AMERICAS AUTOMOTIVE TRANSPORT MARKET

AMERICAS: SEPTEMBER 2008 - Canadian Trucking Alliance is not impressed by Transport Canada's Full Cost Investigation.

Transport Canada and provincial and territorial governments have undertaken a full cost investigation (FCI) of transportation in Canada which "includes the comprehensive financial and social costs associated with infrastructures, services, vehicles, and with the movement of people and goods. Social costs refer to the costs of accidents, noise, congestion delays and environmental damages."

The FCI is intended to deliver defensible estimates of costs that would allow a better understanding of the relative full costs of the different modes of transport.

The report, published in July 2008 but based on data from 2000, estimated the full costs of transportation ranged between C$198 billion and C$233 billion. Of that figure social costs associated with the impacts of transportation activities in 2000 were estimated to be in the a range between C$24.4 billion and C$39.5 billion.

The full cost of trucking was estimated at C$53.84 billion of which C$4.01 billion or 7% is attributable to social costs.

David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, is not impressed. He is quoted in a CTA release as stating that, "Beyond an interesting intellectual exercise, the report is not of much use and certainly cannot be relied upon for policy purposes." Furthemore he decries Transport Canada's admission that "in order to complete this project by the deadline, the issue of absolute and relative benefits and advantages of transportation has been excluded from the scope of the project." Bradley elaborates that this omission "doesn't help the sector in its attempts to ensure that policy-makers and legislators view the industry as more than a necessary evil or stop taking it for granted."

Canada Trucking 2008

Snapdata's Snapshots Canada Trucking 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Canadian trucking market and covers general freight, dry bulk, liquid bulk, forest products, movers and other specialised freight. Market value is based on revenues. Market volume is based on the number of vehicles in circulation. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Canada Trucking 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Transport industry coverage.

EUROPE INSURANCE MARKETS

EUROPE: MAY 2008 - Finansinspektionen's traffic-light model measures risk exposure.

The role of Finansinspektionen, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, is to promote stability and efficiency in the financial system and to ensure effective consumer protection. It was established in 1991 through the merger of the former banking and insurance regulators with the aim of creating a single integrated regulator covering banking, securities and insurance.

They use a traffic-light model to measure the exposure of insurance companies to extreme price fluctuations in the financial markets so that they can identify, at an early stage, companies that have damagingly high levels of risk exposure. The initial version, subsequently revised, was introduced at the beginning of 2006. The examples of price fluctuations that companies they regulate should be able to withstand include a 40% fall in Swedish share prices, a 35% fall in real estate prices and a 30% fall in long-term interest rates.

Of 189 insurance companies, consisting of 60 life insurance companies and occupational pension funds and 129 non-life insurance companies, that filed a...more

Sweden Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Sweden Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Swedish life insurance market and covers traditional and unit-linked insurance. It does not include reinsurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Sweden Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Sweden Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Sweden Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Swedish non-life insurance market and covers motor insurance, ilness & accident, commercial buildings insurance, household buildings and contents insurance animal and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Sweden Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Germany Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German insurance market and covers life and non-life (property and casualty) insurance. It does not include reinsurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Germany Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German non-life insurance market and covers private health, motor, property and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Mexico Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Mexico Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Mexican non-life insurance market and covers motor, private medical, private pensions, earthquake, fire, maritime and transport, civil responsibility, agriculture, credits and other insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Mexico Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Russia General Liability Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Russia General Liability Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Russian general liability insurance market and covers general liability insurance. Market value is based on gross written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Russia General Liability Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

ASIA INSURANCE MARKET

Detariffing of India's general insurance sector benefits the private sector.

The Indian general insurance sector saw the completion of the detariffing process on 1 January 2008. Price controls had first been lifted in January 2006 but the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (IRDA) had capped discounts at 51.2%.

Figures released by the IRDA show that growth figures in January 2008 have matched those of the previous eight months. There had been concerns that a period of cut throat competition may have ensued with market participants slashing prices to win market share at the expense of revenue growth. This had been the experience in other markets undergoing detariffing.

India's private sector insurers have been gaining market share since detariffing at the expense of the state owned entities although this has slowed from 8% in the period from April to December 2006 to 5% in the equivalent period of 2007.

The IRDA Chairman, CS Rao, stated at the CII Health Insurance Summit in Mumbai in October 2007 that he expected, 'Removal of tariff on other lines of business is....more

Australia Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Australia Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Australian life insurance market and covers superannuation and ordinary life (long-term) insurance. Market value is based on regular premiums in force and new single premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Australia Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian insurance market and covers life and non-life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian life insurance market. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

India Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots India Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Indian non-life insurance market and covers motor, fire, health accident, marine, engineering, personal, liability, aviation and other non-life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots India Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Japan Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Japan Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Japanese life insurance market and covers individual, individual annuity, group, group annuity and others. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Japan Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Japanese non-life insurance market and covers fire, marine, inland transit, voluntary automobile, personal accident, compulsory automobile and other. Market value is based on value on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Japan Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Hong Kong life insurance market and covers individual life and annunity (non-linked), individual life and annuity (linked), other individual, retirement scheme group business and non-retirement scheme group. Market value is based on the value of office premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Hong Kong Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Germany Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German life insurance market and covers life insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Canada Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Canada Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Canadian life insurance market and covers traditional life insurance, pension insurance and personal accident insurance. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Canada Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US insurance market and covers life and non-life insurance. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US life insurance market and covers traditional life insurance, pension insurance, personal accident insurance, and others. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US non-life insurance market and covers motor, property, liability, and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on net written premiums. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US property and casualty insurance market and covers the net written premiums earned by property and casualty insurance companies in the US. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Property and Casualty Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008
Snapdata's Snapshots Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Russian non-life insurance market and covers complusory, property, personal, general liability and other non-life insurance policies. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Russia Non-Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage.

Europe New Housing Market

Varied evidence and opinion on UK housing market.

The United Kingdom's house builders have been announcing their preliminary results for the 2007 financial year in which the majors produced about 10% fewer homes than in 2006.

Taylor Wimpey, the biggest house builder by volume, reported UK sales down 3.7% but with their average sale price up 2.1% to £188,000 their margins improved by 2.4%. Their order book at the end of February 2008 had 'a greater than historical weighting towards affordable homes. As interesting as the results themselves was the comment from Pete Redfern, Group Chief Executive, who said: 'We continue to anticipate a more difficult trading environment in the UK during 2008.'

Persimmon who reported a 12th successive increase in annual pre-tax profit were also circumspect with Group Chairman, John White, stating that 'When confidence returns and sentiment improves we anticipate a return to a stronger market; in the meantime we....more

UK New Housing 2008

Snapdata's Snapshots UK New Housing 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the UK new housing market and covers private housing and public sector housing and housing associations. Market value is based on new orders obtained. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots UK New Housing 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Construction industry coverage.

AMERICAS MUTUAL FUNDS MARKET

AMERICAS: MARCH 2008 - The use of sub-advisers by US mutual funds is on the increase.

The use of sub-advisers by US mutual funds enables them to utilise knowledge and expertise in geographic areas and asset classes without the expense or time lapse involved in acquisition or building it in-house. This is despite the fact that the sub-adviser will receive approximately 50% of the management fee.

Lipper have reported that assets held in sub-advised funds in the United States increased to $641 bn in 2007 from $261 bn in 2002. Financial Research Corp. analysts forecast that over the next five years assets in sub-advised funds will grow at a...more

ASIA MOBILE PHONES MARKET

ASIA: MARCH 2008 - Significant reduction in carbon emissions through increased use of telecoms?

Telstra commissioned Climate Risk to produce the study Towards a High-Bandwidth, Low-Carbon Future: Telecommunications-based Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

The report analyses the opportunities for Australia to reduce carbon emissions through increased usage of their telecommunications network. It estimates that the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 4.9% by 2015 exists through these means. However, the full benefits cannot be realised until the roll-out of a national fibre optic network to residential and commercial consumers.

The report's authors identify seven carbon opportunities that could deliver total per annum emission savings of 27.2 million tonnes. These opportunities are remote management of power for appliances not in use or on "stand-by"; improving business productivity with "in-person" high-definition videoconferencing; through the use of broadband based, real-time....more

EUROPEAN CONSUMER BORROWING MARKET

EUROPE: MARCH 2008 - The rate of growth in unsecured lending slows whilst pawnbroking grows.

By June 2007 the total indebtedness of the UK had reached over £1.3 trillion which compares to UK wealth which, including property, is estimated by PwC to exceed £6 trillion. The Bank of England noted in its 2007 Inflation Reports that the ratio of household debt to annual income has risen by around a half since the start of the decade to 160% in the first quarter of 2007.

Secured lending (primarily mortgage lending) had a growth rate of 11.3% during the year to June 2007 whilst growth in unsecured lending fell to 1.1%. Secured debt accounted for around 84% of total outstanding debt.

PwC believe that the recent significant....more

EUROPEAN MOTOR VEHICLES MARKET

EUROPE: MARCH 2008 - European motor vehicle manufacturing landscape changes.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association have calculated that, in total, there are more than 250 automobile manufacturing plants in Europe, directly employing 2.3 million Europeans and indirectly supporting a further 10 million jobs in related sectors. These plants produce more than 18.5 million vehicles each year.

Roughly 170 plants are operated by 14 major manufacturers who between them produce 90% of Europe's vehicles; the remaining European plants are operated by smaller, specialist or Japanese manufacturers.

Based on 2004 figures Germany, with 36, has the most plants, followed by the UK (32), Italy (29) and France (25). In Central and Eastern Europe, manufacture is concentrated in Poland, the Czech Republic and Russia, each with more than 10 plants.

The competitive landscape will be altered by two announcements....more

RUSSIA LIFE INSURANCE MARKET

EUROPE: MARCH 2008 - Russian insurance industry interests foreign investors.

Mergers and acquisitions activity in the Russian financial services sector has been strong since the beginning of 2006 and this trend is expected to continue through to the middle of 2008 according to a survey conducted by mergermarket for PwC. However, obstacles to concluding deals were found and included the lack of transparency, a lack of suitable targets and competition for the most attractive targets.

46% of respondents believed that the retail banking sector would be the most active whereas only 14% believed that the life insurance sector would be. However, a PwC spokesman was more positive stating that the Russian insurance market, because of its low capitalisation and high growth rate, would remain very attractive for foreign investors.

German, French and Italian companies are expected to have the most interest in acquiring in Russia. Most domestic respondents favour the presence of foreign investors because they provide easier...more

FIXED LINE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET

AMERICAS: FEBRUARY 2008 - Investment programmes of Argentine telcos.

Infobae recently reported that Argentina's three largest telecommunications operators are expected to invest approximately 3.5 billion pesos in 2008 mainly in broadband and mobile network infrastructure.

Telecom Argentina plans to invest approximately 1bn pesos which is the same amount as in 2007.

Telefónica de Argentina will invest 1.7bn pesos in 2008 as part of a planned three year 6 billion pesos investment in its domestic operations which was announced by company President Eduardo Caride in December 2007; 950 million pesos is earmarked for upgrading its fixed line services. Investments for 2009 and 2010 'will depend on technological developments in Argentina...including telecom operators' possibility of offering TV services via internet,' Caride said. Telcos are prohibited from offering television services under Argentine legislation although cable TV operators are able to provide telecom services.

The two...more