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May 2008 Issue:

FASHION & JEWELLERY 

• Latest Developments
  
  
  • Vanity Fair Mills wins its lifestyle game, from making undergarments to cult brands.
  • New York’s designer range at Target has received overwhelming response from trend-spotters.
  • Tiffany’s “Simply Spectacular” made its debut in Singapore from March 30 to April 4, 2008.
    
    
• Market Opportunities
  
  
  • Indian designers’ collections were paraded at Delhi’s and Mumbai’s Fashion Week, with 87 designers at Delhi and 57 at Mumbai.
  • Increased world demand for fashion clothing and sponsorships for the Olympic Games in China have contributed to the rapid growth of the textile and fashion sector in Thailand.
    
    
• Industry Data
  Asia-Pacific apparel retail industry value forecast from 2007 to 2011.

FRANCHISING & LICENSING

• Latest Developments
  
  
  • A franchise of legal services is doing well in Australia.
  • Online demands and international business drove sales performance of Mothercare with 494 franchise stores in 48 countries.
  • Singapore's Sakae Sushi is going global.
    
    
• Market Opportunities
  
  
  • Going global is an ultimate aim for franchising companies. The market for franchises is lucrative. Asia alone is estimated to grow at over US$50 billion annually.
  • Education franchises offer needed services for children and families.
    
    
• Industry Data
  Asia-Pacific fast food market volume forecast from 2007 to 2011.

healthcare & pharmaceuticals

• Latest Developments
  
  
  • Online sales for prescriptive drugs in Greater Jakarta provide an alternative to dispensaries, relieving the public of long queues for medication.
  • Obesity drug market in the developed countries will reach US$2 billion in 2016.
  • Veredus Laboratories, a homegrown biotech firm and STMicroelectronics launched VereFlu, a “lab-on-chip” for flu detection. Jointly developed, the VereFlu can detect more than 10 different flu strains including influenza A and B viruses, and the H5N1 avian flu.
    
    
• Market Opportunities
  
  
  • The market for global healthy foods is expanding with greater sales and emerging new products.
  • Huge investments in health sectors in the Middle East have benefited their pharmaceutical industry.
    
    
• Industry Data
  Asia-Pacific pharmaceuticals market value forecast from 2008 to 2012.