Business
Thailand Remains Attractive Investment Destination
The investment value China's investment in Thailand increased from Bt8.14 billion last year to Bt24.837 billion in 2011, representing a 205.1 per cent jump
Thailand remains an attractive investment destination. We won’t expect lot of businesses to relocate,” Annette Dixon, the World Bank’s country director, at a press conference yesterday.
The government should give priority to the flood recovery effort over populist policies such as raising the minimum wage and subsidising rice farmers, she added.
While the Bank of Thailand has been urged to cut the policy rate to boost the economy, given the high volatility of the global economy, it “should be extremely prudent”, Dixon said.
Ekaterina Vostroknutova, senior economist for East Asia and the Pacific region, said developing East Asia countries were now more concerned about growth than inflation and they had not yet made a move on policy rates. “Central banks in Asia are waiting to see things unfold,” she said.
Thailand should increase both public and private investment from the current 20 per cent of GDP to 30 per cent, she added.
The bank’s economists said the slower growth in Thailand this year was due to the global economic slowdown, the earthquake in Japan and the flood here.
GDP is expected to expand only 2.4 per cent this year, slower than 3.6 per cent in pre-flood forecasting. The flood’s impact is expected to slash GDP growth by 1.2 percentage points. However, growth is expected to be higher next year at 4 per cent, up from 3.7 per cent predicted previously, as reconstruction would lead to more economic activity.
The Word Bank estimated that the private and public sectors will need Bt755 billion (S$31.4 bil) to rehabilitate for a stronger and more resilient economy.
The government needs to invest Bt235 billion over the 24 months or so, largely in water-resource management. The private sector will need to invest much more at Bt520.1 billion, said Kirida Bhaopichitr, the World Bank’s senior economist for Thailand.
The bank’s report on “2554 Thailand Floods: Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and Reconstruction Planning”, which draws on a survey conducted from November 725, suggests that damages and losses will total Bt1.36 trillion.
The private sector has suffered the most at Bt1.28 trillion, or 94 per cent of the total, while the public sector bears 6 per cent. The floods have disrupted the supply chains of many industries, particularly automobile and electronics, she said.
The flood’s impact will turn the current account from a surplus to a deficit next year. The current-account surplus for this year will fall to US$2.6 billion from the $11.2billion pre-flood forecast.
“The bank estimates the country next year to run a current-account deficit of $2.5 billion, or 0.6 per cent of gross domestic product, because of more imports for reconstruction,” she said.
However, public-debt law permits the government to borrow from either the domestic or overseas market, so the government need not issue an emergency decree. The private sector will also be able to borrow from the domestic market, which has adequate liquidity, Kirida said.
The Finance Ministry said economic indicators suggest the economy started to contract last month due to the flooding.
Value-added-tax collections expanded only 11.3 per cent year on year last month, down from 13.3 per cent in the previous month, said Somchai Sujjapongse, director-general of the Fiscal Policy office.
Car sales plunged by 38.8 per cent compared with an expansion of 29.6 per cent in the month before. Sales of commercial vehicles also plummeted by 41.8 per cent, suggesting a contraction in private investment.
Preliminary data show that the manufacturing production index tanked by 34.5 per cent, while exports edged up only 0.3 per cent year on year.
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
![Pepsi](https://www.chiangraitimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Pepsi.webp)
(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.
![Infosys](https://www.chiangraitimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Infosys.webp)
(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
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Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
![water](https://www.chiangraitimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/download-1-4.webp)
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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