Israel Discount Bank ordered to divest credit card business

Israel Discount Bank ordered to divest credit card business

The logo of Israel Discount Bank is reflected in mirrors outside a branch in Tel Aviv, Israel July 27, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo JERUSALEM, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Israel Discount Bank (DSCT.TA) will have to sell its credit card business CAL under draft rules aimed at boosting competition in the country’s banking and credit sectors. Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he was changing regulations to force Israel Discount Bank to sell the business and create a new player in the overly-concentrated credit market for the benefit of households and small businesses. "This step, combined with additional steps that we will bring soon, will lead to a competitive credit market and contribute to economic growth," Smotrich said. He said Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron had approved the draft regulations, which need parliamentary finance committee approval. A committee, which included representatives from the Bank of Israel, regulators and the finance ministry, had recommended changing the legal definition of what constitutes a bank, a move that would require Discount to sell CAL. Latest Updates Discount, Israel’s fourth-largest bank, has opposed the decision. "The decision to separate CAL from Discount … is wrong, and certainly will not increase competition in the […]

Chinook helicopters could cost Germany twice as much as planned, Business Insider reports

Chinook helicopters could cost Germany twice as much as planned, Business Insider reports

U.S. Army’s Boeing CH-47F Chinook arrives ahead of the opening of the International Aerospace Exhibition ILA at Schoenefeld Airport in Berlin, Germany, June 21, 2022. REUTERS/Christian Mang BERLIN, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Germany’s planned purchase of 60 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters manufactured by Boeing (BA.N) to replace its ageing CH-53 fleet could cost twice as much as planned, Business Insider reported on Thursday, citing several government and industry sources. Six billion euros ($6.47 billion) had been budgeted for the helicopters, but the U.S. Army has signalled to Germany that the desired equipment is cost-intensive as some components have not even been fully developed, the German news outlet said. Expensive extra requests from Germany and inflation could raise the price to as much as 12 billion euros, the report said, adding that features such as aerial refuelling and special rotor blades were not yet available. "We haven’t yet received the letter of offer and acceptance from the U.S., so we cannot make any statement as to the price," a ministry spokesperson in Berlin said. A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment on the prices, noting that this was a deal between governments and the company was a supplier to the U.S. Army. […]

New Orange County Aquamation Business Aims to Provide Eco-Friendly Comfort

New Orange County Aquamation Business Aims to Provide Eco-Friendly Comfort

Hunter Beattie is still relatively new to working around death. The Orange County resident made a significant career change one year ago when he switched from working in real estate and decided to create one of the handful of aquamation services offered in North Carolina. Sitting in the welcoming area of his Hillsborough business, Endswell, Beattie describes his journey into the industry of alternative funeral care as both environmentally friendly and service based. It started when Beattie read about the death of South African leader and activist Desmond Tutu last January. He says he remembers sitting at the Carrboro Farmers Market, learning that Tutu was choosing cremation by water, and looking over to a nearby cemetery. “I’m reading all these articles – the Times, the Guardian, BBC – everyone picked up this story,” said Beattie. “It was probably the first time I really questioned this practice of preserving dead bodies, putting them in shiny, ornate boxes, putting those in concrete vaults so the ground doesn’t collapse, and then taking this space that could be used by the community [instead] for dead body storage.” Beattie, who also previously worked in renewable energy and whose wife works in solar power, says […]

UNIFI®, Makers of REPREVE®, Provides Business Update and Schedules Second Quarter Fiscal 2023 Earnings Conference Call

UNIFI®, Makers of REPREVE®, Provides Business Update and Schedules Second Quarter Fiscal 2023 Earnings Conference Call

Demand trends across apparel producers continue to weigh on near-term operating performance GREENSBORO, N.C., January 19, 2023 –( BUSINESS WIRE )–Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, "UNIFI"), makers of REPREVE and one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, today announced preliminary results for its second fiscal quarter ended January 1, 2023 and scheduled its second quarter fiscal 2023 earnings conference call. For the second quarter of fiscal 2023, UNIFI expects: Net sales between $135 million and $137 million, a decrease of approximately 24% to 25% from the first quarter of fiscal 2023, compared to the previous expectation of a 10% to 15% decrease; Negative gross margin between (5.5%) and (6.5%); Operating loss between $19.0 million and $21.0 million; Loss before income taxes between $20.0 million and $22.0 million; and Adjusted EBITDA between ($12.0) million and ($14.0) million, compared to the previous expectation of between $0.0 million and ($5.0) million. Eddie Ingle, Chief Executive Officer of UNIFI, said, "Our business continued to face a difficult operating environment in the second fiscal quarter, and our results for the period are a reflection of continued demand disruption from inventory destocking and slowed global apparel production, […]

SLB wins Russia business as oilfield rivals exit after Ukraine invasion

SLB wins Russia business as oilfield rivals exit after Ukraine invasion

The logo of SLB is seen in this undated handout image obtained by Reuters on October 19, 2022. SLB/Handout via REUTERS Jan 19 (Reuters) – Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, world’s largest oilfield firm SLB (SLB.N) has boosted its business in Russia by cherry-picking service and equipment contracts from rivals who left, according to company documents and people familiar with its operations. While SLB’s continued embrace of Russia has drawn sharp criticism, interviews with two people close to the company and industry sources, as well company documents reviewed by Reuters show SLB’s decision to help Russia increase oil and gas production with its services and drilling equipment has paid off. For example, SLB’s Russia and Central Asia reservoir performance division in the third quarter of 2022 grew revenue by 25% over the prior quarter. That outpaced growth of 12% and 11% for its Asia and Middle East and North Africa regions, respectively, according to one of half a dozen documents viewed by Reuters. The company also expects to report record results for the fourth quarter for its Russian reservoir performance division, according to a separate presentation viewed by Reuters. SLB, which changed its name from Schlumberger last October, did […]

It’s Dry January. Pour One Out for the Bar Owners.

It’s Dry January. Pour One Out for the Bar Owners.

Yahaira Gil Maestro, a craft beer bar owner in New York City, supports the wellness goals of her customers.“We know people want to start healthier habits, and we respect that,” she said. But as a business owner, she feels a bit more conflicted about Dry January, the voluntary month of sobriety that has become trendy in recent years. Because so many of her customers stop drinking at the same time, the month is a collective financial drain for her. It also comes at a time when business is already slow because of cold weather and holiday fatigue. “I’m willing to advocate for a dry June. Our business can better take the hit then,” she said, laughing. “Or maybe people can take turns stopping to drink?” She is an owner of BierWax , a bar known for its vinyl collection that has locations in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, and Ridgewood, Queens, the latter of which opened less than a year ago. There, business has been so slow that Ms. Gil Maestro has had to let go of one bartender and reduce the hours of another, and to close on Mondays and Tuesdays this month. Ms. Gil Maestro is also seeing less […]

9 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Leverage Machine Learning To Elevate Their Business

9 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Leverage Machine Learning To Elevate Their Business

Cofounder and CEO of FitPeo Inc., an initiative to provide better preventive care to those who need it the most. getty We’ve seen no shortage of impressive technological developments over the last few decades. However, few are more exciting or have more potential to transform life as we know it than machine learning (ML). Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that describes applications that learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed, and machine learning now accounts for the biggest share of AI funding . Machines that get smarter over time might seem like science fiction, but it’s a reality. And in today’s fast-paced and fiercely competitive world, ML can be the difference between stagnating or racing ahead of competitors. At FitPeo, we leverage machine learning throughout several areas of our business. Based on our experience, let’s look at how entrepreneurs can use machine learning to help their businesses as well. 1. Leveraging Consumer Data For Better Insights Companies today collect vast amounts of customer data. This includes basic data like email addresses, IP addresses, age, gender and so on. But it also includes interaction data like website visits, user flow, engagement (post likes, shares, replies), […]

The new U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect card is built for road warriors, with up to 5x points earning, rideshare credits, and great bonus categories

The new U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect card is built for road warriors, with up to 5x points earning, rideshare credits, and great bonus categories

Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money ( here’s how ). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners , however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page. The U.S. Bank Business Altitude™ Connect World Elite Mastercard® Card will open to applicants in February 2023. This new credit card is targeted toward road warriors, giving you bonus points for airfare, rental cars, gas, and more. You’ll also get limited Priority Pass airport lounge access, primary rental car insurance, rideshare credits, and other valuable benefits. Read Insider’s guide to the best small business credit cards . Get the latest tips you need to manage your money — delivered to you biweekly. Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . If you travel for work, you’re inundated with small business credit card options that offer bonus spending for online advertising, incentives for […]

Memphis People in Business: Jan. 19, 2023

Memphis People in Business: Jan. 19, 2023

From submitted press releases Here is a look at promotions, hirings, movers and newsmakers in the Memphis area business scene: Baker Donelson shareholder Craig C. Conley became a Rule 31 Listed General Civil Mediator for the state of Tennessee and is able to serve as a neutral party who assists in the resolution of disputes through a voluntary settlement process that is less costly, time-consuming, and adversarial than litigation. Conley is a member of the firm’s Health Care Litigation Group. A law school graduate of the University of Memphis, he also is a member of the American Health Law Association and the Association of Corporate Counsel, as well as the Memphis and Tennessee Bar associations. Baptist Memorial Health Care named Dr. H.F. Mason chief quality officer for the 22-hospital health care organization. In this newly created role, Mason will provide leadership and oversight for corporate quality, infection prevention, quality data, analytics, and accreditation and compliance. He will help develop a comprehensive clinical quality and safety strategy to maintain a high level of care at all Baptist Memorial facilities. Mason will also work toward earning his certified physician executive designation and a master’s degree in health care quality and safety. […]

StanChart Gets Okay to Set Up Wholly-Owned China Securities Business

StanChart Gets Okay to Set Up Wholly-Owned China Securities Business

Standard Chartered’s London headquarters. The bank is setting up a securities business in China.PETER NICHOLLS/REUTERS Chinese regulators have been busy recently in approving foreign financial firms to set up, or take control of, businesses in China. The latest example is U.K. bank Standard Chartered. StanChart on Thursday won permission to set up a wholly-owned securities business in China, which will be able to offer brokerage, underwriting and other services. It is following in the footsteps of other banks, including U.S. institutions such as Goldman Sachs . Other recent approvals include: Schroders last week received approval to establish a wholly foreign-owned public fund-management company. In December, Fidelity International received final approval to start selling mutual funds in China, joining peers like BlackRock and Neuberger Berman that can now directly manage money for Chinese individual investors. In November, insurer Chubb was cleared to take control of its Chinese joint venture. China scrapped ownership restrictions for foreign financial institutions in 2020, part of a trade deal signed by then-President Donald Trump and Liu He, China’s vice premier. Before then, foreign investment banks, asset managers and card networks were barred from operating on their own in China.