
CFI welcomes Maria Sharapova as global brand ambassador
CFI, a global leading online trading provider, is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Maria Sharapova. The five-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic medalist, and globally respected entrepreneur will serve as the Group's new global brand ambassador, alongside Lewis Hamilton. Sharapova joins CFI in a multi-year agreement that reflects a shared dedication to excellence, discipline, and international impact.
Renowned for her achievements on the court and her expansive success beyond it, including business, fashion, media, wellness, and recently interior design, Sharapova embodies a mindset rooted in precision, vision, and resilience, qualities that closely mirror CFI's values. Her transition from elite athlete to influential investor and entrepreneur aligns naturally with the brand's mission to empower individuals through innovation, insight, and world-class platforms. As CFI continues to champion greater inclusion and inspire more women to explore opportunities in the financial world, her multifaceted career presents an encouraging and aspirational path. In her new role, Sharapova will engage with CFI's audience through various high-impact campaigns and media activities. Her involvement will include strategic appearances and brand campaigns designed to inspire and connect with global audiences. Through its partnership with Sharapova, CFI aims to deepen its emotional resonance with clients and strengthen its position as a purpose-driven, globally trusted provider of trading and investment solutions with a clear sense of purpose.
Commenting on the recent Sharapova said: "CFI's focus on innovation, education, and empowering individuals resonated with me. Whether in sport or business, success comes down to being intentional, prepared, and willing to learn. I've always believed in the importance of staying curious, adapting to change, and leading with purpose, and those values have continued to guide me beyond the court. I'm proud to be CFI's Global Brand Ambassador and support the Group's global mission to inform, inspire, and connect with individuals who are pursuing their own paths to growth."
Ziad Melhem, CEO of CFI Financial Group, added: "Maria Sharapova is a symbol of elite performance, long-term vision, and unwavering resilience. Her journey reflects the mindset we champion at CFI, where ambition, preparation, emotional intelligence, and the ability to adapt are all essential traits of smart traders and investors. As we expand globally, her voice will strengthen our mission to make global financial opportunities accessible and empowering. This partnership goes beyond branding; it's about shared purpose and global impact. We are proud to welcome her to the CFI family."
This announcement marks another significant step in CFI's evolution as a purpose-driven global brand, one that combines world-class financial expertise with partnerships that inspire. The collaboration with Sharapova underscores CFI's ambition to lead not only through technology and service but also through relationships with individuals who define excellence on a global scale. She joins seven-time Formula 1™ world champion Lewis Hamilton, CFI's current Global brand ambassador, reinforcing the brand's highly selective approach to aligning with iconic figures who embody performance, purpose, and global impact.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
2 hours ago
- The National
China proposes global AI co-operation organisation
China proposed a new global artificial intelligence co-operation organisation amid a patchwork of regulations among countries, as Beijing's competition with the US over the critical technology heats up. Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday called for an international framework to regulate AI as its governance is fragmented, he said at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. 'Global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences, particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts, institutional rules,' Mr Li said. 'We should strengthen co-ordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible.' China's proposal comes just days after US President Donald Trump unveiled a three-pillar strategy that his administration refers to as America's AI Action Plan, after much anticipation from US technology companies. Accelerating artificial intelligence innovation, building AI infrastructure in the US and leading in AI diplomacy are the strategy's three main planks. The plan to export US AI technologies, for example through international data centre initiatives, may help the US to gain influence as other countries seek to join the race to provide computational power for AI. Hypothetically, it could also give the US a competitive edge over China, which also aims to be a dominant AI player. Beijing and Washington are locked in a rivalry with AI shaping up as a key battleground between the world's two biggest economies. An 'exclusive game' During the three-day World Artificial Intelligence Conference on Saturday, Mr Li said that AI could become an 'exclusive game' for a few nations and companies. 'Currently, key resources and capabilities are concentrated in a few countries and a few enterprises. If we engage in technological monopoly, controls and restrictions, AI will become an exclusive game for a small number of countries and enterprises,' Mr Li said. Going forward, China will seek to propel AI development in the Global South, Mr Li said, according to a Bloomberg report. China said it is considering Shanghai as the headquarters of the proposed global AI co-operation centre. Ma Zhaoxu, China's Vice Foreign Minister, told a gathering of representatives from more than 30 countries, including Russia, South Africa, Qatar, South Korea and Germany, that China wanted the organisation to promote pragmatic co-operation in AI and was considering putting its headquarters in Shanghai, Reuters reported. China's AI and semi-conductor sectors are showing strong growth, despite US export controls, according to a June report by Jefferies, an investment banking and capital market firm based in New York. Huawei debuts AI computing system At the same conference on Saturday, China's Huawei Technologies showed off an AI computing system, as the technology giant aims to capture market share in the country's growing AI sector. The CloudMatrix 384 system made its first public debut at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference. Semiconductor research group SemiAnalysis in April called it "China's Answer to Nvidia GB200 NVL72", the US chipmaker's most advanced system-level product currently available in the market. "This solution competes directly with the GB200 NVL72, and in some metrics is more advanced than Nvidia's rack scale solution. The engineering advantage is at the system level, not just at the chip level, with innovation at the networking, optics, and software layers," SemiAnalysis said in its April report.

Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
West African advisers to boost agribusiness e-commerce
Small agribusinesses in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire are eager to tap into regional markets, but limited digital skills and poor access to online platforms hold them back. Without targeted support, these businesses struggle to embrace e-commerce and expand beyond their local base. To close this gap, the International Trade Centre trained national advisors and support institutions to help agribusinesses go digital and sell across borders. Many small agribusinesses in West Africa face barriers to reaching broader markets due to poor digital skills, low online visibility, and little access to e-commerce. These challenges hold back their potential to scale and engage in regional trade. To help close this gap, the International Trade Centre (ITC), under its ECOWAS Agricultural Trade (EAT) programme, organized a regional training of trainers in April in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The five-day workshop brought together six newly appointed e-commerce advisors (three from each country) and eight representatives from business support organizations in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. They received the tools and knowledge to support 30 agribusinesses—15 in each country—to trade online across the region. The participating advisors were selected for their potential to act as national champions for e-commerce capacity building. They were joined by eight representatives from four partner business support organizations: the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d'Ivoire (CCI-CI) and the National Chamber of Agriculture of Côte d'Ivoire (CNA-CI). This diverse mix fostered strong cross-border peer learning and established the foundation for sustained collaboration between national institutions. 'In my view, agro-processors will need this hands-on training to increase their visibility," said Ibrahima Bamba, Agricultural Advisor at the National Chamber of Agriculture of Côte d'Ivoire. Anuoluwapo Odubanjo, e-commerce Advisor for Nigeria added: 'Thanks to this training, I'm ready to support agribusinesses in developing tailored e-commerce strategies—from choosing the right platforms to managing online sales—so they can scale up their operations." The training covered digital marketing, online payment systems, shipping logistics, and customer service. Using interactive tools such as real-life case studies and peer learning, the sessions fostered collaboration and built confidence among participants. The impact is evident: 11 participants reported a significant improvement in their skills, and many left with action plans to support small businesses in their communities. From training rural entrepreneurs to helping businesses list on e-commerce platforms, the new advisors are ready to make a tangible impact. Since its launch in 2018, the programme has worked to bridge digital gaps and promote trade-ready agribusinesses in West Africa. By investing in local expertise, ITC's EAT programme is laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and digitally connected agricultural economy in West Africa. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.


Zawya
12 hours ago
- Zawya
Trade smarter: using volatility to maximise potential on OctaTrader
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 26 July 2025 - Volatility is what makes trading possible. It fuels every market movement and creates opportunities where none existed a moment before. Without it, the concept of trading as it stands today would simply not exist. As the pulse of the market, volatility shapes the ebb and flow of price dynamics—sometimes driven by trading itself, sometimes setting the pace for it. This article explores what volatility is, why it matters, and how to harness it effectively with OctaTrader, the proprietary platform developed by the globally trusted broker, Octa. Volatility as a Key Trading Factor In simple terms, volatility measures how much a financial instrument's price changes over a certain time period. Volatility is like the market's heartbeat—a strong, fluctuating pulse indicates high volatility, while a slow, steady rhythm suggests low volatility. In the Forex market, volatility essentially tells a trader how much a currency pair like EUR/USD or GBP/JPY is bouncing around, and it is this movement that traders thrive on. In other words, volatility is not just a statistical measure: it's the very essence of opportunity and risk. Whether scalping for quick pips, riding longer trends, or holding positions for weeks, volatility has a direct impact on trading strategies. Every trader should know or at least partly understand the level of volatility of the instrument that they are currently trading. This knowledge will enable a trader to: Maximise trading potential. Larger price swings mean more significant potential gains (or losses). High volatility can signal breakout opportunities or strong trends. Manage risk more effectively. Knowing volatility helps to set adequate stop-loss and take-profit orders. In a volatile market, a trader might need wider stops to avoid getting whipsawed. Improve entry time. Low volatility might mean a market is 'resting' before a big move, while high volatility could signal overbought or oversold conditions. When professional traders talk about volatility, they often refer to 'implied annual volatility'. This is a forward-looking measure, representing the market's expectation of how much an asset's price will fluctuate over a year. It is derived from options prices and is annualised to a percentage. While calculating implied volatility often involves complex pricing models, a simpler way for a retail trader to grasp volatility is to look at historical price movements. For example, if a currency pair has consistently moved an average of 80 pips per day over the past month, its daily volatility for that period could be considered to be 80 pips. However, volatility isn't just about raw price changes; it's relative. A trader cannot just look at today's price swings in isolation. Instead, comparing price movements against historical data helps determine whether the market is unusually calm or wildly active. For example, if EUR/USD moves 50 pips a day on average but suddenly jumps 150 pips, that's high volatility compared to its norm. At the same time, a 100-pip move in a currency pair might be considered high volatility on a quiet trading day, but completely normal during a major economic data release. In other words, volatility can only truly be understood in relation to historical price action. Measure the pulse: volatility indicators on OctaTrader Calculating volatility manually requires determining the average closing price of a particular asset over a selected period, then measuring deviations by subtracting the average from the latest closing price, squaring the deviations to eliminate negative values, summing them, dividing the total by the number of periods analysed, and finally taking the square root. This method is not only complex but also time-consuming. Recognising the crucial role of volatility calculation, Octa, a globally regulated and trusted broker, has equipped its traders with the right tools. Specifically, Octa has developed a proprietary trading platform, OctaTrader, which not only allows traders to place orders in the market, but also provides robust analytical capabilities. For measuring market volatility, OctaTrader has integrated several popular and effective indicators that help a trader gauge the market's pulse: Average True Range (ATR), Bollinger Bands (BB), and Standard Deviation (SD). Let's break them down and see how they work in practice. Bollinger Bands (BB): These bands consist of three lines: a simple moving average (the middle band) and two standard deviation lines (upper and lower bands) plotted above and below it. How it works: The bands widen when volatility spikes and contract when it drops, giving a trader a visual snapshot of market action. When prices touch or break out of the bands, it can signal overbought or oversold conditions, or the potential for a new trend. Practical use: BBs are great for spotting anomalous conditions in the market. If the price touches the upper band, it signals that a trading instrument could be overbought and due for a pullback. If it dips below the lower band, it could be oversold, signalling a potential rebound. In other words, BBs are useful for mean-reversion strategies, where traders expect prices to return to the moving average within the bands. Average True Range (ART): This indicator measures market volatility by calculating the average range between high, low, and closing prices over a specified period. It is called 'true range' because it accounts for gaps and wild price swings. How it works: ATR gives a trader a single number to gauge volatility, making it especially practical to set stop-losses. Practical use: A higher ATR means higher volatility and bigger price swings, so a trader would need to apply wider exit points to avoid getting stopped out prematurely. A lower ATR suggests lower volatility and narrower price ranges. If the ATR for XAU/USD is 25 pips, a trader might set a stop-loss 1-2 times the ATR (50-100 pips away from the entry point) to give the trade some room to run. ATR is also a great tool for understanding the 'normal' daily or hourly movement of a currency pair. Standard Deviation (SD): This is an advanced statistical indicator that measures how much a financial instrument's price deviates from its average over a set period. How it works: SD indicator provides a direct numerical value of volatility. A higher SD means prices are widely dispersed (higher volatility), while a lower one means they're tighter and are close to the average (lower volatility). Practical use: SD is useful for comparing the volatility of different assets or different time periods for the same asset. Traders can use it to identify statistically significant price movements and assess the likelihood of the price continuing in a particular direction. If EUR/USD's standard deviation spikes compared to its 20-day average, it might signal a volatile period ahead, prompting a trader to tighten stops or reduce position sizes. Volatility isn't just a number: it's a signal. By understanding and utilising these powerful volatility indicators, available in the OctaTrader platform, traders can gain a deeper insight into market dynamics, decide when to enter or exit trades, adjust position sizes, or brace for big market moves. We understand that in the world of trading, trust is paramount. That is why Octa goes the extra mile to equip traders with the right tools. Hashtag: #Octa The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Octa Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools. The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including improving educational infrastructure and funding short-notice relief projects to support local communities. In Southeast Asia, Octa received the 'Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024' and the 'Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023' awards from Brands and Business Magazine and International Global Forex Awards, respectively. Octa