Business
Stock Market Today: Asian Stock Markets Follow Wall Street’s Plunge As Fitch Ratings Lowers U.S. Credit Rating
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(CTN NEWS) – In the domain of Asian stock markets, the shadows of Wall Street cast their influence, guiding the course of action on Thursday.
This theatrical performance witnessed a downward spiral as Fitch Ratings cast its discerning eye upon the United States government’s credit rating.
Tokyo’s market benchmark stumbled, descending by nearly 1.5%, a somber symphony of financial woes. The echoes of this melancholic melody reverberated across Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Seoul, where the curtains of optimism were drawn back.
Meanwhile, amidst the unfolding drama, oil prices decided to dance on a higher plane.
Drama Unfolds: Fitch Ratings Lowers U.S. Credit Rating Amidst Turmoil on Wall Street
As the drama continued on Wall Street, an unprecedented act unfolded—a grand spectacle of the biggest one-day decline in months. The protagonist in this riveting tale was Fitch Ratings, wielding its mighty pen to lower the U.S. government’s credit rating by one level.
Citing reasons such as mounting debt and a lamentable “steady deterioration in standards of governance,” the agency narrated the woes that besieged the nation.
In the preceding chapters, Congress had brought Washington perilously close to defaulting before acquiescing to raise the amount it could borrow.
Yet, amidst this gripping narrative, a wise sage named Kristina Hooper of Invesco stepped forward, penning a report to bring clarity to the chaotic script.
In her eloquent prose, she declared the impact as “largely irrelevant despite some initial shock,” urging the audience not to be swayed by momentary turbulence.
With insightful wisdom, she pointed out that this move aligns the U.S. rating more consistently with that of other major economies.
However, she couldn’t help but express her bewilderment at the curious timing of this dramatic revelation, as it transpired well after the debt ceiling issue had been resolved, adding an enigmatic twist to the plot.
Global Stock Markets Witness Volatility Amid Economic Concerns and Downgrade of U.S. Government Debt
The Tokyo stock market, represented by the Nikkei 225, experienced a substantial tumble of 1.4%, landing at 32,244.08.
Similarly, the Shanghai Composite Index suffered a minor setback of 0.2%, reaching 3,254.37. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng followed suit, retreating by 0.5% and settling at 19,429.17.
Across the ocean in Seoul, the Kospi relinquished 0.8%, standing at 2,597.36, while Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 witnessed a 0.5% decline, closing at 7,318.20. Meanwhile, Jakarta enjoyed gains, but other Southeast Asian markets faced a downturn.
The U.S. stock market faced a significant blow, as the S&P 500 sank 1.4% to 4,513.39 following Fitch’s downgrade of U.S. government debt from AAA to AA+.
This marked the second consecutive loss for the market benchmark after reaching a 16-month high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also experienced a substantial decline of 1%, ending at 35,282.52, while the Nasdaq composite fell by 2.2% to 13,973.45.
Fitch’s downgrade strikes at the heart of the global financial system, as U.S. Treasurys have long been considered among the safest investments. The agency cited repeated standoffs in Congress, questioning the government’s ability to avoid default.
A historical parallel can be drawn to 2011 when Standard & Poor’s stripped the U.S. of its AAA rating during a heated dispute over the government’s borrowing limit.
That budget standoff was estimated to have raised borrowing costs by $1.3 billion for the year, as per the Government Accountability Office.
Investors are closely observing the U.S. economy, hoping it can evade an anticipated recession that might have resulted from repeated interest rate hikes aimed at curbing inflation.
However, recent optimism among traders has contributed to a remarkable 19.5% surge in the S&P 500 over the first seven months of the year.
A report by ADP on Wednesday provided some relief, suggesting stronger-than-expected hiring in the private sector, even though it slowed in July compared to the previous month.
Such robust hiring may mitigate recession fears but might also prompt the Federal Reserve to address concerns about upward price pressures.
All eyes are now on the comprehensive jobs market report due to be issued by the U.S. government on Friday. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has indicated that Friday’s figures will significantly influence the central bank’s decision in September.
Tech Giants and Energy Companies Lead Market Decline, while CVS Health and Humana Buck the Trend
On Wall Street, notable tech giants such as Microsoft, Nvidia, and Amazon each experienced a decline of more than 2.5%.
Generac Holdings, a company specializing in generators and power products, faced a significant setback, plunging 24.4% and recording the biggest drop in the S&P 500 after reporting weaker profit than analysts had anticipated.
SolarEdge Technologies also suffered a drop of 18.4% after revealing lower-than-forecasted profit and revenue growth, with the company attributing the pressure to higher interest rates affecting U.S. residential customers.
While some companies have surpassed profit expectations, others have not been as fortunate. CVS Health managed to rise 3.3% after reporting results that were less disappointing than expected, whereas Humana climbed 5.6% after exceeding expectations.
In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude experienced a marginal increase of 7 cents, reaching $79.56 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This came after a previous day’s decline of $1.88 to $79.49. Brent crude, the foundation for international oil trading, gained 8 cents to settle at $83.28 per barrel in London, following a drop of $1.71 during the previous session, ending at $83.20.
The dollar remained stable against the yen at 143.28, while the euro slightly declined to $1.0934 from $1.0943.
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Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
SEE ALSO:
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
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(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
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Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
![water](https://www.chiangraitimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/download-1-4.webp)
The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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