South Africa's targeted Consumer Price Index (CPIX), excluding mortgage rate changes, slowed for the second consecutive month to 12.4% year-on-year in October, indicating that there might be a cut in interest rates. 27 Nov 2008
Even the scrap business is down and out these days. 27 Nov 2008
The article was originally written for US online retailers, but it applies equally to our own here in South Africa, for in almost every mention of the US, one could substitute SA - for example in the weakness of the currency compared with the euro. The European market presents us with a challenging but real opportunity. 27 Nov 2008
Normally, we think of robots as humanoid and self-aware, like Rosie or Data. Some day, they might be more like that, but robots are here in our homes today, cleaning our floors and even making our coffee. What does the future of human-robot relations hold? 27 Nov 2008
Contact centre outsourcing providers are suffering thinning margins and lower contract volumes as the downturn bites, leading to an increasing appetite for diversification into adjacent business processes. 27 Nov 2008
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Shares in one of Britain's best-known high street retailers, Woolworths, were suspended here on Wednesday amid talks to rescue the firm, the company said. 26 Nov 2008
Retail is a tough sector to be in. The harder pill to swallow is the fact that the prevailing market conditions look set to stay that way until at very least the second quarter of 2009. 26 Nov 2008
Wholesaler Massmart Holdings today reported total sales growth of 13.3% and comparable sales growth of 12.3% for the first 21 weeks of the 2009 financial year. 26 Nov 2008
The amount of hospitality packages sold for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is far beyond what Germany sold in 2006, says FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke. 26 Nov 2008
Packaging Digest's 2008 study of sustainability in packaging demonstrates the issue's enormous impact and how US packagers are adjusting their operations to meet customers' new requirements. 26 Nov 2008
The results of the 4th Commercial Producers Industry Survey 2008, just released by the Commercial Producers Association of South Africa and the Gauteng Film Commission, indicate that the sector continues to produce a relatively stable number of commercials, using more shoot days, for higher budgets per commercial. 26 Nov 2008
Part 1 of this three-part series on intellectual property law in virtual worlds discusses trademark rights as applied to virtual goods. Part 2 addresses patent rights, including how patent rights can be obtained based on actions performed in virtual worlds, and whether patent rights are enforceable against virtual infringers. Part 3 will delve into copyright issues. 26 Nov 2008
South Africa's economic growth rate has slowed to 0.2% in the third quarter of the year, compared to real annualised growth rates of 1.6 and 5.1% in the first and second quarters of the year, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). 25 Nov 2008
Informal traders operating in the City of Johannesburg had the opportunity to sharpen their business skills at a training workshop held recently at the Museum Africa. 25 Nov 2008
The full results of the 2008 Tri-Nations Wine Challenge were announced in Sydney on 21 November 2008. While Australia again dominated the competition, there were clear signs that both South Africa and New Zealand had substantially upped their game. 25 Nov 2008
Despite the current global economic turmoil, South Africa's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are in their final stages and will not be affected greatly said Local Organising Committee CEO Dr Danny Jordaan at the opening of Soccerex, the world's biggest inter-business football exhibition in the world, on Monday, 24 November 2008. 25 Nov 2008
The differences between the iPod touch's first and second generations may be relatively subtle, but they're enough to earn the newer model a perfect score. The price of entry has been lowered, and the fact that it's open to third-party applications from Apple's App Store makes it much more than just a music player. 25 Nov 2008
Consumer foods manufacturer Tiger Brands today reported a 19% rise to 1 524.1 cents in headline earnings per share for the year ended September 2008. 25 Nov 2008
E-commerce sites are ramping up for Cyber Monday, their counterpart to the Black Friday holiday shopping rush, with a barrage of promotional offers. However, it's doubtful that deep discounts and free shipping offers will be enough to break through the consumer ennui triggered by the recession. 25 Nov 2008
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