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Online Army Attacks China’s Nongfu Spring Plunging Stock

Nongfu Spring the target of online campaign targeting products and personalities

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Nongfu Spring

Nongfu Spring a Chinese beverage behemoth, is the latest large brand to face criticism from an online army of nationalist individuals. This highlights the difficulty for local corporations operating in an increasingly patriotic climate.

Netizens on local forums have called for a boycott of Nongfu Spring products after the founder of rival Hangzhou Wahaha Group died on February 25, sparking a wave of negative comparisons. That has weighed on its shares, falling over 6%, making it one of the worst performers on the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index.

Users have criticized everything from Nongfu Spring’s packaging, which some argue contains elements associated with Japan, to the business tactics of founder Zhong Shanshan — China’s wealthiest person — including a decades-old debate over the superior quality of its water in comparison to Wahaha and other brands.

Nongfu Spring stock

Some have also claimed that Zhong’s kid owns a US passport, infuriating netizens who question the family’s loyalty to China.

Nongfu Spring executives did not immediately respond to Bloomberg’s email requests for comment, and calls to the company went unanswered.

Some Chinese businesses have benefited in recent years from nationalist sentiment, which has caused consumers to migrate from major global brands to domestic ones. However, the online outrage over Nongfu Spring underscores the risks that even domestic companies might face as they negotiate rising nationalistic strain.

It also presents a problem for the government as it seeks to rebuild the mainland’s floundering private sector — after years of regulatory crackdowns and a fragile economy eroded entrepreneurs’ trust — to fulfill this year’s ambitious 5% growth target.

Nongfu Spring has already faced internet backlash from patriotic netizens. In 2021, the company was chastised on Weibo for a promotional campaign for one of their new beverages that mentioned peaches from Fukushima, the Japanese region that experienced a nuclear leak following the devastating 2011 earthquake.

Nongfu Spring stock

Nongfu Spring  sees steep sales decline

According to domestic media sources, Nongfu Spring’s sales have plummeted, wiping off around HK$30 billion (US$3.8 billion) in market capitalization over the last two weeks, even though Chinese equities trading in the city have gained slightly during the same period.

Founder Zhong issued a statement earlier this month defending the company and himself. While recognizing that Nongfu Spring and Wahaha had filed litigation against each other following the water dispute, he stated that he and his competitor’s late chairman, Zong Qinghou, had eventually reached an agreement.

According to the message posted on the Nongfu Spring Weibo account, his “respect for Mr Zong’s entrepreneurship has never wavered.”

It was insufficient to satisfy online users, who reacted to the remark, requesting Zhong to clarify his son’s citizenship and complaining about the flavour and quality of Nongfu Spring’s water.

“Does your son have US citizenship? How about your whole family? “I’m not going to buy your products anymore,” one Weibo user stated.

Nongfu Spring’s internet difficulties contrast with the Chinese government’s vow to protect private entrepreneurs from hate speech. To reduce the chance of such efforts becoming a larger political problem, the government often controls nationalist sentiment online.

The Supreme People’s Court has recently threatened to crack down on “malicious attacks” on entrepreneurs, promising to punish “extreme language and acts” as part of attempts to foster an environment conducive to developing the private sector.

 China Vanke

Meanwhile, Chinese banks are reportedly trying to bail out one of the country’s largest property developers after Moody’s lowered its credit rating to “junk” on Monday.

Beijing has been working hard to rebuild faith in the country’s faltering real estate business, and it looks that China Vanke is on a mission to avoid the fate of Evergrande and Country Garden, both of which defaulted on their obligations and are on the verge of liquidation.

Chinese state media said Tuesday that 12 major banks, including the six largest state-owned institutions, were in talks to give Vanke with a syndicated loan worth up to 80 billion yuan ($11.2 billion) to fulfill looming repayment deadlines.

The loan amount is yet unknown, according to state media outlet Cailianshe, citing an unnamed source familiar with the planned transaction. Another official media site, the Economic Observer, said that various insurance companies had dispatched teams to Vanke’s headquarters for a new round of debt discussions in an effort to avoid a default according to CNN.

Vanke’s stock rose sharply in Hong Kong and Shenzhen following reports of potential new financing. On Tuesday, its Hong Kong-listed shares rose 10.3%, while its Shenzhen-traded stock increased 5.7%. However, they have remained in negative territory so far this year.

On Monday, Moody’s downgraded Vanke’s rating to Ba1, which is commonly known as a junk rating. That means the corporation must offer a higher yield on its bonds to compensate for the increased risk of payment default that bond investors assume.

Vanke’s contracted sales fell 10% in 2023, reaching 376.12 billion yuan ($52.4 billion). In January 2024, its revenues fell by 32%.

Investors have been selling Vanke’s stock in recent months. Its Hong Kong-listed shares is down roughly 30% since November. So far this year, it is down 9%.

 

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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

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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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

States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children

Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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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.

water

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.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

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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