The Knowledge to Decide

The 1,190 fjords along Norway’s coast take travel time to a new level, with several ferry crossings and a tiring 21 hour ride. Therefore, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) proposed the world’s first underwater floating tunnel costing an expected USD25 billion. Submerged in the Norwegian Sea, the tunnel would be similar in to other tunnels – but operate 66 feet below the surface. Will underwater infrastructure revolutionize travel? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/fancy-a-ride-across-norways-underwater-floating-tunnel/

Microsoft has signed its first solar power agreement with Atria Power in India to purchase 3 megawatts (MW) of solar-powered electricity at its new office in Bangalore, India. This ensures that 80% of the building’s projected electricity requirement is met but through supporting the local clean energy industry. Encouraging initiatives like this will help India fulfil its Paris Agreement obligations to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The deal comes a week after the announcement of another deal in Singapore for a 60 MW solar project. Has Asia’s renewable energy sector hit a tipping point? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/microsoft-supports-asias-renewable-energy-industry/

As Sri Lanka experiences demographic shifts – by 2021, 16.7% of the population could be aged 60 or above – the life insurance market is booming. The nation’s average economic growth stands at a brisk 6.2% since the end of the bitter civil war in 2009, with services and manufacturing leading the way. As Sri Lankans live longer, demand is surging for insurance products such as endowment and pension policies, with retirement planning taking a front seat. Will insurance continue to be one of Sri Lanka’s sunrise industries? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/as-sri-lankas-population-ages-the-insurance-market-booms/

When the African Union (AU) launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year, it finally opened up Africa’s skies. 23 signatories on board, though another 32 AU members are yet to sign on. SAATM’s launch is a part of AU’s Africa 2063 project, which is a commitment to intra-continent development. If a common regulatory framework is put into place, this could benefit intra-continental travellers immensely, thus boosting commerce and tourism flows among African countries. Will Africa become the world’s next big aviation market? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/africas-aviation-sector-opens-up/

Amazon is eyeing the healthcare sector. It has rolled out a line of private label, over-the-counter medicines along with medical supplies for hospitals, doctors and dentists. Whether it is selling prescription or generic drugs, Amazon seems poised to disrupt the healthcare industry. However, Amazon faces its own share of hurdles. It will need licenses from each state to be able to sell medical supplies. Medical practitioners may prefer to stay loyal existing sales channels. Waiting 24 to 48 hours for a pain or cold medicine means that customers may still run to the nearest pharmacy. Will Amazon disrupt the healthcare industry? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/amazon-enters-the-healthcare-sector/

India overtook Japan in 2017 as the third largest manufacturer of compact SUVs. Big players such as Renault, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ford Motor, Hyundai Motor, Maruti Suzuki and other SUV manufacturers sold 457,698 compact SUVs in 2017 – over four times the unit sales in 2015, at 107,634. While 2016 saw shrinking sales for this vehicle category in China and the USA, sales in India grew nearly 50% from 307,365 units in 2016. Will India overtake China as the world’s largest compact SUV market? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/india-among-the-worlds-top-compact-suv-markets/

A USD15 billion deal has been announced between Israel and Egypt to export natural gas. Israel’s Delek Group has signed an agreement to supply 64 billion cubic meters of gas in a span of ten years to Egypt’s Dolphinus Holdings. The deal is considered a milestone ever since the 1979 peace accord, bringing Egypt a step closer to becoming a regional energy hub. However, the transportation of natural gas from Israel to Egypt is a challenge given the security risks. Will the Egypt-Israel gas export deal usher in a relationship of bonhomie and economic co-operation? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/egyptian-israeli-gas-deal-to-boost-bilateral-trade/

Humankind’s future ability to feed itself is in jeopardy due to the concurrent degradation of land, water, climate and biodiversity on a global scale. The human population is set to reach 10 billion people by 2050, increasing the global demand for agricultural products by 70 per cent. By 2022, India will surpass China as the most populous country in the world. Will innovation in agriculture be able to feed the global population? The origins of agriculture Agriculture is derived from the late-Latin word Agricultura with ‘agri’ depicting land and ‘cultura’ meaning cultivation. Starting out as hunter-gatherers, humans have gradually learned to settle in fertile places for farming and later, started domesticating animals. The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, which we now refer to as Egypt, Turkey, Israel and Iraq, is known as the earliest site of farming. While it is not without its detractors, the agricultural revolution has delivered benefits in terms of the econom

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), announced in 2013, is not only China’s most ambitious global infrastructure project but also one of the largest ever attempted anywhere. It aims to develop a free trade zone and improve global connectivity across the Eurasian landmass. With an estimated investment of USD4 to 8 trillion and affecting over 70 countries, can China successfully connect all these economies together? What is China’s BRI? The BRI mega infrastructure project aims to cement links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Russia and the Baltic Region. It aspires to establish a free trade zone through infrastructure developments among countries and continents. The idea of the BRI was inspired by the ancient trade routes used by Chinese traders to boost connectivity with not only neighboring nations but with distant countries as well, such as the Roman Empire. Pan-Eurasian trade routes were opened in 130 B.C. during China’s Han Dynasty, ostensibly for international tr

The FIFA World Cup 2018 is widely seen as one of the best World Cups in recent memory, with many surprises and goals aplenty. One talking point was the role of teamwork as opposed to just superstar talent. What lessons can businesses learn from the beautiful game? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 23 July 2018. As World Cup fever draws to an end, the game lived up to its hype with breath-taking goals and outstanding performances. Perera highlighted the role of 'team effort' over mere individual talent, which was evident in the early failure of teams with world-class superstars like Argentina and Portugal. Perera also pointed out the importance of investing in new talent pipeline development, which paid rich dividends for France, the winning team and also one of the youngest teams in the World Cup. The game also highlighted the role of risk-taking. A relentless approach t