IBM's $1.2bn Data Centre Commitment

IBM is committing more than $1.2 billion to expand its data centres and support cloud computing initiatives, in anticipation of a $200 billion global market for cloud services by 2020.

In 2013, IBM acquired cloud services company SoftLayer (founded in 2005), which rents out servers starting at $159 a month for a dedicated machine, some of the rentals made via Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR).

IBM is also building out a Watson division at a cost $1bn. Watson is IBM's AI machine which has built-in natural language capabilities. It aims to use SoftLayer as a cloud distribution mechanism for services based off Watson.

Fireworks in Riga as Latvia Joins the Euro, not so for Lithuania

Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of Latvia (and a trained physicist), declared 1 January 2014 as a "big opportunity for Latvia's economic development". Some Latvian locals have expressed concerns over inflation, and indeed Latvia's central bank does expect a modest rise in prices, to bring inflation to 2%.

Two-thirds of the Baltic States are now Euro-enabled.

Amongst the other Baltic States, Estonia has already joined the euro in 2011, and Lithuania aims to do so in 2015. Ex-communist Poland has retained the zloty and is tight-lipped about the prospect of joining the Euro.

Say "Atta" to the Latvian lats, as another European currency hits the history books!