Author Archive: Jeremy Parkinson
Amazon reports disappointing holiday sales
In the final quarter of 2012, the most important for retailers, the online shopping giant’s revenue grew by 22 percent to $21.3bn, about $1bn short of Wall Street forecasts. Reported holiday sales in the US were disappointing across the board, despite growth of 14 percent, according to ComScore, a research group. Amazon profits have diminished […]
The Soda Battle of NYC
New York City’s recent passing of a ban on the sale of sugary drinks in containers exceeding 16 ounces has caused uproar that has echoed far beyond the five boroughs. But the outcries are not just coming from Coca-Cola and fanatic soda drinkers. The NAACP and the Hispanic Federation have joined in support of a […]
Fishing in the Fishbowl of Facebook: A Perspective on Third Party Apps Gone Rogue
Say what you’d like about Facebook- but 10% of the world has one (a staggering statistic, especially considering that most websites only have a fraction of one percent of the world’s population or less). However, as it has spread, has it really managed to become a vacuum of the internet, one that combines all aspects […]
Apple stocks drop 10% after growth concerns
The share drop came in the wake of Apple’s December results were announced. The company sold 47.8m iPhones in the three months to December, a year-on-year increase of 78 percent; revenues were up 18 percent to $54.4bn. However, the results fell significantly short of analysts’ expectations. Investors have expressed disappointment, in spite of reported net […]
Britain’s big question: In or out?
In a long awaited speech, UK Prime Minister David Cameron has promised an in-out referendum on the country’s membership in the EU should his Conservative Party be returned to power following the next general election. Cameron said that the UK government will attempt to negotiate a new settlement with other European countries before putting the […]
Moscow Stock Exchange set to launch its own IPO
The Moscow Stock Exchange has announced its IPO, but has so far not released any more concrete details. However, it has been confirmed that the banks handling the IPO will be JPMorgan Chase, Credit Suisse, Sberbank and VTBank. Analysts have suggested it is too early in the IPO’s pre-marketing phase to pinpoint how much the […]
China reports slowest growth since 1999
Though China’s GDP growth slowed to its lowest in 13 years, the country finished 2012 in a slightly stronger position reporting 7.9 percent growth in the last quarter, compared to 7.4 in the three months before. The overall growth rates for the year topped 7.8 percent, significantly higher than some estimates of 7.5 percent. The […]
A Future Leading to Sustainable Plastics
Keeping our environment healthy is a job that all of us most contribute too. Small efforts like recycling plastic bags from the grocery store can be a good way to get started, but there are many ways in which we can help our planet. Pick a few things and start helping out the earth today. […]
Good news for dieters: Being overweight could be a lifesaver
Scientists and researchers have found that people who pile on the pounds are less likely to die early than the slim people. Researchers pointed out that one reason for this could be that fatter people were more likely to visit doctor than the healthier looking people. The fatter people found them more reasons to work […]
World Bank advises against fiscal stimulus
The World Bank has stated that despite weak growth forecasts countries should not be tempted by the quick fix of artificially stimulating their economies this year, and should instead invest in developing the backbone drivers of growth. New World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said: “The economic recovery remains fragile and uncertain, clouding the prospect […]
