New reports by Kantar World Panel, released on July 30th, 2014, suggest that Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) China successes, impressive as they are, have been overshadowed by left-field challenger Xiaomi. Xiaomi is a relatively new smartphone manufacturer which is offering sturdy … [Read more...]
Rep. Steve Stockman: New York regulations could crush bitcoin industry
Texas Republican Congressman Steve Stockman is enthusiastic about bitcoin. Since announcing his bid for the senate to unseat incumbent John Cornyn, his campaign has incorporated bitcoin into its financing model, a move that established a precedent for other political hopefuls. He’s … [Read more...]
One-third of Americans facing debt collectors over unpaid bills
Although government statistics suggest that the economy may be improving, debt still remains an important factor in millions of households across the country. In total, U.S. household consumer debt is reaching $12 trillion, a number that has actually increased three percent from last … [Read more...]
Health will be biggest retirement expense, says future retirees
When we think of our days spent in retirement, we usually daydream about sitting in a boat with a fishing rod, traveling overseas or going camping with our grandchildren. However, the reality of it all is that it may be spent looking after our health, according to a new poll that … [Read more...]
Rumor mill discounts Apple (AAPL) sapphire use for iPhone but overlooks facts
Mercurial and ever-changing, the world of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) watchers and analysts have now flip-flopped to a new position, that of discounting the use of sapphire in the iPhone 6, at least this year. Just as the iWatch has grown into an impossible collection of contradictory … [Read more...]
Marc Faber: Social media stocks in a bubble, investors must diversify portfolio
The Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary policy initiative of low interest rates and money expansion has created a lucrative environment on Wall Street that consists of bubbles and massive speculation. One of these sectors that has fallen victim is the technology industry, … [Read more...]
SEC names former Treasury, Fed adviser Mark Flannery as chief economist
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced in a press release Monday that it has named Mark J. Flannery as the newest chief economist and director of the Economic and Risk Analysis division (DERA), a section that offers interdisciplinary scrutiny to help bring up to date … [Read more...]
Ford Motor Company jettisons Blackberry in favor of Apple (AAPL) iPhone
For many years, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) employees have used Blackberry phones for their day to day communications needs, a situation that seemed as though it was apt to continue indefinitely. Today, however, the powerful U.S. automaker took a decisive step towards replacing these … [Read more...]
U.S. housing market recovery may be in the middle of a reversal
Since the subprime mortgage meltdown a few years ago and the economic downturn that hindered much of the United States, the housing market still remains a kick in the head, and as the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch writes, it "still isn't all fine and dandy." A phalanx of recent … [Read more...]
Iran’s carpet exports reach $57 million in Q1 amid sanctions
For hundreds of years, Persian carpets – or Persian rugs – have been an important aspect of the Iranian economy. Carpet-weaving has also become a fixture in Persian art and culture, and traces its origins to ancient Persia. Iranians are born on carpets and when they perish they are … [Read more...]
Apple (AAPL) iPhone sales rise in Ukraine, expected to displace ‘gray market’ sales
The former Soviet Union countries represent an area of the world with low market penetration by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and few or no brick and mortar stores on the ground. Troubled by weak economies, corrupt and undemocratic governments, and convoluted legal systems, these nations … [Read more...]
CheapAir generates $1.5 million bitcoin sales since November
After becoming the very first online travel agency to begin accepting bitcoins this past November, CheapAir.com announced in a press release Tuesday that it has generated more than $1.5 million in bitcoin sales, a common figure for a lot of major businesses allowing customers to pay … [Read more...]
French source claims Apple’s (AAPL) new MacBook Pro with 16 GB RAM launches tomorrow
Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) new MacBook Pro upgrade may launch as soon as tomorrow, if leaked information provided French website Mac Generation proves to be correct. The Gallic news site, which, as its name suggests, focuses exclusively on Apple products, claims that two MacBook Pros … [Read more...]
Dental assistants are making 20% less than Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggests
Being a dental assistant is considered to be one of the physically strenuous, demanding and stressful jobs in the labor market today. As dental assistants essentially become the glue that holds the office together and is usually the first one to arrive and the last one to leave, one … [Read more...]
Fed economists: ‘Onshoring’ is just a myth, misunderstanding of data
Over the past couple of years, a number of public officials and economists have presented the case that manufacturing jobs are returning to the United States from emerging markets as part of a trend called by some as "onshoring." Unfortunately for the U.S. labor market, it’s simply … [Read more...]
AirBaltic removes contentious bitcoin transaction fee
Last week, Latvian airline AirBaltic became the very first European airline to accept bitcoin for flight bookings. This came with a wave of controversy from both inside Latvia and from digital currency users who were upset about the company applying a €5.99 ($8.05) fee on bitcoin … [Read more...]
iPhone ‘Phablet’ delayed to avoid competing with new Apple (AAPL) iPad
Persistent rumors suggest that Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) 5.5 inch iPhone 6 "phablet" model may be delayed past other products slated for late 2014 release. Though technical issues have frequently been cited as the cause for these delays, several analysts and experts now believe the … [Read more...]
Ecuador passes bill to ban bitcoin, digital currency usage
What may perhaps be the first of many countries to do so in the future, the National Assembly of Ecuador has voted to prohibit (PDF) the peer-to-peer decentralized digital currency bitcoin and other virtual currencies. However, the country has plans to produce guidelines for the … [Read more...]
Large number of iPhone 6 orders could boost competitors’ prices by 10%
When it comes to the electronics market, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is large enough that some of its actions have a direct impact on the rest of the business niche in which it operates. Somewhat like a force of nature, its larger operations alter the conditions under which rival firms … [Read more...]
Mark Cuban thinks taxes will jump if inversions continue rising
United States President Barack Obama spoke with CNBC on Thursday to discuss the issue of "fairness" in the economy. Most of the interview consisted of the president talking about "inversions," a practice of U.S. companies merging with smaller overseas corporations to avoid paying … [Read more...]
