Maniolas

People walk by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo on Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. Most Asian equities climbed on hopes Greece’s new government will be able to negotiate a bailout deal that will stop it leaving the eurozone. AP PHOTO/KOJI SASAHARA HONG KONG–The euro extended its gains against the dollar Tuesday while most Asian equities climbed on hopes Greece’s new government will be able to negotiate a bailout deal that will stop it leaving the eurozone. Regional dealers were given a lift from advances in Europe and New York, where news of Sunday’s Greek election win for anti-austerity party Syriza had been largely factored in, analysts said. However, Hong Kong and Shanghai suffered heavy losses as traders booked profits after a rally over the past week. Tokyo rallied 1.72 percent, or 299.78 points, to 17,768.30, Sydney added 0.82 percent, or 45.38 points, to close at 5,547.2 and Seoul rose 0.86 percent, or 16.72 points, to close at 1,952.40. But Shanghai fell 0.89 percent, or 30.22 points, to 3,352.96 and Hong Kong eased 0.41 percent, or 102.62 points, to 24,807.28. Shanghai had rallied more than eight percent since last Monday, when it posted its biggest loss since mid-2008 in response to a government crackdown on margin-trading. Markets have been buoyed by rhetoric coming out of Athens and from Greece’s EU and IMF creditors that raised hopes the two sides can reach an agreement over repaying its 240 billion euro ($270 billion) bailout. Syriza had campaigned on renegotiating terms of Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – Floods have become an all-too-common occurrence in the Philippines. In the past year alone, weeks of productivity have been literally washed away due to the cancellation of work and school. In fact, 42,000 barangays nationwide have been identified as flood-prone and both the private and public sector are pumping out money and resources just to ensure the safety not just of their property, but more importantly, of lives as well. Although flooding cannot be solved in the short- and even medium-term, H2O Technologies, Inc., a privately owned and run Filipino company, may have a solution on their hands with the Salamander. A product of five years of work, the Salamander is the country’s first amphibious tricycle. It’s available with two powerplants: a gasoline-powered 250cc engine and a 5-kW pure-electric motor. Both versions can go into institutional service as early as this year with private sales starting as early as 2016. Chief Engineer Lamberto Armada explained that the decision to make the Salamander available in two versions is deliberate because of the limitation of electric vehicle technology. With no expansive charging station network, the Salamander must be usable in any situation, especially in far-flung areas with no access to electricity. Still, the company is ready to shift to more sustainable and eco-friendly vehicles in the near future. “The Salamander fits well into the Philippine landscape requirements,” said David Ong, Chairman of the Board for H2O Technologies. “When you look at what the country needs in order to begin Read More …

MANILA, Philippines – The ever-popular Isuzu Hilander and Crosswind, which have been Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s (IPC) bestselling nameplates for nearly two decades, have now reached their 100,000th-unit production mark. To celebrate the milestone, IPC on January 21, held a program highlighting the 100,000th Crosswind to roll off its manufacturing plant at the Laguna Technopark in Binan. Leading the ceremony was IPC president Nobuo Izumina, who was joined by other company officials and team members from the production line. “Today, the 100,000th Isuzu Crosswind comes out of the assembly line. This is a vehicle that holds a special place in Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s history as it proves that vehicle manufacturing in the Philippines is a viable endeavor, and one that meaningfully contributes to national progress by generating employment and government revenue,” Izumina said.    The Hilander was first launched in 1997, around two years after IPC was established. The model was one of the first vehicles assembled by the company at its then-new world-class manufacturing facilities. Shortly after its introduction, the Hilander quickly established itself as a leader in the highly competitive local AUV segment, having 6,145 units assembled in its first year. However, the Asian financial crisis during the time impacted the domestic automotive industry, and so manufacturing and sales of the Hilander dipped in the following two years. Sales of the model picked up again in 2000, especially after the introduction of new variants like the XTRM. By mid-2001, IPC already created 17,391 Hilanders. During the same year, IPC followed Read More …