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China to Play Bigger Role in Greater Mekong Subregion

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech at the Thai parliament in Bangkok, Thailand

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a speech at the Thai parliament in Bangkok, Thailand

 

BANGKOK –  Li Keqiang Cina’s Premier who is expected to attend Thailand’s Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) summit signals China’s more active role in efforts to bolster regional economy and connectivity and to expand the scope of cooperation.

Also on Li’s agenda is the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on China-Thailand railway cooperation, a step in infrastructure development beneficial not only to the two countries, but also far beyond.

Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok on Friday to attend the fifth summit of the GMS Economic Cooperation, and discuss with leaders of other countries about inclusive and sustainable development in the region and the deepening of partnership.

“China has always been an active participant in GMS initiatives. In the future, we expect it to grow into a responsible leader in the mechanism,” said Prof. Tang Zhimin, director of China ASEAN Studies of the Bangkok-based Panyapiwat Institute of Management.

The GMS Economic Cooperation Program was started in 1992 by the six countries along the the Mekong River — Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with cooperation spanning 10 fields from transportation, energy, agriculture, tourism to trade facilitation.

Of all the fields of cooperation, infrastructure has seen the greatest achievements over the past two decades, said Pornchai Trakulwaranont, vice rector for administration of Thailand’s renowned Thammsat University.

For instance, the East-West corridor has almost been developed to the full scale, involving transportation and other activities that have proved to be economically beneficial, Pornchai said.

Profitable as they are, GMS projects like East-West and North-South economic corridors have not yet fully met the needs of this subregion, Tang said. “Infrastructure development cries for more funds, which is one of the major challenges.”

China’s initiatives, including the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), will help address such challenges and promote regional connectivity, said Zhang Yunling, director of the Academic Division of International Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The AIIB is designed to serve as a more secure source of financial support for infrastructure development in the region, as well as a platform that features more negotiations between governments and joint decision-making, Pornchai said.

Countries participating in the upcoming summit will hopefully have follow-up discussions about the AIIB, he said.

Meanwhile, other issues like security, political development and human trafficking are also expected to receive their fair share of attention from participants in the summit.

CHINA-THAILAND RAILWAY COOPERATION

As an important part of his stay in Thailand, Li and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will witness the signing of the MoU on the two countries’ railway cooperation.

The MoU will allow China’s investment in two dual-track rail lines that span 734 km and 133 km respectively and connect northeast Thailand’s Nong Khai province, Bangkok and eastern Rayong province.

The project is estimated to cost about 10.6 billion U.S. dollars.

The signing of the MoU will bear witness to the consensus between Chinese and Thai leaders on promoting regional connectivity and furthering bilateral ties.

Earlier, Prayut told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing that Thailand would cooperate with China in agriculture and railway development, under the framework of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives.

The conviction is widely shared that China-Thailand railway collaboration promises great growth opportunities for the GMS and beyond.

The two lines mentioned in the MoU will join the planned China-Laos railway and high economic returns will come along, said Huang Bin, a China expert with the Kasikorn Research Center, a Thai think tank.

“They will offer a new channel for bilateral trade, and also help form a potentially-lucrative tourist route starting from China’s Yunnan province, to Laos’ Vientiane and Thailand’s Bangkok,” he said.

Once China’s railways connect with those in ASEAN countries, they will remarkably fuel economic growth for cities and regions involved, said Yang Yong, who is in charge of the China-Thailand rail project in the China Railway Corporation.

Thailand’s Nong Khai province, for example, could become a gateway that links Thai products with China and even the world, as well as a magnet for Laotian tourists, Yang said.

 

 

 

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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

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water

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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