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

India - Reliance Retail inks joint ventures with Marks & Spencer and Office Depot Source: Economist Intelligence Unit - ViewsWire, 05 May 2008 Reliance Retail has formed a 49:51 joint venture with UK-based retailer Marks & Spencer. The two companies will together initially invest up to around US$58 million in the joint venture, which plans to open 50 stores within the next five years. Reliance retail has over 500 stores in India; Marks & Spencer has around 975 stores globally. Separately, Reliance Retail has also entered into a joint venture with US-based Office Depot. Office Depot, one of the world's largest office-supplies chains, will hold a 51% stake in the new company. India's market for office products is worth US$2.5 - 4 billion. China - Hot selling perfume Source: The New York Times, 10 May 2008 Significant growth in China is expected despite declining perfume sales in much of the rest of the world. The market there remains small, though sales are rising exponentially. Still, even if the Chinese market is potentially hugely lucrative, doing business there is far from easy. The regulatory system is uncertain. The complexity of its bureaucracy is daunting. The department stores are of varying quality, and because Chinese tastes are changing rapidly, a store that attracts crowds one day can be deserted the next. China - Japan's Yamada Denki to expand in new ground Source: Channel NewsAsia, 12 May 2008 Yamada Denki, Japan's largest discount home electronics retail chain, is planning to open its first Chinese outlet by 2010. The store which is likely to be built in Shanghai will target wealthy individuals who live in China's coastal regions, with Japanese-made products such as flat-panel televisions. The company is shifting its focus to expanding overseas markets after concluding that the domestic market will not likely grow due to the ongoing population decline. If its current plan is realised, it will be the first major Japanese consumer electronics retailer to operate in mainland China.     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.