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Thailand’s Delicate Postcoup State Hindering Local Investment

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A delivery motorcycle and taxi cab on the streets of Bangkok on July 1, more than a month after a Thai military junta took control of country.

A delivery motorcycle and taxi cab on the streets of Bangkok on July 1, more than a month after a Thai military junta took control of country.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s imports suffered further decline in June, showing the delicate state of the domestic economy, which has been run by a military junta for more than two months.

Imports fell 14% year over year. In a sign that local companies are putting off investment, imports of raw materials fell 12.2% and capital goods dropped 4.1%, the Commerce Ministry said Monday.

Exports grew 3.9%, led by increased shipments of major industrial items and agricultural products.

The weak domestic economy is a problem for Thailand’s military leaders, who took control in a May 22 coup. The military said it seized power from the previous government to restore peace and order after months of political rallies in a bid to oust former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra stirred up social unrest, street violence and put the economy on the brink of a recession.

The Bank of Thailand said last month that it expected the economy to grow only 1.5% in 2014, down from its previous March projection of 2.7%. This compares with last year’s growth rate of 2.9%.

Thailand’s central bank said the downward revision was due to a larger-than-expected slowdown in the first quarter, when the economy contracted 0.6% year over year.

The junta has said it plans to accelerate the economic recovery and measures to restore business confidence, but its business expertise and ability to effect major economic changes have yet to be proven.

One of the weak spots is domestic demand and investment.

Army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered a state bank to make a delayed payment to farmers for their rice under the government subsidy program of about $2.7 billion in June, which was aimed to help boost rural spending and consumption. The junta also sought to relieve the burden on households by capping the prices of diesel fuel and cooking gas in June and asking retailers to cooperate on a six-month suspension of price increases.

Consumer confidence and industrial sentiments have been improving in the past two months. The imports of consumer products have edged up 1.1% in June from a year earlier. Economists said, however, that domestic spending remains constrained by the nation’s rising household debt, which stood at above 82% of gross domestic product at the end of 2013, one of the highest in Southeast Asia.

The military leaders have also sped up the approval process for incentives applications to promote investment after political uncertainty that had delayed the process and shaken investor confidence. So far, the junta has approved more than 100 projects valued at a collective $6.3 billion. It said it would meet to discuss the master plan for infrastructure development this week, including the construction and expansion of road and rail links. The leaders also ordered the transport ministry to conduct feasibility for a high-speed train project on a route aimed at promoting trade.

The declines in imports in June might have stemmed from a delayed impact from the precoup uncertainty, said Sarun Sunansathaporn, an economist at TISCO Economic Strategy Unit in Bangkok.

The imports of capital goods, which are related to investment, contracted 4.1% in June but at a slower pace compared with the first five months of the year, Mr. Sarun said. “In fact, we begin to see some signs that imports may gradually normalize,” he said.

Economists said June’s export data pointed to a stronger outlook, which might help the junta boost the economy if the trend continues. The year-over-year rise in exports, the first such gain since February, was a result of improved demand in major markets and in almost every sector, said Department of Internal Trade Promotion Director General Nuntawan Sakuntanaga.

Industrial-sector exports grew 3.9% and overseas shipment of agricultural products increased for the first time this year to 2.6% on the back of rice shipments, the data showed.

Exports to key markets, especially the U.S. and European countries, continued to improve. Shipments to China increased for the first time in six months.

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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

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

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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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