Ugreen, a leading innovator in consumer electronics attended the Las Vegas NAB show April 13th to the 17th, where they showcased its first ever Network Attached Storage (NAS) series, titled the NASync series. The series has launched via popular crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter, on March 26 and has since raised over $5 million US dollars with over 10,000 current backers.

UGREEN NAS solutions provide film and television practitioners with more convenient, more efficient, and better data security image storage solutions. The NASync series provides larger and scalable storage space for convenient centralized storage to face the growing demand for storage of pictures, video, and other data. RAID configurations coupled with finance-grade encryption, give NASync an unprecedented level of added security and safety. These devices provide secure remote access to files and data anytime, anywhere. Collaboration between content creation teams can be made easier and more efficient with the ability to allocate roles to team members.

UGREEN NASync series is a versatile range designed to cater to a variety of use scenarios. The NASync DXP480T Plus is specifically designed to meet the needs of creative and media professionals. The NASync DXP2800 and NASync DXP4800 and DXP4800 Plus are tailored for personal and home users. For power users and business solutions, UGREEN offers the NASync DXP6800 Pro and NASync DXP8800 Plus.

The NASync series models are all powered by the 12th Gen Intel® Processor and feature up to Intel® Core™ i7 Processor. Specifically for business and professional users, models such as the NASync DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus, and DXP480T Plus are equipped with a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 Processor. This leads to enhanced responsiveness, efficient data processing, and seamless multi-tasking. Furthermore, the advantage of seamless multimedia processing and transcoding significantly improves the media file playback experience.

Additionally, the NASync DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus, and DXP480T Plus are all equipped with dual Thunderbolt™ 4 Ports. These ports can be connected to a variety of storage devices, such as mobile hard drives and RAID enclosure, enabling high-speed data transmission. Impressively, the transmission rate for a single port can reach up to 40Gbps.

It's also noteworthy that both the NASync DXP6800 Pro and DXP8800 Plus models come equipped with dual 10GbE network ports. These two high-speed 10GbE network ports can be combined to provide a total bandwidth of 20GbE, allowing for theoretical download speeds of up to 2500MB/s. Furthermore, the load between the two port links can be dynamically adjusted and balanced, enhancing the overall transmission efficiency.

Every model in the UGREEN NASync series is equipped with an expandable 8GB DDR5 Memory. DDR5 is a significant technological advancement over DDR4, with its performance and transmission capabilities far surpassing its predecessor. In fact, DDR5 operates at speeds 2-3 times faster than DDR4, providing a substantial performance boost. The 8GB DDR5 4800MHz memory offers the latest in processing speeds, leading to significant improvements in software and system performance. For models like NASync 4800 Plus, DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus and NASync DXP480T Plus, with the capacity to expand memory up to 64GB, even the most resource-intensive software becomes manageable, and multi-tasking is more efficient than ever. Importantly, it accelerates data processing, which is particularly advantageous for tasks such as AI recognition and video transcoding.

The UGREEN NASync series, unlike cloud drives, securely stores substantial amounts of personal data on local devices. This approach significantly reduces the risks of information leakage and surveillance, providing users with control and peace of mind. With its professional data security features, such as multiple layers of protection and high-strength encryption, the series ensures the safety and privacy of user data.

The series prioritizes data security during transmission by employing secure protocols like SSL/TLS. It uses robust SHA256 encryption, a standard in the financial and communications sectors, to safeguard user account information and password confidentiality. The app's built-in Security Manager offers real-time protection and conducts scheduled virus scans to ensure data security.

Established in 2012, UGREEN specializes in providing distinguished accessories and digital solutions for global consumers. UGREEN has steadily grown into a trustworthy brand with over 40 million users worldwide, providing products ranging from charging devices, phone and computer accessories to home and automobile accessories. For more information, please visit ugreen.com.

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 14 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services in the United States, across Canada and around the world. In the US, CIBC Bank USA provides commercial banking, private and personal banking and small business banking solutions and CIBC Private Wealth offers investment management, wealth strategies and legacy planning. Visit them at cibc.com.

CIBC have announced its involvement in the Thrive on King project, a historic adaptive reuse initiative that will transform a former department store building into 90 units of affordable housing in downtown Milwaukee.

"We are excited to be a part of the Thrive on King project, which will not only create much-needed affordable housing, but also contribute to the preservation of Milwaukee's rich history," said Tony Hernandez, head of Community Investment at CIBC Bank USA. "CIBC is especially passionate about this project because it represents a significant investment in Milwaukee's future, and we are proud to be a part of it," said Hernandez.

CIBC's $45.5 million commitment through equity investment and construction lending will play a pivotal role in realizing the vision of this project. The community impact of Thrive on King is significant. The adaptive reuse of a vacant, historically significant store, will create 90 units of affordable housing in downtown Milwaukee. These units will serve as low-income residences, with 27 units specifically designed for seniors aged 55 and above.

The commercial space within Thrive on King will be anchored by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Medical College of Wisconsin community-facing centers and institutes. The space will serve as a hub for a wide range of services including food, health and wellness programs, art, culture, history, community gatherings, early childhood education, generational programming, workforce development and business support.

"Thrive on King is more than just a development project. It's a symbol of hope and progress for the city of Milwaukee," said Hernandez.

S&P Global Market Intelligence, a provider of information services and solutions to global markets, just announced the launch of the S&P Global Kuwait Purchasing Managers' IndexTM (PMI®). With the addition of the new indicator for Kuwait, S&P Global expands its reach in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), now covering four countries. In total, S&P Global produces PMI data for 46 countries.

The S&P Global PMI series, produced by S&P Global Market Intelligence, is one of the most closely watched global business surveys, used by central banks, financial markets and business decision makers for their ability to provide up-to-date, reliable and unique monthly indicators on economic trends.

"We are delighted to announce the addition of Kuwait to the economies for which S&P Global compiles and publishes PMI survey data, in particular as this further expands the survey coverage in the Middle East to widen the portfolio of truly internationally comparable economic data," said Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "This expansion also demonstrates our commitment to providing high-frequency economic indicators in this important region, a focus on which will be especially closely monitored in relation to the transition from oil dependency to other services and manufacturing sectors covered by the PMI."

The new Kuwait PMI® will provide a leading indicator with which policymakers, investors and businesses can gauge the health of the Kuwaiti business environment outside of the oil sector. The Kuwait survey data have been collected monthly since 2018, allowing the current business situation to be analyzed in the context of recent historical trends, including over the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The latest data have been especially encouraging, with February having seen the strongest improvement in business conditions over the five-and-a-half year history of the survey if the early pandemic rebound in 2020 is excluded," Williamson said.

Based on survey responses from approximately 350 private sector companies, the Index covers contributions to non-oil GDP across manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail and services sectors.

The S&P Global Kuwait PMI will be released on the following dates: 2024: April 3rd, May 5th, June 4th

Cadent, one of the largest independent solutions providers for converged TV advertising, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of AdTheorent Holding Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADTH), a machine learning pioneer and industry leader delivering measurable value for programmatic advertisers, for a cash consideration of $3.21 per share.

The combination of Cadent and AdTheorent will create one of the largest independent omnichannel audience activation platforms for buyers and sellers of advertising. The newly formed entity will focus on providing expanded performance advertising solutions that cater to both digital and traditional TV markets, powered by advanced machine learning and a unified media and data marketplace.

"Together, Cadent and AdTheorent will enable our customers to drive performance across all strategic audiences, no matter where they consume media or where they are in the sales funnel," said Nick Troiano, CEO of Cadent. "We will connect the worlds of programmatic and TV, providing solutions across our partner ecosystem that will drive next-generation omnichannel reach and performance results."

Upon closing, the combined company will serve nearly 1,000 advertisers, and partner with leading holding companies, agency groups, independent agencies, and premium publishers. In addition, AdTheorent's leadership in ID-independent machine learning and algorithmic audience solutions, combined with Cadent's cookieless household identity graph uniquely positions the combined company to be at the forefront of unifying fragmented audiences.

"AdTheorent's customer-focused culture, award-winning technology and commitment to innovation has helped our team build a strong brand that is a recognized leader in performance-first programmatic advertising," said James Lawson, CEO of AdTheorent. "In Cadent, we've found a partner with a shared commitment to delivering measurable results for customers, and a complementary vision for the future of omnichannel advertising. In an increasingly competitive and evolving adtech sector, we are excited to bring together our teams, technology, and solutions to drive continued value to our customers and our employees."

Novacap, the Montreal-based private equity firm which acquired Cadent in August 2023, provided strategic services and funding support to Cadent for the transaction.

"Novacap accelerates growth companies through strategic investments. We're pleased to empower the Cadent and AdTheorent teams to further their vision of building a leading omnichannel audience platform, by providing the foundational resources necessary to complete a transaction of this scale," said Samuel Nasso, Partner at Novacap, and Chairman of the Board of Cadent.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and AdTheorent shareholder approval. The transaction has been approved by the AdTheorent Board of Directors and is expected to close in approximately 90 days.

Moelis & Company LLC is acting as lead financial advisor to Cadent. RBC Capital Markets also is acting as a financial advisor, and Baker Botts LLP is providing legal counsel. Canaccord Genuity is acting as financial advisor and McDermott Will & Emery LLP is acting as legal counsel to AdTheorent in connection with the proposed transaction.

About Cadent

Cadent connects the TV advertising ecosystem. We help advertisers and publishers identify and understand audiences, activate campaigns, and measure what matters – across any TV content or device. Aperture, our converged TV platform, simplifies cross-screen advertising through a streamlined workflow that brings together identity, data, and inventory with hundreds of integrated partners. For more information, visit cadent.tv.

About AdTheorent

AdTheorent (Nasdaq: ADTH) uses advanced machine learning technology to deliver impactful advertising campaigns for marketers. AdTheorent's machine learning-powered media buying platform powers its predictive targeting, predictive audiences, audience extension solutions and in-house creative capability, Studio A\T. Focused on the predictive value of machine learning models, AdTheorent's product suite and flexible transaction models allow advertisers to identify the most qualified potential consumers coupled with the optimal creative experience to deliver superior results, measured by each advertiser's real-world business goals.

AdTheorent is consistently recognized with numerous technology, product, growth and workplace awards. AdTheorent was named "Best Buy-Side Programmatic Platform" in the 2023 Digiday Technology Awards and was honored with an AI Breakthrough Award and "Most Innovative Product" (B.I.G. Innovation Awards) for five consecutive years. Additionally, AdTheorent is the only seven-time recipient of Frost & Sullivan's "Digital Advertising Leadership Award." AdTheorent is headquartered in New York, with fourteen locations across th