CSCEC LAND launches its cultural land product brand, setting a benchmark in the cultural housing industry.
Scienjoy Holding Corporation Reports Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Results
GLOW PRODUCTION BREAKS INTO NORTH AMERICA TO CONNECT AAA STUDIOS WITH GLOBAL AUDIENCES
Zarqa Al Yamama - the first Grand Opera produced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - celebrates international premiere in Riyadh
Zarqa Al Yamama - the first Grand Opera produced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - celebrates international premiere in Riyadh
Cango Inc. Filed Its Annual Report on Form 20-F
Hello Group Files Annual Report on Form 20-F for Fiscal Year 2023
Incubase Studio Launches Incubase Arena: A New Entertainment Hub for Japanese Anime and Culture in Hong Kong
Captivating Chinese Tourists: How Xiaohongshu Boosts Tourism for Businesses in Singapore
Beijing Review: Service For a Better World
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Celebrate "Bleach: Brave Souls" Reaching Over 90 Million Downloads Worldwide with "The Future Society Zenith Summons: Cyber" Featuring New Versions of
TOKYO, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KLab Inc. announced that its hit 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls has reached a total of 90 million downloads worldwide. See the original press release (https://www.klab.com/en/press/) for more information. KLab Inc. announced that its hit 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls has reached a total of 90 million downloads worldwide. 90 Million Downloads Celebration Overview Free Thousand-Year Blood War Summons Event Period: Saturday, April 27 16:00 to Friday, May 31 15:59 (JST/UTC+9) Don't miss out on a special one-time Summons that guarantees a 5 Star Thousand-Year Blood War character. Battle Ready 6 Star Summons Ticket 90 Million Downloads Present Event Period: Saturday, April 27 0:00 to Friday, May 31 23:59 (JST/UTC+9) Log in during the event period to receive a ticket that can be used to receive one level 200 6 Star character with a fully-powered up 150% Soul Tree. 90 Million Downloads Celebration Cycle Summons Event Period: Saturday, April 27 16:00 to Saturday, May 11 15:59 (JST/UTC+9) Each step of the Summons has a different draw rate for 5 Star characters. In addition, each step has a bonus and one 5 Star character is guaranteed every 5 steps up to Step 30. Ulquiorra, Orihime, and Nnoitora will be Available as New Characters in The Future Society Zenith Summons: Cyber Event Period: Tuesday, April 30 16:00 to Wednesday, May 15 15:59 (JST/UTC+9) One of the featured 5 Star characters are guaranteed every five Steps of the x10 Summons except for Step 25 and Step 50.On Step 25 and Step 50, players will receive a ticket that can be used to receive one of the new characters of their choosing. The Future Society Zenith Summons: Cyber Trailer:https://youtu.be/UlBeQDqWGXY The Future Society Trailer Campaign Campaign Period:Friday, April 26 to Thursday, May 2 16:59 (JST/UTC+9) Simply react to the Summons trailer that will be posted on the official Brave Souls social media accounts.All players will receive awesome in-game rewards if the worldwide reaction goal is reached. *Please note that campaign contents are subject to change without notice.*Please check the news on the official website for more details. Overview of Bleach: Brave Souls Platform: iOS /Android™/PC/PS4™ Genre: 3D Action Price: Free-to-play (In-game purchases available) Official Website: https://www.bleach-bravesouls.com/en/ Official X Account: @bleachbrs_en Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BleachBS.en Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QJ4uNQeijEx0jlo4nqauA Official Instagram: @bleachbravesouls_official Official Discord: https://discord.com/invite/bleachbravesouls Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bleachbrs_en_official Copyright: © Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot © KLabGames Download Here: App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1003168863 Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.klab.bleach Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1201240/BLEACH_Brave_Souls PlayStation Store: https://store.playstation.com/concept/10002097
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Colorful Guizhou visiting France
GUIYANG, China, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from eguizhou.gov.cn: Young women dressed in the traditional attire of Guizhou ethnic minorities welcome guests attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Colorful Guizhou Culture and Tourism Paris Promotion Week in Paris on Friday. [Photo provided to China Daily] The wonders of Southwest China's Guizhou province are being shared with the people of Paris, France until April 26 at the Mountain Park Province Colorful Guizhou Wind event. The promotion, which started with an opening ceremony on April 19, was hailed by Lu Yongzheng, the head of the publicity department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee. Lu said in his opening speech that the historical relationship between China and France, the close exchanges and cooperation between Guizhou and France, and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries were all cause for celebration. Lu introduced Guizhou as a mountain park province, abundant in natural treasures, diverse cultures, and containing world-renowned architectural wonders including Huangguoshu Waterfall, Fanjing Mountain, and the world's largest radio telescope known as China's "eye of heaven". Despite their geographical separation, Lu said Guizhou and France share many similarities. Both have numerous mountains and caves, and are famous for their rich heritage of alcohol production. Jean Bottazzi, an internationally renowned cave explorer and vice-president of the French Speleological Federation, shared his experience of more than 30 years in the scientific research of caves, and the development of cave exploration tourism in Guizhou. Bottazzi said that Guizhou's natural resources are protected and valued, particularly through United Nations-recognized reserves and geoparks. He highlighted the enchanting allure of the mountains, the beauty of the local voices, and the joy of the dances. "In 2007, I left my job in France to settle in Guizhou," he said. "I traveled throughout China, but Guizhou has remained my favorite land, with explorations in over 30 districts within this province alone." Frank Desplanques, editor-in-chief of the program Rendezvous in an Unknown Land on national TV channel France 2, talked about his experience filming in Guizhou for the first time in 2016 for a documentary about a Miao ethnic village. "At every village we visited, we were greeted with extraordinary hospitality," he said. "It was sometimes very difficult to leave because everyone wanted us to stay for a few more days." Photographer Gregoire de Gaulle, the great nephew of former French president Charles de Gaulle, has visited Guizhou multiple times and praised it as "a paradise for photographers with its beautiful landscapes and rich culture". Robbie Bridgman, director of the National Geographic documentary Best of the World's Destinations: Guizhou, traveled from Australia to Paris to share his filming experience in Guizhou. "Our expedition was nothing short of awe-inspiring," he said. "From mountains, caves, waterfalls, and ancient cities, we uncovered the hidden treasures that make Guizhou a true gem of China. We had the privilege of immersing ourselves in the rich history and vibrant culture of Guizhou." At the opening ceremony, the audience also enjoyed ethnic song and dance performances from Guizhou, and a bilingual rendition of the French song Swallow. Running alongside the main event, an exhibition titled Guizhou: Best of the World's Destinations is showcasing photographs of the region.
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Dongying helps protect, develop Yellow River Basin
DONGYING, China, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn: The coastal city of Dongying in East China's Shandong province – which is situated where the Yellow River flows into the Bohai Sea – has made significant progress in preserving the wetland ecology and biodiversity of the Yellow River Basin. The increasing number of Oriental white storks shows that the ecological systems are getting better, said Zhao Yajie, deputy director of the monitoring center of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve. She said that this was due to the species having extremely high requirements for ecosystem and environment. The Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, which was founded in 1992, stretches about 153,000 hectares and has earned itself the nickname of being an "international airport for avian species". In recent years, it has seen a significant increase in both the variety and number of bird species through the local government's efforts. In fact, the number of bird species has risen from 187 in 1992 to 373 in 2023. A state-of-the-art ecological monitoring center for the Yellow River Delta has been established to manage data related to meteorology, water quality, soil and marine life. According to Zhao, spring is a critical period for the breeding of Oriental white storks. If monitoring reveals insufficient food in the wetlands, methods such as artificial breeding are taken to ensure the healthy growth of the chicks. To date, the reserve has set up a total of 35 bird monitoring sites and 49 wetland monitoring sites. This year, the reserve plans to establish 107 monitoring sites to achieve full coverage of monitoring within the area. Additionally, an unmanned aerial vehicle automatic patrol system will be set up to enhance protection and supervision capabilities. The local government has teamed up with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to tackle Spartina alterniflora, a smooth type of marsh cordgrass spreading wildly on the estuary coastline and seriously threatening the habitats of species. Currently, the city is working on establishing a Yellow River estuary national park, to help preserve wetlands and biodiversity in the Yellow River Delta region. It's expected to become the first in the country to boast land and marine areas.
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Global Times: Xi calls on Chongqing to promote high-quality development
BEIJING, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed further efforts to usher in a new stage in the development of China's western region featuring well-coordinated environmental conservation, greater openness and high-quality development, when he chaired a symposium on boosting the development of China's western region in the new era in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour in Chongqing from Monday to Wednesday. During the visit, he called on Chongqing to further deepen reform and opening up across the board and write its own chapter in advancing Chinese modernization. The remarks and the inspection tour highlighted the great importance the top leader attaches to the development of the western region, which covers more than 70 percent of China's land area and is home to nearly 30 percent of the country's population. The region plays a critical role in China's pursuit of high-quality development and Chinese modernization, and holds great potential in various areas, economists said on Wednesday. During the symposium on Tuesday, Xi said China's western region has seen significant achievements on eco-environmental conservation and restoration over the past five years, but the region's development is still facing difficulties and challenges, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The Chinese President said developing industries that leverage local strengths should be the main focus, adding that efforts are needed to adopt a region-specific approach in developing emerging industries and expedite industrial transformation and upgrade in the western region. Underscoring the importance attached to greater openness, during the inspection tour of Chongqing, Xi also visited an international logistics hub park to learn about the municipality's efforts in accelerating the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor in west China, according to Xinhua. China's western region covers Chongqing, six provinces and five autonomous regions, including Southwest China's Sichuan and Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, accounting for 21.5 percent of China's GDP. Although the region's development has been lagging behind the country's eastern coastal regions, in recent years development has been picking up pace. Between 2019 and 2023, the region's combined GDP expanded form 20.5 trillion yuan ($2.83 trillion) to 26.9 trillion yuan, with an annual average growth rate of 4.9 percent. "The development in the western region has improved significantly in recent years in terms of infrastructure, industrial upgrade and people's livelihoods," Hu Qimu, a deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, told the Global Times on Wednesday. In terms of industrial development, the western region has also seen rapid development in recent years. The region is home to nine national level strategic emerging industry clusters in areas such as new materials and biomedicine, and five national level advanced manufacturing clusters such as electronic information and aviation. The region's industrial added value has jumped from 5.8 trillion yuan in 2019 to 8.1 trillion yuan in 2023, according to official data. Critical role, vast potential The symposium on Tuesday further highlighted the western region's critical role in China's efforts to bolster both security and development, as well as its enormous potential in areas such as advanced manufacturing and high-level opening-up, economists said. "The region is tasked not only to boost local industrial development with many industries shift from the east to the west and provide support in resources and other areas, but also to play a bigger role in the country's opening-up efforts," Dong Shaopeng, a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Dong noted that there is still great room for the western region to expand opening-up by bolstering connectivity with countries and regions through land transport corridors. The western region has developed multiple trade routes with countries and regions in Europe, Central Asia and Southeast Asia in recent years. The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, which connects China's western region with Southeast Asian countries, can reach 490 ports in 120 countries and regions as of January 2024, with cargo volume jumping 21 percent year-on-year in 2023, according to official data. Moreover, the western region also plays a crucial role in the China-Europe Freight Train Express. Over the past five years, 35,000 China-Europe freight trains have been launched in the western region, accounting for 50.5 percent of the national total. Thanks to the greater connectivity, the total import and export volume of the western region reached 3.7 trillion yuan in 2023, an increase of 37 percent from 2019. Greater connectivity and openness of the western region is of great importance to the country's efforts to expand high-level opening-up and bolster both security and development, economists said. "Although the capacity of land transport remains relatively low, it has a very high level of security compared to sea transport," Hu said, noting that land transport corridors in the western region can better cope with geopolitical tensions and offer a steady channel for transport of strategic resources under extreme circumstances. Apart from its great importance in China's long-term security and development, the western region is also crucial in the country's efforts to tackle downward pressure and consolidate the economic recovery in the short term by boosting domestic investment and consumption, economists said. "Whether it is from the perspective of responding to international situation, or overall coordination of development and security, or the current need to stabilize growth, it is imperative to boost the development of the western region," Hu said, pointing to the huge potential in infrastructure investment and consumption in the region. As the region's economic development accelerated in recent years, infrastructure construction and consumption has also been expanding steadily. For example, in the first quarter of 2024, Chongqing saw a 4.4-percent growth in fixed-asset investment, with a 16.7-percent growth in industries and 8.5 percent in infrastructure. Retail sales in the municipality also grew by 5.5 percent year-on-year, higher than the national growth rate of 4.7 percent, according to official data.
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Nielsen releases its 2024 Annual Marketing Report surveying global marketers on ROI strategies
The sixth Annual Marketing Report explores how global marketers are allocating budgets and measuring success—all with an eye on proving and improving ROI NEW YORK, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement, data, and analytics, released its sixth global Annual Marketing Report, revealing marketers' priorities and plans to improve ROI in 2024 and beyond. The report, which surveyed nearly 2,000 global marketers, found that marketers continue to view social media, search, online/mobile video, and online/mobile display as the most effective marketing channels for ROI, but could miss out on key revenue opportunities without a cross-media strategy and approach. The 2024 Annual Marketing Report surveyed marketers on topics including budget allocations and spending optimism, brand building strategies, media balance, and overall confidence. Some of the key findings globally include: Marketer spending optimism is up in 2024: Despite the presence of inflation, consumer spending, and supply chain uncertainties as key planning considerations, 72% of global marketers expect bigger ad budgets this year, up from 64% on a year-on-year basis. Marketer tactics may not drive top KPI results: Marketers' top KPIs are long-term ROI and full-funnel ROI. At the same time, however, 70% of respondents plan to prioritize performance marketing over brand building initiatives. A shift to performance marketing, without supporting brand-building marketing, could limit long-term ROI and may cause brand decay. Digital media allocations are approaching two-thirds of spending: On average, global marketers plan to allocate more than 63% of their media spending to digital channels, with social media, search, online video and digital display accounting for the largest increases. A year ago, marketers split their traditional and digital spending 50:50. Marketing technology confidence doesn't match measurement realities: 84% of global marketers say they're either extremely or very confident in their ROI measurement capabilities, up from 69% in 2023. Comparatively, only 38% say they evaluate the holistic ROI of their marketing efforts by measuring traditional and digital marketing together. "Marketers manage a diverse and growing number of channels - each with a unique set of activation needs and performance metrics. Nielsen's Analytics Portfolio meets marketers where they are at - across channels and across objectives - to accurately measure and maximize returns across a complete marketing plan," said Tina Wilson, EVP and Group GM, Analytics Portfolio Companies, Nielsen. "Our research reaffirms that effective measurement requires an integrated effort across media to understand brand and performance metrics in the short and long term." This is the sixth Annual Marketing Report produced by Nielsen. The report is based on survey responses in December 2023 from marketers who manage marketing budgets of $1 million or more, who work across a variety of industries (auto, financial services, FMCG, technology, health care, pharmaceuticals, travel, tourism, and retail), and whose focus pertains to media, technology, and measurement strategies. Download the report here. About NielsenNielsen shapes the world's media and content as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their audiences—now and into the future. Nielsen operates around the world in more than 50 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com and connect with us on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram).
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Weibo Files its Annual Report on Form 20-F
BEIJING, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Weibo Corporation (the "Weibo" or "Company") (Nasdaq: WB and HKEX: 9898), a leading social media platform in China, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2024. The annual report can be accessed on Weibo's investor relations website at http://ir.weibo.com. The Company will provide a hard copy of its annual report containing the audited consolidated financial statements, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests should be directed to Investor Relations, Weibo Corporation, No.8 SINA Plaza, Courtyard 10, XiBeiWang, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China. About Weibo Weibo is a leading social media for people to create, discover and distribute content. Weibo combines the means of public self-expression in real time with a powerful platform for social interaction, content aggregation and content distribution. Any user can create and post a feed and attach multi-media and long-form content. User relationships on Weibo may be asymmetric; any user can follow any other user and add comments to a feed while reposting. This simple, asymmetric and distributed nature of Weibo allows an original feed to become a live viral conversation stream. Weibo enables its advertising and marketing customers to promote their brands, products and services to users. Weibo offers a wide range of advertising and marketing solutions to companies of all sizes. The Company generates a substantial majority of its revenues from the sale of advertising and marketing services, including the sale of social display advertisement and promoted marketing offerings. Designed with a "mobile first" philosophy, Weibo displays content in a simple information feed format and offers native advertisement that conform to the information feed on our platform. To support the mobile format, we have developed and continuously refining our social interest graph recommendation engine, which enables our customers to perform people marketing and target audiences based on user demographics, social relationships, interests and behaviors, to achieve greater relevance, engagement and marketing effectiveness. Contacts Investors RelationsWeibo CorporationTel: +86-10-5898-3336Email: ir@staff.weibo.com
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iQIYI Launches Over 300 Titles at 2024 World Conference, Fueling Growth with Diverse Content and Robust IP Monetization
Two new drama brands focusing on literary work adaptations and short series respectivelyUsing generative AI to optimize content production and empower creators BEIJING, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, announced an exciting lineup of over 300 new titles across genres at the iQIYI 2024 World Conference held on April 23-24. The company also introduced two new drama series brands and forged multiple strategic partnerships aimed at fueling growth with its premium content offerings and IP development. The conference explored iQIYI's comprehensive content strategy, spanning drama series, films, variety shows, documentaries, animations, and sports programming, meticulously tailored to cater to the evolving needs of the audiences. Yu GONG, Founder and CEO of iQIYI, highlighted the company's commitment to realism in content creation and delivering high-quality and diverse offerings. Gong also emphasized the opportunities presented by generative AI advancements and demographic shifts in China, particularly the evolving entertainment requirements of children and the elderly population. Yu GONG, Founder and CEO of iQIYI Expansive Offerings with New Drama Brands Following the success of the suspense-laden 'Light On Theater,' the romance-infused 'Sweet On Theater' and the humor-packed 'Laugh On Theater,' iQIYI is expanding its offerings with the introduction of two new drama series brands. 'Dajia Theater,' meaning 'master of literature,' will bring to life literary masterpieces and portray the real-life stories of ordinary people with productions such as Chinese Peach and Plum, Fathers and Sons, One Day Three Autumns and This Thriving Land. Meanwhile, the newly introduced 'Weichen Theater,' meaning 'tiny dust,' will specialize in premium mini-series that reflect new aesthetics and auditory experiences, featuring works like To the Wonder and What a Wonderful World. Xiaohui WANG, Chief Content Officer at iQIYI, emphasized the company's steadfast commitment to fostering creative diversity and innovation among its studios. By actively encouraging the development of distinctive styles, iQIYI strives to deliver a wide array of premium content that boldly pushes the boundaries of artistic expression and storytelling. The company remains dedicated to producing high-quality content that delves into profound themes and introduces fresh narratives, thereby catering to users' growing demand for elevated aesthetic and emotional experiences. Xiaohui WANG, Chief Content Officer of iQIYI Multi-dimensional IP Development and New Partnership At the conference, iQIYI showcased its strategic focus on cultivating IPs through various approaches, such as partnerships, seasonal releases, and integrative experiences. The platform announced it has formed a partnership with Stephen CHOW's Bingo Group to produce innovative content that spans formats and genres surrounding popular IPs. iQIYI also emphasized its dedication to developing IPs through seasonal releases, both in dramas and variety shows, by announcing several highly anticipated dramas like Ordinary Greatness 2 and The Fearless 2, as well as new seasons of popular variety IPs such as Hi! Young Farmers 2024, The Rap of China 2024, and The Detectives' Adventures Season 4. Additionally, it introduced new original shows like Burning Moon and My Zone. In addition to the popular dramas and variety shows, iQIYI also plans to release 29 thrilling films, while accelerating the creation of Chinese animation and enriching its library of children's IPs. Furthermore, sports enthusiasts will be captivated by iQIYI's impressive lineup, featuring prestigious global events such as the 2024 UEFA European Championship, the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and prominent golf and tennis Grand Slam tournaments. As part of its evolving IP development strategy, the platform aims to craft more interactive and immersive experiences that seamlessly integrate various content formats such as drama series, variety shows, and animations. By extending these experiences into physical parks and VR immersive theaters, iQIYI seeks to enrich the value of its IPs and foster deeper viewer engagement across a diverse range of platforms and touchpoints. Senior Vice President Gang WU emphasized that premium IPs not only help brands enhance recognition but also foster growth across economic cycles. With its premium content offerings and valuable user base, iQIYI has integrated marketing efforts across content, social, and consumption domains, enabling brands at various stages of development to capitalize on its platform's strengths. Gang WU, Senior Vice President of iQIYI Unleashing Creativity with Generative AI Wenfeng LIU, Chief Technology Officer, shed light on how generative AI is transforming the company's content creation process. In the planning phase, for instance, generative AI empowers creators by harnessing trained models that can accurately identify compelling plot points within scripts. During production, the application of generative AI has significantly enhanced virtual production, sound design, and digital asset creation. A prime example is iQIYI's proprietary AI-powered IQ Stage virtual shooting system, which has successfully supported the filming of The Story of Mystics, a drama series showcasing extensive virtual shooting with a wide array of scenes. Wenfeng LIU, Chief Technology Officer of iQIYI Liu believes that AI-generated content should not be misinterpreted as competing with professionally produced content and user-generated content. Instead, creators across all content categories can leverage generative AI's capabilities to produce higher-quality content, leading to accelerated industry iteration and significantly increased innovation opportunities. Throughout this process, iQIYI aims to amplify the value of creators by harnessing the leverage of generative AI, enabling them to unleash their unique creativity and exceptional aesthetics, resulting in the creation of even more captivating content. CONTACT: iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com
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ITE HCMC 2024: Pioneering Sustainable Tourism for a Creating Future
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the only travel expo in the region featuring an International Buyers' Program The 18th edition of the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2024), is expected to attract 220 international hosted buyers from 40 countries and territories, facilitating over 10,000 business appointments. This initiative underscores the event's commitment to offering unparalleled opportunities for direct B2B engagements between international and Vietnamese tourism businesses. ITE HCMC 2024 – the largest international tourism event in Vietnam and Mekong sub-region will happen from 05 – 07 September at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. ITE HCMC is set to take place from September 5th to 7th, 2024, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in District 7. Under the theme "Responsible Travel, Creating Future", ITE HCMC 2024 is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism practices and showcasing innovative tourism products and services that meet the rigorous and diverse demands of the international travel market. Embracing the Digital Transformation in Tourism Recognizing the imperative of digital transformation in the tourism industry, especially in the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the significant impact of the pandemic, ITE HCMC 2024 aims to lead the charge in integrating digital solutions. The event will feature a blend of traditional in-person exhibitions and online components, including 2D virtual booths equipped with interactive functionalities such as live chat, email, and appointment scheduling, thereby catering to the high demand from exhibitors and trade visitors alike. Expanding Reach and Enhancing Collaboration The scale of ITE HCMC 2024 is set to surpass previous editions, with an anticipated participation of over 500 exhibiting companies and brands. These will include international tourism promotion agencies, local tourism bureaus, travel agencies, accommodation providers, airlines, and transportation companies, among others. A Hub for High-level Dialogue and Innovation ITE HCMC 2024 will host a series of conferences, forums, and workshops, acting as a nexus for high-level discussions between government officials, tourism experts, business leaders, and other stakeholders. The focus will be on strategic, policy, and technological innovations to drive sustainable and responsible tourism development. Highlighting this year's agenda is the High-Level Tourism Forum with the theme "Responsible Travel, Creating Future," expected to draw participation from over 200 delegates. Enhancing the Visitor Experience Aiming to optimize attendee experience, ITE HCMC 2024 will thoughtfully arrange functional zones, including areas dedicated to local experiences such as handicrafts, coffee, and folk art, thereby creating distinctive cultural highlights. This organization ensures that visitors can efficiently navigate the expo, discovering and engaging with the rich diversity of tourism offerings. Commitment to Sustainable Tourism Mrs Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, expressed, "With the esteemed participation of estemmed ministry of tourism, promotion & management agencies and renowned tourism experts, both domestic and international, ITE HCMC 2024, themed 'Responsible Travel, Creating Future,' promises to be a forum rich in practical solutions and groundbreaking initiatives. It will play a crucial role in raising awareness and commitment towards sustainable tourism, affirming the expo's status as the leading event in the region." Website: www.itehcmc.travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itehcmc.internationaltravel Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/company/ite-hcmc-international-travel-expo-ho-chi-minh-city/
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Appier partners with Nespresso to revolutionize community engagement and growth
Unleashing innovative interactive creatives for a unified Online-to-Offline customer journey TAIPEI, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Appier, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence (AI), proudly unveils its latest collaboration with Nespresso. By integrating the conversational marketing platform BotBonnie with engaging gamified experiences, Appier has seamlessly united Nespresso's online and offline worlds for its users, achieving an impressive 97% completion rate in customer interactions. This strategy not only fosters content sharing among LINE users but also amplifies community engagement and conversion rates, crafting a flawless O2O (Online-to-Offline) journey for every Nespresso customer. The latest Global Capsule Coffee Market Research Report reveals a significant surge in the capsule coffee sector, with the market value catapulting from USD 13.77 billion in 2023 to an anticipated USD 15.24 billion in 2024, marking a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.7%. This remarkable growth trajectory reflects an increasing consumer preference for convenience, quality taste, and the pursuit of a sophisticated lifestyle, signaling evolving market dynamics and opportunities in the coffee industry. Nespresso, a global leader in coffee excellence and sustainability, continues to enchant coffee lovers worldwide. In the dynamic capsule coffee market, Nespresso remains at the forefront, innovatively addressing evolving and diverse customer demands. Leveraging Appier's prowess in digital marketing, Nespresso has revolutionized its customer interaction by deploying an interactive marketing strategy on its LINE channel. This collaboration introduces a suite of engaging gamified marketing scenarios, seamlessly bridging the online-to-offline (O2O) gap and enhancing the interactive customer journey with Nespresso Taiwan and its local users. Gamification elevates LINE engagement: Nespresso hits an impressive 97% interaction rate Nespresso's strategic integration of the BotBonnie marketing kit with LINE's Member Get Member (MGM) features has markedly boosted user acquisition. By launching captivating lottery events during the Lunar New Year celebrations, Nespresso invited users to engage in a fun, festive experience. Participants could 'test their luck' and share the fun with LINE friends for additional chances to win, fostering community spirit. This innovative approach not only achieved a remarkable 97% interaction completion rate in the 2023 Rabbit New Year campaign but also saw a 50% consumption redemption rate for the top prize in the 2024 Dragon New Year scratch-and-win campaign, showcasing the effectiveness of combining traditional festivities with modern marketing techniques. BotBonnie marketing tool kits integrated with the MGM campaign, significantly boosting community interaction rates Tailoring success: Quiz modules drive 75% user completion in themed campaigns Nespresso elevates customer engagement with the innovative use of BotBonnie's quiz module in launching the VERTUO series capsule coffee machines. By engaging users with color stylist-inspired themes, participants discover their color style while exploring Nespresso's advanced Centrifusion™ technology—where each capsule's unique barcode ensures perfect brewing. The campaign not only intrigued users with personalized quiz outcomes but also encouraged community participation through additional lucky draw chances for inviting friends. Remarkably achieving a 75% completion rate, this creative approach significantly boosted purchase intent, seamlessly converting online interactions into tangible sales. BotBonnie seamlessly integrates diverse marketing creativities, fostering online engagement and offline conversion Nespresso is elevating the customer experience by leveraging BotBonnie to enhance its LINE community engagement, introducing a user-friendly 'Store Search' function. With the integration of Location-Based Services (LBS), customers can effortlessly locate the ten closest Nespresso stores by simply sharing their location. Nespresso expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "Our partnership with Appier to leverage the BotBonnie platform marks a significant leap in transforming creative marketing ideas into concrete business results. This initiative not only aligns with the interactive preferences of modern consumers but also broadens the reach of Nespresso's innovative product line and customer-focused branding campaigns." About Nespresso Nespresso was established in 1986, pioneering the portioned coffee system renowned for its coffee capsules and innovative coffee machines. Nespresso enables everyone to easily craft the perfect cup of coffee like a skilled barista. The coffee capsules are made in Switzerland and in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance, they have developed the AAA Sustainable Quality Program and have been certified by B Corp, committing to the sustainable sourcing of high-quality coffee. Nespresso places great emphasis on quality, convenience, and sustainability, insisting on using high-quality coffee beans and adopting environmentally friendly operational measures. Therefore, it has become the brand of choice for many coffee enthusiasts. Nespresso employs over 10,000 staff members and, through various collaborations, has established a presence in 93 countries/regions, extending its influence worldwide. About Appier Appier (TSE: 4180) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that uses artificial intelligence to power business decision-making. Founded in 2012 with a vision of democratizing AI, Appier now has 17 offices across APAC, Europe, and US, and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Visit www.appier.com for more information about Appier and its applications of generative AI.
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Omdia forecasts strong recovery in large-area display market for 2024, driven by sporting events and innovative production strategies
LONDON, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Research from Omdia's newly released Large Area Display Market Tracker 4Q23 has found shipments of large-area displays (all displays above 9inches), including both LCD and OLED, are forecasted to increase by 7.4% year-over-year (YoY) in units and 11.1% YoY in area in 2024. Large-area display area shipment forecast (millions of units) "In 2023, demand for IT display products such as mobile PCs and monitors was weaker despite fewer price increases. Demand for TV displays also decreased , but LCD TV display prices increased according to display makers' production-to-order policies, especially for LCDs in 2023," said Peter Su, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. Omdia expects supply and demand for large area displays to balance in 2024, particularly in the second half of the year. "After a period where demand for IT and TV display was pulled forward during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and then frozen in 2022 and 2023, display makers are now anticipating a recovery demand in 2024. Mid-2024 sporting events will serve as another catalyst for economic recovery," Su added. It is expected that TV displays will lead large-area display area shipment in 2024, accounting for 77.1% of its total thanks to LCD TV display size migration. Shipments of 98-inch and above LCDs are expected to reach 1.17 million, up from 0.65 million in 2023, marking an 81.6% YoY increase in 2024. Large area display revenue was US$ 61.1billion in 2023, a 7.2% YoY decline, due to slower demand and IT display price recovery. Only TV display revenue increased by 12.3% YoY, driven by price hikes till 3Q23. Revenue for large-area displays is forecasted to reach US$74.2billion in 2024, a 21.4% increase YoY, buoyed by shipment and price recovery. BOE led the market in large-area display unit shipments with a 33% share in 2023, followed by Innolux at 14.1% and AUO at 11.2%. In 2024, BOE is expected to maintain this lead at 31.1% market share, followed by Innolux at 12.5% and China Star at 12.2% respectively. ABOUT OMDIA Omdia, part of Informa Tech, is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets combined with our actionable insights empower organizations to make smart growth decisions. Fasiha Khan Fasiha.khan@omdia.com Large area display area shipment forecast (millions of square meters)
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Newborn Town's Q1 Revenue Exceeds RMB 1,000 Million as Social Networking Business Records Over 65% YoY Growth
HONG KONG, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Newborn Town Inc. ("Newborn Town"; 9911. HK) revealed its unaudited operating data for Q1 2024 on April 24. This tech company's social networking arm soared with a revenue increase of around 65.8% to 70.9%, reaching RMB 980 million to RMB 1,010 million. Additionally, its innovative business showed year-on-year growth, rising by 3.3% to 20.0% in revenue, amounting to RMB 62 million to RMB 72 million. Newborn Town's growth in the social networking sector has gained momentum, fueled by the continued scale-up of its latecomer apps in strategic markets like MENA, alongside the pioneering exploration of LGBTQ+ social business. Having entrenched itself in MENA markets for years, Newborn Town has deeply dived into the region's social networking and entertainment needs, providing a wide range of quality services via its diverse app portfolio and refined localization capability. These endeavors have propelled Newborn Town to claim the leading position in MENA. In 2023, the revenue of Newborn Town's primary social products in MENA saw a remarkable year-on-year increase of approximately 30%. In the first quarter of 2024, Newborn Town solidified its leading position in the "pan-audience social networking business" within MENA, with flagship apps like SUGO maintaining the growth trajectory and expanding their reach. This remarkable progress has propelled them to prominence among the rankings of Chinese non-game publishers for overseas revenue, released by data.ai. Newborn Town's "diverse-audience social networking business" has also been on the move, especially with the successful debut of the social app HeeSay in over 70 countries and regions worldwide. HeeSay, unlike many other LGBTQ+ dating apps, prioritizes users' needs for expression and connection within the community. Through its diverse features such as livestreams and audio chat rooms, this social platform provides LGBTQ+ individuals with a more immersive and open-minded space to showcase and share. In January, HeeSay concluded its annual gala in Bangkok, drawing the attention of nearly a hundred Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and users from diverse global markets including Thailand, Vietnam, the United States, and more. This flagship event celebrated and honored participants for their invaluable contributions to enhancing the online community. Building on years of experience in the global social networking and entertainment realm, HeeSay will continue to enhance its operations and monetization capabilities and orchestrate more creative events worldwide in the months to come. These endeavors will drive it to deeply bond with users, partners, and content creators and strengthen its global brand influence. In addition to the social business, Newborn Town has progressed in the quality games track as the first quarter saw a steady uptrend in its innovative business. Moving forward, Newborn Town remains steadfast in harnessing the potential of the MENA market through product and service optimization and advancing localization strategies. The company won't stop expanding into LGBTQ+ social networking and high-quality gaming, broadening its business horizons and finding more growth impetus.
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Noah Releases 2023 Chairwoman/CEO Letter
SHANGHAI, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dear Shareholders: On behalf of the Board of Directors and the management team of Noah, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our shareholders for their unwavering support. Global markets experienced significant turbulence across various key asset classes while also grappling with tight credit conditions and ongoing geopolitical instability in 2023. This difficult environment gave rise to sharp divergences in economic conditions and interest rate environments between onshore and offshore markets, creating considerable challenges for Chinese high-net-worth individuals ("HNWI") making asset allocation decisions. China's post-pandemic economic recovery proved to be slower than initially anticipated, dragging domestic equity capital markets along with it. A sluggish real estate market coupled with defaults on associated private credit products issued by certain wealth management and trust companies, has resulted in HNWIs adopting a much more cautious approach when compared to previous years. Overseas, central banks continued their battle against inflation driven by supply chain disruptions as the U.S. Federal Reserve's 'higher for longer' rates put significant pressure on risk assets across the board. Accordingly, the primary market has seen a slowdown in exits and institutional fundraising activities. However, advancements in AI and other technological breakthroughs promise to drive wealth creation in the next Kondratieff wave. Recognizing this potential, global fund managers are increasingly focusing on under-served private wealth channels to fuel primary market fundraising. As a leading private wealth manager recognized for its expertise in alternative investments and an extensive network of Chinese professional investors, this trend presents enormous opportunities for Noah. Noah demonstrated its strategic foresight and adaptability in navigating this challenging market environment throughout the year by successfully transitioning from a product-focused model to a solutions-driven approach. This strategic shift has allowed us to assist clients in building portfolios that are resilient in the face of challenging market cycles. Our proactive decision to prematurely exit Chinese residential and commercial real estate starting in 2016 and fully exit non-standardized single-counterparty private credit products in 2019 has earned us significant trust from existing and prospective clients. Our semi-annual CIO house view and CCI model reflect our latest asset allocation advice and combine them with our full suite of wealth management products and services. This strategic approach has further resonated with clients during recent market volatility. As other firms grapple with the fallout from the real estate crisis and private credit defaults, client confidence in our ability to protect their wealth has only strengthened. This strategic foresight highlights our core "customer-centricity and bottom-line resilience" values and robust credentials as a leader in the global wealth management industry for Mandarin-speaking HNWIs. Catering to the unique wealth management needs of Mandarin-speaking HNWIs around the world The changing market landscape of the wealth management industry in China presents us with both challenges and opportunities. Mandarin-speaking clients have increasingly been targeted by various private banks across Asia over the past few years. These clients have historically never experienced traditional market cycles before or adopted mature wealth management and investment strategies. Through experience and education, their approach to markets is maturing as they increasingly acquire a more sophisticated international perspective. Having served these clients for decades onshore, we have earned their long-term trust and acquired a deep understanding of their backgrounds and needs which uniquely positions us to guide them as they expand their horizons overseas. Combining our personalized service model and expanding portfolio of global products provides us with a significant competitive advantage to attract this demographic. Domestically, we have observed a shift in risk tolerance amongst our clients which requires them to make strategic adjustments to their portfolios as the pace of exits from primary market funds slows. In response, we optimized the structure of product distribution and focused resources on the management of exit strategies, all while maintaining regular communication with clients to ensure they understand every step that is being taken in anticipation of a market recovery. Going forward, we will continue to invest in our capabilities globally, including the establishment of a robust international network, refining our research capabilities to identify the best investment opportunities, and integrating cutting-edge technologies. Through these strategic investments, we are solidifying our position as the leading wealth and asset management partner for Mandarin-speaking HNWIs worldwide. In 2023, we conducted in-person portfolio reviews with clients both in Hong Kong and overseas, revealing a noticeable shift in their wealth management needs through our interactions. Many of these clients are successful entrepreneurs that have begun prioritizing asset liquidity, security, and global diversification as they expand their businesses and settle down overseas. This is a noticeable shift from their historical focus on specific products and returns and requires comprehensive wealth management solutions and a deep understanding of their specific needs. These priorities directly align with our 'holistic solutions' approach. We focused on strengthening our ability to offer comprehensive wealth management solutions to clients globally over the past year. One of our key priorities was to refine Noah's global alternative asset product matrix. We are seeing top global private equity fund managers increasingly focus on private wealth channels for fundraising with retail investor-friendly products and liquidity features to attract capital. The composition of our client base and expertise in alternative investments positions us as the ideal partner for global asset managers. This unique combination allows us to leverage our strengths and assist clients in strategically allocating assets, driving growth in our AUM globally. We followed client demand in 2023 and made significant progress in expanding our international private banking presence. As of the end of 2023, we have onboarded 89 overseas relationship managers and are targeting a headcount of 200 by the end of 2024 and over 300 by 2025. The highly skilled professional team we are building will better serve client needs and deepen our share of their USD asset allocation while at the same time increasing our profile and competitiveness among local Mandarin-speaking HNWIs globally. As a result, we expect to grow Assets Under Advisory (AUA) from US$8 billion to US$20 billion by 2026. Evolving our offerings In 2023, we successfully transitioned our service model from product-focused to a solutions-driven approach which will enhance our overseas business and improve the resilience of client portfolios. As part of this transition, we launched our CATS asset allocation solution in 2023: Cash and liquidity management, Alternative global secondary market products, Trans-cycle global private market products, and Security and Succession-planning focused wealth preservation solutions. Recognizing the high interest rate environment, we developed and launched USD cash management, private credit, private infrastructure, hedge fund solutions, and structured product offerings to allow our clients to capitalize on these opportunities. We also took advantage of the depressed valuations in private markets as an entry point to launch new buyout, PE secondary, and early-stage VC funds. Finally, with geopolitical friction top-of-mind for Chinese investors, we continued to build out our global insurance product network and trust services for succession planning and asset segregation. As we look ahead to 2024, there are differing views in the market on how interest rate movements will play out. This could make for a volatile trading environment, presenting opportunities for hedge funds to generate alpha returns. Furthermore, as the risk-free rate trends downwards, equities are expected to look more attractive as the year goes on. However, geopolitical risk will persist with several key economies holding elections in 2024 and international conflicts looking likely to persist. As a result, demand for asset security and diversification, insurance products and other defensive-driven strategies, and multi-regional wealth management services is expected to remain high among clients. Investing in Noah Throughout the year, we continued to enhance our capabilities globally to maintain our core competitive advantages. This included building out our team of experienced relationship managers, developing an expanded portfolio of products, strengthening research capabilities, and developing and integrating cutting-edge technologies. Global talent acquisition was a major focus for us over the past year. Noah's global team is now evenly split between core domestic employees, locally recruited overseas employees, and fresh graduates from leading universities globally. We are carefully balancing fresh new perspectives and insights from recently onboarded experienced professionals with our historical team to drive our global expansion and preserve our company culture. Extensive research was conducted to identify overseas markets with high concentrations of wealthy Chinese-speaking investors and adopted a capital-light approach to establishing a presence in key localities without major upfront investment. In 2023, we officially launched our office in Los Angeles and are in the final stages of rolling out new service offerings in the UAE. Looking ahead, we are assembling a task force of experienced professionals to explore markets globally with significant potential including Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, and Canada. We continued to make upgrades throughout our technology stack aimed at improving the client experience globally and maximizing internal efficiency. In 2023, we added cash management solutions, hedge funds and structured products to iNoah One Account, our comprehensive global wealth management solution. On the domestic front, we gave clients access to one-click CCI portfolio reports enabling them to instantly tap into our extensive in-house research resources and product recommendations. We also enhanced our CRM system which generated significant time savings for relationship managers. We were the first broker in Hong Kong to launch a fully online underwriting process that offers insurance premiums payments through our Hong Kong nominee account, a significant enhancement for our insurance services. We are also working with a global insurer to streamline our underwriting processes across Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bermuda, which is expected to maximize client service efficiency. Our efforts to improve our offerings have been widely recognized by the industry. Noah was named "Best Wealth Manager for HNWIs" and "Best Wealth Manager for Overseas Asset Management" by Asiamoney in 2023. Noah also received the award for "Best Independent Wealth Manager – China" at Asian Private Banker's 13th Awards for Distinction. In addition, iFast recognized Noah as the "Best Wealth Management Platform – Investments and Digital Innovation" in 2023. Noah's next chapter As we embark upon the next stage of our journey, we are pleased to announce a change to our leadership structure, demonstrating our commitment to global corporate governance best practices and operating in the best interest of our shareholders. The roles of chairperson and CEO were separated with Mr. Zhe Yin appointed to serve as CEO, and Ms. Jingbo Wang retaining her position as Chairwoman of the Board. This decision will enhance organizational efficiency, promote collective decision-making, and generate opportunities for Noah's deep bench of management talent. As a co-founder, Mr. Yin has been a part of Noah's journey since the beginning. He played a pivotal role in building Gopher Asset Management and possesses a deep understanding of Noah's operations and our client-focused company culture. Ms. Wang will support Mr. Yin in his new role while continuing to steer Noah's overall strategy. In addition to her responsibilities for board management and corporate governance, Ms. Wang will devote more time to leading Noah's human capital management and strategic initiatives. Our globalization strategy hinges on fostering a world-class talent pool. We are actively recruiting seasoned professionals with international experience and diverse financial industry expertise and investing heavily in developing our current team, empowering them to contribute more meaningfully to our global expansion. This strategy necessitates significant engagement overseas from key management, often requiring extended periods abroad to build new businesses and develop markets. To support key personnel as they execute these initiatives, incentivize their long-term commitment, and align their interests with our success, we are enhancing their compensation structure with efficient long-term oriented equity incentives. As we enter this new era of governance at Noah, creating value for shareholders remains our top priority. We will continue pursuing our international expansion plans by investing in our technological infrastructure, client services, and product partnerships, while maintaining our fundamental commitment to client data security and privacy protection. Our capital-light approach, solid and sustainable ability to generate revenues and profit, and robust balance sheet allow us to return cash to shareholders through a recurring capital management and shareholder return program and increase return on equity for investors. For the year 2023, subject to shareholder approval at the AGM, the Board has approved an annual dividend of RMB509.0 million (USD71.7 million), representing 50% of full year 2023 non-GAAP net income attributable to Noah shareholders. Aside from the annual recurring capital allocation budget, subject to shareholder approval at the AGM, the Board has also approved a special dividend of RMB509.0 million (or USD71.7 million), equivalent to 50% of our non-GAAP net income for 2023, to further enhance shareholder return and return on equity. Altogether, our combined shareholder return for 2023 will amount to RMB 1.0 billion (or USD143.4 million), equivalent to 100% of our annual non-GAAP net income, and will provide an attractive cash yield of 21.2% to investors based on our current market capitalization[1]. We are also committed to creating long-term value for our shareholders through sustained dividends and other forms of capital allocation program in the long run. We would like to extend sincere thanks to our clients, shareholders, and all other stakeholders for their steadfast support over the past year. We look forward to creating value for our shareholdings by executing on our strategy and capitalizing on the growth opportunities in the global wealth management sector for Mandarin-speaking HNWIs in the year to come. Sincerely, Ms. Jingbo WangChairwoman of the Board Mr. Zhe YinChief Executive Officer [1] Based on Noah's NYSE closing stock price of US$10.12 on March 26, 2024 (before FY23 result release). ABOUT NOAH HOLDINGS LIMITED Noah Holdings Limited (NYSE: NOAH and HKEX: 6686) is a leading and pioneer wealth management service provider offering comprehensive one-stop advisory services on global investment and asset allocation primarily for Mandarin-speaking high-net-worth investors. In 2023, Noah distributed RMB74.1 billion (US$10.4 billion) of investment products. Through Gopher Asset Management, Noah had assets under management of RMB154.6 billion (US$21.8 billion) as of December 31, 2023. Noah's wealth management business primarily distributes private equity, private secondary, mutual funds, and other products denominated in RMB and other currencies. Noah's network covers major cities in mainland China, as well as Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), New York, Silicon Valley, Singapore, and Los Angeles. A total number of 1,252 relationship managers across 44 cities provide customized financial solutions for clients through this network and meet their investment needs. The Company's wealth management business had 455,827 registered clients as of December 31, 2023. Through Gopher Asset Management, Noah manages private equity, public securities, real estate, multi-strategy, and other investments denominated in Renminbi and other currencies. Noah also provides other services. For more information, please visit Noah at ir.noahgroup.com. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Noah may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Noah's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements include, but are not limited to, estimates regarding the sufficiency of Noah's cash and cash equivalents and liquidity risk. A number of factors could cause Noah's actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: its goals and strategies; its future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the wealth management and asset management market in China and internationally; its expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of the products it distributes; investment risks associated with investment products distributed to Noah's investors, including the risk of default by counterparties or loss of value due to market or business conditions or misconduct by counterparties; its expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with key clients; relevant government policies and regulations relating to its industries; its ability to attract and retain qualified employees; its ability to stay abreast of market trends and technological advances; its plans to invest in research and development to enhance its product choices and service offerings; competition in its industries in China and internationally; general economic and business conditions globally and in China; and its ability to effectively protect its intellectual property rights and not to infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Noah's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Noah does not undertake any obligation to update any such information, including forward-looking statements, as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under the applicable law. Contacts:Noah Holdings LimitedMelo XiTel: +86-21-8035-8292ir@noahgroup.com
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HANDSHAKE SPEAKEASY IN MEXICO CITY NAMED AS THE BEST BAR IN NORTH AMERICA AS RANKING OF NORTH AMERICA'S 50 BEST BARS IS REVEALED AT THIRD ANNUAL
Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, is crowned No.1 and The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Perrier This year's list features 26 U.S. bars, 15 from Mexico, 7 hailing from Canada, and 2 based in the Caribbean Civil Liberties, Toronto, at No.21, is named The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Naked Malt, for the third year in a row La Factoría, Puerto Rico, at No.18, earns The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Amaro Lucano Claudia Cabrera of female-led bar Kaito del Valle (No.28) in Mexico City wins the Roku Industry Icon Award Simpl Things, Toronto, wins the Campari One To Watch Award Library by the Sea, Grand Cayman, No.35, is awarded London Essence Best New Opening Award True Laurel, San Francisco, No.30, earns Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award Meadowlark, Chicago, No.32, wins the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award Martiny's, New York, No.4, is the Nikka Highest Climber Award winner Avondale Bowl, Chicago, earns Bareksten Best Bar Design Award Superbueno, New York, No.2, wins Disaronno Highest New Entry Award SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, Mexico, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The list of North America's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, was announced at the live awards ceremony on April 23, 2024 at Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The annual ranking features bars from across North America, including the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City is crowned No.1 at the third annual North America's 50 Best Bars awards 2024, sponsored by Perrier. Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy is crowned No.1 as The Best Bar in North America and The Best Bar in Mexico, sponsored by Perrier. New York City's Superbueno is ranked at No.2 and claims the title of Disaronno Highest New Entry as well as The Best Bar in Northeast USA 2024, sponsored by Disaronno. New York City's Overstory follows at No.3. Handshake Speakeasy makes history as the first bar in Mexico to be named No.1 on a North America's 50 Best Bars list. The hidden bar is difficult to find, but those who discover the Mexico City lounge are rewarded with an unforgettable, high-end cocktail experience. Toronto's Civil Liberties, No.21, wins the title of The Best Bar in Canada, sponsored by Naked Malt alongside Puerto Rico's La Factoría, at No.18, recognized as The Best Bar in the Caribbean, sponsored by Amaro Lucano. The full list can be viewed here. Media Centre: https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com/ 50 Best Bars 2024 PDF
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Journey to RE/BiRTH: How Re/CASETiFY™ Has Given New Life to 84 Tons of Old Phone Cases
Tech accessory brand CASETiFY leads the industry's sustainability efforts by truly giving new life to any worn out accessory through upcycling and creative art installations. LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CASETiFY, the global tech accessory brand loved by millennials, Gen Z, and Hollywood celebrities, released today its yearly sustainability Impact Report, shedding new light on the progress of its Re/CASETiFY™ upcycling program. Together with the updated sustainability figures, the brand has also announced its month-long calendar of events happening in the United States, South Korea, Australia, and China that invites local artists to create useful art pieces using recycled cases. All of these are part of the brand's ongoing efforts to make sure the end of any phone case is the beginning of a new one in all possible ways. The Re/CASETiFY™ process starts with its bins, located at more than 40+ CASETiFY Studio physical stores where the brand sells its products globally. Users can donate their old smartphone and earbud cases into the bin anytime, receiving store credit in return. Upon processing all discarded plastic, new accessories are created and sold both online in over 180 countries as well as in physical stores. To celebrate Earth Month, CASETiFY has released its Impact Report, where it details the achievements of its Re/CASETiFY™ Program. CASETiFY's Impact Report: A Transformative Journey Towards Sustainability Over 84 Tons Of Plastic Saved Through the Re/CASETiFY™ global recycling efforts, over 84,000 kg of plastic has been spared from landfills and given a second life through upcycling and repurposing into new accessories. The Rebirth Of Over 463,000 Trees With USD$1 per every sustainable product sold donated to the partners of EARTHDAY.ORG, the brand has contributed to planting 463,406 new trees back intonature. This translates to an equivalent of 22,243,488 pounds of carbon emissions removed from the atmosphere. Re/CASETiFY™ Bins In Every Store With a commitment to responsible recycling, CASETiFY ensures that every CASETiFY Studio store reserves space for customers to recycle cases of any brand. The brand continues incentivising consumers to take care of their discarded cases. Re/CASETiFY™ Across the Board By the end of 2022, 80% of CASETiFY's product portfolio was made with material fromrecycled sources, 60% more than in 2021. In 2023, CASETiFY proudly announces that thisfigure has increased to 100% usage ofrecycled sources across all productcategories. More images can be found HERE Re/CASETiFY™ Creativity Around the World In addition to the Impact Report, the CASETiFY one of a kind creativity ethos comes to light during Earth Month, with a host of events happening around the world that celebrate sustainable creativity. Using Re/CASETiFY™ pellets, artists and designers around the world are invited to create life-sized art pieces that will be displayed in public areas. This marks a significant milestone in the brand's ongoing commitment to sustainability, promoting artist's unique creativity, and environmental consciousness. These art installations not only serve as visually striking spectacles but also aim to engage communities and establish a meaningful connection between people and nature on Earth Day. United States: From April 22 to 29, at Devocion Coffee Downtown Brooklyn, Re/CASETiFY™ will host an installation in collaboration with esteemed design studio Wade and Leta, offering a unique and creative experience that merges art and technology. Australia: From April 15 to 29, at the CASETiFY STUDiO in Sydney Arcade, a collaboration with innovative furniture design company Eva awaits. The activation will showcase the Re/Treat sofa crafted with Re/CASETiFY™ pellets, seamlessly combining functionality and style. South Korea: From April 28 to May 5, at the prestigious Seoul Arts Center, CASETiFY will unveil life-size installations by artists Youngmin Kang, Dayoung Hwang, and Surin Kim. Complementing these artworks will be engaging workshops themed around Earth Day that educate and inspire visitors on environmental consciousness. China: From April 26 to June 10, at Aranya Beach in Qinhuangdao, CASETiFY will join forces with visionary artist zilin for an outdoor installation. The event will present a unique opportunity to connect with art and unleash creativity amidst a natural setting. The Re/CASETiFY™ Collection Last but not least, CASETiFY is thrilled to unveil its latest Re/CASETiFY™ collection with Re/CASETiFY™ Pellets, designed to breathe new life into old phone cases. Alongside the hero products, including the Bounce Case, Ultra Bounce, and Bounce Odyssey watch bands, the collection features a variety of prints inspired by nature and our precious Earth. Embrace sustainability while staying fashion-forward with the Re/CASETiFY™ Collection. The Re/CASETiFY™ Collection launches on casetify.com on April 15th. It will be available for purchase online and at select CASETiFY Studio locations. To learn more about the collaboration, visit CASETiFY.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter. ### About CASETiFY CASETiFY is a global tech and lifestyle brand with double headquarters in LA and Hong Kong, known as the home to the first and largest platform for customized tech accessories. Created with the highest-quality materials and most cutting-edge designs, CASETiFY's products empower self-expression by turning your personal electronics into highly designed, stylishly slim, drop-proof accessories. Known for tapping top artists, big celebrities and creatives for its Co-Lab program, CASETiFY gives brands and individuals the opportunity to share their unique visions with the world. With 30+ retail shops, CASETiFY Studio provides a one-stop, visual retail experience where customers can customize their accessories on the spot. For more information on CASETiFY, its stores, partners and products, please visit www.CASETiFY.com.
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MultiMetaVerse Holdings Limited Receives Nasdaq Notification Regarding Minimum Bid Price and Minimum Market Value of Listed Securities
SHANGHAI, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MultiMetaVerse Holdings Limited (the "Company"), an animation and entertainment company for young consumers in China, announced today that it has received written notifications (the "Notification Letters") from the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC ("Nasdaq") dated April 17, 2024, notifying the Company that Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) requires companies to maintain a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(2) requires companies to maintain a minimum market value of listed securities of $35 million. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) provides that a failure to meet the Minimum Bid Price Requirement exists if the deficiency continues for a period of 30 consecutive business days and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(C) provides that a failure to meet the Minimum Market Value of Listed Securities Requirement exists if the deficiency continues for a period of 30 consecutive business days. Based on the bid price and market value of listed securities of the Company from March 5 to April 17, 2024, the Company did not meet the Minimum Bid Price Requirement and Minimum Market Value of Listed Securities Requirement. The Notification Letter does not impact the Company's listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market at this time. In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A) and 5810(c)(3)(C), the Company has been provided 180 calendar days, or until October 14, 2024, to regain compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and 5550(b)(2). In the event the Company does not regain compliance by October 14, 2024, the Company may be eligible for additional time to regain compliance, or may face delisting. The Company intends to monitor its bid price and market value of listed securities between now and October 14, 2024 and intends to cure the deficiency within the prescribed grace period. During this time, the Company expect that Class A ordinary shares of the Company will continue to be listed and trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Company's management is looking into various options available to regain compliance and maintain its continued listing. The Company's business operations are not affected by the receipt of the Notification Letter. About MultiMetaVerse Holdings Limited MultiMetaVerse Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: MMV) is an animation and entertainment company dedicated to providing a high-quality, immersive entertainment experience through original, user-generated, and professional user-generated content. MMV commenced animation production in 2015 under its signature Aotu World brand, which has attracted a broad following with its inspiring storyline and unique graphic style, particularly among younger audiences in China. By leveraging the company's established user base, MMV has built a diverse product portfolio, including animated content, comic books, short videos, collectibles, stationery, consumer products, and mobile games across the Aotu World brand. It has also developed and augmented new brands, stories, and characters, such as Neko Album. For more information, please visit https://www.multi-metaverse.com/. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China:MultiMetaVerse Holdings LimitedInvestor RelationsE-mail: ir@multi-metaverse.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the forward-looking statements in this press release include descriptions of the Company's future commercial operations. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, such as the Company's inability to implement its business plans, identify and realize additional opportunities, or meet or exceed its financial projections and changes in the regulatory or competitive environment in which the Company operates. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's registration statement on Form F-4, as amended, which was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on July 20, 2022 and other documents to be filed by the Company with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. All information provided herein is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
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China's economy in 2024: Pleasing outcomes among uncertainties
BEIJING, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on China's 2024 Q1 economic performance:  China's economy in 2024: Pleasing outcomes among uncertainties Sewing machines have been humming non-stop in the production workshops of Qicaihu Swimwear Group in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province. Inside the workshops, workers have been moving full speed ahead to process orders for shipping to Europe and America. "Three days into the Chinese New Year, our staff in charge of fabric finishing and packing have resumed work," said a leader of the company. To knock over large volumes of export orders on schedule, all production lines are churning at full throttle. As the main engine for the steady growth of China's foreign trade, private companies boast themselves as a highlight in the country's 2024 Q1 economic performance. A year-on-year comparison showed that China's import and export volume in the first quarter surpassed ten trillion RMB for the first time, setting a new record. The volume contributed by private companies accounted for 54.3%, showing an increase of 10.7%. Among them, tech giants like Huawei and Alibaba maintained stellar performance, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have diversified the source of their orders, thanks to the new business forms and models in foreign trade, which lowered the threshold for SMEs. Besides, China's export structure has been improving. For example, high value-added mechanical and electrical products have shown above-average growth rates in export. Products from China are still competitive and attractive in the export market, maintaining a steady momentum and high-quality growth. Another achievement to write home about was China's Q1 GDP which hit 5.3%. Many foreign media used phrases like "strong start" and "grew faster than expected" when covering China's economic performance in the first quarter. Some experts predicted that we can expect more exciting news from China's economic performance — usually, the second quarter will surpass the first, so a 7% or so GDP growth rate is not a dream too big. Behind the more-than-pleasing Q1 GDP performance, the manufacturing industry is the main driver, while the added-value of the high-tech manufacturing industry, which includes pharmaceutical, aerospace, as well as spacecraft and equipment manufacturing, grew at a formidable 7.5%. It's not hard to see that China's status on the ranks of the global industrial chain is continually elevating. Naturally, there are challenges facing China's economy, like sluggish demand, weak performance on both the supply and the demand in real estate, and the liquidity risks of real estate enterprises. But, China is tackling these problems. Last December, the Central Economic Work Conference stressed coordinated efforts in deepening structural reform on the supply side and expanding effective demand, which have been translated into action. In the first three months of 2024, China also launched positive monetary policies including cuts on the required reserve ratio and interest rate, whose influence on CPI is yet to be seen. Amid complexities in the international landscape, China scored commendably on its economic performance at the initial phase of the year. Although there is no guarantee that the economy will keep up its steady growth impetus, there are indeed enough positive factors to continue spurring our confidence towards China's economy. Expert contributing to this episode: Yu Miaojie, NPC deputy, Fellow of International Economic Association, President of Liaoning University China Mosaic http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm China's economy in 2024: Pleasing outcomes among uncertaintieshttp://www.china.org.cn/video/2024-04/23/content_117145117.htm
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Altair Kicks Off Season Five of the Future Says Podcast
Covering an array of topics and trends, podcast's fifth season features guests from, McKinsey & Co., Hyatt, Nokia, John Deere, EY, and more. TROY, Mich., April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Altair (Nasdaq: ALTR), a global leader in computational intelligence, has launched season five of the Future Says podcast with the first episode now available on all leading podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Amazon Music/Audible, and Podcast Addict. Altair launched season five of the Future Says podcast, available on all leading podcast platforms. The fifth season explores how advanced technologies like AI, data analytics, and high-performance computing are reshaping the ways we live and work. The fifth season of Future Says features guests from some of the world's largest organizations – such as McKinsey & Co., Hyatt, Nokia, John Deere, etc. – alongside guests from exciting startups like Carbon Origins, Strella Biotech, and Notus Labs. From automotive, heavy industry, and hospitality to athletic performance, food waste and beyond, season five explores how advanced technology like artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and high-performance computing (HPC) is reshaping the ways we live and work. New episodes and recap articles from Future Says season five will debut biweekly. In addition to finding episodes on the world's most popular podcast platforms, audiences can also watch all Future Says interviews and get season updates via the Future Says web page and Altair's YouTube channel. To learn more about Future Says, visit https://altair.com/future-says or click here to view all Future Says episodes on YouTube. Click the links below to listen and subscribe to the Future Says podcast on the following podcast platforms: Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Music Amazon Music/Audible Podcast Addict About Altair Altair is a global leader in computational intelligence that provides software and cloud solutions in simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, and AI. Altair enables organizations across all industries to compete more effectively and drive smarter decisions in an increasingly connected world – all while creating a greener, more sustainable future. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com. Media contacts Altair Corporate Altair Investor Relations Bridget Hagan Monica Gould, The Blueshirt Group +1.216.769.2658 +1 212.871.3927 corp-newsroom@altair.com ir@altair.com Altair Europe/The Middle East/Africa Charlotte Hartmann +49 7031 6208 0 emea-newsroom@altair.com