Business
Finance Minister Defends Rice Subsidy Scheme
BANGKOK – Thailand’s finance minister has mounted a strong defence of a much-criticised official rice subsidy scheme, saying it can continue indefinitely even though its multibillion-dollar annual cost is widely seen as undermining confidence in the country’s economy.
Kittiratt Na-Ranong said the two-year-old rice-buying programme – which has just been renewed for another year – was a small price to pay to ensure millions of poor farmers and their dependants “live a decent life”.
The scheme is one of several subsidies and tax breaks that have come under fire from many independent observers, who say the economy needs restructuring if it is to revitalise its historic export-led growth and insulate itself from possible external shocks such as the end of the US’ international bond-buying programme.
“If you have to suffer budget-wise to help 4.5m families to live a decent life then I think it’s fair,” Mr Kittiratt said in an interview. “Rather than waiting until this group of people suffer to the level that would cause them to come out on to the street, it’s the government’s job to take care of them.”
Mr Kittiratt dismissed critics who say the policy of deploying almost 700bn baht over the past two years to pay farmers between 40 and 50 per cent above market rates has been inefficient and wasteful. There has been a build-up of big rice stockpiles that will have to be sold at a loss because international prices fell almost a fifth during the first three quarters of this year.
The price of benchmark 5-percent broken Thai white rice will decline a further 12 per cent to $390 a ton by April – a five-year low – according to an analysis of trader and analyst estimates compiled this month by Bloomberg, the financial information provider.
Mr Kittiratt said the government was losing 120bn baht a year on the rice scheme, but added that it had the “fiscal space” to keep the subsidy going “forever” – or until official efforts to help rice farmers diversify into other crops such as sugarcane and tapioca had yielded results.
“I think it is all right to keep [the rice buying programme] because the switching process will take some time,” he said.
The dispute over Thai government subsidies goes to the heart of a long-running political struggle in the country, with rice farming communities in the north of the country forming one of the heartlands of the Puea Thai party of Yingluck Shinawatra, prime minister. The government in September doubled financial support to rubber growers in the traditionally opposition Democrat south, after a wave of strikes and disruption by farmers complaining that rice producers were getting preferential treatment.
Mr Kittiratt hit back at attacks on the Yingluck government’s approach of expanding subsidies and other financial handouts, such as tax breaks for people buying their first cars. Asked about a thinly veiled warning last month by Prasarn Trairatvorakul, central bank governor, over an economic strategy that “borders on the realm of populism”, Mr Kittiratt said: “I haven’t heard from him directly. And I don’t believe in things that I read from the newspaper. I have to hear him for myself.”
The minister also played down fears the eventual end of the US Federal Reserve’s massive bond-buying programme known as quantitative easing – and the resulting tide of cheap money that has helped buoy the Thai economy – could seriously hurt the country.
While Thailand is not in the first rank of Asian emerging markets seen as vulnerable to a reduction – or tapering – of QE, some analysts say the US policy has helped mask problems such as slowing economic growth and rising consumer debt.
But Mr Kittiratt said Thailand had suffered rather than benefit from US spending, because capital inflows had driven up the baht to “unnecessarily strong” levels and hurt exporters.
“The end of QE and even the possibility of tapering [would] benefit Thailand, because it will help bring the baht back to the level that we can manage,” he said. – By Pan Kwan Yuk in New York and Michael Peel in Bangkok
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
SEE ALSO:
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
Business
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.
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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