$7.54 for a Big Mac? Only in Switzerland
On average, a Big Mac in Russia will set you back $1.36, or 89 rubles. Russia’s currency has plunged to record lows in recent months as falling oil prices combined…
Tag: mercantile
Europe says no reason to ease pressure on Russia over Ukraine
Related: Ukraine president says no room for negotiations with Russia Sanctions left Russia more exposed to the collapse in oil prices that is wreaking havoc on its economy, still heavily…
Bill & Melinda Gates’ next target: banking
Literally stuffing cash in a mattress: People in rich countries can drive or walk to the bank, use digital services like PayPal and write checks that can be deposited, sometimes…
Oil boomtown: ‘We could see 20,000 layoffs by June’
Arthaud, a North Dakota native who’s been active in the state’s oil industry since the late 1970s, said he isn’t particularly concerned for his company, which employees some 2,000 people…
Belichick talks #DeflateGate in front of Gillette #Flexball ad
Gillette said it was not trying to take advantage of the increased media coverage, scrutinizing the team’s alleged shenanigans with illegally deflating footballs. “DeflateGate” has become a topic of national…
I’ve made millions playing poker, own almost nothing
In 2013, my travels led me to a silent meditation retreat at a Buddhist monastery on a small island in Thailand. I handed over what was left of my belongings,…
Smarter people use iPhones
The study also notes that iPhone sales correlate to population density. The more densely populated the state, the greater the chance that iPhone sales will be higher in that state….
Netflix has big plans to produce more original series
“(L)ast year our original content overall was some of our most efficient content,” the company wrote. “(O)ur originals cost us less money, relative to our viewing metrics, than most of…
Struggle City: Most U.S. cities haven’t recovered yet
Related: Still waiting for a pay raise? You’re not alone The other America: Meanwhile, several U.S. cities located near the Great Lakes ranked in the bottom 50 cities worldwide for…
ECB expected to unveil new stimulus
Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Hands on with Microsoft’s HoloLens
Related: Microsoft’s insane holographic vision of the future After an on-stage demonstration of the sleek, wraparound black glasses, Microsoft gave reporters four hands-on demos of the device at its Redmond,…
Chinese Premier: We’ll slow down but we won’t crash
“Regional or systemic financial crises will not happen in China,” he said. – Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors….
Top executives freak out about hackers
Cisco (CSCO, Tech30) CEO John Chambers warned that more cyberattacks were inevitable. “If you think last year was bad, wait until this year,” he said. “Every company will be broken…
What now for oil after Saudi king’s death?
Saudi officials have repeatedly said the nation will not cut oil production. It’s unlikely that the new king will alter that stance. – Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is…
Snowmen battle the hot air of Davos
The campaign is linked to the United Nations Millennium Goals, agreed 15 years ago. They include halving extreme poverty and providing universal primary education. This is the year those goals…
NYPD bolsters security for websites, stores over Charlie Hebdo
As such, media outlets wrestled with the dilemma over whether to show the magazine’s previous caricatures of the prophet after this month’s massacre at Charlie Hebdo’s Paris office. After the…
London mayor Boris Johnson bends to IRS, settles U.S. tax dispute
Last year, Johnson told NPR that officials were “coming after him” for capital gains tax on the sale of his first London home. Asked whether he would pay the bill,…
Greece elections: Have 5 years of austerity paid off?
Related: EU must end austerity and restructure debt 2. Healthier banks: Greece’s banking sector is much more resilient. Banks have been recapitalized and the industry has downsized from 18 commercial…
Facebook’s Sandberg wants more women on the Internet
The app allows users to access Facebook, Wikipedia and job postings, as well as information about motherhood, health care and civil rights. “Unless we intervene … women will not get…
Wells Fargo, JPMorgan fined for mortgage kickbacks
The wrongdoing was less extensive at JPMorgan Chase (JPM). The bureau said at least six loan officers at Chase locations in Maryland, Virginia and New York helped steer 200 loans…
Gold is sexy again. Price jumps above $1,300
Gold’s price is hard to predict because investor sentiment mostly dictates its future more than other metals. While there is some demand for gold from jewelry and industry, the reality…
London is the fastest growing western city
The view from the top: London jumped up nearly 60 spots on Brookings’ rankings. After a sluggish recovery from the recession, job growth in London’s financial sector and its relatively…
Sundance goes digital: Why it’s a great time to be a filmmaker
Executives from sites like Hulu, Vimeo and YouTube will be present, too. That means some of the movies premiering here, like the opening night documentary “What Happened, Miss Simone?” about…
Fox’s new show ‘Empire’ a hit 3 weeks in a row
According to Robert Seidman, who founded TV ratings site “TV by the Numbers,” Nielsen designates roughly 13% of TV homes in the U.S. as African American, who are accounting for…
Western Union CEO: It stinks being an immigrant in Europe
And it doesn’t just affect foreigners who come from outside Europe’s borders. “It is East versus West … Romanians and Bulgarians feel the same when they come to the U.K.,”…
Ford makes major push into Silicon Valley
Palo Alto is the home of Tesla Motors (TSLA), the upstart electric car manufacturer which builds all of its cars in nearby Fremont, Calif. Several international automakers, including Nissan, Honda…
Fake IRS phone calls tops list of tax scams
They often demand that payments be made by prepaid debit card. Once they make their threats, the scammers have been known to call back and again disguise their caller ID…
T-Mobile rejects half of its customers because of bad credit
“This is the dirty little secret in the industry,” Carey said. “You see all these adsget this, get thatbut if you step back and see what’s happening, one out of…
3 reasons why the ECB stimulus matters
Draghi said Thursday that the ECB will purchase €60 billion worth of bonds a month as part of its so-called quantitative easing program, a good bit higher than chatter Wednesday…
Obama shows 6 companies the love in State of the Union
Brands are willing to pay a whopping $4.5 million for a 30-second ad in this year’s Super Bowl. – Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago…