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This Rail Transportation industry is on the right track, unimpeded by rising fuel prices and environmental concerns that hamper other modes of transportation. The resurgence of the industry's popularity will be supported by a high level of technological change, leading to more powerful and fuel-efficient locomotives. Furthermore, higher production levels and greater consumer spending will support industry demand.

The ongoing growth in Indonesia's economy and the stable economic situation in the country in 2011 were based on favourable indicators including the rising exchange value of the Indonesian rupiah. This resulted in higher growth in consumer credit. Many Indonesian consumers are now more confident to borrow money in order to finance their purchases and the country's banks are also being encouraged to continue lending money to consumers in light of the favourable economic situation which subsists...

As in 2010, current value sales of analgesics in Spain in 2011 were affected by the poor economic environment. The high unemployment rate, which in 2011 was close to 22%, dragged down Spanish average disposable incomes and as a consequence consumers attempted to save money by using reimbursed products instead of consumer health ones. This was a consequence of the change in shopping habits, with price becoming the key variable taken into account when making a purchasing decision. As a result...

BMI View: Brazil remains the most attractive emerging pharmaceutical market in the Americas due to its large population, strong consumer demand, increasing urbanisation and comparatively good drug regulatory environment. Many multinational pharmaceutical companies reported double digital growth during Q411. We expect foreign drugmakers to engage in more collaborations with local companies to capitalise on the rapid market growth and the government's incentives to promote the local industry.

The Irish telecommunications market continues to grow within expectations and we have needed to make only minor downward revisions to forecasts for the country's fixed-line, mobile and broadband sectors. Worsening economic conditions, internal and external in nature, are weighing more heavily on consumer and business spending than previously expected and we are less bullish regarding mobile growth over the next two years. At the same time, incumbent eircom seems to have reached another crisis point and could be sold, broken up or nationalised. This makes it difficult to predict how the market will respond.

BMI View: Over the near term, Japan's consumption of imported oil and natural gas will remain at heightened levels as a result of nuclear power generation losses in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Over the longer-term, a reassessment of energy strategy means nuclear will play a less prominent role and, inevitably, gas will have to make up part of the shortfall. This suggests Japan will become a still bigger player in global LNG purchasing.

BMI's Q212 Kuwait Retail Report forecasts that the country's retail sales will grow from an expected KWD2.36bn (US$8.78bn) in 2012 to KWD3.52bn (US$13.10bn) by 2016, despite the persistence of small-scale political discontent in the country. Key factors behind the forecast growth in Kuwait's retail sales are a favourable long-term economic outlook, a sophisticated consumer base and high levels of disposable income.

BMI View: A number of factors have prompted us to revise our forecasts for Canada's power sector. As part of a revision of our historical data series, we have now factored in lower generation, consumption and net installed capacity for 2011. On top of that, a number of macroeconomic and sector-specific dynamics have been priced-in to our outlook. Most notably, according to BMI's Country Risk team, the Canadian growth outlook will remain relatively positive; yet, a significant deceleration in activity is expected in the first half of 2012 as the global economy cools. As a consequence, while we still expect the power sector will avoid entering negative territory, we see power consumption growing only modestly (0.83%) in 2012.

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Gore) is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of fluoro-polymer products for the medical, electronics, nuclear, fabrics and industrial markets. It is one of the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies and holds more than 2,000 patents worldwide. The company's medical division provides surgeons and patients a variety of surgical products and medical OEM products. Its implants product portfolio includes materials and components that solve complex medical problems in vascular, endovascular, interventional, general surgery and cardiothoracic, oral and orthopedic procedures.

GBI Research, the leading business intelligence provider, has released its latest research, "Orphan Disease Therapeutics in Genetic Disorders to 2018 - Emerging Agents in Cystic Fibrosis Offer Strong Opportunities for Investment and Licensing Activity", which provides insights into the global orphan diseases in genetic disorders therapeutics market, including market forecasts until 2018. The report provides an in-depth analysis of major orphan genetic disease indications, covering Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Fabry disease and Pompe disease. The report also includes insights into the orphan genetic disease therapeutics R&D pipeline. It analyzes the competitive landscape, including M&As, and licensing and co-development deals. The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GBI Research's team of industry experts.