Cloud computing in simple terms is internet based computing. Software as a Service (SaaS) is software that is deployed and accessed over the internet. Saas is also called “software on demand”. Both these technologies are the rage nowadays. Companies that directly or indirectly operate in this space are considered the next Microsoft (MSFT) and Google (GOOG). Both Microsoft and Google are also creating products and services that will be delivered as a service and over the ‘cloud’ if you will.
You may have heard about Google Docs which is similar to Microsoft Office; instead you access it via your browser from anywhere in the world. As a regular user of Google Docs and being in the IT profession, I can certainly appreciate the value of such services. Let us take a look at four companies whose business models are related in some way to cloud computing.
Read more »
Battered BP began reinventing itself in the shadow of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Tuesday, naming its first American CEO as it reported a record $17 billion quarterly loss. Its outgoing chief miffed the White House anew with his parting comments.
Robert Dudley, who will replace Tony Hayward on Oct. 1, promised changes in light of the environmental disaster. "There's no question we are going to learn things from this investigation of the incident," he told reporters by phone from London after the announcement was made.
One certain change is that BP will become smaller. It announced it will sell $30 billion in assets and has set aside $32.2 billion to cover costs from the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.
Dudley, BP's managing director and current point man on oil spill recovery, defended his company's record and that of the embattled chief executive he will replace. Read more »
|
The 'Helicopter Economics Investing Guide' is meant to help educate people on how to make profitable investing choices in the current economic environment. We have coined this term to describe the current monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, which involve unprecedented money printing. This is the official blog of the New York Investing meetup.
As earnings season continues and one company after another beats expectations, the economic numbers are continuing to come in below estimates. The data and indicators are increasingly painting a picture of an economy that is falling apart. Here are a few of the reasons why another recession is imminent:
1. U.S. orders for durable goods fell 1.0% in June. Economists expected them to rise 1.0%. Excluding the volatile transportation sector, orders fell 0.6% and shipments were down 1.3%. Inventories rose for the sixth month in a row, indicating goods are being produced, but they're not moving out the door.
Read more »
The Dow pulled off its fourth-straight gain, led by DuPont after better-than-expected earnings from the chemicals maker. But the gain was more modest than in recent sessions as a drop in consumer confidence tempered investors' enthusiasm.
Financials rose, while energy and consumer-discretionary stocks were among the weakest links.
The Dow rose 12.26 points, or 0.1%, to close at 10,537.69, a two-month high, after rallying over 100 points in the previous session.
But the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both ended lower. The CBOE volatility index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, was around 23 at the closing bell. Read more »
|
