Latest news with #392
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Australian shares edge higher as NAB impresses
Australia's share market has hit another record, but the week ahead could offer some surprises as earnings season hits full swing. The S&P/ASX200 hit a new record of 8,960.9 on Monday morning, but later settled to be up 10.8 points, or 0.12 per cent, to 8,949.4, as the broader All Ordinaries gained 14.4 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 9,226.8. The local bourse overcame an early dip, which followed US markets trimming their sails on Friday ahead of major macroeconomic data this week, Moomoo market strategist Michael McCarthy said. "The outlook remains positive, although the surge to close at another all-time high on Friday leaves the ASX 200 vulnerable to a short-term pullback," he said. Nine of 11 local sectors were trading higher by lunchtime, with only energy and materials stocks in the red. Financials were broadly performing well, with NAB up 1.8 per cent to $39.88 and leading three of the big four banks into the green, despite its third-quarter profit growth slipping compared to the first two quarters. Iron ore giants BHP, Fortescue and Rio Tinto weighed on the materials sector, each down more than 0.4 per cent, while further downstream in steelmaking, BlueScope shares fell five per cent by midday to $23.02, after its net profit slumped 90 per cent on the year before. Goldminers also bled lower, as the precious metal's price consolidated around August's lows, with futures trading at $US3,392 ($A5,205) an ounce. Energy stocks were down 0.9 per cent as Santos and Woodside tracked with a slipping oil price, while major coal miners Yancoal (-2.3 per cent), Whitehaven (-2.7 per cent) and New Hope Corporation 9-4.5 per cent) all took a tumble. Communications was the best-performing sector, up roughly one per cent with a more than four per cent surge in REA Group after the digital property advertiser appointed CAR Group CEO Cameron McIntyre to the helm, replacing Owen Wilson. Real estate stocks were up roughly 0.5 per cent, with Lendlease (up 6.1 per cent) GPT Group (up 3.5 per cent) and Charter Hall (up 1.1 per cent) all rallying on the back of strong results. Healthcare stocks continued to recover from an early-August dip due to US tariff concerns, up 0.4 per cent on Monday and on par with their highest level since early February. The Australian dollar is buying 65.15 US cents, up from 65.07 US cents on Friday at 5pm, with little movement at the weekend.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Chehlum, Urs of Data conclude under tightened security
The Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA) and the concluding ceremonies of the Urs of Data Ali Hajveri, widely known as Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), were observed across Punjab on Friday under extensive security arrangements. Authorities confirmed that all processions, majalis, and Urs gatherings concluded peacefully, with no major incidents reported. This year, the 20th of Safar in the Islamic calendar coincided with both the Chehlum and the third and final day of the Urs celebrations in Lahore. Over 37,000 police officers and personnel were deployed across the province to ensure security at 644 majalis and 392 mourning processions. In Lahore alone, 44 majalis and 14 processions were held, guarded by over 12,000 officers. DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran personally inspected the route of the main Chehlum procession from Haveli Alf Shah in the inner city. Security forces sealed connecting streets, stationed snipers on rooftops, and monitored routes via real-time CCTV provided by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Walk-through gates, 6,753 metal detectors, and 926 checkpoints were set up for screening. Women officers were deployed for women and children, while plainclothes personnel monitored crowds. "Maintaining peace and protecting every citizen is our mission," Kamran said, urging public cooperation during sensitive occasions. Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar praised the "excellent security arrangements" and commended the CCPO Lahore, DIG Operations, and senior officers for their coordination. He noted that law enforcement agencies had been on high alert for several days, implementing measures against one-wheeling, aerial firing, and other violations during both the religious observances and Independence Day celebrations earlier in the week. Police reported 277 arrests and 249 cases during the crackdown, including 162 arrests for one-wheeling and 13 for aerial firing. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, who also chairs the Punjab Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, visited the Home Department's central control room to review live monitoring. He was joined by Acting Chief Secretary Punjab Ahmad Raza Sarwar, Home Secretary Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi, and other senior officials. Rafique reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring peace, protecting lives and property, and guaranteeing complete religious freedom. He said authorities had engaged scholars and community leaders from all sects throughout Muharram to promote unity and harmony. The Acting Chief Secretary added that all relevant departments - including police, Rescue 1122, and traffic authorities - remained on high alert until the safe return of mourners and devotees. The Home Secretary said a zero-tolerance policy was being enforced against sectarian hate speech, with the provincial cyber-patrolling cell monitoring and taking action against violators. Special arrangements were made in Lahore for thousands of devotees attending the Urs. Control rooms at provincial and district levels ensured continuous coordination among security and administrative agencies. Officials credited the joint efforts of Punjab Police, the Home Department, district administrations, and religious leaders for the peaceful conclusion of both events.
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers projections: How many TDs will Bucky Irving score in 2025?
After an impressive rookie campaign, Bucky Irving enters his second NFL season with momentum and a clear path to even more scoring opportunities in Tampa's offense. The former Oregon standout quickly became one of the league's most efficient rookie backs in 2024, showing explosiveness, balance, and versatility in both the run and pass his first NFL season, Irving racked up 1,122 rushing yards on just under 210 carries, good for a strong 5.4 yards per carry, which was amongst the league's best. He also found the end zone eight times on the ground. Though he didn't score as a receiver, Irving added 47 catches for 392 yards, functioning as a steady outlet in the Buccaneers' short passing game. His vision, quickness, and ability to create in space quickly earned him the title of starter and PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Looking ahead to Year 2, there are several reasons to expect Irving's touchdown total to rise: With offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard taking over, Tampa's scheme is expected to lean even more toward spread formations and motion, which is a perfect fit for Irving's open-field skill set. Red-Zone Usage Irving was regularly used in the 20s in 2024. Still, his ability to make defenders miss and accelerate through tight lanes makes him a natural candidate for increased red-zone snaps, especially in misdirection and two-back packages. Receiving TD Upside Despite not receiving scores in 2024, Irving's 47 receptions show the usage is already there. With more designed targets near the goal line, at least one or two receiving touchdowns seem likely.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘Patidar is looking to be overly-aggressive… Once Virat gets in…': Aaron Finch dissects RCB's Kohli-centric batting plan
RCB maintained their form in the ongoing IPL 2025 season with an 11-run win against RR, on Thursday in Bengaluru. The match also saw Virat Kohli keep up the pressure on Orange Cap leader Sai Sudharsan. Kohli is now second in the Orange Cap race, with 392 runs in nine matches. On Thursday, Kohli was once again at his brilliant best, and smacked 70 runs off 42 balls, as RCB posted 205/5 in 20 overs. He also clattered eight fours and two sixes, building on his aggressive and consistent T20 template for this season. Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Kohli's former RCB teammate Aaron Finch was asked if the former India captain's captaincy was underrated by many fans and experts. Finch had a straightforward reply, and pointed out that Kohli's consistency was one of the key weapons for RCB. 'Yes, I mean, if you are offered 650, 700 runs at the start of the year, from one of your top-three batters. No matter whether your strike rate is 150 or 200, you would take that every single day because that just allows your team the platform to play around,' he said. 'That's when you can put some cowboys in the middle order, ultra-high risk, and they tried to do that with Livingstone, and it hasn't quite worked. Last year, Maxwell played that high risk game as well, and Patidar is looking to be overly-aggressive as well. So it just allows you a platform, you know, once Virat gets in, very rarely does he get out at 30. So he goes deeper, play aggressively around him and build around that,' he added. Kohli's form has been vital for RCB this season, who are currently third in the IPL 2025 points table with 12 points in nine games, which includes six wins and three defeats. In their next fixture, RCB face DC on Sunday, in New Delhi.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas legislative subcommittee will vote next week on proposed $139M employee pay plan
From left: Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Barnhill, Secretary of Transformation and Shared Services Leslie Fisken, Republican Sen. Breanne Davis of Russellville and Secretary of Finance and Administration Jim Hudson present a proposed overhaul of Arkansas' state employee pay plan during a meeting of the Joint Budget Committee's personnel subcommittee on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas lawmakers will vote next week on a proposed overhaul of the state employee pay plan, which is expected to cost a total of $139 million, the bill's lead sponsor said Tuesday. Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, presented the proposal in Senate Bill 392 to the Joint Budget Committee's Personnel subcommittee alongside executive branch officials Tuesday. The meeting was for discussion only, and the subcommittee will be first to vote on the bill March 18. The full Legislature is responsible for approving the plan, which is part of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. Roughly two-thirds of state agencies' workforce — more than 14,000 state employees — will receive pay raises that make their salaries competitive with the private sector, Sanders said in November when she announced the proposed pay plan. She said one of the main goals of the pay plan is to recruit and retain employees in hard-to-fill positions, particularly nurses, social services workers, corrections officers and state troopers. Sanders also said the plan will clarify the promotion ladders in each state agency and consolidate roughly 2,200 job titles into roughly 800 without reducing the number of available jobs. The state has typically had separate job titles for the same job, such as accountants, in different agencies, Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Barnhill told lawmakers. 'They all required the same type of skills, and they may not have been paid consistently across departments previously,' Barnhill said. 'That was one of our major thrusts here with this plan, trying to ensure that we had equity and consistency across state government.' Barnhill and Davis echoed the governor's promise to bring some state employees' entry-level salaries up to labor market rates in order for the state government to compete with the private sector. State employees with years of government experience whose salaries are above the minimum labor market rate would not receive raises under the new plan, Barnhill said in response to a question from Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock. Nearly 18% of 66,000 Arkansas executive branch and higher education jobs remained unfilled in 2024, the Advocate reported in December. Approximately 18% of Arkansas' state positions are vacant, data shows The pay plan is part of Sanders' Arkansas Forward initiative, which is meant to increase government efficiency. State officials devised the proposed pay plan with help from McKinsey, a Washington, D.C., consulting firm the state hired in February 2024 under a three-year, $5.5 million contract. Sanders initially projected the pay plan's base cost to be $102 million, with $60 million coming from the state's general revenue and the remaining $42 million 'from other sources.' The base cost estimate is now $123 million, plus a $23 million match from each state agency, Barnhill said. She added that the initially projected match was $14.5 million. 'We did meet with agencies and departments one more time in December, and they brought forth some [job] classifications they thought we had missed,' Barnhill said. Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson repeated Sanders' statement that agencies must find the money within their own budgets to cover as much of the pay plan as possible. The state has a $72 million 'performance fund' that agencies can use to fulfill the plan if they exhaust their existing resources, he said. The subcommittee's House chair and vice chair, Republican Reps. Jim Wooten of Beebe and Frances Cavenaugh of Walnut Ridge, both expressed concern that the officials presenting the pay plan legislation did not have an estimate for how much its proposed Arkansas State Employee Student Loan Program would cost. The program would provide up to five installment payments of $2,000 toward a state employee's unpaid student loans if the employee used the loans to get a degree in the field related to his or her job. Barnhill said she did not have data on how many state employees would qualify. 'As somebody who looks at numbers all the time, throwing out a program for a benefit and [no] idea of what it might cost us creates a little heartburn for myself,' Cavenaugh said. The program would not be implemented without a clear picture of how it would impact agency budgets, Hudson said, but he believed the state should 'see how it goes' and adjust as needed. Wooten said he remained skeptical of leaving a program 'open-ended' because 'if we start something in government, it never ends.'
