How commerce and industry

Reuters filepix for illustration purpose only - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (June 29): The global Muslim population spending amounted to US$2 trillion in 2021 and this is projected to grow to US$2.8 trillion in 2024, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) said, quoting the 2022 State of the Global Islamic Economy Report. In a statement Wednesday (June 29), MATRADE Frankfurt trade commissioner Zuhaila Sedek said Malaysia and Germany can collaborate to explore the potential of this industry via innovation and in supply chain management. “In Germany, (the) halal (industry) is seen as a value proposition that has a lot of similarities with organic and vegan products, and can serve the demand of between 5.3 and 5.6 million Muslims living in the country," she said at a webinar “Halal as a Catalyst of Innovation and Sustainability for Manufacturers” on June 17. She said the halal industry is a multi-billion and dynamic one with a pool of consumers with … [Read more...] about Global Muslim population spent US$2 tril in 2021

- A + A LONDON (June 29): Amazon.com Inc’s cloud-storage business is on a clear path toward a US$3 trillion value, almost triple what the whole company is worth now in the stock market, according to a Redburn Ltd analyst. The unit, Amazon Web Services, is so powerful that the company may decide at some point to split it off from the massive, slower-growing online retail operation, analyst Alex Haissl wrote in a 128-page report initiating coverage of the cloud-computing industry. He didn’t say when the US$3 trillion value may be achieved. “Separating AWS may not be on the table for now, but if the performance gap versus the non-AWS parts continues to widen, it could be on the table further down the road,” wrote Haissl, a former head of automotive research at Berenberg and Credit Suisse Group AG who began his career as a police officer in Vienna. Haissl recommends buying Amazon shares and sees the stock reaching US$270 in the next year, the highest target on … [Read more...] about Amazon cloud unit on course for US$3 tril value, Redburn says

The Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City returned in June for its first in-person event since 2019, a return that spotlighted the changes in tastes and behaviors created by the pandemic. The food and beverage industry trade show, organized by the Specialty Food Association , featured more than 1,900 exhibitors across a spectrum of food categories --from cured meats and cheeses to olive oil and sweets and exotic items such as gourmet bananas Foster bonbons ... and sections dedicated to cuisines of countries like Greece and Japan. With continued pandemic perturbations and murmurs of a recession ahead, here are some of the trends that emerged: 1. Convenience still conquers all Consumers prioritized both convenience and comfort during the pandemic, and that sentiment continues to grow. Hybrid and remote work has made e-commerce, delivery, and curated assortments an even bigger part of the convenience trend, according to the SFA's most recent State of the Specialty … [Read more...] about How the Pandemic Is Reshaping Food and Beverage Innovation

One of the reasons I'm so passionate about entrepreneurship is that it allows anyone to chart their own destiny. If you have a good idea and the willingness to pursue it, you're on your way to supporting yourself and adding value to our economy. Which is why, as my company gathered stories from LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs for Pride Month, I was happy to hear that the spirit of self-determination is alive and well. "Ever since I was a child, I've always wanted to be my own boss," says RJ Silver, owner of Sad Boy Designs. "The only thing that ever struck my interest was art, and I wanted to find the best way to display my talents. Today, I'm a graphic designer, and I create multiple things ranging from small keychains to large car decals." We need more, not less, of stories like this. That's one reason Hello Alice regularly surveys the more than 800,000 small business owners on our platform to understand their quantitative and qualitative experiences and advance targeted … [Read more...] about 4 Challenges–and Triumphs–of LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs in 2022

- A + A NEW YORK (June 30): U.S. Treasury yields eased for a second consecutive day and the dollar rose on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said there is a risk the U.S. central bank's interest rate hikes will slow the economy too much, but the bigger risk is persistent inflation. The S&P 500 ended slightly lower, and looked set to put in the worst first-half for the U.S. benchmark index in more than five decades. "The clock is kind of running on how long will you remain in a low-inflation regime. ... The risk is that because of the multiplicity of shocks you start to transition into a higher inflation regime and our job is to literally prevent that from happening and we will prevent that from happening," Powell said at a European Central Bank conference. Investors have worried that an aggressive push by the Fed to dampen inflation will tip the economy into recession. Matt Stucky, senior portfolio manager at Northwestern Mutual Wealth … [Read more...] about Dollar gains, yields ease after Powell inflation comments

- A + A NEW YORK (June 30): The S&P 500 ended a seesaw session slightly down on Wednesday as investors staggered toward the finish line of a downbeat month, a dismal quarter, and the worst first-half for Wall Street's benchmark index since President Richard Nixon's first term. The three major U.S. stock indexes spent much of the session wavering between red and green. The Nasdaq joined the S&P 500, closing nominally lower, while the blue-chip Dow posted a modest gain. "The market’s struggling to find direction," said Megan Horneman, chief investment officer at Verdence Capital Advisors in Hunt Valley, Maryland. "We had disappointing data, and the markets are waiting for earnings season, when we'll get more clarity" with respect to future earnings and an economic slowdown. Market leaders Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.com provided the upside muscle, while economically sensitive chips, small caps and transports were underperforming the broader market. With the … [Read more...] about S&P 500 limps to slightly lower close as quarter-end looms

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Intellectual Property (IP) and patent landscape are incredibly complex. There are rules and regulations for different types of products, designs, and trade secrets differing by country and region. It takes years to develop unique products and bring solutions to market to consumers, with a tremendous amount of IP involved. This is why it’s crucial for everyone — especially for smaller companies — to have the resources in place to protect their property and in some cases even their livelihood. Intellectual property and patents are some of a company’s most important assets in today’s business climate. But these assets could be under threat from competitors, hackers, and other bad actors. For the tech giants that have an army of litigators and resources at their disposal, fighting patent infringement or IP infringement lawsuits is par for the course, but smaller companies often don’t have the luxury to go through a … [Read more...] about Amazon Turns To Technology To Help Small Business Deal With Intellectual Property Challenges

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Big Tech companies—such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple and Amazon—are frequent subjects of headlining news stories, both for reasons they’re proud of and for occasional blunders. All this attention on these industry giants isn’t just valuable (or embarrassing) press attention for them—it’s also an ongoing, practical learning experience for smaller companies. Keeping on top of and learning from the high-profile “lessons” Big Tech provides on topics ranging from the user experience to data protection can be a boon for smaller tech companies navigating a highly competitive industry. Below, 14 members of Forbes Technology Council share both clear and less obvious lessons every tech company can learn from Big Tech. 1. Constantly Measure Customer Impact Most startups work in an ad hoc way, in which features are developed based on intuition. Conversely, big companies measure every decision based on its customer … [Read more...] about 14 Valuable Lessons Smaller Tech Companies Should Learn From Big Tech’s Example

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Shoes and clothes affect our state of mind and mirrors our soul. Yet when it comes to finding the perfect sustainable fit, Soles4Souls adds an extra layer of soul-searching. Soles4Souls’ business model embraces “the notion of turning shoes and clothing into opportunity, literally transforming the lives of women in developing countries,” according to Nancy Youssef, Chief Business Development Officer, Soles4Souls. Something as simple as a pair of shoes can make a big difference Footwear and fashion’s growth-focused business model is not sustainable. The industry has yet to solve the trade-off that selling more shoes and clothes fundamentally requires more resources. It’s high time to understand that sustainability is not just an ‘add-on.’ Sustainability needs to be implemented into our end-to-end thinking to eventually embed it as a DNA string into corporate thinking and acting. With COVID-19 – the pandemic, as … [Read more...] about The Perfect Fit: Fashion And Footwear Take Big Steps Toward Sustainability