Sunday, 31 July 2016

BOLSA DE VALORES DE COLOMBIA (BVC) EXTENDS TRADING TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT WITH NASDAQ

BVC marketplace to implement major modifications to trading engine, which operates multi-asset classes and multi-currency trading

NEW YORK and BOGOTÁ, Colombia, July 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq, Inc. (Nasdaq:NDAQ) and the Bolsa de Valores de Colombia (BVC) today announced the extension of their current trading technology contract for an additional seven years. This extension is part of BVC’s ongoing initiative to continue strengthening its position in both the regional and international exchange arena.

The upgraded Nasdaq matching engine, X-stream INET Trading, further enhances the Colombian capital market by supporting new asset classes and providing more efficient MILA connectivity, which integrates the stock exchange markets of Chile, Colombia, México and Perú, as well as the throughput needed to manage the increase in volumes. X-stream Trading is deployed in more than 35 markets, making it the most widely used marketplace system in the world. 

Saturday, 30 July 2016

PERANGSANG SELANGOR CLINCHES TOP AWARD AS RISK MANAGER OF THE YEAR FOR 2016 BY MARIM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (“Perangsang Selangor” or the “Company”), has been named Risk Manager of the Year for 2016, by the Malaysian Association of Insurance & Risk Management (“MARIM”) at the recently held MARIM Conference 2016. MARIM is a non-profit trade association representing corporate entities which practice Risk and Insurance Management in Malaysia, and presents the award to the organisation which clearly demonstrates an implemented effective risk management system with the objective of minimising potential losses while also adding value to the organisation. The MARIM Risk Manager of the Year Award recognises the pursuit of excellence in the risk management sector, and strives to set benchmarks for the risk management profession in the country. Ultimately, through the award and the related recognition, MARIM aims to promote the integration of sound risk management standards into business processes to enhance the overall growth and survival of an organization.

Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Perangsang Selangor, Ahmad Fariz Hassan (“Fariz”) expressed, “We are extremely pleased to be recognised by MARIM as Risk Manager of the Year for 2016. It affirms the importance all of us at Perangsang Selangor place on risk management, not only in our investment strategy but also in our day to day operations and management processes. We are always mindful of our responsibilities as a public listed investment company and are constantly working to ensure that we effectively mitigate any risks to our shareholders.” 

Friday, 29 July 2016

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF YOUI NZ PTY LIMITED

SINGAPORE, July 29 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Good) and the issuer credit rating of “bbb” of Youi NZ Pty Limited (Youi NZ) (New Zealand). The outlook for each rating remains stable.
 
The rating affirmations reflect Youi NZ’s strong risk-adjusted capitalization, resulting from the company’s low underwriting leverage, its prudent reinsurance program and conservative investments. In addition, actual claims experience during the company’s first two years of operation has been largely consistent with the assumptions it uses in pricing its policies.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27232

Thursday, 28 July 2016

​TOSHIBA TO START MASS PRODUCTION OF BIPOLAR 2-CHANNEL STEPPING MOTOR DRIVER WITH MAXIMUM RATING OF 40V AND 2.0A

TOKYO, July 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation's (TOKYO:6502) Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions Company today announced that mass production of "TC78S122FNG," a bipolar 2-channel stepping motor driver offering a maximum output withstand voltage of 40V and output current of 2.0A, will start on August 5. The company also added "TC78S122FTG" to its stepping motor driver line-up as a package variation housed in more compact QFN package, with mass production set to start at the end of August.
 
High speed, high performance motor drives are required for applications that include printers, surveillance cameras, office automation equipment, banking terminals such as ATMs, banknote identification machines, amusement machines, and home appliances. In parallel, the downsizing of equipment is being accelerated by customer demand for space-saving products with excellent design. Measures to reduce heat generated inside equipment and low power consumption of the overall unit are also growing in importance.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27230

NASDAQ BWISE GRC PLATFORM SELECTED BY DUBAI ISLAMIC BANK FOR RISK, COMPLIANCE AND INTERNAL CONTROL

NEW YORK & DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 28 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq BWise (Nasdaq:NDAQ), a global leader in enterprise Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC), announced today that it has been selected by Dubai Islamic Bank, the largest Islamic bank in the United Arab Emirates, to support and further enhance their risk management, compliance and internal control processes gaining a deeper and more real-time visibility into their risks and overarching control frameworks.

“We were searching for an eGRC solution that enables us to enhance and strengthen our risk management practices throughout the organization,” said Mr. Mohamed Abdulla Al Nahdi, Deputy CEO at Dubai Islamic Bank. “Nasdaq BWise was selected because of its user friendliness in one integrated GRC platform. In this way the compliance, risk and internal control departments will all have access to the right information from one single source.”
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27229

​PITNEY BOWES EXPANDS BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA WITH GLOBAL RETAIL ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS

Australian retailers and brands will sell across borders with the Pitney Bowes Borderfree Retail Platform
 
SYDNEY, July 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI), a global technology company that provides innovative products and solutions to power commerce, today announced that it is expanding its business in Australia to provide global ecommerce solutions to retailers looking to sell their goods across international borders. With the Pitney Bowes Borderfree Retail solution, Australian retailers will reach consumers in 220 countries and territories.
 
For nearly 40 years, clients in Australia have turned to Pitney Bowes for solutions that provide simplicity and remove complexities across the physical and digital worlds of commerce. Pitney Bowes solutions help clients identify customers, locate opportunities, enable communications, power shipping from anywhere to everywhere, and manage payments.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27227

MH370 PLUNGED INTO SEA AT ALMOST 400KM/HR

PERTH, Australia, July 28, 2016 /Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --
 
Australia's crash investigator has revealed to AirlineRatings.com (http://www.airlineratings.com/news.php?s&id=739) that data indicates that MH370 could have been descending at up to 20,000ft (6700m) a minute in the moments just before it smashed into the sea with 239 passengers and crew.
  
In his first interview after taking over as Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Greg Hood told AirlineRatings.com in Perth, Western Australia, that the automated satellite communication with the Boeing 777 in its final minutes showed that its descent increased dramatically from about 5,400ft (1200m) a minute to up to 20,000ft (6700m) a minute.
 
The big increase suggests that no one was in control of the aircraft, he said.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27226

PUBMATIC ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN MOBILE, VIDEO AND NATIVE SPEND

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., July 28 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- PubMatic, the marketing automation software company for publishers, today announced that in the first half of 2016, its mobile, video and native platform spend grew more than 50 percent year-over-year. The company went on to state that it is cash flow positive, following its third full year of profitability in 2015. To capitalize on this momentum, veteran digital media executive Jeff Hirsch has joined the company as Chief Marketing Officer.

“Consumers continue to increase the time they spend on mobile devices and our focus on relevant solutions is resulting in significant upside for our customers,” said Rajeev Goel, Co-Founder & CEO of PubMatic. “Correspondingly, as the automation of media buying and selling matures, the demand for scalable and efficient direct deals has increased. Our enhanced ad decisioning is proving invaluable for these types of transactions. As a result of our focus on these industry trends, PubMatic achieved 12-month performance highs in daily run rate, daily Private Marketplace spend, and daily mobile monetization.”
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27225

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

NTT COMMUNICATIONS EXPANDS ENTERPRISE CLOUD'S SERVICE AREAS AND FUNCTIONS FOR CONVENTIONAL AND CLOUD-NATIVE ICT ENVIRONMENTS

TOKYO, July 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT (NYSE: NTT) Group, announced today that it has expanded the geographic availability and service menu of its Enterprise Cloud service for hosted-private and multi-tenant clouds. The three new service areas — West Japan (“JP2”), Hong Kong (“HK1’) and Germany (“DE1”) — are available immediately. New functions in the existing East Japan (“JP1”) area will include the sequential additions of vSphere ESXi and block storage with guaranteed IO performance (see attachment for prices).
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27224

TABOOLA ENTERS AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE CONVERTMEDIA, A HYPER-GROWTH OUTSTREAM COMPANY WITH A $50M RUN RATE, TO OFFER FACEBOOK-LIKE IN-FEED VIDEO EXPERIENCES, PROJECTING A BILLION VIDEO STREAMS DAILY

NEW YORK, July 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Taboola, the largest discovery platform, today announced the execution of an agreement to acquire ConvertMedia, a native video advertising company, seeing hyper-growth from millions of dollars in 2014 to its current annual run rate of $50M. Following the acquisition, ConvertMedia’s proven video technology will fully integrate with Taboola’s data and personalization engine, currently reaching over billion people a month, to help publishers deliver relevant and viewable experiences to the right user at the right time.

With the acquisition of ConvertMedia, Taboola’s already robust native offering will be uniquely positioned to drive better user experiences as well as holistic monetization for publishers seeking to add high-quality video supply. Utilizing Taboola’s personalization technology, which currently reaches more than 1 billion unique visitors monthly, Taboola will be able to deliver video content at the moment when consumers are most apt to viewing. At the same time, TV budgets are rapidly moving to digital, but premium video supply is still scarce, with advertisers seeking to work with technology partners that can offer premium inventory and scalable platforms. Taboola will provide a full native ad funnel for its partners, combining in-article recommendations and native video.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27223

GLOBAL SURVEY RELEASED BY ISAPS REPORTS INCREASE OF OVER ONE MILLION COSMETIC AND AESTHETIC PROCEDURES PERFORMED IN 2015

The world continues to find value in aesthetic plastic surgery as indicated by growing numbers of procedures.

NEW YORK, July 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The worldwide reach of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) is well known to the global plastic and aesthetic surgery community.  Now the release of eagerly awaited procedural survey results shows an increase of over one million reported procedures from 2014 to 2015.

The data on surgical and non-surgical treatments performed in 2015 was tabulated from a questionnaire sent to approximately 35,000 plastic surgeons in the proprietary ISAPS database. ISAPS is the only organization that collects this type of data on a global scale and the study is viewed as a valuable resource in the field of aesthetics. 

Tuesday, 26 July 2016

SEPARATING SIGNAL FROM NOISE IN THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY MEGATREND

NEW YORK, July 26 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With no shortage of technological breakthroughs affecting businesses today and many more on the horizon, how can C-suites develop effective emerging technology strategies?

For its new report, Tech breakthroughs megatrend, PwC evaluated more than 150 technologies globally and developed a methodology for identifying those which are most pertinent to individual companies and whole industries. The result is a guide to the “Essential Eight” technologies PwC believes will be the most influential on businesses worldwide in the very near future:
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27219

Monday, 25 July 2016

MDEC Assisting GHL To Find Suitable Partners To Grow



KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), through its connections and initiatives, has been assisting GHL Systems Bhd to find suitable partners to grow.

In a statement today, MDEC said GHL had clearly set its sights on becoming the largest payment services provider in ASEAN.

"While GHL's core businesses include Shared Services and Solutions Services, its growth has been underpinned by its Transaction Payment Acquisition business.

"The TPA business enables GHL to directly contact merchants to provide credit card payment services (merchant acquiring) with an acquiring bank that will obtain authorisation for the credit card transactions," it said.

It said the shift in focus has transformed the company from a hardware reseller that earned non-recurrent revenue into a significant merchant acquirer, generating annuity revenue amounting to 94 per cent of its total group revenue.

"GHL recently expanded its TPA business by partnering Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation as the acquiring bank in the Philippines, which will help the company consolidate its position in the country," it added.

-- BERNAMA

VERMILION SECURES MAJOR ASSET MANAGER IN AUSTRALIA FOR REPORTING

SYDNEY, July 25 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Vermilion Software (‘Vermilion’), the leading global supplier of client reporting and communications software, is delighted to announce that its reporting suite has been selected by one of the largest investment managers in Australia, Challenger.
 
Vermilion Reporting Suite was selected by Challenger Limited following a rigorous market selection process. The Vermilion solution will primarily be used in delivering reporting to Challenger’s institutional client base.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27215

Saturday, 23 July 2016

EASTSPRING INVESTMENTS BERHAD DECLARES INCOME DISTRIBUTION FOR THE EASTSPRING INVESTMENTS ASIAN HIGH YIELD BOND MY FUND

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- Eastspring Investments Berhad today announced the first income distribution for its Eastspring Investments Asian High Yield Bond MY Fund (“Fund”). The Fund is a wholesale feeder fund which aims to maximise income and capital appreciation by investing in the Eastspring Investments-Asian High Yield Bond Fund (“Target Fund”), which invests primarily^ in Asian high yield bonds.


Friday, 22 July 2016

AG&P INTRODUCES VIRTUAL LNG PIPELINE TO MEET DEMAND FOR CLEANER, MORE EFFICIENT POWER

MANILA, Philippines, July 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- AG&P (Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Company), the leading infrastructure solutions provider, has announced it will be introducing a virtual LNG pipeline to bridge the capacity demands for power in Southeast Asia. The announcement was made by Albert Altura, President, AG&P, in his keynote address at the fourth annual Power and Electricity Philippines conference in Manila.

According to AG&P, the Philippines provides a unique challenge for the distribution of energy to 100 million people living across 7,000 islands. Traditional power delivery models are often too bulky to be viable to meet relatively smaller-scale energy requirements. Small-scale LNG solutions, including floating storage, regasification and power, provide power plants tailored to the archipelago, from even 5MW all the way up to traditionally-sized plants.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27206

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF SOMPO JAPAN NIPPONKOA INS. INC., ITS SUBSIDIARY, NIPPONKOA INSURANCE COMPANY (CHINA) LIMITED AND ITS U.S. SUBSIDIARIES

HONG KONG, July 22 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A+ (Superior) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” of Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc. (SJNK) (Japan). A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the ICR of “a-” of SJNK’s subsidiary, NIPPONKOA Insurance Company (China) Limited (NKC) (China). The outlook for each rating remains stable. Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A+ (Superior) and the ICRs of “aa-” of Sompo Japan Insurance Company of America (SJA) and its reinsured affiliate, Sompo Japan Fire and Marine Insurance Company of America(SJFM), collectively known as Sompo Japan US Group (both domiciled in New York, NY). The outlook for each of these ratings remains stable. Additionally, A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the ICR of “a-” of Canopius US Insurance, Inc. (Canopius US) (Wilmington DE).



8X8 EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT WITH INVESTMENTS IN EUROPE, ASIA PACIFIC, AND LATAM TO SUPPORT MID-MARKET AND ENTERPRISE CUSTOMER GROWTH

Announces New Global Data Centers, Localization Capabilities, and Customer Support Centers
 
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- 8x8, Inc. (Nasdaq:EGHT), the leading provider of global Enterprise Communications as a Service (ECaaS), today announced that the company is expanding its international footprint with new investments in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America (LATAM) to support growing demand from global and distributed mid-market and enterprise customers. This will include the addition of three new data centers in Singapore, The Netherlands and Brazil; full localization capabilities (end user application and portal localization) for an additional six languages – French (two dialects), German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese; and new support centers in the Philippines and Romania delivering 24 x 7 follow-the-sun support.

With this expansion, 8x8 will have a total of 12 data centers in eight regions of the world and will be one of the first global cloud communications providers with a presence in LATAM. From a localization perspective, 8x8 will support a total of 13 languages in addition to English, for its desktop interactive voice response (IVR) services by the end of this calendar year, including Japanese. The company is also supplementing its global customer success network in the United States and United Kingdom with its new support centers in the Philippines and Romania, bringing the total number of centers to seven. In addition 8x8 continues to make key investments in technology, quality of service, security, and reliability to support customers. 

RANGE INTERNATIONAL TO LIST ON ASX FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL IPO

SYDNEY, Australia, July 21 (Bernama-AsiaNet) -- Recycled plastic pallet manufacturer Range International (ASX: RAN) will list on the Australian Securities Exchange on Friday July 22, following a successful IPO.

Range International produces Re>Pal(TM) pallets, an affordable durable and sustainable product made from 100% recycled waste plastic.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27199

Thursday, 21 July 2016

JOY GLOBAL ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO BE ACQUIRED BY KOMATSU IN $3.7 BILLION ALL-CASH TRANSACTION

Delivers substantial all-cash premium to Joy Global stockholders

Komatsu committed to long-term growth of Joy Global, which will operate as a separate subsidiary of Komatsu

MILWAUKEE, July 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY) (“Joy Global”), a worldwide leader in high-productivity mining solutions, today announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Komatsu America Corp., a subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd. (TYO: 6301) (“Komatsu”), will acquire Joy Global in a transaction valued at approximately $3.7 billion, including Joy Global’s outstanding indebtedness. Under the terms of the agreement, Joy Global stockholders will receive $28.30 per share in cash for each outstanding share of common stock held, representing a 48% premium to the volume weighted average closing price of Joy Global’s common stock for the 90 trading days and a 41% premium to the volume weighted average closing price of Joy Global’s common stock for the 60 trading days prior to July 21, 2016.




UNIONPAY INTERNATIONAL ACCELERATES THE LOCALIZATION OF ITS OVERSEAS BUSINESS--UNIONPAY CARDS ARE GAINING POPULARITY AMONG OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS


SHANGHAI, China, July 20, 2016 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
 
UnionPay International is accelerating its localization overseas by enlarging card-issuing scale abroad, and by supporting overseas cardholders' card-using in the local market, China and other countries and regions. Latest data show that, by this June, the transaction volume of overseas-issued UnionPay cards has grown by about 40% year-on-year, well above that of domestically-issued UnionPay cards in overseas markets. The transaction volume of overseas-issued UnionPay cards takes up about half of UnionPay's international business.

Around 58 million UnionPay cards have been issued in 40 countries and regions overseas. This year, more markets issued UnionPay cards: Lebanon, Jordan and Qatar for the first time; US issued its first UnionPay credit card, and DBS in Singapore issued its first UnionPay card. UnionPay International also issued Thailand's first local-brand debit card with Bangkok Bank. Countries along the "Belt and Road" including Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan also issued UnionPay products extensively.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27194

NASDAQ WINS 'BEST MARKET SURVEILLANCE PROVIDER'

2016 marks 4th consecutive win for Nasdaq SMARTS Trade Surveillance in Waters Rankings

NEW YORK, July 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nasdaq (Nasdaq:NDAQ), the world's leading provider of market technology, was recently selected as 'Best Market Surveillance Provider' by Waters Technology's 2016 Waters Rankings. This is the fourth consecutive win for Nasdaq’s SMARTS Trade Surveillance product, which is currently used by over 120 market participants across 139 global markets and across all asset classes.

Each year, Waters Rankings awards 30 winners in five sections: Trading Services; Trading Tools; Data Management; Compliance, Risk Management and the Back Office; and Infrastructure and Connectivity. Waters Rankings is the only awards program offered by Waters Technology where the category winners are determined exclusively by the readers. 

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF CENTURY INSURANCE COMPANY (GUAM) LIMITED

HONG KONG, July 21 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb+” of Century Insurance Company (Guam) Limited (CIC Guam) (Guam). The outlook for the FSR remains stable, while the outlook for the ICR remains negative.
 
The ratings reflect CIC Guam’s improved underwriting performance and sound reinsurance program. The negative outlook for the ICR reflects the company’s declining risk-adjusted capitalization and a significant proportion of overdue premium receivables. New management discarded its initial plan to merge the insurance book of an affiliated company, Century Insurance Company Ltd., into CIC Guam, which would have placed material negative pressure on the company’s risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio. However, A.M. Best expects CIC Guam’s risk-adjusted capitalization to continue declining based on its business plan. This decrease is mainly due to higher growth in underwriting risk relative to statutory capital and surplus, historically and prospectively. In addition, the decline in statutory capital and surplus since 2013 was mainly due to the increase in non-admitted assets (primarily composed of overdue premium receivables), which was deducted from statutory surplus. CIC Guam’s management will continue to work with its designated managing general agency to reduce the size of overdue receivables going forward.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27196

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

JEWELLERY RECORDS US$ 316 BILLION SALES IN 2016, WITH 15 PERCENT INTERNET RETAILING GROWTH

SINGAPORE, July 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global Market Research Company Euromonitor International released today 2016 personal accessories data.

According to the new research, jewellery is the best performing personal accessories category with sales worth US$ 316 billion in 2016. It is also the fastest growing segment within the personal accessories industry with 3 percent growth between 2015 and 2016. Jewellery, that includes both costume and fine jewellery, experienced 15 percent year-on-year growth of internet retail sales, reaching US$ 19 billion in 2016, up from US$ 9 billion in 2011. Interestingly, the 16 percent growth of internet retailing for fine jewellery is higher than the growth of internet retailing for costume jewellery at 12 percent, as more fine jewellery players go online.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27183

HELIOS AND MATHESON ANALYTICS FILES $50 MILLION UNIVERSAL SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Shelf Registration Follows Recently Announced Merger Agreement With Zone Technologies, Inc.

NEW YORK, July 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (Nasdaq:HMNY) announced today that it has filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Under the shelf registration, once it is declared effective by the SEC, HMNY may offer and sell, from time to time, up to $50 million of a variety of its securities over the next three years.

Under the shelf registration statement, HMNY will have the flexibility to publicly offer and sell from time to time, common stock, preferred stock, warrants or any combination of such securities. HMNY may periodically offer one or more of these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms announced, if and when the securities are ever offered. The terms of any potential future offerings, along with the intended use of proceeds from the sale of any such securities offered by HMNY, will be described in detail in a prospectus supplement at the time of any such offering.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27176

ISOCOL HOLDINGS AG APPLIES TO LIST ON EURONEXT EXCHANGE IN PARIS

ZURICH, Switzerland, July 20 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isocol Holdings AG has applied to list on the Euronext Paris (Marché Libre) exchange.

The proposed listing forms part of the company’s global growth strategy and will help meet the strong demand in European markets for the company’s core product, Isocol™ Rubbing Alcohol Antiseptic.

For more than 30 years, Isocol™ has been a must-have product in Australian households, with a multitude of applications from general cleaning to skin treatment. Isocol™ products are sold through more than 1500 of Australia’s leading supermarkets, including Woolworths, Coles and IGA, as well as 4000 retail pharmacies that include national chains Priceline, Terry White and Amcal.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27186

NRI ADDS NEW FUNCTIONALITY TO ITS I-STAR SUITE

- New feature will allow increased engagement in post-trade activities and respond to JPX’s derivatives trading system -

TOKYO, July 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI, TOKYO:4307), a leading provider of consulting services and system solutions, today announced it has added new functionality to I-STAR, NRI’s securities back-office solution for wholesale brokerage firms. The new feature adapts to the Next Generation Derivatives Trading System (Next J-GATE) of Osaka Exchange Inc., which is Japan Exchange Group subsidiary. Next J-GATE went live today.



JAPAN EXCHANGE GROUP (JPX) LAUNCHES NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY SUITE POWERED BY NASDAQ

NEW YORK and TOKYO, July 19 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Japan Exchange Group (JPX) and Nasdaq have officially announced that JPX has gone live with their new next-generation derivatives trading system for the JPX subsidiary, Osaka Exchange. This is a milestone in the relationship between Nasdaq and JPX, who have been working together since 2011.

“We are proud to be supporting JPX as they successfully launch their new trading system on the Osaka Exchange,” said Lars Ottersgård, Executive Vice President, Market Technology, Nasdaq. "As JPX continues to expand its business both regionally and globally, the technology they’ve implemented will provide the flexibility and performance capabilities, as well as the risk and surveillance solutions, to help the exchange group meet and exceed their growth plans.” 

Tuesday, 19 July 2016

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES PHOTORELAYS IN DIP8 PACKAGES WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING 5A DRIVE CURRENT

Line-up of large-current products enhanced for replacement of mechanical relays in industrial applications
 
TOKYO, July 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation’s (TOKYO: 6502) Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions Company today announced the addition of three new products to its line-up of photorelays that can replace mechanical relays in industrial applications, including an industry-leading[1] 5A large drive current for DIP8 package photorelays. Shipments of the new products, “TLP3547”, “TLP3548” and “TLP3549”, start from today.
 
“TLP3547” is a 60V product with an industry-leading[1] 5A (max.) large drive current for a DIP8 package photorelay. “TLP3548” is a 400V product with 0.4A (max.) drive current and high-speed switching of 1ms (max.). “TLP3549” is the industry’s first[2] photorelay to utilize a super-junction structure MOSFET, “DTMOS series”, and is a 600V product with 0.6A (max.) drive current.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27184

INCREASE OF MYOPIA AND AGEING POPULATION WILL BOOST GLOBAL EYEWEAR SALES TO US$136 BILLION BY 2021

SINGAPORE, July 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Market Research Company Euromonitor International released today new data on the global eyewear industry. According to the new research, global sales of eyewear are forecast to reach US$136 billion by 2021, up from US$121 billion in 2016.
“The increasing prevalence of myopia globally and the growing ageing population are major contributors to the continuous growth in demand for eyewear,” said Eyewear Industry Analyst, Anna Cheng. “With higher demands for functional eyewear, such as office lenses, progressive lenses and digital devices lenses, competition is toughening for the leading players as more low-cost providers are introducing lower quality products marketed to provide similar functions at a much lower price,” she added.


A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF TOWER LIMITED AND TOWER INSURANCE LIMITED

SINGAPORE, July 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of TOWER Insurance Limited (TIL). A.M. Best also has affirmed the ICR of “bbb-” of the ultimate parent, TOWER Limited (TL). The outlook for each rating remains negative. Both companies are domiciled in New Zealand.
The ratings reflect TIL’s adequate risk-adjusted capitalization, which results from the company’s moderate underwriting leverage, prudent reinsurance arrangement and conservative investments. In addition, over the past four accident years, the company continues to report favorable underwriting results, with combined ratios consistently below 95%. 
 
 

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF FOUNDATION LIFE (NZ) LIMITED

SINGAPORE, July 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a-” of Foundation Life (NZ) Limited (FLNZ) (New Zealand). The outlook for each rating remains negative.
The ratings reflect FLNZ’s strong risk-adjusted capitalization, consistently positive operating performance, high quality investment assets and adequate liquidity to meet its expected claims and expenses. Moreover, a significant buffer in the form of excess assets over guaranteed liabilities is available to absorb potential unfavorable experiences through adjusting future bonus declarations of its participating policies. 


Monday, 18 July 2016

A.M. BEST AFFIRMS RATINGS OF TUNE PROTECT RE LTD

SINGAPORE, July 15 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of B (Good) and the issuer credit rating of "bbb " of Tune Protect Re Ltd (TPR) (Malaysia). The outlook for each rating remains stable.

The ratings reflect TPR's favorable business profile and strong operating performance. As a subsidiary of Tune Protect Group Berhad (TPG) and an affiliate of AirAsia Berhad and its associates (AirAsia Group), TPR has exclusive access to a profitable travel insurance portfolio derived primarily from the AirAsia Group via its partnership with cedents and distribution partners. This competitive advantage has allowed TPR to achieve strong and stable combined ratios of below 50% between 2012 and 2015, while growing revenue and profits.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27152

LEIGH TERRY APPOINTED CEO OF IPG MEDIABRANDS APAC

NEW YORK, July 18 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- IPG Mediabrands’ Global CEO Henry Tajer has announced the appointment of Leigh Terry as CEO of IPG Mediabrands in Asia Pacific. Terry is a highly regarded media innovator and leader whose career has spanned Europe and the Pacific.

“Asia Pacific is a key priority for regional investment over the next five years,” said Tajer. “The region continues to hold enormous potential for our clients and our business and Leigh possesses the talent, experience and vision to deliver on the plans we have in place.”

He added, “Leigh is a very highly respected and effective executive who has been on our most-wanted list for quite some time and I am very excited he has chosen to join us.”

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27164

Friday, 15 July 2016

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES NEW ICS FOR BLUETOOTH® SMART DEVICES WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING-CLASS LOW CURRENT CONSUMPTION

TOKYO, July 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation's (TOKYO: 6502) Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions Company today announced the launch of three new ICs "TC35678FSG", "TC35678FXG" and "TC35679FSG" as additions to its line-up of ICs that support Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)[1] ver.4.1 communications. At 3V supply voltage, the new ICs consume just under half the power of Toshiba's previous products[2], and realize current consumption on par with the lowest in the industry[3]. Sample shipments start today, with mass production scheduled to start by the end of 2016 for "TC35678FXG" and in early 2017 for the other two ICs.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27151

NRI PRODUCT UPGRADE FOR BASEL COMMITTEE'S NEW SA-CCR REGULATION

TOKYO, July 14 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI, TOKYO:4307), a leading provider of consulting services and system solutions, today announced that T-STAR/GX, NRI's solution for asset managers' securities operation management, will be upgraded to respond to the new standardized approach for measuring counterparty credit risk exposures (SA-CCR) under Basel III which takes effect in January 2017. The new function will be available in April 2017 and be used by multiple financial institutions in Japan including major asset managers.

The Basel Committee's final standard on the SA-CCR includes a comprehensive, non-modelled approach for measuring counterparty credit risk associated with OTC derivatives, exchange-traded derivatives, and long settlement transactions. The new standardized approach (SA-CCR) takes effect on January 1st, 2017.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27145

Thursday, 14 July 2016

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY LAUNCHES PUBLIC OFFERING OF SECURITIES & EXCESS SIDE A DIC INSURANCE IN ASIA

BOSTON, July 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI) today announced that it is expanding its Executive & Professional Lines capabilities with the introduction of Executive FirstTM Public Offering of Securities Insurance (POSI) and Executive FirstTM Side A Difference In Conditions (DIC) Liability Insurance in Asia.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27141

MINUTE MEDIA HIRES MARK MCFARLANE AS GENERAL MANAGER, ASIA-PACIFIC AND OPENS SINGAPORE OFFICE

McFarlane to focus on growing Minute Media brands and commercial platforms throughout the region

LONDON, July 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Minute Media, parent company of 90min and 12up, today announced the appointment of Mark McFarlane as General Manager, Asia Pacific. A seasoned media professional, McFarlane will be responsible for growing the company's publisher relationships, engagements with brands and agencies and broader business development and strategy throughout APAC. With McFarlane's appointment, Minute Media has also opened a Singapore office, in addition to its existing office in Manila, to serve its growing brands.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27137

NORSK TITANIUM RECEIVES BOEING ENGINEERING TEST ARTICLE ORDER

Titanium RPD™ Components to Enable Flight Certification for Boeing Commercial Airplanes

FARNBOROUGH, U.K., July 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Norsk Titanium AS, the world's pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components today announced it has received an order for titanium engineering test articles from The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) produced by Norsk's proprietary Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) process. Terms of the purchase order were not released.

"We are pleased with Boeing's thoughtful review of structural titanium components made by our RPD™ process," said Norsk Titanium President & Chief Executive Officer Warren M. Boley, Jr. "Together, we seek to create significant customer value by reducing cost and lead time from their premier commercial airplane platforms."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27135

NRI TO UPGRADE SMARTBRIDGE SOLUTION TO CONNECT TO JASDEC

Upgrade will enable the integration of ISO 20022 messaging standards

TOKYO, July 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI, TOKYO:4307), a leading provider of consulting services and system solutions, has today announced it is upgrading its SmartBridge solution to connect to Japan's Securities Depository Center, Inc. (JASDEC) new settlement system. SmartBridge, a solution for asset managers, brokerage firms, trust banks and life insurance companies, enables external straight-through processing (STP) for securities trading by allowing clients to electronically exchange messages related to all trading activity.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27133

HUNTER ULTRASONICS CALLS FOR A GREENER WAY TO CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE FILTERS

Environmental regulations miss the mark on reducing diesel engines' carbon emissions

TORONTO, July 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Regulations, ranging from the 2015 Paris Agreement's wide ranging guidelines to mandates on nonroad vehicles, have all aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

But as Ken Hunter, Founder and CEO of Hunter Ultrasonics, points out in a recent article, the measures to reduce pollution exclude a key part of the process - regular, thorough cleaning of engine filters.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27130

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

VERMILION GOES LIVE WITH REPORTING AT MAGELLAN

SYDNEY, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Vermilion Software ('Vermilion'), the leading global supplier of client reporting and communications software, announces that it has gone live with leading Australian investment manager Magellan Asset Management Limited ('Magellan').

Vermilion has integrated existing data sources, customised workflow and automated the re-use of data to create a more streamlined reporting solution.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27118

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN CITIES' USD$197 BILLION MARKET: THE NEW INVESTMENT FRONTIER FOR MULTINATIONALS

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global Market Research Company Euromonitor International released today its new white paper: "Sub-Saharan African Cities of Opportunity: Expanding Business Horizons Beyond South Africa."

According to the white paper, Sub-Saharan African cities represent the new frontier for multinational businesses. Richly gifted with natural resources, Sub-Saharan Africa has profited from surging global raw material demand. The region is seeing a growing proportion of foreign direct investments into the manufacturing and services sectors, with investment inflows amounting to US$41 billion in 2014. Furthermore, Sub-Saharan Africa has a young expanding population - it surged by 31 percent to 957 million during 2005-2015, with a median age of 18.2 years in 2015.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27126

THE 13TH CHINA-ASEAN EXPO TO BOOST CHINESE ENTERPRISES' INVESTMENT IN ASEAN

NANNING, China, July 12 (Bernama-AsiaNet) -- The China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) Secretariat announced the trade and investment promotion program to be launched during this year's Expo on July 5th , so as to promote the "going global" strategy and investment of Chinese enterprises in ASEAN countries. The high-profile investment promotion conference on ASEAN's industrial parks and China-ASEAN matchmaking symposia on investment and financing projects will be given high priority during the Expo.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27127

INFOTERIA AND TECH BUREAU COMPLETE WORLD'S FIRST SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT OF PRIVATE BLOCKCHAIN IN ACCOUNT DATA RECORDING FOR MICROFINANCE

TOKYO, July 11 (Bernama-AsiaNet) --

- Operational Applicability Also Verified by Connecting Blockchain Mijin on Microsoft Azure Using ASTERIA WARP -

Infoteria Corporation (TSE: 3853; hereinafter "Infoteria") and Tech Bureau Corporation (hereinafter "Tech Bureau") have successfully transferred loan and deposit account data in the main system of BC Finance, one of the largest microfinance institutions in Myanmar, to mijin (*1), the private blockchain (*2) placed on Microsoft Azure (*3) using ASTERIA WARP (*4) and mijin adapters (*5).
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27116

Tuesday, 12 July 2016

PAGNOTTA DESIGN ANNOUNCES FINAL DAYS TO REALIZE THE WORLD'S FIRST PRODUCTION 3D-PRINTED TITANIUM WRITING INSTRUMENT

NEW YORK, July 11 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pagnotta Design today announced the final days to obtain the P22, the world's first additively manufactured production Titanium writing instrument. Key features include:
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27122

TOURISM EXPECTED TO GROW BY 4% BY 2020, DESPITE ADVERSE EXTERNAL SHOCKWAVES

LONDON, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Market Research Company Euromonitor International released today its latest travel research, providing the latest insights on the industry performance.

According to Euromonitor's new research, global travel and tourism sales grew consistently despite high external shockwaves. Geopolitical tensions, whether terrorism or political concerns, have impacted the traditional sun and sea destinations in locations such as the Mediterranean Sea, with safer destinations winning out. "The substitution effect, where tour operators shift capacity away from troubled hotspots to more stable countries, is visible" says Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel Research at Euromonitor International. International arrivals declined in Egypt and Tunisia, suffering a negative growth of 25 percent and 5 percent respectively, as the travel industry and consumers shun trouble for the safer shores of Spain, Portugal and Croatia.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27121

XYLEM EXECUTIVES TO COLLABORATE WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WATER CHALLENGES AND WORK TOWARD A SECURE WATER FUTURE AT SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK 2016

RYE BROOK, N.Y., July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Executives from Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world's most challenging water issues will participate in key industry meetings and panel discussions on water management and innovative technology at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2016. The five-day event will take place from July 10 - 15, in conjunction with the World Cities Summit (WCS) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS).
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27115

A.M. BEST BRIEFING: TAIWAN COMMERCIAL FIRE RATE ADEQUACY EXPECTED TO IMPROVE

HONG KONG, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Rate increases in the Taiwan commercial fire insurance line of business is expected as a result of recent regulatory changes intended to address inadequate pricing, particularly on mega-risks, according to a new A.M. Best briefing.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27114

NORSK TITANIUM TO BUILD WORLD'S FIRST INDUSTRIAL-SCALE AEROSPACE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PLANT IN NEW YORK

State Releases First Funds for Signature Economic Development Project for Initial Lot of 20 Norsk Titanium MERKE IV™ Rapid Plasma Deposition™ Machines to Launch Aerospace Factory of the Future
 
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Norsk Titanium AS, the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components announced today the State of New York, in partnership with SUNY Polytechnic Institute, has placed an order for an initial lot of 20 of Norsk Titanium’s patented MERKE IV™ Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (“RPD™”) machines. The order is in accordance with an approved state budget allocation to facilitate Norsk Titanium’s US subsidiary building and operating the world’s first industrial-scale metal additive manufacturing plant in New York with the following details:


ACQUIRO OPENS SINGAPORE OFFICE TO ENHANCE ITS PRESENCE ACROSS THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

New Location Represents Additional Investment by Selling Simplified Group to Capitalize on Growing Opportunity in Marketing Data Quality Segment
 
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- With its charter and focus of improving marketing data quality for today’s sales and marketing teams, Acquiro, a marketing technology solutions vendor launched earlier this year, announced today the opening of its Singapore office. Acquiro – part of the Selling Simplified Group (SSG) – was formed with the mission of bringing to market data quality solutions engineered to dramatically increase a company’s revenue by validating and enriching lead contact data.


KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO WILL OPEN NEW CLUB FLOORS "PREMIER GRAND" IN DECEMBER, 2016

Strengthening the Lineup of High End Facilities and Services

TOKYO, July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo (KPH), one of Japan's most prestigious international hotels located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, will begin renovation of 11 suite rooms and 100 club rooms. At the same time, a special Club Lounge will be opened on the upper level 45th floor of the main tower and begin operating from December, 2016. Special attention will be paid to making significant upgrades to amenities and facilities to make guest experiences at our hotel more comfortable and enjoyable. A total of JPY 2.5 billion will be spent on these renovations.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27124

KEIO PLAZA HOTEL TOKYO WILL OPEN NEW CLUB FLOORS "PREMIER GRAND" IN DECEMBER, 2016

Strengthening the Lineup of High End Facilities and Services

TOKYO, July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo (KPH), one of Japan's most prestigious international hotels located in Shinjuku, Tokyo, will begin renovation of 11 suite rooms and 100 club rooms. At the same time, a special Club Lounge will be opened on the upper level 45th floor of the main tower and begin operating from December, 2016. Special attention will be paid to making significant upgrades to amenities and facilities to make guest experiences at our hotel more comfortable and enjoyable. A total of JPY 2.5 billion will be spent on these renovations.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27124

C.H. ROBINSON VOTED #1 3PL BY INBOUND LOGISTICS READERS FOR SIXTH YEAR

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., July 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- C.H. Robinson, a global leader in third party logistics (3PL), was named the #1 3PL by readers of Inbound Logistics magazine for the sixth consecutive year.

"Our people are dedicated to providing our customers, contract carriers, suppliers, and growers with solutions and services to make their supply chain a competitive advantage," said John Wiehoff, chief executive officer at C.H. Robinson. "This honor is for our people-our 13,000 employees around the globe that demonstrate daily how C.H. Robinson believes in helping our customers work smarter, not harder."
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27129

Monday, 11 July 2016

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES PHOTORELAYS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR TESTERS IN INDUSTRY'S SMALLEST PACKAGE

For 1.5A large current control and 110 degrees Celsius operation
 
TOKYO, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation’s (TOKYO:6502) Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions Company today announced the launch of photorelays in the industry's smallest[1] package. Shipments start from today.


TOSHIBA LAUNCHES LARGE-CURRENT CONTROL PHOTORELAYS IN SMALL PACKAGES

Line-up for 1.7A to 4A in 2.54SOP4 and 2.54SOP6 packages
 
TOKYO, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Toshiba Corporation’s (TOKYO:6502) Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions Company today announced the launch of large-current control photorelays, for currents in the range of 1.7A to 4A, in 2.54SOP4 and 2.54SOP6 small packages. Shipments start from today. Applications for the new line-up of four products, TLP3106, TLP3107, TLP3109 and TLP3127, include programmable logic controllers (PLC), battery management systems (BMS) and factory automation inverters. The new photorelays utilize Toshiba’s latest generation trench MOSFETs to control large currents at levels equivalent those usually handled by mechanical relays[1]. Compared to mechanical relays, which have mechanical contacts, photorelays have the advantages of producing less noise and no deterioration caused by the contacts wearing.



TOURISM EXPECTED TO GROW BY 4% BY 2020, DESPITE ADVERSE EXTERNAL SHOCKWAVES

LONDON, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Market Research Company Euromonitor International released today its latest travel research, providing the latest insights on the industry performance.

According to Euromonitor's new research, global travel and tourism sales grew consistently despite high external shockwaves. Geopolitical tensions, whether terrorism or political concerns, have impacted the traditional sun and sea destinations in locations such as the Mediterranean Sea, with safer destinations winning out. "The substitution effect, where tour operators shift capacity away from troubled hotspots to more stable countries, is visible" says Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel Research at Euromonitor International. International arrivals declined in Egypt and Tunisia, suffering a negative growth of 25 percent and 5 percent respectively, as the travel industry and consumers shun trouble for the safer shores of Spain, Portugal and Croatia.
http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=27121

UNIONPAY INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES "YOUJIHUA" TO ENHANCE CROSS-BORDER CONSUMER EXPERIENCES--INSTANT DISCOUNTS CAN BE ENJOYED FOR THE FIRST TIME

SHANGHAI, China, July 6, 2016 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

On July 6, UnionPay International and its first partners jointly launched "YouJiHua", the world's first open cross-border marketing platform developed by a bankcard scheme. Ge Huayong, Chairman of China UnionPay, Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, and leaders of Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, CYTS, Ctrip, Spring Airlines, SaSa Hong Kong, Prince Jewellery & Watch, LUKFOOK JEWELLERY and ISA, attended the ceremony.

"YouJiHua" is a new platform developed by UnionPay International. It is joined by various cross-border service providers in the fields of finance, travel and retail. "YouJiHua" realizes positioning, accurate marketing and instant discounts for cross-border consumption for the first time.


MCLAREN-HONDA AND NTT COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCE THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP

Network, cloud, data connectivity and other innovations to push motorsport boundaries

WOKING, United Kingdom & TOKYO, July 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- McLaren-Honda, a pioneer for over 50 years in Formula 1, and NTT Communications Corporation, the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (NYSE:NTT), has today announced the start of a three-year technology partnership.