US Markets in green on Friday; Dow 30 up over 345 points, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 up nearly 1%

US Markets were trading in the green on Friday with Dow 30 trading at 30,678.80, up by 1.14%. While S&P 500 was trading at 3,701.66, up by 0.98% and Nasdaq Composite 10,690.60 was also up by 0.71 per cent

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US Markets in green on Friday; Dow 30 up over 345 points, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 up nearly 1%
Earlier today, Indian stock markets ended the week on a winning note. It was the sixth straight gains for equity markets. Source: Reuters
US Markets were trading in the green on Friday with Dow 30 trading at 30,678.80, up by 345.25 points or1.14 per cent. While S&P 500 was trading at 3,701.66, up by 35.88 points or 0.98 per cent and Nasdaq Composite 10,690.60 was also up 75.75 points or 0.71 per cent. A Reuters report said that today’s strength was on the back of a report which said the Federal Reserve will likely debate on signaling plans for a smaller interest rate hike in December, reversing declines set off by social media firms after Snap Inc’s ad warning.

Source: Comex

Nasdaq Top Gainers and Losers

Source: Nasdaq

Earlier today, Indian stock markets ended the week on a winning note. It was the sixth straight gains for equity markets. The BSE Sensex ended at 59,307.15, up by 104.25 points or 0.18 per cent from the Thursday closing level. Meanwhile, the Nifty50 index closed at 17,590.00, higher by 26.05 points or 0.15 per cent. In the 30-share Sensex, 13 stocks gained while the remaining 17 ended on the losing side. In the 50-stock Nifty50, 21 stocks advanced while 29 declined.

9 Tips for Developing an Amazing Mobile App

Americans spend a lot of time on their phones. The quality of their online experiences is largely defined by what applications they use, which has created a unique niche market. Developers have already created millions of apps, but there’s always room for innovation and improvement.

Interested in becoming a developer? Making waves in competitive markets can be tough. Follow these tips to maximize the chances of creating the next big cell phone app.

Start by Identifying Unmet Needs

The average entrepreneur getting into app development isn’t going to be able to compete with established industry giants that are already providing valuable services. Instead, he or she will need to identify other Internet users’ needs that are currently going unmet.

Recommended article: 7 Steps of App Development

Start by doing some brainstorming and market research. Keep the focus not on existing apps that are already popular but on ways a new app could fill in the gaps.

Focus, Focus, Focus

Once entrepreneurs have developed a stellar idea, it’s time to focus and refine it. It’s much easier and more effective to develop an app that focuses on simplifying one aspect of users’ lives or online experiences in a specific niche.

If the app is successful, entrepreneurs can switch their focus to adding features and content later. In the early phases, the app should do one thing exceptionally well instead of losing focus and creating unnecessary clutter.

Incorporate Free Content

The best way to get users to try out a new app is to provide basic access for free. If the app offers some value in its basic, free form, users will be less likely to balk at paying for more advanced features or services.

Many successful apps offer both free versions and paid subscriptions. Developers make money on the free versions by relying on ads, then make the paid subscription services ad-free. It’s a winning strategy for everyone from app developers to advertisers and, most importantly, end-users.

Develop for Both Android and iOS

To achieve maximum success, new apps must be able to reach as many potential users as possible. Designing for the two most popular operating systems, Android and iOS ensures that the app will be available to the vast majority of consumers.

Designing for both operating systems requires implementing a cross-platform development framework. Experienced developers know just what it takes to design apps that are perfectly streamlined for both Android and iOS. They also know that cross-platform design will cut back on costs later once the app becomes more popular.

Integrate Offline Functions

The Internet may be more or less ubiquitous in 2021, but that doesn’t mean users won’t appreciate offline functionality. Many users appreciate being able to access their apps’ most valuable features and contents offline. Since positive user experience defines an app’s success, entrepreneurs should plan to meet this expectation from the beginning.

Perform Extensive Testing

Pre-launch app testing is a crucial step in the development process, so don’t cut corners. Experienced developers can work with entrepreneurs to develop a testing strategy that’s appropriate for their apps’ unique contexts and applications. The plan will likely involve not just pre-launch testing, but also beta testing with customer feedback.

Laboratory testing can only offer so much insight into an app’s effectiveness and user-friendliness. Making the app available to beta testers prior to the official launch helps developers determine actual vs intended use. It also helps to ensure that the app will perform as intended in a real-world environment.

Welcome User Feedback

Before end-users get access to the app, developers should ensure that they have an easy channel for offering feedback. In-app communication is key. The app’s customer service channels should be intuitive and easy to access, connecting users to the right types of automated or personalized assistance, and making it easier to submit ratings, reviews, and feedback.

Creating an effective customer communications channel accomplishes three goals:

It motivates users to communicate problems directly to the development team instead of placing the app’s shortcomings in the public spotlight.

It minimizes the chances of users having bad experiences that could cause them to turn to competing apps, boosting app retention.

It gives developers an idea of what steps they could take to further improve the app’s design or service provisions in future updates.

Create an Effective Marketing Plan

Even a flawless app won’t perform well if no one knows about it. Coming up with an effective marketing plan during the development stages can be incredibly helpful. Assume that any successful marketing plan will involve pre-launch and post-launch campaigns.

Effective app marketing plans need to be more dynamic than some entrepreneurs may expect. If, for example, beta testing or initial customer responses post-launch indicate that the app’s actual audience is narrower, broader, or just plain different from its expected audience, the marketing plan will need to change to accommodate new potential users.

As with feature development, marketing plans should be focused. Don’t try to get everyone on-board at once. Remember, even Facebook started out as a highly targeted platform designed with students pursuing advanced educations in mind. It wasn’t until the platform established itself as an industry leader and began to attract attention from additional audiences that it expanded to target other key markets.

Trust the Experts

There’s a reason entrepreneurs hire development companies during the earliest stages of creating new apps. These industry pros know the ins and outs of everything required to create a stellar new product, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of their expertise.

If a professional developer recommends making certain changes, there are good reasons he or she has made that recommendation. Consider it carefully and work with the team to implement appropriate upgrades or alterations.

Ready to Get Started?

Already have an amazing idea for the world’s next big mobile app? The best way to get the development process started is to contact a company that can help. The online world changes fast, so don’t put off making the leap until someone else comes up with a similar idea. Take action and reach out now to discuss the first steps in the development process.

Financial Worries Before Christmas

Money Worries
Christmas is a wonderful time of year for so many people. We get to spend time with family and friends, share stories, moments, food, and love.

But for a great number of people, the festive season also brings with it worry, stress and uncertainty. I’m talking of course about the financial struggle Christmas can impose.

Almost every year since 2008 the American consumer has increased spending on holiday gifts.

And according to a study by the National Retail Federation, Americans were projected to spend more money on gifts in 2019 than they ever have before.

Keeping up with this need to spend such a large amount of money for the Christmas holidays is totally unsustainable for some. And not only that, but the stress and anxiety to ‘fit in’ with the popular trend are deeply concerning.

So is the answer more borrowing and more debt?

Or is there a better way to solve your Christmas Financial worries?

Mindset Shift
One of the easiest ways to avoid this dramatic overspending is to fundamentally shift the way you think about Christmas. The festive period can be thought of as more than just an abhorrent first world splurge on consumer goods.

Remember the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place and what it actually means for your family. It’s time to come together and reflect on the year that has passed. Lavish gifts are not required to get the full joy of this experience.

It is more difficult to implement this tectonic shift in thinking when you have children. Of course, you need to be mindful of their expectations, their friendship groups, and the limited number of years they have to enjoy the magic of the holiday from a child’s perspective.

But you can still achieve all of this by spending more frugally and making a conscious effort to not drain your savings.

Recommended article: 12 Days Of Spectacular Frugal Christmas Tips

Plan Ahead
Personal finances can be managed much more effectively with more time. Therefore, planning your Christmas and the gifts you buy is a great way to avoid excessive spending. The earlier you begin this process, the better you are able to spend within the framework of your budget.

And more often than not, with the use of tools such as cashback, the more money you are able to save. And saving money is the key to well managed personal finances. It is when we go beyond our budget that we run into problems.

I suggest you start thinking about a specific Christmas budget months before the event. Also, start segregating your savings so that you know you can afford what you need to spend.

After all, everyone wants to be able to enjoy the holidays as much as is feasibly possible. But under no circumstances should you splurge and think paying back at a later date is a good idea.

Recommended article: 13 Wonderfully Awesome Christmas Gift Ideas For Men

Long Term Plan
With long term planning in place and a new mindset instilled, your Christmas personal finances should be on the right path for years to come.

Christmas can be an amazing reflective experience and many people I know actually forgo gift-giving altogether. They use their time to help those less fortunate.

if we could all adopt this sort of mentality when thinking about Christmas, it would alleviate the financial pressures on everybody. This is not something that will happen overnight, but the change is already beginning to occur.

Being on this side of the Christmas financial equation could save you a fortune over the years, and make your Christmas experience less stressful and far more altruistic.