Asia
Tesco 3Q like-for-like sales growth in Asia slows sharply to 0.8pc
UK supermarket giant Tesco on Thursday said group sales for the thirteen weeks ending on 26 November 2011 increased by 5.4 percent excluding petrol, compared with last year.
Like-for-like growth in Asia slowed sharply to 0.8 percent in the third quarter. Like-for-like sales in Malaysia jumped 5 percent, followed by China's 3.4 percent, Thailand's 1.4 percent and South Korea's 0.3 percent's growth. Total sales growth in Asia grew 9.7 percent.
Asia consumers going "green" and purchasing more sophisticated home appliances
The increasing spending power of consumers in Asia has been a boon to many industries thanks to the economic recovery, including the major household appliances sector which has managed to bounce back from its weakened performance of last year.
BIFF & BIL 2012 taking Thai fashion industry to the world
Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) of the Royal Thai Government, along with 15 of its associates and affiliates from the Thai fashion, textiles, and leather industries are more than ready to launch the Bangkok International Fashion Fair & Bangkok International Leather Fair 2012 (BIFF & BIL 2012) between 27 June - 1 July 2012.
According to the organiser, the event aims to support Thai fashion and leather goods industry, as well as introduces this local emerging industry to the world market.
Inflation stays high in Asia, cbanks face dilemma
Consumer inflation stayed high across Asia in January and could pick up further in some countries in coming months, leaving their central banks with few options to cushion the economies from the global slowdown.
Growth in consumer prices moderated in January on a year-on-year basis as expected in South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, but prices picked up from December, data showed today.
Uniqlo to enter the Philippines this year; plans to open its 1st store at the Mall of Asia
Uniqlo, Japan's number one clothing retail chain, is investing USD2.49 million for the establishment of three stores in the Philippines, with the first store slated to open in June this year at the Mall of Asia.
Geraldine Sia, general manager of the Fast Retailing Philippines, the joint venture company of Uniqlo Japan and SM Retail Inc., said at the signing of certificate of registration with the Board of Investments for their retailing venture there will be three Uniqlo stores to open this year.
Taiwan trims 2012 GDP forecast after 4Q shrinkage
Taiwan trimmed its forecast for economic growth this year for a third time amid a gloomy outlook for exports, after a sharp slowdown in investment by tech companies helped push the island into a mild recession in the fourth quarter.
In a sign that this year will be a tough one for Asia's exporters, the government put 2012 growth at 3.91 percent, less than the 4.19 percent it forecast late last year and the third cut since an initial forecast of 4.51 percent made in mid-2011.
Asia-Pacific 2012 telecom market predictions, Frost & Sullivan
2011 was yet another big year for Asia-Pacific's telecommunications industry. 3G services finally started to gain traction in emerging markets like India and China and five markets inaugurated commercial 4G long term evolution (LTE) services. Smartphone use also made significant traction even in emerging markets like Indonesia, Thailand and India and are quickly coming to dominate the market. Android pulled away from competing platforms in Japan and South Korea while Apple, RIM and HTC continued their solid growth in the region.
CEO Talking Shop: Connecting consumers with electronic payments without a bank
While making payments for consumers in a developed market can be as easy as waving their mobile phones in front of a reader, thanks to the contactless payment solution, there seems to be a great number of people who haven't taken advantage of the latest technology of mobile commerce and banking – more than one billion consumers without a bank account have a mobile device in emerging economies. Realising the huge market opportunity, Visa in November launched a new mobile prepaid product for developing countries.
Toymakers aim to buck economic gloom at Asia fair
A smartphone-controlled robot that fires foam bullets and a model of a tyrannosaurus with real bones were among the attractions drawing the crowds at Asia's largest toy show last week.
CARTES in Asia to showcase cash-free technologies in HK this Mar
CARTES in Asia, a regional exhibition for the Asia-Pacific market and a high-level congress covering digital security and smart technologies, will showcase both radio frequency identification (RFID) and near field communication (NFC) technologies at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong during 28-29 March 2012.
