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Gold Price Hits Record High as Baht Plunges Against US Dollar

Gold Price Hits Record High as Baht Plunges Against US Dollar

The US Federal Reserve’s unambiguous warning this week that another rate hike is conceivable this year and that rates would likely remain high until 2024 impacted not only stock markets and currencies but also gold prices.

Last Wednesday, the domestic gold price reached a record high of 33,550 baht per baht weight as the local currency fell to 36.28 baht to the dollar.

The Fed statement on Wednesday caused the US dollar and bond yields to climb, putting more pressure on gold as investors reduced their price expectations for the precious metal in the coming months. As a result, gold prices fell 0.1% on Thursday, with spot gold falling to $1,927.84 per ounce. Gold futures in the United States fell 1% to $1,948.10.

A day earlier, bullion hit its highest level since September 1 before the Fed raised its US GDP outlook and made the “higher for longer” rate comment. The Fed also dismissed the possibility of the US economy entering a recession, which would reduce demand for safe-haven assets such as gold.

On September 20, the local gold price reached a record high of 33,550 baht, with baht devaluation being the primary driver. The baht has lost 11% of its value this year.

The domestic gold price rose from 29,000 baht at the start of the year to a record of 33,550 baht per baht weight on Wednesday, when the currency fell to 36.28 baht to the dollar, according to the Gold Traders Association.

Gold Prices Rising

According to MTS Gold Futures, the worldwide gold price will face major resistance between $1,945 and $1,950 per ounce. The domestic gold price is also rising as the baht continues to fall.

According to Pawan Nawawattanasub, CEO of YLG Bullion International, the weak baht supports the domestic gold market, but this is predicted to be short-lived.

“The government’s tourism stimulus package, including free visas for Chinese tourists, should boost demand for the baht.” “Thai currency will appreciate as a result of this,” she predicted.

According to the World Gold Council (WGC), gold has held up well in recent years despite a strong dollar and rising real US interest rates.

WGC senior market strategist John Reade believes gold prices will rise to $2,050 per ounce once the Fed completes its rate hike cycle, which is expected next year.

According to Mr. Reade, another factor that could influence gold prices is whether the United States is in a recession.

Ms Pawan of YLG is more positive, forecasting a spike in gold prices to $2,075-2,100. She believes that the gold price has the potential to rise in the long run. Ms. Pawan estimates that Thailand will consume up to 100 tonnes of gold annually during the next three to four years.

In 2013, the highest consumption level was 154 tonnes. On average, Thailand consumes 63 tonnes of gold annually, ranking third in Asia behind China and India and seventh globally.

Investing in gold can beat inflation

The increasing number of Thais purchasing and selling gold online as an investment is one factor encouraging higher gold consumption. Accessible, real-time information is available online at any moment. According to Ms Pawan, this channel will likely increase the domestic gold market.

If investors wonder why they should invest in gold, Sirapat Kaoteera of Krungsri the Coach, a private financial advising business, believes it can fight inflation.

“If we look back at gold prices over the years, it was 4,850 baht a decade ago, implying that gold investment provided a 19.4% return.” That is quite high compared to bank fixed deposit interest rates, which range from 0.5 to 1.5% each year,” he explained.

“Investing in gold can beat inflation and is considered a safe-haven asset because its value does not fall, even during times of war.” To diversify your investing risks, keep some gold in your asset portfolio.”

Gold prices change less than other risky assets, according to Mr Sirapat.

He claims that whereas cryptocurrency can lower your principal by a double-digit percentage in a single day, gold will not.

Gold investment is offered in various forms, including gold bars, futures, and mutual funds.

In addition to physical purchases, users can buy gold online through brokers, traders, or investment platforms operated by asset management firms.

According to Mr Sirapat, most governments maintain considerable amounts of gold as a reserve fund to combat inflation or when confronting a crisis, which is one reason why people choose to invest in gold.

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

Pepsi

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

Infosys

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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