Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin According to the Barclay’s U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, 2022 was the worst year in since they started recording in 1976 for bonds. Since 1976 in fact, we’ve only have 5 negative years in the bond market. Last year, 2022, was historically bad – down 13%. Why was it so bad and what does it mean for you? Why Was The Bond Market So Bad In 2022? To understand why the bond market was so awful last year, it helps to know that bonds and interest rates are inversely related. Bonds are mostly flat-rate bonds, meaning that when they are issued it s with a flat interest rate that is paid over the life of the debt security. So for example if you own a bond paying a flat 2% and the current interest rate, which is what new bond issues are based on, are at 5%, why would anyone buy the 2% bond? They would buy it only when offered at a discount. When you hold a bond to entire maturity, the daily value fluctuates based upon credit quality … [Read more...] about The Worst Bond Year Ever Was 2022 – What Does That Mean For You?
Overturned roe v wade meaning
MC Explains | The case of MSCI’s review of Adani Group stocks
Index provider MSCI has said it will review the free-float status of Adani Group-linked stocks and their eligibility in its indexes. “MSCI has received feedback from a range of market participants concerning the eligibility and free-float determination of specific securities associated with the Adani Group for the MSCI Global Investable Market Indexes (GIMI),” it said on February 8. “Any changes in the review affecting the calculations of the Indian conglomerate’s free float will be announced and implemented along with the index’s February review, due on February 9.” A decision by MSCI to reduce the number of free-floating shares of Adani companies is likely to negatively impact the stocks. Adani Group stocks fell on February 9, triggered by news of MSCI’s review. The freefall of the conglomerate’s stocks had subsided in the past couple of days following the recent rout after the Hindenburg report. Also Read: Adani Group shares fall following MSCI's review of its free … [Read more...] about MC Explains | The case of MSCI’s review of Adani Group stocks
Hope to achieve ‘1-1-1 goal’ for Green hydrogen, petrochemicals to be integral part of Indian Oil’s growth story: Chairman
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd hopes that its green hydrogen initiatives and collaborations will accelerate the conversion of grey hydrogen to green and help achieve the ‘1-1-1 goal,’ Chairman Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, told Moneycontrol at the ‘India Energy Week 2023’. [Green Hydrogen 1-1-1 refers to the aim of reducing the price to $1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade. ] Indian Oil Corporation is the largest state-owned oil refining company, with a capacity of 70.05 million metric tonnes per annum. It is also one of the leading petrochemical producers in India. Vaidya talked about the company’s petrochemicals expansion plan, the role of fossil fuels, and talent availability for its clean energy ventures, including green hydrogen. Edited excerpts: Q: Indian Oil has made a move towards clean energy in the green hydrogen space. What kind of targets do you have? A: Hydrogen and the refining industry go hand-in-hand. It's a raw material for me. So when I talk of hydrogen, basically, it's … [Read more...] about Hope to achieve ‘1-1-1 goal’ for Green hydrogen, petrochemicals to be integral part of Indian Oil’s growth story: Chairman
Unilever sees consumer backlash worsening on inflation
Representative image. Unilever Plc said that consumers may buy fewer of its products this year as shoppers balk at price increases on items like Dove soap and Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Volumes will drop in the first half and it’s too early to predict if they might recover in the second, the company said Thursday. Unilever reported its weakest operating margin in at least seven years and forecast a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) increase in raw material costs in the first half. Unilever will keep raising its pricing as it has only passed off three-quarters of its higher costs onto consumers, Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “We are now probably past peak inflation, but we’re not yet at peak prices,” he said. Hein Schumacher, set to replace Jope in July, will be under pressure to boost growth and make the company more efficient. Unilever’s shares have lagged behind those of Nestle SA and Procter & Gamble Co., and activist Nelson Peltz last … [Read more...] about Unilever sees consumer backlash worsening on inflation
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Maybe: The great AI chatbot race
The new chat-engine wars are underway, with Microsoft announcing its long-awaited integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot into Bing while Google published a blog post about its own chatbot for search, called Bard. Here’s something you don’t see every day: Microsoft Corp. is serving up a snazzy web search tool. And Google, whose search page has barely changed in 24 years, is also racing to launch a just-as-cool revamped tool in the next few weeks. It seems that officially, the new chat-engine wars are underway, with Microsoft on Tuesday announcing its long-awaited integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot into Bing and calling it a “copilot for the web.” Google published a blog post hours earlier about its own chatbot for search, called Bard. For Google in particular, it could be the riskiest strategic move it has made in years, a metaphorical leap off the couch that the company has been relaxing on for far too long. Update : Google is already grappling with chatbot accuracy problems … [Read more...] about Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Maybe: The great AI chatbot race
Pixel 7 Pro reportedly cost this much to make; Samsung contributes over 50 percent
Google launched the Pixel 7 series late in October 2022. The line-up included the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, which featured a starting price of Rs 59,999 and Rs 84,999, respectively. Several months after its launch, new information suggests that Samsung played a major rule in building the Pixel 7 Pro. According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, 51 percent of the Pixel 7 Pro is made of Samsung components. This means Samsung contributes more to the Pixel 7 Pro’s bill of materials (BoM) than Google . The report notes that the Pixel 7 Pro’s production cost is estimated to be $413 (roughly Rs 34,100). The single most expensive component of the Pixel 7 Pro ( Review ) is its 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED display that is made by Samsung. The AMOLED display accounts for 20 percent of the Pixel 7 Pro’s production cost. Samsung also built the 50 MP ISOCELL GN1 sensor for the Pixel 7 Pro’s main camera. The LSI image sensors for the periscope and the selfie cameras were also built by … [Read more...] about Pixel 7 Pro reportedly cost this much to make; Samsung contributes over 50 percent
Zopa raises $92 million as SoftBank sits out funding round
Zopa, the British peer-to-peer lender turned digital bank, has raised 75 million pounds ($92.40 million) from some of its shareholders, as plans for an initial public offering (IPO) have been put on hold, Chief Executive Jaidev Janardana told Reuters. IAG Silverstripe which in 2019 provided an eleventh-hour injection for Zopa to secure its banking licence led the equity round, with participation from U.S. hedge fund Davidson Kempner and venture capitalist Augmentum, Janardana said. Fellow shareholder SoftBank did not take part in the latest cash call, he added. The Japanese conglomerate previously led a 220 million pound funding round in late 2021 that valued Zopa at roughly $1 billion. SoftBank's flagship Vision Fund, a major technology investor, posted a $23 billion loss last August following a slump in sector valuations that forced it to mark down its investments. SoftBank was not immediately available for comment. Read More Zopa did not disclose a price tag … [Read more...] about Zopa raises $92 million as SoftBank sits out funding round
Agnikul Cosmos successfully carries out key test ahead of planned launch
From left: AgniKul Cosmos co-founder and COO Moin SPM and CEO Srinath Ravichandran Chennai-based space tech start-up Agnikul Cosmos successfully completed the flight acceptance test of their 3D printed rocket engine that is going to be used in their upcoming space flight. The launch of Agnikul's rocket Agnibaan in the coming months, will be the second private rocket launch from India after Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-S . Like Vikram-S, Agnbaan's flight will also be suborbital, which means that it will reach below the Earth's orbit. During the test, the 3D printed rocket engine Aginlet burnt for 108 seconds, generated sea level thrust of 6 kilo Newton (kN). Unlike other rocket engines, Agnilet was built in a single step, eliminating the thousands of parts that are typically assembled in a conventional rocket engine; and they recently obtained a patent for the engine . "Humbled to announce the successful completion of the flight acceptance test of our … [Read more...] about Agnikul Cosmos successfully carries out key test ahead of planned launch
Agnikul Cosmos to patent 3D-printed rocket engine
From left: AgniKul Cosmos co-founder and COO Moin SPM and CEO Srinath Ravichandran Agnikul Cosmos, the space tech startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, will apply for a patent for its full-scale, second-stage engine Agnilet, which it claims is the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine. This means it’s been made in one shot without the thousands of parts that are typically assembled in a conventional rocket engine. Agnikul Cosmos has also developed its own mobile launchpad, which allows it to launch rockets from any authorised port. The startup is awaiting final approvals from the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch its rockets from Sriharikota. By developing its own mobile launch pad, the startup is in a better position to scale up its business in the future. In an interview with Moneycontrol , cofounder and CEO Srinath Ravichandran, a Wall Street trader-turned-aerospace engineer, spoke about why India’s space technology … [Read more...] about Agnikul Cosmos to patent 3D-printed rocket engine
Private sector can boost ISRO’s space growth story
Skyroot has indicated their interests in capturing the launch-on-demand requirement that is gaining attraction in an era of competition and conflict. (File image) Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian private sector space enterprise, created history by launching India’s first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S. This is a moment that many in India’s private space sector have been waiting for, and the expectation is that the success of the Skyroot venture will open doors for many others. The name given to the mission, ‘ Prarambh ’, means ‘beginning’ in Hindi. Many in the space community believe that this mission is a new beginning for engagement between India’s official space agency, the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), and the private space sector in India. Congratulating Skyroot Aerospace, ISRO tweeted , “Mission Prarambh is successfully accomplished”. Elated at the success, Skyroot’s CEO and Co-Founder, Pawan Kumar Chandana tweeted that: “Nov 18th 11:30 AM will be etched … [Read more...] about Private sector can boost ISRO’s space growth story