanded to France and Spain recently. Within the app, there exists a rewards system that offers users “coins” for various activities such as logging in, viewing advertisements, and liking videos. These coins can be exchanged for rewards like Amazon vouchers and PayPal gift cards. However, the earnings from engaging with the app are relatively modest, with an hour of video watching only yielding around 36 euro cents.
Regulatory Concerns and Actions
Referencing the EU’s Digital Services Act, the commission took action against TikTok Lite,
Business Groups Fight Back: Lawsuits Filed To Stop…
Business Groups Sue to Stop F.T.C. From Banning Noncompete Clauses
A recent development in the business world has led to several business groups filing a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), aiming to block their proposed ban on noncompete clauses. This move has sparked significant debate and speculation about the implications it may have on workers and companies across various industries.
The potential ban on noncompete clauses by the FTC has grabbed headlines and drawn attention from business leaders, legal experts, and policymakers alike. It seeks to address concerns about the impact of these restrictive agreements on labor mobility and innovation.
Understanding Noncompete Clauses
Noncompete clauses are contractual agreements that prevent employees from working for competitors or establishing rival businesses for a specified period of time after leaving their current position. While these clauses aim to protect employers’ business interests, critics argue that they often restrict workers’ career opportunities and hinder industry growth.
Implications for Workers and Companies
If the ban on noncompete clauses is enforced, workers may experience increased job mobility and the ability to explore new opportunities more freely. This could lead to a more dynamic and competitive labor market,
Tozzi Green Repairs Damage Caused By Installation Work
The CEO of Tozzi Green, Davide Giachero (left), during a meeting with the beneficiaries of the compensation measure.
The Tozzi Green company is taking steps to compensate and repair direct and indirect damage caused by the construction of the Farahatsana hydroelectric power station (HPP) and its facilities. The results of the rehabilitation work carried out were presented yesterday to Mahitsy. The HPP Farahatsana power plant supplies the Antananarivo Interconnected Network via a 38 kilometer high voltage line to the Anosizato electrical substation. It draws from the Ikopa River and has a total capacity of 136 GWh. During the installation and production phases, homes and domestic infrastructure were damaged, among other things, by the frequent passage of machinery.
A prior community consultation meeting took place last year, between the president and CEO of Tozzi Green Madagascar, Davide Giachero, the authorities of the Ambohimasina Mahitsy commune and surrounding areas, and residents, following which he It was decided that the company would take charge of the rehabilitation of damaged houses and infrastructure.
The rehabilitation works consist of creating a reinforced concrete framework to stabilize the buildings, repair cracks and improve the aesthetic appearance according to the principles of the resettlement policy.
Blank Checks Drag Car Rental Agency Managers To…
The Public Prosecution at the Ain Sebaa Criminal Court is looking into the files of those accused of accepting “blank checks” as guarantees, after managers of car rental companies in the economic capital were involved in imposing guarantee checks on their customers in exchange for enabling them to enter into car rental contracts for short terms.
Informed sources reported that the follow-up was launched against the agency managers after one of the customers was surprised by filling out the details of a blank check signed by him for an important amount of money, the value of which exceeded 70 thousand dirhams (7 million centimes), after the car he had purchased earlier this year was involved in a minor accident. The driver estimated the value of the damages and included the aforementioned amount in the check in order to obtain compensation for the damage to his car.
The same sources added that the customer was unable, during his negotiations with the car rental company, to convince him to return the check signed in blank, in exchange for repairing the car or paying the real value to compensate for the damages it sustained, stressing that the customer stuck to his position and did not inform the customer to fill out the details of the check,
MINI Aceman, The New Electric Crossover Is Official.…
#MINI #Aceman #electric #crossover #official #Autonomy
New MINI Aceman officially debuts at the Beijing Motor Show. The new crossover goes to position itself under the new Countryman and, as we know, it will be electric only. After previews and several spy photos, we can finally discover all the features of this new model. It should hit the market in the fall. For the moment, there is no information on Italian prices. Initially it will be produced in China but as we already know from 2026 it will also be built within the Oxford factory. The crossover will be offered in 4 trim levels: Essential, Classic Favoured e JCW.
DESIGN AND INTERIORS
The design is certainly nothing new given that we have already seen several photos of the car, even without camouflage. New MINI Aceman measure 4.07 meters long x 1.75 m wide x 1.5 m high. The trunk offers a capacity of 300 litres which can rise to 1,005 liters by folding down the rear seat backrests (60:40 split). The style of the new model is reminiscent of that of the larger Countryman.
The Last (Communication) Temptation Of Androulakis 2024-04-24 19:24:46
At a time when its political leaders relativize everything, as if they have been dragged (or even dragged) to the opposite bank of rationalism, religious references abound (directly or indirectly). The only thing politics avoids is using sayings for… the last (communicative) temptation. Nothing else, but the temptations never end. And these days, especially in Harilaou Trikoupi, there are many. The leadership of PASOK under Nikos Androulakis did not avoid slipping into anti-trollery about swimming pools and miracles, but also into spectacular maneuvers in view of the European elections. Even if it has done… an institutional effort – in the post-Zagora era – to restrain itself from communicative excesses despite the demographic poverty that afflicts PASOK-KINAL. The eight (out of 42) seats left open on the European ballot were resoundingly locked. The television papa Michael of the “Sasmos” series, the actor Michalis Aerakis (photo) who has been the artistic director of the DIPETHE of Crete, also joined. Next to him are former members of MeRA25, Konstantina Adamou (former Member of Parliament for Thessaloniki) and Kostas Chouliaras, doctor Nikos Xylouris, Dr. Green.
N. Androulakis is seeking to recover PASOK by putting votes back into the electoral canal – the staff of Harilaou Trikoupis believe that after the “miracle” of Kasselakis,
Somalia: Final Preparations For Entry Into The EAC
by: Céline Dominique Nadler | April 24, 2024
The Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Barre, met in recent days in Mogadishu with members of the parliament of the East African Community (EAC) to address the final technical aspects necessary to facilitate Somalia’s entry into the East African market .
“I urge members of the EAC regional bloc to continue to support efforts to harmonize policies and regulations, creating a favorable business environment for investors and entrepreneurs. We further strengthen cooperation in regional security and the advancement of peace and stability,” the Somali Prime Minister said during the meeting.
Barre also presented Somalia’s potential contributions to the East African Community and highlighted the benefits that member countries could derive from Somalia’s inclusion. He highlighted Somalia’s abundant natural resources and the dynamic and creative nature of its people.
Last month, Somalia was granted full member status of the EAC after meeting all requirements to join the regional bloc. With this development, Somalia joins Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda as the eighth member of the regional bloc.
The EAC was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Arusha,