Toyota Motor is seriously contemplating a buyout of Daihatsu Motor Co., which would give the company direct access to Daihatsu’s 660 cc mini vehicles. This investment would fetch Toyota great returns in the emerging markets and also enable leveraging of the low-cost production model that has long been Daihatsu’s competitive advantage.
Tags: US
Koch Brothers’ super PAC raised nearly $14.8 million
The Koch Brothers' super-PAC reached $14.8 million, with $11 million being added in the second half of 2015. The latter amount was raised by only 20 contributors, comprising founder Charles Koch himself and some billionaire stalwarts. The PAC is incurring minimum expenses and hoarding most of the fund to support the Republicans in 2016 elections.
Hershey prioritizes meat brand over its core chocolate brands
Hershey, the leading chocolate maker, has shifted gear in 2016 and plans to focus more on its newly acquired meat brand, Krave Pure Foods Inc. With changing food habits, the market is now ready to accept snacks that are more rich in protein and less in sugars, and with this move, the sweet maker is all set to tap this niche market.
California sets new LED standards; promises huge long-term benefits
California becomes the pioneer state with new LED standards in place. The new regulation replaces the old traditional directional bulbs with the more expensive but energy-efficient LED ones. While more expensive, California Energy Commission promises huge benefits in terms of a bulb's longevity and, more importantly, electric bills.
Wendy’s the latest victim of credit card data breach
Wendy's, the famous fast-food chain is the latest victim of credit card data breach. The company's banking sources detected unusual patterns on customer credit cards right after they were used at a Wendy's outlet, and informed the company right-away. It immediately hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the fraudulent activities that seem to have been tracked to Midwest and, lately, the East Coast. The investigation is currently ongoing and Wendy's did not provide any clear information on the findings.
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JPMorgan Chase is all set to revolutionize the concept of ATM cash withdrawals. The bank will introduce the new system in the form of e-ATMs which will basically render bank cards redundant. The machines will dispense cash via a simple mobile app, in different denominations like $1, $5, $20, and $100 bills. At the same time, Chase has increased the withdrawal limit by three times, at $3000.
New Mexico has become the first US state to sue the German automaker, Volkswagen, for breaching the Clean Air Act with huge levels of emissions as well as for trade malpractices. The allegation is the company sold as many as 4000-10000 faulty models whose nitrogen-oxide emissions exceeded the limits by 40%, which could cost VW almost $20 billion in fines.
Ford Motor has announced on Monday that they would be exiting the Japanese and Indonesian markets by the end of this year as the governments are running a very "closed" market, protecting domestic sales over the international ones. The automaker has been unable to increase their sales or sustain profits under such circumstances. They said that the employees have already been informed and they would be providing detailed explanations regarding post-sale services like servicing and providing new car parts to its customers very soon.
Netflix has blocked its Australian subscribers from accessing the US content, who also happen to circumvent its geographical blocks with the help of private virtual network providers like uFlix and ExpressVPN. A continuous error message keeps the users from watching their favorite American dailies and movies. This has irked the so-called "geo-blockers" who are currently working on a solution to penetrate this block.
Facebook has come out with yet another special feature, this time, exclusively for the sports fans. Its Sports Stadium will be a virtual hub for millions of sports fanatics to get together and post photos/videos, like them, look at a dashboard full of stats and, most importantly, chat about the games, all the while getting access to expert commentary by celebrities and their teams. Currently, this space has only been rolled out for iOS in the US.
Las Vegas city cabs have overcharged the customers by a whopping $47 million, the findings reveal. The root cause of this extortion lies in its ridiculously high $3 credit card processing fees along with a hike in fuel surcharge. Long-hauling is also an added factor in duping particularly the tourists. The auditors have slammed some pretty harsh recommendations on the Nevada Taxicab Authority which regulates all Clark County cabs.
An unusual drop in US crude oil, below the already low $28 a barrel, created quite a stir in the market. It seems the oil prices are at a continuous plummeting spree. The current situation seems pretty bleak with supply exceeding demand to a great extent, especially after major oil exporter Iran came back into the scene.
Manny Pacquiao has decided to take the final bow after one last fight with arch rival Timothy Bradley. This much-awaited bout is all set to take place in Las Vegas on April 9, marking their trilogy. The boxing champion has decided to run for senatorship in May elections after his retirement and make a difference to his country. Given his popularity, Pacquiao even hopes to run for the presidency which is scheduled to take place in 2022.
The self-propelling stroller, introduced by the crowdfunder Indiegogo, is said to revolutionize the concept of a perambulator. Keeping in mind the needs of a parent, the stroller boasts of features like automatic movement controlled via sensors, built-in rocker, bottle warmer, canopies to weather different climatic conditions, to name a few. Its maker, Guillermo Morro, has also addressed all the safety concerns by assuring his audience that his highly capable team has always treated this as a top priority.
