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JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's approval rating has hit a six-year low amid dissatisfaction over soaring cooking oil prices and the perceived failure of an export ban to swiftly reduce the rising cost of goods, a new poll showed on Sunday (may 15). Figures released by Jakarta-based pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia showed that satisfaction with the nation's president, widely known by as Jokowi, fell to 58.1 per cent this May. The figures are the lowest rating since December 2015 when the president's approval slumped to 53 per cent. The decline, which follows a 12-point drop from January to April this year, comes as Indonesia has struggled to reign in domestic cooking oil prices, a household staple in Indonesia, and after a shock decision to ban palm oil exports late last month. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil and the policy decision stunned global markets. At the time president Jokowi said the need for … [Read more...] about Jokowi’s approval rating hits six-year low

Trade Watchlist Portfolio Message Set Alert live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More × Domestic commodity producers soared on May 20 after the world’s largest commodity consumer China cut its key lending rates by a record quantum to stimulate the economy ravaged by the latest outbreak of the COVID-19 and reemergence of lockdowns. Shares of domestic producers such as JSW Steel , Hindustan Copper , Tata Steel , Vedanta , National Aluminum Company , SAIL , and Hindalco Industries soared 2-7 percent in the morning trade. The Chinese central bank cut the five-year prime rate by 15 basis points to 4.45 percent in a bid to stimulate economic activity that has been ravaged by the latest outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reemergence of lockdowns. Shanghai, one of the biggest industrial hubs and ports in the world, hasn't reported a single COVID-19 case recently, … [Read more...] about Metal stocks rally as China cuts key lending rates to stimulate economy

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Market volatility in spades this week! On Tuesday, markets were all a-twitter (oops, can’t use that word!) over the large and unexpected rise in April’s retail sales (+0.8%). That sparked a +2.0% rally in the S&P 500. What market commentators neglected to mention was that, when adjusted for price increases, the “real” number was negative (see chart above – red line). On Tuesday, Fed Chair Powell said that they would continue to tighten financial conditions until “we see inflation coming down,” and that it might not be easy and could come at the expense of a higher unemployment rate. “You’d still have a strong labor market,” he said, “if unemployment were to move up a few ticks. I would say there are a-number-of plausible paths to have a soft, as I said, softish, landing.” Note the reference to higher unemployment and the use of the word “softish” instead of “soft” indicating that the Fed might not be able to tame … [Read more...] about Markets See Looming Recession – The Fed Sees “Softish” Landing

- A + A TAIPING (May 22): The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not encourage alternative treatment methods such as using turmeric powder or “semambu” (neem) leaves to treat hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said instead, people were advised to see a doctor if they have symptoms of infection. “The MOH does not encourage alternative treatment because it has not been determined from a scientific point of view, and there is no specific treatment from a scientific point of view to treat the disease. “We are also concerned about the symptoms of dehydration. Hence, children with HFMD need to drink enough water. If not then it should be given intravenously and taken to hospital,” he told reporters when met at the Aidilfitri open house at his residence here on Sunday (May 22). On May 17, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported to have said that the number of HFMD cases in the country had … [Read more...] about MOH: Use of alternative treatment for HFMD not encouraged

A news headline I recently came across summed up one part of the pandemic’s toll on society : “US worker productivity fell at the fastest rate in nearly 75 years.” advertisement advertisement This story demonstrated to me why, now more than ever, we’re barraged with stories offering “hacks” for greater productivity. “ Wake up at 5 a.m.” “Watch inspiring content.” “Take a cold shower.” Yet, clearly, as the above headline suggests, something is amiss and hacks alone aren’t quite cutting it. As one colleague, Jane, confided to me over lunch, “Aytekin, I’m just bone tired .” Which made me wonder, can we be more productive when our energy sources are depleted? As leaders, is productivity in itself, what we should be promoting? Or is it greater well-being? Can we really separate one from the other? advertisement advertisement It’s in asking these questions that have led me to further advocate for steady, consistent … [Read more...] about The 3 pillars of a happier and more productive workforce

The HipChat team gets a lot of value out of bots because we know when to use them and when apps are a better choice. To be fair, not every team spends their days obsessing over the ins and outs for group messaging platforms like we do, so sometimes it isn’t always clear what to automate–or even what the options are. advertisement advertisement But you don’t have to be an engineer to squeeze the most productivity out of your team on whichever collaborative platform your company uses. It’s all about deciding what type of task you need to complete. Here’s how we make that call, then look for the right means of automating it–or not. To Bot Or Not To Bot? First, some semantics: Almost every service bot you encounter in a chat service–whether it’s to order an Uber within a room, receive notifications from PagerDuty, or track customer activities on Salesforce–is what’s known as a “full” service outside of the chat platform itself. In these situations, the … [Read more...] about Bot Or Not: How HipChat Uses Automation For Team Productivity

Salary negotiation is a crucial step in the interview process. You risk losing a lot when you don’t ask for more. And yes, even if you do not think you have the leverage, you should still do it. Here is a complete guide to negotiating, especially if it is your first job. advertisement advertisement How to negotiate when you don’t have much experience If there’s one thing that’s arguably more nerve-racking than a job interview, it’s negotiating your salary. And if you’re a recent graduate or someone who wants to change careers, the stakes can feel even higher. How are you supposed to convince someone you’re worth more when you have next to no experience? When you’re just starting out, you might feel like you have to accept the first offer, but if you do, you’re doing yourself a massive financial disservice. As Fast Company ‘s Lydia Dishman reports , not negotiating your starting salary can set you back more than $500,000 by the time you reach … [Read more...] about How to negotiate your salary for any job

GEORGE TOWN: Durian fever is set to hit the nation with the king of fruits already in season in Malaysia. The country’s durian season unfolds in stages each year according to state, typically starting with Penang in May. Johor follows in June or July before it extends to Perak and Pahang in early July or in early August. Kelantan, Terengganu and Sabah follow by the end of July or in August, and the season ends in Sarawak at the end of August or in September. Vote for your favourite durian! Pick one below - or tell us if it's not on the list - click vote, then see how popular it is! Penang which kicks off the annual season produced RM280.77mil worth of durians in 2020, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Fruit Crops Statistics report. Mention durians, and the first thing that comes to mind for many fans might be top producing states such as Johor and Pahang. ALSO READ: Durian prices expected to drop in June Penang’s durians have however managed to … [Read more...] about INTERACTIVE: Malaysia’s annual durian season kicks off in Penang. Here’s what you need to know

Salil Parekh has been chief executive and managing director of Infosys since January 2018 India’s second largest software firm Infosys said on Sunday that its board has reappointed Salil Parekh as managing director and chief executive officer for five more years starting July, reposing trust in a leader who has turned around the company ever since he took over in January 2018. In a filing to exchanges on May 22, the company said, “The board in a meeting on May 21 approved the reappointment of Parekh subject to the approval of shareholders.” ESOPs to retain top talent The company has also rolled out performance-linked stock units to nearly 100 top executives amid rising attrition. The board has approved a grant of 104,000 shares to six key management personnel and another 375,760 shares to 88 other senior executives in a bid to retain leadership amid a war for tech talent. These performance stock units will be granted under the Infosys Expanded Stock Ownership … [Read more...] about Infosys reappoints turnaround artist Salil Parekh as boss, showers stock options on top execs

Representative image The Federal Reserve's determination to raise interest rates until it squashes the highest inflation in decades is darkening the outlook across Wall Street, as U.S. stocks stand on the cusp of a bear market and warnings of a recession grow louder. At issue is the so-called Fed put, or investors’ belief that the Fed will take action if stocks fall too deeply, even though it has no mandate to maintain asset prices. One oft-cited example of the phenomenon, which is named after a hedging derivative used to protect against market falls, occurred when the Fed halted a rate hiking cycle in early 2019 after a stock market tantrum. Also Read: Global stocks rebound despite unease over economy; dollar gains This time around, the Fed’s insistence that it will raise rates as high as needed to tame surging inflation has bolstered the argument that policymakers will be less sensitive to market volatility - threatening more pain for investors. read more A recent … [Read more...] about As bear market looms, battered Wall Street seeks elusive ‘Fed put’