Finland: Wilma — Most popular teaching, learning and assessment platform

By

-

August 30, 2023

NordenBladet – What is Wilma? Wilma, in the context of the global internet, serves as a versatile Service Virtualization tool that combines the functions of a Service Stub and an HTTP/HTTPS Transparent Proxy, primarily utilized by software developers and testers. However, in this article, we shift our focus to the Finnish perspective, specifically discussing Wilma as the web interface for educational purposes.

Wilma.fi stands as widely adopted educational platform, fostering a digital learning journey from kindergarten through high school. This platform plays a pivotal role in organizing and assessing educational activities, facilitating seamless communication, and enhancing information flow between educational institutions and students’ families.

Wilma operates as the web interface for educational institution management, ensuring a secure environment for teaching and early childhood education. Notably, it’s increasingly adopting a microservices architecture, incorporating both self-developed and partner-produced services. All data interactions within Wilma are directly synchronized with underlying databases like Kurree and Primus, ensuring real-time data accuracy, availability, and consistency.

Within Wilma, students have the ability to select courses, track their academic progress, access bulletins, and communicate with their teachers. Meanwhile, educators can input grades and attendance records, update their personal information, and engage with students and their guardians. For guardians, Wilma serves as a vital tool to monitor and investigate their child’s attendance, establish communication channels with teachers, and stay informed about school announcements.

Furthermore, Wilma is utilized by educational institution staff, management, and workplace supervisors, enhancing overall administrative efficiency.

To access Wilma, users can log in on the Wilma.fi website by entering their respective usernames and passwords in the designated fields. This service is accessible in both Finnish and Swedish languages.

In Helsinki, schools have widely adopted the Wilma web interface, offering guardians invaluable insights into instructional details and teaching arrangements. For students, it’s a means to track their academic journeys, while in general upper secondary schools, it facilitates course enrollment and management.

To whom and on what terms

Guardians receive their username and password for Wilma when their child starts school. Guardians lose their Wilma username and password when the student turns 18. Pupils receive their usernames and passwords from the school.

Wilma is part of Visma Enterprise Oy. Visma Enterprise offers a wide range of educational management electronic services and HR and workforce management solutions.

Opening photo: Wilma s logo
Keywords / Tags: Wilma, Wilma.fi, Finland, Visma, Inschool.fi

India became the first country to successfully land the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the south pole of the Moon

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

August 28, 2023

NordenBladet – Chandrayaan-3 is the third Indian lunar exploration mission under the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan programme. It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan, similar to those of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The propulsion module carried the lander and rover configuration to lunar orbit in preparation for a powered descent by the lander.

Chandrayaan-3 was launched on 14 July 2023. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August, and the lander touched down in the lunar south pole region on 23 August 2023 at 12:32 UTC, making India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon, and the first to do so near the lunar south pole.

ISRO’s mission objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission were:

* Getting a lander to land safely and softly on the surface of the Moon.
* Observing and demonstrating the rover’s driving capabilities on the Moon.
* Conducting and observing experiments on the materials available on the lunar surface to better understand the composition of the Moon.

On 26th August, ISRO confirmed that two out of the three mission objectives have been accomplished already, while the third scientific experiments, is underway.

Recently, Russia also tried to land on the surface of the moon, but their automatic station Luna-25 was destroyed in a collision with the surface of the moon. Before that, Russian spacecraft had not reached the surface of the moon for 50 years.

Where is the Chandrayaan 3 now?
Pragyan rover of Chandrayaan 3 has been carrying out experiments on the South Pole of the moon since its successful landing on August 23.

Why is Chandrayaan-3 important?
On Aug. 23, thanks to the success of Chandrayaan-3, India made a strong mark in space history. Not only did it become the first nation to land a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon, but also the fourth to create imprints on Earth’s gleaming companion at all.

Who invented Chandrayaan-3?
S Somanath, an aerospace engineer, helped in the design of the rocket the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or the Bahuballi rocket that lifted Chandrayaan-3 into orbit. He is seen as an able leader whom the scientists and engineers at ISRO look up to.

Look also:

The Baltic States will join the continental European electricity grid at the beginning of 2025

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 26, 2023

NordenBladet – The climate and energy ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania discussed in Riga on Tuesday the details of the political agreement on the earlier synchronization of the Baltic states and that the synchronization with the continental European electricity system will take place in February 2025. According to the plan, the Baltic countries would officially notify the parties of Russia and Belarus’ withdrawal from the electricity system in August 2024, the climate ministry announced.

Next, the system managers of the three countries agree on the technical details, after which the prime ministers of the countries make the final political decision.

Estonian climate minister Kristen Michal said after the meeting that since Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, risks have also increased in ensuring the energy security of the Baltic states. “Today’s meeting of the ministers is a sign of the strong unified energy security policy of the Baltic states,” he emphasized.

“Although the Baltic States do not buy or sell electricity to Russia and do not pay Russia for being in the common frequency band, historically we are still physically connected to the electricity system of the aggressor country, and according to the current geopolitical situation, the Baltic States are ready to make joint efforts to move away from the Russian electricity system and move to the Continent – Joining the European system will proceed faster than originally planned,” added Climate Minister Michal.

Featured image: Unsplash
Source: NordenBladet.ee

$80 BILLION Weight Loss industry enters ‘Age of Ozempic’, Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) rally

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – In recent times, the popularity of Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and other weight-loss drugs has soared, causing a significant impact on the weight-loss industry. Big pharmaceutical companies are witnessing a gold rush with these drugs, which are being widely promoted in advertisements, awards shows, and headlines. The pharmaceutical alternatives have made it easier and more effective for people to achieve weight loss without the need for traditional methods like diets, exercise, and behavioral changes.

The $80 billion weight-loss industry, which includes well-known companies like WeightWatchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Noom, is facing a more complex landscape as customers turn to these new drugs. For decades, these weight-loss companies have thrived by promoting willpower and lifestyle changes, but the pharma-driven era is now posing a challenge to their traditional approaches.

WeightWatchers and Noom, recognizing the evolving science and changing consumer preferences, are adapting to the new trend. WeightWatchers’ CEO, Sima Sistani, acknowledged their willingness to learn and evolve by acquiring Sequence, a telehealth business that allows patients to receive virtual prescriptions for the weight-loss drugs. Similarly, Noom launched Noom Med, a telehealth platform with a similar purpose.

This transformation has the potential to revolutionize the dieting industry, with some experts even predicting the possible “demise of dieting.” As the pharmaceutical alternatives gain prominence, both WeightWatchers and Noom have faced financial challenges. The 40-year-old Jenny Craig has also experienced difficulties and recently closed down, selling its brand to Nutrisystem’s parent company.

The rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic is reshaping the weight-loss industry, presenting both challenges and opportunities for companies that have long relied on traditional methods. It’s not just a business story but also reflects cultural and societal shifts in how people approach weight loss.

NVO One Year Trading Chart: Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) are up nearly 120% since Wegovy debuted in June 2021. This makes it Europe’s second most valuable listed company after luxury brand LVMH. Danish drugmaker also ramps up production to meet growing demand in US (Yahoo Finance extract as of July 25, 2023)
________________________
Semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, is an antidiabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management, developed by Novo Nordisk in 2012. It is a peptide similar to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), modified with a side chain.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that it mimics the action of the human incretin GLP-1, thereby increasing insulin secretion and increasing blood sugar disposal and improving glycemic control. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation.

In 2020, semaglutide was the 129th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 4 million prescriptions.

Photo: Rybelsus tablets produced by the Danish pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk (NordenBladet)
Source: NordenBladet.ee

The Meme Stock frenzy: A Speculative surge captivating investors

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – Meme stocks have taken the financial world by storm this year, surpassing the performance of traditional S&P 500 stocks and attracting both retail and institutional investors. Stocks such as Carvana (CVNA), Coinbase (COIN), and Tesla (TSLA) have experienced remarkable gains, igniting a wave of interest and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) among market participants.

“Has everybody lost their minds? It’s great that Carvana pulled off such a stock-goosing magic trick, but lost in all of the mania of the market is that the viability of the company’s business remains a question mark … and until proved otherwise, investing in Carvana continues to be a dash for trash. Keep in mind the stock tanked 98% in 2022,” wrote Herb Greenberg in Empire Financial Daily.

Chart: One-year summary of Carvana stock (taken 25-07-2023). Source: Yahoo Finance

But it’s not simply beginning investors capitalizing on the meme rush. The Roundhill Meme Stock ETF (MEME) has surged by an impressive 61% year-to-date, and even established players like ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) have benefitted from the speculative excitement.

However, with rapid growth come questions about the sustainability of these gains and the potential risks involved.

Biggest Meme Stock gainers:

Company	Ticker	2022	YTD % ch.	Sector
Carvana	(CVNA)	-98.0%	875.7%	Consumer Discretionary
Riot Platforms	(RIOT)	-84.8	413.7	Information Technology
Marathon Digital	(MARA)	-89.6	377.9	Information Technology
Upstart Holdings	(UPST)	-91.3	307.5	Financials
Coinbase Global	(COIN)	-86.0	179.5	Financials
DraftKings	(DKNG)	-58.5	168.7	Consumer Discretionary
Palantir Technologies	(PLTR)	-64.7	154.3	Information Technology
Carnival	(CCL)	-59.9	121.2	Consumer Discretionary
Tesla	(TSLA)	-65.0	118.5	Consumer Discretionary
SoFi Technologies	(SOFI)	-70.8	104.9	Financials

What Is a Meme Stock?
A meme stock refers to the shares of a company that have gained viral popularity due to heightened social sentiment. This social sentiment is usually due to activity online, particularly on social media platforms.

History

Interest in meme stocks started in 2020, in what the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has called a “meme stock phenomenon”. The stock of American video game retailer GameStop has been one of the most popular meme stocks, with mass purchases of the stock leading to the GameStop short squeeze in early 2021. The stock of entertainment company AMC is also cited as a prominent example.Other examples include the stocks of Bed, Bath & Beyond, National Beverage, and Koss.The distinction between a meme stock and a non-meme stock is not always clear; for example, Tesla has some of the characteristics of a meme stock: a high price-earnings ratio and being frequently discussed by amateur retail traders on social media, yet some professional analysts do not consider it to be overpriced.

Interest in meme stocks is associated with trading platform Robinhood, which pioneered commission-free trading. According to The New York Times, “Robinhood was the tool of choice for traders in the original meme stocks”.

Some meme stocks have often become popular among retail investors after being targeted by short-selling professional investors, such as hedge funds,with participants having the explicit aim of causing losses among those firms. News coverage has described the choice to purchase such stocks as an act of rebellion intended to humble short-selling professional investors.

According to an SEC report, while some hedge funds had big losses, the meme stocks phenomenon did not widely impact hedge funds.The SEC staff report also stated, “some investors that had been invested in the target stocks prior to the market events benefitted unexpectedly from the price rises, while others, including quantitative and high-frequency hedge funds, joined the market rally to trade profitably.” By June 2021, according to Financial Times, some hedge funds were systematically analyzing meme stocks.

Worldcoin experienced a rally on its first day of trading as investors showed interest in the hype surrounding artificial intelligence

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – Worldcoin (WLD), a cryptocurrency project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, experienced a rally on its first day of trading as investors showed interest in the hype surrounding artificial intelligence. The token’s price surged from an initial value of $1.70 to a peak of $3.58 before settling at $2.52. By 11:12 a.m. in London, approximately $145 million worth of Worldcoin had been traded, with exchanges like Binance listing the token.

Worldcoin’s unique selling point is its “orb” device, which scans people’s eyeballs to create a distinct digital identity known as World ID. This World ID provides “proof of personhood” in the Worldcoin ecosystem. The project’s white paper indicates a capped initial supply of 10 billion tokens, with the launch featuring 143 million Worldcoins. Out of these, 100 million were given to market makers, while the remaining 43 million were allocated to investors who underwent verification using the Orb technology during the pre-launch phase.

Chart: Extract from Worldcoin trading chart on CoinMarketCap.com page 25.07.2023 at 14:28

Notably, Worldcoin is not available for trading in the United States due to regulatory restrictions.

The vision behind Worldcoin is to establish a network that combines a privacy-preserving digital identity (World ID) and, where permitted by laws, a digital currency (WLD) given to individuals merely for being human. The project aims to increase economic opportunities, distinguish humans from AI online while safeguarding privacy, enable global democratic processes, and potentially pave the way for AI-funded universal basic income (UBI).

Worldcoin has launched its World App, the first protocol-compatible wallet, which allows users to reserve their share and receive a World ID by undergoing biometric verification with the Orb device. The goal is to prove one’s genuine and unique existence online while maintaining complete privacy. The global distribution of Orbs is in progress, and individuals can locate the nearest one and book a verification appointment through the World App or worldcoin.org.

Worldcoin aspires to achieve global-scale alignment, acknowledging the challenges and uncertainties ahead. Its mission is to find innovative ways to distribute technological prosperity broadly, addressing a crucial challenge of our time. The project encourages people to join in its endeavor.

Featured image: Sam Altman

Look also:

Warner Bros.’ movie “Barbie” and Universal’s film “Oppenheimer” achieved remarkable success at the box office, resulting in record-breaking stock gains

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – Warner Bros. “Barbie” ( WBD ) and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” ( CMCSA ) led to record box office and stock gains. Together, the films earned over $235 million at the domestic box office, surpassing expectations and making it the fourth-biggest overall weekend in box office history. “Barbie” led the way with $155 million, becoming the top opener of 2023, while “Oppenheimer” contributed $80.5 million to the total.

“Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig and supported by Mattel and Warner Bros., also performed well in international markets, collecting an additional $182 million from 69 countries, bringing its global earnings to $337 million. “Oppenheimer” added $93.7 million from 78 international territories, resulting in a global haul of $174.2 million.

Chart: Mattel, Inc last month trading chart in US Dollars, extract from July 24, 2023 closing price. (Source Yahoo Finance)

The positive box office performance had a notable impact on the stock market, with Mattel’s shares rising approximately 1.5% and Comcast, the parent company of Universal, experiencing a 1% increase. Warner Bros. Discovery stock initially rose in premarket but dropped about 2% at the open.

The success of these movies also benefited theater chains, with AMC reporting over 7.8 million moviegoers attending its theaters during the weekend. AMC saw the best single-day attendance since July 2019 on Saturday, and its food and beverage revenue reached its second-highest daily total ever. Cinemark similarly had a successful weekend and expects it to be its best summer weekend ever in terms of box office revenue.

Mattel, Inc., the company behind the “Barbie” brand, saw its stock rise due to the movie’s success. Mattel is a global producer of toys and consumer products, offering a wide range of products under various brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and others. The company sells its products through various channels, including its website, retail stores, and wholesalers.

Overall, the box office success of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” brought positive momentum to the entertainment industry and boosted investor confidence in the respective studios and associated companies.

Source: NordenBladet.ee

China’s commitment to supporting its economy has lifted sentiment and offered some reassurance to investors

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – China’s commitment to supporting its economy has boosted investor confidence and reduced concerns about an impending recession, leading to an improved outlook for companies in the industrial equipment and heavy machinery sectors, as well as those involved in the transportation of goods. The Dow Jones Industrial Average* has shown strong performance, outpacing both the S&P 500 Index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 over the past month, marking its longest winning streak in over six years.

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 index opened with little change, but shares in the basic resources sector saw a surge, driven by mining companies like Anglo American Plc and Rio Tinto Plc, which gained more than 3% due to an increase in metal prices following China’s recent stimulus commitment. On the other hand, health-care stocks lagged, with Bayer AG witnessing a 2.5% drop in its shares after cutting guidance. Notable individual movers included Unilever Plc, which climbed up to 5.1% following a sales beat, and Dassault Systemes SE, a French software maker, which saw a decline in its shares after delivering underwhelming results.

Chart: Chinese shares surge on Tuesday (25.07.2023). The SSE Composite Index also known as SSE Index is a stock market index of all stocks that are traded at the Shanghai Stock Exchange. There are also SSE 180, SSE 50 and SSE Mega-Cap Indexes for top 170, 50 and 20 companies respectively, and the CSI 300 Index, which includes shares traded at the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. (graph excerpt from Google Finance)

Chart: The Hang Seng Index is a freefloat-adjusted market-capitalization-weighted stock-market index in Hong Kong. It is used to record and monitor daily changes of the largest companies of the Hong Kong stock market and is the main indicator of the overall market performance in Hong Kong. These 66 constituent companies represent about 58% of the capitalisation of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HSI was started on November 24, 1969, and is currently compiled and maintained by Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hang Seng Bank, one of the largest banks registered and listed in Hong Kong in terms of market capitalisation. It is responsible for compiling, publishing and managing the Hang Seng Index and a range of other stock indexes, such as Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, Hang Seng China AH Index Series, Hang Seng China H-Financials Index, Hang Seng Composite Index Series, Hang Seng China A Industry Top Index, Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index Series and Hang Seng Total Return Index Series. Hang Seng in turn, despite being a public company, is controlled by another listed international financial institution HSBC Holdings plc. (graph excerpt from Google Finance)

In the US, equity futures edged higher following a mixed session on Wall Street. While the S&P 500 posted a modest gain, the Nasdaq 100 experienced a decline after a “special rebalance.” Additionally, a gauge of emerging-market stocks saw its most significant increase in three weeks. Treasury yields remained flat, and the Bloomberg Dollar Index declined for the first time in six days.

Investors are closely observing key meetings of the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank this week, as signs of a potential end to the cycle of aggressive policy tightening may have implications for the markets. The disappointing data from both the US and euro area on Monday provided fresh reminders of the negative effects of continuous rate hikes. However, China’s commitment to supporting its economy has lifted sentiment and offered some reassurance to investors.

______________________
* The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Dow Jones, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index of 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.

The DJIA is one of the oldest and most commonly followed equity indexes. Many professionals consider it to be an inadequate representation of the overall U.S. stock market compared to a broader market index such as the S&P 500. The DJIA includes only 30 large companies. It is price-weighted, unlike stock indices, which use market capitalization. Furthermore, the DJIA does not use a weighted arithmetic mean.

Featured image: Unsplash

Technology giants like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta prepare to report their quarterly earnings

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

July 25, 2023

NordenBladet – As technology giants like Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), and Meta (formerly Facebook) prepare to report their quarterly earnings, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to once again be a prominent topic of discussion. In the previous quarter, these companies garnered attention for their AI initiatives, resulting in stock price increases based on the promise of future earnings. However, investors are now looking for concrete evidence of the impact of AI on the companies’ profits and operations.

Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta are set to reveal their financial results for this quarter and provide updates on their AI strategies. The first half of 2023 witnessed a surge in interest surrounding AI, partly sparked by the launch of ChatGPT in November. Microsoft and Alphabet have actively explored ways to revolutionize search through AI technology, and their strong focus on AI during previous earnings calls generated excitement in the market.

AI’s significance was further emphasized when Nvidia, a chipmaker, highlighted its potential to significantly boost earnings for the next quarter beyond initial expectations. This led to a rally in tech stocks, with AI becoming a prevalent theme in research notes, and even companies like Coca-Cola expressing interest in leveraging AI.

Market experts believe that enthusiasm for AI will continue to grow in the coming years, and investors are looking forward to seeing how companies attribute their growth to AI initiatives. For instance, Microsoft’s AI innovations have prompted Goldman Sachs to increase the tech giant’s price target. However, concerns persist over whether technology stocks have been overvalued amid the AI craze, as investors have shown a willingness to sell tech stocks if earnings reports fail to meet expectations.

AI remains a central topic as technology companies announce their quarterly earnings, and investors are eager to see tangible results from the promises made earlier. The market outlook for AI is positive, but companies will need to demonstrate the real impact of AI on their bottom line to maintain investor confidence.

Featured image: Unsplash
Source: NordenBladet.ee

Estonia Implements Tax reforms despite opposition: Income Tax Increases and Tax Break Eliminations

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

June 20, 2023

NordenBladet – In a late-night session, the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament, passed a law tied to a vote of confidence in the government, leading to significant tax reforms. The legislation received support from 58 members, while 33 opposed it.

Effective from 2024, the new law eliminates certain tax breaks for individuals, including additional tax-free income for child and spousal support, as well as the deduction of mortgage interest. In addition, starting in 2025, both individual and corporate income tax rates will rise by two percentage points, reaching 22 percent. This change will eliminate the preferential 14 percent tax rate on distributed corporate profits and the 7 percent withholding tax on dividends paid to individuals.

Originally, the draft legislation proposed increasing the advance payment rate for credit institutions from 14 percent to 22 percent. However, the government modified the document before the second reading, reducing the increase to 18 percent.

Furthermore, beginning in 2025, the law replaces the regressive tax-free income system with a flat annual tax-free income of 8,400 euros or 700 euros per month. Retirees will be exempt from this change, as their tax-free income will align with their average pension.

The initial reading of the measure took place on May 17, with 377 amendments submitted by the deadline. On June 8, the government decided to link a vote of confidence to the adoption of the measure before the second reading, thereby taking on the responsibilities of the lead committee. The proposed amendments to the government’s measure of confidence will not be subjected to a vote.

The Riigikogu’s extraordinary session will continue on Tuesday morning, involving the second and third readings of the bills, as well as several votes of confidence. The session will continue until all agenda items have been addressed.

Featured image: NordenBladet

SOCIETY / BUSINESS