The oldest textile company in Veliko Turnovo region Boljrka JSC launched in action its spinning work-shop after an interruption of 6 years. The contract of the company with Patex, Drianovo provides work of the factory by the end of 2001. 20 producers will be back at work again. About BGN 300 000 are the debts of Boljarka although after its privatization last year, the MEBO that bought the 55 per cent of the company, managed to pay a part of the debt. About BGN 50 000 are the receipts of the company from clients. 
Source: Pari

Mr Bojidar DANEV met at BIA Ms Deborah FRANCE – Deputy Secretary General of IOE and Mr Jean-Marie STANDAERT – Senior Employers’ Activities Specialist at the ILO Budapest Office. They discussed opportunities for joint future activities related to the forthcoming regional conference of ILO as well as a number of proposals made by BIA for the creation of a cooperation network of the employers’ organisations in the region. 

A delegation of the Coordinating Council of the Employers’ Unions of Russia visited BIA and was acquainted with the structure and main activities performed by BIA in favour of Bulgarian business and industry. Considered were also ideas for cooperation and joint initiatives. 

A round table dedicated to “Employment and Growth Strategies” and hosted by BIA was organised in the framework of the Southeast Europe Economic Forum that took place from 16 to 18 October in Sofia. Speakers in the round table were Ms Deborah FRANCE – Deputy Secretary General of the IOE, Mr Tom ETTY – Member of the European ESC, Mr Jean-Marie STANDAERT – Senior Employers’ Activities Specialist at the ILO Budapest Office and Mr Oleg VORONOV – Director International Social and Labour Policy at the Coordinating Council of Employers’ Unions of Russia. The Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Bulgaria Mr Ivan NEYKOV also took part in the discussion. He underlined the importance of social dialogue for achieving economic growth and in particular the significance of the active cooperation of BIA with ILO, IOE, ESC for the development of social dialogue in Bulgaria and the implementation of the European social model. Special attention in Mr Neykov’s expose was paid to the joint activities of the social partners and the Government on harmonising and implementation of the social acquis as a core element of social dialogue. Minister Neykov also informed the participants n the discussion forum about a decision taken by the Government to propose to the Stability Pact to establish in Bulgaria the Secretariat of the future Economic and Social Committee of the countries from Southeast Europe. The decision for the establishment of such an institution was taken at the Sofia conference in January 1999 and the idea originated at a meeting in Zagreb during the establishment of the South Eastern Europe Employers’ Forum /SEEEF/ at the initiative of the employers’ organisations from the region. 
 

USA
Software giant Microsoft Corp. reported Wednesday fiscal first-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded analysts' estimates, aided by more than $1 billion in investment income. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft reported that its first-quarter net income, before an accounting change, rose to 18 percent to $2.58 billion, or 46 cents per share, from $2.19 billion, or 40 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. That was 12 percent above the mean analyst estimate of 41 cents, according to earnings tracker First Call. Almost all of that gain came from Microsoft's investment portfolio. During the quarter, the company collected $1.13 billion from interest on its cash balances and gains on the sale of securities. That's up from $550 million in the same period last year. The software giant ended the quarter with $24.7 billion in cash and short-term investments. Revenue rose 8 percent to $5.8 billion from $5.38 billion, aided by sales of the company's Windows 2000 operating system and a 31 percent gain in consumer software, services, and devices sales.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled to its lowest level in seven months, closing below 10,000 Wednesday even after recovering some of its 433-point loss, amid concerns about revenue growth led by IBM, which missed its target. The Dow ended down 114.69 at 9,975.02, after briefly snapping back above 10,000. It is the first time the Dow closed below 10,000 since March 14, when it closed at 9,811.24.
Source: CNNfn