Scotland back Ruaridh Jackson says they must win their next match in Italy to end questions about their Six Nations run. Reported by BBC Sport 7 hours ago.

A second-half hat-trick of tries by centre Jonathan Joseph swept England to a 40-9 victory over Italy on Sunday that took them top of the Six Nations standings after two games. Reported by SuperSport 6 hours ago.

Watch highlights of England's 40-9 win over Italy in Rome, with three tries for Jonathan Joseph. Reported by BBC Sport 6 hours ago.

The acclaimed novelist travels to Italy to learn, and write in, the language.

 
 
 
 
 
 
  Reported by USATODAY.com 3 hours ago.

England head coach Eddie Jones praises Jonathan Joseph after the Bath centre's hat-trick helps England thrash Italy. Reported by BBC Sport 3 hours ago.

England head coach Eddie Jones hailed Jonathan Joseph’s match-winning credentials after the Bath centre plundered a second-half hat-trick to boost his side’s quest for a Grand Slam with victory over Italy in Rome.

The “good hiding” which Jones had demanded that England dish out to their rivals was looking a bleak prospect in the 53rd minute as the Red Rose held a slender 11-9 lead, with only fly-half George Ford’s first-half try to show for their efforts.

But the first of Joseph’s three touchdowns in the final half an hour signalled England’s onslaught as inside centre Owen Farrell, who also kicked 10 points, delivered the final blow with a late try.

“Jonathan was very good. His defence last week against Scotland was outstanding. He knows when to close and when to drift,” said Jones, who maintained his 100 per cent winning record in charge of England.

“Sometimes a 13 doesn’t get a lot of ball and at Murrayfield you don’t get a lot of ball. But here he looked sharp on his feet. He has a great short kicking game, a good outside break and has lovely footwork. We saw a bit of that against Italy.

“He read the game well. A 13 is like a No8 in that he has to be able to read the game well and he did that exceptionally well. Last week he did exceptionally well in defence, this week he did exceptionally well in attack and his defence was very good as well.”

A second consecutive victory preserved England’s perfect start to their Six Nations campaign to head the Championship table, level on points with France, who are the only other side to boast back-to-back wins.

“We wanted to be two from two and we’re two from two,” added Jones. “We did some good things in the second half. In the first half we allowed Italy into the game. The first half set the second half up for us and I was pleased by the way we put them away.

“We could have easily scored 60 points out there. I thought we were quite brutal in the second half, we came in off the line and really hurt the Italians in the end.

“We’ve had two games and two wins and no major injuries, so we’re sailing along pretty well at the moment.”

Ford’s try in a disjointed first half came off turnover possession, won by full-back Mike Brown, although England’s progress was checked by three Carlo Canna penalties for the Azzurri.

Italy wing Leonardo Sarto’s errant pass gifted Joseph his opening try, while the 24-year-old collected scrum-half Danny Care’s canny grubber kick for his second and then barged through three Italian tacklers to seal his hat-trick inside the final 10 minutes.

Replacement hooker Jamie George’s offload released Farrell to complete the scoring for England, who gave debuts off the bench to Saracens lock Maro Itoje and Northampton prop Paul Hill.

 

 

  Reported by City A.M. 2 hours ago.

Excerpted from Doug Noland's Credit Bubble Bulletin,

Credit is not innately good or bad. Simplistically, productive Credit is constructive, while non-productive Credit is inevitably problematic. *This crucial distinction tends to be masked throughout the boom period.* Worse yet, a prolonged boom in “productive” Credit – surely fueled by some type of underlying monetary disorder - can prove particularly hazardous (to finance and the real economy).

*Fundamentally, Credit is unstable. It is self-reinforcing and prone to excess.* Credit Bubbles foment destabilizing price distortions, economic maladjustment, wealth redistribution and financial and economic vulnerability. *Only through “activist” government intervention and manipulation will protracted Bubbles reach the point of precarious systemic fragility. *Government/central bank monetary issuance coupled with market manipulations and liquidity backstops negates the self-adjusting processes that would typically work to restrain Credit and other financial excess (and shorten the Credit cycle).

*A multi-decade experiment in unfettered “money” and Credit has encompassed the world*. Unique in history, the global financial “system” has operated with essentially no limitations to either the quantity or quality of Credit instruments issued. Over decades this has nurtured unprecedented Credit excess and attendant economic imbalances on a global scale. *This historic experiment climaxed with a seven-year period of massive ($12 TN) global central bank “money” creation and market liquidity injections.* It is central to my thesis that this experiment has failed and the unwind has commenced.

*The U.S. repudiation of the gold standard in 1971 was a critical development. The seventies oil shocks, “stagflation” and the Latin American debt debacle were instrumental. Yet I view the Greenspan Fed’s reaction to the 1987 stock market crash as the defining genesis of today’s fateful global Credit Bubble.*

The Fed’s explicit assurances of marketplace liquidity came at a critical juncture for the evolution to market-based finance. Declining bond yields by 1987 had helped spur rapid expansion in corporate bonds, GSE securitizations, commercial paper, securities financing (i.e. “repos,” Fed funds, funding corps) and derivative trading (i.e. “portfolio insurance”). *Post-crash accommodation ensured that the Federal Reserve looked the other way as Bubbles proliferated in junk bonds, leveraged buyouts and commercial and residential real estate on both coasts.*

*It’s instructive to note that period’s momentous financial innovation/expansion.  *In the 10-year period 1986 to 1995, total Debt Securities (from Fed Z.1 report) surged $7.097 TN, or 159%, to $11.574 TN. For comparison, bank Loans increased 73% ($3.309 TN) to $7.839 TN. Leading the charge in marketable debt issuance, GSE Securities (with their implied government backing) surged 283% ($1.777 TN) to $2.406 TN. Corporate Bonds jumped 254% ($2.213 TN) to $3.085 TN. Outstanding Asset-Backed Securities inflated an incredible 1,692% ($626bn) to $663 billion.

The other side of issuance boom was a revolution in the structure of financial asset management. Mutual Fund assets inflated 653% ($1.607 TN) during the ‘86-‘95 period to $1.853 TN. Money Market Fund assets surged 206% ($499bn) to $741 billion. Security Broker/Dealer assets jumped 288% ($860bn) to $1.159 TN. Wall Street Funding Corps rose 195% ($242bn) to $366 billion, and Fed Funds and Security Repurchase Agreements increased 171% ($802bn) to $1.271 TN. *Certainly also worth noting, over this period the global derivatives market expanded from almost nonexistence to about $64 TN.*

*Market-based Credit is highly unstable. *Predictably, the evolution to market finance created persistent instability and, over time, acute fragilities. The early-nineties saw the bursting of Bubbles in junk bonds, M&A and commercial real estate. The neglected S&L crisis festered from a few billion-dollar problem to a $300 billion debacle. *By 1991, the U.S. banking system was significantly impaired.*

There was a school of thought that S&L losses were akin to money flushed down the toilet. It had been destroyed and should simply be replaced with new money. *“Helicopter money” was not yet reputable – much less fancied.* So the Greenspan Fed instead slashed rates, manipulated the yield curve and accommodated the rapid expansion of market-based finance. If not for the ’87 bailout, the early-nineties stealth bailout and cultivation of non-bank Credit would not have been necessary.

*Spurring market-based Credit - and the financial markets more generally - proved the most powerful monetary policy mechanism ever. *The collapse in the Soviet Union couple with the proliferation of new technologies provided powerful impetus to New Paradigm and New Era thinking.

*The unfolding historic inflation of “money” and Credit by the world’s reserve currency did not come without profound consequences. *Massive U.S. Current Account Deficits flooded the world with dollar balances. Meanwhile, the flourishing leveraged speculating community broadened their targets from U.S. debt markets to higher yielding securities around the world.

*By 1993, market-based finance and leveraged speculation was gaining momentum globally. Apparently there was no turning back. So it’s been serial booms, busts and progressively more audacious policy accommodation ever since.* The GSEs bailed out the bond, MBS and derivative markets in 1994, ensuring much more spectacular Bubbles to come. The 1995 Mexican bailout created a backdrop ensuring that fledgling “Asian Tiger” Bubbles inflated precariously. When those Bubbles chaotically imploded in 1997, the perception took hold that the West would never allow Russia to collapse. Such thinking spurred speculative excess in Russian debt and currency derivatives that imploded in September, 1998.

*Global Bubble Dynamics had certainly taken deep root by 1998.* U.S.-style financial innovation was taking hold throughout Asia and Europe. Financial flows were booming across the markets, and the world’s big financial conglomerates were aggressively adopting securitization, speculation and globalization. Moreover, a booming leveraged speculating community, with trades propagating across the globe, ensured increasingly tight linkages between international markets. *When Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) – with egregious leverage along with $2.0 TN of notional derivative exposures around the globe – failed in the fall of 1998, it was a case of top U.S. officials acting as the “committee to save the world.”*

*The Bubble saved back in 1998/99 has inflated uncontrollably and today has the world at the precipice.* Historic debt expansion unfolded virtually everywhere, much of it tradable in the marketplace. The global leveraged speculating community has inflated from about $400 billion to $3.0 TN. Global derivatives have exploded to $700 TN. An ETF complex has risen from nothing to more than $3.0 TN.

*The LTCM bailout ensured an almost doubling of Nasdaq in 1999, with that Bubble imploding in 2000.* I’m not so sure the euro currency would exist in its current form if not for the efforts of “the committee…”. Leveraged speculation played an instrumental role in the collapse in Italian and Greek bond yields, a miraculous development that proved pivotal for highly indebted Greece and Italy’s inclusion in the euro monetary regime. I also believe that the U.S. Credit Bubble, fueled largely by the GSEs and non-bank Credit creation, played prominently in the huge flows boosting the euro currency. Global demand for euro-based securities created fatefully loose Credit conditions for the likes of Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

*If not for the “committee to save the world” and the 1998 bailouts, I doubt we would have witnessed the rise of “Helicopter Ben.” *The ’87 stock market crash drove fears of another depression. Depression worries returned with the early-nineties banking crisis, and then again in 1998. When U.S. stock and corporate bond Bubbles burst in 2000-2002, Dr. Bernanke, the foremost expert on the Great Depression, was summoned to the Federal Reserve to provide the theoretical framework for a major reflationary effort.

*With Wall Street cheering all the way, the Greenspan/Bernanke Fed collapsed rates and targeted (the fledgling Bubble in) mortgage Credit as the primary mechanism for system reflation. *Mortgage Credit doubled in almost six years, in the process inflating home prices, corporate profits, securities prices and incomes. Much more so than the “tech” Bubble, the mortgage finance Bubble became deeply systemic. Unprecedented Current Account Deficits, the weak dollar and enormous speculative flows further inundated the world with finance. As the U.S. Credit Bubble became increasingly global, policymakers around the world remained too (pro-global Bubble) accommodative.

*The bursting of the mortgage finance Bubble almost incited global financial collapse. It took concerted central bank intervention, $1.0 TN of Bernanke QE, unprecedented bailouts, zero rates and massive fiscal stimulus to hold catastrophe at bay. *Massive monetary stimulus pushed fledgling EM and China Bubbles to historic ("blow-off") extremes. The Chinese instituted a $600 billion stimulus package then proceeded to completely lose control of their financial and economic Bubbles. QE, zero rates and dollar devaluation incited a spectacular Global Reflation Trade that has collapsed spectacularly. Ultra-loose finance on a global basis ensured epic over- and malinvestment throughout the energy and commodity sectors. *Virtually free-“money” incited massive over-investment in manufacturing capacity, especially throughout China and Asia. In the U.S. and globally, zero rates and liquidity excess fueled crazy tech and biotech Bubbles 2.0.*

Along the way the global government finance Bubble became deeply systemic. Zero rates and QE inflated securities markets and asset prices on an unprecedented scale. Leveraged securities speculation engulfed the entire globe. *Derivatives trading became globalized like never before. And each instance of market vulnerability was met with an aggressive concerted central bank response.* As the global Bubble succumbed to “blow off” excess, central bankers completely lost control of inflationary processes.

*The European Bubble was at the precipice in 2012. If not for Bernanke’s QE gambit, I seriously doubt Draghi and Kuroda would have ever succeeded in pushing their massive “money” printing operations through the ECB and BOJ.* With the Fed, ECB, BOJ and others moving forward with “whatever it takes” concerted QE, global securities Bubbles morphed into one big play on the global monetary experiment.

*It’s now been more than three years of absolute monetary disorder.* The commodities Bubble went bust, which, in the age of over-liquefied and speculative global markets, worked to spur only greater “blow off” excess throughout global securities markets. The EM Bubble burst, which provoked only greater stimulus measures in China. Chinese reflationary policies incited precarious “blow off” stock and bond market excesses. The timid Fed’s failure to begin rate normalization spurred speculative Bubble excess throughout equities, fixed-income and derivative markets.

*On an unprecedented global scope, extreme monetary measures fueled financial excess at the expense of real economies.* Monetary disorder and Bubble Dynamics ensured highly destabilizing wealth redistribution – within and between nations. Extreme central bank policies spurred leveraged speculation around the globe. Extraordinary devaluation measures from the ECB and BOJ ensured the euro and yen were used aggressively for leveraged “carry trade” speculations.* “Carry trade” and currency derivative-related leverage became powerful sources of liquidity driving securities market “blow off” excess – again on a globalized basis. With the global Bubble faltering, risk is now too high to maintain highly leveraged bets.*

In the face of faltering energy and commodities, weakening CPI trends, a highly vulnerable global economic backdrop and mounting social and geopolitical tension, highly unstable global securities markets lurched higher. *It all became one gargantuan bet on the global central bank experiment with boundless monetary stimulus.* Global securities markets diverged from fundamental economic prospects like never before.

*In the end, the runaway global Bubble was built chiefly upon confidence in central banking and policymaking more generally. Markets then rather abruptly lost confidence in the ability of Chinese officials to manage their faltering Bubbles. *With the historic Chinese Credit and economic Bubbles at risk of imploding – and energy and commodities collapsing - faith in the capacity of global central bankers to keep the game going began to wane. The sophisticated leveraged players commenced risk reduction - and suddenly there were few buyers. Instead of more QE, central bankers have responded to “risk off” with negative interest rates. Negative rates don’t alleviate market illiquidity and they won’t bolster faltering global Bubbles. They do intensify the unfolding crisis of confidence.

Between the faltering Chinese Bubble and the unwind of securities market speculative leverage globally, *global Credit and economic backdrops have turned ominous*. The downside of a historic global Credit cycle has commenced. De-risking/de-leveraging ensure a process of much tighter Credit conditions. *This is problematic for leveraged speculators, companies, countries and regions – certainly including banks and securities firms around the world.*

*Negative rates, collapsing energy companies and weak global prospects hurt bank sentiment. *Yet bank stocks are collapsing globally because of the faltering global Credit Bubble. Between waning confidence in central banking and the global banking system, one is left to question the functioning of global derivatives markets.* And if counter-party risk becomes an issue in the global risk “insurance” marketplace, global securities markets quickly face a potentially catastrophic backdrop.*

A tremendous number of bets were placed based on a world of ongoing liquidity abundance, risk embracement and growth. In a “risk on” world of cheap finance, the latest Greek bailout strategy appeared manageable. In today’s “risk off” faltering global Bubble reality, Greece is a disaster. Greek sovereign yields were up 370 bps in six weeks. A bursting global Bubble will shake confidence in the European periphery – and likely European integration more generally. Periphery spreads widened meaningfully again this week.

Here at home, contagion effects have made it to the investment-grade corporate debt market. In “risk on,” loose “money” as far as the eye can see, writing insurance on corporate Credit (CDS) became a quite popular endeavor. But with the market now questioning the global economy, central bank efficacy, and the soundness of the banking system and Wall Street firms, it makes more sense to unwind previous speculations and buy insurance.* This equates to a major unwind of leverage throughout the corporate debt marketplace*, in addition to huge amounts of additional selling to hedge new CDS trades. Suddenly, liquidity abundance is transformed into problematic marketplace illiquidity. Again, a major tightening in Credit conditions bodes ill for leveraged entities. *It also bodes ill for the general economy - the Credit Cycle's self-reinforcing downside.*

Booming international corporate debt markets have been instrumental in fueling the global securities market boom – and the Global Credit Bubble more generally. And I would add that *perceived low-risk corporate Credit has been at the (Crowded) epicenter of the central bank-induced “Moneyness of Risk Assets” phenomenon*. If I’m right on the unfolding global backdrop, prospects for corporate Credit as a liquid store of value are dismal. *A Crisis of Confidence in Corporate Credit would severely impact an already fragile global financial and economic backdrop.* Reported by Zero Hedge 22 hours ago.

Reported by The Register 16 hours ago.

Jonathan Joseph scores a hat-trick of tries as England thrash Italy 40-9 in the Six Nations. Reported by BBC Sport 16 hours ago.

Italy midfielder Marco Verratti has extended his contract with Paris St Germain until 2020, the Ligue 1 club said on Monday. Reported by SuperSport 15 hours ago.

The Italy international has penned an extenstion to his current deal, keeping him at the club until 2020, and has expressed his determination to help PSG become a dominant force Reported by Goal.com 14 hours ago.

Maddie Marlow carries Jill Milan Art Deco Clutch and Tae Dye carries Jill Milan Holland Park clutch to NYFW event

NEW YORK (PRWEB) February 15, 2016

Jill Milan®, a provider of luxury fashion and accessories, announced Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye, known collectively as the music duo Maddie & Tae, each carried Jill Milan clutches to a fundraising event during New York Fashion Week. Ms. Marlow carried a special edition of Jill Milan’s Art Deco Clutch and Ms. Dye carried the Holland Park Clutch in black with gold trim.

“Maddie and Tae looked wonderful during New York Fashion Week,” said Jill Fraser, founder and CEO of Jill Milan. “The clutches went well with the red dresses they wore.”

Both clutches are entirely handmade in Florence, Italy, of fully recyclable Italian stainless steel, and the logo serves as the clutch’s latch. The duo previously carried Jill Milan to the Country Music Association Awards, where their debut video for “Girl in a Country Song” was recognized as Music Video of the Year. They are styled by celebrity stylist Tiffany Gifford.

All Jill Milan products are free of animal-based materials such as leather, fur and wool. Ms. Fraser, a longtime vegan and supporter of animal-welfare initiatives, was inspired to found Jill Milan because she was unable to find high-quality, luxury handbags that were not made of leather or other animal-based materials. Jill Milan was named Vegan Business of the Year by Vegans Are Cool.

Jill Milan appears frequently on the red carpets of Hollywood, New York and Europe. Other celebrities who carry Jill Milan include Academy Award winners Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence, who carried Jill Milan to multiple premieres for their films. Among the celebrities carrying Jill Milan for red-carpet appearances are:· Amy Poehler carried the Art Deco Clutch when she was both nominee and presenter for the Emmy Awards.
· Singer Miranda Lambert carried Jill Milan to the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C. in December and previously carried the brand to American Country Music Awards.
· Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld carried the Disc Clutch to the MTV Video Music Awards and the Holland Park Clutch to Vanity Fair’s Oscar Party.
· Kerry Washington of television’s “Scandal” carried Jill Milan’s Holland Park clutch to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and has carried Jill Milan to a number of her film premieres.
· Katie Lowes, Ms. Washington’s “Scandal” co-star, carried Jill Milan clutches to the Golden Globes and the Emmy Awards.
· Actress Margot Bingham carried the Holland Park Clutch to the SAG Awards.
· Joanne Frogatt of “Downton Abbey” carried the 450 Sutter Clutch to the Golden Globes.
· Actress Ginnifer Goodwin carried the New Canaan Clutch to the People’s Choice Awards.
· Sarah Hyland of the ABC series “Modern Family” carried the Art Deco Clutch to the People’s Choice Awards and to a Golden Globes party.
· Laila Ali carried the Laurel Canyon Clutch to the Soul Train Music Awards.
· Actress Jena Malone carried the Art Deco Clutch to the premiere of her film “Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.”
· Felicity Jones of “The Theory of Everything” carried the Laurel Canyon Clutch to the Hollywood Film Awards.
· Jane Fonda carried the Holland Park Clutch to the premiere of her film “This is Where I Leave You” at the Toronto International Film Festival.
· Actress Jessica Lucas carried Jill Milan to the screening of her latest show, “Gracepoint.”
· Actress Katharine McPhee carried the 450 Sutter Clutch to Entertainment Weekly’s pre-Emmys Party.
· Rashida Jones of the NBC series “Parks and Recreation” and Bryce Dallas Howard of the film “The Help” carried Jill Milan clutches to the Golden Globes.
· Actress Fiona Gubelmann of television’s “Wilfred” carried Jill Milan as a presenter at The Genesis Awards and to numerous premieres.
· Jordana Brewster, star of “Dallas” and the “The Fast and the Furious” film franchise, has carried the New Canaan Clutch.
· Actress Hilary Duff carried the Holland Park Clutch to the iHeart Radio Awards.
· Nicole Anderson of ABC Family’s “Ravenswood” carried Jill Milan to a SAG Awards pre-party.
· Singer Carrie Underwood carried the Jill Milan Holland Park Clutch to the CMT Artists of the Year awards and attended the American Music Awards carrying the 450 Sutter Clutch.
· Actress Celina Jade carried the Nob Hill Bag to the premiere of “American Dreams” at the Toronto International Film Festival.
· Actress Stana Katic of television’s “Castle” carried Jill Milan to the “Game of Thrones” premiere and to the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
· Jaime King, who as a model appeared in such fashion magazines as Vogue and Mademoiselle, and as an actress appeared in films including “Pearl Harbor” and “Sin City,” carried the Octagon Clutch to the Critics’ Choice Awards.
· Countess Michelle Czernin von Chudenitz is seen frequently in red carpet appearances carrying Jill Milan evening clutches.
· Actress Kristanna Loken, whose films include “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” and who has appeared on television’s “Burn Notice” and “The L Word,” carried Jill Milan to the FilmBall in Vienna, Austria.

Jill Milan handbags have drawn growing attention from influential fashion media. W Magazine has covered Jill Milan in multiple issues, recognizing the Octagon Clutch and Art Deco Clutch in its “Most Wanted” feature, and The Zoe Report recognized the Newbury Street Portfolio for its ability “to go from the office to cocktail hour.”

About Jill Milan
Jill Milan is a luxury provider of cruelty-free handbags, apparel and fashion accessories. Made of exquisite materials, Jill Milan handbags are crafted in Italy by artisans who have created handbags and accessories for some of Europe’s best known fashion houses. All Jill Milan products are free of animal-derived materials, and the company contributes to animal-welfare organizations. Jill Milan, founded by Jill Fraser and Milan Lazich, is the only luxury handbag line entirely free of animal-derived materials which regularly appears on Hollywood’s red carpets. Visit Jill Milan on the Web and follow Jill Milan on Facebook.

Jill Milan and the Jill Milan logo are registered trademarks of Jill Milan LLC, and are protected by trademark laws of the United States and other countries. Emmy is a trademark of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Reported by PRWeb 15 hours ago.

The Italy international, who arrived in Paris in 2012 from Pescara, has committed himself to the French champions for a further four years Reported by Goal.com 12 hours ago.

Advanced Aesthetics In Central Illinois Offering Ultrashape® & Velashape® III

Champaign, Illinois (PRWEB) February 15, 2016

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. James Kurley is pleased to announce the addition of UltraShape and VelaShape III non-invasive body shaping technologies to his Advanced Aesthetics private practice in Champaign, Illinois, making him the first board certified plastic surgeon in the area to offer both technologies.

In direct response to growing demand for non-surgical solutions that help patients feel more confident and comfortable in their skin, the practice has enhanced its treatment offerings with top-performing body-shaping solutions from aesthetic medical device leader Syneron Candela.

As the first and only location in Central Illinois with these trailblazing body-contouring systems, Advanced Aesthetics is proud to empower its patients to look as good as they feel with state-of-the-art treatments that deliver real results without discomfort or downtime.

With summer around the corner, UltraShape and VelaShape are helping men and women feel more confident while achieving a shapelier physique. Created to eliminate stubborn fat and cellulite that is resistant to diet and exercise, these treatments compliment a healthy, active lifestyle, giving men and women help in losing fat while tightening and smoothing skin for the ultimate body image boost in just three treatments.

About the technologies:
UltraShape is the only FDA-approved non-invasive body contouring system of its kind, offering measurable fat reduction to the abdominal area (an average of 2.5 inches) without the risks and discomfort associated with other fat reduction procedures. This non-invasive treatment uses focused pulse ultrasound to immediately and painlessly eliminate fat cells all around the mid-section. If you’ve got a spare tire or midriff pooch and a lunch hour to spare, results are fast and there is no bruising. Visible results may be seen as early as two weeks post first treatment.

VelaShape remains the most trusted brand for cellulite treatment and non-invasive body shaping by physicians, beauty experts and millions of patients worldwide. In its third generation, VelaShape III contours, shapes and slims the body by improving cellulite and firming skin in as few as three treatment sessions without downtime or discomfort. Perfect for women who workout but still need some fine-tuning for their lower half, the system used patented technology that combines of Bi-Polar Radiofrequency (RF), IR Inferred light, plus vacuum and mechanical massage to increase lymphatic drainage the reduce the size of fat cells. The end result is a smoother, tighter surface area.

"We are thrilled to be the first and only clinic in Central Illinois to offer these proven technologies that allow us to deliver fast results with no downtime,” says Dr. Kurley. “With UltraShape and VelaShape III, we can destroy fat, tighten and smooth skin, helping men and women bring back their body confidence. These treatments generate safe and effective body contouring options with reproducible results.”

To learn more about UltraShape or VelaShape or to request a consultation, call (217) 356-3850 or visit: http://www.jkurleymd.com

Advanced Aesthetics
2111 West Park Court
Champaign, IL 61821

About Syneron Candela
Syneron Candela is a leading global aesthetic device company with a comprehensive product portfolio and a global distribution footprint. The Company's technology enables physicians to provide advanced solutions for a broad range of medical-aesthetic applications including body contouring, hair removal, wrinkle reduction, tattoo removal, improving the skin's appearance through the treatment of superficial benign vascular and pigmented lesions, and the treatment of acne, leg veins and cellulite. The Company sells its products under three distinct brands, Syneron, Candela and CoolTouch, and has a wide portfolio of trusted, leading products including UltraShape, VelaShape, GentleLase, VBeam Perfecta, PicoWay, Profound and elōs Plus.

Founded in 2000, the corporate, R&D, and manufacturing headquarters for Syneron Candela are located in Israel. Syneron Candela also has R&D and manufacturing operations in the U.S. The company markets, services and supports its products in 86 countries. It has offices in North America, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, UK, Australia, China, Japan, and Hong Kong and distributors worldwide.

For additional information, please visit http://www.syneron-candela.com. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.

Shares in Italian banks have slumped this year, amid wider market nerves about the health of Europe’s lenders. In Italy’s case, the problem is that the bad loans of the weakest may need to be paid for by the rest. Reported by Wall Street Journal 10 hours ago.

Italian researchers say the link between radiation for a solid tumor and mesothelioma is low.

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) February 15, 2016

Scientists in Italy say cancer survivors who were treated with radiotherapy have only a slightly elevated risk of developing mesothelioma down the road. Surviving Mesothelioma has more on the new research study. Click here to read it now.

University of Bologna researchers used data from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluate the real risk of developing mesothelioma years after having radiotherapy.

“The clinical impact of mesothelioma after EBRT for primary solid tumors is limited,” writes study author and University of Bologna epidemiologist Andrea Farioli, MD.

The study, published in Cancer Medicine, found a mesothelioma incidence of just 0.00032 among non-irradiated patients and an incidence of 0.00055 among those who had undergone radiation.

“This study is good news for cancer survivors,” says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor of Surviving Mesothelioma. “But it also points to the fact that asbestos remains a far more dangerous mesothelioma risk than any other potential cause that has been identified.”

For the details of the new mesothelioma study, see Risk for Mesothelioma After Radiation is Low, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Farioli, A, “Radiation-induced mesothelioma among long-term solid cancer survivors: a longitudinal analysis of SEER database”, February 10, 2016, Cancer Medicine, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cam4.656/abstract

For nearly ten years, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.

Bad news is once again good news... for stocks that is. 

After a month and a half of markets unable to decide if they should buy or sell on ugly data, over the weekend, People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan expressed faith in the economy, and said there is no basis for further Yuan devaluation, something the PBOC has said consistently over the past year, despite two sharp devaluation episodes.

And while further devaluation is guaranteed, for now traders decided to take advantage of this verbal intervention and ignore the worst Japanese GDP data in over a year, when as reported last night, the country's economy contracted at a -1.4% annualized rate, far worse than expected -0.8%...

 

... as well as to ignore the worst Chinese trade data, with both exports and imports *coming below the lowest Wall Street estimate*, since August...

 

 

... when just days after the trade report the PBOC proceeded with its first devaluation. The data was so bad it managed to push the Shanghai Composite nearly into
the green after opening down nearly 3% on a delayed catch up to the rest
of the world selloff.

The result of all this terrible economic data: hopes for more stimulus around the globe, with bank concerns (especially of Deutsche Bank) that more stimulus is not what the global financial system needs soundly ignored for now.

"*The Chinese market didn’t react as bad as we feared and with the weak export data there is some big hope that he central banks will react quite fast*," John Plassard, senior equity-sales trader at Mirabaud Securities LLP in Geneva, told Bloomberg. "*It’s a mix of hope of intervention from the Asian central bank, short squeeze and also a relief in some energy and banking sectors, the most shorted sectors.*"

And there are your catalysts for today's surge: *hope of more central bank intervention and a global short squeeze.*

So back to square one.

The immediate result was *the biggest Yuan surge since 2005*, climbing 1.2 percent from its Feb. 5 close to 6.4942 per dollar in Shanghai; the biggest jump in *Japanese equities since October 2008 on the heels of the Nikkei's 7.2%, or 1,070 point jump*; the *biggest spike in the MSCI Asia Pacific Index since 2009*, a continuation of Friday's rally in Europe with the Stoxx 600 up over 3% led by financials, and even WTI jumped nearly 2% to rise back over $30 this morning, despite being lower most of the session on renewed excess supply concerns now that Iranian tankers are en route to their destination.

While the US is closed for President's day, US equity futures are open until noon Central Time, and at last check were up 1.6%, or 29 points to 1,888, piggybacking on the global euphoria.

A quick recap of market closures in the US for Presidents Day:

· CME/CBOT Closed all day, NYSE Closed
· CME Equity: closes at 12:00 Central; Reopens at 17:00 Central
· CME Interest Rates: closes at 12:00 Central; Reopens at 17:00 Central
· CME FX: closes at 12:00 Central; Reopens at 17:00 Central
· NYMEX: closes at 12:00 Central; Reopens at 17:00 Central

For the recap of global markets, we start in Asia where stocks traded mostly higher following last Friday's gains in Wall St. where outperformance in financials and a resurgence in crude, which posted its largest one-day gain since 2009, lifted markets from last week's early turmoil. Nikkei 225 (+7.2%) outperformed, led by financials and energy, while ASX 200 (+1.64%) was supported by commodity-based sectors, which also followed from last week's 5.6% rally in gold prices. Mainland China bucked the trend with the Shanghai Comp (-0.63%) negative as it played catch up to last week's losses, with poor export trade data adding to its sombre tone. JGBs traded lower tracking T-notes as the increase in risk sentiment spurred outflows from safe haven assets.

Top Asia News

· Yuan Rises Most Since 2005 as PBOC Voices Support, Raises Fixing
· HSBC Keeps London Headquarters in Victory for U.K. Over Asia
· China Bad-Loan Problem Not as Bad as Bass Makes Out, CICC Says
· Airbus, Boeing Count on China as Southeast Asia Slows Down
· Hong Kong Land Price Plunges Nearly 70% in Government Tender
· Indonesia’s Jokowi Gets Traction After Tumultuous First Year
· Toyota-Led Profit Gains at Risk as Carmakers Face Strong Yen
· Record Wheat Forecast Spurs Investor Bets Price Rout Will Deepen

Looking at Europe, what we find is - literally - nothing but green:

Benchmark stock indexes of Italy, Spain and Germany rallied more than 2 percent. Putting that in context, all of these bourses lost more than 16 percent this year through Friday, becoming some of the world’s worst performers among 93 equity indexes tracked by Bloomberg.

The Euro Stoxx trades higher by over 3% this morning, with the financial sector the best performing. Of note, although financials outperform, banking heavyweights Deutsche Bank (+2.4%) and Commerzbank (+2.6%) have pared much of their gains from early in the session to underperform the main indices. Separately, the energy and materials sectors are the laggards in Europe today, with risk on sentiment failing to boost commodities. Elsewhere, Bunds have also fallen today given the turnaround in sentiment although remaining off their worst levels.

Top European News

· VW’s Winterkorn Notified of U.S. Probe in 2014: Bild am Sonntag
· Orange-Bouygues Telecom Talks Nearly Collapsed, Echos Says
· HSBC Decides to Remain Headquartered in the U.K.
· Carrefour Says French Offices Raided Feb. 9 by Anti-Fraud Body
· ArcelorMittal Says European Steel Needs Defense Against China
· Reckitt 4Q LFL Sales Growth, 2015 Adj. Oper. Profit Beats Ests.

*In FX, the yuan climbed 1.2 percent from its Feb. 5 close to 6.4942 per dollar in Shanghai.* People’s Bank of China chief Zhou said China’s balance of payments is good and capital outflows are normal, with the exchange rate basically stable against a basket of other currencies, according to an interview published Saturday in Caixin magazine. The comments marked an escalation in verbal support for Chinese markets, with Zhou having left most of the commentary over the past few months to deputies.

The yen retreated 0.6 percent to 113.94 per dollar, trimming this month’s advance to 6 percent. Japan’s GDP shrank an annualized 1.4 percent in the three months ended Dec. 31, following a revised 1.3 percent gain in the third quarter, official data show.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, a gauge of the greenback against 10 major peers, rose 0.2 percent as more positive sentiment dimmed the appeal of haven currencies like the yen, euro and the Swiss franc. The index has lost 0.9 percent this year as the case for further U.S. rate hikes in 2016 dims.

The Malaysian ringgit, Russian ruble and South African rand gained at least 0.4 percent, with a gauge of developing-nation currencies adding 0.2 percent, following 0.4 percent drop last week.

*In commodities, *West Texas Intermediate crude reversed losses, climbing to $29.86, after earlier falling as much as 1.7 percent. Iran loaded its first cargo to Europe since international sanctions ended, while Chinese crude imports in January fell almost 20 percent from a record in the previous month.

Copper rallied with other metals after China’s central bank chief stepped up efforts to restore stability to the nation’s currency and economy. The metal gained 1.8 percent in London, while nickel surged 4.4 percent.

*In Europe's periphery, *Portuguese bonds, which suffered the brunt of the selloff in riskier assets last week together with Greece, advanced for a second day. Portugal’s 10-year bond yield fell 22 basis points to 3.51 percent. Spain’s 10-year bond yield fell four basis points to 1.70 percent, leaving the spread to similar-maturity bunds at 143 basis points, after rising to 170 basis points on Feb. 11.

The cost of insuring corporate debt tumbled for a second day. The Markit iTraxx Europe Index of credit-default swaps on investment-grade companies dropped four basis points to 114 basis points. A measure of swaps on junk-rated businesses fell 21 basis points to 441 basis points. Indexes tied to swaps on financial companies’ senior and subordinated debt also dropped, largely erasing last week’s increases.

With US markets closed for Presidents' Day today it’s a quiet start to the week with no data due in the US and just the Euro area trade balance reading due this morning in the European session

*Bulletin Headline Summary from RanSquawk and Bloomberg*

· Equities kick off the week on the front-foot with particular outperformance in financials, while risk-on sentiment is in full swing.
· Shanghai Comp. (-0.63%) played catch-up, consequently bucking the trend as the latest domestic trade data further highlighted the issues facing the nation's export sector.
· Looking ahead participants will be keeping keen eye on comments from ECB President Draghi who is scheduled to speak at 1400GMT, while the US will be away from the market.
· Negative rates to cut major Japan bank profits by 8 pct this year
· Yuan Rises Most Since 2005 as PBOC Voices Support, Raises Fixing
· HSBC Keeps London Headquarters in Victory for U.K. Over Asia
· China Bad-Loan Problem Not as Bad as Bass Makes Out, CICC Says
· Airbus, Boeing Count on China as Southeast Asia Slows Down
· VW’s Winterkorn Notified of U.S. Probe in 2014: Bild am Sonntag
· Orange-Bouygues Telecom Talks Nearly Collapsed, Echos Says
· HSBC Decides to Remain Headquartered in the U.K.

*As customery, DB's Jim Reid concludes the overnight event wrap*

This weekend, PBoC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan broke a very long silence and spoke to Caixin financial magazine to suggest that capital controls are not needed and that neither is further exchange rate depreciation. The lack of central bank communication throughout the two bouts of weakening the currency in the last 6 months have been deafening so this at least shows some willingness to communicate on something that has been threatening to destabilise markets with the fear of a big devaluation hanging over the market. Clearly the market might still force the issue and some credibility may have already been eroded but at least these words are a welcome response.

Following those comments, DB’s China Chief Economist Zhiwei Zhang highlighted that the most important statement was the acknowledgement from the Governor of a need for patience in balancing reform, growth and stability, as well the need to remain a responsible economic power. Zhiwei believes that the statement showed three important points. 1. The PBoC is still committed to FX policy reform from a dollar peg to a floating regime in the long term. 2. The global financial market volatility has likely closed the window for now. 3. The PBoC will likely stick to the dollar peg for now, and wait for the next window to float the currency. These conclusions have led Zhiwei to revise down the probability of a large RMB devaluation to 10% from 15%. Perhaps as a statement of intent from the PBoC, the CNY fix was set +0.3% stronger this morning and is currently trading over 1% firmer which, as it stands, is the biggest strengthening for the onshore currency since July 2005 (although it's clearly playing some catch up with the weakness in the US Dollar last week).

There’s also been some important data out of China for us to digest over the last couple of days. The first was the retail sales numbers where according to the Ministry of Commerce, sales were said to have risen +11.2% yoy over the Spring Festival Period, boosted in particular by a strong increase in box-office sales. While those numbers were seen as positive, the January trade numbers, released this morning, are less so. In Dollar terms exports were down a sharp 11.2% yoy in January (vs. -1.8% expected) from -1.4% in December. That was the biggest plunge since March. Imports also tumbled a lot more than expected (-18.8% yoy vs. -3.6% expected) with the trade surplus a shade higher as a result at $63.3bn (from $60.1bn). In CNY terms exports were also sharply lower (-6.6% yoy vs. +3.6% expected) although also outdone by a huge decline in CNY imports.

Open for the first time in ten days, bourses are trading lower in China this morning although the moves are more than likely reflecting the catch-up from markets elsewhere last week. The Shanghai Comp (-0.77%), CSI 300 (-0.65%) and Shenzhen (-0.41%) are all lower just after the midday break, although in fairness have pared earlier steeper falls (of up to 3%). The most eye catching moves have come in Japan again where the Nikkei and Topix have rallied +7.16% and +8.32% respectively. This has come despite a softer than expected Q4 GDP report for the economy (-0.4% qoq vs. -0.2% expected), adding some weight perhaps to the argument for further easing from the BoJ. Elsewhere the Hang Seng (+2.94%), Kospi (+1.48%) and ASX (+1.64%) are up, while credit markets in Asia have ripped tighter with iTraxx Aus and Asia indices 8-9bps lower.

*The moves this morning follow an epic week for markets with some savage volatility and a major rebound on Friday. Just to put things in perspective though, the following list of asset performance shows Friday's rally first and then the overall performance in the week. Looking firstly at the sharp moves in equity markets: S&P 500 (+1.95%/-0.81%), Dow (+2.00%/-1.43%), Stoxx 600 (+2.91%/-4.41%), DAX (+2.45%/-3.43%), IBEX (+2.25%/-6.81%), Stoxx 600 Banks (+5.60%/-5.86%), S&P 500 Banks (+6.24%/-2.91%). Credit indices were subject to huge day-to-day swings also: iTraxx Senior Fins (-13.5bps/+6bps), iTraxx Sub Fins (-31bps/+18bps), Main (-7.5bps/+8bps), CDX IG (-2.6bps/+7bps). Meanwhile US HY energy spreads finished 26bps tighter on Friday but were +193bps wider on the week.*

Moves were as equally impressive in commodity markets and highlighted by Gold (-0.70%/+5.50%) which had its strongest week since 2011. In Oil markets, despite the massive rally on Friday (the biggest since February 2009) following those WSJ headlines concerning potential production cuts on Thursday evening, WTI (+12.32%/-4.69%) still failed to stem a decline over the full five-days. Not to be outdone, there were some wild swings in rates markets too. 10y Bunds (+7.5bps/-3.4bps) actually traded to as low as 13bps on an intraday basis last week, while 10y Treasuries (+8.9bps/-8.8bps) were as low as 1.529% and traded within a 34bps range over the five-days.

It was that huge rally for Oil along with a rebound for financials which combined for what was a markedly better day all round for risk assets on Friday. With regards to the latter, a lot was made of the much better than expected results from Commerzbank, while news of JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon purchasing $26m of his own bank’s stock also contributed to the better sentiment. Some chatter around the ECB also potentially being in talks with the Italian government about purchasing bad loans also gained some headlines, however as we highlighted on Friday this has the potential to open moral hazard, political, legal and logistical questions.

Also in focus on Friday was the latest US retail sales data. January sales were up a better than expected +0.2% mom (vs. +0.1%) last month while there was also beats for the ex auto (+0.1% mom vs. 0.0% expected) and ex auto and gas (+0.4% mom vs. +0.3% expected) prints. Meanwhile a strong gain for the GDP sensitive retail control component (+0.6% mom vs. +0.3% expected) resulted in the Atlanta Fed revising up their estimate for Q1 GDP growth to 2.7% from 2.5% - there’s quite the divergence now starting to emerge between this and economist forecasts.

The rest of the data was something of a mixed bag. The January import price index reading declined less than expected last month (-1.1% mom vs. -1.5% expected). Business inventories printed in line for December at +0.1% mom. Finally the first estimate for the University of Michigan consumer sentiment print showed a 1.3pt decline from January to 90.7 (vs. 92.3 expected) with both current conditions and expectations indices edging lower. Notably the 1y inflation expectation index was unchanged at 2.5% but 5-10y inflation expectations edged three-tenths lower to 2.4%, which is the lowest on record. In Europe the main data of note had been in the Q4 GDP numbers. The flash estimate for the Euro area showed no surprises however at +0.3% qoq (in-line) which was also the same for Germany (+0.3% qoq). Meanwhile the soft regional prints that we had witnessed result in a much softer than expected Euro area IP report for December (-1.0% mom vs. +0.3% expected).

Away from the data, the NY Fed President Dudley became the latest Fed official to acknowledge that ‘inflation is probably going to take a little bit longer to get back to our 2% objective’. On the much talked about negative-rates topic, Dudley was of the view that it is ‘extraordinarily premature’ to talk about such a move for the US right now and that ‘there are a lot of things that we would do long before we would really think about moving to negative interest rates’.

A quick recap on earnings where the season is beginning to wind down in the US. 381 S&P 500 companies have now reported their latest quarterly numbers with earnings beats standing at a robust 76% which is a tad better than the 74%, 75% and 73% we had seen for the prior 3 quarters, albeit with expectations beaten down in advance. There has been a bit of improvement in the top line numbers in recent reports too, putting the overall trend back in line with prior quarters. 48% have beaten revenue estimates which compares to 44%, 49% and 48% in the previous three quarters. Reported by Zero Hedge 10 hours ago.

· China’s Yuan Makes Largest Gain Since 2005 on PBOC Cue (WSJ)
· Japan's Nikkei soars over 7%, for its biggest gain since 2008 (BBG)
· Global shares rise as firmer Chinese yuan eases deflation fears (Reuters)
· Banks' Surge Takes Europe's Stock Rally Into 2nd Day; HSBC Rises (BBG)
· Oil extends rally on prospects OPEC could act to counter low prices (Reuters)
· Europe's Higher-Yielding Bonds Benefit as Global Turmoil Eases (BBG)
· Republicans gear up for Supreme Court battle after Scalia's death (Reuters)
· Indian-American judge who could replace Scalia worked on controversial cases for business (Reuters)
· ECB now officially everyone's "toxic bank": ECB in talks with Italy over buying bundles of bad loans (Reuters)
· Soaring Chinese Imports From Hong Kong Renew Fake Trade Concerns (BBG)
· Oil Speculators Shrug Off Huge Stockpiles to Bet on Price Climb (BBG)
· SoftBank Announces $4.4 Billion Share Buyback (WSJ)
· Record-setting cold chills U.S. Northeast on Valentine's Day (Reuters)
· Chinese Banks May Need All the Help They Can Get (WSJ)
· Brazil's 5,500 Bankruptcies in 2015 Signal Deeper Credit Crisis (BBG)
· Gold Gets Thumped as Risk-On Mood, Surging Shares Erode Demand (BBG)
· ECB's 'Whatever It Takes' May Be Too Much for German Top Court (BBG)
· Athens may face a choice: Bail-out or bail-in? (Kathimerini)
· Trump and Drudge for the win, again: Matt Drudge’s army is bigger than the RNC’s (Salon)

 

*Overnight Media Digest*

WSJ

- The U.S. Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia created one of the last major power struggles between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans. Obama said he would fulfill his constitutional responsibilities to nominate a successor in the coming weeks. (on.wsj.com/1LoZgtR)

- The U.S. and Russia stepped up their efforts to cement a cease-fire in Syria as Turkey rebuffed appeals from world leaders for an immediate halt to shelling of American-backed Kurdish forces. (on.wsj.com/1R2Ay6S)

- China shares fell Monday, catching up with losses in markets around the world, as mainland markets reopened following the lengthy Lunar New Year holiday. The Shanghai Composite Index and the Shenzhen market were closed last week when worries about global growth and the health of banks sparked selling across the globe. (on.wsj.com/1mBEh0t)

- Japan's economy shrank again in the fourth quarter, the latest confirmation that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's growth program is sputtering. The contraction, the fourth in seven quarters and could lead to calls for further monetary and fiscal stimulus. (on.wsj.com/1QBBEnj)

 

FT

HSBC Holdings Plc decided on Sunday to keep its headquarters in Britain, rejecting the option of shifting its centre of gravity back to its main profit-generating centre, Hong Kong, after a 10-month review.

UK's National Health Service (NHS) said it will invest more than one billion pounds a year by the end of the decade, in a drive to improve mental health services in the country.

Britain's push to win backing from its European partners for its wish list of EU reforms will go "right to the wire" at a summit this week, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday.

 

NYT

- Prosecutors claim that the Porsche holding company misled investors in 2008 on its plan to take over Volkswagen , sending VW stock soaring. The criminal trial in Germany has shed new light on how a billionaire family acquired ultimate power at Volkswagen in the years leading up to the carmaker's emissions-cheating crisis. (http://nyti.ms/1KQku8M)

- Japan's economy shrank in the final three months of 2015, the government said on Monday, undergoing a more severe contraction than experts had expected amid signs that global growth was stalling. (http://nyti.ms/1KjYymM)

- HSBC Holdings Plc said on Sunday that it would keep its headquarters in Britain after announcing plans last year to review whether to move its home. The bank, which is based in London but generates more than half of its earnings in Asia, announced a formal review in April, citing increasing regulatory requirements and a tax that had hit banks based in Britain particularly hard. (http://nyti.ms/1Sr965Y)

 

Britain

The Times

UK Companies have reported their fastest growth for two years, but supermarkets and the oil and gas industries weighed heavily on an otherwise encouraging performance, according to an analysis by the Share Centre. (http://thetim.es/1WlSyut)

Karl Kohler, the chief executive of Tata Steel in Europe, will join thousands of steel workers marching in Brussels today to demand urgent action to save the industry. (http://thetim.es/1WlSzyy)

The Guardian

People facing mental health crises will be able to get community care 24 hours a day, seven days a week as part of the biggest transformation of NHS mental heath services in England for a generation, to be unveiled on Monday. (http://bit.ly/1WlSFWO)

Britain's banks are vulnerable to a global financial shock despite efforts to shore up their finances, according to John Vickers, who led the inquiry into the safety of UK banks following the 2008 financial crisis. (http://bit.ly/1WlSL0t)

The Telegraph

Asia's richest man, Li Ka-Shing, is among five suitors that are expected to make final bids for London City Airport this week to clinch a deal that could value the business at about 2 billion pounds ($2.9 billion). (http://bit.ly/1WlSOcH)

Sky News

Peter Bazalgette, the creator of Big Brother and one of Britain's most influential creative industries figures, is on the verge of passing an audition to become the next chairman of ITV Plc. (http://bit.ly/1TjATFF)

HSBC Holdings Plc has decided to keep its headquarters in UK, following speculation that the bank was considering a move to Hong Kong. (http://bit.ly/1WlUjrp)

The Independent

The GMB union will bring an army of nearly 640,000 workers to help the battle to keep Britain in the European Union, The Independent reveals. (http://ind.pn/1WlTrDh)

The board of French energy company EDF SA is expected to postpone a decision once again on whether to commit to the 18.6 billion-pound ($27 billion) Hinkley Point C project, which is at the heart of Prime Minister David Cameron's strategy to "keep the lights on" in Britain in the next decade. (http://ind.pn/1WlTv5P)

 

  Reported by Zero Hedge 10 hours ago.

Neolith will now be available from Pacific Shore Stones locations in Little Rock, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Springdale, and Tulsa, in addition to Austin and San Antonio.

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) February 15, 2016

Representatives with Pacific Shore Stones today announced that it has reached an exclusive distribution agreement with Neolith in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. This new agreement is in addition to the existing agreement covering distribution in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus and the Valley area (South Texas). Neolith is a high-performance compact surface that is suitable for many applications including countertops, vanities, cladding, large format flooring, and facades.

Pacific Shore Stones Operating Partner Vinny Tavares said: “As a company we’re committed to bringing new surface products and technology to our clients. Over the years we’ve seen the market evolve, and we’re proud to offer the Neolith product line since it offers such amazing versatility.” Operating Partner Marco A. Pereira commented: “Our partnership with Neolith continues to go from strength to strength and we’re pleased to be able to bring this innovative surface solution to more of our clients. We hope to continue to grow this partnership with Neolith going forward.”

A launch event celebrating the new distribution agreement was held recently at the Tulsa, Oklahoma location. Launch events will also be held in coming weeks at Pacific Shore Stones locations in Oklahoma City, Memphis, Little Rock and Springdale. Certified official fabricator training courses will be run in these areas by Pacific Shore Stones’ Neolith Technical Representative Jesse Nelson.

Neolith is a man-made product comprised of natural elements. The production of Neolith replicates in a matter of hours the same process natural stone goes through over thousands of years, using extremely high pressure and temperature. The result is a lightweight product which is resistant to fire, UV damage, and scratching. It is also waterproof, easy to clean and fully recyclable, and has been awarded Greenguard, Greenguard Gold, NSF, and Kosher certification.

Pacific Shore Stones offers a selection of colors from Neolith’s Colorfeel, Fusion, Iron, Textile, Timber and Classtone collections. This includes new colors recently debuted by Neolith at KBIS, such as Calacatta Gold and La Boheme. Further information about Neolith can be found at: http://www.pacificshorestones.com/products/neolith

About Pacific Shore Stones

Pacific Shore Stones is a leading importer and wholesaler of exotic natural stones and surfaces. Established in 2004, the company offers a wide selection of granite, marble, travertine, quartzite, onyx, limestone, soapstone, quartz and Neolith. Pacific Shore Stones has developed joint ventures with quarries across the world, built on strong relationships, providing access to the finest blocks. The company owners regularly visit quarries in places such as Brazil, Italy, Spain, India and Turkey, enabling them to keep up with new trends and to purchase unique stones.

The company distributes high quality, hand selected stone through multiple company-owned distribution centers across the U.S. Each center has a large inventory of over 120 colors plus knowledgeable staff delivering expertise and first class customer service.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company has distribution centers in Arroyo Grande, Bakersfield, Birmingham, Charleston, Fresno, Greenville, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Oxnard, San Antonio, Springdale and Tulsa, plus a dedicated distribution facility in Houston not open to the public. Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.

Dominion Dealer Solutions announced today that Dominion ACCESS®, a fully-integrated dealer management system, has become the first automotive DMS provider to achieve General Motors’ MyPriceLink integration.

NORFOLK, VA (PRWEB) February 15, 2016

Dominion Dealer Solutions announced today that Dominion ACCESS®, a fully-integrated dealer management system, has become the first automotive DMS provider to achieve General Motors’ MyPriceLink integration. Through MyPriceLink, General Motors provides real-time retail and trade pricing for collision parts to its dealers, in lieu of fixed list prices. This allows dealers to have the most accurate pricing at all times.

All General Motors’ dealers using Dominion ACCESS now have MyPriceLink invoice integration available with any CollisionLink PLUS subscription. Any GM dealer with a CollisionLink PLUS subscription will now be able to export a quote or order information from the MyPriceLink tools within the Dominion ACCESS invoice system. Dominion also sends invoicing information to the dealer back through the MyPriceLink application, increasing the speed of reimbursement for GM dealers using the Bump 2.0 program. This creates a seamless and transparent process for dealers, as well as for automotive body shops, independent adjusters and insurance staff.

“Our customers expect solutions and we are very proud to be the first DMS to complete the integration. MyPriceLink allows our dealers to work seamlessly with body shops and collision estimating systems insuring fast, accurate pricing on GM Parts,” noted Van Koppersmith, president of Dominion DMS for Dominion Dealer Solutions. “By eliminating much of the time-consuming quote building process, parts departments can focus on fulfilling the order and delivering the parts in a timely manner”.

Dominion ACCESS is a Windows-based dealer management system that includes document archiving, drill down reporting and vehicle rental as part its core suite of applications. Dominion ACCESS provides dealers with a built-in prospecting tool, the ability to reference closed deals, personalized dashboards, award-winning customer service, and one customer and vehicle record for all dealership departments. The Dominion ACCESS software has flexible contract terms and no add-on fees for dealers.

Dominion Dealer Solutions took part in a three-month dealer pilot of the MyPriceLink integration and is the first DMS to successfully complete the pilot with General Motors. The MyPriceLink integration is available at no additional cost to any GM dealer using Dominion ACCESS DMS. Dominion ACCESS is a certified General Motors’ Dealer Technology Assistance Program (DTAP) solution. As such, Dominion ACCESS has met or exceeded the stringent requirements set forth by GM on behalf of its dealer community. Dominion Dealer Solutions offers two DMS solutions to the automotive marketplace, Dominion ACCESS and Dynamics AX-based DominionDMX. For more information on the Dominion ACCESS dealer management system, or the benefits of General Motors’ MyPriceLink integration in your dealership, call 877-421-1040.
                                                                                  ###

About Dominion Dealer Solutions
Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life. Dominion's Progressive Retail PlatformTM includes customer relationship (CRM) and dealer management systems (DMS) with actionable intelligence from the Microsoft Dynamics platform. The Progressive Retail PlatformTM also contains lead management and equity mining technology, inventory management analytics, social media marketing and reputation management solutions. Dealers nationwide purchase custom lead generation and digital marketing tools from Dominion including: responsive design websites, SEO, SEM, digital advertising, multi-channel marketing, specialized data aggregation, mobile apps and market reports. OEMs and auto dealers nationwide utilize Dominion Dealer Solutions' technologies to solve their marketing challenges. Dominion Dealer Solutions is redefining automotive retail by delivering first-class customer experiences for local car buyers. For more information, visit our website, like us on Facebook, Pinterest or YouTube, or follow us on Twitter.

About Dominion Enterprises
Dominion Enterprises is a leading marketing services and publishing company serving the automotive, recreational and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, parenting, and travel industries. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, with 3,300 employees in the United States, Canada, England, Spain and Italy, the company provides a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions, and more than 45 market leading websites. Millions of For Rent®, and HotelCoupons.com® publications are distributed across the U.S. each year. For more information, visit DominionEnterprises.com.

Media Contact:
Dominion Dealer Solutions
Peyton Hoffman
Director of Public Relations and Event Management
757.351.7271
Peyton.hoffman@drivedominion.com Reported by PRWeb 10 hours ago.