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Transport Ministry’s Massive Spending Plan Revealed

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BANGKOK – It was one of those moments that investors and analysts in Thailand have been waiting for: insight into the government’s massive Bt2,000bn ($68bn) infrastructure spending plan.

But rather than a big press conference, it came in a little-publicized lunch talk by Chadchart Sittipunt, Thailand’s transport minister, to members of the Japan-Thailand Association last Friday.

Chadchart Sittipunt, Thailand’s Transport Minister

In the most detailed account yet, Chadchart gave an elaborate presentation on the seven-year plan to build high-speed railways and motorways, upgrade existing rail lines and highways, extend Bangkok’s mass-transit system and enhance ports and airports. Virtually the entire budget will be earmarked for transport or transport-related facilities such as truck terminals, with about one per cent going towards customs and trade-related facilities.

The lion’s share, or about 64 per cent of the entire budget, will go on rail projects, including four high-speed train lines that will hook Thailand up to neighboring countries.

The transport minister also gave the first clear indication of the government’s infrastructure spending priorities, saying the government’s focus over the first year or two would be on highway construction and road upgrades, then extension of Bangkok’s mass-transit system and sweeping plans to double-track the existing provincial rail network and build new dual-gauge rail lines.

The four high-speed rail projects – which account for nearly 40 per cent of the total infrastructure budget – and expansion of water transport and airport facilities would come later in the seven-year time frame, although companies may be invited to submit tenders for such projects from next year, he added.

First though comes what one analyst described as the “really hard part: financing”. Chadchart clarified government plans to raise Bt2,000bn through borrowing, mostly through domestic bond issues. A draft bill to authorise the borrowing is making its way through parliament but is likely to take most of this year amid intense debate about the government’s debt position – which just exceeded 44 per cent of GDP in 2012.

However, a small number of priority projects could possibly proceed from this year using project loans that could be repaid from the overall financing once approved, noted Chadchart.

Economists have noted that Thailand is in strong position, with manageable debt levels, an economy that has bounced back from devastating floods in 2011 to register annual growth of 6.4 per cent last year and forecasts of 5.3 per cent growth in 2013. The baht has appreciated about 6 per cent so far this year to around Bt28.90 to the dollar.

The financing however will be nearly all domestic to avoid exposure to external currency risks, and will be in phases, possibly on a project-by-project basis, according to the transport minister. “We are not talking of a lump sum,” Chadchart said. “People say, ‘oh if the world economy crumbles, you will have big problem…’ – well in that case the government at the time can postpone or cancel some projects. We don’t need to do everything. The bill just gives authority to borrow,” he told the FT. “Hopefully it will be through by the year’s end.”

A key issue, however, is affordability, according to critics. “We’re not debating on the necessity of building infrastructure, we are debating on the amount and method of borrowing… this law should not be a blank cheque,” Korn Chatikavanij, deputy leader of the opposition Democrats and a former finance minister, said recently.

The government “has no plans to increase revenue, only to decrease revenue, such as cutting corporate taxes from 30 per cent to 20 per cent”, he warned. “Now the government is borrowing Bt2tn but has no plans to pay off the principle within the next 10 years and is merely passing the responsibility onto future governments.”

Chadchart has argued that phased borrowing will enable the government to effectively manage repayment costs.

Analysts, including those who express some reservations about Thailand’s future debt load, generally agree that the positive aspects of the programme will outweigh the negatives. Already, notes Ian Gisbourne, strategist at Thai broker Phatra Securities, the infrastructure plan “has become an important part of the investment case for Thailand”. It will also help boost the region’s goal to boost connections with neighbouring countries, he added, noting the finance ministry’s estimates that it could boost GDP by an average of 1 percentage point per year for seven years.

Indeed, said Santitarn Sathirathai, analyst at Credit Suisse, “the government’s infrastructure programme is likely to contribute to a higher investment-to-GDP ratio and urbanisation, which in turn is likely to increase trend real GDP growth from our previous estimate of 4.2 per cent to 4.5-5 per cent during 2014-18.”

However, he added in a research note:

In the medium term, we are more worried about the negative impact on the current account than the likely deterioration in the fiscal position. The former is already on a downward trend due to strong domestic demand, thanks to commutative fiscal and monetary policies. An additional boost to investment from public infrastructure projects could result in a significant negative saving-investment gap, posing risks to the balance of payments and aggregate liquidity.

Execution is still the biggest risk, he said, noting: “The biggest obstacles lie in the technical aspects of some of the projects, uncertainty relating to financing, as well as potential protests from local community and environmental groups.”

Over half of the seven-year infrastructure programme faces a high risk of delay, warned Santitarn. “We are more optimistic about road construction and double tracking railroad projects. The technical, management and financing issues are ‘simpler’ than they are for high speed trains and these projects do not require much more land acquisition.”

Many foreign companies see the plan, which envisages the completion of several hundred projects including four new high-speed rail lines, dual tracking of more than 2,000km of existing rail lines, expansion of Bangkok’s mass-transit system, within the next seven years, as a potential bonanza.

The high-speed rail projects alone account for $39bn or nearly 40 per cent of the total infrastructure budget, while the MRT extension for Bangkok accounts for another $15.7bn.

At least five countries have already expressed interest in the high-speed rail projects, said Chadchart: China, Japan, Spain, France and South Korea, and there are likely to be many more. But, he added, only those projects requiring international expertise will be open to international tender. The exact criteria will be determined at a later point, he said. “I think the types of projects will be fairly obvious, we want international companies in projects where we need their expertise, for example on high-speed rail”.

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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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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

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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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