| CA ANNOUNCES DEALS IN SWEDEN AND INDONESIA |
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Islandia-based Computer Associates reported
that Vattenfall Data has selected CA's Unicenter TNG, an enterprise
management solution, to monitor its production computing environment.
According to CA officials, Vattenfall Data will utilize Unicenter TNG to manage its information technology environment which incorporates Windows NT, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, Silicon Graphics Irix and Digital Unix platforms in a TCO/IP network. Vattenfall Data is the information technology subsidiary of Vattenfall Group, Sweden's largest energy group and one of Europe's largest energy providers. In related news, CA announced PT Astra, an Indonesian conglomerate,
atlas created a multimedia automotive shopping experience
utilizing CNs Jasmine object-oriented database. The new application
will allow PT Astra to display, promote and market its range
of Toyota cars to the Indonesian marketplace. Great Neck-based Hudson General Corp., a service provider at airports throughout the U.S. and Canada, has been advised that the supervisory board of Deutsche Lufthansa approved the exercise by LAGS, an indirect subsidiary of Lufthansa, to increase its interest in Hudson General LLC from 26 percent to 49 percent. According to Hudson General officials, the company expects notice regarding the option from LAGS on or about Oct. 1. The price of the option is estimated at $29.6 million. LAGS acquired its initial 26 percent interest
in Hudson General LLC in February 1996. To date, Hudson General
Corp. has maintained its 74 percent interest in Hudson General
LLC. A recent report released by Wisconsin-based Runzheimer International places New York near the top in regard to annual driving costs. The study looked at 105 metropolitan areas. It took into account standard operating and ownership costs using a Ford Taurus as the test vehicle. It was driven 15,000 miles per year within a 50-mile radius of those metropolitan areas. For New York City, Runzheimer found it costs $7,808 per year to operate the Taurus. Only Los Angeles and Philadelphia had higher costs. In comparison, the same vehicle driven in and
around Sioux Falls, S. D. costs only $5,813 a year. According
to Runzheimer officials, the major cause in the cost differential
is insurance and vehicle taxes. For example, the annual insurance
premium for the Taurus in Los Angeles was $2,800. In Sioux
Falls it was only $700. State Superintendent of Insurance Neil Levin announced that six of the largest automobile insurance writers in the state have decreased their rates. |
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Those that have dropped their rates include Allstate Insurance, Allstate Indemnity, GEICO and GEICO General Insurance, Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance, New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance, Progressive Group and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance. The rate decreases range from a 0.8 percent drop by Allstate Indemnity to a 6.7 percent decrease by Progressive Group. The rate decrease has been attributed to the competitive insurance marketplace by Levin who noted the trend toward lower insurance rates started two years ago and is expected to continue. The eight insurers mentioned represent almost
45 percent of the New York marketplace. U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue is lobbying Rep. Rick Lazio (RBrightwaters) to support fast track trade negotiating authority to open markets abroad and create jobs through increased trade. Donohue claims that since the lapse of the initial fast track in 1994, American exports have begun to slow, an effect that has been compounded by Asian economic crisis. According to Donohue, under fast track, Congress is granted a vote on a negotiated trade agreement within a specified period of time. It enables negotiators to close trade deals, something they could not do previously; each agreement could be subject to second guessing in the form of after-the-fact amendments by Congress. The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations. |