The contraction of imports for processing trade does not bode well for the export outlook either.

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There are several thorny issues outstanding, such as how to develop a single set of stock indices and to merge trade-processing systems.

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The International Securities Association for Institutional Trade Communication (ISITC), an industry trade group focused on transaction processing, reports that a pool of members surveyed show that almost all think that finance industry could benefit from greater leadership.

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The latter activities include but are not limited to coca plant harvesting, protection of their crops, processing of coca leaves to manufacture cocaine and drug trade protection.

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These outfits, many led by former mid-level commanders of the paramilitaries, are mostly dedicated to the cocaine trade, from controlling coca crops to processing the paste and shipping the product.

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All of that naturally comes with some trade-offs (less defined video processing is one example given), but the researchers say those are often outweighed by the benefits -- like cheaper, faster chips that require far less power.

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