The major factors such as oil price fall, economy growth concerns and uncertainty in stock markets are keeping more pressure on mortgage rates in the US market. The average US rate on long-term mortgage dropped for three weeks in a row to 3.81 percent. The average rate on 15-year mortgages dropped to 3.10 percent from 3.19 percent.
Industry
Google Deals With HMRC To Pay Back Taxes of £130 Million To The UK, France Probably The Next Claimant
HMRC has been conducting multiyear investigation to unearth Google’s tax dodging events. Though denied earlier, a Google spokesperson has narrated a deal with the Britain’s tax authority to pay taxes of £130 million due for over a decade. The deal is significant since many countries around the globe are conducting scrutiny to ascertain dodged tax amounts of Google and other multinationals. Investigations in accordance with OECD guidelines may also help France to establish its claim for $1 billion as unpaid taxes.
Social Network Facebook to construct second data center in Ireland
Facebook announced its plan to open the second data center in Clonee, Ireland. By opening the Clonee center, the company is joining a list of companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, which operate some of the European centers in the nation.
3D VR Image Rendered By Google Cardboard Sets A Milestone In The History of Cardiac Surgery
Teegan, a baby girl has born in August with a half heart and single lung in a Minnesota hospital. The baby has showed strength of her life through remaining alive after 2 months diminishing doctors’ predictions which prompted her parents to contact Dr Remond Burke, chief of cardiovascular surgery at the Miami hospital. He and a team of 30 doctors and nurses have conducted a 7 hour long surgery through 3D image generated by Google Cardboard. The baby is safe after four weeks and now hopes to go home after next two weeks.
Major banks funding Bitcoin startup on recording blockchain deals
A bitcoin startup Digital Asset Holdings has received funding from major banks. It will work closely with investors on research and commercialization of bitcoin technology applications. Digital Asset said that it has raised over $50 million funding from 13 investors. The list of investors includes JPMorgan Chase & Com, Citigroup Inc, BNP Paribas SA, CME Group Inc and Accenture Plc.
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The Onion Router (Tor) began as military intelligence research in 1995, before became a volunteer-based project in 2002. Now, the project tried to lessen dependency on U.S. government by launching a crowdfunding campaign.
Datical, an Austin-based data management company announced on Thursday of its $8 million Series B funding. The funding was led by S3 ventures with its existing investors Mercury Fund and Austin Ventures.
Despite economy growth rate of over seven percent, the Indian stock markets are suffering from the selloff by foreign investors. The domestic stock markets may enter bear territory soon after the fall in Shanghai and Tokyo markets. The cash-strapped foreign investors are offloading in Indian stocks since November 2015. On the other hand, Asian stocks gaining momentum following the marginal rebound in oil price.
The stockpiles levels in China, the biggest commodity consumer, are impacting copper prices in the global markets. Copper price is hovering at $4,400 per metric ton and is moving in consolidation phase. Chinese smelters may cut down output and stop increasing capacities this year.
FiveStars, one of the most popular business startups, has raised $50 million funding from Series C round to expand its business across the US. With its innovative customer management tools, every customer is being identified with a number. So all the customers are new here and receive VIP treatment during every visit. Despite charging with a quite higher monthly fee in a competitive market, its clients feel like getting more than they spend.
cloudControl, German owning entity of dotCloud, has filed for bankruptcy this week. To facilitate operation for the European brand, it has decided to shut down the operation of dotCloud. The PaaS has sent mails to its users regretting its failure to continue service and expresses gratitude for keeping trust on the brand. The startup that has once independently backed Silicon Valley’s prominent startup, Y Combinator, is going to end its path on February 29.
The store who designed and manufactured the shirt keeps getting surge of orders. El Chapo, the drug lord captured last Friday, was shown wearing that shirt on a photograph with actor Sean Penn.
Hinrich J. Woebcken, a former BMW executive, has been appointed by emission scandal-hit Volkswagen to oversee business operations in the US, Canada and Mexico. Woebcken will assume charge from 1 April 2016. Audi and Porsche brand don't come under Woebcken's area of operations. However, Volkswagen has retained Michael Horn as CEO of Volkswagen Group America Inc. The emission-scandal hit Volkswagen has been facing regulatory investigations in the US.
Royal Dutch Shell is slashing the headcount as part of the cost cutting exercise. Anglo-Dutch company has decided to cut down 10,000 jobs in the wake of continuous drop in oil prices. The global energy major aims at reduction of costs by $3 billion in 2016 and it already reduced operating costs by $4 billion in 2015. Shell is also banking on synergy advantages from the BG Group Plc merger, which is expected to be completed in few weeks.
