Connect with us

Business

SoundHound: Agentic Platform And Healthcare Wins Are Driving A Rebound

Published

on

SoundHound: Agentic Platform And Healthcare Wins Are Driving A Rebound
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Business

Tech sell off drags Wall St down as bond yields climb

Published

on

Tech sell off drags Wall St down as bond yields climb

Wall Street’s main indices have closed lower, with semiconductors ‌leading technology declines as Middle East uncertainty pushed bond yields to multiyear peaks, feeding concerns about borrowing costs and inflation.

Continue Reading

Business

Lycopodium posts $40.2m net profit

Published

on

Lycopodium posts $40.2m net profit

Lycopodium shares rose by more than 10 per cent early on Wednesday to a new company high, following the release of their FY26 results.

Continue Reading

Business

Meta hooked children on Facebook and Instagram, court hears

Published

on

Close up of Mark Zuckerberg wearing a suit, looks towards the camera with a blank expression. He is flanked by staff also in suits. Photographed in February 2026

The trial started off on Tuesday with a battle of words and facts.

Paul Schmidt, a lead attorney for Meta in the trial, directly addressed an internal research report that Megan O’Neill, a lead attorney for California, made part of the states’ opening arguments.

The Meta document O’Neill showed the jury found that “1 in 5 teens says Instagram makes them feel worse”.

Schmidt said: “That sounds pretty bad.”

Advertisement

“What else does the document say?” Schmidt went on. “That 41% of teens said it made them feel better and another 41% said it had no effect.”

Schmidt also worked to poke holes in the states’ argument that Meta had not only failed to stop users under the age of 13 from using its platforms, but that it intentionally “hooked” teens and children as users of Facebook and Instagram, or that they were designed to be addictive.

As for Meta being able to verify the age of every user on its platform, Schmidt argued that the very privacy laws Meta was being accused of violating in the case prevent it from saving and using the data it would need to effectively track underage users.

When it comes to addiction, Schmidt argued a point that Meta has put forward in at other litigation this year: that social media addiction does not exist.

Advertisement

“There can be no dispute that Meta has recognised people struggle, or can struggle, with their use of social media, and has come up with tools to try and address that,” Schmidt said.

Yet, he pointed to past statements from chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and head of Instagram Adam Mosseri that not only were Facebook and Instagram not designed to be addictive, scientific research has not yet come to support the idea that an addiction to social media is possible.

O’Neill’s opening arguments seemed to challenge Schmidt’s argument.

She relied heavily on information found in millions of documents provided in the case from Meta, including internal research, employee emails, and chat logs, all the way up Zuckerberg.

Advertisement

One such piece of internal research stated about young people and Instagram: “Teens have an addict’s narrative about use.”

In another that O’Neill pointed the jury to, Meta found “product features designed to increase time spent are inherently at odds with well-being and take away from people’s ability to focus on activity that adds value to their lives”.

Despite Meta’s awareness of potentially negative impacts, O’Neill argued that Meta targeted young people as users of Facebook and Instagram and went out of its way to “assure the public that its platforms were safe for kids”.

Meta’s business model could be summed up this way: “Hook the users; hold them for as long as they can; harvest their data; hide the truth from the public when making public statements,” she said.

Advertisement

She said that throughout the trial, it would become clear that what Meta said publicly about its platforms, and what its internal research showed, were very different.

“Meta said it put safety over profits, but hid the reality that, time and again, when it came to make a decision, profits won.”

Continue Reading

Business

Consumer watchdog bares teeth at dodgy digital sellers

Published

on

Consumer watchdog bares teeth at dodgy digital sellers

The national consumer watchdog has vowed to take action against businesses that “optimise” false or manipulative practices through social media and online marketplaces.

Continue Reading

Business

QXO: Cheaper, But The Per-Share Drag Just Moved From Valuation To Earnings (NYSE:QXO)

Published

on

Close up hand scrolling on a digital tablet at night

This article was written by

I am a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management. My focus is on equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization to uncover high-growth investment opportunities. As a former Vice President at Barclays, I led teams in model validation, stress testing, and regulatory finance, developing a deep expertise in both fundamental and technical analysis. Alongside my research partner (also my wife), I co-author investment research, combining our complementary strengths to deliver high-quality, data-driven insights. Our approach blends rigorous risk management with a long-term perspective on value creation. We have a particular interest in macroeconomic trends, corporate earnings, and financial statement analysis, aiming to provide actionable ideas for investors seeking to outperform the market.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Business

What Makes a Job Portal Work Well? Key Features to Know

Published

on

The UK private sector is experiencing its lowest employment levels in a decade, as hiring decisions are clouded by uncertainty surrounding economic prospects amidst high interest rates and sluggish consumer demand.

Building a job portal today means more than just posting job listings and adding an application form. Recruiters want tools to manage candidates, and job seekers look for quick searches, helpful recommendations, easy applications, and a smooth mobile experience.

If you are planning a recruitment platform, the main question is not just what features to add. Instead, focus on which features will actually help each type of user.

Choose the right type of recruitment platform

A general job board connects employers with candidates from many industries, while a niche portal focuses on a specific area, like healthcare, technology, or construction. Recruitment agencies may also need a multi-client platform where recruiters manage candidates and vacancies for several employers.

You can also build an internal recruitment portal for a company, a freelance marketplace, or a platform that combines job listings with applicant tracking.

It’s important because the type of platform you choose affects user roles, workflows, data structure, payment options, and search features. Deciding on these early can help you avoid costly changes later.

Advertisement

Give employers and candidates separate dashboards

Employers and candidates have different needs, so they should each have their own interface.

An employer dashboard might include job creation and editing, applicant tracking, candidate profiles, interview scheduling, hiring analytics, etc.

A candidate dashboard should focus on profile and resume management, saved jobs, application history, job alerts, and communication with recruiters.

For recruitment agencies, you may also need an admin dashboard with client accounts, recruiter permissions, candidate pools, job assignments, and activity logs.

Advertisement

More than simple file storage for resume management

Candidates should be able to upload resumes in common formats and keep their profiles updated without having to enter the same details over and over.

A strong resume module can parse uploaded documents and extract details such as name and contact information, employment history, skills, education, certifications, and job titles.

This process turns an unstructured document into searchable candidate data.

Use AI-enabled candidate matching with care

AI tools can help recruiters compare job requirements with candidate profiles and rank potentially relevant applicants. A more advanced system can look at skills, experience, location, salary expectations, qualifications, and related terms.

Advertisement

The scoring system should be easy to understand. Recruiters need to know why a candidate got a high match score, rather than just accepting the score without question.

Build search and filtering around real recruiter needs

Search is one of the features recruiters use most often on a recruitment platform.

Basic filters like job title and location are helpful, but recruiters usually need more options like skills, education, salary range, language, years of experience, employment type, and so on.

For large candidate databases, semantic search can work alongside traditional keyword search. This helps recruiters find good matches even if candidates and job descriptions use different words.

Advertisement

Consider the search experience from the recruiter’s point of view. If it takes 30 minutes to find 20 good candidates, the platform is still causing too much manual work.

Support payments and different business models

If employers pay to post jobs, candidates pay for premium features, or recruiters buy subscriptions, payment features become a core part of your product.

Depending on your model, you may need one-time job posting payments, recurring subscriptions, featured job listings, coupons, invoices, etc.

You should also keep payment features separate from the rest of the application. This makes it easier to adjust pricing or switch payment providers in the future.

Advertisement

Treat mobile as a primary experience

Many candidates search for jobs on their phones. If your platform only works well on desktop, it can make the hiring process harder right from the start.

The mobile experience should make it simple to search, filter, save, and apply for jobs. Resume uploads should be smooth, and forms should only ask for what is needed.

Recruiters also need to use the platform on mobile. They might want to review applicants, reply to messages, or move candidates through hiring stages while away from their desk.

You do not have to build separate native apps right away. A responsive web platform can be a good starting point, depending on your product and users.

Advertisement

Plan for growth, security, and integrations

A small job board may start with a few hundred listings and candidates, but a successful platform can eventually handle millions of records, automated notifications, and many users simultaneously. Your technical setup should be ready to handle that kind of growth.

Security is also very important because recruitment platforms store resumes, contact details, work histories, and other sensitive data. Access controls, encryption, secure logins, audit logs, backups, and good data retention policies should all be part of your initial setup.

You should also plan to connect with tools like CRMs, applicant tracking systems, calendars, email services, payment providers, and identity platforms.

Security and resilience should cover the application, infrastructure, data, and any AI services connected to the system.

Advertisement

When is it time to work with a development company?

A simple niche job board may be possible with an existing platform or low-code tools.

Things get more complex when you need custom workflows, multiple user roles, AI matching, advanced search, payments, third-party integrations, or a large candidate database.

At that stage, a specialized job portal development company can help you plan the technical setup, choose the right technologies, and build the platform to fit your recruitment needs.

The key is to bring developers in early, so they can question assumptions before they turn into costly technical decisions.

Advertisement

Before you start development, figure out who will use the portal, what each user needs to do, how payments will work, and what data the system needs to handle. Then decide which features should be in the first release and which ones can come later.

This approach gives you a much clearer path from a job portal idea to a product people will actually use.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Business

Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut

Published

on

A Unitree G1 humanoid robot is on display at a convention in Beijing.

Founded in 2016, Unitree has become a robotics industry leader, selling a wide range of devices from sensors and automated arms to four-legged and human-like machines.

For several years, it has been a fierce rival to developers in the US as it rolled out robots with similar features but at lower prices.

The company – which plays a key role in Beijing’s ambitions to be a global leader in cutting-edge technologies – is based in Hangzhou, in eastern China.

The region is home to a so-called golden cluster zone of robotics firms, which have been boosted by huge government investments.

Advertisement

That support helped drive a more than threefold increase in the number of Chinese robotics firms between 2020 and 2024, according to state-run China Daily.

Robots are also seen as a potential solution to challenges posed by China’s ageing population, which is expected to lead to a shortage of workers to support the economy’s physically demanding manufacturing base, according to Fei Qin, an associate professor at the University of Bath.

Beijing considers the robotics sector a “strategic priority” in its pursuit of leadership in advanced technology, she said.

“Robots are where AI leaves the screen and enters the economy” in factories, hospitals and, potentially, the home, Qin added.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Business

3 Ways to Protect Your Retirement Savings Ahead of the Stock Market’s Most Volatile Months

Published

on

3 Ways to Protect Your Retirement Savings Ahead of the Stock Market’s Most Volatile Months

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.

Continue Reading

Business

Rabobank finds strong case for WA canola crushing industry

Published

on

Rabobank finds strong case for WA canola crushing industry

Yes. Corporate subscriptions are available for teams and organisations, with discounted rates as user numbers increase. Pricing starts from $1,625 + GST per user.
Get in touch
to discuss the right option for your organisation.

Business News subscriptions are used by executives, investors, consultants and professionals who need to stay informed and make better decisions about the WA market. When you subscribe you’ll get

  • Unlimited access to WA’s most trusted business journalism
  • Data & Insights — detailed profiles of WA companies, people, projects and deals
  • MyBN — a personalised feed based on the companies, people and sectors you follow
  • Special publications and industry reports
  • Daily and weekly email newsletters

Data & Insights is a research tool built specifically for the WA market. It draws on more than 30 years of Business News reporting, updated regularly to reflect what’s happening now. Use it to:

  • Look up detailed profiles of WA companies, including financials, directors and ownership
  • Find decision-makers and track their career movements
  • Research live and completed projects across WA industries
  • Monitor deals, appointments and market activity
  • Access industry rankings and league tables

Data & Insights is updated daily by our dedicated research team, which uses the latest announcements, ASX filings and editorial coverage to keep our person, company, list and project records up to date.

Business News welcome all opportunities to make our dataset accurate, complete and current, so if you have an update request, please email the team at
general@businessnews.com.au, and we’d be happy to assist.

Advertisement

MyBN
is part of every subscription. It’s your personalised view of Business News. You can follow the companies, people, sectors and projects that matter to you, and get a news feed and alerts tailored to your interests. You can save articles to read later and retain only what you need.

Only subscribers have full access to all content on the Business News website.

Advertisement

If staying informed about the WA economy is part of your job, and/or you’re looking for networking opportunities in WA, Business News is built for you.

Business News subscribers are:

  • Executives and directors tracking competitors, clients and market movements
  • Investors and advisers researching companies, deals and industry trends
  • Consultants and professionals staying across sectors relevant to their clients
  • Business owners looking for leads, context and market intelligence

Most Business News publications cover national or global markets. Business News is focused entirely on Western Australia, which means the journalism, the data and the intelligence are all built around WA companies, people and projects — not adapted from a national feed. Data & Insights, included with every subscription, combines more than 30 years of WA-specific editorial research with live business data. There’s no comparable product for the WA market.

Advertisement

The Morning Digest Email provides a comprehensive wrap of the major headlines, relevant to WA business, and includes with a snapshot of the overnight news covering oil, gold and ASX-listed companies.

The Afternoon Wrap Email focuses on the news covered by our team of journalists during the course of the working day, including exclusive stories and analysis, all of which relates to WA business and the local economy.

The BN Weekender Email contains a wrap of the Business News from the week that was, highlighting the top stories in each area of WA business.
Sign up for free.

Advertisement

We’re happy to help.
Get in touch
and our team will come back to you.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Business

Can Gaja Alternative Asset Management IPO deliver long-term growth for high-risk investors?

Published

on

Can Gaja Alternative Asset Management IPO deliver long-term growth for high-risk investors?
ET Intelligence Group: Gaja Alternative Asset Management, which manages and advises India-focused investment funds, plans to raise ₹450 crore through a fresh issue to fund its investments in existing and new funds and repay loan. Additionally, it will raise ₹100 crore through an offer for sale. The promoter stake will fall to 54% after the IPO, from 71% currently. The company has generated an average multiple on invested capital (MOIC) of 3.3 times across prior investments and funds, implying strong investment returns. However, its earnings are dependent on fund performance and its business is exposed to regulatory changes. Given these factors, the issue appears to be suitable for long-term investors with a higher risk tolerance.

Business

Incorporated in 1999, the company invests in sectors including education, energy and environment, financial services, consumer and digital technology. Its investment approach is focused on the mid-market segment, comprising deal size of ₹50-250 crore. The Limited Partners (or investors) of Gaja Capital funds are spread across 20 countries including India, the US, Europe and the Middle East. It derives income from management fee, carried interest, which refers to share of profits from successful investments, and income from sponsor commitment. Income from sponsor commitments represents gains on the company’s own capital invested in the funds. As of March 31, 2026, it has committed about ₹274 crore, or 6.4% of the total size of the Gaja Capital Funds. The carried interest accounted for nearly 48% of total income in FY26. Any weak investment performance will affect the carried interest and sponsor related income. According to Crisil, the assets under management for alternative investments in India are expected to grow at 25-27% to reach ₹41 lakh crore-44 lakh crore by March 2030.

Returns speak a lot for Gaja as funding stays a risky betET Bureau

The firm’s past success and a fast-growing market provide comfort while the nature of its revenue mix calls for a measured approach

Financials

Revenue increased to ₹158 crore in FY26 from ₹104 crore in FY24. Net profit grew to ₹82 crore in FY26 from ₹45 crore in FY24. Net margin rose to 52% from 43% during the period, reflecting operating leverage as cost-to-income ratio fell to 44.6% in FY26 from 52.3% in FY25. Across its three funds, MOIC has ranged from 1.7 times to 3.8 times. MOIC shows how much an investment has grown compared with the amount originally invested. The return on equity increased to 16.5% in FY26 from 14.5% in FY24.Read more: Anthropic pre-IPO credit facility set to climb past $10 billion

Advertisement

Valuation

As the first standalone private equity firm to list on the exchanges, Gaja Alternative Asset Management has no direct listed peers. The IPO is priced at a P/E multiple of 27.5 times, compared with P/E multiples of around 25-40 times for listed asset management companies (AMCs).

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025