The slump of oil price has contributed to economic crisis in Venezuela. Inflation rate in the country has reached 141 percent. This situation has made president Venezuela to take some action.
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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.
Ebola Vaccine Will Now Be Available As Gavi Signed $5 Million Deal To Prevent Future Outbreaks, Commits Merck To Keep 300,000 Vaccines Ready
Gavi, a world vaccine alliance, has made a $5 million deal with Merck regarding vaccine supply for future outbreaks. Merck has to provide 300,000 vaccines as a preparation to protect people from the next Ebola crisis.
AmEx to slash cost by $1bn by 2017
Feeling the heat of competition in the global payments industry, American Express (AmEx) is in the process of reducing costs by $1billion by end of 2017. AmEx posted losses for the fourth quarter consecutively. The net income dropped from $1.44 billion to $873 million or 80 cents per share for the quarter. The forecast for this year disappointed investors and analysts.
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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.
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.
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.
The falling oil price below $30 per barrel is impacting Canadian economy, which mostly depends upon commodities. Along with oil price, Canadian currency Loonie too declined against the US dollar. The weaker Loonie has eroded the purchasing power of Canada and is making imports costlier. Canada imports vegetables from the US. The surging US dollar made vegetables prices expensive by three folds for Canadian consumers.
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.
