Business
Thailand Should Brace for the UK’S Exit from the European Union
LONDON – As British Prime Minister Theresa May struggles to push through her Brexit deal, Thailand should brace itself for its consequence.
As of press time, embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May is working on various options to get her Brexit deal through after the recent defeats in the parliament.
The British lawmakers last week voted to reject the option of leaving the European Union’s without a deal, raising questions over the conditions for the United Kingdom’s leaving the EU bloc as the deadline for their divorce is only two weeks away.
Regardless of uncertainties, Thailand should brace for the UK exit from the EU because it is more likely to happen than not, just a matter of when. Let’s assume the UK is on course to leave the EU on March 29 as scheduled, here are the economic impacts on Thailand.
First of all, no-deal Brexit means the UK will no longer be a part of the EU bloc and will have to revert to World Trade Organization rules on trade. Consequently, Made-in-UK goods will be subject to the EU’s tariffs, like that of other non-EU nations. Meanwhile, the price of the EU-made merchandises in the UK may become more expensive as they will have to bear the cost of imported tariffs as well.
According to SCB Economic Intelligence Center, no-deal Brexit could impact the UK economy and, consequently, affect the British purchasing power. The British’s demand for the Thai exports namely automobiles and parts as well as processed chicken meat may reduce.
Nonetheless, the overall impact on Thai exports should not be significant because the Thai outbound shipment to the UK represents only 1.5 percent of total Thai exports, the think tank of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) said.
Brexit may also prompt Thailand and the EU to renegotiate some trade deals such as import quota to the EU. For example, Thailand exports chicken to the EU under the quota system, thus, Thailand may have to renegotiate the export quota with the EU on processed chicken. And Thailand may also have to negotiate another chicken export deal with the UK separately after the UK separation from the EU.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of Department of Trade Negotiations, said Brexit could complicate the process of Thai-EU free trade negotiation, which is scheduled to resume in the second half of this year. At any rate, after the Thai general election, Thailand is set to continue to negotiate with the EU on the Thai-EU free trade deal regardless of the UK decision, she added.
On the bright side, Brexit may prompt the UK investors to pay more attention to potential markets beyond the EU border. At present, direct investment from the UK to Thailand is small, accounting for only 3.5 percent of the total foreign direct investment, according to SCB.
The shifting of the UK interest toward Thailand is evident by the UK Export Finance’s announcement last year to establish a fund worth 4.5-billion pounds to support UK investors’ ventures and sourcing of materials in Thailand.
Mark Field, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Asia and Pacific, also expressed the UK’s interests in partnering with Thailand in fintech in his article written early this month for The Nation newspaper.
Kasikorn Research Center noted that in addition to Brexit, Thai investors should take into account the consequences of the EU and Japan’s Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which entered into force last month.
The EPA could affect the exports of Thai automobile which is part of the Japanese’ supply chains. The EPA will end tariffs of auto and parts between Japan and EU by 2026.
Kasikorn Bank’s think tank said in light of Brexit, some Japanese automakers may relocate some of their car productions from the UK to other EU countries to maintain the EU trade privileges.
Thus, the destinations for Thai exported automobiles and parts, which are part of the supply chains of Japanese automakers, may also change in accordance with Japanese automakers’ revised business strategy.
While the actual impacts on trade and investment remain to be seen, Brexit has been chiefly attributed to the volatility of the British pound since the referendum in 2016.
SCB Economic Intelligence Center said that weaker British pound could dampen the sentiment of British arrivals. The UK holidaymakers are among the biggest spenders in Thailand with Bt77,600 per trip. At any rate, since the receipts from British travelers represent only 2.1 percent of the total, the impact on tourism industry should not be significant.
In spite of limited economic impact on Thailand, Brexit talks deserve close attention because the outcome could determine the UK economic and political relations not only with the EU but also other countries such as Thailand in the future.
Ultimately, the UK divorce from the EU is served as a lesson for Asean countries to rethink their regional integration strategy by focusing more on each country’s limits and emerging issues such as migration.
By ThaiPBS
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
(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.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
(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
Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
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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