Nov 11, 2024 – New York, NY – Landit, the innovative AI-powered interview preparation platform, is excited to announce the addition of Ishita Dinger as a Strategy Consultant to our team as we embark on a new phase of growth. With our strong foothold in B2B sales and increasing interest from organizations adopting our platform, we are now poised to diversify into the B2C market.

Ishita Dinger, a Consumer Psychologist and Market Strategist from NYU, joins us with rich, multi-industry experience in business growth and revenue generation. Her expertise will be instrumental in guiding Landit as we expand into new markets and enhance our consumer offerings.

“Ishita’s insights into market forecasting and brand strategy, combined with her deep understanding of end-user psychology, will be invaluable as we transition into B2C sales,” said Paul Bailo, CEO of Landit. “Her strategic vision aligns perfectly with our mission to empower job seekers through personalized, AI-driven interview preparation.”

In her new role, Ishita will leverage her skills in sales funnel optimization, lead generation, and digital transformation to help Landit strengthen its brand presence and reach a broader audience. By integrating consumer insights and AI capabilities, she aims to create a seamless experience for users seeking to master their interview skills.

“As Landit continues to innovate and adapt to the evolving job market, I’m thrilled to be part of this journey,” said Ishita. “Together, we will enhance our platform to meet the needs of a diverse range of job seekers, ensuring they have the tools to succeed in today’s competitive landscape.”

With Ishita’s addition, Landit is well-positioned to accelerate its growth and establish a robust presence in the B2C sector, while continuing to deliver exceptional value to our B2B partners.

Social Media Links:

Ishita’s LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/ishitadinger

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/landitai 

For media inquiries, please contact:
Chris Skipper
Creative Director
chris@landitinterview.ai
www.landitinterview.ai 

The post Landit Welcomes Ishita Dinger: A Strategic Move Toward B2C Expansion appeared first on AIO Newswire .

October 28, 2024 – New York, NY – Today, Landit, an innovative AI-powered interview preparation platform, announces its official launch, offering job seekers and professionals a comprehensive and personalized solution for mastering interviews in an increasingly competitive job market. Leveraging advanced AI technology, Landit transforms the interview preparation process, helping users build confidence and gain the skills needed to excel in traditional, phone, and virtual interviews.

Landit Overview

Landit is designed to equip users with real-time feedback and tailored learning experiences through two distinct e-learning modules: Opportunity Park and Digital Interview Deep Space (DIDS). Both modules provide immersive, gamified learning experiences that cover every stage of the interview process, from mastering phone interview techniques to acing virtual interviews. With its personalized AI-driven insights, Landit offers users the tools and confidence they need to excel in today’s evolving job market.

AI Features That Set Landit Apart

At the heart of Landit’s platform are its cutting-edge AI tools, which provide detailed feedback on critical aspects of the interview process. These features include:

• Voice Valley: Allows users to record their interview responses and receive AI-driven analysis of their tone, clarity, and emotional delivery. This feature helps job seekers refine their speaking abilities and build confidence.
• Emotional Analysis: Analyzes users’ facial expressions, tone, and emotional cues during practice interviews, offering personalized tips on emotional intelligence and how to stay composed during high-pressure situations.
• Environment Analysis: Provides feedback on lighting, background, and noise levels, ensuring that users create a professional virtual interview setup that leaves a lasting impression.
• Image Analysis: Evaluates users’ interview attire and provides feedback on how to dress appropriately for interviews, aligning their appearance with company culture and expectations.
• Digital Diagnostics Test (DIDS): This test evaluates users’ facial expressions, eye contact, and digital presence, offering comprehensive feedback to help users optimize their virtual interview performance.

Immersive Learning Experience

Landit’s gamified approach to learning is designed to make interview preparation engaging and practical. Users embark on an interactive journey, beginning at Opportunity Park, where they learn the essential skills to ace interviews through quizzes, games, and real-time challenges.

They also visit Voice Valley, where they practice their responses and refine their communication skills.

For those preparing for virtual interviews, Digital Interview Deep Space (DIDS) provides a futuristic learning experience. Users follow Communications Officer Pipro on a mission to the Interview Space Station, where they tackle digital interview challenges and complete the Digital Diagnostics Test to ensure their virtual presence is flawless.

Landit’s Impact on Job Seekers

“Interviews have become increasingly complex with the rise of virtual work environments and AI- driven hiring practices. Landit was created to help job seekers not only adapt but thrive in this landscape,” said Paul Bailo, CEO of Landit. “With our personalized, AI-driven insights and interactive learning platform, we’re giving people the tools they need to stand out and land their dream jobs.”

Whether you are a recent graduate, a professional looking to advance in your career, or someone with speech or communication challenges, Landit’s accessibility features make it a versatile tool for all types of job seekers.

Benefits for Career Advisors and Institutions

Landit also offers institutions and career advisors the ability to license the platform, enabling them to provide students or clients with robust, data-driven interview preparation tools. With an admin dashboard, advisors can monitor users’ progress, request additional seats, and manage client access efficiently.

Availability

Landit is now available to individuals, career advisors, and institutions globally. To learn more and sign up for the platform, visit www.landitinterview.ai .

About Landit

Landit is a revolutionary AI-powered interview preparation platform designed to help job seekers excel in interviews through personalized, real-time feedback. Offering immersive learning modules, AI-driven analysis, and tailored insights, Landit empowers users to build the confidence and skills needed to succeed in the modern job market.

Social Media Links:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/landitai

For media inquiries, please contact:

Chris Skipper

Creative Director

chris@landitinterview.ai 

www.landitinterview.ai

The post Landit Launches AI-Powered Interview Prep Platform, Transforming How Job SeekersMaster the Interview Process appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Seattle WA, Nov 11, 2024 — Spectral Capital (OTCQB: FCCN), a leading innovator in decentralized cloud technology and advanced quantum ledger solutions, announces the expansion of its Vogon decentralized edge and hybrid cloud platform across 16 global regions. Spectral offers a revolutionary platform to help transition global enterprises from traditional cloud environments to the quantum-powered solutions of tomorrow via the Vogon Cloud.

Vogon Cloud Decentralized Edge

Vogon Cloud’s value proposition rests on a meticulously designed edge computing infrastructure, where modular data centers, built from five graphene enhanced concrete 40ft containers, bring processing power closer to end users, thereby minimizing latency and reducing network congestion. Each container serves a dedicated role—one for battery storage, one for Network Operations, and three housing an impressive array of 1,504 servers each. By positioning these modular centers in urban environments, underutilized spaces, or regions with natural cooling advantages, Vogon Cloud optimizes resource allocation and environmental impact. This infrastructure is not only agile and sustainable but also highly adaptable. Whether supporting the instantaneous needs of IoT applications or managing the heavy computational loads of AI and real-time analytics, Vogon Cloud’s DQLDB-driven architecture ensures robust, cross-regional data connectivity and quantum-level security. This framework empowers organizations to scale up their digital operations responsibly, without compromising performance or sustainability.

Cloud Computing Reimagined

In today’s data-driven world, the rapid acceleration in demand for data infrastructure is pushing traditional systems to their limits. The global market for cloud computing, projected to reach over $1 trillion by 2030 with a steady CAGR exceeding 15%, underscores the urgency for sustainable, scalable, and secure cloud infrastructure. Vogon Cloud, an innovative solution from Spectral Capital (OTCQB: FCCN), rises to meet this challenge, offering a next-generation, quantum-resilient edge computing model that’s poised to redefine the landscape. By blending decentralized processing with the breakthrough Distributed Quantum Ledger Database (DQLDB), Vogon Cloud addresses major obstacles in traditional cloud systems—such as latency, scalability, and environmental impact. Vogon Cloud’s vision extends beyond just solving technical limitations; it creates a foundation for a secure and sustainable digital future.

Strategic Differentiation Across Industries

Vogon Cloud’s adaptable infrastructure can address the unique needs of diverse industries. Financial institutions, with their stringent security and compliance demands, benefit from Vogon Cloud’s encrypted, decentralized ledger system, ensuring secure data handling. In healthcare, Vogon Cloud enables rapid data access across distributed facilities, improving both patient care and research. The IoT sector, which has often faced barriers due to fragmented infrastructure and limited scalability, stands to gain substantially from Vogon Cloud’s edge-first architecture. By supporting real-time processing, robust security, and sustainable energy use, Vogon Cloud redefines IoT’s potential, transforming it from a concept with unrealized potential into a practical solution ready for a truly connected world. By leveraging deterministic concurrency, consensus validation, and state-of-the-art encryption, Vogon Cloud meets the stringent operational standards across these sectors, while its decentralized nature enhances both data privacy and security, providing a scalable infrastructure for an interconnected economy.

Environmental Commitment and Sustainable Infrastructure
Spectral Capital’s dedication to sustainability is reflected in Vogon Cloud’s operational model. Each data center is designed to operate on renewable wind and solar energy sources, transforming traditionally high-energy data processing into a revenue-generating, eco-friendly venture. Vogon Cloud’s modular units are crafted to support up to 15,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or up to 150 large enterprises, empowering organizations to reduce their environmental footprint without sacrificing performance. By repurposing underutilized urban spaces or water-cooled locations, Vogon Cloud fosters unique partnerships for landowners, investors, and companies alike. This approach supports a digital ecosystem that drives innovation and aligns with global climate objectives, positioning Vogon Cloud as a leader in the sustainable tech space.

Quantum-Resilient Security Architecture
As quantum computing advances, existing encryption systems become increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated quantum attacks. Recognizing this, Vogon Cloud integrates SPHINCS+ post-quantum cryptography within its DQLDB to fortify data security and protect against these looming threats. Each transaction within Vogon’s DQLDB is immutably timestamped and retains detailed provenance records, safeguarding data integrity and bolstering governance, compliance, and auditability. Vogon Cloud’s quantum-resilient framework provides unparalleled cross-regional data sharing and coalition-based real-time support. This architecture enables organizations to confidently address both today’s security demands and emerging cybersecurity challenges.

2.0 MWh to 5.5MWh Sodium-Ion Battery Energy Storage Solution (BESS)

At the core of Vogon Cloud’s energy infrastructure lies a powerful 5.5MWh Sodium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), designed for sustainability. With a lifespan of over 25 years and an energy efficiency rate of more than 90%, this storage solution ensures reliable energy support in diverse environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures. The high-capacity BESS system enables Vogon Cloud to extend operational reliability and efficiency even in remote or harsh locations. By storing excess renewable energy generated from solar and wind, the BESS reinforces Vogon Cloud’s commitment to sustainable operations and aligns with ecological preservation goals. This energy strategy not only provides consistent high-performance energy delivery but also supports Vogon Cloud’s broader environmental mission.

The Future of Digital Infrastructure: Security, Scalability, and Sustainability
Vogon Cloud symbolizes a paradigm shift in digital infrastructure, aligning with the demands of an increasingly digital economy. By enabling decentralized edge computing, Vogon Cloud reduces dependency on centralized data hubs, allowing localized data processing to meet the needs of latency-sensitive applications, from AI-driven insights to live-streaming analytics. The platform’s DQLDB structure, underpinned by consensus groups and deterministic concurrency, offers flexibility to expand seamlessly across multiple regions. With this adaptive framework, Vogon Cloud empowers industries and innovators to scale operations responsibly, with a foundation that prioritizes security, scalability, and sustainability in equal measure.

Conclusion
For visionaries and tech pioneers, Vogon Cloud offers more than just a data solution—it presents a comprehensive blueprint for building a secure, sustainable, and interconnected digital economy. By balancing quantum resilience with eco-consciousness, Vogon Cloud enables companies to grow and innovate without compromising their environmental values. With a platform designed to meet the evolving challenges of modern computing, Vogon Cloud supports a world where technology and sustainability go hand in hand, empowering industries, protecting data, and respecting our planet. The future is bright with Vogon Cloud—a future where quantum resilience and sustainable innovation unlock human potential and redefine the possibilities of the digital age.

About FCCN Spectral Capital (OTCQB: FCCN)

Based in Seattle, Washington, FCCN Spectral Capital is a leading innovator in decentralized cloud solutions, powered by advanced quantum ledger technology. Through Vogon, its flagship edge and hybrid cloud platform, FCCN is committed to delivering scalable, secure, and transformative cloud solutions for global markets. By fostering MSP partnerships worldwide, FCCN is setting new standards in decentralized infrastructure and data security for the future. For more information, please visit Spectral Capital.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) concerning future events and FCCN’s growth and business strategy. Words such as “expects,” “will,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “hopes,” “estimates,” and variations on such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although FCCN believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of FCCN. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, changes in FCCN’s business; competitive factors in the market(s) in which FCCN operates; risks associated with operations outside the United States; and other factors listed from time to time in FCCN’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. FCCN expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in FCCN’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

The post Spectral Releases its Quantum Bridge Strategy for a Decentralized, Sustainable Future Using Quantum-Resilient Edge Computing. appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

The post Hammond set for small business VAT overhaul as Budget day looms appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

The post Brits want more in-store tech to speed up Christmas shopping appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

The post 1 million fewer UK SMEs are trading internationally appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

The post Self employed are the ‘least stressed’ appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

The post Deliveroo rides to victory in workers self-employment case appeared first on AIO Newswire .

Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

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Global stocks were on track for weekly gains Friday as Chinese markets showed signs of stabilizing after a selloff, and data pointed to an acceleration in the eurozone economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.4% following a mostly upbeat session in Asia, while futures pointed to a 0.2% opening advance for the S&P 500 after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Data released Friday largely pointed to a better-than-expected pickup in the eurozone economy this month. German government bond yields rose to 0.361% from 0.347% late Thursday and the euro edged up slightly to $1.1858 after the German Ifo index hit a record in November. The data suggested recent political uncertainty in Germany has so far had limited impact on business confidence, although most survey responses were submitted before political talks to form a governing coalition collapsed.

There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.

Michael Bloomberg CEO of Bloomberg L.P.

When it comes to European political risks, “the make-or-break thing for markets is whether there’s a real risk of euro breakup,” said Valentijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, head of multiasset at NN Investment Partners. “If that’s not the case, the market doesn’t care too much.” The Ifo index followed better-than-expected eurozone purchasing managers’ surveys for November released Thursday, with the composite PMI unexpectedly hitting a 79-month high.

The eurozone economy has continued to pick up this year, echoing an acceleration in growth across the globe that has helped send stock markets to multiyear or record highs. “The question for 2018 is how to balance between the strong fundamental story and the strong investor consensus around it,” Mr. van Nieuwenhuijzen said.

In European stocks Friday, banks were the best performers as they tend to benefit from higher government bond yields. Spain’s IBEX 35 index and Italy’s FTSE MIB both rose 0.9%, and Germany’s DAX rose 0.8%, but the U.K.’s export-heavy FTSE 100 index lagged behind. Stocks in the U.S., Europe and Japan were all on track to end the week with modest gains, although trading volume is likely to be muted with many market participants away from their desks.

The focus next week is expected to shift toward the start of the Christmas holiday shopping season. Sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are often taken as a harbinger of the overall holiday period for retailers, but it has become harder to discern trends since such sales now tend to span more than two days, according to strategists at Scotiabank. In Asian trading, the Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.1% after falling 2.3% Thursday in its biggest one-day drop in nearly a year.

Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark.
Thursday’s decline was the biggest drop of the year for the Shanghai benchmark. PHOTO: LONG WEI/ZUMA PRESS
The steep declines followed signs of Beijing’s determination to clamp down on market speculation and the country’s high debt levels. Weakness in China’s bond market also contributed to the downbeat tone as the 10-year yield recently hit three-year highs of just over 4%.

The sudden stock weakness wasn’t a cause for alarm, said Iris Pang, greater China economist at ING, adding that it could happen again in the short term as fund managers reposition and reallocate money between bonds and stocks. With ING anticipating strong Chinese economic growth through at least next year and companies there posting double-digit earnings jumps, Ms. Pang said the bank doesn’t see a top for Chinese stocks—which have lagged behind others in the region this year.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which slid Thursday along with its mainland counterparts, rose 0.5% on Friday, ending the week 2.3% higher. Japan’s Nikkei finished the day up 0.1% and ended the week up 0.7% following a Thursday holiday.

Some would argue that this isn’t true energy independence, since we would still import oil in that situation. If that’s the standard, then we will never truly be independent, because there will always be economic reasons to import oil even if at the same time we export oil and finished products. For example, some Canadian crudes may always have a logistical advantage over U.S. crudes for certain refineries in the northern U.S.

But a long-term solution to U.S. energy dependence will also require significant demand-side reductions. A shift to electric vehicles, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and widespread adoption of ride-sharing could feasibly shave off several million BPD of demand over the next decade giving us, by every measure, the energy security that has driven U.S. energy policy for decades.

Until the oil-price collapse that began in 2014, the U.S. was on a trajectory to achieve zero net imports by 2019. At present, we are still about four million BPD away from that goal, but U.S. oil production is once again rising. Energy independence could be achieved in as little as four years if oil production returns to the growth trajectory of 2008 to 2014.

At the time of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, the U.S. still produced about two-thirds of the oil we used, but our energy security weakened significantly in the decades after that, to the point where only one-third of our consumption was met by domestic oil.

The situation has changed dramatically over the past decade. The successful combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling ushered in the shale oil and gas boom. Meanwhile, higher oil prices helped curb demand. The combined effect dropped net U.S. imports of crude oil and finished products from a high of 12.5 million barrels per day in 2005 to less than 5 million BPD in 2015. The U.S. actually became a net exporter of finished products (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) in 2011 for the first time since 1949.

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