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Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

Economy in Brazil: inflation wipes the gains of “Plano Real”

The price shock that brought inflation in the highest mark in 28 years caused an abrupt loss of achievements of Brazilians since the Real Plan.

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Consumer Behavior Trend Watching

Consumer Behavior in Brazil: Even with US Dollar appreciation, spending abroad hits record

Even the 15% appreciation of the dollar against the Brazilian Real in 2013 (the highest in the last five years, making air tickets and hotels quoted in foreign currency more expensive) did not deter the spending by Brazilians abroad, which grew to a new record […]

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China Consumer Behavior Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: Rising cost of luxury goods slows to 2009 level

Price increases for luxury goods and services in China this year are at their slowest level since 2009 but continue to outpace inflation, according to a report by the Hurun Research Institute. China’s Luxury Consumer Price Index, which measures price changes in 62 luxury items, rose 4.94 percent in June from a year earlier, 2.79 […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Living in China: Economy threatened by aging demographic

The emergence of negative growth in the total working-age population, which some demographers predict will happen as early as 2013, is likely to contribute to slower economic growth and higher inflation, according to analysts […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Living in China: Chinese ‘struggling’ according to well-being survey

According to Gallup’s 2010 global wellbeing survey, only 12 percent of people on China’s mainland judged themselves to be thriving, the same level as countries such as Afghanistan and Yemen […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: Consumer spending helps boost Shanghai’s growth

Shanghai’s economy made further progress last month as a result of continued strong growth in local consumer spending and investment, while exports also improved to help strengthen a growing recovery […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

China, Technology and the Environment: Electricity bills to jump for Chinese industries

China announced a 5.7 percent increase in electricity prices for businesses and industries and said it will adjust residential tariffs early next year through a new pricing mechanism to promote energy savings […]

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China Economics Trend Watching

Living in China: Chinese households to get annual income over 60,000 yuan

Not a recent piece of news, but it would be interesting to see if the trend has been updated since then: a Chinese expert predicted 55 percent Chinese households will have a yearly income over 60,000 yuan (8,0407 U.S. dollars) by 2020, the Beijing Morning Post reported in Beijing […]

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China Consumer Behavior Trend Watching

Living in China: Beijing ranked as most expensive city for expatriates

A recent survey by ECA International, a London-based human resources consultant, ranked Beijing as the 31st most expensive city for expatriates in the world, surpassing Hong Kong to become the most expensive city in China […]

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China Consumer Behavior Economics Trend Watching

China, Socialism & Consumer Behavior: auto prices to fall in Q4/2008 on slowing demand

Auto prices in China were expected to fall in the fourth quarter led by slowing demand, the price monitoring center under the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a report on recently. Prices fell 2.09 percent in the first nine months due to excessive output and oversupply of new models in the second and third quarters, it said…