Emergency control

- A + A LONDON (June 30): Investors knew that, after two years of COVID-19 chaos, 2022 would be a bumpy ride, but nobody expected this - the most turbulent first half global markets have ever seen. To grasp just how torrid things have been, consider two things. MSCI's 47-country world stocks index has suffered its biggest 1H drop since its creation in 1990. At same time, 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds - the benchmark of global borrowing markets and traditional go-to asset in troubled times - have had their worst first half since 1788. Why? Russia's invasion of Ukraine supercharged what was already fast-rising inflation, forcing the big central banks to jack up interest rates and politicians to warn of new world orders. The result? A $13 trillion wipeout in world stocks, a 15.5% plunge Japan's yen, Italy's worst rout since the euro zone crisis, and what is shaping up to be the strongest commodities rally since World War I. Add to that Russia being gouged out the … [Read more...] about Markets in 1H: The almost perfect storm

- A + A MOSCOW (June 30): Western fashion brands are conspicuous by their absence at a gleaming new shopping centre on the outskirts of Moscow - and customers say they scarcely miss them. Following Moscow's decision to send thousands of troops into Ukraine at the end of February, international fashion brands from Adidas to Zara have paused operations in Russia, while Nike is one of the handful to commit to a definitive exit from the market. "I am neutral on this, whether we have them or not," shopper Alexandra Moskunova told Reuters at the mall in Khovrino. "I can happily do without them." Another customer, Irina Stakhanova, said: "I only really liked H&M and another one that I can't remember. It's not that I need foreign things, I just need something that fits me and looks good, to lift the mood." There are few overt signs in the Russian capital that the mood needs lifting. Buskers sing and play, restaurant terraces spill onto the pavement and, as … [Read more...] about Moscow mall opens for Russian business after big brand exodus

Chinese premium motorcycle brand Zontes has partnered with Hyderabad-based Adishwar Auto Ride to enter the Indian market, and they are looking to introduce as many as five vehicles going forward, a release said on June 30. Established in 2003 by Guangdong Tayo Motorcycle Technology Co Ltd, Zontes currently has its presence in 55 countries, including the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Brazil, Malaysia, and Thailand, among others. Adishwar Auto Ride already has a partnership with Italian bike makers — Benelli and Moto Morini as well as Hungarian Keeway. Since its global expansion in 2017, the Zontes has witnessed significant year-on-year growth and registered a substantial 50 percent growth in the last 12 months alone, Adishwar Auto Ride India Pvt Ltd (AARI) said in the release. The Chinese motorcycle brand, according to Adishwar Auto, specialises in the production of motorcycles with advanced industrial equipment on a robotised production line and as much as 80 percent of … [Read more...] about Chinese motorcycle brand Zontes partners with Adishwar Auto to enter Indian market

Duane Sorenson is one of those guys who takes his coffee very seriously-- very seriously. "At four or five, I used to just dump tons of cream and sugar into the coffee," he says. Thus began a lifelong obsession with finding the perfect cup of joe. Throughout high school and college, Sorenson worked as a barista, eventually dropping out in his senior year to study the craft of roasting at Lighthouse Roasters in Seattle. Enthralled with the shop's handcrafted approach, he continued roasting for several more years. In 1998, when he was just 26, Sorenson decided to strike out on his own. With visions of launching a hip independent coffee shop , he splurged on a cast iron Probat roaster from the 1920s and moved down to Portland--a city he'd always admired for its skateboard and coffee scenes. The path wasn't easy. Sorenson worked night after night as a bartender at Horse Brass Pub, spending his days and his paychecks equipping the space he'd secured. One night, … [Read more...] about How Stumptown Coffee Pours a Little Obsession Into Every Cup

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin More is not necessarily better when it comes to new and emerging technologies designed to help drivers. Many consumers have a strong interest in partially automated driving systems, but prefer those that require them to keep their hands on the wheel, stay engaged and have attention safeguards. Those are the highlights of a new survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , a nonprofit financed by the insurance industry. “Automakers often assume that drivers want as much technology as they can get in their vehicles,” Alexandra Mueller, a research scientist at the Insurance Institute and the survey’s primary designer, said in a statement. “But few studies have examined actual consumer opinions about partial driving automation.” For the nationwide survey, which was released on Thursday, more than 1,000 drivers were asked about three common systems: lane centering, automated lane changing and … [Read more...] about ‘No Thanks’ To Hands-Free Driving, Consumers Say