Global gold demand in Q2 2012 was 990.0 tonnes (t), down 7% from the 1,065.8t in Q2 2011 according to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report. This dip in demand was partly due to the comparison with exceptional demand last year, and also reflects the challenging global economic climate. In this context, gold performed as expected, acting as both a store of value and a source of liquidity.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57541-world-gold-council-s-gold-demand-trends-report-q2-2012
Energy efficiency is at the heart of Europe’s growth and transition to a resource efficient economy. The European Union aims to save 20% of its primary energy consumption by 2020 (compared to what has been forecast). Everyone’s contribution is crucial in meeting this goal. By better insulating buildings we can reduce energy consumption by 28% by 2020. By choosing modern energy-efficient refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers etc. we can use significantly less energy than with older appliances. By buying lighter vehicles or using low fuel consumption tyres we can double the fuel efficiency of an average car.
This video clip provides an overview of the European Union’s energy efficiency objectives and shows how each of us can make the difference, be it in our professional or private life. This video clip was disseminated in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and United Kingdom.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53791-european-commission
The reality of today’s always-on world means that life and work must keep moving. So when you can’t be where you need to be due to unplanned events such as bad winter weather, a family situation, or a surprise meeting, let Microsoft Office help you stay productive no matter where you are.
“If you’re like me, your office these days is anywhere but your traditional office,” says TV personality Al Roker. “But with the Internet and Office on my side, it’s easy to stay connected to people and information, anytime, anywhere.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54851-microsoft-office-al-roker-productivity-forecast-for-todays-always-on-world
The Audi Group once again set records for deliveries, revenue and key earnings data in the fiscal year 2011. The brand with the four rings sold more than 1.3 million cars in the past year, at the same time increasing revenue to €44.1 billion. Operating profit for the Audi Group rose to over €5.3 billion in the past fiscal year. The operating return on sales climbed from 9.4 to 12.1 percent.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/audi/53778
Hiring in professional fields is likely to continue rising in the second quarter but at a slower pace than forecast for the first quarter, a new Robert Half survey shows. A net 2 percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report plan to add full-time staff in the second three months of 2012, down from 10 percent last quarter. The biggest trend in the survey is the increase in the number of respondents who anticipate no change in hiring activity: 89 percent versus 78 percent last quarter.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53178-robert-half-professional-employment-report-2nd-quarter-hiring-projections
Richardson, a leading global sales training and performance improvement firm, today announced the release of a new white paper, Using Verifiable Outcomes in the Sales Process to Change and Track Behavior. Verifiable outcomes are those few tangible indicators that give sales leaders insight into the accuracy and quality of their teams’ forecasts.
Today, sales leaders face increasing pressure to accurately forecast and produce results. Historically, sales leaders rely on “lagging indicators” to monitor critical sales metrics — putting sales leaders in the position of trying to drive results forward by looking in the rear-view mirror.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54175-richardson-white-paper-team-forecasts-sales-training
Despite sluggish recovery by the nation’s economy, the restaurant industry is projected to expand in 2012, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast released today. Total restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record high of $632 billion in 2012 – a 3.5 percent increase over 2011, marking the second consecutive year that industry sales have topped $600 billion.
In addition, the restaurant industry will continue to fuel U.S. employment in the year ahead as the nation’s second largest private sector employer. Overall restaurant industry employment will reach 12.9 million in 2012, representing 10 percent of the total U.S. workforce.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52982-national-restaurant-association-2012-restaurant-industry-forecast
Employers expect to increase hiring for professional-level positions in the first quarter, but they have concerns about finding qualified candidates for these roles, a new Robert Half survey shows. A net 10 percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report plan to add full-time staff in the first three months of the year, up three points from the fourth-quarter forecast. However, the number of respondents who report recruiting challenges also is on the rise: 67 percent of executives said it is at least somewhat challenging to find skilled employees today, up from 59 percent last quarter and 42 percent in the third quarter.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53176-robert-half-professional-employment-report-q12012
McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today released its 2012 Dodge Construction Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning, which predicts that overall U.S. construction starts for next year will remain essentially flat. The level of construction starts in 2012 is expected to be $412 billion, following the 4% decline to $410 billion predicted for 2011.
To watch a video about the forecast featuring Robert Murray, McGraw-Hill Construction’s Vice President of Economic Affairs, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/McGrawHillConstructn.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52705-mcgraw-hill-construction-2012-dodge-outlook-report
Twelve percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report say they are planning to hire professional-level staff in the fourth quarter of 2011, while 5 percent foresee making cutbacks. The resulting net 7 percent increase in hiring activity is up four points from the third-quarter forecast. The portion (82 percent) of hiring executives saying they anticipate no change in staff levels is down from 90 percent three months ago.
Meanwhile, 59 percent of executives interviewed for the report said it is challenging to find skilled professionals today, up 17 points from the third quarter.
Fourth-quarter hiring projections were higher than the third-quarter forecast in nearly all professional segments.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/roberthalf/50680/
The pace of economic growth has slowed significantly since the start of 2011 and the slowdown is expected to continue into the start of 2012, according to a survey of CEOs of small-to-medium-sized businesses. The Vistage CEO Confidence Index was 92.9 in the Q2 2011 survey, substantially below the 105.2 posted in Q1, and erasing all the gains recorded since 93.7 was registered in Q1 2010. Though declines were present in every major survey component, the largest losses were in evaluations of the overall economy. Rather than expecting a renewed economic downturn, the majority of CEOs anticipated a stagnating economy: growth too slow to support robust gains in employment or investment, and resulting in lower revenue and profit levels than previously forecast. Half of all firms put planned investments on hold due to the slowdown in economic growth.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/vistage/51040/
Ten percent of executives interviewed for the Robert Half Professional Employment Report (http://www.roberthalf.us/per) said they plan to increase the number of full-time employees in professional occupations in the first quarter of 2011, while 5 percent anticipate declines. The resulting net 5 percent¹ increase in expected hiring activity is down one point from the fourth-quarter 2010 forecast.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/rhi/46960/
