
The Bank of Scotland’s business barometer poll showed 73% of Scottish businesses expect to see turnover increase in 2025, up from 60% polled in 2023. Almost a quarter (23%) of businesses expect to see their revenue rise by between six and 10% over the next 12 months, with just over a fifth (21%) expecting it to grow by even more. The poll found that 70% of businesses were confident they would become more profitable in 2025, a two per cent increase when compared with the previous year. Revenue and profitability growth was firms’ top priority at 52%, though 40% said they will be targeting improved productivity, and the same proportion said they will be aiming to enhance their technology – such as automation or AI – or upskill their staff (both 29%). More than one in five (22%) want to improve their environmental sustainability. Other areas businesses are hoping to build upon AI-assisted technology (19%), and 24% will be investing in expanding into new UK markets and 23% plan to invest in staff training. The business barometer has surveyed 1,200 businesses every month since 2002, providing early signals about UK economic trends. Martyn Kendrick, Scotland director at Bank of Scotland commercial banking, said: “Scottish businesses are looking ahead to 2025 with stronger growth expectations, and setting out clear plans to drive this expansion through investments in new technology, new markets and their own teams. “As we enter the new year, we’ll continue to by their side to help them pursue their ambitions and seize all opportunities that lie ahead.”
Opera Steamboat has announced four new members to the Board of Directors. The new members include soprano Hilary Ginther, soprano Solveig Olsen, business consultant Richard A. Spires, and professional snowboarder Spencer Tamblyn. Ginther has had a professional career in the U.S. and abroad while Olsen has performed with Chicago Opera Theatre, Caramoor Festival, Santa Fe Symphony, and New Millennium Orchestra, among others. Spires is the author of “Government Can Deliver” and “Success in the Technological Field.” Finally, Tamblyn enjoyed a career as a freestyle snowboarder and also worked as an international elite Olympic-level coach. Categories
Sandstorm Gold Royalties Provides Updates on Producing and Key Development AssetsCentral Illinois dentist inflicted agony on patients, court told
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State players have watched Ashton Jeanty make opponents look silly all season. They don't want to be the next defenders Boise State’s star posterizes with jukes, spin moves, stiff arms and heavy shoulders. But they also know that slowing down Jeanty, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting , will be their toughest task yet when the two teams meet in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. “In any other year, I think the guy wins the Heisman,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “You could make the argument that he should have won it this year. He is hard to tackle. He is compact, 5-(foot)-10, he has the ability to run away from you. He has the ability to make you miss.” Jeanty led the nation with 2,497 rushing yards on 344 carries this season. He scored more touchdowns (30) than any player since Najee Harris scored 30 times with Alabama in 2020. Additionally, Jeanty’s yards after contact (1,889) exceed every FBS running backs’ rushing total since Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard led the NCAA with 2,094 total rushing yards in 2019. Jeanty also forced an NCAA-record 143 missed tackles this season. The junior did it all behind an offensive line that has been forced to shuffle its parts in the wake of numerous injuries. Only left tackle Kage Casey and left guard Ben Dooley have started every game up front for the Broncos this season. “He’s a beast in terms of his production on the field, but then also his durability,” Franklin said. “There’s not too many people that are able to get clean shots on him. All of it is super impressive. But I think the stat that I mentioned earlier, the most impressive stat is the yards after contact.” This could be Jeanty’s biggest challenge to date, too. Although he’s helped Boise State churn out 250 rushing yards per game, good for fifth among FBS programs, the Nittany Lions are well stocked to defend the run. Their defense is seventh nationally allowing just 100 rushing yards per game and has tightened up down the stretch. In its last six games, Penn State is allowing just 2.7 yards per rush and has only given up three rushing touchdowns, two coming in the Big Ten championship game against No. 1 Oregon. “They’ve had our backs throughout the whole year,” Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said. “They have made me a lot better throughout the year, just going against the best defense in America and just glad I got to go against them every day in practice and not against them out on the field in a game setting.” In the opening round of the CFP, Penn State held SMU to just 58 rushing yards on 36 carries. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions notched 11 of their 50 tackles for loss over the last six games against the Mustangs. Most of those came from a defensive line that regularly rotates run-stuffing tackles Zane Durant, Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard between dynamic ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. Carter alone has 21 1/2 of his team’s 102 stops behind the line of scrimmage this year. He's hoping to add a few against Jeanty and stay off the star back's own long-running highlight reel. “I’m living in my dreams,” Carter said. “I’m having the most fun I ever had playing football and I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. I’m very blessed. I’m just very humbled to have this opportunity. I just want to keep taking advantage of all the opportunities that I have.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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LG Electronics announced on December 29 that it plans to more than double the scope of its “Easy Appliance Project” next year. (Image courtesy of LG Electronics) SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — LG Electronics announced on December 29 that it plans to more than double the scope of its “Easy Appliance Project” next year, increasing both the number of participating institutions and beneficiaries. The company, in partnership with the Korea Association for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, has already selected 10 welfare centers for disabled people across the country, including in Seoul, Daegu, Pohang, and Ulsan. As part of this initiative, LG donated 100 sets of LG Comfort Kits and 150 sets of easy-to-read instruction manuals. Since November, the company has conducted two months of volunteer training sessions on appliance usage for 55 individuals with developmental, physical, and neurological disabilities at these welfare centers. The LG Comfort Kit is a proprietary accessory developed to make home appliances more accessible to all customers, regardless of gender, age, or disability status. The easy-to-read instruction manuals are specially designed books that help slow learners and children with developmental disabilities learn how to use home appliances. The company is also expanding its “Appliance School One-Day Class” program. This initiative uses play-based learning to teach participants about the electrical and mechanical principles of home appliances while promoting safe usage. Previously, these classes were limited to special education classes in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as LG Electronics Best Shop locations. However, with the formal publication of the easy-to-read instruction manuals in both print and digital formats planned for the first half of next year, schools, kindergartens, and libraries will be able to purchase and use these materials for their own educational programs. “As a corporate citizen, we will continue to strengthen our educational efforts to ensure everyone can use home appliances easily and safely,” said Yoon Dae-sik, senior vice president of External Relations at LG Electronics. Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)Opinion: Is university worth it? Yes, for both students and society
Winch Advisory Services LLC lessened its position in shares of Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN ) by 0.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 87,768 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock after selling 807 shares during the period. Amazon.com makes up approximately 4.5% of Winch Advisory Services LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. Winch Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Amazon.com were worth $16,354,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Roof Eidam Maycock Peralta LLC grew its stake in shares of Amazon.com by 2.4% in the third quarter. Roof Eidam Maycock Peralta LLC now owns 7,045 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $1,313,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Integrity Financial Corp WA grew its position in shares of Amazon.com by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Integrity Financial Corp WA now owns 10,334 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $1,926,000 after purchasing an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Waterway Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Amazon.com by 72.6% during the third quarter. Waterway Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,729 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $1,067,000 after purchasing an additional 2,409 shares during the period. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Amazon.com by 9.2% in the third quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 15,693 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock valued at $2,924,000 after buying an additional 1,317 shares during the period. Finally, Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC grew its position in Amazon.com by 51.2% during the third quarter. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 10,125 shares of the e-commerce giant’s stock worth $1,887,000 after buying an additional 3,429 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.20% of the company’s stock. Insider Buying and Selling at Amazon.com In related news, SVP David Zapolsky sold 2,190 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.00, for a total transaction of $427,050.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 62,420 shares in the company, valued at $12,171,900. The trade was a 3.39 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Jonathan Rubinstein sold 5,004 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $199.85, for a total transaction of $1,000,049.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 99,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,864,290.60. The trade was a 4.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last three months, insiders have sold 6,011,423 shares of company stock valued at $1,249,093,896. 10.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Amazon.com Price Performance Amazon.com ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The e-commerce giant reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.14 by $0.29. Amazon.com had a return on equity of 22.41% and a net margin of 8.04%. The company had revenue of $158.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $157.28 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.85 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Amazon.com, Inc. will post 5.27 earnings per share for the current year. Analyst Ratings Changes AMZN has been the subject of several analyst reports. Benchmark increased their target price on Amazon.com from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Amazon.com from $225.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Amazon.com from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Amazon.com from $210.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Pivotal Research began coverage on Amazon.com in a research note on Friday, October 11th. They set a “buy” rating and a $260.00 target price for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, forty have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $235.77. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Amazon.com Amazon.com Company Profile ( Free Report ) Amazon.com, Inc engages in the retail sale of consumer products, advertising, and subscriptions service through online and physical stores in North America and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TVs, Echo, Ring, Blink, and eero; and develops and produces media content. Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than Amazon.com ESG Stocks, What Investors Should Know Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot How to Buy Cheap Stocks Step by Step MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 REIT Stocks – Best REIT Stocks to Add to Your Portfolio Today 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AMZN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Amazon.com, Inc. ( NASDAQ:AMZN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Amazon.com Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amazon.com and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Penn State preparing for hard-charging Jeanty and Boise State in CFP quarterfinals
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Alabama faces a tougher roadblock than it might appear in its quest to maintain positioning for the College Football Playoff. Sure, Oklahoma has struggled in its first Southeastern Conference season. The Sooners (5-5, 1-5 SEC) have lost four straight conference games. The Sooners have fired their offensive coordinator and they have the worst offense in the league. But they have a tough defense, too. Linebacker Danny Stutsman, a midseason AP All-American, anchors a nasty unit that has kept the Sooners competitive in losses at Ole Miss and Missouri. He ranks second in the SEC with 96 tackles. Defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. has scored four defensive touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season, tied for the most nationally. Defensive end R Mason Thomas has seven sacks, with six coming in the fourth quarter of close games. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is paying attention. “It’s going to take a great week of preparation,” DeBoer said. “A physical football team all around. Their defense is, I think, an extremely tough defense in all ways — just what they do with their scheme and then with their personnel, the way they fly around.” Plus, Oklahoma is motivated. It’s Senior Day for a program that would become bowl eligible with a win. Beating the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide could cure a lot of ills for the Sooners. “I think they know they could be a great example for what fight and what belief and what finishing and what improving and what proving people wrong looks like,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “And I think this is a group of guys that are committed to doing that.” Alabama (8-2, 4-2) has more answers than most. Jalen Milroe has passed for 15 touchdowns and rushed for 17. Freshman receiver Ryan Williams has 40 catches for 767 yards and eight touchdowns. “Yeah, incredibly explosive, and they have great playmakers everywhere," Venables said. “Certainly, it starts — everything goes through the quarterback.” There has been much talk about what a third loss would do to Alabama's playoff hopes. DeBoer said his team isn't focused on that. “I think we're really honed in and the guys really believe on and have understood the significance of really focusing on where we’re at right now,” he said. “We talk about the next play is the most important play, the next game is the most important game. We haven’t thought about anything beyond Oklahoma.” Milroe is only the fourth SEC quarterback since 2007 to have at least 15 passing touchdowns and 17 rushing touchdowns in a single season. The others won the Heisman Trophy during their seasons — Florida's Tim Tebow in 2007, Auburn's Cam Newton in 2010 and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel in 2012. “I think it just starts with doing what’s best for the team, and that’s what Jalen is all about," DeBoer said. Since returning to the lineup early against South Carolina four games ago, Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold has completed 70 of 112 passes for 705 yards with five touchdowns with no interceptions. Still, his fumble that was returned for a touchdown in the final minute against Missouri was the difference in a 30-23 loss. Arnold has dealt with significant criticism all season. “That goes along with that position at a place like the University of Oklahoma,” Venables said. “That’s a position that’s a little bit ... it’s a bit like the head coach position. There’s a different type of microscope and there’s a different type of focus and that’s okay he’s got broad shoulders to handle that.” Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes ran for career highs of 203 yards and three touchdowns against Maine two weeks ago, then he sat out last week's loss to Missouri. He's listed as questionable on this week's injury report. He leads the Sooners with 577 yards rushing this season. Venables is impressed with what DeBoer has done in his first year at Alabama since taking over for Nick Saban. “One of Kalen’s strengths as a football coach — a very successful coach — is he takes a group of players that he has, and their staff figures out what they can do,” Venables said. “They major in that, put them in position to be successful based on the players’ strengths. They’ve done a nice job of doing that throughout the course of the season.” Oklahoma beat heavily favored Alabama 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl to cap the 2013 season, a game that helped pump energy into the Sooner program under Bob Stoops. Alabama got revenge in 2018, beating the Sooners 45-34 in the College Football Playoff. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Chris Mubiru leads Northwestern State over North Alabama 71-58MGPI INVESTOR ALERT: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC Announces that MGP Ingredients, Inc. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Class Action Lawsuit