Executive Summary With the recent turmoil driven by the coronavirus pandemic, people across the country are faced with tremendous uncertainty about their financial situations. In response to the crisis, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion emergency fiscal stimulus package, in order to offer much-needed relief for both […]
Archives for 2020
Google makes Meet video conferencing free to all users
Alphabet’s Google on Wednesday said any user will soon be able to host free video conferences on Meet, turning its previously business-only tool into a bigger rival to Zoom and others battling for users during the coronavirus outbreak. Zoom, Microsoft’s Skype and Facebook’s Messenger introduced features this month to attract users as people barred from […]
7 areas of mental wellbeing to nurture while social distancing
Some people plan to learn a new language, others are bracing themselves to tidy the kitchen cupboards. Both noble pursuits of equal ambition, but as we adjust to this new way of life, it’s easy to take an eye off a more pressing matter: our emotional wellbeing. The truth is, extended periods of remote working, […]
Accounting Today seeks Best Firms for Technology – submission deadline extended – Accounting Today
Accounting Today is accepting submissions for its report recognizing the Best Accounting Firms for Technology. This is the second year the publication will recognize firms in this category. The original deadline for submissions has been extended due to firms needing to handle their pandemic responses. Given the growing importance of technology to the profession, the […]
Alphabet warns of difficult quarter as Covid-19 impacts advertising market
Alphabet on Tuesday beat analysts’ estimate for quarterly revenue as its Google unit posted double-digit advertising growth despite the economic slowdown from the novel coronavirus. Shares of Alphabet rose 4% to $1,282 following the after-hours release of financial results. Alphabet shares were down about 8% this year at Tuesday’s close. A booming economy and rising […]
Govt starts e-retail chain for rural India
It’s the desi, rural version of Flipkart and Amazon, and is promoted by the government. Concerned over the severe restrictions on mobility and lack of adequate supplies in times of Covid-19, the government has facilitated the creation of a village-level online retail chain, planning massive supplies of essentials through fast-expanding outlets that are taking orders […]
Cyber attack fears high due to work from home: NTRO
India’s critical sectors may fall prey to inimical forces which could use relaxations in geofencing restrictions granted to employees working from home to make cyber attacks, said an assessment by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). Sectors including government undertakings, strategic and public enterprises, banking and financial services, telecom, power, energy and transport, among others, […]
Amazon India offers zero interest credit
Amazon India will give zero-interest credit to customers to buy products on its platform or pay bills, partnering lenders Capital Float and Karur Vysya Bank for the initiative. The company has followed in the footsteps of rival Walmart-owned Flipkart and a slew of smaller startups such as LazyPay, Simpl and ePayLater to launch a ‘buy-now-pay-later’ […]
FMCG firms take direct route to customer homes
Representative Image More than a dozen consumer goods companies including Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Mondelez, Procter & Gamble, Dabur and Colgate have started selling products directly to consumers. That’s circumventing traditional trade and distributor networks in areas where last-mile delivery has been disrupted due to Covid-19 restrictions. Their latest direct-to-home initiatives involve partnering startups such as […]
Federal Reserve seeks banks’ advice as it gets into direct lending with coronavirus relief
A pedestrian walks outside the Federal Reserve Bank building in Washington. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Federal Reserve has reached out to investment and retail banks for feedback on its Main Street lending program ahead of its formal launch, according to people familiar with the matter. The central bank earlier this month laid out in […]