Market Trends & Consumer Behaviour
Decentralizing Voting Power Summary Brian Monsen and co‑authors study the effects of shifting proxy voting authority away from a central stewardship group to external investment advisers, using a 2019 Vanguard policy change as a natural experiment. Vanguard moved voting authority for 31% of its equity funds to external advisers while keeping managers and strategies the […]
15th Annual Rail/Intermodal Roundtable: Seeking growth drivers amid big M&A questions Summary The 15th Annual Rail/Intermodal Roundtable gathers three leading analysts to assess the current U.S. rail and intermodal markets. Conversation centres on modest carload gains, improved service metrics, technology adoption, pricing pressures and the regulatory and market implications of major M&A — notably the […]
Top 30 Ocean Carriers: Navigating a still-volatile seascape Summary The article reviews the current state of container shipping amid rising geopolitical risk, shifting tariffs and disrupted routes. Tariff announcements earlier in 2025 triggered an early, front‑loaded peak season — particularly on trans‑Pacific lanes — as shippers rushed to beat load‑by deadlines. That surge briefly strained […]
How Boards Can Enhance Technology Oversight to Unlock Potential Summary This EY-backed Harvard Forum piece argues that boards must act decisively to guide companies through rapid technological change. Effective technology governance needs clear, timely information from management, higher director tech fluency and structured board conversations. Boards are using a range of models — full board […]
Sheinbaum vs. Salinas Pliego: How Politics and Finance Collide in Mexico’s $4 Billion Standoff Summary Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has escalated a high-profile showdown with billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego by publicly pursuing alleged tax liabilities and unpaid debts tied to his TV Azteca empire — liabilities that could total about 74 billion pesos (roughly […]
Andhra Fast-Tracks Infra Blueprint, Eyes 20 Lakh Jobs in Logistics Summary Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has presented an ambitious multimodal logistics blueprint aimed at cutting transport costs and creating 20 lakh jobs. The state will prioritise ports, airports, roads and railways, and establish dedicated logistics and civil aviation universities. Major rail and […]
The Rise of AI Agents in Healthcare’s Workforce Summary AI agents — autonomous, outcome-driven systems that go beyond chatbots — are rapidly moving from novelty to frontline tools in healthcare administration. Adoption is forecast to jump from under 1% of enterprise apps in 2024 to around 33% by 2028, driven by clear wins in insurance […]
The high stakes of crane lifting: Risks, challenges, and opportunities Summary Crane lifting is central to heavy industries and the construction boom in Southeast Asia, but it carries high risk when planning, coordination or execution fail. The sector faces rapid demand growth alongside a shrinking, ageing workforce and unclear competency boundaries. Human error accounts for […]
AI as the New Industrial Revolution Summary The piece argues that artificial intelligence is not merely another technology wave but the engine of a new industrial revolution — a “soft engine” built on bits rather than steel or steam. It compares the timeline of past revolutions (steam engine) with the rapid rise of AI (GPUs […]
Catch me if you can: where are my consumers? Summary The article reports on a conversation with Jenna Cummings, co-founder and Chief Media and Data Officer at Rival, about how AI agents and generative models are changing the consumer journey and digital marketing. Key trends include the rise of “zero-click” search via LLMs and chatbots, […]
