Netflix may have just secured a foothold in the world’s second-largest consumer market but that could be a non-event, for now. The streaming giant announced it had clinched a licensing deal with iQiyi, a Chinese video platform, but this could be largely “immaterial,” an analyst said. IQiyi counts Chinese search company Baidu as a parent. Netflix has attempted to break into the China market in the past, but has acknowledged the “regulatory environment” was “challenging” in a letter to shareholder

Last month, the SEC denied an application by the Winklevoss twins to list the ETF, which would have made it the first product of its kind in the U.S. for bitcoin. The proposal involves listing the ETF on the Bats BZX exchange, one of the largest U.S. equities market operator. Bats filed a notice of petition to review the SEC decision which has now been accepted. It means the SEC will look into its initial decision to reject the ETF. Traders are hoping that this at least opens the doors to the ET

“It was instrumental [in generating additional interest],” Noto said of the NFL deal, declining comment on the premium Amazon seems to have paid for it. From Twitter’s perspective, becoming a source of always-on-in-the-background video in the way that CNBC is in airports would be a great outcome. “We think that is a great way to have the programming carried along with you during your day,” Noto said. Liew told BuzzFeed News in an email that Twitter may have hit on a potentially big opportunity h

In India alone, there are 500 YouTube channels that surpassed the 100,000 subscriber threshold within a year, Kyncl said. YouTube first introduced its offline function in India 2014, before expanding the service to 80 markets globally. Most recently, the platform rolled out the “YouTube Go” app in India, allowing users to view video content offline through its app. “Creators featured in Originals get a significant boost in YouTube subscribers and watch time on their main channels as well,” Kyncl

A Thai man broadcast a video of himself killing his baby daughter on Facebook then committing suicide, with the content reportedly being available to view for 24 hours before being taken down. The social media giant is under mounting pressure to deal with inappropriate posts. The footage showed Wuttisan Wongtalay hanging his daughter by the neck from the rooftop of a building in Phuket, a popular vacation destination, Reuters reported. Users could view the video of the murder on Wongtalay’s Face

United Technologies, the maker of Otis Elevators, Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines and Carrier air conditioners, beat analyst expectations with a 17.8 percent rise in first-quarter profit, helped by higher sales in all four of its business units. United Tech’s net income attributable to common shareholders rose to $1.39 billion in the first quarter ended March 31, from $1.18 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders rose to $1.73 from $1.42, including a one-t

“Banking is the last vertically integrated sector left, but it is the next utility to face change,” said Michael Laven, CEO of the financial technology (FinTech) firm Currency Cloud, said on Tuesday. According to Mark Buitenhek, global head of transaction services at Dutch bank ING, technology; increased customer service expectations; and regulation are the key interconnected forces driving the present transformation of banking. In the U.K., for instance, the Competition and Markets Authority (C

While total advertising revenue for the quarter was $474 million, a decrease of 11 percent year-over-year, Twitter has flagged up already that this will continue to lag audience growth in 2017. But its shares were up nearly 11 percent in pre-market trade because of the encouraging noises around the ad business. Twitter has focused heavily on video and is doubling down on it given the success it is seeing. In an interview with BuzzFeed published Wednesday, Twitter Chief Operating Officer Anthony

Instagram is now at 700 million monthly active users, adding 100 million more users in just four months. Instagram didn’t provide updated numbers on daily active users, and did not have new stats for Instagram Stories. That feature, which allows users to post photos and videos that disappear within 24 hours, is a direct competitor to Snapchat. More than 200 million people used Instagram Stories every day as of April, an impressive feat for Instagram considering the feature was only added in Augu

Internet companies are readying for a showdown with telecoms and a Republican-controlled government over a policy near and dear to their hearts: Net neutrality. Net neutrality basically prevents broadband providers from playing favorites or steering users toward (or away from) particular internet sites. The internet industry, which considers net neutrality essential for its business, isn’t standing still — and it may be keeping some of its most potent tactics in reserve. Boston tech companies an

PepsiCo reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit as the company benefited from demand for its healthier drinks and snacks and kept a tight leash on costs. PepsiCo and other processed-food makers are investing heavily to develop products to meet consumers’ increasing preference for healthier snacks such as unsweetened tea and baked chips. Revenue rose 1.6 percent to $12.05 billion, the second quarter of rising sales after eight quarters of decline. Analysts on average had expect

Procter & Gamble, the maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers, is still struggling to grow sales in the face of global uncertainty and a strong dollar. Procter & Gamble said its net sales for the quarter fell to $15.6 billion, down 1 percent from sales of $15.78 billion a year ago, marking the thirteenth consecutive quarter of declines. Though, he added, “[Procter & Gamble] remain[s] on track to deliver our going-in objectives on the top line, on the bottom line.” Organic sales in its groomi

That arrangement could put Trump at risk of violating an obscure constitutional clause, some legal experts say. The Trump SoHo Hotel and Condominium in Manhattan is an upscale 46-story property owned by a Los Angeles investment group, the CIM Group, through one of its real estate funds. (Graphic on Trump SoHo payment chain.) The White House referred comment to the Trump Organization, the parent conglomerate for Trump’s businesses, which did not respond to repeated calls and emails for comment. T

Making that future a reality will also require firms to be imaginative, creative and transparent in how they seek out data from consumers. One of the best examples of this is how Facebook allows users to give them feedback on what ads they find relevant. This tool, known as Ad Preferences, accessible from every ad on Facebook, explains why any consumer is seeing a specific ad. My research in the mobile economy has proved that all of these benefits are feasible with the ongoing cooperation of con

The study assumes our labor force includes 7 million undocumented workers who account for 3 percent of our GDP; deporting millions of undocumented immigrants would create job losses not seen since the Great Recession. An estimated 50 percent to 70 percent of farm workers are undocumented. Even if Trump wasn’t cracking down on immigrants, the U.S. labor force is undergoing a massive shift as baby boomers retire. It’s been estimated that close to 59 million workers will have left the workforce bet

“The markets of the kingdom are very sophisticated, the banks are very sophisticated,” he continued, noting ADGM’s geographical and jurisdictional strengths, including its close relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “I think the reality that the price of oil will be at certain levels, lower levels than what they’ve been historically, has helped us drive the message home that financial transactions – not real estate, not other things – financial services need to become a big part

The refinance market came back to life last week, as mortgage rates fell further. Total mortgage application volume rose 2.7 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgage refinance volume remains far weaker than it was last year, when interest rates were lower, but it did rise 7 percent week to week as rates sank to the lowest level since just after following the presidential election. Homebuyers were less concerned with mortgage rates and mo

Alex, 23, has spent the last two years at Triform Camphill Community in Hudson, New York, a 500-acre farm and residential community for young adults with special needs. There, he helps care for animals and nurtures friendships with other residents. “He’s a hard worker. He volunteers for things and he takes care of people,” said Carol, 63, and a retired attorney who specialized in working with children. “I’m very proud of the young adult that he’s become.”

Google has officially rolled out a new feature to Google Maps on iOS and Android that will help you find your parked car. Google already offers automatic parking location detection in some cases (I’ve noticed it works when it wants to) so you may have seen it before. Now it’s easier to control manually, complete with notes about exactly where you left your car. The days of walking around a parking lot and trying to set off your alarm just to find your car are over. Here’s how to use the new Goog

In a surprise after several quarters of disappointing results, Twitter on Wednesday reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue. Here’s how the company did compared with what Wall Street was expecting, according to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates:EPS: 11 cents a share vs. 1 cent a share expectedRevenue: $548 million vs. $511.9 million expectedMonthly active users: 328 million vs. 321 million expectedThe company accelerated its monthly active users to 328 million, 7 million more than e