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China air travel for October holiday expected to jump 10% to a record
>> Air travel during the National Day holiday starting Oct 1 in China is expected to rise 10% to a record of more than 15 million trips, according to an estimate by an institution affiliated with air travel platform Qunar.com, one of the country’s largest.
Chinese "Big Three" airlines expected to report profits in Q3
>> A HSBC Global Research report predicts that China’s three main airlines will report profits for the quarter ended September 30, led mainly by a rapid recovery in domestic air travel demand in recent months.
HNA Group founder barred from luxury spending after failing to pay investor in lawsuit
>> The founder and chairman of HNA Group has been ordered by a court in China that he cannot indulge in luxury spending after the aviation-to-property conglomerate and its subsidiary failed to pay an investor in a lawsuit. HNA had promised to help pay back investors who invested in the products before January 25, 2020, but it failed to honour its commitment.
Hong Kong to open bars, pools and theme parks after mass testing
>> Hong Kong will reopen bars, swimming pools and theme parks from Friday as it relaxes coronavirus restrictions after the testing of nearly two million people in a program organized by the Chinese government found 42 cases. The city’s two theme parks, Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, will be allowed to open on Friday as will convention centres. But Disney said it would not be opening as soon as Friday.
Chinese travelers stay domestic during upcoming holidays
>> Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on overseas travel, there are almost no bookings for overseas flights during holiday between October 1 and 8, Shanghai-based Spring Airlines said. But bookings for domestic travel have been rising rapidly, showing the recovery of Chinese tourism demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
IHG takes voco global with launch in US and Greater China
>> IHG is bringing its voco brand to the US and China. As IHG approaches 500 open hotels overall in Greater China, the entry of voco into the region marks another key milestone, the hotel chain said. Voco will be IHG’s eleventh brand to open its doors in the region and IHG expects to open the first voco-branded hotel in Hangzhou soon.
Huazhu guides investors on HKD 6 billion listing
>> Chinese hospitality company Huazhu Group is on track to raise around HKD 6.06 billion (USD 781.8 million) from its secondary offering in Hong Kong, after sending price guidance to investors. The Nadsaq-listed hotel group has indicated a final price of HKD 297 per share for its float of 20.4 million shares. Huazhu is set to price its Hong Kong listing later on Wednesday.


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“Buy American and Hire American.” How do you think this is supposed to happen? With begging and suggestions like a liberal? Nope! When you want a donkey’s attention, you bring the pole down between his ears. Trump is going to get their attention, you better believe it.
CNBC.com – President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday attacked General Motors in a tweet, claiming the auto giant is making a Chevy Cruze model in Mexico and then sending them to U.S. dealers tax free.
General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to U.S. car dealers-tax free across border. Make in U.S.A.or pay big border tax!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
GM shares, which were at $34.38 in premarket trading before the tweet, fell to a session low of $34.22, or about a $244 million hit to its market value. However, shares have since come back to about half of where they were before the tweet.
Image Source: worldnow.com

domain: news


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Alibaba has agreed to acquire a 50 percent stake in Singapore’s AXA Tower in a deal that values the landmark office property at S$1.68 billion ($1.2 billion) in one of the few major transactions the city has seen this year.
The e-commerce giant, which is already an anchor tenant in the building, is buying the half stake from an investment consortium led by Singapore’s Perennial Real Estate Holdings, according to a statement by the SGX-listed developer. JLL acted as exclusive capital markets advisor to Alibaba Singapore on the acquisition.
Following completion of the transaction, which is expected to take place in June, Alibaba and the Perennial-led consortium will redevelop the 50-storey grade A office property in the heart of the city’s central business district into a new integrated complex with commercial, hotel and residential components.
The acquisition comes as a welcome shot in the arm for the city’s commercial property market, which has stalled as a result of COVID-19 with office investment transactions plunging 87 percent to $136 million in the first quarter of the year compared with the previous three months, according to CBRE.
Giving Singapore a Vote of Confidence
“This transaction will provide a confidence boost to the Singapore market and reaffirm investor appetite for CBD assets,” said Ting Lim, JLL’s head of capital markets in Singapore.
Located at 8 Shenton Way, the 1.05 million square foot (97,548 square metre) property has been approved for redevelopment into as much as 1.55 million square feet of gross floor area under the CBD Incentive Scheme which Singapore began implementing last year.
The current structure, which was built in 1986, will be completely demolished and a new complex will be built in its place with around 60 percent devoted to office and retail space, and the remainder taken up by a hotel and luxury residences, according to JLL.
Regina Lim, JLL’s head of Asia Pacific capital markets research, said that the investment by the tech giant represents a vote of confidence for Singapore and demonstrates the city’s attractiveness to technology and e-commerce companies.
“As a result of increased demand for their services and strong capital positions, they have remained active in their expansion and investment plans, with global gateway cities like Singapore proving an attractive destination for deployment,” said Lim.
Joining Forces with a Tech Giant
Under the terms of the agreement, Alibaba will acquire a 50 percent stake in special purpose vehicle Perennial Shenton Holding Pte Ltd and will take on 50 percent of the consortium’s outstanding shareholders’ loan.
The consortium – which includes Singapore Press Holdings and Perennial chairman Kuok Khoon Hong – is selling the stake in AXA Tower five years after acquiring the asset from BlackRock for S$1.2 billion.
Alibaba, which has a controlling stake in Southeast Asia’s largest e-commerce platform, Lazada, is boosting its presence in Singapore after its HK$13 billion listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange last November – the largest equity offering of the year globally.
As China’s largest e-commerce player, Alibaba recorded revenues of over $56.15 billion in 2019 and has a history of investing in corporate real estate to accommodate its operations. In its hometown of Hangzhou in China’s Zhejiang province, the online firm founded by Jack Ma built a corporate campus where 20,000 of its more than 100,000 global team members are employed.
Slimming Down Ownership Interest
The sale of the interest in AXA Tower will provide Perennial with S$137.6 million in cash as the company looks to pay off S$1.3 billion in debt maturing this year.
Just three weeks ago, the company sold its remaining 30 percent stake in 111 Somerset to a unit of casino magnate Stanley Ho’s Shun Tak Holdings for S$155.1 million.
Following the sale of AXA Tower, the firm’s 32 percent stake in the building will be reduced to 10 percent, according to the company’s stock exchange filing.
“The divestment of AXA Tower aligns with our capital recycling strategy to deliver a divestment gain, while retaining our involvement to create value via the redevelopment of the prime property which is strategically sited within the Greater Southern Waterfront with breathtaking sea views,“ said Perennial’s CEO Pua Seck Guan.
In a separate filing, Singapore Press Holdings said that the transaction, which will see its 5.29 percent stake in AXA Tower slimmed down to one percent, represents a divestment of a non-core investment.
“The sale is in line with our prudent capital management and capital recycling strategy which allows us to redeploy the proceeds into our core businesses to create shareholder value,” said the company’s CEO Ng Yat Chung.
Even before the COVID-19 crisis fully gripped its home city, SPH last month announced that its net profit for the half year ending 29 February had fallen by 9.3 percent. Also during April, Chung and other board members said they were taking a voluntary 10 percent cut to their directors fees with the CEO also cutting his pay by the same amount.


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The data collected through the app will also aim to provide information to help authorities better and more quickly determine where a new hotbed is beginning to emerge.
The app is expected to use Bluetooth technology and draw from the German tracing app Corona-Warn, according to the De Tijd.
Devside could not be reached for a request for comment at the number provided on their website.
The government’s choice of the little-known tech firm last week was seen with some surprise by industry observers, who noted that Devside appeared to have only five employees, including its founder.
A reverse Google image search by tech freelance writer Thomas Smolders showed that customer reviews featured on the company’s website —which have since been updated— used stock image portraits of people listed with different names elsewhere online.
In statements to BusinessAM, Deviside’s Violaine de Laminne de Bex said that the app-developing firm worked “in the shadows and does not publicise itself.”


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Travelodge in Rhyl have cancelled Donald Trump’s reservation next month in light of the latest Watersportsgate scandal.
Manager Billy Duvet decided to pull the plug after reading about the latest scandal involving the President elect on the news.
He told WalesOnCraic:
“We’ve had some guests get up to no good in the past but we draw the line at this kind of behaviour. We like to keep our beds nice and dry for our next guests and in line with company policy, we’ve decided to cancel Mr Trump’s reservation. We have the discretion to cancel reservations if we need to and we won’t be offering him a refund.”
Mr Trump was due to visit Rhyl in February to open a new car boot sale that takes place in a local school. He’d paid £39 on his credit card for accommodation for one night, not including breakfast.
A spokesman for the White House said:
“We are disappointed to hear that this reservation has been cancelled, especially in light of the fact that this watersports scandal has been totally fabricated to make Mr Trump look like a dirty old man. He was looking forward to visiting Rhyl and visiting the old pier and beach front but he’ll have to make it another day now when this has all blown over.”


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Heineken-owned lager brand Red Stripe has announced that it is rolling out two new canned rum cocktails, in two flavour varieties.
The drinks – which contain 5.9% ABV – are crafted with real Caribbean rum, mango and lime juice and natural flavours. They are available in a sweet tropical Rum Punch flavour and a smooth citrusy Rum Mojito variety.
Oscar Martinez, senior director of marketing and innovation at Heineken USA, said: “The spirit-based cocktail segment is the fastest growing category within the beer, wine and spirits industry, and with our latest Red Stripe rum innovation, we are able to tap into this trend and introduce this iconic brand to a new generation of consumers”.
He continued: “The Red Stripe Rum Drinks perfectly embody the vibrant spirit of Jamaica, and signal a venture beyond beer, no shaker required”.
The new beverages are available in select US retailers now, with further roll-out through the spring.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2023


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SE Asian producer reduces PS prices to the region
A converter who received PS prices from the producer stated, “We are not interested in purchasing for now as we are planning to wait for a while longer before deciding on our next move.”
Meanwhile, a Taiwanese producer reported that they reduced their prices to the Southeast Asian market by $5-10/ton for GPPS, $10/ton for HIPS and $30/ton for ABS this week as ongoing losses in upstream markets maintain downward pressure on prices.
In Southeast Asia, import PS prices are currently standing at $1030-1170/ton for GPPS and at $1100-1250/ton for HIPS, both on a CIF SEA, cash equivalent basis.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Will European PE market sustain uptrend following higher ethylene?
- COVID-19 resurgence weighs on polymer sentiment in Vietnam
- Stats: Turkey’s H1 polymer imports defy pandemic, hit all-time high
- Stats: China’s total PP, PE imports set a new record in H1 2020
- Lackluster demand outweighs tightness in Asian ABS markets
- Will costs drum up support for a 3rd-month-firming in Europe PET market?
- Import PE markets give softening signals in China, SE Asia
- PVC supplies tight, demand robust across Europe
- China’s local PP, PE markets snap nine-week rally
- Turnarounds keep PP supply tight in SE Asia


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My Gym Children’s Fitness Center and Saban Brands have partnered for a national holiday campaign focusing on the preschool series "Julius Jr."
StoryToys and Saban Brands have released “Julius Jr.’s Playhouse,” the first fully interactive 3D app based on the preschool series “Julius Jr.”
Saban Brands and Nick Jr. announced that Season Two of the animated preschool series, “Julius Jr.”, will launch with a week of premieres.
Saban Brands has launched the first-ever pop-up shop for its lifestyle brand Paul Frank in New York City's Times Square.
Haim Saban, founder of Saban Brands, writer and director Chris Columbus, and Jeremy Zag have joined forces to launch Zag Animation Studios.
Saban Brands’ animated TV series “Digimon: Fusion will air on Yep! on ProSieben MAXX in Germany this November.
Saban Brands and Cirque du Soleil Média unveiled “Luna Petunia” at MIPCOM this week, an original preschool property inspired by the Cirque du Soleil brand.
Saban Brands and Crayola have entered a new global partnership to produce a coloring and activity line of Power Rangers products.
Lionsgate has entered into an agreement with Saban Brands to acquire the home entertainment distribution rights to “Julius Jr..”
Saban Brands is planning a new original kids' series inspired by its Popples toy brand that will be available exclusively on Netflix worldwide.
Clan TV in Spain has picked up Saban Brands’ animated series “Digimon Fusion.”
Saban Brands’ animated preschool series “Julius Jr.” has been picked up by Nick Jr. for a second season in the U.S.
Saban is teaming with Lionsgate to develop the first-ever feature film based on Power Rangers and has launched a new film distribution division.
The CW Network has teamed up with Litton Entertainment for a new five-hour Saturday morning programming block called One Magnificent Morning.
Saban Brands is bringing “Digimon Fusion” to its own programming block on The CW, Vortexx starting Jan. 25.
Saban Brands has appointed Daniel Castle as managing director of strategic business development.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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It has been a great year – everyone rejoiced. It witnessed a paradigm shift in the buying behaviour of consumers – the ‘I’ll touch, feel and then buy’ buyer announced that s/he would make a purchase on the basis of a snap of merchandise.
The year 2014 saw the coming of age for the e-commerce sector, which swept all – be it e-market operators, logistics/ supply chain companies, vendors selling online or customers. The sector also ensured an action-packed year, in terms of unprecedented fund-raising by online players such as Flipkart, Amazon.in, Snapdeal, Jabong, Myntra, Bigbasket and Urban Ladder, among others. Overall, 2014 marked the celebration of sales.
In fact, this ‘sale’bration bonhomie was so alluring that even business veterans like Ratan N Tata and Azim Premji could not resist jumping the bandwagon to be part of this e-commerce growth story. Tata invested in Urban Ladder, Bluestone and Snapdeal, while Premji in Myntra and Snapdeal. Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy announced that he would partner with Amazon India to create a joint-venture e-commerce entity for the Indian market.
E-retail sees phenomenal growth
No fret the e-commerce industry in India lags far behind various developed and developing countries (share of e-commerce to total retail is approximately 1.5 per cent vis-à-vis 5.8 per cent in the US) mainly on account of low internet penetration due to poor infrastructure. Even then, the e-retailing market in India has enjoyed a phenomenal growth in the past five years. The e-commerce ecosystem has finally started falling in place.
A considerable rise in the number of internet users (30 million new users have been added since January 2014), growing acceptability of online payment, favourable demographic profile (75 per cent of the internet users are aged between 15 and 34 years), limited geographical reach by brick and mortar model, increasing smartphone usage and declining data charges offer high market potential for e-retailing in India.
According to Nielsen’s global e-commerce report, the e-retailing market in India was estimated at Rs 5,513 crore in FY13. However, e-retailing in India constitutes a miniscule 0.2 per cent of the total retail market and a mere 2.3 per cent of the organised retail in India. Today’s consumers, nevertheless, are under pressure due to the paucity of time as well as are lured by convenience and increased use of plastic money – all leading towards online shopping growth.
The online shopping trend is set to scale greater heights in coming years not just because of India’s rising internet population (projected at 302 million by 2014-end, up by 32 per cent from a year ago), but also due to changes in the supporting ecosystem. Of 278 million internet users in October 2014, 177 million were from urban India -- a number that would have touched 190 million by 2014-end and is projected at 216 million by June 2015. In rural India, the number of internet users rose by 39 per cent to 112 million by 2014-end and projected to be 138 million by June 2015.
Players have made intensive efforts to upgrade areas such as logistics and payment infrastructure. Further, the Indian consumers’ perception of online shopping has undergone a drastic change -- and only for the good. The maturing of consumers, in acceptance with various payment options such as net banking and prepaid wallets, has helped tremendously. It is increasingly being perceived as a safe option. However, of the 200 million credit/ debit cardholders, just 5 per cent transact online, indicating a huge untapped market.
Business booms for e-players
Flipkart's eventful Big Billion Day indicated that it sold goods worth Rs 600 crore ($100 million) within 10 hours of starting its sale. What a festive day that was! Snapdeal and Amazon also benefited from Flipkart's aggressive advertising. Snapdeal indicated that it clocked Rs 1 crore a minute. If that rate had been sustained for 10 hours, Snapdeal would also have reached Rs 600 crore. Flipkart and Snapdeal have touched the Rs 6,000-crore revenue mark. Amazon too has been growing robustly since it came to India 15 months ago. ‘Sale'bration indeed!
Business goes off line for physical retailers
Online discounts and sales dictated pricing in India during the last year festival seasons. While customers benefitted from reduced pricing and increased convenience, physical retailers were affected the most. Offline retailers clocked 30-40 per cent less sales than 2013 during last year’s festival season.
Retailers stumbled as the traffic diverted to e-retailing sites. Earlier in 2014, many brands had in fact taken steps to encourage people to buy products offline. Lenovo had warned buyers that Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal were not authorised resellers, while Nikon had made a blog post, stating that Flipkart and Snapdeal were not their authorised partners or dealers.
Times of flux – the only way out is brands, online and offline retailers come together to make it a win-win situation for all.
New Year assures increased participation, new jobs
The year gone by offered a salebration time for online stores, inducing disruption in the Indian retail sector. The New Year will see a large scale growth in the Indian e-commerce sector, with increased participation from people across the country. This industry will continue to drive more employment opportunities and contribute towards creating more entrepreneurs through e-commerce marketplace model. Flipkart is hiring 20,000 employees, while Amazon 8,000.
Mobiles to bridge buyer-seller gap
Mobile commerce (60 per cent of net access mode) will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between sellers and customers. People from the most remote parts of the country will be able to shop online with the help of their cellphones, which will have superior supply chain facilities and payment options. Moreover, 2015 will be the deciding year for Indian e-commerce, which will see a rapid growth, along with a dynamic shift in the Indian shopping behaviour.
Gaurav Sood is a brand communication professional, brand educator and brand research scholar, with two-decade-long practice creating strong brands.


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Planters’ beloved Cheez Balls are coming back for a limited time
Wearing fanny packs, playing with a Tamagotchi and watching new episodes of “Murphy Brown” are all things you can do without being considered lame in 2018. So, why not pop open a canister of Cheez Balls while you’re at it?
After online petitions and letter-writing campaigns from frustrated fans, Planters has decided to bring back Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls for the first time in 12 years. The beloved 1990s snack will be back on store shelves for a limited time starting in July.
“We heard many impassioned pleas for us to bring Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls back over the years and we wanted to give our fans a chance to reunite with their most-missed cheesy snack,” said Planters spokesperson Melanie Huet in a press release this week.
“We made sure our Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls still have the same delicious taste, airy texture and fluorescent color you know and love, so our fans can enjoy a nostalgic trip down memory lane with every canister,” she continued.
Cheez Balls were discontinued in 2006 and have since appeared in online lists of “Snacks You’ll Never Eat Again.” Planters proved the doubters wrong by making just 59 canisters of Cheez Balls available on online auction and e-commerce sites. Earlier this month, one of the lucky buyers got his can, plus a note hand-signed by Mr. Peanut himself.
It’s so awesome when your heroes turn out to be good people (or peanuts)!
According to Planters, Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls will be sold in 2.75-ounce and 4-ounce canisters, respectively, for $1.99 each. The nostalgic snacks will be sold in stores and online starting on July 1, but the company did not give a specific end date for its limited-time offering.
So, it’s best to stock up now just to be safe!
— Mr. Peanut (@MrPeanut) June 26, 2018
Which long-gone snack do you wish you could pick up and eat one more time?


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Tyler, the Creator Announces GOLF Fall/Winter 2017 Collection
Today, Tyler, The Creator is sharing the lookbook for the forthcoming GOLF Fall/Winter 2017 collection. The GOLF web store will reopen with the new items on October 14th at noon ET/9AM PT. To commemorate the new collection's release, Beams Shibuya will hold a launch event on October 21st. Select items from the collection will be showcased, with Tyler making an in-person appearance at the store. The night before he will play a sold out show in Tokyo. The lookbook is available to view here.


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WorldMatch starts 2023 strengthening its position in Belgium. The award-winning supplier will take its dice slots titles live with BetFirst through iSoftBet’s platform. A wide selection of the top performing WorldMatch games including Banana King Dice and Book of Pharaoh Dice will be available for the Belgian players on BetFirst’s online casino.
During the current year the partnership will solidify even more with additional dice slots which will be added to the offer.
This collaboration will significantly boost the supplier’s presence in the country and will provide Belgian players with fresh and appealing WorldMatch’s games.
Xhuljana Demerxhiu, head of sales at WorldMatch said: “We’re excited to ring in the New Year expanding our reach in Belgium and partnering with another top tier operator in a deal that will allow us to introduce our dice games to a new audience.”
Marcus Pieck, head of inbound marketing said: “I’m thrilled to be extending our casino game portfolio with the addition of WorldMatch. We’re continuously working to improve and to expand our product. Customer is king and I trust the popular WorldMatch games will appeal to our players.’’


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Every year I get super pumped for March Madness, and I’m definitely not alone in my excitement. For a country that only legally allows gambling in a handful of states, it’s pretty incredible that a college basketball tournament can reach around $10.4 billion in money wagered — which is $1.2 billion more than last year (estimated by the American Gaming Association).
It's incredible the number of ad agencies and C-suite executives that run their marketing the same way today as they did 10 years ago. Whether their inability to recognize the need for digital marketing stems from arrogance or cluelessness matters little when they find their businesses going bankrupt as inbound and digital marketers they've scorned step over them on their way up.
On this episode of #OutOfScope Brian Cristiano talks about Facebook's newest clickbait algorithm. Find out what you, as a marketer or publisher, need to know to make sure your content is still being seen and staying top of mind amongst your online audience. If you're not paying attention to these trends on Facebook and other social platforms, you're going to get crushed by advertisers who are doing it right.
The Olympics start today so we launched a gold-winning episode of OutOfScope about #Rule40. Hopefully we won't get stripped of our medals.


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DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) shares hit a six-year high for the second straight session on Thursday, the day after the automaker reported sales that outperformed the U.S. auto industry.
The stock rose as much as 4.3 percent to $15.83, its highest level since June 2004. The company’s U.S. auto sales are up 21 percent so far this year, compared with a rise of nearly 11 percent for U.S. auto sales, according to Autodata.
By midmorning, the shares had fallen back to $15.55, up 2.4 percent.
Toyota shares gained 2.3 percent in trading in Tokyo. Nissan closed up 3.9 percent after it indicated it would overtake Honda Motor Co (7267.T) as the second-biggest automaker in Japan behind Toyota.
On Wednesday, Ford crosstown rival General Motors Co filed for a $13 billion initial public offering that values the U.S. automaker at roughly $49 billion, assuming exercise of warrants. That’s on par with Ford’s market cap of $49 billion.
GM plans to repay a controversial taxpayer-funded bailout and reduce the U.S. Treasury to a minority shareholder[ID:nN03133378].
Ford shares are up more than 50 percent so far this year, while the S&P 500 .SPX is up about 7 percent.
In March 2009, Ford shares traded below $2.
Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn


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President Barack Obama says underrepresentation of women and minorities among the nation's startups is hurting business.
Continue Reading Below
Obama says the next big idea could come from anyone and that the next Steve Jobs could be named Stephanie or Esteban. Jobs is the late co-founder of Apple.
Obama commented Tuesday as the White House showcased the work of more than 30 startup teams of women, minorities and young people. Their exhibits range from early-stage technology to consumer products.
The White House says about 3 percent of U.S. startups backed by venture capital are led by women. About 1 percent are headed by African-Americans.
Obama toured several exhibits at the White House and told the entrepreneurs to remember that he'll be looking for a job in about 18 months.


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|By PR Newswire||
|November 19, 2012 07:10 AM EST||
NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:Global Digital Media - Video and Television in a Smart Connected World
Smart TV is a sign of the futureThe latest annual publication by BuddeComm titled: Global Digital Media – Video and Television in a Smart Connected World, provides key global insights and statistics for this exciting growing and evolving sector.
The internet is presenting consumers with choice and access like never before and this is transforming the home entertainment industry. The battle for the lounge room is heating up with all major TV manufacturers now shipping smart internet-connected TVs which provide an "app-like" interface to new IPTV content services through instant streaming.
While penetration of these new TVs is still relatively small in most countries; in the USA they are becoming more popular than the 3D TVs which received a lot of attention last year. The growth of smart TV ownership is expected to continue dramatically as people upgrade their TVs.
Web TV and online video have become recognised as a powerful format for both communicating online and providing a more dynamic experience. Online video over the Internet is being used by many different industries for advertising, marketing, demonstration, entertainment and communication purposes.With the announcement that Barnes and Noble are launching Nook Video, an online video service which positions the company beyond digital e-readers, we see the Internet Video-On-Demand (iVoD) sector becoming even more competitive. Internationally, there are already a number of large iVoD providers, including Netflix, Amazon, Wal-Mart and Apple iTunes. In addition the user-generated market segment over the Internet remains popular with the continuing success of Google's YouTube.
A host of new IP connected devices including game consoles; tablets and mobile phones are also becoming platforms over which to stream movies and TV. Many industry commentators have hoped during the past few years that mobile TV, representing a convergence between the mobile and broadcasting sectors, would lead to considerable changes in the way people used the technologies and services offered by both industries.
While the future for mobile TV remains bright there are still a number of barriers which prevent consumers taking to it in sufficient numbers for 'tipping points' to be reached. These include sufficient network coverage and a continuing lack of awareness of the mobile TV and video services on offer and their cost. Furthermore video based content is to a greater extent being included within various Apps, and charging for video based services separately is thus becoming increasingly difficult.A key business model to deliver integrated products such as the features offered by Smart TVs is known as a triple or quad play. These models offer internet access, voice services, video/TV or mobile services to a subscriber via a single connection. These multi-play services require a large amount of bandwidth and as such are typically provided over high speed connections based on fibre optical or hybrid-fibre-coaxial (HFC) cables. In the past the combined package were not priced attractively enough to attract customers, but there are now changes that are leading to a revival of these multi-play models.The exciting developments occurring in the video-based and television broadcasting sector has resulted in a dynamic industry which is on the cusp of transformation. This report aims to capture the key trends on a global level and provide insights into the regional developments.
Digital TV households make up around 45% of all TV households worldwide in 2012;Online Video-On-Demand has gained the attention of Internet heavyweights Google and Facebook; The US is an interesting market to watch for VoD developments with Hulu, Blockbuster, Netflix and Walmart Vudu just some of the players vying for position; There is a movement towards creating online video "channels" over the Internet aimed at target audiences;Bundled offers are very popular in parts of Europe with Quad play is the next growth area; a number of countries in Asia are also leading multi-play developments;Largely thanks to the success of triple play solutions, Latin America's television market has been experiencing sustained growth, not even slowing down during the global credit crunch;The number of Western European online video and multi-screen services subscribers has grown steadily in recent years.Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.1. Global Digital, IPTV and Smart TV insights1.1 Key Global Trends for Digital; IPTV and Smart TV1.1.1 Introduction1.1.2 Digital TV1.1.3 Cable TV1.1.4 HDTV 1.1.5 IPTV revolution1.1.6 The Smart or Connected TV1.1.7 ITU IPTV standard2. Global Online Video Media and Web TV Insights2.1 Key Global Trends for Online Video2.1.1 The power of online video media2.1.2 Killer applications2.1.3 Brief case studies2.1.4 Delivery trends2.1.5 Conclusion: The future of video in telecoms3. Global Mobile TV Insights3.1 Key Global Trends for Mobile TV and Video3.1.1 Mobile TV/video comms4. Global Triple Play Insights4.1 Key Triple and Quad Play Trend4.1.1 Introduction4.1.2 The three elements4.1.3 National broadband networks are ideal for triple play4.1.4 What went wrong with triple play initially?4.1.5 The future of triple-play4.1.6 Key multi-play markets in Europe and Asia5. Regional Overviews5.1 North America5.1.1 USA5.1.2 US Pay TV market5.1.3 US Mobile TV5.1.4 Canada5.2 Latin America5.2.1 Overview5.2.2 Argentina5.2.3 Brazil5.2.4 Chile5.2.5 Colombia5.2.6 Mexico5.2.7 Venezuela5.3 Europe5.3.1 European TV landscape5.4 Africa 5.4.1 Overview5.5 Middle East5.5.1 Middle East5.6 Asia5.6.1 Overview5.6.2 China5.6.3 South Korea5.6.4 Hong Kong5.6.5 India5.6.6 Indonesia5.6.7 Singapore5.6.8 Malaysia5.6.9 Thailand5.7 Pacific Region5.7.1 Australia Overview5.7.2 New Zealand Overview6. Glossary of AbbreviationsTable 1 – Worldwide digital TV households – 2009; 2011; 2013Table 2 – Digital TV penetration rate worldwide – 2006; 2009; 2012; 2016Table 3 – Worldwide number of HDTV households – 2009; 2012; 2015Table 4 – Worldwide IPTV subscribers – 2010; 2012; 2014Table 5 – Global revenue from online video – 2008; 2012Table 6 – Growth of Hulu video streams – various months – 2008 - 2012Table 7 – Market share of top Internet VoD providers in the US – mid 2011Table 8 – Subscribers to Netflix – 2010; Aug 2011; Sept 2011Table 9 – Online video unique visitors – top online video properties in the US – May 2010; Jan 2011; Sep 2011; Feb 2012Table 10 – Global mobile TV subscribersTable 11 – China - reception devices connected to main television set – 2008Table 12 – TV viewers by platform – 2010 - 2011Table 13 – Cable MSO operating data by platform – 2009 - 2011Table 14 – IPTV subscribers (Verizon, AT&T) – 2009 - 2011Table 15 – Satellite TV subscribers by operator – 2010 - 2011Table 16 – Latin America, selected countries – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 2011 - 2012Table 17 – Argentina – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1999 - 2012Table 18 – Argentina – pay TV technologies – 2000 - 2012Table 19 – Brazil – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1999 - 2012Table 20 – Brazil – pay TV technologies – 2000 - 2012Table 21 – Chile – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 2006 - 2012Table 22 – Chile – pay TV technologies – 2006 - 2012Table 23 – Colombia – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 2000 - 2012Table 24 – Colombia – pay TV technologies – 2000 - 2012Table 25 – Mexico – pay TV subscribers and penetration – 1999 - 2012Table 26 – Mexico – pay TV technologies – 2000 - 2012Table 27 – Pay TV subscribers and penetration rates – 1997 - 2012Table 28 – IPTV subscribers in the EU – 2007 - 2012; 2015Table 29 – Mauritius Telecom My.T triple play pricing – 2008 – 2012Table 30 – Maroc Telecom IPTV pricing – 2011-2012Table 31 – Maroc Telecom MT Box pricing – 2011-2012Table 32 – YES revenue and profit – 2007 - 2012Table 33 – YES satellite TV subscribers, market share and ARPU – 2002 - 2012Table 34 – du IPTV subscribers – 2008 - 2012Table 35 – Overview of cable TV market – December 2011Table 36 – Cable TV subscriptions and annual growth – 1996 - 2013Table 37 – Forecast cable TV subscribers and household penetration: 2012 - 2013; 2015Table 38 – Digital cable TV subscribers and penetration rate – 2002 - 2013Table 39 – Forecast digital cable TV subscribers and percentage of cable TV subscribers: 2012 - 2013; 2015Table 40 – China - Digital pay TV subscribers – 2005 - 2009Table 41 – IPTV subscribers – 2004 - 2013Table 42 – DTH subscribers – 2002 – 2012Table 43 – South Korea - Cable TV operators and subscribers – Q2 2010Table 44 – Analogue and digital cable TV subscribers – 2002 – 2010, 2012 (e)Table 45 – Comparison of cost per cable TV subscriber – 2009Table 46 – IPTV subscribers by operator – 2006 - 2012Table 47 – IPTV growth by channels, content providers, after-school classrooms – 2008 - 2010Table 48 – IPTV real-time and pre-IPTV subscribers – 2008 - 2012Table 49 – HKBN triple play subscribers, ARPU and IDD traffic volume – 2003 - 2011Table 50 – PCCW NOW TV subscribers and ARPU – 2003 - 2011Table 51 – SingTel's mio TV subscribers – 2007 - 2012Table 52 – Conversion of analogue to digital TVs in Australia – 2010 - 2012Table 53 – Conversion of analogue to digital TVs in Australia versus New Zealand – 2010 - 2012Chart 1 –Global mobile TV subscribers annual change – 2009 - 2014Chart 2 – Evolution of pay TV in Argentina – 2000 - 2012Chart 3 – Evolution of pay TV in Brazil – 2000 – 2012Chart 4 – Evolution of pay TV in Colombia – 2000 - 2012Chart 5 – Evolution of pay TV in Mexico – 2000 - 2012Chart 6 –Cable TV subscribers and digital TV penetration – 1996 - 2011Chart 7 – Overview of overall household conversion to digital TV in Australia – 2009 - 2012Chart 8 – Overview of household conversion to digital TV in New Zealand – 2010 - 2012Exhibit 1 – Set-Top Boxes (STBs)Exhibit 2 – Changing TV behaviourExhibit 3 – Historical overview - HDTVExhibit 4 – Examples of top IPTV carriers worldwideExhibit 5 – ITU IPTV standards developmentExhibit 6 – Examples of online VoD sitesExhibit 7 – Google Android based TVExhibit 8 – Equivalence between access modes and traditional audiovisual useExhibit 9 – A first for the industry - Tata Communications and Cisco's telepresence solutionExhibit 10 – BBC iPlayer and ABC iViewExhibit 11 – Definition: Content Delivery Networks (CDN)Exhibit 12 – Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC)Exhibit 13 – Mobile TV/Video – emerging across the worldExhibit 14 – First example of video media collaborationExhibit 15 – Multi-play definitionExhibit 16 – Types of telecom convergenceExhibit 17 – Regional TV broadcasters in South KoreaTo order this report:VOD Industry: Global Digital Media - Video and Television in a Smart Connected World
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Over the last five years, the import value of newly US-made vehicles in Australia has augmented between US$1,081,054,868 and US$ 1,299,044,842 in 2016. This value showcases the increase in units for the year 2012 at 34,903 and the year 2016 at 45,332. It was estimated that in the upcoming years there would be a rise in the automobile manufacturing industry. In 2016, the import of automotive parts in Australia was valuing US$1,047,147,820.
The auto market of Australia is active, and with pace growth, it is expected to grow more. In 2016, new SUVs, commercial vehicles, and passenger cars were sold in Australia's local market. The Australian Auto market has few barriers for US companies; thus, the production of auto parts in Australia has gone down. Australia is considered one of the best leading automobile markets in the world. Australia's automotive industry sells around 400 different models and 70 brands of car.
The Automotive demand in Australia is developing robustly
The automotive market in Australia is rushing from record to record. The growing fleet of vehicles also provides for spare parts.
The Australian car sales reached the third-highest level in a row in 2017 with around 1.19 million vehicles sold. The first half of 2018 was also up 1 per cent in the same period of the previous year, so that, assuming a stable development, the threshold of 1.2 million cars sold could be breached for the first time.
The market environment for the automotive industry is generally favourable. According to the forecast of the central bank, the economy of Australia is expected to grow steadily in 2018 and 2019 at 3.25 per cent each. Coupled with a low unemployment rate of currently 5.5 per cent, this is likely to trigger the recent weakening wage trend and strengthen the consumer climate. Low-interest rates make car purchases easier.
Falling house prices develop uncertainty factor
Risks for vehicle sales, on the other hand, result from the slowdown in the real estate market. The country's largest car dealer, the Automotive Holding Group (AHG), reports a close correlation between house price trends and vehicle sales. Due to the boom in house prices, there has been a noticeable prosperity effect in recent years. The Australian households felt richer and were thus more easily animate for buying a car.
However, according to numerous analysts, the rally in the Australian real estate market is likely to be over for the time being. For the years 2018 and 2019, the National Australia Bank forecasts a negative performance of -1.8 and -0.1 per cent in major cities. Even the economists from other institutions such as Westpac or ANZ Bank expect falling prices. AHG is, therefore, already focusing on special promotions to lure customers into their more than 100 branches. AHG sells models from 32 different manufacturers, including Toyota, Ford, Mazda, and Mitsubishi. Another significant car dealer is the Autosports Group with 37 branches and a focus on the luxury segment (including BMW and Mercedes Benz).
The competition among car manufacturers is very intense in Australia. More than 60 brands compete with over 400 models for buyers. The Japanese manufacturer Toyota leaves the game as a leading supplier far behind and comes to a market share of 18.2 per cent. The most famous German car brand is a VW in seventh place, followed by Mercedes-Benz (12th place, 42,489 vehicles sold), BMW (14th place, 23,619 cars sold) and Audi (15th place, 22,011 vehicles sold).
Car Market Australia: Imports Instead Of Own Models
The Australians barely offer their designs. Already in the 90s, Holden has filled up its model range with slightly modified Opels like the Astra and the Vectra. Today, most Holden comes from South Korea. For example, the small car Holden Barina corresponds to the Chevrolet Aveo.
No wonder: despite the new car boom, the car market in Australia with around one million units is too small for its production. And the strong Australian dollar makes the export of vehicles unprofitable.
Due to currency fluctuations alone, products from down under have raised by a whopping 65 per cent in the last decade. Add to that the high production costs on the ground - Australia is not a land of cheap wages. For example, the production of Holden on the fifth continent costs around € 2,400 per vehicle more than in other General Motors factories. "Australia is one of the world's most expensive locations to manufacture cars."
Automotive Products Summary
All the auto parts, whether new, old, or remanufactured, are handled by the Australian customs, which are subjected to GST.
So far, Australian governments have always maintained that a modern economic nation needs its auto industry. Now the government has finished the expensive experiment for the Australian taxpayer. The immigrants of yesteryear, after all, remained down under without cash payments.


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By William Fallon
Recently in the news: a woman trades a packet of McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets sauce for a car, and people line up and camp in front of select McDonald’s like it’s the release of a new iPhone. All this for some sauce?
However, this is no ordinary sauce; this is Szechuan Sauce. In the summer of 1998, McDonald’s released a limited-time condiment: Mulan Szechuan teriyaki dipping sauce, also known as Szechuan Sauce. It was released to promote the Walt Disney movie Mulan, which hit theaters on June 19, 1998. The promotion came with a ten-count McNugget Happy Meal and a special Mulan toy character. After the movie was released and the promotion ended, the sauce was removed from menus and forgotten.
19 years later, on April 1st of this year, Szechuan Sauce made its return on Rick and Morty, an animated comedy meant for adults, which airs on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The show mentioned the condiment in the season three premiere “The Rickshank Redemption” on that fateful April Fool’s Day. The show’s main character, Rick Sanchez, is a genius alcoholic scientist and is in the universe’s most secure prison. He is forced into a machine which takes him back to 1998, to disclose the information on how he built the portal gun to the Galactic Federation.
While in 1998, he stops at a McDonald’s and buys two ten-piece McNuggets boxes and “as much of the Szechuan sauce as you are allowed to give me.” At the end of the episode, Rick mentions that he will get the sauce back to McDonald’s, no matter how long it takes. The cultural reference in this episode led to a wave of Rick and Morty fans urging McDonald’s to bring Szechuan Sauce back.
On July 29th, Justin Roiland, a co-creator of the show and voice actor for the show’s two protagonists, Rick and Morty, received a package from McDonald’s which contained a four-pound container of the famous Szechuan Sauce. Along with it were a customized suitcase and a letter explaining how they supposedly used a portal to go to “dimension C-1998M,” a dimension where it is always 1998.
Six days prior, McDonald’s had announced that it would release Szechuan Sauce for one day in select locations on October 7th. So a few weeks ago, fans lined up and waited hours just to get their hands on some sauce. However, at each of the select locations, very few packets would be sold, and if fans arrived at 2:00 a.m. the day of, they would receive special vouchers claiming their spot in line and would be able to leave and return in the morning. People eventually ended up waiting over two hours in line only to find that no sauce packets were left.
Here’s a random tweet from an obsessed fan:
Line for Szechuan sauce in SF. 23rd in line and apparently I’m too late. pic.twitter.com/P5ZAHVJsm3
Many disturbances (labeled riots by some) occurred at various McDonald’s locations on Oct. 7, which did not please Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, co-creators of Rick and Morty. They later distanced themselves from the situation by tweeting:
FYI: We had nothing to do with this McDonald’s stuff. Not happy w/how this was handled. Please be cool to the employees it’s not their fault
— Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland)
The McDonald’s incident was a success for those who were able to snag some sauce, but a loss for those who were not.
— Ian Sikes (@ianjsikes) October 7, 2017
Youtuber Daym Drops described the sauce as “Sweet and sour with the perfect amount of spice, a spice that will change your life,” and claimed that “Every nugget has been elevated to the next level of tastiness … Szechuan Sauce? Gettin’ a 10, son!” The incident caused a packet of sauce worth ten cents to receive bids of $300 on eBay. A 64 oz. bottle of Szechuan sauce given away in a raffle from McDonald’s was put up for sale on eBay and recently got a bid of $15,000. A woman from Michigan named Rachel Marie managed to trade one packet of sauce for a red 2004 Volkswagen GTI MK4.
After many were unhappy and surprised with the limited supply of sauce, McDonald’s made a statement on Twitter promising the return of the sauce this winter. Sorry to all of those who paid over $200 for the sauce.
You spoke. We’ve listened. Lots more #SzechuanSauce and locations. Details soon. And that’s the wayyy the news goes!
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds)
Featured image: Ethan Anderson.


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Starbucks promotes its Blonde Roast
The company is doing a rare OOH campaign promoting the lighter blend, along with a contest asking Canadians to rename it.
Last year Starbucks introduced its first lighter roast coffee, Starbucks Blonde, a blend that Sharon Smyl, group marketing manager, national, Starbucks Canada, tells MiC has performed better in Canada than it has in the US, selling twice as much north of the border than in the US.
To further promote the blend, Starbucks has launched what Smyl says is a rare OOH campaign for the brand in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver with media by MediaCom Canada and creative from BBDO and Blast Radius.
Smyl says creative in the campaign is designed for impact, with taglines like “A Starbucks coffee for people who don’t know they like Starbucks coffee.”
Along with the OOH ads, Starbucks has also launched a “Name your Blend” contest that encourages Canadians to submit a new name for the coffee from now until Feb. 10 at Starbucks.ca/blonde. Starbucks Canada will incorporate the new winning name into packaging for the blend, according to a release.
“The OOH advertising touches on the fact that this is a product that Canadians didn’t even know that they liked, but they like it,” she says. “To take that a step further, we are saying if you like it so much why don’t you name it? We want them to have some ownership on it, to become part of Starbucks history.”
The contest will be promoted through a national media buy in print, digital and radio, with name submissions being narrowed down to a top three by Starbucks execs and then pitched back to consumers to vote on their favourite online from Feb. 18 to 25. The winner will be announced on Feb. 28, with one Canadian winning a trip to any Starbucks in the country to get coffee with a friend, along with a $500 Starbucks card and $400 spending money. Two runners-up will each get a $1,000 gift card to Starbucks.


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India PVC Market In Status Quo Ahead Of Monsoon Season With Country Still Dealing With Coronavirus
- A local producer kept prices in the sweet spot to achieve deals
- Overall demand is stable amid coronavirus pandemic and early monsoon
- Pricing outlook clouded by the monsoon season
No significant changes in the India PVC market observed during the week as the country is still occupied with handling coronavirus, while at the same time, early monsoon affects market players' behavior. A producer revealed that their offers were kept stable from last week, at INR71,200/ton ($939/ton) after discount. As such, there is good acceptance from customers at this current level after ruckus last week. On the traders’ side, offers for local and localized PVC cargoes reported drop between INR1,000-3,000/ton ($13-39/ton) from last week. Market players opined that offering PVC cargoes above INR73,000/ton ($963/ton)-level will receive stiff resistance from buyers. From the import market, market participants informed that for July shipment, there was an increase in offers in the range of $100-140/ton as compared to June shipment, however, most customers already purchased in big quantities last month, so now they reduce the buying quantity or skip the procurements. PVC cargoes from Japan and Thailand stand at $880-900/ton and $860-880/ton respectively, with traders reporting that customers show their resistance towards high prices. Meanwhile, South Korean cargo is officially available at $840/ton, but one of the traders reported that their company had achieved deals for South Korean cargoes at $820/ton for July shipment. All import offers on LC at sight, CIF India Main Port basis.
Demand remains stable supported by the agricultural and medical sectors. Some traders quoted that the shortage of labor is hindering the construction works, therefore demand from the mentioned sector has not picked up yet. In the production sector, the leading Indian PVC producer is running at 95% rate while some converters reported their production rates almost reached levels under normal conditions. From the data compiled by SSESSMENTS.COM, even though the number of new coronavirus cases is surging in India lately, especially in Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai; but the affected areas are now being divided into mini containment zones so it does not affect manufacturing activities. Talking about supply, market players reported logistic is not running smoothly because of workforce shortages amid limited cargoes offered by local producers. The May-June shipment cargoes may help alleviate supply problems; however, the number of imported cargoes are less than usual due to the previous lockdown.
In terms of pricing outlook, market players think that the current price is already reaching its peak, so would be stabilizing or rollover from now. Monsoon is still a mysterious card for overall demand, SSESSMENTS.COM noted. Usually, end-product orders during monsoon decrease significantly, which negatively impacts demand and prices of resins. However, there is a chance for manufacturers to keep producing and building stock during the monsoon season after lockdown. Coupled with the shortage of materials in the open market, players may accept the firm prices eventually.
Local/localized ethylene-based PVC offers on cash, EXW/FD basis (excluding 18% GST in all terms)
Import ethylene-based PVC offers on LC at sight, CIF India Main Port basis
Tags: Asia Pacific,English,Freemium,ISC,India,PVC,Weekly
Published on June 16, 2020 2:20 PM (GMT+8)
Last Updated on September 22, 2020 11:58 AM (GMT+8)


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Electronic Arts Australia have today announced the debut of its “First Play Game Tour”, to be held in five shopping centres across Australia. The First Play Game Tour is an experience that will give gamers the opportunity to play EA’s most-anticipated video games before they hit the shelves in the next few months.
Each stop of the tour will be held over four days and will feature a major launch event, gaming tournaments, celebrity appearances and exclusive merchandise giveaways. Titles playable on the “First Play Game Tour” will include: EA SPORTS FIFA 13, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Medal of Honor Warfighter, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3 and potentially more. The First Play Games Tour will take place in the Centre Court in each of the following centres during these dates:
- VIC – Westfield Fountain Gate, Melbourne – Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 September, 2012
- VIC – Highpoint Shopping Centre, Melbourne – Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 September, 2012
- NSW – Westfield East Gardens – Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 September, 2012
- NSW – Westfield Parramatta – Tuesday 25 to Sunday 30 September, 2012
- QLD – Westfield Carindale – Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 October, 2012
For further details on locations, events and times, please visit the events official website HERE.
Simon Smith-Wright | Regional Marketing Director at EA
EA has an incredibly strong line-up of games this year. The First Play Game Tour is a great opportunity to bring these games to our fans before their release. This is the first time EA has had the chance to put on a public event of this magnitude in Australia. We’re excited to meet our players around the country and to give them the opportunity to be the first to play the best of EA.


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THE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said it had directed its members not to pay the charges imposed on the controversial cargo tracking note by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
The President of MAN, Frank Jacobs, who disclosed this recently, said the association was opposed to it implementation and that it members would not pay for it.
This is coming as shipping companies have made it clear that every penny associated with the once scrapped and now reintroduced cargo tracking note would be borne by importers and exporters.
The cargo tracking note, which was originally introduced in 2009 was scrapped on the orders of then President Goodluck Jonathan in October 2010 due to series of complaints by stakeholders over its lack of value-addition and extra cost burden.
NSC slammed charges of $25 per container, $10 per vehicle, $0.2 per unit of break bulk, $1 per ton of imported cargo as cargo tracking note fees.
By this action, the NSC has imposed an additional N26.1 billion annual burden on Nigerian importers.
French container carrier, CMA CGM noted on its website that all import and export cargo are mandatorily subject to an Entry Summary (ENS) or Exit Summary (EXS) Number under the cargo clearing note.
The company advised shippers to obtain their cargo tracking note from a dedicated website as the ENS or EXS number would be required before their goods would be loaded and transported.
The Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) members representing the major Shipping Lines operating in Nigeria has also said that the cost of the CTN would be fully borne by importers.
SAN Chairman, Mr. Val Usifoh said, “SAN members wish it to be clear that these additional costs will be eventually paid by the importers in Nigeria.”
Stakeholders including importers, freight forwarding associations and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has all protested against the additional cost burden imposed by the cargo tracking note implementation. They have all variously called on the Federal Government to suspend the scheme until the controversies surrounding its implementation are resolved.


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Export demand for New Zealand craft beer is expected to triple over the next decade as Asian consumers develop a taste for boutique brews, but local breweries will have to significantly increase production if they want to cash in, says ANZ research.
ANZ's central region general manager for commercial and agri, John Bennett, said the opportunity for Kiwi brewers in fast-growing economies such as China was huge.
"The potential for exporters is enormous - up to 300 per cent growth in the next decade - but New Zealand brewers and hop growers will need to significantly expand production if they're to take advantage of the opportunity," Bennett said.
Brewers serious about export growth would have to closely evaluate financial issues such as the funding they would require for brewery plant and equipment.
"The challenge for craft brewers is to grow production quickly and without compromising quality or uniqueness," he said.
ANZ said craft beer was the fastest-growing part of the local brewing industry, with output increasing at about 25 per cent a year.
Close to 90 breweries are operating in New Zealand, up from 48 in 2007.
But craft beer still accounts for only about 2 per cent of New Zealand's beer market.
Ralph Bungard, president of the Brewers Guild, which represents craft firms, said he expected craft's share of the domestic market to grow to around 10 per cent - which would bring New Zealand roughly in line with the United States - over the next five to 10 years.
But it was challenging for small-scale breweries to create the brand recognition required to break into export markets, said Bungard, who owns the Three Boys Brewery in Christchurch.
New Zealand craft breweries exporting to Asian markets include NZX-listed Moa, Kapiti Coast-based Tuatara and McCashin's Brewery in Nelson.
Bungard said craft brewers might increasingly use crowdfunding, in which money is raised from the public through an online provider, for expansion capital.
Renaissance Brewing in Blenheim is raising $600,000 to $700,000 through Snowball Effect, New Zealand's first equity crowdfunding platform.
The founder of Auckland craft brand Epic, Luke Nicholas, said securing suitable brewing capacity to meet demand had always been a challenge for local firms.
"I think that's going to be the case for at least a decade," Nicholassaid.
New Zealand's beer exports were worth $26 million in 2011, when much of that product went to Australia.
ANZ will release its full research on the craft industry at the Beervana festival in Wellington today.


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What are the best sector bets to play on economic recovery?
With the economy opening up at the state level, the government’s higher allocation to capital spending for fiscal year 22E should be helpful in stimulating economic growth in the coming days. Additionally, with expectations of a stronger-than-expected economic recovery in the country, economy-related sectors are expected to continue to be the focus of attention as global central banks continue their easy monetary policies, which will ensure abundant liquidity in world markets, including India.
In addition, the government’s attention seems to be refocusing on growth. His divestment program, the privatization of some public sector banks (PSBs) and emphasis on infrastructure are key milestones that indicate he expects the economy to grow faster. On the other hand, inflation is back and on the other hand, there is a visible pick-up in growth and demand. There is no doubt that continued government spending in the infrastructure sector will support faster economic growth, as it has a high multiplier effect due to the positive impact on other sectors.
Banks are seeing loan portfolios increasing in all major segments such as agriculture, retail, MSMEs and personal loans, except business loans and advances to large corporations.
Base metals such as steel have seen increased capacity utilization due to strong demand. Even discretionary consumption specifically geared towards rural areas and the automotive sector, primarily two-wheelers, are expected to experience significant growth. However, as the pandemic is not yet over, the IT and healthcare industries will continue to be on investor radar.
Going forward, sectors such as capital goods, building materials, consumer services, transportation, financial services, and metals and mining will continue to do well and reflation trade will prevail. Financials should benefit from the rotation towards economically sensitive sectors and are one of the main beneficiaries of the rise in bond yields. In addition, investors should consider the role of commodities, especially oil and gas in portfolios, both as beneficiaries of faster economic growth and as a hedge against the risk of persistent inflation. . Some of these sectors should also see the most lucrative upgrades, which makes them good bets in a portfolio.
With steadily increasing demand, the reopening of economies and the acceleration of the vaccination campaign, India’s economy is expected to continue to experience a sold recovery. Without a doubt, the ease of doing business, the creation of infrastructure and positive tax policies will help India grow into a $ 5,000 billion economy by 2024-25. So, this might be a good time to invest in stocks from these booming sectors. However, one should do due diligence on the fundamentals of these stocks before investing.
(DK Aggarwal is the CMD of SMC Investment and Advisors)


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Interview, photos and video: Norman-based artist Fernando Dulnuan puts on a show at the Oklahoma State Fair with his Don's Chainsaw Creations
A version of this story appears in Thursday's The Oklahoman.
Carving out a spot
Oklahoma chain saw artist puts on a show at the Oklahoma State Fair
Amid the clanging of the midway games, the whooshing of the carnival rides and the lilting of Native American flutes, a brawny growl echoes from a corner of State Fair Park.
Like a mechanical siren call, the buzz of Fernando "Don" Dulnuan Jr.’s chain saw draws dozens of people, who watch avidly as the Norman-based artist deftly carves away at a hunk of pine, swiftly honing the heart of the short log into a recognizable shaggy shape.
“It’s kind of hard to explain. … When I see a log, there’s something there. The log will tell (me) itself what it wants me to carve it. Sometimes you have to go around and see what the log wants you to carve, sometimes you can go over there and just kind of tell,” Dulnuan said in a break between his carving demonstrations at the Oklahoma State Fair.
The chain saw artist, who operates Don’s Chainsaw Creations, is making his debut at this year’s Oklahoma State Fair, where he is putting on three shows a day through Sunday in the shadow of the Space Tower.
“I’ve always said that state fairs in general are slices of Americana, and I think that this is like red-blooded, all-American fun. Who doesn’t want to take a chain saw and wreck some havoc somewhere on something,” said Oklahoma State Fair spokesman Scott Munz with a grin.
“It’s just phenomenal what he can do with a chain saw. I can barely make a straight cut on a limb, and he make eagles and bears. … It’s just surprising he’s got that precision with a chain saw.”
Learning the art
Watching him work, it’s hard to believe that five years ago Dulnuan didn’t even know how to operate a chain saw. Surrounded by construction netting and decked out in safety gear, the artist, 43, never stopped moving during his first show at the state fair, gracefully cutting away at the exposed surface, switching saws to craft showy gouges or fine details, and even dropping to his knees to tease a muzzle and pair of paws out of his new carving.
“He’s not singing, he’s not dancing, but he’s certainly putting on a performance. … And it’s amazing to see the things that he can actually perform and do with a chain saw,” Munz said.
As wood shavings flew around him, the audience got frequent glimpses of the back of Dulnuan’s shirt, emblazoned with the words “God. Family. & Chainsaw Carving.”
“I just trained myself. For me, let’s put it this way, it’s a God-given talent that right now it’s showing. I don’t know where it came from, but I know it came from God,” said Dulnuan, who hails from the Philippines. “In our tribe there they do a lot of wood sculptures. … I just think my family has it.”
His tribe, the Ifugao people, are known for the spectacular Banaue Rice Terraces. Hand-carved 2,000 years ago by his indigenous Filipino ancestors, they are known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”
Dulnuan first took up chain saw carving five years ago when his family moved to Oklahoma. His wife, Esther, an Oregon-born U.S. citizen whose parents and grandparents were missionaries in the Philippines, served in the Navy and was assigned to the Tinker Air Force Base, where about 1,300 Navy personnel are part of Strategic Communications Wing One.
“I like wood. … When I see some wood lying around that says this is all free, I said, ‘There’s something in them that needs to come out.’ So, that’s where I started,” he said.
He said he knew how to make some rustic furniture, and when he turned to Google for more ideas, he spotted chain saw carving down the search page.
“There was a question of my mind of how can you do that, so I went to YouTube and looked at how they do it. And from there I was hooked,” said Dulnuan, who worked as a police officer in the Philippines.
The next day, he went to a lumberyard to buy his first chain saw.
“I had the ask the guy, ‘Tell me how to use it, how to start it and everything.’ And from there, I took it home. I’d just get a log and start carving,” he said. “Carving is always something different. It’s always new, which I like. When you start something you want to go with, you have to learn, you have to improve.”
At the fair, the grassy area in front of his trailer hosts a veritable menagerie of wooden owls, raccoons, lions, foxes and beavers.
“When you’re a chain saw carver, they will always ask for bears and eagles. That’s your bread and butter. … All of this art is (from) trash-bound wood. They’re already cut. I don’t like to cut a tree for carvings. I like trees. It’s all recycled wood, instead of burning them or bringing them to the trash, you can still make something out of them,” he said, adding that he often accepts wood from tree services or collects it from roadsides.
“When I pile them in my back yard, some of them it takes me days before I can see something there – or months. Some, it will just come right away. … You pass (it) every day, then you say, ‘Whoa, this one,’ and you see you can make something out of it.”
Carving out a passion
Just 20 minutes after he first revved up his chain saw, Dulnuan puts the finishing touches on his new creation. As if using a series of chain saws wasn’t dramatic enough, he uses a blowtorch, followed by black spray paint, to give extra definition to the eyes and ears, paws and fur, of a bear playfully peering out from the end of the thick chuck of tree chunk.
“That was fast. That was very fast,” said Brenda Wessler, of Oklahoma City, who attends the fair every year on opening day and was happy to find a new offering. “It was very interesting. I think it’s really cool that he’s not cutting trees down, that he’s recycling the wood. That’s the way to do it.”
Her companion, Kenny March, of Oklahoma City, said he had seen chain saw carving on television before, but it was much more interesting in person.
“You could just see it emerging, just coming out. The more cuts he made, you could see it coming to life,” March said. “There was definitely a method to the madness.”
Among the wooden wildlife, Dulnuan has carved a few busts of cowboys and American Indians. The self-taught artist said he hopes to one day get formal training so that he can continue to branch out as a chain saw sculptor and a performance artist.
“I want to do this my whole life, until I cannot hold a chain saw anymore. I like this. It’s always different. I like to encourage myself, to improve myself, and do all this. I have more ideas I want to go through with the wood,” Dulnuan said.
Oklahoma State Fair
When: Through Sunday.
Where: State Fair Park.
Don’s Chainsaw Creations: Shows at 2, 4 and 6:15 p.m. on 14 Flags Plaza at the state fair. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/Donschainsawcreations or donschainsawcreations.com.


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HOUSTON --Big cats are recovering at Houston SPCA, the products of a huge animal seizure in the Waco area three weeks ago. Two Bengal tigers and a pair of mountain lions are housed at the agency. That's in addition to more than 200 Rottweilers taken from the farm. They were kept outside by their owners investigators say-some were found dead. Since being brought to Houston more than 50 puppies have been born.
The Rottweiler Club of America is trying to place the dogs in adoptive homes across the country. Those with terminal medical conditions will be placed in hospice homes.


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Jon Canan, Program Manager of MSN Direct, has confirmed what we all figured would be happening any day now: no more MSN Direct-powered Smart Watches. Jon chose SpotStop as the place to make this semi-official announcement. In the announcement Jon makes mention of how the technology will live on in GPS devices and Windows Mobile, but states that the company does not have any immediate plans for a new version of the Smart Watch. That said, current watches in the field will still be supposed.
We reviewed the Smart Watch a while back and I actually really liked the tech behind it. For me, though, the execution was flawed. I always thought that the watch was too big and not nearly stylish enough. I liked having news and other things delivered seamlessly to my watch, but the watch was just too big for my tastes.
I believe in the whole concept of MSN Direct and still look forward to seeing where else the company can put it. They’ve already managed to include it in Windows Mobile, GPS devices, and coffee makers, so who knows where it may end up next?
Read more of the announcement at SpotStop.com.


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Allnex Acquires Manufacturing Site in India
Last week, international supplier of resins for architectural, industrial, OEM and special purpose coatings, allnex, announced plans to acquire a manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, India.
The facility was previously owned by coatings resin business, D.R. Coats Ink & Resins Pvt. Ltd. DRC products, sold under the brand names Drokryl, Drokyd, Droplas and Dromel, are part of the acquisition and will be integrated into the allnex product portfolio.
“The acquisition of a production site in Maharashtra, India, is a crucial addition to the global footprint of allnex. It strengthens the strategic direction in which allnex is moving into the future, offering customized solutions focused on new trends and needs of local markets,” said Miguel Mantas, allnex CEO.
The acquisition is a first step for allnex in establishing a broader manufacturing footprint in India—one of the fastest-growing coating markets.
According to allnex, the acquisition and localization of goods will support the company’s close collaboration with local and regional customers, enable the use of local raw material sources and accelerate the speed to market.
Once the acquisition is complete, allnex plans to focus on the production of its range of liquid resins and additives, including alkyds, acrylics, aminos and polyesters. Over time, the company plans to expand production lines to further chemistries.
“This acquisition is a key cornerstone of allnex’s growth strategy, as India is one of the largest market in Asia and one of the fastest growing in the world. Investing in this production hub in India will enable allnex to deliver on its growth targets by supporting customers locally and further promote our sustainable coatings solutions in the region,” said Benoit De Becker, Vice President Strategy and Commercial Excellence.


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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) – A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for a burglary at a Hendersonville sporting goods store where multiple guns were stolen.
The burglary happened at the Blue Ridge Mall on Four Seasons Boulevard on January 2.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the thieves broke into Dunham’s Sports just before 3 a.m. and took multiple guns from the business.
The ATF said the suspects were seen leaving the store before walking across the parking lot toward Freeman Street.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, according to the ATF.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Hendersonville Police Department at 828-697-3025.


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Avebe first announced the development of Etenia, born out of a collaboration with DSM, in 2007. Its initial use was as a fat replacer for dairy products but other applications have since been unveiled. These include using it as a fat replacer in cakes, and as a gelatine replacer in jelly-type confectionery.
The ingredient is thermo-reversible – it thins when heated and thickens when cooled – and texturising. According to the company, it can be used to lower the saturated fat in butter or margarine by between 20 and 50 per cent, without having an impact on palatability and taste or requiring specialist equipment or processing changes.
The new application is topical because saturated fat reduction is a major target for food manufacturers, who are working hard to improve the nutrient profiles of their products without rendering them unacceptable to consumers.
Although reformulation is on the agenda all across Europe and in other countries outside the bloc, the UK is said many to be leading the way in food formulation. Last week the Food Standards Agency published its recommendations for reducing saturated fat and sugar in sweet goods, such as biscuits, and sugar-laden beverages.
The recommendations are voluntary and not legally enforceable, but they set out goals for an industry that prefers to self-regulate – and be seen to be doing so – rather than accept tough regulations being handed down from government.
Reception to Etenia in the marketplace has been good. Last year it won the Food Valley award in The Netherlands.
The ingredient can be used in place of modified starch, which some consumers find off-putting on food labels. It can be labelled simply as ‘starch’ used in so-called ‘clean-label’ products, which avoid the use of E-numbers.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ — A packed room full of the fragrance industry’s top compliance and trade experts met this week in New Jersey to discuss the latest developments regarding TSCA and chemical classification requirements impacting their companies. The conference was hosted by the International Fragrance Association North America (IFRANA).
The U.S. Congress updated the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) last summer, while Canada amended their hazardous product regulation to include the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) approximately two years ago. “Both have the potential to both have the potential to significantly impact the industry and require close coordination to ensure compliance,” said Suzanne Hartigan, IFRANA’s Chief Scientist. The updated Canadian legislation eliminates a previous exemption for fragrance and flavor component disclosure.
Workshop attendees spent most of the day evaluating and discussing the GHS roll-out and what are projected to be very significant impacts on businesses in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Asia. The new regulations on manufacturers and importers are scheduled to take effect on June 1st. Other workshop discussions took place on TSCA and trade under the Trump Administration.
“Our members are committed to staying at the forefront of changes in regulations,” said Farah Ahmed, IFRANA’s President and CEO. “Workshops like this allow us to provide meaningful education – offering top industry expertise – and a forum where we can support our members throughout the regulatory process.”
The International Fragrance Association North America represents the vast majority of all fragrances developed and sold in the United States and Canada. Its member companies create and manufacture fragrances and scents for home care, personal care, home design and industrial and institutional products, all of which are marketed by consumer goods companies. IFRANA also represents companies that supply fragrance ingredients, such as essential oils and other raw materials, used in perfumery and fragrance mixtures. IFRANA has represented the interests of the fragrance industry in Washington, D.C. since the 1920s. IFRANA also publishes Fragrance Notes, the quarterly magazine of record for the fragrance industry, available in print through IFRANA and online at FragranceNotes.org.


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Funcom has released The Secret World MMORPG Trailer. The game is available to download and play free for 30 days after which it is monthly subscription of $14.99.
[box_dark]“Imagine if every myth, conspiracy theory and urban legend was true. Imagine a world where you can become anything you want to be, without restrictions such as classes or levels. This is the premise for The Secret World, Funcom’s upcoming massively multiplayer online game set in the modern-day real world.”[/box_dark]
[box_dark]At GEEKTECH we see that our viewers get all the latest tech news and updates. We post here the latest happenings and news on various categories like present technology, latest gadgets and devices released around the world.
We are truly thankful to our viewers for supporting us.[/box_dark]


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HNB announces landmark partnership with CyberSource
HNB has announced a landmark new partnership with Visa to launch its globally renowned integrated ecommerce payment management service, CyberSource, across the bank’s entire merchant network.
“HNB acquires the single largest merchant network in Sri...
Read latest Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) online.
Newspapers from Sri Lanka
Newspapers in English


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KOCHI: The exports figures have been released by the Commerce Ministry recently which posted a double digit growth of around 17% in Feb. 2017. Mr. Ajay Sahai, Director-General and CEO, FIEO, recently said that, “We have to look into the exchange rate closely to maintain the growth rate on account of the fact that the rupee is all set to appreciate against major currencies and it will affect India's export competitiveness,”
Asked whether FIEO has suggested any exchange rate support measures, Sahai said, “Since rupee is expected to appreciate as compared to our competitors’ currencies, the government may provide additional incentives to exporters to offset losses on the exchange front.”
Sahai, said the Government needs to look into the Interest Equalisation Scheme for merchant exporters, who continue to contribute 30 per cent of the Country’s exports.
At present, only manufacturers are availing themselves of this benefit and it should be extended to other sectors as well, he said.
On the achievement of the 17 per cent growth rate in February, he said that this is for the first time that the Country has achieved a double-digit export growth after more than three years, thanks to firming up of commodity and metal prices.
“The trends are very encouraging, especially at a time when major competitors such as China, Thailand and Japan posted negative growth,” he said.
Though the slowdown in global trade is a concern, Sahai said, export figures are likely to touch $270 billion in the current fiscal, going by the current trend. Growth in exports of rice, spices, cashew, oil meals, marine products, engineering goods, organic and inorganic chemicals augur well for the future, he added.
FIEO, the apex body of exporters, is also pinning hopes on the Government's move to introduce 24x7 Customs facility in 17 airports and 17 seaports shortly. This was FIEO's long-pending demand, which was put on hold by the Government due to shortage of officers.
The introduction of the facility, he said, is expected to be operational within six months, which would further ensure ease of doing business.


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Nashville Entrepreneur Center Announces HCA as New Sponsor
NASHVILLE, Tenn.– Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), an industry leader in the acceleration and growth of startup businesses, today announced a new sponsorship with HCA designed to further support the startup activity in Nashville’s health care industry.
Beginning in Quarter 2, 2014 the Nashville Entrepreneur Center will work with HCA to strengthen all healthcare-related programming. The Nashville Entrepreneur Center, a 501(C)3 organization, was launched in 2010 to connect promising entrepreneurs with investors, mentors and the critical resources they need to accelerate the launch of startup businesses across all industries. Working closely with established companies like HCA, allows for the greatest opportunity for these new businesses to succeed.
EC Chief Executive Officer Michael Burcham said, “We are incredibly happy to have the opportunity to work with HCA as we help the startups of this city grow. HCA is an incredible organization that epitomizes the potential successes of entrepreneurial growth in this city, and we appreciate their generous support.”
“As our healthcare industry continues to evolve, we continually are seeking ways to improve the delivery of high quality care and the patient experience,” said HCA president and chief executive officer R. Milton Johnson. “Nashville has a tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in healthcare, and we are proud to support the great work by the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.”
Founded in Nashville in 1968, today HCA is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services and currently operates 164 hospitals and 115 freestanding surgery centers across 20 states and London. HCA invests in select early stage companies that deliver innovative solutions for use in HCA’s operations through its investment subsidiary, Health Insight Capital. HCA was an inaugural sponsor of Healthbox, a Chicago-based healthcare accelerator that ran its first class in the fall of 2013 from the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. This new sponsorship will give HCA a forum to expand its engagement with entrepreneurs beyond the scope of Health Insight Capital's support of Healthbox.


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- Nov 24, 2017
With amendments rendering the ‘poison pill’ effectively inert, private placements have become the de facto M&A defensive tactic. But there are limits to their usefulness.
- Jan 04, 2016
As the definition of “Canadian” expanded, last year’s top deals highlighted the importance of infrastructure and real estate as well as vendors making strategic dispositions
- May 30, 2014
Were the blockbuster retail M&As in Canada in 2013 an anomaly or a sign of things to come?


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Vietnam's short-term outlook took a positive turn after the Trade Confidence Index rose to 120 in the first half of this year, its highest in three-and-a-half years, in HSBC's release of its latest trade survey on Wednesday.
Almost half of the survey respondents said they expect trade flows to increase over the next six months; a third cited higher demand from key markets as the main reason.
HSBC estimated that textiles and garments will continue to dominate Vietnam’s exports, although shipments of information communication technology (ICT) products will also grow strongly.
Vietnam’s advanced technological infrastructure has helped the garment sector advance into higher value clothing lines, the bank noted.
“Led by these two industries we expect exports to grow by more than 11 percent per year between 2014 and 2020,” according to the report.
More than 50 percent of survey respondents cited the costs of essential services such as shipping, logistics and storage as a barrier to expanding trade and almost a third cited rising interest rates.
Less than a quarter, however, complained of a lack of demand.
Six months ago, half the respondents complained of sagging demand.
“Vietnam has made good progress in improving its business environment over the last decade but it is crucial that these efforts continue,” the HSBC report said.
Vietnam reaped export revenues of $97 billion between January and August -- up 14.1 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.


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Hari Krishna Group opens Kisna store in Ayodhya
By opening its first store in Ayodhya, Hari Krishna Group’s jewellery brand Kisna has made its brick-and-mortar debut in the state of Uttar Pradesh as part of its 2023 expansion plans.
“We are happy to take forward the legacy of Hari Krishna Group and launch Kisna in the state of Uttar Pradesh,” said Hari Krishna Group’s founder and managing director Ghanshyam Dholakia in a press release. “With the heritage and expertise that the Hari Krishna Group and Kisna bring, we feel there is great scope for business growth in north India and cater to the growing demands of our consumers. Launching our first showroom in Ayodhya, we aim to make diamonds accessible to all and envision Kisna to be a partner and confidante to every woman at various moments in her life.”
The new store houses a mix of everyday and traditional occasion style diamond and gold jewellery designs. The opening is part of Kisna’s plan to make diamond jewellery accessible to all modern Indian women, according to the brand.
“It is good to see Hari Krishna Group bring pride to the country by strengthening the agenda of Make in India, establishing a strong Indian presence in the global jewellery market,” said Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak. “It is an honor to welcome Kisna, from the Hari Krishna Group, in our city. Kisna has been making beautiful diamond jewellery accessible to Indian women for 18 years and it is a pleasure to be a part of their showroom launch in Ayodhya.”
To celebrate the showroom launch, the business distributed 50 sewing machines to underprivileged women from Jeevan Jyoti Seva Sansthan at the opening event. Kisna currently has a presence in over 3,500 jewellery showrooms across India and opened showrooms in Siliguri, Hyderabad, and Hisar in 2022.
“We are happy to announce our foray into Uttar Pradesh with the launch of our first Kisna showroom in Ayodhya,” said Kisna Diamond and Gold Jewellery’s director Parag Shah. “The jewellery market in Uttar Pradesh witnessed an upswing last year and the new Kisna showroom in Ayodhya aims at catering to this growing demand of consumers, looking for diamond jewellery for all occasions. Having launched three showrooms in Siliguri, Hyderabad and Hisar we are now opening up our flagship showroom in Ayodhya. We aim to be the fastest growing diamond jewellery brand in India and make every women’s dream of owning a diamond jewellery come true. We look forward to offering Kisna to our discerning customers and will continue to enhance their overall shopping experience.”
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