Prepaid calling cards have been available to North American consumers since 1986. This is currently a mature market with numerous contenders. Despite various challenges the industry faces, the prepaid calling cards market is growing. Additional features and benefits such as Internet accounts, digital information and entertainment services and debit and payroll cards are now getting included in calling cards, which further enhance the overall value to consumers.
Second wave of economic expansion brings a different type of expatriate to China. SIRVA, a relocation services provider, has released the findings of its China Urban Index, a mobility study investigating the suitability of first- and second-tier cities for business operations and expatriate relocations in China.
The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT®) announced today that its Full-sized (100 oz.) Gold futures contract achieved a new volume record of 69,432 contracts at close of trading yesterday, surpassing the previous record of 63,471 contracts set on July 17, 2006.
Very strong trading during August has underlined the London Stock Exchange's position as the world's fastest growing major equity exchange this year, with 50 per cent growth in the number of trades on SETS during the first eight months of 2006 compared with the same period last year.
It is no secret that mobile phones are attractive to advertisers and marketers. BusinessWeek and visiongain projected in March 2006 that US mobile advertising and marketing spending will increase rapidly from 2005, reaching $602.3 million in 2009.
Worldwide PC shipments are on pace to total 233.7 million units in 2006, a 10.5 percent increase from 2005, however worldwide PC revenue is expected to reach $198.3 billion, a 2.5 percent decline, according to a preliminary forecast by Gartner, Inc.
Ford Motor Company's (Ford) announcement of an accelerated restructuring plan was incorporated in Fitch Ratings' Aug. 18 downgrade of Ford and Ford Motor Credit Company (FMCC), and no additional rating action will be taken at this time. Fitch currently rates both Ford and FMCC's Issuer Default Rating (IDR) 'B' with a Negative Outlook.
Government regulations, if not properly set, could reduce the flow of capital to commercial real estate and weaken a robust commercial real estate market, according to testimony submitted yesterday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to a House panel.
Time Warner Inc.: Telecom Italia nd Time Warner Inc.today announced that Telecom Italia has agreed to acquire Time Warner's AOL Germany Internet access business for EUR 675 million ($870 million, Equity Value) in cash.
NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE: NYX ) reported August 2006 transaction volume in all securities traded by NYSE Group. This report represents the NYSE Group monthly volume release issued on a combined basis for NYSE and NYSE Arca.
