Market Trends & Consumer Behaviour
Shein Opens Major Logistics Hub in Poland, Expands Footprint in Europe Summary Shein has opened a large logistics centre near Wrocław, Poland, which the company says will serve as its primary European distribution hub. The site — developed at the GLP Wrocław V logistics park where Shein has been expanding since 2022 — includes modern […]
USPS Opens Last-Mile Delivery Network to More Shippers Summary The U.S. Postal Service plans to open access to its last-mile delivery network via a new bidding process beginning in early 2026. More than 18,000 delivery destination units (DDUs) will be available for shippers to bid on, allowing winners to inject parcels directly into local USPS […]
Zebra Plans Exit From Warehouse Robotics Business Summary Zebra Technologies has disclosed in its December SEC filing that it plans to dispose of or wind down its robotics automation unit, ending its push into warehouse autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) following the 2021 acquisition of Fetch Robotics for $290 million. The Fetch technology was integrated into […]
The Monthly Roundup: James Corera on trust, risk, and the technology stack Summary James Corera, Director of ASPI’s Cyber, Technology & Security programme, argues that 2025 made clear how cyber risk, information manipulation and geostrategic pressure are now intertwined. Technology is no longer neutral — it is a lever of power that shapes national resilience, […]
India, Oman to Sign Free Trade Agreement Today, Unlocking New Trade Opportunities Summary India and Oman are set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) today in Muscat, announced Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The agreement aims to unlock new trade avenues across textiles, footwear, automobiles, gems & jewellery, renewable energy and auto components, and […]
Teamsters Rail Conference makes its case for the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern proposed merger to not be approved by the STB Summary The Teamsters Rail Conference — led by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees — has urged the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to deny the proposed […]
Cold Chain 3.0: The New Backbone of India’s Healthcare & Agri Growth Summary Cold Chain 3.0 marks India’s move from simple refrigerated storage to an integrated, end-to-end temperature‑controlled logistics network. The article argues that biologics, gene therapies, vaccines, premium perishables and rapid e‑commerce delivery are forcing higher expectations for temperature integrity, traceability and speed. Industry […]
Russia Eyes India-Operated Chabahar Port, Boosting New Eurasian Trade Architecture Summary Russia is increasingly focused on Iran’s India-operated Chabahar Port as a strategic gateway for connecting South and East Asia with Europe and Central Asia. Moscow wants to fold Chabahar into the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to create a faster, lower-cost multimodal alternative to […]
The Ultra-Realistic AI Face Swapping Platform Driving Romance Scams Summary Haotian is a Chinese-language AI face-swapping app that produces near‑perfect real‑time deepfakes for video calls. Marketed primarily via Telegram, the desktop tool offers granular facial controls and voice‑cloning features, and can stream its output into messaging and video platforms such as WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, Zoom […]
2026 Conflict Management: A New Playbook on the Art and Practice of Business Wars Summary The article argues that by 2026 competition in business has shifted from episodic rivalry to continuous, systemic confrontation — what the author calls “business wars.” Fueled by a state of permacrisis (pandemic, war, sanctions, energy shocks, inflation, supply-chain stress and […]
