Investing Archives - Page 40 of 80

Facebook Graffiti Artist Stands To Rake In $200m From IPO

A graffiti artist who decorated Facebook’s headquarters when it was just one-year old could soon be a millionaire. David Choe, 35, reportedly accepted shares as payment when he was engaged by Facebook, and with the company’s blockbuster IPO, Choe’s stake could soon be worth $200 million.

David Choe, 35, born in Los Angeles to Korean parents, was an unknown graffiti artist back in 2005 when Facebook’s then-President Sean Parker asked him to paint “graphic sexual murals” in the company’s first Silicon Valley office.

Into The Belly Of The Beast (Part II – Goldman Sachs & The European Crisis)

In part two of our feature on Goldman Sachs, we look at Goldman’s networks of power in Europe and consider the ways in which Goldman is using the same dangerous financial products, which caused the 2007 crisis, to bet against Europe’s floundering economies whilst governing, or advising those countries. Finally, we ask what can be done to reduce Goldman’s power.

Is There Such A Thing As An Ethical iPhone?

iPhone fans have created a petition calling on Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 to be one that is ethically assembled. But the bigger issue is can there ever be an ethical iPhone?

The online campaign that has so far gathered 155,000 signatures calls on Apple to treat its Foxconn workers better, to “release a worker protection strategy for new product releases”, arguing that assembly workers are more prone to work-related injuries when stress levels are high.

Starbucks and Tata, Now Serving Coffee Across India

Starbucks has finally broken through India’s high barriers to entry and partnered with India’s flagship conglomerate Tata in a 50-50 joint venture, to start serving coffee and lattes across the country, starting with her two largest cities Delhi and Mumbai.

Until now India has remained one of the last untapped markets for the world’s largest coffee retailer, which has operations in 57 countries.

Is Censorship Ever Welcomed? Well, China and Thailand Fully Endorse Twitter’s New Censorship Policy

Twitter has a new censorship policy that has got many up in arms, frustrated over what they perceive as a violation of free speech and basic rights. However, the popular micro-blog has found support and praise from both China and Thailand. But, why?

Twitter has been lauded for its ability to galvanize the masses. Its effective channel of mass communication has been credited with bringing down decades-old iron-fisted regimes like those we saw in Tunisia and Egypt. Even the then-popular Occupy Movement gained much attention and clout via the Twitter medium.

Infographic: Apple’s Cash Can Bailout Greece

Last week, Apple released its first quarter earnings to the public, overturning a December 4.2 percent decline into a 4.4 percent gain. Thanks to rocketing sales of its iphone and ipads, Apple’s 116 percent profit growth boosted its cash holdings to $97.6 billion – an amount sufficient to cover Greece’s debt payments for the next two years.

Apple is undoubtedly the most valuable public company in the world, beating the likes of Google and ExxonMobil at $400 billion. But how much cash does it have on hand?

Into The Belly Of The Beast (Part I – How Goldman Sachs Became The Most Hated Bank On Earth)

Goldman Sachs is the bank everyone loves to hate. In the first of our two-part investigation into the bank, we ask why they emerged as the biggest winners in the financial crisis. We also look at how they lobbied the US Government to reduce banking regulations, how they acquired massive fortunes by selling sub-prime mortgages, and how they deceived their clients by betting against the products they sold.

McDonald’s Profit Surges 11%, Thanks to Menu Revamps and Longer Operating Hours

The world’s most recognizable fast-food chain, McDonald’s, has had a good year. The top sponsor for the 2012 London Olympics reported a fourth quarter profit of $1.38 billion, up almost 11 percent from a year ago.

McDonald’s strong performance beat analysts’ expectations for the company, as revenue jumped 9.8% to $6.82 billion.

Analysts had previously doubted the company’s ability to grow during the economic downturn, especially with higher menu prices.

Fitch Becomes Latest Rating Agency Investigated By Italian Police For Market Manipulation

Italy’s financial police raided and seized documents from Fitch Ratings’ offices in Milan on Tuesday reported Reuters, as authorities continue to pursue investigations into credit rating agencies’ role for alleged market manipulation and abuse of privileged information.

Interactive Infographic: How Google Changed The Face of The Internet

From its humble beginnings in January 1996 as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were both PhD students at Stanford University in California, Google is now undoubtedly one of the largest technology companies in the world. From search to social media to its android mobile phone operating system, Google has woven itself into nearly every facet of our daily lives.

Check out this infographic, which charts the evolution of Google from its beginnings till today, and see how Google and the internet has grown side-by-side with each other.