Russia’s VimpelCom said it received a preliminary notice of back-tax claim of $20.9 million for 2002. Tax authorities claim the company owes an additional $14.7 million in tax, plus $6.2 million in fines for that year. Earlier this month, Russia’s Federal Tax Service also handed the country’s 2nd largest mobile operator a tax claim for 2001, for a total of $157 million. VimpelCom said it was reviewing the preliminary conclusions in the claim for 2002 and considering whether to object to some or all of its provisions. The company also said it was “in constructive discussions” with the tax authorities regarding the preliminary conclusions of the 2001 tax review, the final decision on which hadn’t been received. It said it hadn’t been notified that a review of its 2003 tax filing had begun, but said it expected such a review to be initiated “at some point in the future.” It said it couldn’t predict the amounts that may be claimed as a result of that review.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its final results of the changed circumstances review of the AD duty order on bulk aspirin from China. In these final results, the ITA has determined to revoke the AD duty order on bulk aspirin from China, effective July 1, 2003, the earliest date for which entries of bulk aspirin have not been subject to an administrative review.
Consumer intentions to buy TV sets rose sharply in Dec. from Nov., according to preliminary data in the Conference Board’s monthly survey. Of 5,000 households polled, 8.1% said they plan to buy a TV set in the next 6 months, vs. 6.4% in Nov., 7.5% in Oct., and 7.0% in Dec. 2003. The Consumer Confidence Index, which had been on the decline since Aug., rebounded in Dec., the Conference Board said: “The continuing economic expansion, combined with job growth, has consumers ending the year on a high note. Consumers’ outlook suggests that the economy will continue to expand in the first half of the new year.”
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty administrative review of stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany for the period of July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.
While HD DVD’s backers privately have doubted reports that the rival Blu-ray camp had developed a BD-ROM hybrid disc containing HD and conventional DVD content (CED Dec 27 p1), Blu-ray Johnny-Come-Lately JVC chose Christmas Eve to announce claims it had developed a triple-layered BD-ROM that marries Blu-ray HD content to a conventional dual-layer or “DVD-9” disc, thereby creating a single-inventory combo likely to please content owners, retailers and consumers. At our deadline Mon., HD DVD advocates called Blu-ray’s claim “vapor-ware,” saying it might be feasible but it’s not easily make-able and won’t arrive to market until at least a year after HD DVD’s launch.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a notice terminating the antidumping (AD) duty investigation of certain circular welded carbon quality line pipe from China.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has made preliminary affirmative antidumping (AD) duty determinations that purified carboxymethylcellulose from Finland, Mexico, Netherlands, and Sweden is being, or is likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The period of investigation for subject merchandise from these countries is April 1, 2003 through March 31, 2004.
Take-Two Interactive’s PS2 game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, in its 8th week, was again the top-rented videogame in the U.S., Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended Dec. 19 showed. Rentrak said the title earned an additional $771,749, for $8.31 million to date. Need for Speed Underground 2 from Electronic Arts (EA) was again #2, in its 5th week ($396,322 in the week and $2.02 million to date), while Microsoft’s Xbox game Halo 2 was again #3, in its 6th week ($328,988 and $3.33 million). EA had 2 other top 10 SKUs: The Xbox version of Underground 2 at #4 (up one, $232,157 and $1.26 million) and Madden NFL 2005 at #9 (down one in its 19th week, $175,293 and $5.15 million). Rounding out the top 10 were one title each from Atari, Activision, Konami, Sony Computer Entertainment and LucasArts Entertainment: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 on PS2 at #5 (down one in its 4th week, $209,874 and $912,509), Call of Duty: Finest Hour on PS2 at #6 again, in its 5th week, $209,327 and $1.1 million), Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on PS2 at #7 (up 2 in its 7th week, $187,291 and $909,405), Killzone on PS2 at #8 (up 3 in its 7th week, $176,163 and $1.01 million) and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 at #10 (up 23 in its 2nd week, $173,836 and $243,157).
In its first week available, Fox’s I, Robot was the top- rented DVD in the U.S., Rentrak said its preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended Dec. 19 showed. Rentrak said the title earned $12.36 million in DVD rentals. It was followed by DreamWorks’s Collateral at #2 ($9.04 million). The only other strong new DVD release was Disney’s Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which earned $4.78 million.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has made final affirmative antidumping (AD) duty determinations that certain frozen and canned warmwater shrimp from Brazil, Ecuador, India, and Thailand is being, or is likely to be, sold in the U.S. at less than fair value. The period of review for these AD duty investigations is October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003.