Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) a leader in imaging solutions, proudly showcased the compact and versatile 5.9K CCNA next-generation professional Cinema EOS System cameras.

Leading African directors, including Kunle Afolayan and Merzak Allouache, hailed the EOS C500 Mark II with elevating their latest productions. Alongside the inauguration, Canon unveiled a knowledge-sharing initiative for the African filmmaking community.

Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

This is the Future of Filmmaking

The latest model in Canon’s Cinema EOS Camera range features Canon’s newly developed Super 35mm 4K CMOS sensor and comes with 16+ stops of dynamic range, professional codecs in a compact, modular body.

Created with the expertise and technical knowledge at the heart of Canon’s innovative products, the latest in the EOS range offers a customisable full-frame cinema camera experience that is built for creative freedom.

Canon‘s Cinema EOS Camera range new features include a full-frame sensor powered by Canon’s new DIGIC DV 7 processor. The sensor’s expansive native cinema gamut goes beyond current standards to help the Cameras in the EOS range achieve more natural tones, which allow for greater colour-grading freedom in both SDR and HDR productions.

Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

At the pinnacle of the offering is the first camera in the range with the ability to record 5.9K Cinema RAW Light onto new, faster storage media – CF express cards. Providing professionals with greater flexibility and efficiency plus a simultaneous recording of the same file format is also possible due to dual CF express card slots.

“Canon’s continuous relationship with empowering the African creative market via innovative technology has supported the rise of Africa’s content. Our focus is on offering leading industry know-how and award-winning cameras and lenses built for enthusiast and professional level creatives,” says Amine Djouhara, Sales and Marketing Director at Canon Central and North Africa.

“The Cinema EOS range is the perfect expression of form and function, exceptionally adaptable to virtually any production with its modular design, and we are excited to see what Africa’s talented filmmakers create.”

Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

Collaborating for World-Class African Film Production

In Nigeria, award-winning actor, producer and director, Kunle Afolayan, knows how independent filmmakers can be empowered by technology to share their stories with a global audience.

Afolayan’s films are part of a growing number of African contributions to the global online platform Netflix. His latest creation, Citation, explores the important issue of sexual exploitation of young female Nigerian students by their professors. For this gritty, hard-hitting movie, Afolayan chose the new EOS C500 Mark II from Canon.

Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

“I first saw the Canon EOS C500 Mark II at IBC 2019 and I was amazed at its capabilities. Normally it’s not a director’s place to tell a director of photography (DOP) what kit to use, but I always wanted to shoot in 4K full-frame, and I knew that this camera would make it to the Netflix approved list, which was vital for this production,” said Nigerian actor, producer and director, Kunle Afolayan.

“Thankfully Jonathan Kovel, the DOP working on my new film, loved the camera, therefore, we were able to shoot Citation with the Canon EOS C500 Mark II, which gave us another level of authenticity and creative freedom.”

In Algeria, legendary director Merzak Allouache also selected the Canon EOS C500 Mark II for his latest film, as part of a technical partnership with Baya Productions. Following a glittering 40-year, 22 film career, which included 1994 Cannes Film Festival award-winning production, Le Repenti.

86-year-old Allouache marks his come back with a new cinematographic masterpiece UNE FAMILLE, that plunges the audience deep into an intensely real political and family drama.

Canon Revolutionizes African Film Industry and Unveils a Knowledge-Sharing program

“The film benefited from the technology provided by Canon. The production team was provided with a Canon EOS C500 Mark II camera and a range of Cine Lenses and accessories so that the film could be shot entirely in 5.9K at 24 fps.

The EOS 5D Mark IV and EOSR were also used throughout, to shoot the film and to photograph the behind-the-scenes footage,” said Hamoudi Laggoune, the gifted Algerian cinematographer chosen to work alongside Allouache on the new film. “The camera provides complete flexibility and freedom to choose the image formats, bokeh effects and lenses that are best suited to the filming conditions,” he added.

Sharing the Best Industry Knowledge

The Canon EOS cameras are more than just the choice for the established leaders in the film industry. Their agile imaging solution is well suited to a wide range of tasks and experience levels.

Canon’s cinema cameras, EOS DSLRs and lenses continue to be adopted by the movie industry for their high quality and dependable design. They are also the first choice with professional filmmakers, as evidenced by the 2020 Academy Award nominees and winners.

To help support all aspiring and established filmmakers during these challenging times, Canon will begin a three-month knowledge-sharing initiative with over 42 pro-video webinars called Canon Tech Talk Series for the film market in Africa.

On August 11th, the first webinar will feature Canon’s Amine Djouhara, alongside African film legends Hamoudi Laggoune and Kunle Afolayan. The opening session will explore the features of the Canon C500 Mark II, sharing their experience with the camera during their recent high-profile productions.

Fans of these talented directors will get an exclusive behind the scenes perspective on their work and the equipment they trust.

After this special first webinar, the CCNA team will continue with a series of Canon Tech Talk webinars on changing the face of filmmaking, covering vlogging, streaming, colour science, post-production, and a range of other film-making classes.

The remaining 18 webinars divided between beginner and professional courses in three different languages (English, French and Arabic), ensuring everyone can continue to learn and grow during these strange times.

“Now more than ever, we must come together to ensure that the global standstill does not set us back in our careers or our passion-projects,” says Amine Djouhara, Sales and Marketing Director at Canon Central and North Africa.

“During these challenging times, this series of webinars offer a virtual developmental tool to maintain the evolution of critical skills for continued and sustainable growth of the film industry,”

To register for the first Canon Tech Talk Series free webinars starting on August 12th, please click on the relevant links below:

12th August – Kunle Afolayan
Topic – Discover C500 Mark II
Languages – English
Time – 1 pm NG| 3 PM KEN

13th August – Raul Gabat
Topic – Introduction to 4K Series
Languages – English

13th August – Andrew Emil
Topic – Introduction to 4K Series
Languages – Arabic

13th August – Jean Mazel
Topic – Introduction to 4K Series
Languages – French

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

A good 20 years ago, Audi opened up the sporty premium compact market segment with the first S3. Now the brand is presenting the new generation – an S3 Sportback and an S3 Sedan. Its 2.0 TFSI engine produces 228 kW (310 PS) of power and 400 Nm (295.0 lb-ft) of torque.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Both models (S3 Sportback: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7.4 (31.8 US mpg); Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 170–169 (273.6–272.0 g/mi); S3 Sedan: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7.3–7.2 (32.2–32.7 US mpg); Combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 166–165 (267.2–265.5 g/mi)) accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.8 seconds.
A seven-speed S tronic, the Quattro drive with intelligent control, and an S-specific sport suspension with optional damper control deliver the power to the road effortlessly. A number of other new features – including the operating concept, infotainment, and assist systems – round off the high-tech character of the S3 models.
More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Characteristic design and lighting

The new S3 models2 display their dynamic character from the very first glance. The front is dominated by the Singleframe with its large rhombus-patterned grille and impressive air inlets, while the housings of the exterior mirrors have a gleaming aluminium look.

The shoulder of the body extends in a strong line from the headlights to the rear lights. The areas below are curved inward – a new element of Audi’s design that places a stronger emphasis on the wheel arches.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

The new S3 Sportback3 and the S3 Sedan4 can be fitted with matrix LED headlights on request. Their digital daytime running lights consist of a pixel array made up of 15 LED segments, ten of which form two vertical lines. At the rear end, the large diffuser and the four exhaust tailpipes accentuate the sporty look.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Powerful drive

With 228 kW (310 PS) of power and 400 Nm (295.0 lb-ft) of torque, the new S3 models2 are powered by the 2.0 TFSI engine2. High-tech features like the Audi valve lift system (AVS) – which adjusts the lift of the intake valves as required – meaning that the combustion chambers are well filled, while thermal management helps to ensure high efficiency.

Both models2 accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.8 seconds on the way to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph). The driver can use the standard series Audi drive select system to make the sound of the powerful four-cylinder turbo engine even crisper.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

The seven-speed S tronic with lightning-fast gear shifts and freewheeling function and the Quattro all-wheel-drive deliver the torque to the road. The hydraulic multi-plate clutch in front of the rear axle is fully variable and moves between the front and the back as required, combining dynamic performance with stability and efficiency.

It is managed by the modular dynamic handling control – a new system that closely links the Quattro drive to the Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) and the controlled dampers that are available optionally.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Dynamic suspension

With its four-link rear axle and progressive steering, the standard suspension offers everything that is required for pleasurable driving. It lowers the body by 15 millimetres (0.6 in). Audi can also install the series S sport suspension with damper control on request.

Valves control the oil flow in the dampers so that they adapt to the condition of the road, the driving situation, and the driver’s requests in an individual and ongoing in a few thousandths of a second. The spread between comfort and dynamism is even wider than for the predecessor model.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

The new electric brake booster ensures strong and spontaneous deceleration. All four brake discs are internally ventilated. The brake callipers come in black as standard, with red offered as an option. The S3 models2 come with 18-inch wheels as standard, with 19-inch wheels available optionally.

Generous space concept

Compared with their predecessors, the new S3 models2 have grown in size: The Sportback3 and the Sedan4 are three centimetres (1.2 in) and four centimetres (1.6 in) longer respectively, while both models are three centimetres (1.2 in) wider.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

The five-door car is now 4.34 meters (14.2 ft) in length, while the four-door is 4.50 meters (14.8 ft) long. Other than minimal differences, the two body variants are identical in terms of width (1.82 m (6.0 ft)), height (1.43 m (4.7 ft)) and wheelbase (2.64 m (8.7 ft)).

The interior offers greater shoulder room and elbow room. The luggage compartment of the S3 Sportback3 holds between 325 and 1,145 litres (11.5–40.4 cu ft) depending on the position of the rear bench seat, while the Sedan4 has a capacity of 370 litres (13.1 cu ft).

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Sporty interior

The strikingly sporty design of the new S3 models2 continues on the inside – with the new, compact shifter for the seven-speed S tronic and decorative aluminium or carbon inlays whose design evokes the cut of the headlights.

The cockpit is focused on the driver. The distinctive air vents form a single unit with the instrument cover, underlining the sporty character. A 10.25-inch digital display is offered as standard. Alternatively, the Audi virtual cockpit and its “plus” version can be selected.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Both have a 12.3-inch diagonal, with the latter also offering three different screens. The optional ambient lighting package plus delivers targeted lighting effects in the dark. The sport seats have been newly developed, and their standard series upholstery is largely made from recycled PET bottles, accentuated by stylish contrasting stitching.

In the middle of the instrument panel is a 10.1-inch touch display embedded in a large black panel. It recognizes letters entered by hand and provides acoustic feedback. As an additional operating level, the infotainment can also be voice-controlled using natural language as standard. Audi also supplies a head-up display as an option.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

A new generation of infotainment

The MMI operating concept of the new S3 models2 is powered by the third generation modular infotainment platform (MIB 3). Its computing power is ten times higher than that of its predecessor, it performs all tasks relating to connectivity with LTE Advanced speed, and it has an integrated Wi-Fi hotspot.

Route guidance is flexible and accurate. Navigation offers predictions on the development of the traffic situation, high-resolution satellite images from Google Earth, and information about the traffic flow. Individual settings, such as frequently selected destinations or air conditioning preferences, can be stored in up to six user profiles.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

The Audi connect online services also include car-to-X services, which help with finding available parking spots on the roadside or allow the driver to surf the green wave by communicating with traffic lights in cities like Düsseldorf and Ingolstadt.

Connectivity between the new Audi S32 and the user’s smartphone is free of charge via the myAudi app, as well as via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and the Audi phone box – which links the device to the vehicle’s antenna and charges it inductively.

Another feature is the Audi connect key, which authorizes the customer to lock and unlock the car and start the engine via their Android smartphone. For HiFi fans, the Bang & Olufsen premium sound system with 3D sound delivers a particularly spatial soundscape.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Helpful driver-assist systems

The driver assists systems in the new S3 models2 also demonstrate Audi’s technical expertise. Audi pre sense front, swerve assist with turn assist, and lane departure warning all have the potential to prevent accidents and are included as standard. Further assist systems, such as lane change and exit warnings as well as the cross-traffic and park assist systems, are available optionally.

The adaptive cruise assist helps with longitudinal and lateral guidance. It maintains the speed and distance to the vehicle in front and assists with lane guidance by means of gentle interventions in the steering. The efficiency assist supports an economic driving style.

More Dynamic, More Power, More Driving Pleasure: The Audi S3 Sportback and the Audi S3 Sedan

Scheduled: Market launch and prices

Presales of the new compact S3 models2 start in many European countries in August 2020, with the first vehicles being delivered to dealers from the beginning of October. In Germany, prices for the S3 Sportback3 start at €46,302, 53, while the S3 Sedan4 is listed at €47,179, 83.

The market launch is accompanied by the limited “Edition one.” It comes in Python Yellow (Sportback) or Tango Red (Sedan) paint finishes with black accents and has 19-inch wheels and fine Nappa leather sport seats.

Chubb launches Recover & Return Insurance to support the return to workplaces in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 12 August 2020 – Chubb announced today the launch of Recover & Return Insurance, a
market-leading group insurance plan for businesses in Singapore. With  countries and territories beginning to emerge
from lockdowns, businesses need to consider establishing risk mitigation plans
to protect workforces when they return to traditional workplaces.  

 

Chubb’s Recover & Return
Insurance is designed specifically for employers to care for the health, safety and
well-being of their employees so that they can return to their workspace with
confidence.

 

Highlights of this product
include lump sum payouts upon diagnosis of COVID-19 for the following[1]:

 

Benefits for the employee –

1.      
Admission to hospital.

2.      
Admission to the Intensive Care Unit.

3.      
Family bereavement in the event of the
demise of an insured employee.

 

Benefits for the employer –

1.      
Counselling for employees should a
colleague working nearby be diagnosed with COVID-19.

2.      
Workplace disinfection.

 

Ben Howell, Deputy Head of
Accident & Health at Chubb in Asia Pacific said, “We recognise the
need to enhance the confidence of companies and their
employees as they return to their traditional workplaces. The Recover &
Return Insurance complements our Work from Home Insurance launched recently.
Both insurance products address the concerns of employers in providing sustained
care for their employees in the new normal, whether working from home or their
traditional workplace.”




[1] These
product highlights are an overview of the key features of the product. Please
see the actual policy for exact terms, conditions and exclusions.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded
property and casualty insurer. Chubb Insurance Singapore Limited, via acquisitions
by its predecessor companies, has been present in Singapore since 1948. Chubb
in Singapore provides underwriting and risk management expertise for all major
classes of general insurance. The company’s product offerings include Financial
Lines, Casualty, Property, Marine, Industry Practices as well as Group
insurance solutions for large corporates, multinationals, small and
medium-sized businesses. In addition, to meet the evolving needs of consumers,
it also offers a suite of tailored Accident & Health and Personal &
Specialty insurance options through a multitude of distribution channels
including bancassurance, independent distribution partners and affinity
partnerships.

Over the years, Chubb in Singapore has
established strong client relationships by delivering responsive service,
developing innovative products and providing market leadership built on
financial strength.

More information can be found at www.chubb.com/sg.

Prudential Thailand and The 1 to launch country’s first lifestyle-health collaboration

Members of The 1 loyalty programme gain access to AI-driven lifestyle, health and wealth services

 

HONG
KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach –
11 August 2020 – Prudential
Life Assurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited
(“Prudential
Thailand”) and The 1 CENTRAL LIMITED (“The 1”) today signed an agreement for
the country’s first lifestyle and health collaboration, bringing enhanced
digital services to members of Thailand’s leading loyalty programme.

The 1 is
Thailand’s largest loyalty platform, with over 17 million members, and  Prudential Thailand is part of Prudential
Corporation Asia (Prudential), a leading insurer and asset manager, who also offers
digital health services and content in 11 markets across Asia through its app,
Pulse by Prudential.

Through
this collaboration, The 1’s members will gain access to highly customised
digital lifestyle and health solutions based on their lifestyle preferences,
health stages and savings intentions. The partners in the collaboration will
use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to curate and offer services that are highly
relevant to members, helping them to achieve a higher quality of life and wellbeing.

Mr Robin Spencer, Chief
Executive of Prudential Thailand,
said, “We are delighted to work with The 1, which shares
our aspiration to support and protect families through the use of new digital
solutions. This collaboration builds on our launch of Pulse, a highly engaging,
holistic app that will help Thai people live longer, healthier lives. Pulse
harnesses the power of AI to provide highly personalised health and wellness
insights for our users.”

Dr Ton Chirathivat,
President — The 1, Central Group said
, “We always create and continue
bringing innovative and surprising experiences to The 1 members in every angle
of life including Health & Wellness especially during Pandemic situation
nowadays. With this strategic partnership, we are truly confident and commit to
provide one-of-a-kind
health and well-being experiences to another level for our The 1 members”

About Prudential in Thailand

Prudential has operated in Thailand
for more than 24 years through Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) Public
Company Limited. Prudential serves more than 1.6 million customers in Thailand
and manages more than Thai Baht 112 billion of assets on their behalf. In 2019
the Thailand business grew IFRS operating profits by 8 per cent to USD 170
million and Life Weighted Premium by 8 per cent to USD 619 million. (31 December 2019 figures)

About The 1

The 1 is Thailand’s largest loyalty
platform, with over 17 million members or
more than 25% of the population of Thailand. It strives to be the
ultimate lifestyle platform that understands its customers and caters to every
lifestyle through The 1 Application, through which users can collect points for
every purchase within establishments in the Central Group, namely Central,
Central Embassy (for participating stores), CENTRAL at central wOrld, Robinson,
Supersports, B2S, Central Online, Baan & Beyond, stores under CMG, Family
Mart, Central Food Hall, Tops Markets, Tops SUPERSTORE, Tops Daily, Tops
Online, Power Buy, Thai Watsadu, and Office Mate. The points can also be
exchanged for cash coupons or discounts. The 1 also offers privileges in
collaboration with its partners in various sectors, including gas stations,
tourism, entertainment, beauty, finance, restaurants, hospitals, and so on, to
meet the needs of its members in every aspect of living experience.


Prudential Corporation Asia

Prudential
Corporation Asia is a business unit of Prudential plc (United Kingdom)*,
comprising its life insurance operations in Asia and its asset management
business, Eastspring Investments. It is headquartered in Hong Kong.

Prudential is a
leading life insurer with operations spanning 13 markets in Asia, covering
Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Through a robust
multi-channel distribution platform, Prudential provides a comprehensive range
of savings, investment and protection products to meet the diverse needs of
Asian families.

Eastspring
Investments manages investments across Asia on behalf of a wide range of retail
and institutional investors. It is a leading Asia-based asset manager with
on-the-ground presence in 11 major Asian markets as well as distribution
offices in North America and Europe. It has over US$241 billion in assets under
management (as at 31 December 2019), managing funds across a range of asset
classes including equities and fixed income.

*Prudential
plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc. of the
United States or with the Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G
plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.


Prudential
plc is listed on the stock exchanges of London (PRU.L), Hong Kong (2378.HK), Singapore
(K6S.SG) and New York (PUK.N)


About Pulse by Prudential

Pulse by
Prudential is a digital health app and the first of its kind in the region to
offer holistic health management to consumers. Using AI-powered self-help tools
and real-time information, the app serves as a 24/7 health and wellness partner
to users, helping them prevent, postpone, and protect against the onset of
diseases.
Pulse is part of Prudential’s region-wide strategy
to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to everyone across Asia by
leveraging digital technologies and best-in-class partnerships. 


Following the regional launch of Pulse in Malaysia in August 2019, Pulse
is now available in a total of 11 markets in Asia and includes a growing suite
of value-add services, such as a symptom checker and health assessment,
personal wellness services, and video consultations with certified doctors and
specialists.


Since its launch, Pulse has been downloaded
more than 8 million times in Asia to date. Pulse is currently available on the
Apple/Google Play stores in Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.


For
more information, and to download Pulse, log on to
 www.wedopulse.com


 

Hong Kong Codification of Transfer Pricing Law by Cheng & Cheng Taxation Services

HONG KONG, CHINA – Media OutReach – 11 August 2020
– Hong Kong is one of
the latest tax jurisdictions to codify its own transfer pricing law, with 2020 being
the first year for some Hong Kong corporations to prepare transfer pricing
documentation.

Renowned for
being one of the lowest tax rate jurisdictions, and for its conductive business
environment, Hong Kong is a place in which multinational corporations (MNCs) tend
to allocate more profits in order to lower the overall group effective tax
rate. The Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department (IRD) definitely welcomes this.
However, with the adoption of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), tax filings submitted to the IRD
may be shared with other tax authorities. As such, the transfer pricing
policies of MNCs must balance the interests of all relevant tax authorities, not
limited to the IRD. Henry Kwong, Tax Partner of Cheng & Cheng Taxation
Services
said “MNCs should not overlook the importance of Hong Kong in their
Transfer Pricing Policy, from both a compliance and tax planning perspective.”

There have previously
been occasions where a group sacrificed Hong Kong in their transfer pricing
policies. However, with the implementation of the transfer pricing law in July
2018, tax adjustments can now be made to Hong Kong entities with a less than
reasonable level of profits. More importantly, penalties up to the amount of
tax undercharged can be imposed in the absence of proper transfer pricing
documentation.

Scenario 1: Assigning big losses to
Hong Kong entities during a recession

Due to the US–China
trade war and the Covid-19 pandemic, the year 2020 will undoubtedly be a difficult
one for MNCs. It can be a real headache for in-house tax specialists to apply
their transfer pricing policies as the overall profit margin of the group
plunges. As the group will have already entered into either advance pricing
arrangements or informal agreements with tax authorities in other operating
jurisdictions, they may still have to assign a certain percentage of the profit
margin to those jurisdictions, despite the profit slump. In the past, a group
was left with no alternative but to allocate substantial losses to Hong Kong
entities of the group. This is now not possible since the IRD is likely to
impose transfer pricing adjustments and will not accept the losses.

Scenario 2: Hong Kong as a collection
and payment hub

Hong Kong
enterprises are commonly assigned to be the “collection and payment hub” of a group
to collect and make payments on behalf of its group companies in other
jurisdictions to get around foreign exchange control restrictions. From an accounting
perspective, these transactions may be booked as sales and cost of sales
without any markup. These break-even transactions lower the overall operating
profit margin of the Hong Kong entity despite a “nil” effect on the absolute
amount of profit. However, the corporation’s lower overall profit margin may
trigger the attention of tax authorities, especially when the margin is lower
than the industry average.

Importance of proper transfer
pricing documentation in Hong Kong

As in other
jurisdictions, transfer pricing documentation in Hong Kong comprises Master File,
Local File and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting. While following the
universal threshold of group consolidated revenue of EUR750 million for a CbC
report, the threshold for Master File and Local File in Hong Kong is rather
complicated (see Table 1). In this regard, March year-end corporations should
have prepared their first Master File and Local File documentation last year,
while 30 September 2020 is the due date for December year-end corporations.

Table 1: Threshold for Master
File and Local File

 

Criteria (A): Based on size of business (any
two out of the three
below)

Threshold

(i)

Total annual
revenue (全年總收入)

> HK$400 Million (港幣四億元)

(ii)

Total assets (總資產)

> HK$300 Million (港幣三億元)

(iii)

Employees (員工總數目)

>100 (一百人)

 

Criteria (B): Based on related party transactions (any
one out of the four
below)

Threshold (HK$) (港幣)

(i)

Transfer of
properties (excludes financial assets / intangibles)

(有形資產交易 (不包括金融資產/無形資產))

> HK$220 Million (二億二千萬)

(ii)

Transactions in financial
assets (金融資產交易)

> HK$110 Million (一億一千萬)

(iii)

Transfers of
intangibles (無形資產交易)

> HK$110 Million (一億一千萬)

(iv)

Any other transactions (e.g.
service income服務費收入/royalty income專利觀收入)

> HK$44 Million (四千四百萬元)

 

As
mentioned above, failure to prepare proper documentation can trigger not only
administrative fines, but also penalties up to the amount of tax undercharged
in the case of transfer pricing adjustments. More pertinently, no tax credit will
be granted in other tax jurisdictions for such penalties.

 

Applying
the same logic, there is a growing trend for MNCs to prepare benchmarking studies,
even when their size does not meet the required threshold, for the following
reasons:-

 

Tax authority challenge

  • The
    IRD is increasingly eager to request a benchmarking study, even if the
    corporation does not meet the threshold for preparing transfer pricing
    documentation, especially in the case of high gross profit fluctuation;
  • Field
    investigation by the IRD can be a painful process. A benchmarking study is
    often very helpful in reaching a compromise settlement, such as in the case of
    failure to maintain proper accounting records.

 

Tax advisory on operational change

  • Thanks
    to its low tax rate, Hong Kong is still a place in which many corporations prefer
    to allocate more profits. Given the current global situation, many MNCs are
    considering shifting their location of operations. Making use of this
    opportunity, they are eager to set up substance in Hong Kong to justify their
    profit allocation.

 

Initial Public Offering in Hong Kong

  • Authorities
    now customarily request transfer pricing information from corporations wishing to
    list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

As a last
piece of advice, with the implementation of the Common Reporting Standard (CRS)
and AEOI, global tax authorities are more intent on targeting foreign
corporations operating in local tax jurisdictions, normally in the form of a Permanent
Establishment (PE). While the arguments about the existence of PEs continue,
transfer pricing is a preferred means of resolving PE tax disputes. As such, it
is essential that MNCs review their current operations and update their
transfer pricing policies to reduce their transfer pricing risk.

About Cheng & Cheng Taxation Services

This article is by Henry Kwong, Tax Partner of
Cheng & Cheng Taxation Services. Cheng & Cheng is one of the top 20
accounting firms in Hong Kong, with over 300 staff in Hong Kong and the PRC. We
are the principal auditor for 20 listed corporations in Hong Kong and the tax
advisor for over 50. We specialise in providing Hong Kong, PRC and international
tax advisory services, as well as transfer pricing services to international
clients. If you would
like to know more about transfer pricing in Hong Kong, or seek tax advice from
our tax experts, please do not hesitate to contact us by email (henry.kwong@chengtax.com.hk) or phone (+852 3962 0114).

Standard Chartered Bank partners with Microsoft to become a cloud-first bank

SINGAPORE AND REDMOND,
WASH. – Media OutReach – 11 August 2020 – Standard Chartered Bank and Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced a three-year strategic
partnership to accelerate the bank’s digital transformation through a cloud-first
strategy. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Standard Chartered
in making its vision for virtual banking, next-generation payments, open
banking and banking-as-a-service a reality. Leveraging Azure as a
preferred cloud platform, the companies will also co-innovate in open banking
and real-time payments to help the bank unlock new banking experiences for
clients.

 

Embarking
on a cloud-first strategy

 

As part of its digital transformation, Standard
Chartered will adopt a multicloud approach, where
significant applications, including its core banking and trading systems and
new digital ventures such as virtual banking and banking as-a-service, will be
cloud-based by 2025, subject to regulatory
approvals. The bank will also adopt a cloud-first principle for all new
software developments and major enhancements.

 

As technology reshapes the banking industry, Standard
Chartered recognizes that a cloud-first strategy is critical to the bank’s
ambition to make banking simpler, faster and more convenient. By being
digital-first, the bank will be able to meet the demand for seamless banking virtually
anytime, anywhere, and make banking more accessible to people across its
network.

 

Michael
Gorriz, Group Chief Information Officer of Standard Chartered, said, “Cloud is
a cornerstone of Standard Chartered’s strategy to meet the present and future
banking needs of our clients. Cloud providers have invested massively in the
reliability and automation of infrastructure and platforms. Using cloud
services improves our ability to be agile and innovative, while increasing our
operational efficiency and resilience. As disruption in the financial industry
continues, we can focus on client benefits by deploying our solutions quicker
and allowing for faster integration of new business models and partners. To
realize our digital ambitions, Standard Chartered has chosen Microsoft as a
strategic partner and this partnership marks a major milestone for the bank in
adopting a cloud-first approach.”

 

Bhupendra
Warathe, Chief Technology Officer, Cloud Transformation at Standard Chartered,
added that “The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the need for businesses and
banks to be resilient from a risk mitigation, cost and security perspective. With
the increasing trend of an always-on digital economy, commercial and consumer clients
are looking for applications and services that empower them to do online
banking from anywhere, flexibly and efficiently. The speed and scale of
continuous innovation offered by Azure allows us to innovate with the latest AI
services to meet evolving client needs. We can pilot new apps in one market and
scale them rapidly across others. This is especially important for a bank with
a footprint as broad and diverse as ours.”

 

Standard
Chartered will adopt Microsoft Azure as a preferred cloud platform to meet the bank’s
need for resilient data centers and cloud services and addressing customers’ security,
privacy and compliance requirements across the bank’s global footprint.

 

The
first set of capabilities to move to Microsoft Azure will be Standard
Chartered’s trade finance systems, allowing for seamless cross-border trade for
the bank’s corporate and institutional clients. 

 

The
partnership will also advance the bank’s digital workplace transformation with Microsoft
365 and Microsoft Teams providing modern productivity and collaboration tools to
Standard Chartered’s 84,000 employees across its 60 markets.

 

Co-innovating the future of banking


Standard Chartered will also use Microsoft Azure
artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics capabilities to enhance and
automate banking processes as well as deliver hyper personalization of its
client products and experiences. Co-innovation in open banking application programming
interface (API) and Internet-of-Things-based, real-time payments will also help
the bank unlock new banking experiences for clients.

 

Bill Borden, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide
Financial Services at Microsoft said, “Cloud computing is an enabler for
financial institutions to modernize their infrastructure and systems, to gain
the agility they need to respond to competitive pressures, regulatory
environments and customer demand. We are committed to helping Standard
Chartered Bank in its ongoing digital transformation journey as it strives to
address evolving customer needs and build the next generation of banking
experiences.”

 

Addressing
the social needs of communities in the emerging markets


Standard Chartered strives
to understand the evolving needs of its communities and be an enabler for
change. As a part of the strategic partnership, the bank and Microsoft will
explore sustainable finance and business initiatives to expand sustainability
across the industry.

 

Editors notes:

Link to Michael Gorriz’s
blog “
Why
cloud adoption is not an option but a necessity for banks


About Standard Chartered Bank

We are
a leading international banking group, with a presence in 60 of the world’s
most dynamic markets, and serving clients in a further 85. Our purpose is to
drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage
and values are expressed in our brand promise, Here for good.

 

Standard
Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.

 

For
more stories and expert opinions please visit 
Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on TwitterLinkedIn and Facebook.

 

About
Microsoft


Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”
@microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud
and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.

 

For more news and
information, visit
https://news.microsoft.com/en-sg/

DEUTZ AG: Significant decline in business performance in the first half of 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis

  • Measures under the Transform
    for Growth efficiency program defined and initiated – annual cost savings
    of around €100 million expected from 2022
  • Group guidance for 2020 remains under review;
    medium-term targets confirmed
  • Revenue target for China in 2022 raised to €800 million[1]

 

DEUTZ Group: overview of key figures


million

H1 2020

Change

Q2 2020

Change

New
orders

623.6

-34.6%

266.9

-39.2%

Unit
sales (units)

73,859

-27.3%

33,790

-37.3%

Revenue

620.0

-33.3%

280.2

-41.3%

EBIT

-49.9

<-100%

-38.1

<-100%

EBIT
before exceptional items

-49.9

<-100%

-38.1

<-100%

EBIT
margin

-8.0

-13.6

EBIT
margin before exceptional items (%)

-8.0

-13.6

Net
income

-52.3

<-100%

-42.3

<-100%

Net
income before exceptional items

-52.3

<-100%

-42.3

<-100%

Earnings
per share (€)

-0.43

<-100%

-0.35

<-100%

Earnings
per share before exceptional items (€)

-0.43

<-100%

-0.35

<-100%

Equity
ratio (%)

48.5

48.5

Cash
flow from operating activities

-43.7

<-100%

-31.8

<-100%

Free
cash flow

-85.7

-85.5%

-50.2

<+100%

Net
financial position (at Jun. 30)

-117.8

<-100%

-117.8

<-100%

Employees
(number as at Jun. 30)

4,673

-3.9%

4,673

-3.9%

 

COLOGNE, GERMANY – EQS
Newswire – 11 August 2020 – DEUTZ, a leading global
manufacturer of innovative drive systems, registered a significant overall
decline in business performance in the first half of 2020 as a result of the
coronavirus crisis. Demand slumped due to customers continuing to sell the
inventories of engines they had built up before new emissions standards came
into force, which had already led to a low level of orders on hand at the end
of 2019, and due to the macroeconomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic in what
was already a challenging market environment. Furthermore, business operations
were significantly disrupted in the second quarter as a result of a temporary
production shutdown and the introduction of short-time working.

 

“The adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy
and thus on our engine business cannot be ignored. At present, nobody can
predict how the coronavirus crisis will continue to unfold. However, it is
clear that the entire DEUTZ team will do everything they can to ensure that we
emerge stronger from the crisis. Despite the current situation, we believe we
are on the right track to be able to achieve our medium-term targets,”
said DEUTZ CEO Dr. Frank Hiller. Commenting on the Transform for Growth
efficiency program launched at the start of this year, he added: “To be
competitive in the long term and ensure the Company stays on course for
success, it is vital that we regularly review our processes and structures. We
have done this and we expect implementation of the resulting action plan to
generate annual cost savings totaling around €100 million from the end of
2022.”

 

Sharp decline in sales figures as a result of the coronavirus crisis

 

In the period under review, the new orders received by DEUTZ fell by
34.6 percent year on year to €623.6 million. This was due not only to the sharp
drop in new orders triggered by the coronavirus crisis but also to the high
level of new orders in the prior-year period as a result of customers building
up their inventories of engines before new emissions standards came into force.
Customers then sold these engines, putting a further strain on the business.

 

The Construction Equipment, Material Handling, Agricultural Machinery, and
Stationary Equipment application segments recorded double-digit percentage
reductions in new orders. By contrast, the Miscellaneous application segment
and the service business notched up further increases of 16.4 percent and 0.8
percent respectively. The sharp rise in the Miscellaneous application segment
was primarily due to the growth in new orders for rail vehicle drive systems.

 

As at June 30, 2020, orders on hand stood at €253.5 million (June 30, 2019:
€462.6 million).

 

The DEUTZ Group sold a total of 73,859 engines in the reporting period,
which was 27.3 percent fewer than in the first half of 2019. Miscellaneous was
the only application segment with an increase in unit sales, registering
a substantial rise of 112.7 percent that was largely attributable to the
introduction of small outboard motors known as trolling motors. The ramp-up of
these motors enabled DEUTZ subsidiary Torqeedo to more than double its sales of
boat motors to a total of 16,244, which equates to a year-on-year rise of 163.8
percent.

 

In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), DEUTZ’s biggest sales
market, unit sales went down by 30.5 percent compared with the prior-year
period to 37,763 engines. In the Americas region, unit sales fell by 47.4
percent to 14,726 engines. By contrast, unit sales in the Asia-Pacific region
grew by 10.8 percent owing to the aforementioned ramp-up at Torqeedo.

 

The DEUTZ Group’s revenue fell by 33.3 percent compared with the
first six months of 2019 to €620.0 million. Revenue declined across the board,
from both a regional and an application segment perspective.

 

Operating profit falls sharply, partly as a result of diseconomies of
scale

 

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the business activities of the
DEUTZ Group and its customers meant that DEUTZ reported an operating loss (EBIT
before exceptional items) of €49.9 million in the first half of 2020. This
significant decline compared with the prior-year period was attributable, in
particular, to the fall in revenue and the resulting diseconomies of scale.
There was also a heavy drag on operating profit from payments of around €10
million made under continuation agreements with suppliers that are going
through insolvency proceedings and demand-related impairment losses of around
€5 million recognized on capitalized development projects. However, there were some
positive influences on earnings performance in addition to the general cost
reductions and the use of short-time working: The Board of Management waived
its one-year variable remuneration for 2020 and senior managers waived a
substantial part of their variable remuneration for 2020. The EBIT margin stood
at minus 8.0 percent in the reporting period, compared with 5.1 percent in the
prior-year period.

 

DEUTZ Compact Engines (DCE): key figures for the segment

 


million

H1 2020

Change

Q2 2020

Change

New
orders

439.9

-41.8%

184.6

-46.8%

Unit
sales (units)

48,173

-41.2%

21,180

-50.7%

Revenue

453.7

-37.8%

197.8

-47.1%

EBIT
before exceptional items

-49.8

<-100%

-33.1

<-100%

EBIT
margin before exceptional items (%)

-11.0

-16.7

 

In the first half of 2020, the DCE segment’s sales figures declined
overall compared with the prior-year period. New orders came to €439.9 million,
which was 41.8 percent lower than in the first six months of 2019. The
breakdown by application segment reveals that only the service business
recorded a rise in new orders, with an increase of 6.0 percent to €89.0 million
that was primarily attributable to the expansion of on-site customer service business.
The segment’s unit sales declined by 41.2 percent to 48,173 engines and revenue
contracted by 37.8 percent to €453.7 million, with decreases in all regions and
application segments.

 

In the first six months of this year, the operating profit of the DEUTZ
Compact Engines segment
deteriorated by a substantial €84.7 million to a
loss due to the collapse in demand triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The
segment’s operating profit was weighed down by a fall in revenue of almost 38
percent, payments to suppliers going through insolvency proceedings to enable
them to continue supplying DEUTZ, and impairment losses on a development
project. These impairment losses were recognized due to the expected decrease
in demand for the affected engine series.

 

DEUTZ Customized Solutions (DCS): key figures for the segment


million

H1 2020

Change

Q2 2020

Change

New
orders

165.4

-8.4%

72.9

-12.8%

Unit
sales (units)

9,442

-30.1%

4,889

-23.8%

Revenue

145.0

-21.6%

70.2

-25.2%

EBIT
before exceptional items

6.6

-72.0%

-1.7

<-100%

EBIT
margin before exceptional items (%)

4.6

-2.4

 

The DCS segment’s sales figures also deteriorated in the period under
review. New orders fell by 8.4 percent year on year to €165.4 million.
Miscellaneous was the only application segment with an increase in new orders,
registering a substantial rise of 52.6 percent to €29.6 million that was
largely attributable to new orders for rail vehicle drive systems. The
segment’s total unit sales dropped by 30.1 percent to 9,442 engines. Only the
Construction Equipment application segment recorded an increase, with its unit
sales advancing by 13.7 percent to 1,755 engines thanks to the business
involving drives for mining equipment. Revenue decreased across all regions and
application segments, falling by 21.6 percent year on year to €145.0 million.

 

The operating profit for the segment deteriorated markedly compared with the
first half of 2019. This was mainly due to the sharp decline caused by the
global coronavirus pandemic in the reporting period. The segment’s operating
profit was also weighed down by impairment losses on two development projects
that were recognized due to the expected decrease in demand for the affected
engine series.

Other: key figures for the segment


million

H1 2020

Change

Q2 2020

Change

New
orders

19.5

+4.8%

9.8

+4.3%

Unit
sales (units)

16,244

>+100%

7,721

+72.1%

Revenue

22.5

+32.4%

12.6

+17.8%

EBIT
before exceptional items

-6.7

+40.7%

-3.3

+35.3%

EBIT
margin before exceptional items (%)

-29.8

-26.2

 

The Other segment includes not only Torqeedo’s business with electric motors
for boats but also Futavis GmbH, which was acquired in October 2019. Overall,
the segment’s business performance was positive in the reporting period.
Despite the coronavirus crisis, new orders rose by 4.8 percent year on year to
€19.5 million. In the first half of 2020, unit sales more than doubled to a
total of 16,244 electric motors. This was primarily thanks to the ramp-up of
trolling engines and led to a 32.4 percent jump in revenue to €22.5 million.
All regions contributed to this growth.

 

In the period under review, the Other segment’s operating loss improved by
€4.6 million. This was mainly attributable to the deconsolidation of the joint
venture DEUTZ AGCO Motores S.A., Haedo, Argentina, in the first half of 2019.
As part of the deconsolidation, which was carried out for reasons of
materiality, cumulative negative exchange differences were reclassified from
equity to the income statement, which had a significant adverse impact on the
segment’s earnings in the prior-year period.

 

Full-year guidance for 2020 remains under review

 

The progression and timeline of the coronavirus crisis going forward is very
difficult to predict, as is its impact on the economy and thus on DEUTZ’s engine
business. Consequently, it is still not possible to provide updated guidance
for 2020 at the present time.

 

Fundamentally, it can be assumed that the remainder of 2020, particularly
the third quarter, will continue to be heavily affected by the impact of the
coronavirus crisis, although to a lesser extent than the second quarter.

 

It is now anticipated that the final installment of the purchase price for
the Cologne-Deutz site, which had been expected as a positive exceptional item,
will be paid in 2021 rather than this year. However, it is important to note
that the amount and the date of this payment continue to depend on when the
development plan for the site is formally approved and so cannot be precisely
determined yet.

 

Medium-term targets confirmed

 

Despite the currently difficult situation, the Company reaffirms its current
outlook for 2022, when it expects to generate revenue in excess of €2.0 billion
and an EBIT margin before exceptional items in the range of 7 percent to 8
percent.

 

Growth is likely to be driven mainly by the continued internationalization
and rapid expansion of the service business, but also by the expansion of the
core business and the further development of the product portfolio. As a
result, DEUTZ is also adhering to its revenue target for the service business,
which it has brought forward to 2021 and envisages revenue of over €400
million.

 

In view of the restructuring of its business in China, DEUTZ raised its
original revenue target for 2022 from around €500 million to around €800
million. This significant increase is due, in particular, to the fact that the
planned volume for the joint venture already meets existing market demand and
the intention is to gain further market share from competitors by implementing
the China strategy.

Transform for Growth global efficiency program defined

 

At the start of the year, DEUTZ launched a Company-wide efficiency program,
Transform for Growth, in order to further shore up its earnings performance in
challenging conditions. The details of the underlying action plan were drawn up
in the second quarter. The main areas of action are optimization of the global
production network, automation and digitalization of production and
administrative processes, and groupwide streamlining of the organizational
structure.

 

By taking these measures, DEUTZ hopes to generate annual cost savings of
around €100 million, with the full effect expected to be achieved from 2022
onward. As well as adjusting operating costs, a large part of the savings are
to be achieved by reducing staff costs. This will involve a reduction in
headcount of up to 1,000 across the Group, which will be implemented with the
minimum possible social impact.

 

A total of 380 jobs have already been cut in the first half of this year,
partly by reducing the number of temporary workers. Following on from this,
DEUTZ is planning to launch a voluntary program encompassing a further 350 jobs
at its sites in Germany. The remaining reduction in headcount is to be achieved
by the end of 2022 as fixed-term contracts come to an end and through natural
attrition.

 

“Our utmost objective is to avoid compulsory redundancies and find a
socially responsible solution for our employees. We have therefore already
entered into an ongoing dialog with the employee representatives to discuss the
details of a voluntary program,” stressed DEUTZ CEO Hiller.

Forward-looking statements

 

This investor news may
contain certain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and
forecasts made by the DEUTZ management team. Various known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors may lead to material differences between the
actual results, the financial position, or the performance of the DEUTZ Group
and the estimates and assessments set out here. These factors include those
that DEUTZ has described in published reports, which are available at
www.deutz.com. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking
statements or to change them to reflect future events or developments.

About DEUTZ AG

DEUTZ AG, a publicly traded company headquartered in Cologne, Germany, is
one of the world’s leading manufacturers of innovative drive systems. Its core
competencies are the development, production, distribution, and servicing of
diesel, gas, and electric drive systems for professional applications. It
offers a broad range of engines delivering up to 620 kW that are used in
construction equipment, agricultural machinery, material handling equipment,
stationary equipment, commercial vehicles, rail vehicles, and other applications.
DEUTZ has around 4,900 employees worldwide and over 800 sales and service
partners in more than 130 countries. It generated revenue of €1,840.8 million
in 2019.

 

Further information is available at www.deutz.com[1]. The revenue target of approximately EUR800 million includes the revenue
generated by the joint venture with SANY. Under the equity method, this revenue
is not recognized in the consolidated financial statements.

Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System

All activities literally stood still in Oshodi and Abule Egba axis on Tuesday, for the formal commissioning of the Oshodi-Abule Egba Bus Rapid Mass Transit (BRT) corridor by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The ecstatic crowd of residents filed along the route to welcome the Governor, who rode in a BRT bus to formally flag off the 13.68 kilometre-long corridor for public use.
The BRT project was handled and supervised by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) – an agency of the State’s Ministry of Transportation.
The Oshodi-Abule Egba corridor is a major link for residents who commute in and out of Alimosho, Egbeda, Ijaiye, Iyana Ipaja and Oshodi. The route is also a gateway to neighbouring Ogun State and Republic of Benin.
Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System
Governor Sanwo-Olu described the event as “a major milestone” in the implementation of his administration’s reform agenda in the public transport system, pointing out that the handover of the BRT infrastructure was another promise fulfilled by his administration.
Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System
He said the transportation asset would create a new travel experience for residents of Alimosho and Oshodi, stressing that the project was specifically designed to improve journey time for commuters, thereby scaling up productivity and life expectancy in the State.
He said: “A little over a year ago, we pledged to significantly improve traffic flow and transportation system which is the very first of our six-point development agenda encapsulated as Project T.H.E.M.E.S. We made the pledge knowing that the people are the main reason we have been entrusted with the management of our commonwealth.
Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System
“Today, we are here to formally flag-off a very important public transport infrastructure – the Oshodi–Abule Egba BRT corridor – which officially launches the commencement of transport operation along the BRT corridor. We are unveiling 550 high and medium capacity buses which will be immediately deployed for public use. This event also formally inaugurates our upgraded e-ticketing system in fulfilment of our pledge.
Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System Sanwo-Olu Unveils 500 Mass Transit Buses, Launches Smart Ticketing System
“This project is very significant because of its immense benefits to Lagosians in the different communities it straddles and to visitors to our state. This new BRT corridor will bring great relief to over 60,000 commuters who will use this facility daily. Travel time, which is estimated at an average of two hours during peak periods, will be significantly reduced to an average of 30 minutes. This will improve the health of our people, engender a safer environment, and increase the value of socio-economic activities in the State.”
Sanwo-Olu said his administration’s reform efforts were geared towards birthing a new commuting order in the State through seamless travel and creating smart mobility model that’ll result in a congestion-free State. He reiterated that his Government remained committed to bringing problem-solving interventions across all modes of the transportation sector in Lagos.
To integrate all transport modes on a single smart payment ecosystem, the Governor launched an upgraded e-ticketing platform that would automate fare payment and create smart mobility through a cashless pre-paid Cowry card.
The e-ticketing mechanism has modern functionalities which simplify the process of bus booking and the ticket purchase. It introduces simple solutions that guarantee seamless cash and wireless payment for passengers at designated booths.
The Cowry card will enable passengers to proceed to the loading bay and scan the card for fare deduction.
Sanwo-Olu said: “With the e-ticketing system, we envisage the use of a single card on buses and ferries and later upscale to the railway’s system when passenger operations commence in 2022. The system promotes a cashless ecosystem, aids personal budgeting and planning and commuters can easily top-up.”
The Governor disclosed that the State Government would be distributing the first 100,000 Cowry cards to residents free of charge.
Sanwo-Olu said the State Government was on the verge of complementing Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT corridor with rail project to aid mass mobility.
He hailed LAMATA for supervising the project construction and bringing it to reality, while also thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting the State Government in its drive to deliver an efficient transport system.
He said: “Our administration is very passionate about easing the movement of the citizenry around this beautiful State which is why we would not stop at ensuring that we give you a transport system that works for you.
“I would like to congratulate Lagosians on the successful completion of this project in spite of the challenges thrown up by its implementation. I would also like to commend Lagosians for the pains they had to endure while the construction of this important transport project lasted.”
Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladehinde, described the project as “great progress” in the public transport system, noting that the BRT route was important to the State’s strategic transportation master plan.
Managing Director of LAMATA, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo said the commencement of BRT operations along the corridor would reduce travel time for commuters by 35 per cent, while also enhancing socio-economic development.
She said: “The frequency of the BRT operation along this route will enhance public transport accessibility by up to 25 per cent, while the provision of the dedicated lane will enhance reliability on the public transportation by 30 per cent. The project has been designed to integrate the proposed Red Line Rail Mass Transit project as part of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s transportation blueprint.”
The new BRT corridor is a median running route with 14 drop-off terminals along the Oshodi-Abule Egba route, which terminates at Katangua Bus Station. Each terminal has well-ventilated foyer where passengers can sit and wait for buses.

The route was designed with 11 pedestrian bridges, traffic safety measures and street lighting.

Dangote Cement & 16 others led NSE-ASI to sustain downtrend, sheds 0.58%

The Nigerian equity market today (Tuesday) closed on a negative note, shedding 0.58% to sustaining previous negative sentiment to two consecutive trading days, following profit-taking on some bellwether stocks like DANGCEM, ACCESS, GUINNESS and 14 others.

However, the market breadth closed at par, recording 17 gainers as against 17 losers.

In summary, the All-Share Index (ASI) decreased by 143.28 absolute points, representing a contraction of 0.58% to close at 24,833.70 points. Similarly, the overall Market Capitalization size shed N75.07 billion, representing a decrease of 0.58% to close at N12.98 trillion

CADBURY emerged as the top gainers while PRESTIGE emerged as the top loser.

The downturn was impacted by loses recorded in large and medium capitalized stocks, amongst which are; DANGCEM (-4.09%), GUINNESS (-3.33%), INTBREW (-1.59%), ACCESS (-0.76%) and WAPCO (-0.42%).

MARKET STATISTICS

CAP N12,980,809,405,622.82 One Day (ASI CHG) -0.58%
Index 24,883.70 One Week (ASI CHG) +0.17%
Volume 206,609,577 One Month (ASI CHG) +2.38%
Value N2,475,184,309.14 Six Months (ASI CHG) -10.40%
Deals 3,925 52 Weeks (ASI CHG) -9.27%
Gainers 17 Losers 17
Unchanged 65 Total 111
YTD -7.30%

Source: NSEGTI Research

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

The Naira at the official window on Monday closed at 381.00/$1, unchanged against the previous day’s position.

The Investors and Exporters (I&E) FX window opened at N386.20, traded high at N386.00, and eventually closed at N385.50unchanged against the previous day’s closing position. A total of $3.97 million was transacted through the I&E window today.

MONEY MARKET

Overnight(O/N) rate closed at 6.17%, representing a 0.04% appreciation against the previous day’s closing position, while Open Buy-Back (OBB) rate closed at 5.17%, representing a 0.08% depreciation against the previous day’s position.

FIXED INCOME
Securities Close P. Close Change
Bond 321.86 300.54 +20.60 bps
T.Bills 163.44 157.20 +5.69 bps
Note: BPS=> Basis Points

Source: FMDQGTI Research

NASD OTC MARKET

The NASD OTC market today (Tuesday) closed as the Unlisted Securities Index (USI) closed at 711.00, representing a 0.70% appreciation against the previous day’s closing position. Similarly, Market Capitalization gained N3.63 billion, to closed at N522.28 billion, representing a 0.70% appreciation against the previous day’s closing position. However, the aggregate volume decreased by 63.33% while the aggregated value increased by 186.12%, as investors traded a total of 53,432 shares, worth N13.99 million in 5 deal.

Sector Performance

Sector % Change
NSE30 -0.68
BANKING 0.52
CONSUMER GOODS 0.93
INDUSTRIAL -2.16
INSURANCE -2.48
LOTUS ISLAMIC -0.90
OIL/GAS 0.26

 

Top 7 Gainers

Company Pclose Open Close Change % Change
CADBURY 6.60 6.60 7.05 0.45 6.82
NB 32.00 32.00 34.00 2.00 6.25
MBENEFIT 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.01 5.00
ARDOVA 12.15 12.15 12.75 0.60 4.94
LASACO 0.24 0.24 0.25 0.01 4.17
AFRIPRUD 4.19 4.19 4.30 0.11 2.63
ETI 4.05 4.05 4.15 0.10 2.47

 

Top 7 Losers

Company Pclose Open Close Change % Change
PRESTIGE 0.50 0.50 0.45 -0.05 -10.00
IKEJAHOTEL 1.12 1.12 1.01 -0.11 -9.82
CHIPLC 0.41 0.41 0.37 -0.04 -9.76
MANSARD 1.58 1.58 1.45 -0.13 -8.23
COURTVILLE 0.21 0.21 0.20 -0.01 -4.76
DANGCEM 141.80 141.80 136.00 -5.80 -4.09
LAWUNION 1.04 1.04 1.00 -0.04 -3.85

 

Top 7 Traders By Volume

Company Volume Value(₦) Current Price
ACCESS                            29,209,750                      191,603,769 6.55
FIDELITYBK                            27,777,266                        50,054,932 1.80
GUARANTY                            25,281,764                      625,550,508 24.80
ZENITHBANK                            15,307,622                      257,786,310 16.85
WEMABANK                            11,115,838                          5,950,509 0.53
FCMB                              8,789,580                        17,599,185 2.00
UCAP                              8,102,535                        25,457,409 3.14

 

Top 7 Traders By Value

Company Volume Value(₦) Current Price
GUARANTY                            25,281,764                 625,550,508.15 24.80
DANGCEM                              2,713,814                 368,496,371.70 136.00
ZENITHBANK                            15,307,622                 257,786,309.70 16.85
NESTLE                                 228,826                 253,965,895.10 1175.00
VALUEFUND                              1,898,000                 218,364,900.00 115.05
ACCESS                            29,209,750                 191,603,768.90 6.55
NB                              1,675,596                   56,130,172.00 34.00

The History, Present, and Future of Bitcoin’s Price

After seeing all the recent price movements for Bitcoin, you might be asking yourself, “Should I buy Bitcoin?” Let’s take a closer look at the history of Bitcoin’s price, and what recent trends might tell us about its future. 

The History, Present, and Future of Bitcoin’s Price

Over the past three months, discussions about the price of Bitcoin have gone through three phases: 

  • Post-Bitcoin halving anticipation, pointing out to previous bull markets that followed each halving. (Notice the high volume during May, before the May 22 Bitcoin halving event.)
  • A long period of sideways action, with BTC mostly in the $9,000 range and some jokes about Bitcoin acting like a stablecoin.
  • The spike in BTC prices during the past week, characterized by a four-day jump to $11,000.
The History, Present, and Future of Bitcoin’s Price
Source: CoinMarketCap

The market sentiment of the past three months may serve as a microcosm of the Bitcoin market in general. Bitcoin has come a long way from its creation in 2009, its less-than-a-cent valuation in 2010, and that fateful 10,000 BTC purchase of two pizzas in the same year.

Now, Bitcoin is a $200 billion market with an $11,000 valuation per bitcoin as of press time. At its height in December 2017, Bitcoin had a $20,000 price and a $300 billion market capitalization.

How did Bitcoin grow so fast in the span of just one decade? Market cycles, adversities, and recoveries play a role in this story.

Bitcoin halving and so-called market cycles

One popular assumption about Bitcoin is that it has a nearly-four-year market cycle, bookended by Bitcoin halving events.

In many major exchanges that existed in 2012, the price of BTC around the first Bitcoin halving, in November 2012, was $13. The price rose to around $220 six months after that. BTC was priced as high as $1,100, just a year after the first halving.

By the time the second halving happened in July 2016, 1 BTC was worth $660. It then took six months for the price to cross $1,000, then four months to reach $2,000, another four months to reach $4,000, and just three months to reach its all-time high of around $20,000 in December 2017.

The History, Present, and Future of Bitcoin’s Price
Source: CoinMarketCap

During the third halving event in May 2020, Bitcoin’s price was about $9,000. The meteoric rises in Bitcoin price over the past two almost-four-year periods have made people excited about the future of Bitcoin. While many predictions on Bitcoin price for the end of 2020 abound, they are mostly optimistic based on these perceived patterns.

This is where due caution is advised. Some analysts have sought to disprove the perceived patterns above, while we have more than 380 predictions of Bitcoin’s eventual death. These predictions come out more often during market downturns, which we’ll go to next.

The higher the rise, the steeper the fall

Remember the first chart we showed about Bitcoin’s price movements since the third halving event? It seems like years ago, but Bitcoin’s price in 2020 has had a more compelling story. Let’s expand that chart a bit.

The History, Present, and Future of Bitcoin’s Price
Source: CoinMarketCap

We began 2020 with a Bitcoin price of $7,000. Bitcoin fluctuated between $8,000 and $10,000 earlier this year, before a 24-hour crash in mid-March, amid the tumble of global markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sent the price down from $8,000 to $4,500. (This happened one month after the big stock market crash in mid-February 2020, surprising people who thought that BTC may end up as a hedge against stocks.)

People new to Bitcoin can get unnerved about tumbles like this, but those who have been around for a while know that there’s always at least one notable tumble for each market cycle.

  • After a high of $1,100 in December 2013, the price of Bitcoin trended down to as low as $200 just 12 months after, and stayed at that level for nine months.
  • After the all-time-high of almost $20,000 in December 2017, Bitcoin’s price plummeted as low as $7,000 amid wild fluctuations during the first half of 2018. Bitcoin’s price exactly one year after ATH: around $3,000.

But more than the highs and lows of Bitcoin’s price, what people should remember about Bitcoin’s price history are the times that it recovered after every fall, no matter what naysayers say.

Bitcoin is resilient

While it’s the extremes that grab more attention, one can argue that it’s in the more stable moments where the opportunity is the biggest. Here’s how Bitcoin eventually recovered every time there’s a down moment in price action.

  • After a price floor of $200 that lasted until October 2015, Bitcoin eventually recovered to $400 in December 2015, and worked its way to $750 over the next six months, in advance of the next Bitcoin halving in July 2016.
  • Bitcoin clawed its way out of the harsh bear market at the start of 2019. Following the $3,000 low in December 2018, the price recovered to $5,000 by early April, then climbed to as high as almost $12,000 by the end of June. While it is not yet a full recovery from the ATH, the evolution of the BTC markets bode well for BTC’s trajectory in the long term.
  • In the recent pandemic-induced swoon, it only took Bitcoin just two months to go from $4,500 in mid-March to almost $10,000 in mid-May, ahead of the recent Bitcoin halving event in that month.

At each downturn, the number of Bitcoin-to-zero predictions grew. At each recovery, the number of naysayers being silenced grew as well.

Takeaways and the bigger picture

This narrative of Bitcoin’s price is in no way definitive, and several factors play into how markets act day after day. But there are a few insights we can draw from this story:

  • Both upswings and downswings are fast, so it might not be the best idea to mainly ride on those.
  • Bitcoin’s rise can be fast and bewildering at times. But it can also rise at a gradual pace that allows for cooler heads to prevail.
  • There’s no guarantee that the market cycle will repeat, but that doesn’t stop us from drawing lessons from each milestone in Bitcoin’s trading history.

Ultimately, when it comes to buying bitcoin, the question of “when” matters less than the “why,” especially considering the long-term trends we discussed above and, more importantly, the ever-growing user base of cryptocurrencies worldwide. All the short-term price movements are but pixels in the grander picture of the rise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as a viable system for exchanging value around the world.

Disclaimer: Bitcoin trading is subject to significant market risk, so please trade cautiously. No statement in this article should be misconstrued as investment advice, and everyone is encouraged to do your own research before entering into trades.

This article appeared first on Binance