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2024 BUSINESS FORECAST: TECH-DRIVEN OPTIMISM MEETS RISING GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES
- Technological Transformation: Executives express confidence in technology as the driving force behind the future of global trade, with 98% already leveraging AI to enhance supply chain operations – from inventory management to optimizing transport routes
- Proactive Adoption: In anticipation of evolving challenges, businesses plan to ramp up technology adoption. A third will focus on advanced automation, 28% on blockchain, and 21% on AI, big-data analytics, and predictive analytics
- Supply Chain Adaptation: As geopolitical tensions cast a shadow, more companies are turning to friendshoring and dual supply chain strategies. Over a quarter are opting for fewer suppliers
- Economist Impact forecasts a 0.9% drop in global GDP if trade tariffs on high-tech goods increase significantly
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Despite the challenges of 2023 and escalating geopolitical tensions, business leaders remain surprisingly optimistic for 2024, according to new research from Economist Impact and DP World, unveiled today at the World Economic Forum.
The primary driver is a growing belief that technology will transform the efficiency and resilience of supply chains. Amid escalating concerns about protectionism, global fragmentation and political instability, businesses are reassessing risks within their supply chains and pivoting towards friendshoring and dual supply chain strategies.
The fourth annual Trade in Transition study, commissioned by DP World and led by Economist Impact, captured the perspectives of trade experts and senior executives across a variety of regions and sectors. This period of unprecedented transformation – heightened geopolitical risk, the urgent realities of climate change and significant advancements in technologies – is causing businesses to face complex challenges. Yet there are also opportunities.
2023 was a pivotal year in supply chain innovation as technology drives optimism for 2024
The global survey of 3,500 company executives found technologies that improve supply chain efficacy and resilience to be the main source of optimism for business leaders when asked to assess the future of global trade. At the core of this sentiment is the widespread adoption of AI, with 98% of executives already using AI to revolutionise at least one aspect of their supply chain operations.
From solving inventory management issues and reducing trade expenses to optimising transport routes, executives are taking advantage of integrating AI. A third of businesses are utilising AI to deliver a reduction in overall trade operation costs and the same amount to enhance resource and supply chain planning. Over one-third of companies view boosting the use of digital tools for enhanced inventory management as the most effective strategy in cutting overall trade and supply chain costs.
Businesses expect to ramp up their technological adoption further this year, a proactive approach that underscores a commitment to deploying innovation to navigate the evolving business landscape with increased efficiency and resilience. Of those surveyed, a third will focus on advanced automation and robotics for logistics efficiency; 28% will turn to blockchain for enhanced traceability and data security; and 21% will embrace artificial intelligence, big-data analytics and predictive analytics for real-time insights and disruption forecasting.
Supply chains adapt as geopolitical tensions weigh
In the new era of globalisation, a landscape of heightened geopolitical risk is shaping the contours of global trade as businesses attempt to reduce risks across their supply chains. More than a third of companies are using friendshoring to shape trade and supply chain operations, while 32% are creating parallel supply chains or dual sourcing.
In addition, more than a quarter are opting for fewer suppliers – a 16-percentage point increase from the previous year – as businesses weigh the advantages of consolidation against diversification and control against resilience.
Concerns that political instability, rising trade friction and global fragmentation could hamper growth are increasing. A fifth of businesses are concerned with higher tariffs, or uncertainties around tariffs, in key markets they export to or import from. In fact, 22% of executives emphasised the challenge of political instability in their sourcing markets, while almost a quarter (23%) are concerned about heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
Economist Impact conducted a quantitative trade analysis through the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) platform to estimate the potential global output loss from hypothetical scenarios of further “geo-economic fragmentation.” In a scenario focused on significantly increased trade barriers on high-tech goods – a focal point in the current geopolitical climate – Economist Impact projected a 0.9% decline in worldwide GDP.
Speaking at the launch of the report at the World Economic Forum in Davos today, DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said:
“The findings in this report reveal a remarkable optimism, despite businesses having to operate in an increasingly uncertain environment. Governments can maximise the significant economic benefits of trade by providing the predictability that businesses need, while reducing trade friction. This entails not only tariff reduction, but also collaborating with the private sector to roll-out technological advancements – most notably in digitalisation, automation and AI – that enable greater efficiency, visibility and adaptability.”
John Ferguson, Global Lead, New Globalisation, Economist Impact, added:
“In 2024, amidst heightened geopolitical risk and the rising impact of climate change, there is an observable increase in the variability of approaches businesses are taking to their supply chains. This reflects a growing understanding that no single strategy will meet the needs of different businesses. What’s clear is that technology is being implemented across supply chains to ensure business can adapt faster and smarter.”
To view the full report, please click here.
About Economist Impact
Economist Impact combines the rigour of a think-tank with the creativity of a media brand to engage an influential global audience.
We partner with corporations, foundations, NGOs and governments across big themes including sustainability, health and the changing shape of globalisation to catalyse change and enable progress.
About Trade in Transition
This is the fourth edition of the Trade in Transition report commissioned by DP World and led by Economist Impact. It is a global survey that retrieves data from over 3,500 executives, examining private sector sentiment on international trade and supply chains. More specifically it looks at how factors such as geopolitics, climate change and technology impact trade and supply chains. Trade in Transition also looks into regional (North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific) and sectoral data (FMCG, industrial, consumer goods, food-and-drink, energy-and-natural resources, health and pharma, and logistics and distribution) to compare and contrast priorities in international trade.
economistimpact.com/trade-in-transition/
For DP World media enquiries, please contact:
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Adal Mirza Head of Media Relations +971 56 355 0899 |
Hakam Kherallah Consultant, Media Relations & CEO Communications +971 50 552 2610 |
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About DP World
Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, creating opportunities and improving the quality of life for people around the world. DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities we serve globally.
With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 103,000 employees spanning 75 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future.
We’re rapidly transforming and integrating our businesses — Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting our global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades.
What’s more, we’re reshaping the future by investing in innovation. From intelligent delivery systems to automated warehouse stacking, we’re at the cutting edge of disruptive technology, pushing the sector towards better ways to trade, minimising disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.
WE MAKE TRADE FLOW TO CHANGE WHAT’S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/2024-business-forecast-tech-driven-optimism-meets-rising-geopolitical-challenges-302034796.html
SÃO PAULO, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ —
Highlights
- The Company announced the extension of Renovias’ term until April 13, 2026. Further details can be found in the regulatory matters section.
- Record traffic in all platforms, with growths of 4.4% in toll roads, 5.1% in urban mobility, and 8.8% in airports.
- CCR announced that will start the payment of dividends, totaling R$ 304 million, on November 29, 2024.
- CCR won the auction for the Sorocabana Route. The fixed grant amount offered was R$1.6 billion.
Consolidated Operational and Financial Highlights
|
OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (R$ MM) |
3Q23 |
3Q24 |
Var.% |
9M23 |
9M24 |
Var.% |
|
Consolidated Adjusted Net Revenue¹ |
3,416 |
3,782 |
10.7 % |
9,745 |
10,748 |
10.3 % |
|
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA¹ |
2,122 |
2,190 |
3.2 % |
5,853 |
6,265 |
7.0 % |
|
Adjusted EBITDA – Toll Roads |
1,549 |
1,621 |
4.6 % |
4,375 |
4,653 |
6.4 % |
|
Adjusted EBITDA – Mobility |
552 |
571 |
3.5 % |
1,422 |
1,561 |
9.8 % |
|
Adjusted EBITDA – Airports |
235 |
274 |
16.5 % |
632 |
793 |
25.4 % |
|
Adjusted EBITDA – Others |
(214) |
(276) |
28.8 % |
(575) |
(742) |
29.0 % |
|
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA Margin² |
62.1 % |
57.9 % |
-4.2 p.p. |
60.1 % |
58.3 % |
-1.8 p.p. |
|
Adjusted Net Income¹ |
502 |
560 |
11.7 % |
1,022 |
1,420 |
38.9 % |
|
Net Debt/LTM Adjusted EBITDA (x) |
2.9 |
3.1 |
0.2 p.p. |
2.9 |
3.1 |
0.2 p.p. |
|
Toll Roads – Equivalent Vehicles (million) |
300.9 |
314.0 |
4.4 % |
869.3 |
909.6 |
4.6 % |
|
Mobility – Transported Passengers (million) |
184.3 |
193.6 |
5.1 % |
529.2 |
560.6 |
5.9 % |
|
Airports – Boarded Passengers (million) |
4.8 |
5.2 |
8.8 % |
13.5 |
14.6 |
8.4 % |
|
CAPEX³ |
1,331 |
2,101 |
57.9 % |
4,190 |
4,982 |
18.9 % |
- Excludes construction revenue and expenses. Adjustments are described in the “non-recurring effects” section in Exhibit I.
- The Adjusted EBITDA Margin was calculated by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by Adjusted Net Revenue.
- Includes improvement works that do not generate future economic benefits for ViaOeste.
Videoconference
Conference call in Portuguese with simultaneous translation into English:
November 1st, 2024
10:00 a.m. São Paulo / 09:00 a.m. New York
Videoconference link:
https://grupoccr-br.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BwhScwe7RiiCHKDSZ1znTg
IR Contacts
Flávia Godoy: (+55 11) 3048-5900 – [email protected]
Douglas Ribeiro: (+55 11) 3048-5900 – [email protected]
Cauê Cunha: (+55 11) 3048-5900 – [email protected]
Igor Yamamoto: (+55 11) 3048-5900 – [email protected]
Caique Moraes: (+55 11) 3048-5900 – [email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ccr—results-for-the-3rd-quarter-of-2024-302293554.html
In the fast-paced world of financial technology, shifts occur daily as companies strive for innovation, customer satisfaction, and enhanced market reach. Today’s briefing covers a spectrum of developments, from Visa Direct’s groundbreaking integration in Korea to challenges plaguing the app economy. We’ll also touch on recent acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and expansions in fintech ecosystems. Here’s what you need to know about today’s most pressing fintech trends.
Visa Direct’s Milestone in South Korea: SentBe’s Card Transfer Service Launch
South Korea’s fintech ecosystem has taken a notable leap forward with SentBe’s implementation of Visa Direct’s Card Transfer Service. This collaboration marks a milestone, positioning SentBe as the first Korean fintech company to offer card-to-card international money transfers, a feature in high demand given the rise in cross-border financial activities. Visa Direct’s real-time card-to-card transfers are a potential game-changer for consumers and businesses alike, facilitating faster and more secure global transactions.
The collaboration exemplifies Visa’s larger strategy of partnering with regional fintech players to broaden its influence across Asia’s dynamic fintech markets. By tapping into SentBe’s growing customer base and extensive user insights, Visa is embedding itself deeper into local markets, simultaneously offering Korean users a more streamlined and efficient money transfer experience.
The service’s design allows individuals and small businesses alike to benefit from quicker transaction processing times, marking a significant evolution from traditional remittance processes that rely on intermediary banks. The move is especially critical in a digital age where customer expectations lean heavily towards instant, seamless financial interactions.
Source: Electronic Payments International
Fintech App ‘Trap’ Enrages Consumers Struggling to Cancel Subscriptions
In the modern subscription-based economy, some fintech companies are facing backlash over what customers perceive as the ‘trap’ of endlessly renewable subscriptions that are nearly impossible to cancel. A recent expose revealed mounting frustrations among consumers who signed up for digital services but later found themselves locked into subscriptions they could not easily terminate. The piece highlights the darker side of user retention strategies deployed by some companies to mitigate churn by making cancellation processes intentionally convoluted.
The app-based economy relies on recurring revenue, which remains a vital lifeline for startups and established firms alike. However, industry insiders argue that lack of transparency and difficult cancellation processes have an adverse impact on customer trust, leading to a growing dissatisfaction that may ultimately backfire on these companies. As consumers grow more savvy, fintechs relying on these practices could risk higher attrition rates, regulatory scrutiny, and brand erosion.
This emerging issue has raised questions about ethical standards and customer-centric models in fintech. As competition intensifies, companies must balance growth with transparent practices that foster customer loyalty, rather than coercion.
Source: Forbes
Pinwheel and Terafina Partner to Streamline Omnichannel Customer Onboarding
Pinwheel, a fintech infrastructure company known for its payroll and income data connectivity solutions, recently announced a partnership with Terafina, a leader in omnichannel sales and service platforms for financial institutions. This collaboration aims to simplify and enhance the onboarding process for new customers, providing them with seamless experiences across multiple channels, whether online, mobile, or in-branch.
The partnership combines Pinwheel’s data integration capabilities with Terafina’s expertise in customer onboarding, allowing financial institutions to create more personalized and flexible account opening processes. With consumer expectations evolving towards instant service and mobile-first access, this integration empowers banks and credit unions to meet these needs by delivering cohesive and smooth digital onboarding journeys.
In an industry where customer acquisition and retention are increasingly dependent on first impressions, the significance of streamlined onboarding cannot be overstated. By improving access to real-time employment and income data, this partnership enhances user verification and compliance while also allowing institutions to better assess applicants’ creditworthiness, which is crucial in today’s lending environment.
Source: PR Newswire
nCino Acquires FullCircl in $135 Million Deal: Expanding the Scope of Relationship Management
Fintech giant nCino recently completed its acquisition of FullCircl, a move that underscores its ambition to broaden its reach in the financial services sector. FullCircl, known for its focus on customer relationship management (CRM) solutions tailored to financial institutions, brings a robust set of tools that will allow nCino to enhance its cloud-based banking platform. The acquisition, valued at $135 million, positions nCino as a stronger player in the relationship management space, especially crucial for institutions looking to build deep, long-term client relationships.
With this acquisition, nCino aims to expand its footprint in Europe and boost its offerings in the CRM space, providing banks and credit unions with innovative tools for client engagement and retention. The integration of FullCircl’s CRM capabilities will also support nCino’s existing portfolio, which includes loan origination and digital banking solutions, strengthening its position as a one-stop platform for financial institutions.
This acquisition is part of a growing trend of consolidation in the fintech sector, where larger firms acquire specialized players to fill critical service gaps and offer more comprehensive solutions. By building a holistic platform that spans multiple functionalities, nCino is better equipped to compete in the increasingly crowded digital banking software market.
Source: The Paypers
DriveWealth’s European Expansion: A Strategic Base in Lithuania
DriveWealth, a digital brokerage technology firm, has chosen Lithuania as the launchpad for its European operations. By establishing a base within Lithuania’s burgeoning fintech hub, DriveWealth is strategically positioning itself to tap into the European market, leveraging the country’s favorable regulatory environment and proximity to major EU economies.
The expansion is particularly significant given the increasing demand in Europe for retail investing platforms that provide accessible and affordable market entry. DriveWealth’s solutions enable digital brokers and financial platforms to offer customers fractional shares and real-time trading experiences, which have proven highly popular in markets like the U.S. This move aligns with DriveWealth’s long-term growth strategy and its commitment to democratizing access to investing across the globe.
Lithuania’s supportive regulatory framework and well-developed fintech infrastructure make it an ideal location for DriveWealth’s entry into Europe. The country’s fintech-friendly policies allow innovative financial service providers to set up and scale efficiently. DriveWealth’s presence in Lithuania not only adds to the growing cluster of fintech firms but also reinforces the country’s reputation as a rising fintech powerhouse within the EU.
Source: Finance Magnates
Key Takeaways and Strategic Insights
As seen from today’s top stories, several overarching themes shape the fintech landscape:
- Global Partnerships and Local Expansion: Visa’s collaboration with SentBe exemplifies how partnerships enable fintech firms to break into regional markets by addressing specific customer needs.
- Transparency in Subscription Models: The customer backlash against difficult-to-cancel fintech services raises concerns about the sustainability of current subscription models.
- Innovation in Customer Onboarding: Pinwheel and Terafina’s partnership highlights the importance of streamlined onboarding processes as a means to increase customer satisfaction and improve retention.
- Mergers and Acquisitions to Fill Service Gaps: nCino’s acquisition of FullCircl illustrates a broader trend of consolidation, where fintech companies acquire specialized players to broaden their product portfolios.
- Regional Hubs as Strategic Launch Pads: DriveWealth’s decision to establish a base in Lithuania underscores the importance of regional fintech hubs in providing a supportive environment for global expansion.
Today’s roundup underscores the adaptability of fintech companies as they navigate emerging challenges and opportunities. From addressing regional financial needs to innovating customer experience, fintech firms continue to redefine what it means to engage in modern finance. As the industry grows, so too does the necessity for ethical practices, robust infrastructure, and agile customer solutions. In this competitive environment, the companies that prioritize transparency, customer satisfaction, and strategic expansion will set the standard for the future of finance.
The post Fintech Pulse: Your Daily Industry Brief – Breaking Trends and Insights in Fintech appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.
HONG KONG, Oct. 31, 2024 MANTRA, a layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) has partnered with Libre Capital, a UAE-headquartered financial instruments tokenization and issuance platform, to provide investors with onchain access to a diverse range of attractive investment funds. This partnership will provide those MANTRA users that are institutional or accredited investors with investment opportunities across a number of notable onchain funds, including leading hedge funds, private credit funds and the BlackRock ICS Money Market fund.
By leveraging Libre’s capabilities and MANTRA’s robust ecosystem, the partnership will facilitate the issuance of a tokenized BlackRock ICS Money Market Fund, and expand investment horizons for institutional and accredited investors seeking to diversify their portfolios within the digital asset landscape. The initiative underscores MANTRA’s commitment to leading the development of a comprehensive and diverse digital asset infrastructure, and strengthens MANTRA’s position in the growing digital asset spectrum within the financial services industry.
Libre operates backbone infrastructure that allows investors to access tokenized versions of real world assets such as money market funds, private credit and hedge funds and other alternative asset products on public blockchains. Libre does this through the on-chain Libre Gateway DeFi dApps (decentralized applications) deployed on each public chain. This enables accredited, professional and institutional investors to directly access top-tier funds on MANTRA Chain in a fully compliant manner.
“We’re honored to be partnering with Libre to give users access to this caliber of funds,” said MANTRA Co-Founder and CEO John Patrick Mullin, “with the addition of protocols like the Libre Gateway, MANTRA can better equip users with a best-in-class collection of tools to continue to grow the real-world asset economy.”
“The launch of the Libre Gateway on MANTRA Chain is a huge step forward to enable access to wealth and treasury management tools for users on MANTRA, and for Libre to take advantage of MANTRA’s RWA-specific infrastructure,” said Dr. Avtar Sehra, CEO and founder of Libre.
This partnership comes after MANTRA recently announced the launch of its mainnet, simplifying the process of bringing RWAs onchain and marking a significant step in the integration of traditional finance with blockchain technology. For more information about MANTRA and access to the money market funds, visit mantrachain.io.
About MANTRA Chain:
MANTRA Chain is a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain for real-world assets, capable of adherence to real world regulatory requirements. As a permissionless chain, MANTRA Chain empowers developers and institutions to seamlessly participate in the evolving RWA tokenization space by offering advanced technology modules, compliance mechanisms, and cross-chain interoperability.
Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Discord
About Libre Capital:
Libre is building the investment infrastructure to enable asset managers to seamlessly connect with distributors and enable unparalleled access to global alternatives investment funds. In addition, Libre is working on enabling access to value-add services in the alternative assets ecosystem such as collateralized lending and automated rebalancing. Currently, Libre only makes its tokenized funds available to institutional and accredited investors. https://www.librecapital.com
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mantra-and-libre-open-onchain-access-to-blackrock-money-market-fund-302293314.html
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