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 - Sales of top 100 chain stores up 21% in 2007 Source: China View, 29 March 2008 Sales at China's top 100 chain stores grew 21% to RMB1,002.2 billion (US$143 billion) in 2007. According to the China Chain Store and Franchise Association, the sum amounted to 11.2% of the country's consumer goods retail sales, which surged 17% to RMB8.9 trillion (US$1.3 trillion). The top 100 chain stores had 105,191 outlets in 2007, up 58%. The association attributed the growth to the rural market, where the number of outlets rocketed 145% to 52,000 in 2007. The sales volume of 15 overseas chain stores in the list, including Wal-Mart and Carrefour, rose 28% to RMB182.5 billion (US$26 billion), accounting for 18% of the total, while their outlets grew 3.7% to 3,956. India - Italian luxury brands plan expansion Source: Asia Pulse, 31 March 2008 With the Indian luxury market set to touch US$30 billion by 2015, Italy's premium menswear brands Brioni and Canali are firming up plans to strengthen their presence in the country. Brioni is all set to launch two new stores in 2008. Similarly, Canali plans to have eight by 2010. However, the Italian majors feel that availability of quality locations for luxury retailing was an issue. "We are finding it difficult to find the right kind of space and location to execute the plans," Brioni CEO Perrone said. Canali Sales and Marketing Director Paolo Canali also said that the company's expansion plans in India would depend on getting ideal locations. India - India lags as retail destination Source: Hindustan Times, 30 March 2008 Despite the fact that every major international retail giant, from Wal-Mart to Carrefour to Tesco, is looking to establish its presence in the country, India ranks 44 in a list of 250 most preferred retail destinations in the world in a report by real estate consultancy CB Richard Ellis. The primary reason for India lagging behind is the restriction on foreign investment in the retail sector, which is capped at 51% for single-brand stores. The report ranks the UK as the leader in international retailer presence, with 55% of retailers surveyed present there. Ranked second is Spain with 51% of retailers present, followed by France and Germany. India is way behind United Arab Emirates, China and Russia, who have found a position in the top 10.     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.