Asia Pacific

Although state finances remain sustainable, the ruling party’s grip on power is eroding democracy and freedoms, whilst corruption remains a key problem. Economic growth continues to be robust, but external sector weakness exists and dependence on…

Myanmar’s military has created significant instability for the country, whilst corruption continues to be rife and economic freedom has worsened. High inflation is causing the economy to stall and the foreign investment climate has worsened…

In 2023, following the post-COVID-19 reopening, traditional and connected watches in China began to gradually recover, particularly after travel and health restrictions were lifted. After seeing a strong decline in 2022, the category is set to see…

Traditional and connected watches registered relatively modest growth in constant value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous year. This was due to the declining fortunes of quartz analogue watches, which represented the largest category in…

Increasing unit prices has been a decades-long trend in traditional watches. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, unit prices rose by over 10% YoY from 2020 to 2022. The last decade also saw numerous years of volume decline. A main reason behind…

Basic and mid-range traditional watches saw slower growth in retail volume terms in 2023 after seeing dynamic double-digit growth in 2022. The target audience for these products are generally more price-sensitive and they were impacted significantly…

Traditional watches in Singapore is set to achieve slower growth in 2023 compared with 2022, although the category is expected to continue to register solid growth in retail current value terms and lower but steady growth in retail volume terms.…

While in 2022 sales of traditional watches posted strong double-digit current value growth, driven by consumers’ high demand for luxury goods, 2023 is set to witness a strong slowdown in growth, as the unstable global political and economic…

The uncertain economic conditions in Thailand are expected to lead to slower retail volume and current value growth rates for traditional and connected watches in 2023, as consumers have battled inflationary rises in the cost of living and cost of…

With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the normalisation of offline classes, the supressed demand for writing instruments amongst students was released in 2023, when stores selling stationery reopened offline. However, online schooling during…

Sales of writing instruments saw an improved performance in constant value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous year. This was partly attributable to the return of pre-pandemic lifestyles including the resumption of face-to face school…

According to Euromonitor’s Economies and Consumers data, the population aged 0-14 is set to decline by 2% between 2022 and 2023, accounting for only 11% of the total population in Japan. The total population of this age group has declined for 40…

Colourings, markers and highlighters were the most dynamic categories in writing instruments in 2023 with sales of these products thriving. This was partly due to a flurry of new product launches as players looked to benefit from the returning demand…

In 2023, the highest growth in writing instruments is projected to be seen by highlighters and markers in retail volume and current value terms. The brand Zebra Midliner has gained immense popularity amongst local students, and is expected to…

The official end of the pandemic in 2023, and the full resumption of offline classrooms in schools and extracurricular academic institutions has been continuing to support students’ demand for stationery, and is also expected to sustain the retail…

Writing instruments is expected to see a positive performance in both retail volume and current value terms in 2023, as people have returned to living their normal lives, and there is positive sentiment in the market. Furthermore, the rebound in…

Bags and luggage with versatile designs and enhanced functionality were in demand. Consumers sought products that could adapt to various situations, such as convertible backpacks, expandable suitcases, or bags with multiple compartments and…

Due to the continual increase in urbanisation in the Philippines leading to the creation of more jobs, opportunities, and economic activity, the younger generation and working population of the Philippines have been rising. As an effect of higher…

After China scrapped its zero-COVID policy at the end of 2022, retail sales declined in this country in both volume and real value terms in 2023. As consumers’ lives returned to normal, this resulted in a shift from cooking at home to eating out at…

In 2023, minimalist jewellery designs were highly sought after in Taiwan. Delicate and understated pieces featuring clean lines, geometric shapes, and subtle adornments became a staple in the fashion scene. This trend reflects a shift towards…