Korea's SK On Aims to Best Rivals With Next-Generation Batteries
SK On is focused on honing its edge in thermal management technology, such as immersion cooling designed to boost the efficiency of batteries for AI data centers, energy storage systems and electric vehicles, Park Kisoo, head of the company's research and development arm, said in an interview. The battery specialist already is in talks with Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. to collaborate on the cutting-edge tech, he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Japan tech giant SoftBank Group sees better fortunes on surging AI stocks
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. posted a 421.8 billion yen ($2.9 billion) profit in the April-June quarter, rebounding from a loss a year earlier as its investments benefited from the craze for artificial intelligence. Quarterly sales at Tokyo-based SoftBank Group, which invests heavily in AI companies like Nvidia and Open AI, rose 7% to 1.8 trillion yen ($12 billion), the company said Thursday. SoftBank's loss in April-June 2024 was 174 billion yen. The company's fortunes tend to fluctuate because it invests in a range of ventures through its Vision Funds, a move that carries risks. The group's founder Masayoshi Son has emphasized that he sees a vibrant future in AI. SoftBank has also invested in Arm Holdings and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Both companies, which produce computer chips, have benefitted from the growth of AI. 'The era is definitely AI, and we are focused on AI,' SoftBank senior executive Yoshimitsu Goto he told reporters. 'An investment company goes through its ups and downs, but we are recently seeing steady growth.' Some of SoftBank's other investments also have paid off big. An example is Coupang, an e-commerce company known as the 'Amazon of South Korea,' because it started out in Seoul. Coupang now operates in the U.S. and other Asian nations. Goto said preparations for an IPO for PayPay, a kind of cashless payment system, were going well. The company has already held IPOs for Chime, a U.S. 'neobank' that provides banking services for low-credit consumers, and for Etoro, a personal investment platform. ___ Yuri Kageyama on Threads:
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Second-hand Homeware Market Trends and Growth Drivers 2025-2034 - Top Companies Transforming the Industry with AI and Strategic Partnerships
Surge in Conscious Consumerism Drives Growth in Second-Hand Homeware Market Amid Sustainability Trends and Digital Innovation Second-hand Homeware Market Dublin, Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Second-hand Homeware Market Opportunity, Growth Drivers, Industry Trend Analysis, and Forecast 2025-2034" has been added to offering. The Global Second-Hand Homeware Market was valued at USD 29.9 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% to reach USD 50.9 billion by 2034. This upward trajectory reflects a transformative shift in consumer behavior, driven by growing awareness of environmental concerns and a push toward sustainable living. As shoppers worldwide become more mindful of their ecological footprint, they're turning to second-hand options as a meaningful way to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of products. The appeal of pre-owned homeware lies not only in its affordability but also in its character, uniqueness, and contribution to circular consumption. Consumers today are more conscious than ever of how their purchases impact the environment and intentionally seek products aligning with a greener lifestyle. With inflation and economic uncertainties shaping buying habits, second-hand home furnishings offer a budget-friendly alternative without compromising style or quality. Vintage designs, high-quality craftsmanship, and the thrill of discovering one-of-a-kind items make this market segment especially appealing to both millennials and Gen Z buyers who value authenticity and sustainability. The shift toward minimalism, combined with the influence of social media aesthetics and home styling trends, further fuels the desire for curated second-hand pieces that enhance living spaces while supporting eco-conscious values. Digital platforms are playing a key role in propelling this market forward by simplifying the buying and selling process with intuitive interfaces, secure payment systems, and streamlined logistics. Buyers favor platforms that deliver quick access to listings, reliable delivery options, and seamless customer experiences. The convenience factor and the desire to make responsible purchasing decisions make online marketplaces the preferred choice for many. As lifestyles become increasingly flexible, especially in urban environments, consumers lean into temporary, adaptable, and cost-effective furniture solutions. This has led to a growing reliance on second-hand goods to furnish homes, apartments, and rentals without the high costs associated with new products. In 2024, the furniture category led the second-hand homeware market, generating USD 13.2 billion in revenue, and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 5.8% through 2034. Furniture remains a standout performer due to strong consumer interest in items built to last and visually distinctive. There's a rising appreciation for vintage aesthetics and well-made pieces such as sofas, tables, beds, chairs, and storage units. Buyers actively seek furniture that brings a sense of personality into their living spaces, with the added benefit of reducing their environmental impact. The emphasis on quality over quantity and the desire for unique, story-rich homeware have created a thriving marketplace for reused goods. The market is segmented by product condition into used and new (unused), with used items continuing to dominate. In 2024, used homeware held a 71.3% market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% through 2034. Consumers gravitate toward gently used pieces to save money and align with a growing commitment to sustainability and intentional consumption. Retailers and platforms are responding by launching certified pre-owned programs, encouraging trade-ins, and providing resale-friendly policies. These initiatives extend the lifespan of household items and support the broader movement toward waste reduction and responsible sourcing. The United States Second-Hand Homeware Market generated USD 8.7 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% through 2034. The trend is especially prominent in major urban areas, where space constraints and fast-paced lifestyles demand affordable, compact, and multi-functional furniture. The rise of short-term rentals, mobile living, and digital nomadism has led to an increased reliance on local resale platforms and online marketplaces. These tools give consumers convenient, low-cost access to quality homeware, supporting the local circular economy while helping reduce landfill waste. Leading companies shaping the global second-hand homeware space include Wayfair, Mercari, Letgo, AptDeco, Rejuvenation, Kaiyo, The RealReal, Goodwill Industries International, eBay, OfferUp, Vinterior Group, Chairish, 1stDibs, IKEA Retail, and Trove Marketplace. These businesses leverage strategic partnerships with retailers and logistics providers to enhance efficiency and platform usability. Many are integrating AI-based features to deliver personalized recommendations while boosting consumer trust through verified listings and quality checks. By launching mobile apps, digital campaigns, and even furniture rental and subscription models, these companies connect with sustainability-focused consumers across demographics, expanding their reach in a competitive, rapidly evolving marketplace. Comprehensive Market Analysis and Forecast Industry trends, key growth drivers, challenges, future opportunities, and regulatory landscape Competitive landscape with Porter's Five Forces and PESTEL analysis Market size, segmentation, and regional forecasts In-depth company profiles, business strategies, financial insights, and SWOT analysis Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 225 Forecast Period 2024-2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $29.9 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $50.9 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.5% Regions Covered Global Key Topics CoveredChapter 1 Methodology & ScopeChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Industry 360 degree synopsis, 2021-2034Chapter 3 Industry Insights3.1 Industry ecosystem analysis3.2 Trump administration tariffs analysis3.2.1 Impact on trade3.2.1.1 Trade volume disruptions3.2.1.2 Retaliatory measures3.2.2 Impact on the industry3.2.2.1 Supply-Side Impact (Raw Materials)3.2.2.2 Price volatility in key materials3.2.2.3 Supply chain restructuring3.2.2.4 Production cost implications3.2.2.5 Demand-Side Impact (Selling Price)3.2.2.6 Price transmission to end markets3.2.2.7 Market share dynamics3.2.2.8 Consumer response patterns3.2.3 Key companies impacted3.2.4 Strategic industry responses3.2.4.1 Supply chain reconfiguration3.2.4.2 Pricing and product strategies3.2.4.3 Policy engagement3.2.5 Outlook and future considerations3.3 Supplier landscape3.4 Pricing analysis3.5 Technology & innovation landscape3.6 Key news & initiatives3.7 Regulatory landscape3.8 Manufacturers3.9 Distributors3.10 Retailers3.11 Impact forces3.11.1 Growth drivers3.11.1.1 Sustainability and environmental concerns3.11.1.2 Increased acceptance of pre-owned goods3.11.2 Industry pitfalls & challenges3.11.2.1 Limited availability and selection3.12 Growth potential analysis3.13 Porter's analysis3.14 PESTEL analysisChapter 4 Competitive Landscape, 20244.1 Introduction4.2 Company market share analysis4.3 Competitive positioning matrix4.4 Strategic outlook matrixChapter 5 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Product Type, 2021-2034, (USD Billion) (Million Units)5.1 Key trends5.2 Furniture5.2.1 Sofa5.2.2 Chairs5.2.3 Tables5.2.4 Beds5.2.5 Dressers5.2.6 Others5.3 Home decor5.3.1 Wall art5.3.2 Mirror5.3.3 Carpet & rugs5.3.4 Others5.4 Kitchenware5.4.1 Cookware5.4.2 Bakeware5.4.3 Dinnerware5.4.4 Others5.5 Tableware5.6 Textiles5.7 OthersChapter 6 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Condition, 2021-2034 (USD Billion) (Million Units)6.1 Key trends6.2 New (unused)6.3 Used6.3.1 Excellent condition6.3.2 Good condition6.3.3 Fair condition6.3.4 Poor conditionChapter 7 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Price Range, 2021-2034 (USD Billion) (Million Units)7.1 Key trends7.2 Fixed7.3 Auction7.4 NegotiableChapter 8 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Distribution Channel, 2021-2034 (USD Billion) (Million Units)8.1 Key trends8.2 Online8.2.1 E-commerce8.2.2 Company website8.3 Offline8.3.1 Consignment shops8.3.2 Thrift stores8.3.3 Other physical stores (pop-up shops, etc.)Chapter 9 Market Estimates & Forecast, by Region, 2021-2034 (USD Billion) (Million Units)9.1 Key trends9.2 North America9.2.1 U.S.9.2.2 Canada9.3 Europe9.3.1 UK9.3.2 Germany9.3.3 France9.3.4 Italy9.3.5 Spain9.4 Asia-Pacific9.4.1 China9.4.2 India9.4.3 Japan9.4.4 South Korea9.5 Latin America9.5.1 Brazil9.5.2 Mexico9.6 MEA9.6.1 South Africa9.6.2 Saudi Arabia9.6.3 UAEChapter 10 Company Profiles10.1 1stDibs10.2 AptDeco10.3 Chairish10.4 eBay10.5 Goodwill Industries International10.6 IKEA Retail10.7 Kaiyo10.8 Letgo10.9 Mercari10.10 OfferUp10.11 Rejuvenation10.12 The RealReal10.13 Trove marketplace10.14 Vinterior Group10.15 WayfairFor more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Second-hand Homeware Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Confusion Over Tariff Stacking Hampers Japan's Bid to Pin Down US Trade Deal
(Bloomberg) -- The US has imposed higher tariffs than Japan expected on a broad range of its goods, a senior Japanese ruling party official said Thursday, after a day of confusion over what exactly had been agreed between the two countries. All Hail the Humble Speed Hump Mayor Asked to Explain $1.4 Billion of Wasted Johannesburg Funds Three Deaths Reported as NYC Legionnaires' Outbreak Spreads Major Istanbul Projects Are Stalling as City Leaders Sit in Jail PATH Train Service Resumes After Fire at Jersey City Station Japan faces 'stacking' tariffs, where a new 15% levy is added to existing import taxes, even though it had expected to be given an exemption stripping out the old tariffs, Liberal Democratic Party policy chief Itsunori Onodera said in Tokyo. 'The tariffs have been imposed with no exemption, so the rate has risen by 15% as it stands,' Onodera said. 'We are requesting a prompt correction from the US.' Fresh confusion over the US-Japan trade deal came to the fore on Thursday, as Japan's chief negotiator visits Washington to press his counterparts to follow through on a pledge to cut a separate levy on car imports. The disagreement between the two nations over implementing the universal tariffs suggests more misunderstandings and friction may emerge in the future. Japanese media reports said Washington would not exempt Tokyo from an order stacking new 15% across-the-board tariffs on top of existing levies, hours before they came into effect. Japan's top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa had earlier disputed such an understanding. 'There will be no stacking,' Akazawa said on Tuesday before leaving for Washington. 'There's mutual understanding on this matter.' The controversy is the latest in a series over the agreement, which hasn't been laid out in an official joint document, and has been described differently by each side. Trump has said the deal opens up Japan's markets to US cars and other goods and brings $550 billion in investment, while Japan has touted lower tariffs for its own products. Asked about the difference in understanding between the US and Japan Thursday, Japan's chief spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said Akazawa had reconfirmed the agreement on universal tariffs with the US. Akazawa met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday in the US, reiterating the terms of the trade agreement reached last month and calling for its quick implementation. The top priority for Japan is to have the US carry out a promise to cut car tariffs. An executive order released by the US administration last week indicated that the European Union will be given an exemption from tariff stacking, but didn't mention that Japan would also get such treatment. The impact from the stacking may be limited in scope. Before Trump began announcing new tariffs on nations around the world, the US had applied levies averaging 1.4% on Japanese goods, according to estimates by Kenichi Kawasaki, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies. More importantly, Japan is urging US President Donald Trump to lower tariffs on cars to 15% from 27.5%, a combination of an existing 2.5% and additional 25%, as agreed upon in the deal. The reduction wasn't mentioned in the White House fact sheet on the agreement, and it remains unclear when the change will take place. Toyota Motor Corp. cut its annual guidance as it warned of a ¥1.4 trillion ($9.5 billion) hit to its bottom line from US tariffs. The world's biggest carmaker now sees ¥3.2 trillion in operating income for the fiscal year ending in March 2026, it said Thursday. That's down from its initial forecast of ¥3.8 trillion. The damage to Toyota and other automakers bodes ill for Japan's economy as the auto sector employs roughly 8% of the nation's workforce. Major carmakers are also a trend setter for wage growth, which has underpinned the central bank's tapering of its monetary easing with gradual interest rate hikes. Implementing the deal is one of the reasons Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has cited for staying in his role even after his ruling party suffered a historic election loss last month. 'There are all sorts of debates over the tariffs, but we have reached an agreement,' Ishiba said at a press conference in Hiroshima on Wednesday. 'As stated by US government officials involved in previous US-Japan trade negotiations, it is much, much more difficult to implement the deal than agree on it.' --With assistance from Sakura Murakami, Takashi Hirokawa and Nicholas Takahashi. (Recasts with Japan politician remarks, Toyota earnings.) Russia's Secret War and the Plot to Kill a German CEO The Pizza Oven Startup With a Plan to Own Every Piece of the Pie AI Flight Pricing Can Push Travelers to the Limit of Their Ability to Pay Government Steps Up Campaign Against Business School Diversity A High-Rise Push Is Helping Mumbai Squeeze in Pools, Gyms and Greenery ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
