Butter-short Russia awash in margarine
One effect of Russia's runaway inflation and international sanctions: Margarine production is expanding faster than anywhere else in the world.
The country is the world's second-biggest maker of the spread after consumers sought a cheaper alternative to butter and lawmakers banned imports from European dairies, according to a report from Oil World, a Hamburg, Germany-based market research firm. Output rose 13 percent to a record 1.02 million tons in 2014, while production in most countries was stagnant.
"Given the state of the economy, the use of a vegetable oils would be a lower-cost solution than dairy," Kevin Bellamy, a senior dairy analyst at Rabobank International, said by phone on Tuesday from Utrecht, Netherlands. "We've seen imports of butter into Russia going down rapidly."
Russians are swapping butter for vegetable-oil spread as the country's ban against food from the U.S. and European Union approaches a full year. The expansion in margarine production is part of a push for more locally produced food as President Vladimir Putin promotes independence from foreign agriculture.
The country's imports of butter and butter oil from all origins dropped 71 percent in the first four months of 2015 compared with the same period a year ago, data from the European Commission show.
-- Bloomberg News
Amazon opens retail website in Mexico
MEXICO CITY -- Online retail giant Amazon has opened its Mexico site for business, offering free delivery on orders of over $38.25.
A statement posted on the site Tuesday said, "We are launching in Mexico with more categories, more items and more functions than any other international Amazon website has featured at launch."
Among its Mexico offerings is an avocado container designed to keep the fruit from getting bruised or browned.
Online shopping in Mexico has been limited in part because of unreliable postal service and difficulties with home deliveries.
Packages, for example, can't be left on doorsteps or porches.
Amazon says customers in Mexico will also have the option of picking up their purchases from hundreds of locations across the country.
-- The Associated Press
2 Uber execs charged after Paris raid
PARIS -- Two Uber France managers have been ordered to stand trial to face charges including "deceptive commercial practices" and complicity in illegal activities linked to its low-cost ride-hailing service, the Paris prosecutor's office said Tuesday.
Thibault Simphal and Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, who have been targeted in their capacities as representatives of the San Francisco-based company, were detained Monday after a police sweep at Uber France headquarters. They were later released and ordered to appear in a Paris criminal court Sept. 30.
A spokesman for Uber France could not immediately be reached for comment.
The app-based service connects drivers with riders, while the low-cost UberPop links users to drivers without professional taxi or chauffeur licenses.
French authorities say UberPop is illegal and have expressed frustration that Uber doesn't pay the same taxes and social charges as traditional taxis. Uber insists the French system is outdated and says measures need to be taken to keep up with technological changes.
-- The Associated Press
1 called off, SpaceX launches in doubt
The failure Sunday of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has spurred the postponement of the company's next mission and raised the possibility that more launches will be delayed.
A Falcon 9 mission to deliver a weather satellite into orbit for U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration won't occur as scheduled Aug. 8, the agency said late Monday, a day after a SpaceX cargo flight exploded over Cape Canaveral, Fla. SpaceX is preparing for a potential delay of "a few months," said Phil Larson, a spokesman.
"Given the early stage of the investigation, we don't yet know the specific impact Sunday's mishap will have on future launches," Larson said. "Once the root cause is identified, we will be able to better determine any changes to future launch dates."
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said "several thousand engineering-hours of review" had failed to turn up a cause for Sunday's explosion.
-- Bloomberg News
Magazine labels some cars oil guzzlers
DETROIT -- Newer cars aren't supposed to need more oil between oil changes, but Consumer Reports found that some engines -- mainly from Audi, BMW and Subaru -- require an extra quart as often as once a month.
In an annual survey of car owners, significant numbers reported what the magazine considered to be excessive oil consumption. Consumer Reports focused on 2010 to 2014 models and called on automakers to make repairs under the powertrain warranty or to extend warranties.
"The companies should be willing to step up and take responsibility for their products," said Mark Rechtin, the magazine's car-content team leader.
Owners of newer cars, he said, shouldn't have to carry oil around and worry about adding it. Most cars, he said, have dashboard lights warning drivers if their oil gets too low. But failing to pay attention to that light eventually can cause engine damage. The magazine's survey didn't find any link between oil consumption and other engine problems, but it found that cars that burn oil early consume more as they age.
Several engines from three manufacturers were the main offenders, according to the magazine. Those include Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder and 3.0-liter V6; BMW's 4.8-liter V8 and 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8; and Subaru's 3.6-liter six-cylinder and 2.0- and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines. The Subarus burned less oil than the others.
Affected models include Audi's A3, A4, A5, A6 and Q5; BMW's 5, 6, and 7 Series and X5; and the Subaru Outback, Legacy, Forester and Impreza.
The magazine says that standards for certain Audi and BMW cars say that it's reasonable to burn a quart of oil every 600 to 700 miles. Subaru considers 1 quart burned for every 1,000 to 1,200 miles to be acceptable, Consumer Reports said.
-- The Associated Press
Business on 07/01/2015