fc188 agent login Gemfields eyes Faberge sale after mining unrestHowever, the clock is ticking for Barcelona. The club cannot afford to wait too long to finalize Messi's contract renewal. With the player now in the twilight of his career, every season is precious, and Barcelona must make the most of Messi's remaining years at the top level. Any delay in securing his future could jeopardize the club's long-term success and stability.

BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in shares of Glaukos Co. ( NYSE:GKOS – Free Report ) by 186.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 13,726 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,942 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets’ holdings in Glaukos were worth $1,788,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GKOS. EFG Asset Management North America Corp. lifted its stake in shares of Glaukos by 0.5% during the second quarter. EFG Asset Management North America Corp. now owns 27,205 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $3,216,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. Values First Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Glaukos during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. New York State Teachers Retirement System boosted its holdings in Glaukos by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 48,143 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $6,272,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. KBC Group NV grew its position in Glaukos by 16.2% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,445 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $188,000 after acquiring an additional 201 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Glaukos by 6.9% during the third quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 3,193 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $416,000 after purchasing an additional 206 shares during the period. 99.04% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Insider Activity In other Glaukos news, COO Joseph E. Gilliam sold 2,275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.97, for a total transaction of $316,156.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 102,169 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,198,425.93. The trade was a 2.18 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, Director Gilbert H. Kliman sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.67, for a total transaction of $392,010.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 32,336 shares in the company, valued at $4,225,345.12. The trade was a 8.49 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Corporate insiders own 6.40% of the company’s stock. Glaukos Stock Performance Glaukos ( NYSE:GKOS – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The medical instruments supplier reported ($0.28) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.48) by $0.20. The business had revenue of $96.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $91.50 million. Glaukos had a negative net margin of 42.43% and a negative return on equity of 18.99%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 23.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted ($0.50) EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Glaukos Co. will post -1.89 EPS for the current year. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In GKOS has been the subject of several analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Glaukos from $145.00 to $153.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. UBS Group began coverage on Glaukos in a research note on Friday. They set a “buy” rating and a $182.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley cut Glaukos from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $120.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, December 2nd. Piper Sandler set a $140.00 price target on Glaukos in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Glaukos from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Glaukos presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $140.00. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Glaukos Glaukos Profile ( Free Report ) Glaukos Corporation, an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and medical technology company, focuses on the development of novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. It offers iStent and iStent inject W micro-bypass stents that enhance aqueous humor outflow inserted in cataract surgery to treat mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Glaukos Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Glaukos and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Stojakovic, Wilkinson lead short-handed Cal past Sacramento State, 83-77 in Cal Classic

The Richmond Battlefield is preparing for a festive celebration. Father Christmas will make his annual appearance. On Sunday, December 1, children and families can meet the beloved “Jolly Ol’ Elf” from 2 PM to 4 PM at the Pleasant View House, 1564 Battlefield Memorial Highway, just south of Richmond. The historical Pleasant View House, built around 1825, is significant. It was owned by the Barnett family and later the Kavanaugh Armstrong family during the Battle of Richmond in 1862. This year, Santa is embracing the spirit of tradition by sporting one of his classic outfits during his visit to the historic site of the Battle of Richmond. While his loyal elves and reindeer are busy preparing for Christmas Eve, Santa will be spreading holiday cheer and creating memorable moments for local families. Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras to capture the magic of the occasion, making it a perfect opportunity for festive family photos or holiday cards. After visiting with Santa, families can enjoy refreshments provided by the dedicated volunteers of the Battle of Richmond. Although there is no fee to meet Santa, attendees are strongly encouraged to contribute to a goodwill initiative by bringing bundles of new, pre-packaged socks. These donations will support the upcoming 2024 Santa Claus Sock Drop, running from December 2nd through December 18th. Men’s, women’s, and children’s socks are needed, with a preference for thicker athletic varieties; please refrain from donating dress socks, no-shows, or footies. Donations can be dropped off at the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center at 101 Battlefield Memorial Highway during business hours, from 10 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. For those needing to donate after hours, there is a convenient drop-off location on the front porch. The sock drive, which began in 2014 and was formerly called Project Warm Feet, has successfully collected over 25,000 pairs of socks to aid the homeless and less fortunate in the Richmond, Berea, and Madison County areas. Collected socks will be distributed to various organizations and local law enforcement agencies for emergencies. For further information about Santa’s visit or other events at the Battle of Richmond, please contact the Battle of Richmond Visitor Center at 859-624-0013 during regular hours.After failed martial law, South Koreans ask: Who’s in charge?HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, the defense gave up multiple big passing plays and Ka′imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal that would have tied it late in a 32-27 loss . “Just a disappointing loss for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game. Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives, too many negative plays.” Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter led the group with a season-high three sacks and Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. But Ryans refused to blame the offense for the loss. “Our offense did plenty," Ryans said. "They gave us enough points. On defense, we have to be able to stop them.” Chig Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled 70 yards for a touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 91⁄2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. It was the last of three big passing plays the Titans had Sunday. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Calvin Ridley had a 63-yard reception that set up their next touchdown in the second. “It was just way too many negative plays,” Ryans said. “Defensively, unexplainable explosives for touchdowns. We didn’t play good across the board and that starts with me.” Despite this, the Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Fairbairn’s short field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. “The most frustrating part about it is out of all the bad things that happened, we still had a chance to finish the game,” Ryans said. “Everything that could go wrong, it went wrong. We still had a chance there to tie it up and finish the game, and we didn’t.” The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but his two interceptions Sunday give him five combined in the past three games. He now has more interceptions in 12 games this season (nine) than he had in 15 games as a rookie last season (five). “It’s no secret that I haven’t been playing well ... I’ve got to be harder on myself,” he said. “I’m not going to hold my head down. I know I can be a great player, but I’ve got to make better plays.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

The chief executive of healthcare technology firm Harrison.ai has moved to dismiss privacy concerns about his start-up, describing them as a misunderstanding as it plots an expansion into the lucrative US market. Harrison.ai gives radiologists and pathologists access to AI technology so they can more efficiently and accurately scan X-rays for cancers and illnesses. The Sydney start-up has already raised more than $150 million to pursue its stated goal of saving a million lives a day by 2025. Dimitry (left) and Aengus Tran. Credit: Louie Douvis An investigation by online publication Crikey has alleged that Harrison.ai trained its flagship product, Annalise.ai, using scans of potentially hundreds of thousands of Australians obtained by radiology provider I-MED seemingly without express consent from patients. Speaking in an interview with this masthead, Aengus Tran, who founded the company in 2018 with his brother Dimitry, said those concerns were a “misunderstanding” and that his start-up anonymises patient data to the extent it cannot be re-identified. “I think, from the outside, maybe people made an assumption that we are processing personal information,” Aengus Tran said. “A picture of your face is very different to a chest X-ray and a diagnostic report that has been anonymised and de-identified. We have a really robust anonymisation and data-protection pipeline, where data is completely stripped of personal information, and [we have] gone through quite great lengths to ensure that it cannot be re-identified. “That helps us meet the requirement of the Privacy Act and therefore enables our use of data to be fully permissible within the bounds of that act. The Privacy Act actually makes it very clear that if you thoroughly anonymise and de-identify the patient, data is no longer considered personal information.” I-MED has also published a statement calling the reports “inaccurate”. “I-MED de-identified data using best practice frameworks developed by the CSIRO and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner,” it said. Anxiety and discussion around how artificial intelligence technologies treat customer privacy has spiked since Australia’s privacy commissioner, Carly Kind, found that retailer Bunnings had breached privacy laws with facial recognition systems that it used to combat crime. Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind has launched a preliminary inquiry into I-MED. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Kind has launched preliminary inquiries to determine if I-MED complied with the Privacy Act through its partnership with Harrison.ai. A patient’s medical scans are among the most sensitive data types. At the core of the issue is whether scans from I-MED were truly “de-identified” when they were used for training Harrison.ai’s models. Aengus Tran says they were. A spokeswoman for the privacy commissioner’s office said its preliminary inquiries were ongoing. “I-MED has been co-operative, and we are reviewing information received from the company,” she said. “One of the key issues we are considering is whether or not personal information was de-identified,” the spokeswoman said. “Generally speaking, entities should be aware that de-identification is context-dependent and may be difficult to achieve. In addition, entities seeking to use de-identified information to train generative AI models should be aware that de-identifying personal information is a use of the personal information for a secondary purpose.” Aengus Tran said that Harrison.ai’s technology is in 131 British hospitals and now used by one in two radiologists in Australia. The start-up has grown by 300 per cent year-on-year, and Tran said the time is right to enter the US market. Harrison.ai co-founders Dimitry and Aengus Tran have done deals with Virtus Health and I-MED. Credit: George Fetting “We’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to do that,” he said. “And recently that opportunity arrived.” In October, Harrison.ai was awarded Medicare reimbursement by CMS, the US federal agency that administers the Medicare program. It means US hospitals will be paid up to $US240 a scan processed by Harrison.ai’s technology. “Alongside our 12 FDA clearances that we’ve had in the last 18 months, we feel this is the right time for an Australian company punching well above its weight to crack the American market,” Tran said. “We very much believe in keeping the centre of gravity, especially on the development side, in Australia, but we know we need to grow internationally to make the global impact we need to make. “The United States is about 50 per cent of the world’s radiology market, by volume, so we’ve established ourselves as a clear winner in the rest of the world, and we now see a doubling of our total opportunities.” Aengus’ brother Dimitry, who is Harrison.ai’s other co-founder and its deputy chief executive, has moved to Seattle to establish the start-up’s US base. The pair originally migrated to Australia from Vietnam for high school. “The US is half of the global radiology market,” Dimitry Tran said. “Building on our customer momentum in the UK, Asia and Australia, we’re in a great position to bring our technology to the US and win the market. “Relocating to the US signifies how important the market is to us ... The timing is perfect, as we make the most of our recently awarded Medicare reimbursement – our first for the US market.” Aengus said that 2025 was expected to include a significant capital raising, likely north of $100 million. The company previously raised $29 million in late 2019, and another $129 million two years later. The start-up’s backers include Blackbird Ventures, Hong Kong’s Horizons Ventures, Scott Farquhar and Kim Jackson’s Skip Capital and ASX-listed hospitals giant Ramsay Health Care. Pathology giant Sonic Healthcare and radiology provider I-MED are also investors, and Tesla chair Robyn Denholm sits on its board. “Up to this point, we’ve been building our AI technology in the radiology domain, and to add to that, next year we’ll be launching our AI technology in pathology,” Tran said. “This has been the result of our collaboration with Sonic Healthcare, and next year we’ll start launching products and commercialising that for the first time. “It’s very exciting. Radiology is very large, and there’s a road map of products that we are looking to develop across CT [scans of] chest, abdomen, pelvis and X-rays of the musculoskeletal system. So, essentially, trying to complete our AI portfolio across radiology. “The nice thing about this is that we have a proven formula. You could say that we’ve built the espresso-making machines, and we make a nice cup of coffee, and now the plan is to put more beans in and finish the job.” The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .

Jersey Mike's, which opened its doors in 1956 as one of the first fast-food sandwich shops in the nation, has seen , with its industry share more than doubling since 2019. The popular chain, which features , serves up tasty submarine sandwiches that have customers clamoring for more. But, you might be wondering if they offer anything for people who have gluten sensitivity or intolerance. You're in luck — Jersey Mike's does serve gluten-free rolls (and you can also turn any of their subs into a salad, too). The chain sources its gluten-free subs from Udi's; a gluten-free bakery that takes care to individually package each roll so that there is no risk of cross-contamination during transport. Many of Jersey Mike's fillings are naturally gluten-free including deli meats, cheeses, vegetables, and oil and vinegar dressings. However, there are two filling options that are not gluten-free: The meatball and cheese sub and the chicken parmesan. Meanwhile, when it comes to meal add-ons, the chain offers several gluten-free chip options and even has a gluten-free Snickerdoodle cookie, also from Udi's. (As always, you should use your best judgment when ordering, and be aware that no dining out experience is completely foolproof when you have celiac disease or a severe food intolerance.) How to order a gluten-free sandwich at Jersey Mike's Some Jersey Mike's locations have a gluten-free sandwich-making station where all the ingredients are kept separate from the rest of the stock. However, this is not available at every restaurant. Still, Jersey Mike's makes a big effort to prioritize different dietary needs and train its staff to make gluten-free meals for diners. And if the location that you order from does not have a GF station, instead of , you can build your own sub by going through your needs in person (mobile ordering won't be enough, sadly) with your server. Feel free to watch your sandwich maker closely, as cross-contamination through surfaces or gloves is a possibility, and speak up if something isn't right. For example, if you notice your server reaching for lettuce or tomato that is from the same bin that other employees use, or if they don't change their gloves after each step, including touching the vinegar and oil bottles, you could be at risk of finding trace amounts of gluten in your food. Ordering like this can be a little scary at first but, hey, you deserve a delicious sandwich and the staff at Jersey Mike's really are equipped to help you with it. RecommendedIn addition to his tactical acumen and youth development strategy, Ten Haag's man-management skills have also played a significant role in Ajax's success. He is known for his ability to inspire and motivate players, fostering a positive team culture and ensuring that everyone is working towards a common goal. His approachable demeanor and emphasis on communication have earned him the respect and admiration of his squad.

Iran said on Sunday that it would hold nuclear talks in the coming days with the three European countries that initiated a censure resolution against it adopted by the UN's atomic watchdog. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom would take place on Friday, without specifying a venue. "A range of regional and international issues and topics, including the issues of Palestine and Lebanon, as well as the nuclear issue, will be discussed," the spokesman said in a foreign ministry statement. Baghaei described the upcoming meeting as a continuation of talks held with the countries in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. On Thursday, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution denouncing Iran for what it called a lack of cooperation. The move came as tensions ran high over Iran's atomic programme, which critics fear is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon -- something Tehran has repeatedly denied. In response to the resolution, Iran announced it was launching a "series of new and advanced centrifuges". Centrifuges enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235). "We will substantially increase the enrichment capacity with the utilisation of different types of advanced machines," Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's atomic energy organisation spokesman, told state TV. The country, however, also said it planned to continue its "technical and safeguards cooperation with the IAEA". During a recent visit to Tehran by IAEA head Rafael Grossi, Iran agreed to the agency's demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in power since July and a supporter of dialogue with Western countries, has said he wants to remove "doubts and ambiguities" about his country's nuclear programme. In 2015, Iran and world powers reached an agreement that saw the easing of international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed biting economic sanctions, which prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments. On Sunday afternoon, the United Kingdom confirmed the upcoming meeting between Iran and the three European countries. "We remain committed to taking every diplomatic step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including through snapback if necessary," London's Foreign Office said. The 2015 deal contains a "snapback" mechanism that can be triggered in case of "significant non-performance" of commitments by Iran, allowing many sanctions to be reimposed. Ali Vaez, an Iran expert with the International Crisis Group think tank, told AFP that Friday's meeting was set to happen earlier, but "those plans were derailed as a result of Iran-Israel tensions" over the Gaza war. Though the parties will be meeting "without knowing what the incoming Trump administration wants to do", Vaez said that "after a lose-lose cycle of mutual escalation, now both sides are back to realising that engagement might be the least costly option." Tehran has since 2021 decreased its cooperation with the IAEA by deactivating surveillance devices monitoring the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors. At the same time, it has increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium and the level of enrichment to 60 percent. That level is close, according to the IAEA, to the 90 percent-plus threshold required for a nuclear warhead, and substantially higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in 2015. pdm/smw/ami

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Brayden Point scored twice and added two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning edged the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Sunday. Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two helpers for the Lightning, while Jake Guentzel scored on a power play late in the third period. Captain Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood found the back of the net for the Canucks. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 of the 24 shots he faced and Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves for Vancouver. Lightning: Kucherov, who returned to the lineup Sunday after missing two games with a lower-body injury, added another potent piece to Tampa’s red-hot power play. The Lightning were 2 for 4 with the man advantage and scored a power-play goal for the sixth straight game. Canucks: Hughes took a stick to the face 55 seconds into the game, missed more than 11 minutes, then returned to open the scoring 16:08 into the first period. It was the 50th goal of the defenseman’s career and extended his points streak to seven games with three goals and 10 assists across the stretch. Tampa took the lead 6:29 into the second when Kucherov sliced a pass to Point at the bottom of the faceoff circle and the Lightning winger blasted it in past Lankinen for his 17th of the season. Kucherov put the visitors on the board just a minute and 49 seconds earlier. Point scored his league-leading 10th power-play goal of the season. He’s one away from becoming the third player to score 100 power-play goals for the Lightning. The Canucks continue a six-game homestand Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. The Lightning visit the Oilers on Tuesday. AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

"It Breaks My Heart To See This": People Who Grew Up In The '90s And 2000s Are Sharing The Things Today's Youth Is Missing Out OnBy FARNOUSH AMIRI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz said Friday that he will not be returning to Congress after withdrawing his name from consideration to be attorney general under President-elect Donald Trump amid growing allegations of sexual misconduct. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz told conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, adding that he has “some other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue with my wife and my family.” The announcement comes a day after Gaetz, a Florida Republican, stepped aside from the Cabinet nomination process amid growing fallout from federal and House Ethics investigations that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The 42-year-old has vehemently denied the allegations against him. Gaetz’s nomination as attorney general had stunned many career lawyers inside the Justice Department, but reflected Trump’s desire to place a loyalist in a department he has marked for retribution following the criminal cases against him. Hours after Gaetz withdrew, Trump nominated Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, who would come to the job with years of legal work under her belt and that other trait Trump prizes above all: loyalty. It’s unclear what’s next for Gaetz, who is no longer a member of the House. He surprised colleagues by resigning from Congress the same day that Trump nominated him for attorney general. Some speculated he could still be sworn into office for another two-year term on Jan. 3, given that he had just won reelection earlier this month. But Gaetz, who has been in state and national politics for 14 years, said he’s done with Congress. “I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress,” he said.

After two years of sluggish business, local furniture makers saw a slight improvement in sales in June, only to meet with nationwide student protests culminating in a fierce anti-government campaign that ultimately ousted the Awami League regime in early August. Since then, industry insiders said their overall sales have declined at least 40 percent, with businesses with government offices and corporate clients becoming the worst hit. While households have somewhat recovered from the initial shock of stubbornly high inflation, they are now mainly purchasing essential furnishings. However, sales are far below expectations for this winter, traditionally a period of increased demand due to weddings and other occasions. Although the political landscape shows some stability lately, price pressures still remain high, hovering above 9 percent since March 2023. Besides, the weakening Taka against the greenback has further eroded furniture sales, as rising raw material costs drive up product prices. "Our overall sales have declined this year due to plummeting consumer purchasing power and their diminishing disposable incomes," said Selim H Rahman, chairman and managing director of Hatil Furniture, one of the leading local brands established in 1989. According to Rahman, government agencies and the corporate sector have reduced their purchases by at least 80 percent since the political changeover. "Normally, the government procures furniture worth Tk 120 crore annually, but there are no signs of new work orders anytime soon." The corporate sector has also halted purchases of office furniture over the past five months, Rahman added. Although household furniture sales have increased recently due to the ongoing wedding season, the Hatil Furniture chairman said their overall sales in 2024 have declined by over 30 percent. The impact of the dollar on furniture prices is another factor contributing to the sales decline. As the US dollar gained against Taka, Rahman said they had to raise furniture prices to keep pace with rising raw material costs and duties. Rahman, also the chairman of the Bangladesh Furniture Industries Owners Association, added that their revenue in last year was around Tk 468 crore, but it may decrease to Tk 330 crore this year. While Regal Furniture -- a sister company of the Pran-RFL Group -- did not experience a massive sales decline, it also did not achieve the anticipated growth for the outgoing year. "Sales did not increase as much as we had expected. Especially in the last five months after the political changeover in August, sales have decreased," said Touhiduzzaman, deputy general manager of public relations at the Pran-RFL Group. After two years of sluggish demand, he claimed that their business was quite good before June, with increased sales of home furnishings. The business of Regal Furniture has three segments: office furniture for corporate sectors, office furniture for public agencies and home furnishings for regular consumers. Since August, sales to government and business institutions have declined sharply due to political instability and economic gloom, said Touhid. He, however, said that sales of home furniture remained relatively strong because they cater to the middle-class market. As a result, their household furniture sales have not fluctuated much, making the impact of the economic downturn less visible in this segment compared to others that have logged massive declines. Despite the current market downturn, Touhid sounded optimistic about a rebound in the next six months as the economy and overall conditions have started to show some improvements. Another leading brand Partex Furniture saw its sales falling by nearly half in the past five months following the political shift, according to its Head of Marketing Shohan Akon Sunny. "We had just started to recover from a two-year slowdown, but office furniture sales have once again entered a dull period," he said. Sunny said the economic downturn has discouraged wealthy individuals from buying new furniture. Besides, last year's increase in furniture prices due to the rising US dollar discouraged consumer spending. While Partex expected an industry growth in recent years, this has not materialised, Sunny added. After two years of sluggish business, local furniture makers saw a slight improvement in sales in June, only to meet with nationwide student protests culminating in a fierce anti-government campaign that ultimately ousted the Awami League regime in early August. Since then, industry insiders said their overall sales have declined at least 40 percent, with businesses with government offices and corporate clients becoming the worst hit. While households have somewhat recovered from the initial shock of stubbornly high inflation, they are now mainly purchasing essential furnishings. However, sales are far below expectations for this winter, traditionally a period of increased demand due to weddings and other occasions. Although the political landscape shows some stability lately, price pressures still remain high, hovering above 9 percent since March 2023. Besides, the weakening Taka against the greenback has further eroded furniture sales, as rising raw material costs drive up product prices. "Our overall sales have declined this year due to plummeting consumer purchasing power and their diminishing disposable incomes," said Selim H Rahman, chairman and managing director of Hatil Furniture, one of the leading local brands established in 1989. According to Rahman, government agencies and the corporate sector have reduced their purchases by at least 80 percent since the political changeover. "Normally, the government procures furniture worth Tk 120 crore annually, but there are no signs of new work orders anytime soon." The corporate sector has also halted purchases of office furniture over the past five months, Rahman added. Although household furniture sales have increased recently due to the ongoing wedding season, the Hatil Furniture chairman said their overall sales in 2024 have declined by over 30 percent. The impact of the dollar on furniture prices is another factor contributing to the sales decline. As the US dollar gained against Taka, Rahman said they had to raise furniture prices to keep pace with rising raw material costs and duties. Rahman, also the chairman of the Bangladesh Furniture Industries Owners Association, added that their revenue in last year was around Tk 468 crore, but it may decrease to Tk 330 crore this year. While Regal Furniture -- a sister company of the Pran-RFL Group -- did not experience a massive sales decline, it also did not achieve the anticipated growth for the outgoing year. "Sales did not increase as much as we had expected. Especially in the last five months after the political changeover in August, sales have decreased," said Touhiduzzaman, deputy general manager of public relations at the Pran-RFL Group. After two years of sluggish demand, he claimed that their business was quite good before June, with increased sales of home furnishings. The business of Regal Furniture has three segments: office furniture for corporate sectors, office furniture for public agencies and home furnishings for regular consumers. Since August, sales to government and business institutions have declined sharply due to political instability and economic gloom, said Touhid. He, however, said that sales of home furniture remained relatively strong because they cater to the middle-class market. As a result, their household furniture sales have not fluctuated much, making the impact of the economic downturn less visible in this segment compared to others that have logged massive declines. Despite the current market downturn, Touhid sounded optimistic about a rebound in the next six months as the economy and overall conditions have started to show some improvements. Another leading brand Partex Furniture saw its sales falling by nearly half in the past five months following the political shift, according to its Head of Marketing Shohan Akon Sunny. "We had just started to recover from a two-year slowdown, but office furniture sales have once again entered a dull period," he said. Sunny said the economic downturn has discouraged wealthy individuals from buying new furniture. Besides, last year's increase in furniture prices due to the rising US dollar discouraged consumer spending. While Partex expected an industry growth in recent years, this has not materialised, Sunny added.