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Thailand’s Baht Hits a 7 Year Low Against the Greenback

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Thai Baht Falls to Its Lowest Rate Against the US Dollar in 10 Months

Thailand’s Baht has hit a seven-year low of 36.35 baht against the US dollar last week. Analysts, however, are optimistic about the baht’s future in the second half of this year.

According to CIMB Thai Bank, the baht is under pressure because Thailand’s interest rate is low, resulting in capital outflows to higher-yield countries, including the US.

As a result of persistently high inflation, many analysts believe the Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee will raise the policy rate by 25 basis points in August.

During a recent interview, Poon Panichpibool, a Krungthai Bank senior markets strategist, discussed the factors driving the baht’s volatility.

He said the rising volatility of the baht was in line with concerns about the Fed’s aggressive rate hikes, the Covid-19 situation in China, and economic recessions in major economies like the US and Europe.

In addition to uncertainty over the country’s central bank’s policy outlook, mounting worries over an inflation rate nearly 14-year high, and a new wave of Covid-19, Mr. Poon noted that domestic factors could also play a role in the baht’s movement.

“The baht has been weakening due to fundamental factors such as current account deficits caused by high energy and commodity prices, high shipping costs, and the gradual return of foreign tourists,” he said.

Many investors have also fled developing markets due to fears about the global recession and rising US interest rates.

Despite the persistently strong dollar against major currencies, the baht has recently weakened beyond the 36 levels [almost hitting its strong resistance of 36.50]. Thai assets, particularly equities, were also weakened by foreign fund outflows due to recession fears on the global market.”

How do industry leaders view the situation?

As a result of higher oil prices, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has recently warned against further depreciation of the currency to 37 baht against the US dollar.

As the baht value fell to 36.35 to the dollar last week, the lowest value in almost seven years, tourism operators and exporters may benefit. However, manufacturers and consumers will not benefit as much, said the federation.

According to Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the FTI, a weaker baht will lead to higher oil prices in Thailand, where 80-90% of oil is imported.

People ultimately pay more for goods and services as a result of higher energy prices.

Nevertheless, exporters and tourists can benefit from the depreciation of the baht since Thailand’s goods and services will be cheaper abroad.

Thailand’s tourism sector will recover faster in 2022 with 7-10 million foreign arrivals, he estimates.

An appropriate value for the baht is 34 to the dollar, according to the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry. Tanit Sorat, the vice-chairman of the Thai Economic Development Board, said that this rate would benefit the Thai economy the most.

How will Thailand’s central bank deal with the weak baht?

On Monday, Bank of Thailand Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput said the central bank would allow the baht to move according to market forces. He said the central bank would monitor the movement closely and take action if excessive volatility occurred.

Despite the strong dollar, the baht’s weakness is still in line with other regional currencies. In light of the possible depreciation of the dollar, he suggested businesses hedge against risks.

As Thailand’s economy continues to recover and foreign tourists return, the baht’s value will rebound in the second half of this year, according to a Finance Ministry source.

The Bank of Thailand is also expected to raise its policy rate in August, according to several analysts.

As a result of all these factors, the average baht value is unlikely to fall significantly during the remainder of the year, the source said.

In comparison to other EM currencies, how do the Thai baht perform?

As a benchmark for emerging-market currency holdings, the MSCI Emerging Markets Currency Index has fallen 4.4% this year, the steepest annual decline since 2015.

“The baht has fared well so far this year, along with other EM FXs, especially net energy/commodities importers like Thailand. However, high beta and high yield EM FXs that face extremely high inflation environments, like TRY [the Turkish lira] and ARS [the Argentine peso], have also done poorly.” Mr. Poon of Krungthai Bank said.

In the past year, the baht has fallen by almost 8% against the dollar. It has been 17 years since the Philippine peso dropped against the greenback, and 13 years since the South Korean won fell.

On Monday, the Russian rouble bounced back to 61 against the dollar after falling to an almost four-month low recently.

According to Bangkok Bank economist Nisara Vadee, all 23 major emerging market currencies tracked by Bloomberg have declined over the past month after the US central bank raised its benchmark interest rate twice. Consequently, rising interest rates lead to higher borrowing costs for emerging market countries.

In the second half of 2022, how do the Thai baht look?

According to Krungthai Bank, the Thai baht is expected to strengthen in the second half of 2022 and in the future.

Foreign tourists are expected to increase by 6.4 million. Supply disruptions will ease, foreign investors will be more inclined to invest in Thai assets as they bet on the reopening theme, and the US dollar will weaken, Mr. Poon said.

During the first half of this year, 1.98 million foreigners arrived. There are expected to be 9 million visitors this year, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Krungthai Bank expects Thai foreign arrivals to surge in the fourth quarter, so it is crucial to stay tuned to this month’s US Federal Open Market Committee for its hawkishness.

A reversal in the US dollar could be quite crucial. For the US dollar to reverse its upward trend, it must be stable or falling 5-year inflation expectations and more signs of weakness in other economic indicators such as the labour market.

Including food and energy, the US consumer price report, due today, will reveal current headline inflation. It is expected that the headline inflation rate will rise above the 8.6% level recorded in May, according to Reuters and CNBC.

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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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