News Recap: First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)

First Solar setting up solar plant in Indonesia

First Solar, Inc.(NASDAQ:FSLR) and PT. Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Services of Indonesia have said that they plan to work together to build a solar power plant to meet the growing energy demands of the country. While financial aspects of the deal were not revealed, what is clear is that it will be a 100 megawatt utility scale plant.

First Solar believes that Indonesia urgently needs cost effective and reliable energy resources and solar power fits the bill perfectly.

Has FSLR Found The Bottom and Ready To Move Up? Find Out Here

For PJB Services, this is the first utility scale photovoltaic power plant. The company has been operating and maintaining only conventional power plants until now. The parent company is PJB, a subsidiary of Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

First Solar shares were up more than 8 percent or $1.84 and closed at $24.09 on Tuesday and now jumped another 5.60% to $25.38.

Coca Cola will launch ‘beauty drinks’ in France

The Coca-Cola Company(NYSE:KO) and Sanofi will together launch a line of ‘beauty drinks’ in France. These will be part of the Oenobiol Beautific brand. Sanofi, a Paris based drug manufacture bought Laboratoire Oenobiol, a company that makes nutritional supplements for skin and hair in 2009.

Coke’s business unit in France said that they would sell these drinks on a small scale pilot to a number of pharmacies. The world’s largest beverage maker however declined to make any comments on the new drink.

Health aspects are very much in the fore these days and people are concerned about consuming sugary drinks. Coca Cola is therefore trying to diversify. Earlier this year, the company had launched Sprite with stevia, a natural sweetener with low calories. A couple of years ago, it had also launched Fanta with stevia.

Coca Cola is struggling to improve its sales volumes in Europe. It has managed to grow only 1 percent in the third quarter.