My countless small business and enterprise conversations over the last two years based out of Menlo Park have brought up one constant theme: that businesses in the West are aching for better service providers. I have met small bio-tech companies looking to find reliable clinical research partners to accelerate new drug launch, enterprises looking for media and web development agencies to keep up ever-changing consumer preferences, retailers looking for suppliers to design and contract manufacture their latest hit product, and small businesses looking for expert consultants in areas such as supply chain. I see the perfect “why now" that birth new business models: First, at the 30,000-feet level, there is an ever stronger de-coupling between the West and China. According to an estimate by Bain and Company, over the past decade, China accounted for 45% of all the growth in the world economy; this could drop to 30% in the coming decade. Second, the ongoing ‘great resignation’ and ‘quiet quitting’ in the US—over 50 million workers quit their jobs in 2022, breaking the record created in the year prior—have created scarcity of labour in all industries, from marketing to accounting to retail. Third, the rise of teleservices and remote […]

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With the right administrative support, there’s no reason why retail market can’t be an exciting new source of opportunity for hedge funds. By Fiona Mulligan , Global Hedge Fund Product and Solutions Manager, Securities Services, BNP Paribas. Making detailed long-term predictions is difficult at any time, let alone during unprecedented times. In a world with significant macro-economic uncertainty and volatility, both traditional and alternative asset managers are facing an ever-greater squeeze on their margins amidst increasingly complex demands from investors, rising operating costs and the uncertainty of rate rises. In this complex landscape, the rulebook for fund managers is being torn up. Traditional and alternative managers are embracing a huge range of strategies and vehicles across the liquidity spectrum. Distribution holds the key as investors aim to be closer to their funds, and new, digitised solutions and disintermediated distribution models offer new opportunities to do this. In this article, we will explore how hedge funds are tapping into these new investor demands, raising capital through new avenues and markets while developing an innovative product mix and managing the increased operational requirements that this brings. Retail investors: a new frontier for hedge funds The retail investor market has not traditionally […]

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© Reuters. DISH Network’s (DISH) 5G wireless infrastructure opportunity now ‘further away’ – BofA DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH ) was double downgraded to Underperform from Buy at BofA, with its price target reduced to $10 from $30 per share on Tuesday. Analysts explained that "after a decade scrupulously assembling a premier spectrum portfolio, entertaining strategic combinations, and exits, DISH in 2020 went all in on building its own wireless network." "However, over the past 12 months, the company has had to navigate a prolonged period of expected and unexpected technological challenges and would not likely hit cruising speed until 2024, by our estimate," state analysts. They added that a "once-exciting" and seemingly-clear set of opportunities for DISH to leverage its 5G wireless infrastructure "now feels further away." "As evidence, Verizon recently lowered its own 5G-centric long-term growth outlook issued only last March," the analysts continued. "We expect declining EBITDA due to adverse pay-TV trends, higher marketing expenses, and inflationary pressure. Coupled with elevated capex, FCF trends are increasingly negative for the next 2 years." DISH shares are currently down more than 6% in early trading, adding to their significant decline over the past 12 months.

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An entry in the student art show, which will be displayed at the Nobles County Art Center March 3-31. WORTHINGTON — It is hard to imagine a world without art. The building you live in, the logo on your T-shirt, the art hanging in your doctor’s office, your favorite animated movie, the ads in The Globe have all been created by artists. Art is a fundamental piece of the human experience that we consume every day. Visual art reflects the world and time in which we live. It can help us understand history, different cultures, our lives and the experiences of others. Art can also make us feel deeply, whether it’s joy, anger or sadness. As a visual arts teacher, it is a privilege to watch my students discover the world of visual arts. Henri Matisse once said, “Creativity takes courage” and I believe that to be true. My students are courageous art makers. They persevere when their glass breaks for the third time and they have to re-cut that piece. They willingly explore using rice, rubbing alcohol, Saran Wrap and salt with watercolors. They try the pottery wheel for the first time and discover they have a hidden […]

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A trade agreement is much more than a text; it is a legal and institutional framework that lays the foundations for integration among the countries that sign it. It opens opportunities to prompt competitiveness, growth, and inclusive development, as well as boosts exchange dynamics beyond trade—in culture, education, and shared principles and values. Nevertheless, without constant political dialogue, without the exchange of experiences, without a permanent updating effort, and without a tangible commitment in all the sectors that benefit from economic integration, a trade agreement runs the risk of becoming a “dead letter”: A simple list of rules to govern commercial transactions between its parties. Senator and Chief, Special Committee for the USMCA Implementation – Mexican Senate President – Special Commission for the Implementation of the USMCA ruizmassieu Nearly three years after its entry into force, the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) has been instrumental in ensuring the competitiveness of the North American region’s economy in a complex and unprecedented global environment. This is no coincidence: It is the result of a joint effort among governments, the private sector, and civil society in our three countries. During these years, the Special Committee for the USMCA Implementation in the Mexican […]

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Editor’s Note: This is a viewpoint from the USMCA Forward 2023 report where experts dive into the opportunities and complementary actions needed to build more integrated, resilient, and secure supply chains in North America. Mexico is called upon to be an essential partner in bringing dynamism, competitiveness, and resilience to North American production and in reaching its ambitious decarbonization goals. With an economy closely integrated with that of the United States, Mexico has much to gain from the relocation of production to serve the U.S. market. Yet, Mexico is at risk of missing this unique opportunity, as the López Obrador Administration has thus far failed to understand the primacy of climate objectives of its North American partners and of the firms interested in setting their operations in Mexico—and the role clean energies play in this equation. Research Affiliate – Center for Collective Intelligence at MIT Nonresident Fellow – Baker Institute Indeed, Mexico’s current energy policies promote the use of fossil fuels, undermine the electricity market, and hinder the deployment of renewable energies. These measures likely inconsistent with USMCA commitments have also led the U.S. and Canada to seek formal consultations with Mexico under the USMCA dispute settlement mechanism. The […]

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Summary The company reported a mixed quarterly report and expects a challenging environment for the full year 2023 due to changing consumer demand, high inventory levels and lower truck rates. Several analysts expect continued EPS growth for the next few years. The current dividend yield is high at 2.7%, and the dividend rate has increased an average of 15% annually over the past 10 years. Union Pacific expects challenges for 2023 and beyond, but the current share price levels seem like a good buying opportunity right now. Laser1987/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Introduction Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP ) has been in a downtrend of late as the general markets have also declined significantly. Still, the company has performed strongly over the past 10 years, with total returns better than the S&P 500. Union Pacific gave mixed projections for its earnings forecasts, but I think the share price has already corrected significantly to incorporate these risks to the company. The stock’s valuation is currently favorable and offers investors a good buying opportunity in my view. Data by YCharts Fourth Quarter And Full-Year Results Union Pacific reported its fourth-quarter and full-year results on Jan. 24, 2023. Earnings per share ($2.67 per […]

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Application Window for the Broadband Infrastructure Program to Open Beginning February 28 and Closing April 14 Tallahassee, FL – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced that more than $247 million in funding is available for broadband infrastructure expansion through the Broadband Infrastructure Program. The application window will open on February 28, 2023 and close on April 14, 2023. Allocated by the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, the Broadband Infrastructure Program aims to expand and improve broadband Internet infrastructure with a focus on workforce, education, and health monitoring. The program prioritizes unserved and underserved Florida communities in addition to communities with internet service speeds below symmetrical download and upload speeds of 100Mbps. Eligible sub-recipients, including municipalities, county governments, non-profits, or private entities (such as Internet Service Providers), co-operatives, and electric utilities can find resources to prepare an application at www.FloridaJobs.org/Broadband . To provide communities with information on the timeline, scoring criteria, and funding and eligibility requirements for the Broadband Infrastructure Program, DEO is hosting a Technical Assistance Webinar on Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. The webinar will assist prospective applicants in developing applications for funding. DEO staff will also be available to […]

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News digital transformation written with a typewriter The 2023 TEKsystems Digital Transformation report reveals some sobering trends on how the current economic uncertainty is having an impact. IT service management vendor TEKsystems released its 2023 State of Digital Transformation report on Feb. 28, revealing how economic uncertainty is having an impact on decision-making. Among the key findings in the report is that there are four key strategies that help separate digital transformation leaders from laggards. Related: Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, IT Staffing Top C-Suite Concerns The first is that leaders focus on building strategic alignment, with digital transformation identified as a core foundation for business strategy. Valuing the right mix of both IT and business stakeholders is the second key differentiator. Digital transformation leaders also map out their journeys, defining desired business outcomes from the start. Rounding out the differentiators is the fact that leaders tend to optimize spending. The report also identified three overriding trends in the current digital transformation landscape: 1. Digital transformation journeys are changing. As economic uncertainty grows, organizations are shifting what goals they need to achieve. 2. Connecting a workforce to the value of digital transformation efforts remains vital to success. The report found that […]

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