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.

Dear ?NAME?,        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. In the news this week  l 28-Mar-08 Foreign investors unfazed by Vietnam's economic difficulties

Despite difficulties of soaring inflation (which topped 15% in February year-on-year) and widening trade deficit (US$7.5 billion in January-March 2008), Vietnam is still one of the world's most attractive investment destinations. Just over one year after joining the World Trade Organisation, Vietnam ranks sixth in the list of countries attracting foreign investment. The 2007 World Investment Report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development showed Vietnam to be only behind China, India, Russia, the United States and Brazil. Vietnam has attracted more than US$98 billion in foreign investments. The country's goal for 2006 through 2010 is to attract US$150 billion in foreign investment. Citigroup expects Vietnam's GDP to grow 8.1% in 2008, outstripping the average of 5% forecast for Asia. Citigroup also expects investments in Vietnam to reap returns of as much as 20% in 2008. To ride on the booming economy, Korea's Samsung Electronics has unveiled plans to build a US$670 million handset plant in northern Vietnam. Japan's cosmetic maker Shiseido is building a fully-owned plant in booming Vietnam to make skin care products. Thailand's top business conglomerate Siam Cement will collaborate with Vietnamese firms to build a US$3.8 billion petrochemicals complex on Vietnam's Long Son Island. About US$20 billion in foreign direct investment has been promised for 2008. Click here to view this week's articles for all industries.    What you don't know can hurt you  Receive all the key news on your markets, industry and competitors each  week, with alerts for important breaking news, and avoid information  overload with human filtering. Find out more about our Market Monitoring   Service and web-based Intelligence Plaza system by emailing   marketing@fusionc.com.

Chemical China - Clariant invests in specialty organic pigments plant China - Sinopec, SABIC to build US$1.7 billion joint venture Vietnam - Joint venture to build first petrochemical complex

Consumer & retail India - Hamleys seeks to enter Indian market Japan - Supermarkets to woo frugal consumers with private brands Vietnam - Shiseido to build cosmetics factory

Financial services Hong Kong - Stanchart may bid for stake in Wing Lung Bank Singapore - More private banking outlets set up Thailand - No slowdown seen in credit-card usage

Industrial & logistics China - China to add 97 airports by 2020 China - Freight Links buys 60% stake in Citic Logistics India - Blue Dart to increase warehousing capacity

Information & communication technology   Asia - Mobile phone market may surpass 400 million units in 2008 India - India may soon be second largest mobile market Vietnam - Samsung to build handset plant in Vietnam

Life science India - MNCs have a healthy share of cancer drug patent claims Singapore - Veredus in lab tie-up for diagnostic tool R&D Vietnam - Singapore firm sets up Viet stem cell bank

Media & leisure Asia - Tourism revenues to top US$4.6 trillion by 2010 China - Time-Stanton JV signs IPTV on mobile pact with Chinese operators Malaysia - Astro no more in race for Virgin Radio

Previous issues

India's chemical sector benefits from China's cut in export rebates [21-Mar-08] Foreign game makers accelerate Asian drive [14-Mar-08] Asian players withdraw from fiercely competitive Chinese handset market [7-Mar-08] India to exploit nutraceuticals [29-Feb-08] India sets sight on becoming a global MRO hub [22-Feb-08] High stakes in Australian credit card game [15-Feb-08]

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