The France-based pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur has committed to develop Zika virus vaccination in three to five years. The vaccine will be administered mainly in adolescent girls that is yet to involve sexual relationship.
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Wall Street monitors USD, while oil price drops
Investors are concerned as the US stock index futures turned weaker. The marginal recovery in oil price amid drop in the US dollar puts the Wall Street on cautious note. On the other hand, Asian and European stocks were trading marginally higher on oil price recovery and drop in US dollar.
ING's Q4 earnings beat forecast
The Dutch banking major ING Groep's revenues for the fourth quarter were above the analysts' forecasts. ING's exposure to the oil companies is putting pressure on its stock, which suffered 20 percent drop. However, ING is also receiving indirect benefits from lower oil prices.
Job growth slowdown a sign of tightening economy
The US economy encouragingly created more jobs for the past two years and now is set for a slowdown, as economists predict. The prevailing credit conditions the US market indicate tightening of economy. The US private sector added 205,000 jobs in January as against 267,000 in December.
GoPro Loses $19 million Through Repurchasing Own Stocks, Apprehends For More Purchasing In 2016
GoPro has represented fourth quarter financials on Wednesday. It has counted a loss of 8 cents per share in Q4 and yearly earning per share has been reduced to 76 cents a share. The yearly earning has been reduced by 42% from 99 cents per share, a year ago. Poor sales during the Q4 have been held responsible for the week financial figures. But the company itself has widened the loss margin through repurchasing own stocks. Not only that, it has allocated $264.4 million funds for further share repurchasing in 2016.
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Takata Corp, a manufacturer of airbags used in vehicles for consumer safety, will announce its restructuring plan to automakers in May. The restructuring plan is expected to include the sharing of recall costs. The defective airbags are forcing automobile majors to recall millions of cars.
The Shanghai Disneyland's ticket prices would be 20 percent cheaper than Hong Kong Disneyland at 539 yuan, even though the Shanghai's area would be much larger. After being constructed for more than six years, the park would be ready to open for public this summer with possible further expansion.
Vodacom Group Ltd has recorded 8.7 percent growth in third quarter revenues. The South Africa-based mobile phone company is focusing on subscribers and high-speed network expansion. Vodafone is expanding internet services and strengthening its network amid rising domestic competition.
The gold buying demand from China is surging from last December onwards owing investors' priority to safe haven assets. The sluggish stock markets, weaker currency and lower global prices are prime reasons for the rising demand for the yellow metal. The consumption rose 3.7 percent to 985.9 metric tons in 2015.
The lower oil price for about 19 months is benefiting the consumers, but creating a lot of problems for the global governments and business firms. Many banks and the US government forecast oil price above $40 a barrel this year. The oil price fell to below $30 during the past 19 months from $107 a barrel.
The case had been investigated since 2013, and the practices are believed to have been going on since 2011. U.S federal regulators claimed that African-American, as well as Asian/Pacific Islander borrowers, were charged more for auto loans. Toyota voluntarily agreed to pay the amount of compensation, but the company refuses to admit that the practice is a form of racial discrimination.
Malala Yousafzai will be speaking at the "Supporting Syria and the region" conference in London on Thursday, February 4 to ask the world leaders attending to donate $1.4 billion in support of education for Syrian refugees. Muzoon Almellehan, a student and Syrian refugee will also speak at the conference in support of her cause.
The US federal contracts are somehow still not won by the women-owned small companies in this day and age. Senator Jeanne Shaheen has openly expressed her disappointment regarding this sobering fact. But she is still optimistic that the changing laws would rectify the situation and empower women with the experience to bid for larger and more competitive federal contracts in the future.
Citigroup holds view that it's too early to come to a conclusion about the state of the world's largest economy. It advises investors not to offload stocks over China. Citigroup in its latest research reports terms the present uncertainty and sluggishness in the Chinese economy and markets as a 'correction.'
