Netflixs password crackdown worked. It could have more tricks to lure subscribers.

Netflix added almost 30 million subscribers in 2023 after cracking down on password sharing in May.Customers balked at the idea, but in the end Netflix prevailed.AdvertisementWhen Netflix announced it was mulling a ban on password sharing a few years ago, subscribers immediately balked. Many threatened to ditch their subscriptions, screaming #CancelNetflix, while others followed through and decisively closed their accounts.Nobody liked the idea. I certainly didn't. But let's be honest: We knew this had to happen.For years, Netflix turned a blind eye to password sharing, even winkingly encouraging it on social media. But that was when Netflix was in an exponential growth phase that carried the company to its 2021 share price high of more than $690. In 2022, Netflix reported losing subscribers for the first time in more than a decade — about 200,000 accounts in the first quarter of that year and close to 1 million in the second.Couple those losses with the fact that the streaming landscape had become much more crowded than it was in 2007 when Netflix first started offering its library online. Think Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+, and others. So, say you're one of Netflix's co-CEOs: You see your company is bleeding subscribers, your competitors are circling you like vultures, and, at the end of the day, you're beholden to your shareholders.And wow, look, an internal analysis report drops on your desk. It reveals that there are about 100 million households around the world who are accessing Netflix without a paid account, including a cheap Business Insider reporter leeching off his ex.In the third quarter of 2023, Netflix reported that it added 8.8 million subscribers, vastly exceeding expectations. The fourth quarter numbers yielded even better results: 13.1 million global subscribers for a total of more than 260 million, Business Insider's Lucia Moses reported. That's a gain of nearly 30 million over 2022. Two moves likely helped Netflix boost those numbers, according to Jadrian Wooten, an economics professor at Virginia Tech who writes the newsletter Monday Morning Economist.While Netflix was preparing its password-sharing crackdown, it introduced an ad-based subscription at about $7 a month, which was $3 less than its cheapest ad-free offering at the time and slightly cheaper than a Hulu account. The company also provided an option for households to add users to their existing accounts for about $8 a month. "So that was sort of a move that was done both to geographically expand to other countries and offer a cheaper version, but it also introduces sort of this second tier for people who were sharing an account, and they could then bump down to that next part," Wooten told BI. "So the idea is they wouldn't pay for a full account on their own, but maybe if they lost access, they would drop down to that ad-tier part."  

TVS Motor Q3 net profit rises 59% to ₹479 crore

New Delhi, TVS Motor Company on Wednesday reported a 59 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit to Rs 479 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2023, riding on the back of robust sales across markets. The company posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 301 crore in the October-December period of the last fiscal. Revenue from operations rose to Rs 10,114 crore in the December quarter as against Rs 8,066 crore in the year-ago period, TVS Motor Company said in a regulatory filing.On a standalone basis, the company reported a net profit of Rs 593 crore for the October-December quarter, a growth of 68 per cent as compared with Rs 353 crore in the third quarter of 2022-23 fiscal. Revenue from operations rose to Rs 8,245 crore in the third quarter as compared with Rs 6,545 crore in the same period of last fiscal.TVS said total two-wheeler sales rose to 10.63 lakh units in the third quarter as against 8.36 lakh units a year ago.Two-wheeler exports rose to 2.16 lakh units in the period under review from 2.07 lakh units in the year-ago period.  

In Jaipur, French President Macron to explore pink citys living past

French President Emmanuel Macron will kick-start his two-day trip to India on Thursday by visiting Jaipur's stunning hilltop fort of Amber, iconic Hawa Mahal and astronomical observation site of Jantar Mantar. Macron will be the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day celebrations on January 26 at Delhi's Kartavya Path that would make him the sixth leader from France to grace the prestigious annual extravaganza. In his nearly six-hour stay in Jaipur, Macron will also join Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a road show before the two leaders hold wide-ranging talks at luxury hotel Taj Rambagh Palace on all key aspects of bilateral India-France ties and various geopolitical upheavals. In Jaipur, President Macron will visit Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, besides participating in a road show, officials said, refusing to elaborate further. The French president's aircraft is scheduled to land at Jaipur airport at 2:30 PM on Thursday and he will depart for Delhi at around 8:50 pm, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.The road show is scheduled to start at Jantar Mantar area at 6 pm while Modi and Macron are set to begin their talks at 7:15 pm. Ways to boost bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including digital domain, defence, trade, clean energy, youth exchanges, easing of visa norms for Indian students are set to be the focus of the talks, sources said.  

Indian investments key target of Western Australia’s minerals reforms

NEW DELHI : The state of Western Australia has implemented a series of reforms aimed at attracting investments in minerals and resources, including from India. In an interview with Mint, Western Australia deputy premier Rita Saffioti said there was much interest for greater investments and collaborations between Indian and Australian firms in the rare earths sector.  The approvals reforms are aimed at supporting projects that assist with decarbonization, she said. Western Australia has been in focus for its supply of key critical minerals including lithium, nickel and cobalt, as well as rare earth metals, which are used in smartphones, computers, batteries and electronics. Australia accounts for roughly half of the world’s lithium production and has a similarly important position in cobalt production. It is also the fourth-largest rare-earths producer. Western Australia has attracted investments from Indian state-owned firms including NMDC Ltd. Indian mines minister Prahlad Joshi visited the state in 2022, following which the Indian government announced that a bilateral critical minerals investment partnership between the two sides had identified two lithium projects and three cobalt projects. “Investments under the partnership will seek to build new supply chains underpinned by critical minerals processed in Australia, that will help India’s plans to lower emissions from its electricity network and become a global manufacturing hub, including for electric vehicles," India’s mines ministry had said in a statement. Saffioti said her visit to India was also aimed at promoting Western Australia as an investment destination for private Indian companies. “There are opportunities for Indian investment in Western Australia through offtake agreements for key battery minerals," Saffioti said.  

Amber, Titagarh Rail Systems in deal for train components business

Both TRSL and Amber group, via its wholly-owned subsidiary Sidwal Refrigeration Industries Pvt Ltd, will invest approximately ₹120 crore each to obtain around 50% each in the SPV.The SPV will set up a new facility in India to manufacture critical railway components and subsystems used in the manufacture of railway and metro coaches and will also make fresh equity investments into Titagarh Firema. Titagarh Firema SpA, Italy, is an associate company of the Titagarh group where govt of Italy is also an equity stake holder.   The new SPV will also invest in Titagarh Firema while government of Italy will invest in the entity for which it has already taken approval from Invitalia, the Italians government’s investment arm. Under the agreement, Firema will grant Sidwal, Titagarh Rail as well as the SPV a preferred supplier status and right of first refusal (ROFR) for all their products.Titagarh Rail is involved in the railway rolling stock space for both freight and passenger rolling stocks. Apart from being an established railway wagon and metro coach manufacturer, it is also currently executing the projects of Vande Bharat trains, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune metros as well as executing its first export order for passenger rail components received from Firema. Titagarh is targeting a capacity of almost 800-850 coaches per year in the coming years. The Amber group is a diversified B2B company having three business verticals: consumer durables, electronics and railway subsystems and mobility. Sidwal, an Amber group company, has emerged as a leader in the train air conditioner market and has also signed a technology licensing agreement with Ultimate group to manufacture passenger coach doors and gangways. Sidwal is also planning to enter the European market for its products portfolio, a company statement said.The strategic partnership in Firema will not only facilitate Sidwal’s entry into the European market, but will also give Sidwal a preferred access to Firema’s own demand, the statement added. Both companies are investing to grow capabilities and capacities for various products that can be exported to Europe such as train mechanical and electrical components by TRSL and HVAC, doors, gangways and pantry systems by Sidwal. Firema is one of the largest and reputed designers and manufacturers of passenger trains in Italy and has executed marquee projects in Italy and other parts of Europe. Firema has an order book of almost euro 1 billion for producing new coaches and has an existing capacity to produce upwards of 240 coaches per year and has plans to double this capacity.    

Vi Combines Its Vi Max Postpaid Plans With Swiggy One Subscription

In India, Vi (Vodafone Idea) has added new benefits to its Vi Max Postpaid plans. The telecom giant has introduced Swiggy One membership for Vi Max Individual and Vi Max Family Postpaid users at no additional cost. With this promotion, Swiggy is offering VI users unlimited free deliveries of food orders over Rs. 149 and groceries over Rs. 199. Additional savings will also be available for its restaurant partners. Customers of Vi with postpaid plans that exceed Rs. 501 are eligible to become members of Swiggy One. Swiggy One membership is free for Vi Max Postpaid users with plans priced at Rs. 501, Rs. 701, Rs. 1,101 for the REDX plan, and Rs. 1,001 and Rs. 1,151 for the Vi Max Family plans. These plans all come with 3,000 SMS messages, unlimited voice calls, and roaming benefits.   In addition to free, limitless deliveries, the Swiggy One membership offers savings on a range of Swiggy services. For three months, the plan currently costs Rs. 599. It provides unlimited free deliveries on food orders above Rs. 149 with up to 30 percent additional discount on over 30,000 restaurantsSwiggy One subscribers can get free delivery for as long as they want on Instamart on orders over Rs. 199. A maximum 40 percent discount on Dineout is also provided by the subscription, and users will receive two additional coupons each month worth Rs. 150. There will also be a 10% discount on all Swiggy Genie delivery costs. The Vi Max Postpaid individual and family plan offers access to a variety of streaming services in addition to Swiggy One, such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, and SunNXT. They will also receive services from EazyDiner, Norton 360 Mobile Security, and EaseMyTrip. Customers using a single postpaid recharge plan can use any two of the previously mentioned subscriptions. The postpaid plans come with free access to Vi Mobies and TV app, Hungama Music in the Vi app and Vi Games.  

TestClear THC Detox Products Review 2024

"Every day, life becomes harder, more demanding, and more stressful. Work in the industry is ""relentless,"" involving long hours, a great deal of responsibility, daily stress, and a constant need for efficiency improvements.  But is this really possible for a human being?  Hence, it is not a coincidence that statistics show a rise in drug use worldwide, which improves efficiency and concentration while lowering work-related stress.  Given these facts, there is an obvious rise in the use of illegal substances, but there is also a marked increase in drug and other illegal substance testing (which is required by employers).Large corporations, which are all multinational corporations, have now implemented this new security measure for both new hires and current staff (on a regular basis).  The majority of drugs that are tested for in a drug test that an employer typically requires is marijuana, but there are many more illegal substances that can be found.  With these new products, the pharmaceutical industry has once again offered the answer, making them effective for both ""cheating"" drug tests and instantaneous detoxification of the user's body.  One of the most cutting-edge and reputable businesses in this space, TestClear provides a comprehensive range of products (TestClear THC Detox Products) so you can choose the one that best suits your needs."How does TestClear operate and is it "Right" for me? TestClear is a company that has created an advanced and effective line of detox products to help those who need to "cheat" a drug test.   Speaking of "detoxification" we are not talking about gradual and time-consuming detoxification.   With TestClear (any of the options offered with the TestClear THC Detox product line) you have rapid and immediate detoxification of the organism, so that you can come out "clean" in a possible test.   However, as the drug detection test is not done in only one way, TestClear has created different products so that you can "fool" the test (whether it's a urine, hair, saliva test, etc.).  

Shark Tank India: Deepinder Goyal of Zomato is compared to Ashneer Grover online after he questions a contestant

This week saw the release of Shark Tank India's third season on Netflix. In a couple of days, fans of the show have started to draw comparisons between a current judge, Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal and BharatPe's former MD Ashneer Grover, who was one of the judges in the first season of the show. This came after Mr Goyal was seen grilling pitchers in one of the clips shared by the official social media handle of the show.The business owner can be seen in the video asking the competitors about the grammar they used in their presentations. He talked about the value of accuracy and how, in a work setting, small mistakes can have a significant impact on decisions. "Why does the phone number you mentioned have nine digits instead of ten?" he asked the participant at one point in the video. He added that the Shark Tank India pitchers should have paid more attention to the details, especially since they knew they would be presenting to potential investors on national television. He even remarked that job seekers are often rejected based on even the smallest grammatical errors on their resumes.   Meanwhile, Ashneer Grover was often seen as the strict and straightforward investor on the show in the first season, who never hid away from giving proper feedback and pointing out faults in the business models. Since being shared, the clip has amassed many reactions online with some users calling the Zomato Founder "soft Ashneer Grover" and "Ashneer Grover lite".   "Deepinder Goyal from Zomato is a fantastic addition to the Shark Tank. Could be the next Ashneer Grover," said a user.   Another added, "The way he pointed out the small faults in that 'WTF fitness' was amazing, he is a soft Ashneer Grover."   Yet another person commented, "He's not wrong, in my opinion. I've been a part of multiple pitch decks and have showcased my pitch in front of influential investors. It's so important to be precise and accurate with your presentation and to go into the specifics."Ahhhhhh. So we have a new Ashneer now?" said someone. "Really, the phone number thing is a major error. The rest appears to be reasonable criticism, albeit a bit too detailed. But those are minor details that can be ignored if the product or business plan is truly exceptional," said someone.One person commented, "Talking to the entrepreneurs taking part in Shark Tank India in such a disrespectful way is really offensive. This manner of speaking is undoubtedly worse than Ashneer Grover's." "Many aspire to emulate @Ashneer_Grover for his popularity, but it's essential to recognize that no one can fill his shoes," a user on X tweeted.        

Netflixs universal strategy overlooks rugby unions true selling point.

To be honest, winning has never been the most interesting aspect of reality TV. Whether it's someone being disemboweled by the judges, gorging on kangaroo testicles, or dressing up as a cat and licking milk out of the woman from Coronation Street's cupped hands, what people really want to see is a little bit of suffering. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Italy, who dropped all five of their games and finished last, is the true star of Netflix's new rugby series, Six Nations: Full Contact, rather than France, who came very close to defeating Ireland, who won the grand slam last year, or Ireland.   Spoiler alert: the show concludes with their head coach, Kieran Crowley, considering the likelihood that he will soon

Chinas changes to its monetary policy to support economic recovery

A number of monetary policy changes were announced by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) on Wednesday with the goal of boosting liquidity and encouraging national economic expansion.   Reducing the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) is one of the PBOC's primary actions. The RRR is the amount of cash that banks are required to hold as reserves. The PBOC will lower the RRR by 0.5 percentage point, effective from February 5, 2024. This move will inject 1 trillion yuan ($139.45 billion) into the market, thereby increasing liquidity.   Beginning on January 25, 2024, the PBOC will reduce the re-lending and rediscount rates by 0.25 percentage points, from 2 percent to 1.75 percent, in addition to the RRR reduction. It is anticipated that this cut will lower social financing's overall cost, accelerating economic recovery.   The announcement of these policy adjustments has had a positive impact on the Chinese stock market. Following the news, the Shanghai Composite Index climbed by 1.80 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index and the ChiNext Index increased by one percent and 0.51 percent, respectively.JLL Greater China's chief economist and head of research, Bruce Pang, emphasized the PBOC's dedication to a steady and exacting monetary policy. The goals are to support credit allocation to the real economy, guarantee stable liquidity in the banking system, and lower funding costs for financial institutions.   In spite of the challenges posed by the global economy, financial institutions and markets in China remain stable, as PBOC Governor Pan Gongsheng reassured.The PBOC plans to enhance its financial risk monitoring and assessment capabilities. It seeks to create a system for resolving financial risks that strikes a balance between accountability and authority. This initiative reflects the PBOC's commitment to managing financial risks and maintaining stability in the face of global economic challenges. The PBOC plans to use a range of monetary policy instruments in the future to ensure that there is enough liquidity. Aligning the money supply and social financing with targets for price level and economic growth is the aim. Additionally, the PBOC wants to enhance financial services for the actual economy, especially by helping small and private companies.   Zhu Hexin, deputy governor of the PBOC and head of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, predicts that the stability of China's cross-border capital flows will further improve in 2024. The current account is expected to maintain a reasonable surplus, with an increase in foreign capital inflows under the capital account.The recent monetary policy adjustments by the PBOC reflect China's proactive approach to navigating its economic trajectory amid global uncertainties. By reducing the RRR and cutting re-lending and re-discount rates, the PBOC aims to enhance liquidity, support economic growth, and ensure stability in the banking system.  

Zee-Sony Merger Called Off: These mutual funds have exposure to the stock

India's mutual fund houses have increased their stake in Zee Entertainment in all of the nine quarters since the Sony merger announcement in December 2021. As of the December quarter, the domestic mutual funds held a 32.49% stake in Zee Entertainment, which is more than double the 12.16% stake they held at the end of the December 2021 quarter when the deal was announced. The increase in stake also corresponds with the exit of its largest shareholder Invesco, which along with Oppenheimer, held close to 18% stake in Zee at the time of the merger announcement. While Invesco Developing Markets Fund exited the stock by selling its 7.8% stake in April 2022, the OFI Global China Fund earlier pared a 5% stake between October and December 2022, before making a complete exit in April 2023. Among the funds that own a substantial stake in Zee Entertainment as of the December quarter include ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund, Nippon India Multi-Cap Fund, and HDFC Mid-Cap Opportunities Fund, among others. Some of India's largest insurance companies, all listed, also own a stake in Zee Entertainment, including the country's largest insurer LIC, along with HDFC Life and SBI Life Insurance.   

Stock Market Nifty 50 falls below 21,500, Zee Entertainment shares down 25%

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has revised the Dynamic Price Band of shares of Zee Entertainment to 30% downward from 25% earlier. In case further relaxation is needed, it will be done at an interval of 15 minutes, a circular from the BSE said.It must be noted that the stock is currently in the F&O ban and hence there are circuit limits being imposed, something that is a practice with non-F&O stocks.   Otherwise, for F&O stocks, there is no price band. Barring ICICI Bank, the remaining 11 stocks in the Nifty Bank index are contributing negatively towards its downside. Reliance Industries shares were in focus on January 23 with analysts expecting up to 23% upside in the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate’s stock following the results for the October to December 2023 quarter. Reliance shares traded more than a percent lower after the firm reported a steady third quarter with retail business revenue hitting a record high, Jio reporting a 2% rise in average revenue per user (ARPU) and oil and gas business witnessing record high margin of 86%. Shares of HDFC Bank Ltd. remain the top contributors to the Nifty 50’s downside on Tuesday, declining another 2%. India’s largest private lender is contributing 56 points to the index downside on Tuesday.   The lender’s market capitalisation has also slipped below the mark of ₹11 lakh crore, compared to its peak of ₹12.97 lakh crore, which it had on December 29.With Tuesday’s drop, the stock has declined in four out of the last five trading sessions, during which it has seen a drop of 13% from closing levels of January 16. Shares of Medi Assist Healthcare Services listed on the bourses on Tuesday, January 23. The stock listed at a premium of 11% at ₹465 a share on the BSE, and went on to scale an intra-day high of ₹509.60. On the NSE, it listed at ₹460, a premium of 10% against an issue price of ₹418. Ahead of its debut, shares of Medi Assist were commanding a premium of ₹32-36 in the unlisted market. As per trends, the company’s shares were expected to list at a premium of 8%. The initial public offering (IPO) of Nova Agritech Limited (NATL) will open for subscription on Tuesday (January 23). The public offer was postponed by a day due to the market’s holiday on January 22 and would close on January 25. Ahead of the issue launch, the company’s shares are commanding a premium of ₹20 in the unlisted market.Nova Agritech has fixed its price band at ₹39-41 per share, with a lot size of 365 equity shares in one lot and its multiples thereafter.