Japan's exports were badly hit by the steep drop in steel prices and other commodities. The world's third largest economy's exports fell 12.9 percent on the year in January to Yen 5.35 trillion ($47.12 billion), while the imports also fell 18 percent.
Industry
Vyopta Secures $5 Million in Series A Funding
Video analytic and collaboration company Vyopta announced on Thursday to receive Series A funding, AVX Partners lead the funding, which will be used to strengthen the company's product development.
Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat Received 27% Increase of Salary in 2015
Citigroup raises salary of its CEO to $16.5 million in 2015. The bank has managed to be more efficient in operation under Corbat's leadership and passing mandatory stress test.
Facebook Plans to Monetize Messenger; Will Allow Businesses to Send Ads
A leaked document revealed Facebook’s plan to start monetizing on of its fastest-growing and most popular product, the Messenger. The document stated that in the second quarter this year, a new feature would be launched, allowing businesses to send advertisement chats via Messenger.
InVisage introduces SparkP2 for IoT devices
InVisage unveiled SparkP2 for Internet of Things instruments. The SparkP2 has the potential to arrest 2-megapixel pictures and consumes less power than the traditional silicon cameras.
Latest News
NYSE-listed Broadridge Financial Solutions has invested in AMA Partners, BV (AMA). By taking minority stake in AMA Partners, Broadridge will expand its corporate governance solution in Europe.
BDC Capital, a subsidiary of Business Development Bank of Canada, has launched IT Venture Fund II with corpus of C$150 million. With an objective of bridging gap in the mid-stage funding, the new fund will support new generation of IT entrepreneurs in Canada.
MindMaze has secured a total of $100 million funds from an early round led by India’s Hinduja Group. MindMaze, which until now is focusing on developing virtual reality interfaces in the healthcare sector aims to form future contracts and service centers, as well as expanding the technology for other uses in the form of gaming, educational and fitness applications.
Stratasys, the leading player in the 3-D printing and additive manufacturing industry, has extended its investment arm towards the promising start-up, Massivit. The start-up is just the kind of venture Stratasys likes to support, with disruptive technologies like their proprietary Gel Dispensing Printing and the 1800 3D printer which produces 3D printed sculptures.
The venture capital (VC) inflows into Chinese economy grew 25 percent in 2015. The US and China ranked at first and second slots respectively in mobilizing the venture capital funds. The VC investors are choosier and cautious in selecting the startups amid economy slowdown.
US-based coal mining company Peabody Energy Corp is facing a major problem over its $1.47-billion self-bonding practice. The coal miner has been negotiating with debtors for several months. Certain groups are criticizing the self-bonding practice, lodged complaints in courts against Peabody Energy Corp.
Standard & Poor's (S&P) has cut rating on Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as it's suffering from lower oil prices. The long -term foreign and local currency sovereign credit has been lowered to 'A minus/ A-2' from 'A plus / A-1.'
Wal-Mart De Mexico SAB posted an 18.4% drop in its fourth-quarter net income. High spending during the fourth quarter affected the retailer's earnings.
On Wednesday, Meta demonstrated its new augmented reality headset at TED conference in Vancouver, Canada. The new Meta 2 headset mesmerized the audience and showed to be rival for Microsoft Holo Lens.
