ReleaseWire Connect

The Alternative Energy industry in China is engaged in power generation via wind, geothermal energy, solar energy, tidal energy and biomass energy. It includes other electricity generation activities that are excluded from thermal, hydraulic and nuclear electricity generation. Renewable energy includes new energies and hydraulic energies.

In Mexico, for the past decade the tobacco industry has faced a number of drastic reforms that have placed a series of strict regulations aiming to reduce the number of smokers in the country. In 2011 tobacco products faced a series of regulations making it difficult for tobacco to reach consumers; these included: 2008 saw a ban on smoking in public places implemented; tobacco products may not be advertised in any media with the sole exception of print (magazines) with content for adults (such...

Heightened consumer price sensitivity will remain a dominant theme in India over the coming quarters, with tight credit conditions and declining asset prices providing little respite for consumer confidence and purchasing power. While inflation put a major dampener on private consumption activity in 2011, moderating price pressure in recent months means that it is no longer a major concern to our near-term consumer outlook. Looking ahead, the consumer-facing sectors in India are showing long-term promise, but a relatively hostile investment climate is likely to keep less-hardy investors at bay in the near future. Reflecting the lack of policy continuity and stability in India, the government recently backtracked on its decision to allow foreign direct investment in its multi-brand retail sector. Given the lack of assurance that the government's proposed policies will be followed through and implemented successfully, this will certainly discourage foreign investors from committing massive sums of capital expenditures in the market.

Luxury travel continued to show a strong recovery in 2011, after the decline seen in 2009 and the healthy growth recorded in 2010. A key driver of growth was the rising number of wealthy individuals worldwide, especially in China, Brazil and India, which are expected to fuel a positive performance for luxury travel over the next five years. Luxury travellers needs have also been evolving after the recession, with "experiential" travel and sustainability now playing a more important role.

France's business environment remains among the best in the world. This is underpinned by a welleducated and highly skilled workforce, strong institutions and advanced transport and communications infrastructure. The government continues to occupy a sizeable role in the economy, with public spending totalling around 55% of GDP, among the largest in Europe. While a problem for some, it is the government's infrastructure developments that have helped the country achieved a world-class construction industry. Despite this, economic growth is low and austerity measures could adversely impact the real estate sector. Consequently, the French commercial real estate sector is subdued.

Geneva is a hotspot for European business travellers, with its MICE industry benefiting from the many multinational companies and international organisations based in the city. Leisure travel is less well represented, despite recent attempts by the city's tourism professionals to attract more weekend visitors. The majority of visitors are from Europe, US and the Middle East, with the BRIC countries emerging as new source markets.

BMI View: Construction activity in Hong Kong has moderately improved in the second half of 2011, with an increase in land supply boosting activity in the residential and non-residential building construction industry. Although the government is set to provide more land for middle-class housing, we remain convinced that this is the peak of the construction cycle, with a combination of factors (the weaning of the stimulus measures, the general decline in the appetite for residential construction and the weakness in the Chinese economy) causing a sharp slowdown in construction activity in 2012. We are forecasting construction real growth to reach 2.3% in 2012 and averaging 3.5% per annum between 2013 and 2016.

Sauces, dressings and condiments packaging witnessed healthy unit volume growth of 11% in 2011. This was due to the increased number of new products and rising demand for packaged sauces, dressings and condiments, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, pasta sauces, etc. A shift toward newer Western food types (pasta, pizza, burgers, etc) and Chinese food was visible among urban households, which drove the overall demand for newer products.

BMI View: While the Netherlands is a low risk market from the point of view of multinational drugmakers, the country's modest per capita expenditure on pharmaceuticals relative to other Western Europe countries remains an issue. A further challenge facing drugmakers is cost-containment, which can only intensify as the Netherlands enters a phase of slower economic growth.

In 2011, Saudi banks continued their plan to maximise alternative banking channels. One of the most important alternatives for direct banking is the comprehensive ATM machine through which a large number of the banks' services can be carried out, with no need to visit the bank. In Saudi Arabia, one can use an ATM card not only to withdraw or deposit money, but also to transfer money to intra, internal, and external beneficiaries' accounts. Also, bills and other government fees can all be paid.