Maharashtra Election Result 2024: Mahayuti Set To Return After Landslide Victory; Stunned MVA Cries Foul; Suspense Intensifies On CM FaceTORONTO - Canada’s main stock index rose Thursday, helped by strength in energy and utilities stocks, while U.S. markets moved lower ahead of reports on the labour market on both sides of the border. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 38.86 points at 25,680.04. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 248.33 points at 44,765.71. The S&P 500 index was down 11.38 points at 6,075.11, while the Nasdaq composite was down 34.86 points at 19,700.26. Friday will bring the monthly jobs reports in both the U.S. and Canada, which markets will be eyeing for clues on upcoming interest rate decisions by central banks, said Kevin Headland, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management. The U.S. Federal Reserve has several key data reports coming before it makes its own decision on Dec. 18, said Headland, including inflation. Markets are currently leaning toward a quarter-percentage-point cut from the Fed, he said. But “there’s a lot of data for them to digest before the announcement.” The Bank of Canada’s decision is next week, and Headland said markets seem to think there’s a good chance the central bank could cut by an outsized half-percentage point. “In my belief, the bank is trying to front-run the mortgage renewals that are coming due over the next year or so, to just avoid some of the bigger hits to discretionary spending,” said Headland. “There’s no reason for them not to continue rate cuts unless there’s a surprise tomorrow.” Canadian bank earnings continued to roll in on Thursday. CIBC saw its profit rise while its provisions for loan losses dropped. TD also saw its profit rise, though its adjusted earnings were lower as the bank continues to work through the fallout from its anti-money laundering deficiencies. Meanwhile, BMO’s earnings were a miss on analyst expectations but the bank said it expects loan performance to improve in 2025. So far, there haven’t been any major surprises from bank earnings overall, said Headland. Bitcoin continued its meteoric rise, briefly breaching US$100,000 for the first time after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump tapped crypto advocate Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. “US$100,000 is definitely a psychological threshold,” said Headland. “I guess time will tell whether it can remain at that level,” he added. “If we’re getting downside pressure to risk assets, I would assume that Bitcoin and other companies will be swept up in that negativity.” But for now, the surge is indicative of the broader positive momentum markets have enjoyed since Donald Trump’s election, said Headland. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.24 cents US compared with 71.09 cents US on Wednesday. The January crude oil contract was down 24 cents at US$68.30 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up four cents at US$3.08 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$27.80 at US$2,648.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was down a penny at US$4.19 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)
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AT the start of the year, every broker would forecast how the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index will end the year. Of course, no broker would be pessimistic. But their targets for years now since the pandemic were way off. First Metro Investment Corp., for instance, in January expected the economy to grow by 6 percent this year, enough to help the PSEi to hit as high as 7,500 points by year-end. The PSEi, at week 51 of 2024, struggled to get past 7,000 points and was just at 6,400-point level. It was down by 43.66 points since the start of the year. Francis Patrick T. Diaz, president and co-founder of broker Luna Securities Inc., said how the Trump administration of the United States will play their economic policies will have an impact on the Philippine economy, and the benchmark index. “I understand that US Federal Reserve chairman (Jerome) Powell is, you know, he’s been underscoring that he’s an independent, even if he was technically appointed by the Trump administration from prior. So if interest rates continue to go down, then I think.... we can probably hit the 8,000-point mark for next year, maybe even reach it potentially,” Diaz said. “But if that doesn’t happen, we’ll probably be range bound for about maybe the 6,500 to 7,200 to 7,400,” he said. With the anemic trading, capital raising done at the PSE may only reach P79 billion, or just more than half of the previous year’s P141 billion. So far, the PSE only had three initial public offerings, one stock rights offer, six follow-on offer and seven private placements. Cebu-based gas station operator Top Line Business Development Corp. was already poised for listing at the PSE supposedly on December 12, to get the 12-12-24 number pattern, but opted to postpone it for next year as market trend turned sour. The listings for the year were OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc., Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. and NexGen Energy Corp. PSE president and CEO Ramon Monzon said there were three to four big initial public offerings by next year and also some small and medium ones. The target IPOs for next year would be at six companies, he said. Two of the big deals would be West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc., which it could raise as much as $1 billion, and the operator of Okada Manila, the integrated resort and casino in Entertainment City. “They (Maynilad) have not applied yet but I’ve already talked to them,” Monzon said. Maynilad is jointly owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corp., DMCI Holdings Inc. and Marubeni Corp. of Japan. Monzon said the SM group’s real estate investment trust may not be done by next year as the Sy group was not keen on creating a REIT, while the IPO of Enrique Razon Jr.’s Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. was still “premature”. The IPO of the GCash operator, meanwhile, is still on the table, but their problem was with their recent valuation of $5 billion, which was too high, Monzon said. “Then there were new investors that came in. For sure that $5 billion will grow to about $8 billion. And 20 percent of that is about $1.6 billion,” Monzon said. The 20 percent is the minimum public float required by the PSE on new listings. There were listings, but there were also delistings. Abra Mining and Industrial Corp. will be involuntarily delisted after the Securities and Exchange Commission found that the company and some of its officials had illegally sold unlisted shares from 2015 to 2019. The PSE said it “is left with no alternative” move after the SEC’s Markets and Securities Regulation Department confirmed “that there were indeed illegally issued shares circulating on the market and its resolution revoking AR’s registration statement and corresponding permit to sell securities”. “In view of SEC’s findings contained in its April 8, 2024 decision, minority stockholders of AR may, individually or as a group, consult their counsel and seek legal advice on available remedies under existing laws,” the PSE said. South Korea’s SFA Semicon Philippines Corp., which has a semiconductor plant in Clark in Pampanga, has also requested for its delisting in August after its parent firm SFA Semicon Co. Ltd. signalled it intends to buy all other shares the firm does not own. With the high interest-rate environment, banks nowadays were more keen on arranging sustainability-linked financing as many regular deals soured due to the high yield demanded by the instruments. Many of the previous deals of the investment banks involved these types of bonds as a means to continue investors’ interest. As of October, the Philippines was second leading issuer of Asean-labelled sustainability bonds at $15.06 billion, next to Thailand’s $19.8 billion. Philippine National Bank aims to allocate the proceeds of its $300- million sustainability bonds issuance to both green and social initiatives including, among others, renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, clean transportation, affordable basic infrastructure, access to essential services, food security and socioeconomic advancement and empowerment. “The SEC is boldly taking the lead in championing sustainability practices both at home and in the sector it regulates,” the agency said. “As society grows more aware of the importance of environmental stability in addressing long-term global challenges, the SEC will work tirelessly to integrate sustainability into the overall regulatory framework as part of corporate governance practices,” it said. Consumers want natural Dean A. Lao Jr., president of bio-ethanol maker Chemrez Technologies Inc. said not only do consumers want natural products, they want it to have a sustainability aspect built into it as well. Lao belongs to the second generation of the family that controls chemical manufacturer D and L Industries Inc., Chemrez’s parent firm. Lao said when DNL decided to invest some P10.5 billion in a new plant in Batangas, which has five times the company’s capacity today, sustainability was an important consideration. “We cannot do lot of sustainability measures (required) if we don’t build and design (the plant) from the ground up. This plant has sustainability designed into the product from layout of the plant, what we forecast the markets to be (for the next 15 years),” Lao said. DNL works with companies, supplying them with crucial products such as coconut oil-based tallow and ice cream mixes for the fast food firms, and other ingredients for other food and non-food firms. As the trend for sustainable products is growing, many of these firms they were working with started looking for some sustainability aspects in its operations, which could include their suppliers. “You can say that our business model has come of age when the need for sustainability is ever more important and urgent,” Lao said. DNL’s sister firms also manufactures products such as hand soaps, detergent and milk tea mixes—not necessarily to compete with current players in the market but to show to investors and customers what it is capable of doing. It conducted a life cycle analysis of its products with the help of University of the Philippines-Los Baños. Life-cycle analysis, or LCA, also known as life-cycle assessment, is a primary tool used to support decision-making for sustainable development. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, LCA is a tool to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a product, material, process or activity. “Knowing the GHG (green house gas) or CO2 (carbon dioxide) footprint of our product and processes is essential information if the goal is to reduce. We can only manage what we can measure,” Lao said. “We have established and benchmarked our CO2 footprint relative to regional competitors who use less sustainable. Like palm oil, our multinational clients in the personal and home care industries are finding such data so compelling that they have to make the conscious move to work with us,” he said. Lao said the analysis showed that its products, which mainly uses coconut products, were way ahead of its competitors. He said the company’s oleo chemical competitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and India are mostly dependent on palm oil as primary feed stock for all their natural products. Palm oil industries were established where rainforests used to be; thus, the deforestation that made a way for their plantations took a very huge toll on the planet. DNL uses coconut oil, which it sources locally. The Philippines has about 3.5 million hectares of coconut plantation. “Examples of oleochemicals include surfactants that are the primary building blocks for cleaners, soaps, cosmetics, and other home and personal care products The same principle applied to biodiesel replacing Petro diesel,” he said. Sustainability, ESG: Not the same Many companies, however, were interchangeably using sustainability and ESG, or environmental, social and governance. Simply put, both terms encourage responsible practices, but with some key differences. ESG focuses on environmental impact, social responsibility and governance, aiming for financial gain. Sustainability is broader, considering the long-term well-being of the planet and society. Sustainability will continue to weave through the business activities of many companies, in the years to come, The SEC said, however, it will remain loyal to its roots as company registrar and supervisor of the capital markets, while evolving and adapting to new roles that the changing times will bring. “As it begins another year, the SEC will continue to push boundaries to secure the capital market, enhance the ease of doing business, and catapult the Philippine corporate sector into one of the best in Southeast Asia, solidifying its position as the premier business and investor champion of the Filipino people,” it said. A journalism graduate and has covered the Philippine business beat for more than a decade.Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh died at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday evening. He breathed his last at 9:51 pm at the age of 92. This came hours after he was admitted to the emergency department of the hospital. The veteran leader, who had faced health issues in the past, was taken to the hospital for urgent medical attention. The news of his demise was first confirmed by Robert Vadra who posted it on social media. Later, a medical bulletin was also released by AIIMS, confirming Singh's (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); death. Dr Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha in April this year, marking the conclusion of a distinguished parliamentary career. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had lauded Singh's contributions and outlined his key role in shaping modern India's economic landscape. As the finance minister in the PV Narasimha Rao-led government from 1991-1996, Singh spearheaded transformative economic reforms, steering India away from socialist-era policies toward a liberalized economy.
NoneNatixis Advisors LLC Sells 84,172 Shares of Federal Signal Co. (NYSE:FSS)A 1-month-old baby boy wearing only a diaper was found alone on a Colorado street on Christmas Day and his parents are now under behind bars. A passerby saw the baby alone in his car seat around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday and stopped to help, the Adams County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook . Denver recorded a high of 50 degrees on Wednesday and a low of 34 degrees, according to AccuWeather . Sgt. Adam Sherman with the Adams County Sheriff's Office told USA TODAY on Thursday that it's unclear how long the baby was there but said from what investigators could gather, "it was a relatively short time of just a few minutes." "But that’s a few minutes too long for any child to be left alone in that situation," Sherman said. After the baby was found, he was taken to a local children's hospital as a precaution, while detectives canvassed the area, looked into camera footage, and tried to figure out who left the baby there. Authorities also shared images of the car seat on social media and requested the public to help them identify the infant and his family "so he can be united with his loved ones and the person who abandoned him can be brought to justice." Baby's parents arrested The biological parents of the infant were later identified, arrested and charged with felony child abuse the same day, police said in a later update. They were identified as Jarvis Sims, 42 and Christina Thurman, 33. USA TODAY is working to find whether the couple has attorneys for comment. The two had a court hearing Thursday morning and were still in custody of the sheriff's office on Thursday afternoon, Sherman said. "From what our investigators could gather is there was an argument yesterday morning between both parents," Sherman said. "And as they were walking during the argument, unfortunately, the baby was left in the street as each parent left in a different direction." Infant in 'good health' The baby is in good health, Sherman said, adding he was "cleared to be placed with child protective services last night." "Thank you to our community who quickly sprang into action, spread the word, and assisted with sharing the information about this incident," the sheriff's office said. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Vikings Sign DE Jonathan Harris To PS, Cut CB Kelvin Joseph
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 461 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite edged up by less than 0.1%. Nvidia rose just 0.5% after beating analysts’ estimates for profit and revenue yet again, but it was still the strongest force pulling the S&P 500 upward. It also gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that topped most analysts’ expectations due to voracious demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Its stock initially sank in afterhours trading Wednesday following the release of the results. Some investors said the market might have been looking for Nvidia’s revenue forecast to surpass expectations by even more. But its stock recovered in premarket trading Thursday, and Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said it was another “flawless” profit report provided by Nvidia and CEO Jensen Huang, whom Ives calls “the Godfather of AI.” The stock meandered through Thursday as well, dragging the S&P 500 and other indexes back and forth. How Nvidia’s stock performs has more impact than any other because it’s grown into Wall Street’s most valuable company at roughly $3.6 trillion. The frenzy around AI is sweeping up other stocks, and Snowflake jumped 32.7% after reporting stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company, whose platform helps customers get a better view of all their silos of data and use AI, also reported stronger revenue growth than expected. BJ’S Wholesale Club rose 8.3% after likewise delivering a bigger profit than expected. That may help calm worries about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. A day earlier, Target tumbled after reporting sluggish sales in the latest quarter and giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Nearly 90% of the stocks in the S&P 500 ended up rising Thursday, and the gains were even bigger among smaller companies. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped a market-leading 1.7%. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped keep indexes in check. It fell 4.7% after U.S. regulators asked a judge to break up the tech giant by forcing it to sell its industry-leading Chrome web browser. In a 23-page document filed late Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice called for sweeping punishments that would include restrictions preventing Android from favoring its own search engine. Regulators stopped short of demanding Google sell Android but left the door open to it if the company’s oversight committee continues to see evidence of misconduct. All told, the S&P 500 rose 31.60 points to 5,948.71. The Dow jumped 461.88 to 43,870.35, and the Nasdaq composite added 6.28 to 18,972.42. In the crypto market, bitcoin eclipsed $99,000 for the first time before pulling back toward $98,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s more than doubled so far this year, and its climb has accelerated since Election Day. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to make the country “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. Bitcoin got a further boost after Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Thursday he would step down in January . Gensler has pushed for more protections for crypto investors. Bitcoin and related investment have a notorious history of big price swings in both directions. MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash expressly to buy bitcoin, saw an early Thursday gain of 14.6% for its stock quickly disappear. It finished the day with a loss of 16.2%. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2% to bring its gain for the week to 4.8%. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.8%. Oil has been rising amid escalations in the Russia-Ukraine war. In stock markets abroad, shares of India’s Adani Enterprises plunged 22.6% Thursday after the U.S. charged founder Gautam Adani in a federal indictment with securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. The businessman and one of the world’s richest people is accused of concealing that his company’s huge solar energy project on the subcontinent was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme. Stock indexes elsewhere in Asia and Europe were mixed. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.43% from 4.41% late Wednesday following some mixed reports on the U.S. economy. One said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in the latest signal that the job market remains solid. Another report, though, said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly shrank. Sales of previously occupied homes, meanwhile, strengthened last month by more than expected. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Yuri Kageyama contributed.UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Myanmar’s desperate military junta is ramping up attacks on villages that have fallen to opposition groups, carrying out beheadings, gang rapes and torture, with women, children and the elderly among the victims, the U.N. independent human rights investigator for Myanmar said in a new report. Thomas Andrews, a former U.S. congressman from Maine, said in the report to the U.N. General Assembly circulated Friday that the junta has responded to military defeats and the loss of territory by using sophisticated weapons against civilians and seeking to destroy towns that it cannot control. Calling Myanmar “an invisible crisis” because the world's attention is focused elsewhere, he said, “Escalating atrocities against the people of Myanmar are being enabled by governments that allow, or actively support, the transfer of weapons, weapons materials, and jet fuel to junta forces.” Andrews didn’t name the governments. But he praised Singapore for cracking down on weapons transfers that has led to a 90% reduction by Singapore-registered companies, and said sanctions imposed by the United States on junta-controlled, state-owned banks have disrupted military supply chains. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar lamented, however, that their actions remain an exception. He called on all countries to address Myanmar’s “devastating human rights and humanitarian crisis” by stopping the flow of weapons to the junta, stepping up humanitarian aid to millions in need, and supporting efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for human rights violations. Myanmar is racked by violence that began when the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and brutally suppressed nonviolent protests. That triggered armed resistance and combat across the country, with the military increasingly using airstrikes to counter the opposition and secure territory. The army is on the defensive against ethnic militias in much of Myanmar as well as hundreds of armed guerrilla groups collectively called the People’s Defense Forces, formed to fight to restore democracy. The military has said in the past that it only attacks legitimate targets of war and has accused the resistance forces of being terrorists. Andrews called the military junta’s plan to hold an election in late 2025 “a farcical parody” and “thinly veiled attempt to create an impression of legitimacy and relieve international pressure.” He warned, “Not only is this fraudulent attempt outrageous, it is dangerous, as it could lead to even greater levels of instability and violence.” He ticked off grim statistics: Over 3.1 million people are displaced by conflict and the junta’s human rights violations, and 18.6 million people need humanitarian assistance, including 13.3 million facing emergency levels of food insecurity. He said the junta's military forces have killed more than 5,800 civilians, destroyed over 100,000 homes and other civilian structures, and have kept more than 21,000 political prisoners languishing behind bars. “Junta troops have killed civilians in ground assaults, including the mass killing of individuals already in the custody of junta forces,” Andrews said. “Victims have been tortured, raped and beheaded, and their bodies burned." Andrews, a human rights fellow at Yale Law School who was appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, said the situation was most “desperate and dangerous” in Rakhine state in western Myanmar. Last November, the Arakan Army, which is seeking autonomy from Myanmar’s central government, began an offensive against the military in Rakhine and has gained control of more than half of its townships . The Arakan Army, which is the well-armed wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, is also a member of the armed ethnic group alliance trying to topple the military. In the report, Andrews said: “The Arakan Army has been implicated in grave human rights abuses, including indiscriminate attacks, killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrests.” He also said the military has responded to the Arakan Army's steady losses in Rakhine by attacking civilians and raising tensions between the ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya communities. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long considered the Rohingya Muslim minority to be “Bengalis” from Bangladesh even though their families have lived in the country for generations. Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982. In August 2017, attacks by a Rohingya insurgent group on Myanmar security personnel triggered a brutal campaign by the military, which drove at least 740,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh. The military is accused of mass rape, killings and burning thousands of homes. Meanwhile, the military junta has conscripted thousands of Rohingya men and deployed them to the front lines to fight the Arakan Army, he said. And Rohingya militant groups have “cynically aligned with the junta” and committed human rights abuses against the ethnic Rakhine population. “Hundreds of thousands of people in Rakhine State are completely cut off from humanitarian assistance and threatened by exposure, starvation and disease,” Andrews warned. “Failure to act immediately to provide emergency humanitarian aid will be a death sentence for untold numbers of innocent men, women and children.” A month ago, he said, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the interim leader of Bangladesh where 1 million Rohingya refugees live, called on U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to convene a conference with all key players in the Rohingya crisis. Yunus has pressed for their repatriation to Myanmar. Andrews urged Guterres to call a conference that could help “seize the attention of a distracted world and mobilize the resources and action necessary to save the many lives that hang in the balance.”
How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 12/4/2024
In yet another setback to the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh, two of its former MLAs – Muttamsetti Srinivas Rao alias Avanti Srinivas from Bheemunipatnam and Grandhi Srinivas from Bhimavaram assembly constituencies – resigned from the party on Thursday. Avanti Srinivas, who was also a former minister in YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cabinet, held a press conference at his residence in Visakhapatnam on Thursday morning to announce his resignation. “I have sent my resignation letter to party president Jagan Mohan Reddy and also general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy, who is in charge of the party in north Andhra. I thank Jagan for giving me an opportunity to serve the people of my constituency, but I want to keep away from active politics for some time and spend time with my family,” Avanti said. The former minister, however, slammed Jagan for giving a call to the people to pull down the six-month-old Chandrababu Naidu-led NDA government in the state. “Jagan should respect the people’s mandate. The public gave a verdict for a coalition to govern for five years. How can he target the government without giving it even six months’ time?” he asked. Avanti said a party should function democratically and safeguard the interests of the workers who had faced difficulties for five years. “While sitting in Tadepalli, Jagan gives orders, but on the ground, workers are struggling,” he said. He accused the leadership of making decisions based on directives from outsiders rather than local leaders. “During my tenure, I committed no corruption and did not encourage it. Leaders must fulfil the aspirations they had before assuming power to avoid issues,” he said. Hours after Avanti resigned from the primary membership of the YSRCP, Grandhi too sent his resignation letter to the party president, people familiar with the matter said. Grandhi Srinivas, who had defeated Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan from Bhimavaram in the 2019 assembly elections, however, did not disclose any reasons for his decision to quit the YSRCP. ------- Who have quit YSRCP post-election: Several senior leaders, including ex-MLAs and MPs have quit the YSRCP after the party’s debacle in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in May this year. They include: Rajya Sabha members Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, Beeda Mastan Rao and R Krishnaiah, former deputy chief minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Alla Nani, former ministers Balineni Srinivas, Avanti Srinivas, Ravela Kishore Babu and Siddha Raghava Rao, former MLAs Samineni Udaya Bhanu and Grandhi Srinivas, ex-MLCs C Ramachandraiah and Md Iqbal and former Andhra Pradesh Mahila Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma.In an unprecedented initiative that has reshaped virtual training management standards, Mr. Priyank Mohan spearheaded a comprehensive transformation of Amazon's new hire training compensation system that emerged as a cornerstone achievement in workforce management technology. As a key technical leader, Priyank Mohan's innovative approach to the project, encompassing over one million hourly employees, tackled critical scalability challenges while introducing groundbreaking statistical and automation solutions to longstanding compensation inefficiencies. The project's inception was driven by urgent pandemic-era imperatives, with Mr. Priyank Mohan taking the lead in addressing critical system limitations that emerged when Amazon's training shifted to a virtual format. Drawing from his analytical expertise, Priyank Mohan identified that the existing training time tracking framework faced significant challenges with scale, creating a cascade of operational inefficiencies that threatened both payment accuracy and employee satisfaction. Traditional tracking methodologies, primarily designed for handling a few hundred training events per day, proved inadequate in managing the surge to over tens of thousands daily events in the post-pandemic environment. Under Priyank Mohan's leadership, the technical foundation of the transformation centered on the strategic integration of advanced statistical regression capabilities. He directed the development of enhanced tracking architecture that incorporated sophisticated automation systems specifically calibrated for high-volume training environments. These systems dramatically improved payment accuracy by understanding complex training patterns and edge cases, a critical enhancement for Amazon's massive workforce operations. Mr. Mohan's implementation of automated tracking algorithms enabled more sophisticated time calculation, effectively reducing payment discrepancies while maintaining stringent accuracy standards. Mr. Priyank Mohan's expertise in data analysis played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the training compensation process. His team developed advanced statistical regression models, trained on extensive historical training data, creating intelligent calculation systems that could adapt to various training scenarios. Priyank Mohan's innovative approach to implementing automated tracking mechanisms enabled the identification of complex training patterns that might indicate compensation adjustments. This comprehensive approach to automation proved particularly effective in reducing overpayments while ensuring accurate compensation for all training hours. The project's technical architecture, designed under Priyank Mohan's guidance, incorporated multiple innovative elements that significantly enhanced tracking capabilities. His implementation of automated event tracking systems, specifically tuned for high-volume processing, improved the accuracy of time calculations. Priyank Mohan's development of intelligent regression mechanisms enabled more effective handling of edge cases. The scalable processing capabilities he introduced ensured the system maintained optimal performance while handling exponentially increased training volumes. Performance metrics demonstrated the substantial impact of Priyank Mohan's leadership, with payment-related tickets decreasing by more than 50 basis points year over year. This improvement translated directly into operational efficiencies, reducing payment discrepancies and enabling HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than resolving compensation disputes. The financial implications of Mr. Mohan's work were equally significant, successfully eliminating pay discrepancies while ensuring a fair compensation for employees' training time. A particularly notable achievement under Priyank Mohan's direction was the development of advanced automation capabilities. His enhanced system could effectively process thousands of training events simultaneously, analyzing multiple data points including training duration, completion status, and attendance patterns. This sophisticated approach to time tracking significantly reduced payment errors while improving the accuracy of compensation calculations. Knowledge transfer formed an integral component of Priyank Mohan's project strategy. He worked closely with training teams to understand complex business logic and collaborated extensively with engineering teams to ensure robust system implementation. Through regular stakeholder engagement, he enabled continuous refinement of the solution, incorporating diverse perspectives to improve system accuracy further. The project's influence extended beyond immediate operational improvements through Priyank Mohan's strategic approach to system architecture. His success in handling massive scale transitions has established new benchmarks for similar initiatives across the retail and technology sectors. The achievement of an S-Team goal through this initiative has highlighted the strategic importance of innovative technical solutions in solving complex operational challenges. Looking forward, Mr. Priyank Mohan's initiative has established a robust foundation for future workforce management technology advancements. The scalable, automated architecture he designed enables continuous enhancement and adaptation to evolving training requirements and workforce dynamics. His comprehensive success in addressing both immediate scale challenges and long-term efficiency goals serves as a model for future workforce management transformations. The lasting impact of Priyank Mohan's initiative continues to resonate throughout Amazon's operations, providing valuable insights for organizations facing similar scalability challenges. This transformation stands as a testament to his expertise in combining innovative technology with deep operational knowledge to create meaningful, sustainable improvements in workforce management operations. About Priyank Mohan A dynamic technology leader with 16+ years of comprehensive experience, Priyank Mohan exemplifies the intersection of product innovation and operational excellence. His career spans prestigious organizations including Amazon, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Accenture, where he has led transformative initiatives in HR technology, digital transformation, and process automation. Armed with advanced degrees in Business Analytics and Electrical Engineering, along with certifications in Blockchain, Agile, and Project Management, Priyank brings a unique blend of technical depth and business acumen to product development. His leadership philosophy, grounded in ethics, respect, and trust, has enabled him to successfully manage diverse teams and deliver complex products that drive significant business value.Harrison Smith Returns to Practice in Latest Minnesota Vikings Injury Report
NoneHurricanes hope D-men keep producing points vs. Senators
The TCL QM8 (2024) features rich colors and searing brightness. It has enhanced audio over last year's model, while still being easy to set up and navigate. I wish the viewing angles weren't somewhat limited, and you'll want to wait for a deal to buy one. The TCL QM8 (2024) is selling at a $600 discount (and more depending on screen size) at Best Buy As this year's top-of-the-line offering, TCL's latest flagship TV, the QM8 , promised to be a notable upgrade from the 2023 version. I spent some time with it over the past month to see what the hype was about. The first pleasant surprise I encountered was how TCL made it very easy to unbox the 65-inch model we had sent to the ZDNET lab. With a single slice of the cardboard on the bottom of one side of the box, the top lifted off to liberate the TV for setup. Also: The best Cyber Monday deals still live While this is super convenient, handling the TV and attaching its base stand -- as with any other large TV -- is best executed with a two-person job. (By the way, the 65-inch is the smallest of the QM851G series, with 98 inches at the high end of the scale.) TCL QM8 (2024) Starting at $899 with this deal, the QM8 offers crazy value for its size and assortment of features. One notable change compared to last year's model is that the QM8 now has a single central platform for its base instead of two separate feet. This assemblage equates to a sturdy unit with plenty of stability and allows the TV to sit on a coffee table or media stand that is less than the screen's total width. Powered off, the QM8 looks like a sleek, black rectangle with virtually no bezel surrounding its 57 x 32.5-inch frame. The slim sides of the unit have a brushed gunmetal finish -- giving it a subtle and elegant appearance. You'd normally have to pay a fraction more of the price to get something of a similar definition. The unit's remote feels comfortable to hold at a rather narrow 1.25 inches wide. The keys are fully backlit and include a mic button for voice commands via Google. It also features shortcut buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, Pluto, and, of course, TCL+tv. Naturally, these are the default apps appearing on the home page of the TV's interface. I found it curious that the TCL+tv app appeared twice in the list of available apps (instead of Apple TV or Pluto) -- but it is a TCL television, after all. Knowing very few people read the instructions for using a TV, I grabbed the remote and gave it an "intuition test" to see how quickly I could connect to the internet and get started. The QM8's user interface is clean and straightforward, and it runs on the Google TV platform, an operating system that leans more minimal than feature-rich -- a good thing, in my book. Overall, getting started was a fairly breezy process. Also: Changing these 6 TV settings can drastically speed up its performance Okay, I'll get to the part about performance and picture quality. The QM8 is a QLED TV with mini-LED backlighting, meaning it's even brighter than most OLED models . In fact, the QM8 boasts up to 5,000 nits peak brightness, which is significantly higher than most of TCL's competitors in the same price range. Many high-end TVs, including other mini-LED models, typically max out at around 2,000 nits. Mini-LED TVs use an array of LEDs to create precise dimming zones, and with up to 5,000 local dimming zones, the QM8 offers superior contrast control. This high number of zones allows for more precise backlight modulation and deeper blacks. The QM8's other advanced technologies, like Quantum Dot color enhancement and Dolby Vision IQ, result in exceptional image quality, high contrast, and vivid colors. Ultra-high definition 4K resolution helps, as does its HDR10+ support, which yields a wider range of colors and brightness levels than the standard dynamic range. As a boost over last year's model, the QM8 comes with an upgraded processor (the AiPQ Pro), which leverages machine learning to activate AI-based enhancements such as AI Clarity and AI Motion. Positioning myself off-center, however, I found the TV's viewing angles to be relatively narrow, degrading the picture quality in terms of color accuracy and contrast. This is a minor complaint, but something to consider in setting up your seating arrangement. Also: Can't hear TV dialogue? 3 ways to improve your audio - and 2 are completely free The QM8's panel has a variety of connection options, including four HDMI 2.1 ports, two of which support 4K 120Hz pass-through, FreeSync Premium Pro, and 144Hz VRR. Additionally, there are three USB ports and a 3.5mm audio output for connecting headphones. Other 3.5mm port options include a composite video and stereo audio input, plus an optical digital audio output. It has an ATSC 3.0 tuner jack (in case the grid collapses?), but you'll mostly be relying on its Wi-Fi 6 for zippy connectivity. The QM8 also has an Ethernet port, covering the bases for those who prefer wired internet . For gamers, the QM8 has some attractive features. It supports up to 144Hz variable refresh rate at 4K resolution, which I've found very enjoyable. But it also has a "Game Accelerator 240" feature that can make gameplay seamless at 240Hz VRR -- at the cost of gaming at half resolution 1080p. No less, combined with the inherent brightness and contrast in this model, the gaming experience is secretly one of the QM8's best assets. Also: OLED vs. QLED TV: Which panel type is best suited for your home? The QM8's Onkyo-designed speaker system has an 80-watt, 2.1.2-channel configuration -- a notable improvement from the 2023 model, which had relatively puny 20-watt, 2.1-channel speakers. The new model includes two up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers positioned on the left and right sides of the frame. In addition to Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, the audio quality is certified as IMAX Enhanced. Watching old episodes of Lost, I found the QM8's sound crisp and bold. What I appreciate most is the TV's auto volume control, which levels out sudden decibel boosts like explosions -- and especially pesky commercials. ZDNET's buying advice Going for less than $900 on Best Buy at the time of this writing, the TCL QM8 offers crazy value for its size and assortment of features. Comparable models from the likes of Sony could be priced for twice as much. If you want to go larger, sizes like the 75-inch QM8 are on sale for $700 off, starting at $1,299. You can even supersize it to the 98-inch for $3,923 -- a whopping $2,076 off. If you prioritize brightness, contrast, and high-level gaming, the QM8, at any size, is a solid investment for the cost. Just make sure you're able to position the TV (and yourself) well enough to get the best, centered viewing angle and, hopefully, have a helping hand when first unboxing the set. Best Cyber Monday deals Best Cyber Monday TV deals Best Cyber Monday streaming deals Best Cyber Monday AirPods dealsInvestors are always on the lookout for stocks with powerful earnings prospects. ( ) is offering up a potential entry as earnings look set to rev up. The company is a cloud-based digital banking provider. It serves banks, credit unions and fintech companies. Its addressable market consists of financial institutions with assets of $100 million to $450 billion and it is targeting the top 2,500 of these by assets, excluding megabanks. The Texas-based company's subscription-based software offerings are meant to help these firms compete with larger, technologically advanced institutions such as ( ) and ( ). Analyst Bullish On Software Stock Wall Street experts are bullish on the firm's prospects. It currently boasts an average price target of 44.56, . It traded around 40 Thursday. Citi analyst Andrew Schmidt is rating Alkami stock as a buy with a 44 target. He thinks it is a high-growth play on bank and credit union modernization. "Alkami has a multiyear runway in its existing digital banking market, supported by required digital transformation at banks/credit unions (large generational wealth transfer is one driver)," he said in a Nov. 21 research note. "We expect it to continue to drive user growth, and add functionality organically and inorganically (e.g., average revenue per user). Over the next 5+ years, there is opportunity to extend the growth runway by engaging adjacent areas of nondiscretionary spend." Alkami Stock Analysis Overall performance is strong, with Alkami having a near-perfect . Price performance is its strongest suit, and it sits in the top 7% of issues over the past 12 months. Earnings performance is also improving for the software stock, netting it an out of 99. It has turned a profit in each of the past five quarters, having turned profitable in Q3 of 2023, according to . The company is expected to swing from a loss of 94 cents per share in 2023 to earnings of 27 cents per share in 2024. Full-year EPS is then seen surging 88% to 50 cents in the year ahead, . This is above the 25% growth level sought by those following . Alkami made solid progress from a prior consolidation buy point of 34.20, though it has yet to reach its 20% profit target. It is currently rebounding from its , which can also be used as an entry. It is actionable as much as 5% above the benchmark. Investors should wait for a stock's price to r after a touchback to the 10-week line. This demonstrates that the stock is finding institutional support. Institutional ownership is very high, with 76% of stock being held by funds. Noteworthy holders include the Columbia Acorn Fund (ACRNX).
Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL Draft'Survivor' season 47 new episode: How to stream free on Dec. 4Our tax doctrine LAHORE: Pakistan’s tax doctrine prioritises revenue collection, often at the expense of economic stability and fairness. The state lacks the resolve to document the economy, instead appeasing traders with the option to pay slightly higher taxes in undocumented modes to satisfy the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Reforms in Pakistan are perceived as IMF-driven, creating an impression that they are undesirable but necessary to maintain engagement with the lender. This apologetic stance tarnishes the reputation of the IMF and highlights the government’s reluctance to pursue sustainable economic growth. Without a fair and transparent tax regime, the informal economy will continue to expand, further widening the gap between government income and expenditures. Pakistan’s growing fiscal deficit leaves little room for borrowing, as debt servicing now constitutes the largest expenditure in the national budget. Addressing this imbalance requires immediate reforms that successive governments have failed to implement. The National Tax Reforms Commission’s interim report of 1986 identified tax evasion, smuggling and corruption as the three fundamental challenges facing Pakistan’s economy. These issues remain unresolved 38 years later. Although the IMF has repeatedly urged Pakistan to document its economy, the government has evaded meaningful action for four decades, perpetuating a broken system. The reluctance of politicians to embrace reforms and the business community’s preference for maintaining the status quo stifle progress. Under the current system, businesses pass income tax burdens onto consumers, while informal sectors flourish, undermining efforts to expand the tax net. The excessive general sales tax (GST) of over 17 per cent exacerbates these challenges. High tax rates incentivise tax evasion through practices like under-invoicing by importers and underreporting by local manufacturers. The coexistence of a robust informal sector further pressures formal businesses to adopt informal practices to stay competitive. The IMF generally recommends prudent measures to enhance revenue for public expenditures. However, when governments hesitate due to political concerns, the IMF resorts to pushing for politically less-damaging but regressive taxation policies. These measures disproportionately burden the poor and exacerbate income inequality. Special interest groups, particularly rent-seeking bureaucrats, benefit from the current system, enabling informality to thrive. This nexus between informal entrepreneurs and corrupt officials obstructs meaningful reform. Breaking this cycle requires strict enforcement and accountability. Tax administration credibility is another critical issue. While tax officials often turn a blind eye to informal activities, they impose excessive scrutiny on registered taxpayers. This inconsistent approach undermines trust and encourages further tax evasion. Effective tax reforms demand political will, robust governance and transparent policies that promote economic equity. Addressing the systemic flaws in Pakistan’s tax doctrine is essential to fostering a sustainable and inclusive economic future.