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Hospital PMI® at 58.5%; November 2024 Hospital ISM® Report On Business®

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TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Economic activity in the hospital subsector grew in November for the 15th consecutive month after contracting twice in the previous four-month period, with 35 consecutive months of growth prior to that, say the nation’s hospital supply executives in the latest Hospital ISM® Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Nancy LeMaster, MBA, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Hospital Business Survey Committee: “The Hospital PMI® registered 58.5 percent in November, a 6.6-percentage point increase from the October reading of 51.9 percent, indicating a 15th consecutive month of growth. The Business Activity Index moved back into expansion territory after contracting in October for the first time in 15 months. The New Orders Index returned to expansion after contracting in the previous month, and the Employment Index was ‘unchanged’ in November. The Supplier Deliveries Index remained in expansion (which indicates slower delivery performance) for the 15th consecutive month. The Case Mix Index was ‘unchanged’ in November, registering 50 percent, a decrease of 2 percentage points from the previous month’s figure of 52 percent. The Days Payable Outstanding Index returned to expansion in November, registering 54 percent, up 8.5 percentage points from the 45.5 percent reported in October. The Technology Spend Index reading of 59 percent is a decrease of 2 percentage points compared to the 61 percent recorded in October. The Touchless Orders Index remained in expansion territory in November, registering 51 percent, up 0.5 percentage point from the 50.5 percent reported in October.”

LeMaster continues, “Hospital Business Survey panelists indicated their facilities continued to struggle with IV fluid shortages, which caused some elective surgeries to be rescheduled. However, the situation was not as bad as it was in October. Conservation efforts and an increase in imported fluids, along with strong seasonal hospital demand, resulted in a volume rebound for most organizations. Panelists indicated that supplier deliveries were slower and attributed that to weather issues and backlogs from the East Coast ports strike. They also commented on an increase in product allocations and substitutions. The increase in patient volumes resulted in a slight increase in the Employment Index. Several panelists mentioned their organizations were undergoing full-time employee reduction initiatives to improve margins. Strong volumes are anticipated through year’s end.”

Hospital PMI® History

Month

Hospital PMI®

Month

Hospital PMI®

Nov 2024

58.5

May 2024

58.4

Oct 2024

51.9

Apr 2024

53.5

Sep 2024

55.0

Mar 2024

52.3

Aug 2024

58.6

Feb 2024

56.6

Jul 2024

53.3

Jan 2024

61.5

Jun 2024

55.8

Dec 2023

62.5

Average for 12 months – 56.5

High – 62.5

Low – 51.9

About This Report
The information compiled in this report is for the month of November 2024.

The Hospital PMI® was developed in collaboration with the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), an association for the health care supply chain profession, and a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA).

The data presented herein is obtained from a survey of hospital supply executives based on information they have collected within their respective organizations. ISM® makes no representation, other than that stated within this release, regarding the individual company data collection procedures. The data should be compared to all other economic data sources when used in decision-making.

Data and Method of Presentation
The Hospital ISM® Report On Business® is based on data compiled from hospital purchasing and supply executives nationwide. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month. For each of the indicators measured (Business Activity, New Orders, Employment, Supplier Deliveries, Inventories, Prices, Prices: Pharmaceuticals, Prices: Supplies, Backlog of Orders, Imports, Inventory Sentiment, Case Mix, Days Payable Outstanding, Technology Spend, and Touchless Orders), this report shows the percentage reporting each response and the diffusion index. Responses represent raw data and are never changed. Beginning in January 2021, the Report On Business® staff and consultants are gathering market information to better validate the Exports Index. Exports Index data are still being collected.

The Hospital PMI® is a composite index computed from the following, equally weighted indexes: Business Activity, New Orders, Employment and Supplier Deliveries. Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures showing the prevailing direction of change and the scope of change. A Hospital PMI® index reading above 50 percent indicates that the hospital sub-sector is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally declining. For the sub-indexes, except Supplier Deliveries, an index reading above 50 percent indicates that the sub-index is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting. A Supplier Deliveries Index above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries and below 50 percent indicates faster deliveries.

The Hospital ISM® Report On Business® survey is sent out to the Hospital Business Survey Panel respondents the first part of each month. Respondents are asked to ONLY report on U.S. operations for the current month. ISM® receives survey responses throughout most of any given month, with the majority of respondents generally waiting until late in the month to submit responses to give the most accurate picture of current business activity. ISM® then compiles the report for release on the fifth business day of the following month.

ISM ROB Content
The Institute for Supply Management® (“ISM”) Report On Business® (Manufacturing, Services, and Hospital reports) (“ISM ROB”) contains information, text, files, images, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, and any other materials or content (collectively, “Content”) of ISM (“ISM ROB Content”). ISM ROB Content is protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret, and other laws, and as between you and ISM, ISM owns and retains all rights in the ISM ROB Content. ISM hereby grants you a limited, revocable, nonsublicensable license to access and display on your individual device the ISM ROB Content (excluding any software code) solely for your personal, non-commercial use. The ISM ROB Content shall also contain Content of users and other ISM licensors. Except as provided herein or as explicitly allowed in writing by ISM, you shall not copy, download, stream, capture, reproduce, duplicate, archive, upload, modify, translate, publish, broadcast, transmit, retransmit, distribute, perform, display, sell, or otherwise use any ISM ROB Content.

Except as explicitly and expressly permitted by ISM, you are strictly prohibited from creating works or materials (including, but not limited to tables, charts, data streams, time-series variables, fonts, icons, link buttons, wallpaper, desktop themes, online postcards, montages, mashups and similar videos, greeting cards, and unlicensed merchandise) that derive from or are based on the ISM ROB Content. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the derivative works or materials are sold, bartered, or given away. You shall not either directly or through the use of any device, software, internet site, web-based service, or other means remove, alter, bypass, avoid, interfere with, or circumvent any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices marked on the Content or any digital rights management mechanism, device, or other content protection or access control measure associated with the Content including geo-filtering mechanisms. Without prior written authorization from ISM, you shall not build a business utilizing the Content, whether or not for profit.

You shall not create, recreate, distribute, incorporate in other work, or advertise an index of any portion of the Content unless you receive prior written authorization from ISM. Requests for permission to reproduce or distribute ISM ROB Content can be made by contacting Rose Marie Goupil in writing at: ISM Research, Institute for Supply Management, 309 W. Elliot Road, Suite 113, Tempe, AZ 85284-1556, or by emailing rgoupil@ismworld.org; Subject: Content Request.

ISM shall not have any liability, duty, or obligation for or relating to the ISM ROB Content or other information contained herein, any errors, inaccuracies, omissions or delays in providing any ISM ROB Content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. In no event shall ISM be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, arising out of the use of the ISM ROB. Report On Business®, PMI®, Manufacturing PMI®, Services PMI®, and Hospital PMI® are registered trademarks and trademarks of Institute for Supply Management®. Institute for Supply Management® and ISM® are registered trademarks of Institute for Supply Management, Inc.

About Institute for Supply Management®
Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) is the first and leading not-for-profit professional supply management organization worldwide. Its community of more than 50,000 in more than 100 countries manages about US$1 trillion in corporate and government supply chain procurement annually. Founded in 1915 by practitioners, ISM is committed to advancing the practice of supply management to drive value and competitive advantage for its members, contributing to a prosperous and sustainable world. ISM empowers and leads the profession through the ISM® Report On Business®, its highly regarded certification and training programs, corporate services, events, and assessments. The ISM® Report On Business®, Manufacturing, Services, and Hospital, are three of the most reliable economic indicators available, providing guidance to supply management professionals, economists, analysts, and government and business leaders. For more information, please visit: www.ismworld.org.

The text version of the public Hospital ISM® Report On Business® is posted on ISM®’s website at www.ismrob.org on the fifth business day* of every month at 10:00 a.m. ET.

The next Hospital ISM® Report On Business® featuring December 2024 data will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

*Unless the New York Stock Exchange is closed.

Contact:   

Rose Marie Goupil

Report On Business® Analyst

ISM®, ROB/Program Manager

Tempe, Arizona

+1 480.752.6276, ext. 3005

Email: rgoupil@ismworld.org

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SOURCE Institute for Supply Management

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Technology

Finloop Launches “RWA CONNECT 2026” to Build a Global Open-Source RWA Ecosystem

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HONG KONG, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the “Connecting the World: Hong Kong RWA Infrastructure Ecosystem Seminar and RWA CONNECT 2026 Launch” held in Hong Kong, Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited (“Finloop”) announced the official launch of a global open ecosystem community “RWA CONNECT 2026”. At the event, industry leaders from around the world engaged in in-depth discussions with topics such as Hong Kong stablecoins, RWA (real-world assets), and compliant innovation. Finloop took the lead in announcing its open-source ecosystem initiative, and presented a major commitment to a RWA technology service platform, marking that new issuance through RWA tokenization has officially entered the “Thousand-US Dollar Era”.

RWA CONNECT Core Philosophy: Open Source, Co-Creation, and Think-Tank Orientation

The event was jointly organized by Finloop, Fosun Wealth Holdings, FinChain, and ME Group. It brought together numerous elites from government, academia, finance, Web3, and media sectors. During the event, Mr. Cai Hua, CEO of Finloop, announced that “RWA CONNECT 2026” has officially kicked off. From the day onward, for any new issuance project adopting FinRWA Platform (FRP) 3.0 as a one-stop RWA system foundation, the technology system cost can be reduced to as low as US$3,000. This means that tokenization services, which were once expensive and difficult to access, have now transformed into transparent and professional offerings.

Mr. Cai Hua pointed out that Finloop is actively leveraging Hong Kong’s unique position as a “super connector” to launch RWA CONNECT. The initiative aims to address the “pain points” of information asymmetry across the entire RWA lifecycle — issuance, listing, and distribution — while building a “triple bridge” connecting Hong Kong and global markets, capital and real-world assets, as well as Web2 and Web3. He also unveiled Finloop’s three major ecological openness commitments:

Disclosure of compliant issuance processes and frameworks to promote industry-wide standardization and transparency;Transparency of technology platform costs, making them verifiable and predictable;Unified promotion of onboarded project assets to the global exchanges and compliant financial institutions connected by Finloop, while open-sourcing core solutions to ecosystem partners.

“Hong Kong’s RWA shall go global, connect globally, and integrate into the international system to achieve true long-term value,” Mr. Cai Hua emphasized. “The core philosophy of RWA CONNECT is open source, co-creation, and think-tank orientation. By opening our solutions, service processes, and standard mechanisms, we aim to build this community into a shared industry think tank. At the same time, we will fully respect and protect the proprietary technologies and business confidentiality of all partner institutions. In the future, RWA CONNECT will continue to invite high-quality, compliant RWA infrastructure providers, project parties, and institutions from around the world to become ecosystem partners, and jointly help Hong Kong’s Web3.0 industry reach global heights.”

FRP 3.0: The Hardcore Technology Powering the “Thousand-US Dollar Era”

The core technology enabling this cost breakthrough is the FinRWA Platform (FRP) 3.0, developed by Finloop. With compliance at its core, collaboration as its engine, and transparency as its safeguard, the platform provides a complete end-to-end closed loop for RWA products — from issuance and token minting & burning, to listing and on-chain circulation. It supports multi-party collaboration across the full tokenization lifecycle, including issuers, custodians, and token agents. Compared to the previous version 2.0, FRP 3.0 introduces new FinGo features for the C-end (retail customers) by empowering traditional securities firms and enabling their customers subscribe to RWA products with a single click. It also enhances FinMix mid-office capabilities, enabling centralized order scheduling and real-time status synchronization, delivering seamless interoperability from fiat currency to RWA products and from off-chain to on-chain.

Top Global Lineup Gathers to Build the Foundation of the RWA Ecosystem

This event gathered top forces from policy, academia, legal, and industry sectors. Mr. Bryan Peng, Executive Director of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Professor Lin Chen, Vice-President of The University of Hong Kong, and Mr. David Wang, Partner at Jun He Law Offices, were invited to attend and deliver keynote speeches from the perspectives of Hong Kong fintech policy & competitive advantages, academic insights, and compliance frameworks, laying a solid foundation for the development of the RWA ecosystem.

In the announcement segment, OmniRealm, in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, officially launched Hong Kong’s first RWA rating platform, marking a key step forward in industry standardization. Three cross-sector roundtables were also held on the themes of “Dual-Currency Drive • Digital-Real Integration: Outlook on Hong Kong’s Digital Hong Kong Dollar and Stablecoin Ecosystem”, “Regulatory and Risk Control Synergy: Building a Trustworthy RWA Foundation”, and “Harnessing Collective RWA Ecosystem Strength: Establishing Hong Kong as a New Global Digital Asset Hub”. Distinguished participants included representatives from leading domestic and international institutions such as China Asset Management (Hong Kong), HashKey, Anchorpoint, OASES, Greaterbay Financier Association, SlowMist, Conflux, Beosin, Hivemind Capital, Vobile Group, Ava Labs, KuCoin, and exSat. They engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics, demonstrating the growing global influence and collaborative momentum within the RWA sector.

RWA CONNECT 2026 officially invites all participants to co-create the future of RWA in Hong Kong!

https://www.finlooprwa.com/rwa-connect

About Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited

Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited, along with its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Finloop”), is an AI-driven global one-stop Web5 (Web2+Web3) wealth technology platform located in Hong Kong. Finloop offers comprehensive wealth management products and technology solutions to various financial institutions. Its offerings include cash management, public funds and private funds, structured products, bonds, insurance, and virtual assets. As a fintech leader in Asia during the Web3 wave, Finloop has focused on bridging physical and digital assets, developing a one-stop RWA technology, issuance and distribution platform to pioneer new growth pathways in the wealth management industry. For more information, visit www.finloop.hk and www.finlooprwa.com .

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/finloop-launches-rwa-connect-2026-to-build-a-global-open-source-rwa-ecosystem-302751344.html

SOURCE Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited

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Sinch publishes its 2025 Annual Report

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STOCKHOLM, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sinch AB (publ) today published its Annual Report including Sustainability Report for 2025, outlining a year characterized by stable development, improved profitability and continued progress against its strategic priorities.

During 2025, Sinch made progress across several strategic focus areas, including enterprise expansion, self-serve offerings, RCS and email, and partner ecosystems. The company also continued to invest in AI-enabled capabilities to improve efficiency, security and customer experience.

Comment from Laurinda Pang, CEO of Sinch 

“2025 was a year of profound strength for Sinch, marked by record-high profitability and continued organic gross profit growth across all regions and product categories. Amidst a dynamic macroeconomic environment, these achievements, coupled with decisive strategic advancements, firmly establish our trajectory for the next phase of sustainable growth.”

“The way businesses communicate with their customers is undergoing a profound transformation, moving from static notifications to dynamic, AI-powered conversational engagement. This shift allows intelligent systems to understand intent, respond in real-time and automate complex interactions across messaging, voice and email. However, this evolution introduces new complexities: AI needs secure, compliant and reliable communication pathways that navigate fraud risks and global regulations.”

“Sinch has a strong foundation built over years of innovation and deep commitment to providing our customers with best-in-class communication solutions. Our focus remains on accelerating organic growth while maintaining profitability and strong cash conversion, in line with our mission to connect every business with every customer, everywhere in the world.”

Sinch remains committed to sustainability as a key driver of long-term value, focusing on being a trusted partner, reducing the climate footprint of our services and fostering an inclusive and engaging workplace. In 2025, Sinch reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 16 percent compared to the previous year, marking important progress toward its Science Based Targets (SBTi).

The full Annual Report is available at https://investors.sinch.com/

For more information, please contact:

Mia Nordlander
Head of Investor Relations & Sustainability
Mobile: +46 73 511 53 95
E-mail: mia.nordlander@sinch.com

Fredrik Hallstan
Head of Corporate Communications
Mobile: +46 761 15 38 30
E-mail: fredrik.hallstan@sinch.com

This information is information that Sinch AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 07:30 CEST on April 23, 2026.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/sinch-ab/r/sinch-publishes-its-2025-annual-report,c4338347

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SOURCE Sinch AB

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Fisher & Paykel Unveils Nature–Ritual at EuroCucina 2026, Elevating Everyday Routines into Timeless Rituals

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MILAN, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fisher & Paykel, the luxury appliance brand from Aotearoa New Zealand and part of Haier Group global portfolio, has unveiled Nature—Ritual at EuroCucina in Milan.

The 450m² immersive installation introduces the brand’s State of the Art Collection within a sculptural environment inspired by elemental landscapes of New Zealand. At its heart is a simple idea: thoughtful design can elevate routines into meaningful rituals.

Throughout Nature—Ritual, appliances are presented not as standalone objects, but as part of an architecture of living – expressing Fisher & Paykel’s approach to life-centred luxury, where design expression, product intelligence and performance come together to elevate life in the home.

Nature—Ritual also introduces the evolution of Fisher & Paykel’s Minimal Style – a refined expression of minimalism in black or grey glass, defined by flush surfaces, very slight perimeter gaps around appliances, and carefully resolved details. Presented across cooking, fabric care and the wider architectural language of the installation, it reflects the brand’s commitment to supporting architects and designers seeking to create the most resolved and carefully considered spaces.

Daniel Witten-Hannah, Chief Executive Officer of Fisher & Paykel, says the exhibition reflects the company’s point of origin, point of view and ambition on Milan’s global stage.

“Nature—Ritual expresses our belief that the best design is connected to place, shaped by human need and resolved with clarity. “

“Through seamless integration, product intelligence and beautifully resolved materials, it reflects our belief that products engineered for life reduce friction, engage the senses and elevate everyday routines into rituals in the home. “

Creative direction for Nature—Ritual and all sculptural elements was led by Dean Poole of Alt Group, with exhibition design by Calvi Brambilla and Partners in Milan.

Conceived as an oasis of calm within the intensity of EuroCucina, the installation brings together monolithic forms, seamlessly integrated appliances and a layered sensory environment wrapped in a forest-like cloak.

Poole describes Nature—Ritual as an expression of Fisher & Paykel’s worldview.

“It distils the qualities of untouched forest and a deep understanding of life in the home into a warm, tactile minimalism, expressed through just two materials.”

“It is not simply an exhibition of appliances, it’s an exploration of life-centred design that shows how nature, elemental materials and human behaviour come together to give greater meaning to the way we live,” Poole says.

From the exterior, Nature—Ritual presents as a subtly textured monolithic form. Through carefully framed apertures, visitors catch first glimpses of a forest-wrapped interior.

Inside, four scenarios unfold, each crafted from tōtara – a timber indigenous to New Zealand – and volcanic basalt. Bespoke ceramic elements by artist Aaron Scythe, alongside birdsong, scent, light and a high-resolution back-lit forest curtain, create a deeply immersive environment.

Throughout, appliances from Fisher & Paykel’s State of the Art Collection are integrated into four scenarios and five product sculptures as sculptural, high-performance tools for living.

Four scenarios:

Tea Experience

At the threshold, visitors are welcomed with tea — a universal gesture of hospitality. Kawakawa tea, associated with wellbeing, is gently steeped on a monumental slab of induction-heated stone and served in handmade ceramic vessels beside a product sculpture rising four metres to the ceiling.

Product highlight: Fisher & Paykel’s Red Dot Award ‘Best of the Best’ Series 11 60cm Minimal Style ovens presented within carved tōtara surrounds.

The Kitchen as Monolith

Presents the kitchen as a singular architectural presence, with carved tōtara surfaces and basalt forms framing seamlessly integrated food care and wine care solutions. A modular induction cooktop fits flush with the basalt surface, and DishDrawer™ Dishwashers with 20mm stone fronts present the kitchen as a unified design composition rather than a collection of parts.

Product highlight: The Milan debut of Fisher & Paykel’s Series 11 30″ Minimal Style oven with steam assist.

Wine Experience

Shaped by curved and carved tōtara forms, the Wine Experience illustrates the potential of architectural cellaring and tasting within the home. Seamlessly integrated Column Wine Cabinets with precise temperature control and tasting modes heighten the experience of preservation and service.

Product highlight: 61cm Series 11 Integrated Column Wine Cabinet, the building block of the architectural wine cellar.

Fabric Care Experience

The Milan debut of Fisher & Paykel’s new minimalist fabric care ecosystem represents a step change in garment care. Designed as an extension of the luxury wardrobe, fibre-specific treatments, steam care and intelligent sensing technologies preserve the condition of cherished garments. A garment commission by fashion designer Claudia Li completes the installation.

Product highlight: The fashion wardrobe’s ultimate accessory, the Series 11 Minimal Style Fabric Care Cabinet is designed with flush glass surfaces and refined surfaces, seamlessly integrating into the home while bringing an elevated architectural aesthetic to fabric care spaces.

Throughout Nature—Ritual, the State of the Art Collection showcases Fisher & Paykel’s approach to seamless integration, modular planning and Mastery of Temperature.

Each appliance is built on advanced product platforms that combine sensing technology with deep insights from food and fibre science to precisely control the mechanical systems that shape performance and results.

As the premium brand within Haier Group’s global home appliances portfolio, Fisher & Paykel’s strong presence reflects the group’s broader commitment to premium lifestyle and human-centered living experiences. This vision is further extended through Haier’s own presence at Milan Design Week, where a six-zone immersive experience blends design, adaptive technology, and smart ecosystems, placing visitors at the center of connected living.

Within this exhibition space, a dedicated Partner Area invites visitors into an immersive, multi-sensory environment. Through interactive activation inspired by Haier’s collaborations with top-tier football clubs – Liverpool Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain – the space brings to life a shared pursuit of excellence, performance, and innovation, while conveying a premium, champion-inspired lifestyle experience.

Since establishing its presence in Europe in the 1990s, Haier has continuously elevated its premium lifestyle offerings and now serves more than 45 markets across the region. Committed to pioneering superior living experiences through cutting-edge design and intelligent ecosystems, Haier remains dedicated to shaping the future of high-end connected living for consumers worldwide.

For more information:
Visit the official websites: Haier | Fisher & Paykel

Discover Fisher & Paykel’s latest collection at the Nature—Ritual exhibition:
EuroCucina, Hall 4P, Stand D34 at Salone del Mobile.Milano.

Experience Haier’s innovative solutions at:
Spazio Bergognone 26, SUPERSTUDIO MAXI and EuroCucina, Arrex Stand (“Technology by Haier”).

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