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Chinese Investors in Thailand Selling Off Condo Units and Heading for UK

For Chinese who already own a condo, the strong baht gives them an opportunity to cash in. Selling off their condo units and converting the cash to yuan. Leaving a glut of condo units on the Thai property market.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s residential property developers are being forced to rethink their project strategies as  Chinese buyers dwindle. The residential property sector has shrunk by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2019.

“We are an aggressive company, but we need to be more careful,” said Thitima Rungkwansiriroj, chief financial officer of Singha Estate.

The developer, which is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, has recently postponed a new condominium project in Bangkok.

It was originally scheduled to launch in October, but the company is delaying it until February 2020.

Thitima admitted that the postponement was due to sluggish market demand. “The sales rate of a new project should exceed 30% soon after the pre-sales kickoff and should keep rising. If not, we should delay the launch,” she said.

According to Resinee Sarikaputra, director of research at London-headquartered real estate company Knight Frank, the sales rate for newly launched condos in the quarter ended June dropped to an all-time low of 15.7%.

As of the end of June, the number of unsold condo units in Bangkok rose to 92,815 from 89,765 at the end of 2018.

Singapore’s real estate market is far ahead of other Southeast Asian nations in terms of size, according to index provider MSCI.

Chinese Owners Selling Off Condo Units

Thailand is the third largest in the region but is rapidly catching up to Malaysia, which holds second place. The kingdom was enjoying a boom until last year, with Chinese investors. Bangkok emerged as a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

The Thai residential market has become heavily dependent on the sentiment of Chinese investors. Of the $3 billion transferred from abroad to purchase condo units in Thailand in 2018, 43% came from China.

But Chinese money is now ebbing away from Thailand. Thai properties have become relatively expensive due to a weakening Chinese yuan and strong Thai baht.

Central bank data shows that a monthly average of about Bt2 billion was transferred from China in the first half of this year. A significant drop from more than 3 billion baht in the same period in 2018.

The yuan has depreciated due to China’s economic slowdown and the U.S.-China trade war. Meanwhile, the Thai currency has appreciated because of its large current account surplus.

Since the Sino-U.S. trade war broke out, the yuan has fallen by the largest margin against the baht among major Asian currencies at 13.9%.

Condo Developers Struck by the Slowing Residential Market

Singha Estate joins a line of developers that have been struck by the slowing residential market. One large developer, Noble Development, in May presented a “special” starting price of 4.7 million baht ($150,000) for units of a condominium project in central Bangkok.

The price was 19% lower than its initial starting price of 5.8 million baht. Noble said the project achieved 80% of its pre-sales booking in just two hours.

The discount is seen as a move to generate cash flow in a sluggish market in order to be able to move on to another project.

Ananda Development, one of Thailand’s 10 largest property developers, introduced a project in May but quickly backtracked. The company decided to modify the project further to fit current demand and reintroduced it in early August.

For Chinese who already own a condo, the strong baht gives them an opportunity to cash in. Selling off their condo units and converting the cash to yuan. Leaving a glut of condo units on the Thai property market.

“Investors’ money is heading for places like London, where property is cheaper due to the weak British pound,” Phanom Kanjanathiemthao, managing director at Knight Frank to Nikkei.

The pound is falling as the U.K. looks closer to a no-deal Brexit.

In the meantime, Thai domestic demand for residential properties is not strong enough to make such Chinese owners stay.

Thailand’s High Level of Household Debt Slowing Condo Sales

The country’s high levels of household debt has led the Bank of Thailand to implement measure of restricting mortgage loans. The kingdom’s household debt covered 78.2% of its gross domestic product in 2018.

Since 2013, the figure has been hovering above 70%. In the 2000s, it was below 60%.

The rule restricts loans to 90% for the first home, 80% for the second home and 70% for the third home. Since its implementation on April 1, rejections of mortgage loans by commercial banks have risen by 50%, according to property developers.

Subdued foreign and domestic demand shrunk the Bangkok housing market by 13% in the first half of this year.

Only two out of 12 major developers were able to clinch pre-sales of more than 50%. The average price of Bangkok condos per sq. meter fell by 6% year-on-year.

According to an estimate by local consultancy Agency for Real Estate Affairs, developers are expected to launch 98,251 residential units in 2019. Down 21% from the previous year and the lowest number since 2011.

Source: Nikkei Asian Review

 

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

Pepsi

(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.

Infosys

(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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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

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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