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An Iranian government spokesperson stated that the international internet is being restored. There were technical issues, but these will be resolved gradually, and the situation will return to its previous state.On June 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian hosted a regular press conference. A foreign journalist asked, "Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that on June 8, three South Korean parliamentarians from both the ruling and opposition parties met with the Director-General of Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, exchanging views on responding to geopolitical challenges, political, economic, and cultural exchanges, and the development of the semiconductor and AI industries. How does China view this exchange?" Lin Jian emphasized, "Taiwan is part of China, and there is no such thing as a Ministry of Foreign Affairs there." He stressed that China has consistently and firmly opposed any form of official exchanges between countries that have diplomatic relations with China and Taiwan. Lin Jian pointed out that since the beginning of this year, South Korea has publicly reiterated on multiple occasions that its position of respecting the one-China principle remains unchanged. China has lodged a strong protest with South Korea on this matter. We urge South Korea to proceed from the overall interests of China-South Korea relations, honor its commitments, earnestly adhere to the one-China principle, refrain from any form of official exchanges with Taiwan, avoid being exploited by "Taiwan independence" elements, and refrain from sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and take concrete actions to safeguard the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.June 9th - While the national rental market is consolidating, first-tier cities are showing a different trend. In May, the average rent for ordinary residential properties in first-tier cities rose 0.16% month-on-month, marking the third consecutive month of increase. Year-on-year, in the first five months of this year, the average rent in first-tier cities ended two consecutive years of adjustment, turning to a slight increase of 0.21%. Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen have become the "leaders" in this round of rental market stabilization. Since the peak rental season began in March, residential rents in these three cities have continued to rise. First-tier cities, relying on high-quality industrial resources and a young working population, are leading the way in stabilizing their rental market fundamentals.On June 9th, the State Taxation Administration completed its 2026 tax payment credit evaluation of business entities. The evaluation results show that in 2026, tax authorities evaluated 54.669 million business entities, an increase of 4.903 million from the previous year. The tax payment credit of business entities in my country continues to improve. Specifically, the number of trustworthy business entities nationwide reached 47.111 million, a year-on-year increase of 8.6%. Notably, the number of business entities proactively repairing their credit increased by approximately 30% year-on-year. 18.154 million business entities proactively corrected their errors and repaired their credit, an increase of 4.178 million from the previous year, representing a year-on-year increase of 29.8%. Among them, 3.881 million business entities achieved an upgrade in their credit rating after repairing their credit.On June 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian held a regular press conference. On June 1, the China Coast Guard vessel Daishan flotilla conducted law enforcement patrols in the waters east of Taiwan. A reporter from the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun asked about this at the conference. "Regarding the lawful law enforcement patrols conducted by the China Coast Guard flotilla in the waters east of Taiwan, the China Coast Guard Bureau has already released relevant information," Lin Jian reiterated. He emphasized that China possesses an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the waters east of Taiwan, and that Japan and the Philippines, bypassing China, have unilaterally initiated so-called "maritime boundary negotiations," which seriously violates international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the basic norms of international relations, and severely infringes upon Chinas maritime rights and interests. China will never allow this.

Costco Margins Are Impacted by Growing Freight And Labor Expenses, And The Stock Price Falls

Charlie Brooks

May 27, 2022 09:50

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Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ:COST) announced a decline in gross margins on Thursday, impacted by rising freight and labor expenses across the United States. The news sent shares of the membership-only retailer down 2% and overshadowed an otherwise positive quarterly report.


Fresh COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have compounded the problem for U.S. businesses.


Costco announced that it would increase prices in certain food categories in order to battle inflation.


Retailers such as Walmart (NYSE:WMT) Inc and Target Corp (NYSE:TGT) have warned that decades-high inflation will have a negative impact on their earnings, as shoppers hesitate from purchasing non-essential and high-margin goods.


The average Costco buyer earns more than the average Walmart and Target shopper, allowing Costco to generate quarterly earnings and revenue that easily exceeds expectations.


Memberships and sales have been boosted by the company's efforts to keep gas prices several cents below the national average.


Costco, in contrast to Walmart, reported that there has not been a significant shift from branded products to its private label product, Kirkland Signature.


"We aren't really observing a decline in commerce. This year, more money is being spent on tickets, dining out, travel, tires, and gasoline "In a post-earnings conference call, Robert Nelson, senior vice president of finance and investor relations, said.


Costco's gross margins decreased by 99 basis points in the third quarter.


According to data from Refinitiv IBES, Costco's total sales for the quarter ending May 8 increased by 16 percent to $52.60 billion, surpassing analysts' projections of $51.71 billion.


Excluding adjustments, Costco's earnings per share were $3.17, exceeding analysts' expectations of $3.03.