Over the past year, global markets have been walking a tight rope. Inflationary pressures, tightening monetary policy, and persistent geopolitical instability from the war in Ukraine to fragile supply chains have created an uneasy investment climate. This already fragile environment was further destabilized by the latest round of U.S.
Retailers are increasingly focusing on expanding their private label offerings as inflation influences consumer spending patterns. Nearly 60% of retailers are enhancing products for private labels, transforming what was once considered a budget option into a strategic business initiative. This shift not only helps in reducing costs but also fosters
As the U.S. government pushes forward with legislation that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells off the platform, the global business community is watching one of the most important business deals of the decade unfold right now. With TikTok’s
The retail analytics market is projected to explode from $7.56 billion in 2023 to a staggering $31.08 billion by 2032. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategic transformation. Retailers across the globe are trading guesswork for foresight, using predictive analytics to steer smarter, faster, and
A Market Shake-Up in 2025 The first quarter of 2025 has upended long-standing market trends, sending shockwaves through global economies. The once-dominant U.S. stock market has stumbled. The S&P 500 tumbled 4.6%, its worst performance since 2022, while European stocks soared. The Stoxx 600 outperformed the
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, but behind the scenes, a crucial factor is emerging energy. To power AI’s growing demand, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund ADQ has launched a $25 billion partnership with U.S.-based Energy Capital Partners. This investment will develop 25
When the world’s largest retailer signals caution, the global economy pays attention. Walmart’s latest forecast projects only 3-4% sales growth for the year, a sharp decline from last year’s 5.1% growth. The impact was immediate: Walmart’s stock dropped 6%, the Dow Jones fell 1%, and
A shift is happening in consumer behavior, and the numbers don’t lie. Shoppers are tightening their wallets, cutting back on non-essentials, and prioritizing value like never before. Apparel spending is down 12% year-over-year, luxury in-store purchases have dropped 9.3%, and even grocery shopping patterns are shifting consumers are
Apple TV+ is projected to lose $1-2 billion annually, yet the tech giant continues to invest $5+ billion per year in premium content. With 45 million subscribers and capturing less than 1% of monthly TV viewership, Apple TV+ appears to be trailing behind streaming titans like Netflix (260M+ subscribers) and
February’s retail sales report may suggest a slowdown, with sales increasing by just 0.2%—well below the expected 0.6%. January’s numbers were even more concerning, showing a 1.2% decline, the sharpest drop in over three years. However, these figures do not indicate that consumers are
The e-commerce boom has permanently reshaped consumer expectations around delivery speed, convenience and sustainability. As online shopping becomes the norm across categories, brands are racing to future-proof their last-mile logistics strategies. Failure to provide affordable, rapid fulfilment and sustainable delivery options risks customer churn and brand erosion. Our latest global
Amid the increasing fracturing of traditional media channels, declining trust in institutions and advertising, and the deprecation of third-party data, brands are at an inflexion point for establishing relevance and direct relationships with consumers globally. In our latest global market study surveying over 15,000 consumers across nearly 20 countries,
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For decades, the standard narrative around emerging markets framed consumers in these regions as cost-conscious and primarily driven by economic necessity when making purchases. However, research from Rwazi's on-the-ground consumer intelligence networks reveals surprising data disproving this simplistic assumption. Through ethnographic studies, digital anthropologies and hyper-local surveys conducted
Business
The metaverse may seem like a far-off futuristic concept, but understanding this convergence of physical and virtual worlds is quickly becoming necessary for leading consumer brands. With projections that metaverse experiences could unlock $800 billion in commerce by 2024, the need for robust consumer insights around this channel is only
Business
Over the past half-decade, contingency after contingency has mercilessly exposed the fragility within modern global supply chains. Trade disputes, pandemics, forced labour controversies, environmental disasters, geopolitical conflicts – each crisis has progressively exacerbated the brittleness plaguing enterprise resource flows. While disruptions are inevitable, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a prolonged real-time
Business
In many corners of the Western world, the unrivalled digital utility of apps like Google, Facebook and Amazon has been taken for granted. But across Southeast Asia and other high-growth markets, a burgeoning new category of all-in-one "super app" platforms has rapidly rearranged consumer behaviour and commercial battlegrounds.
Business
If you're apt to think of Twitter's "blue check" as an irrelevant shorthand from Web 1.0, think again. Social media identity verification has become a battleground for brand legitimacy in the creator economy fueling Web3. At the core of Web3 – the sweeping paradigm
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Move over basketball and soccer. Increasingly, the athletes of tomorrow are foregoing real-world sports to pursue careers as digitized esports superstars battling on virtual fields of play. While the concept of organized competitive video gaming has existed for over four decades, the 2020s are solidifying esports as a ubiquitous cultural
Business
In the not-so-distant past, luxury purchases were almost solely markers of affluence and indulgence. Rolls-Royce commanded respect for its six-figure price tag and lavish material embellishments. Scoring an exclusive Hermès Birkin bag meant joining the rarified circles of the global elite. However, a rapidly mainstreaming value among modern high-income explorers
In 1999, few could foresee the eventual metamorphosis of consumers that big tech platforms and the smartphone revolution would catalyze. Who could predict a "social media influencer" becoming a coveted marketing channel surpassing TV commercials? If businesses fail to anticipate, analyze and adapt to large-scale consumer shifts or
Business
Consumer behavior in 2023 bends can sometimes feel like a kaleidoscope of contradictions. Gen Z environmental evangelists promoting sustainability, yet splurging on fast fashion. Middle-aged affluent suburbanites craving local farm-to-table meal kits, delivered in single-use plastic containers. Health-conscious urban dwellers cross-shopping supplements with sporadic impulse buys of indulgent sweets and
In our hyper-globalized world, the typical Fortune 500 enterprise generates over 30% of its revenue from international markets. For ambitious multinationals not going abroad, getting left behind is a defining risk. However, expanding across borders also carries substantial hazards. An astonishing 1 in 3 multinational corporations report operating losses from
Imagine being a multinational retailer aiming to plant distribution flags across the lucrative Southeast Asian markets of Vietnam and Thailand. You've allocated substantial capital, performed demographic studies, and even visited a few key cities - but you're still lacking a critical data component: hyper-local intel on
Imagine launching a new product across West Africa, only to realize too late that it doesn't align with cultural traditions and falls flat. Or investing heavily into expanding your business footprint across Southeast Asia, just to miss the mark on consumer pricing expectations and see sales sputter. These