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Editorial Invest in Slovakia
This week's selection included 8 articles from other media outlets. We bring you a summary of each of them. Get news from the world of finance, technology, and real estate.
Buffett's slump: Berkshire Hathaway fell into loss in Q2 - Berkshire Hathaway said over the weekend that it posted a net loss of $43.76bn (€42.76bn) for the period April to the end of June. However, in the same period, its operating profit rose by 40 % (to $9.28bn) and also revenue by 10 % ($76.18bn) compared to the previous period. The conglomerate has slowed both new purchases and buybacks of its own shares and holds $105.4 billion in cash.
UniCredit Bank lowered mortgage interest rates, 365.bank raised them - The most popular fixation for 5 years fell the most - by 0.6 % (a total of 2.89 after discounting). "This promotional offer is valid from 1 August 2022 and is intended to help those interested in obtaining a mortgage. We anticipate a continuation of the upward trend in interest rates over the coming period," said Zuzana Ďuďáková, spokeswoman of the bank. After VÚB and Prima banka, 365.bank also increased the prices of mortgage loans. For a 10-year fixation, the interest rate reached 3.55 % per year.
World's largest humanoid robot deal signed - Robotics innovator Beyond Imagination, Inc. has entered into an agreement to provide at least 1,000 humanoid robots for use in agricultural "grow boxes." Each box will be equipped with solar panels, windmills, atmospheric water generators, 5G, and an advanced version of the Beomni robot with artificial intelligence. According to Milan Cheeks, CEO of the buying firm SELF Labs, the company is committed to buying at least 1,000 robots in the next 5 years, "but if the efficiency of our combined technology is as we have planned, that number could easily increase to ten thousand or more." He alleges that "while there is no single solution to solve world hunger, our automated off-grid grow boxes are one tool that will go a long way in meeting the UN's goal of achieving zero hunger by 2030."
Veriff reveals an elevated brand identity that reflects the company's continued evolution and growth - Since the company's inception in 2015, Veriff's goal has been to rebuild trust online. The company announced the upcoming changes this week. "As we enter the next evolution of Veriff, we want our brand to reflect the differentiated experience we strive to provide businesses to keep their users safe online. Trust is the currency of the digital age and everyone deserves true safety, security and transparency online," said the company's CEO Kaarel Kotkas. The brand innovation follows several major product announcements. Among other things, Veriff has offered a new and improved version of their Biometric Authentication service. With this tool, businesses can speed up the process of user authentication using facial biometrics.
How are cryptocurrencies changing our world? - Expert Dávid Stancel answers - "... with the boom of new ways of investing and trading, dubious projects are also appearing on the scene," points out. "To avoid fraud, people should look at where the company is based, what its terms and conditions are, and whether it makes unrealistic promises of high guaranteed returns. You should check out reviews and other people's experiences on the internet," highlights some principles. According to David, cryptoassets have wide-ranging applications. In the article you will further read about the uses of NFTs, the most common myths about cryptocurrencies and the future of Bitcoin.
Top in real estate: commercial real estate is in demand, their quality is decisive - A number of factors go into the selection of commercial space. Clients are looking for location, technical equipment, environmental sustainability and last but not least price. The latter also includes service charges, maintenance and management of the premises. Currently, there are approximately 170 thousand square metres of offices under construction in Bratislava with a completion date of 2024. Several developers have decided to convert the under-construction projects into residential space due to market saturation. Currently, there is a demand for purchase, but leasing continues to dominate.
How will IoT and AI transform the sports business? - How can artificial intelligence benefit the sports industry? There are several ways. Just like in the business sector, sports teams across categories are using a wealth of data beyond standard analytics models when selecting players. Creating metrics is made easier by AI and big data. Having further analysis will also help with coaching. In addition, AI can select camera angles for viewers' screens based on on-field events and even provide automatic captions for live events depending on viewers' geographic location and language preferences. It will simplify payments for event attendees, security at the event itself, and more.
Some Slovaks do not want to give up personal contact with the bank. They will have to pay extra for it - In Slovakia, bank branches are being merged, but there is still a group of businessmen who prefer personal communication and paper statements. They are now forced to consider whether to exchange the increasing fees for branch transactions for the services of self-service deposit machines. "The pandemic has confirmed that digital channels are the most convenient, secure and inexpensive way to use banking services. We are therefore doing our best to teach even the more conservative clients or seniors how to use them," explains M. Cesnaková.
Pleasant reading!
