ReleaseWire

In February 2014, the NCC fined three of the country's four MNOs the sum of NGN647.5mn (US$3.89mn) for missing their QoS targets for the month of January. This development supports BMI's view that increased regulatory pressure over poor QoS would drive capex spending and efficiency improvement strategies among operators in 2014 and beyond. Some operators sealed network and IT outsourcing deals with leading vendors in late 2013 and early 2014. Meanwhile, there are reports of impending tower deals as the operators look to outsource the management of their tower sites to independent vendors. We expect this trend to continue over the long term given the current market dynamics and growing regulatory pressure.

The Czech National Bank (CNB)'s decision on November 7 to intervene in the foreign exchange market has led us to adjust our expectations for the CNB's monetary policy trajectory for 2014-2015. We now expect the authorities to continue with FX intervention through the course of 2014, and to begin hiking rates in 2015. At the same time, we reiterate our view that both demand-side and supply side disinflationary pressures have run their course in Q413.

In spite of the improvement in Belarus' economy and the lower level of inflation in 2013, economical consumption remained the key market trend. 2013 saw stable demand, mainly for multi-purpose cleaners, as they are considered as essential by every household in Belarus. However, in difficult economic conditions Belarusian consumers remain cautious in their spending and keep trading down to cheaper products or brands if they do not want to give them up entirely, or use fewer products, which...

The November 2013 interim nuclear deal reached in Geneva has rightly been hailed as a significant development in the negotiations between Iran and the West, and marks a further improvement in the Islamic Republic's international position since the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in June 2013. However, it is crucial to note that the agreement does not lift sanctions on Iran's oil exports and does not allow for additional Iranian oil sales. Any significant easing of the oil export ban would only come as part of a broader, final settlement, which would be at a minimum 6-12 months away. For the moment therefore, the Iranian hydrocarbons sector remains largely impaired due to the ongoing sanctions. In terms of gas, we believe that Iran will not be able to increase production sufficiently to satisfy mounting domestic gas demand. This will translate into increasing gas shortages. Meanwhile, Iran is claiming a succession of major oil and gas discoveries that, if proven, demonstrate considerable upside potential to its existing resource base. In a bid to secure much-needed investment, Iran is offering improved terms to contracts long seen as uncompetitive by operators, but few national oil companies are likely to bite as long as sanctions are upheld.

Latin America has overtaken Western Europe to become the second largest region for ingredients used in beauty and personal care. It is important for ingredient manufacturers to understand the trends and consumer lifestyles driving ingredient growth in the region, from the strengthening of plant-based repairing hair care to the rise of cross-category facial make-up. The report analyses the various ingredient consumption changes to come, and also focuses on key categories in Brazil.

Atomic Spectroscopy Market by Technology ( X-Ray Fluorescence / Atomic Absorption / X-Ray Diffraction / ICP-MS ) & by Application ( Food & Beverage / Pharmaceutical / Industrial Chemistry / Biotechnology / Environment ) - Competitive Landscape - Global Forecasts & Trends to 2018

Euromonitor International's Industrial reports provide a 360 degree view of an industry. The Industrial market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the Clothing market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.

Aerospace & Defense in the United States industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value 2009-13, and forecast to 2018). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the United States aerospace & defense market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information.

'Uganda: Mobile Market Consolidates as LTE Rollout Begins,' a new Country Intelligence Report by Pyramid Research, offers a precise, incisive profile of Uganda's mobile and fixed telecommunications markets based on comprehensive proprietary data and insights from our research in the Uganda market. Published annually, this presentation-quality, executive-level report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony and broadband and mobile sectors, in addition to a review of key regulatory trends.

The products in this area can be described as commodities, with all companies offering standardised cotton wool/buds/pads. In order to differentiate brands, companies offer a wide variety of pack sizes and formats. However, the area keeps developing in-line with overall beauty and personal care trends.

Glass Fiber & Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) Composites Market by Raw Material, Manufacturing Process, Application (Transportation, Construction, Electrical & Electronics, & Others) & by Geography - Global Trends & Forecast to 2019

The UAE's stable investment climate and its robust attempts to maximise the potential of its significant oil and natural gas reserves will continue to make it a major focus of upstream investment. This, in turn, will bring it closer to its target of increasing production to 3.6mn barrels per day (b/d) by 2019. We expect steady growth in oil and gas production over the course of our forecast period. Greater attempts at increasing energy efficiency, efforts to reduce waste and increasing natural gas production will be critical to limiting the UAE's import requirement as consumption continues to outstrip demand, even with some US $25bn set to be investment in gas projects in Abu Dhabi alone.

Euromonitor International's Industrial reports provide a 360 degree view of an industry. The Industrial market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the Lifting and Handling Equipment market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.

Global Retail Lending industry guide provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market size (value , and forecast to 2017). The guide also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market.

Showrooming has hit retailers hard in recent years. The emergence of smartphones means that many consumers are able to look at products in a bricks and mortar store and look around online to find a better price. Among other things, online retailers benefit from having fewer overheads than physical stores, which makes them very difficult to beat on price.

We have revised downward our forecast for real GDP growth in Ghana in 2014, to 5.1% from 6.4% previously. Our analyst in Accra reports that consumer spending is slowing down owing to high inflation. Meanwhile, the cedi is weakening rapidly, owing to structural macroeconomic weaknesses.

Hot drinks in Kazakhstan saw positive retail volume and value sales growth in 2013. Tea is a traditional drink in Kazakhstan that is consumed by up to 97% of the population. Is it widely popular both off-trade and in foodservice outlets. Tea in Kazakhstan is very unique, in that consumers, regardless of income size, prefer to drink better quality and more sophisticated tea. Nevertheless, consumers, especially in big cities, are open to trying new drinks. Thanks to this, the developing...

Motorcycles in Mexico industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2009-13, and forecast to 2018). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the Mexico motorcycles market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information.

Motorcycles in France industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2009-13, and forecast to 2018). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the France motorcycles market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information.

MarketLines' Microchip Technology, Inc. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Microchip Technology, Inc. since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.

Juice grew 5% in volume and 10% in current value during 2013, which is explained by increases in disposable income, consumers' preference for healthier products and the positioning of foreign brands such as Tropicana, Florida's Natural and Old Orchard. Volume growth through the off-trade channel was 5% and was strongly influenced by the growth of 100% juice. On the other hand, on-trade volume growth was 12%, mainly due to the increase in juice drinks (up to 24% juice), representing 89% of...

Pork producers will face rising costs due to the staggered implementation of minimum wage legislation beginning later this year, while beef production is expected to show weak growth as dairy herds recover. Dairy farmers are still faced with a difficult climate, with many smaller producers expected to be faced with a choice of ceasing operations or joining cooperatives after the removal of quotas in 2015. Even for the big players, milk prices remain perilously low, and it is only the strength of exports that provides a silver lining. Wheat prices are expected to lead farmers to favour increasing acreage of the crop at the expense of corn, barley and sugar.

The US consumer electronics market is mature, with high penetration rates in a number of device categories, but opportunities remain. Growth areas include large-size HD TV sets, smartphones, Microsoft Windows 8 tablets and convertibles/hybrids, Ultrabooks, and smart TV sets. Questions still remain about the sustainability of consumption in the absence of strong wage growth.

Economical consumption remained the key trend in juice in 2013, in spite of the improvement in the Belarus economy. In the 2013 economic conditions the purchasing power of the majority of consumers in Belarus remained relatively low, while unit prices increased due to the weakness of the national currency. As a result, consumers had less disposable income to spend and gave priority to cheaper brands and products. Juice is not considered an essential product by some consumers in Belarus, which...

MarketLines' Asia Pacific Breweries Limited Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Partnerships & Alliances and Investments report includes business description, detailed reports on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestments, capital raisings, venture capital investments, ownership and partnership transactions undertaken by Asia Pacific Breweries Limited since January 2007. These reports offer a comprehensive breakdown of the organic and inorganic growth activity undertaken by an organization to sustain its competitive advantage.