The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.        China's personal care, cosmetics and toiletries industry   Product innovation in China's personal care sector is buoyant, but safety concerns  and regulations may become a barrier. Find out what's happening in the industry  and where the trends are heading. In collaboration with the PCHi exhibition.     Request free copy.

Consumer & retail

China - Skin care market to grow at 12.5% Source: M2 Presswire, 18 April 2008 The skin care market is the major segment in the cosmetics and toiletries industry of China. According to a market research report "Cosmetics and Toiletries Market in China" by the market research firm RNCOS, China's skin care market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2008 to 2012. China has large populace in the age group of 15 to 59 years, which is considered more fashion-conscious. Apart from domestic players, the growing skin care sector of China is also attracting many foreign players. Many international brands like Olay, L'Oreal and Aupres have successfully established themselves in skin care products market of China. For instance, in 2006, among the top ten skin care brands in China, eight were foreign. India - M&S sees India market hotter than China Source: Reuters, 21 April 2008 British retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) aims to step up the pace in India with its new joint venture with Reliance Retail and says it expects the fast-growing market to be more significant than China. The company will open at least 50 new stores in India over five years to sell apparel and homeware, with an initial investment of up to GBP29 million (US$57.4 million). M&S's increased presence comes at a time of heightened interest in India's fragmented retail industry, which is forecast to nearly double in size by 2015 from about US$350 billion. Foreign multiple-brand retailers are only permitted wholesale and franchise operations in India, where the expansion of modern retail has sparked political concerns and protests from small traders over potential job losses. Korea - Luxury brands enjoy rising sales in 2007 Source: Korea herald, 22 April 2008 Foreign luxury brands enjoyed a surge in profits in 2007 thanks to Korean consumers' affinity for big-name fashion brands, and supported by rising per capita income. Luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Rolex, Zegna and Fendi have all seen sales revenues increase last year. Luxury brands in Korea have been typically cushioned from economic slowdowns, making the market attractive to many international companies for testing new products and capitalizing on consumers' purchasing power. Per capita income also passed US$20,000 recently and is steadily increasing, while economic development and further market liberalization have expanded the appetite for global brands.     View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles.  Visit our website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.