Latest news with #economicuncertainties
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Thailand's Tourism Slump and Household Debt Weigh on Its Lenders
Thailand's banks are grappling with weak lending amid high household debt, slowing tourism and sluggish consumer spending that risk dampening their outlook for the rest of the year. The banks are facing lackluster earnings tied to lower net interest margins — the difference between interest income and paid interest — and muted loan growth as the country endures economic uncertainties, according to a note from Citi Research.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Consumers Are Focused on AI-Powered and Value Spending, While Retailers Face Supply Chain Challenges for the Second Half of 2025
The first half of the year was a learning curve for everyone. The economic uncertainties with the ever-changing tariffs put in place, rapid accelerations in artificial intelligence, cautious consumer spending and changes within Apple iOS 18 have caused many brands to pivot rapidly. Listrak recently released three reports — 'H2 2025 Beauty Retail Outlook,' 'H2 2025 Fashion Retail Outlook,' and 'H2 2025 Retail Outlook' — to give brands insights into what worked and what didn't in the first half of the year and what's to come in the second six months. More from WWD Sue Bird and Meta Quest Take Over the NBA Store Ahead of the WNBA All-Star Weekend There's Now a Tool for Predicting How Your Skin Could Age With Versus Without SPF Use Intuit Expands Its IDEAS Small Business Program Across Nine U.S. Cities Fashion is expected to grow between 3 percent and 5 percent, with non-luxury brands fueling this rise. Similarly, e-commerce is driving beauty growth — a third of beauty sales are set to be online. Overall, Listrak's data showed that SMS has continued to surge. With RCS (Rich Communication Services) emerging with new possibilities, revenue for SMS increased by 30 percent. Meanwhile, email engagement has greatly declined as consumers are experiencing fatigue and as a result of Apple Mail changes. Brands are seeing a 29 percent decline in both click-through rate and revenue. But a bright spot is that conversion rates rose 7 percent year-over-year, as consumers with intent remained engaged. Notably, the biggest impacts to brands for the first half of the year were consumers spending less and being sales-reliant (42 percent), supply chain shake-ups (26 percent), tariff volatility (22 percent) and Apple Mail changes (11 percent). The major takeaways from the first half included consumers being conscious and stretching their dollar, experiences and loyalty programs evolving to focus on personalization and engagement and digital-first brands doubling down on physical retail experiences and diversifying their offerings. Brands told Listrak that their overarching plan for the second half includes increasing prices (25 percent), mounting discounts (23 percent), diversifying supply chains (20 percent), artificial intelligence capabilities (20 percent), RCS (7 percent) and pre-loved/used space adoption (5 percent). According to the reports' authors, the three trends that will define the second half are price pressure and value-driven behavior, inventory volatility and operational agility and the emergence of AI-powered shopping assistants. The market is signaling price pressure and value-driven behavior with dupes trending, private labels in Target and Costco scaling with lower prices, and pre-loved and rental brands such as Nuuly and Rent the Runway gaining momentum. Moreover, the closing of the Shein and Temu loopholes in terms of their importation into the U.S. has also boosted affordable competitors. Thirty-seven percent of shoppers said they plan to cut any non-essential spending going into the summer and holiday seasons. For fashion and beauty, capturing value will be of the utmost importance for consumers. Brands need to appeal to the aspirational yet price-conscious customer. With retailers looking beyond China to diversify their supply chains, inventory is harder than ever to predict. Imports from China — as a result of President Trump's tariffs — have dropped 65 percent year-over-year and order cancellations are up 60 percent as compared to 2020. Supply chain diversification and slow restocks are creating urgency and unpredictability. But according to Listrak's data, low inventory SMS alerts drove 42 percent year-over-year revenue — proving that scarcity does indeed sell. AI has continued to be on everyone's mind — 53 percent of consumers said they plan to use AI to support their purchase decisions for 2025. Listrak said the industry will see a shift from traditional search engines to ChatGPT usage rising during the holiday season. Many retailers will start to adapt quickly by investing in AI tools on their e-commerce platforms to aid product discovery, enhance their personalization and streamline the path to purchase. While previously ChatGPT told WWD's sister publication Sourcing Journal this April that it had no plans to monetize its product recommendations, the AI company has changed its mind. More than 50 percent of fashion executives surveyed by Listrak said they see generative AI as a key driver of product discovery for this year and 43 percent of retailers are already utilizing chatbots on their site to address customer service and lower friction. Overall, there's been a 155 percent increase year-over-year in traffic from AI tools to e-commerce websites. 'The first half of 2025 reminded us that retail success is not about predicting the future — it's about being prepared for the future,' said Jamie Elden, chief revenue officer of Listrak. 'While change is constant, with the right insights and tactics, retailers can convert change into advantage. To support retail momentum throughout the second half of 2025, Listrak's experts, leveraging Listrak's predictive intelligence, identified key trends and provided tactics to power success through the balance of the year.' Best of WWD What the Highest-paid CEOs at U.S. Fashion and Retail Companies Make The Definitive Timeline for Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sean John Fashion Brand: Lawsuits, Runway Shows and Who Owns It Now Confidence Holds Up, But How Much Can Consumers Take? 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
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top ASX Dividend Stocks To Consider In June 2025
As the Australian market shows signs of a modest advance, buoyed by positive U.S. inflation data and energy sector fluctuations, investors are keeping a keen eye on dividend stocks for stable income amid economic uncertainties. In this environment, selecting dividend stocks that demonstrate resilience to rising power costs and global market shifts can be crucial for maintaining a balanced investment portfolio. Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Super Retail Group (ASX:SUL) 8.49% ★★★★★☆ Sugar Terminals (NSX:SUG) 8.37% ★★★★★☆ Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) 3.19% ★★★★★☆ MFF Capital Investments (ASX:MFF) 3.70% ★★★★★☆ Lycopodium (ASX:LYL) 7.40% ★★★★★☆ Lindsay Australia (ASX:LAU) 6.81% ★★★★★☆ IPH (ASX:IPH) 7.46% ★★★★★☆ GR Engineering Services (ASX:GNG) 6.21% ★★★★★☆ Fiducian Group (ASX:FID) 4.59% ★★★★★☆ Accent Group (ASX:AX1) 9.56% ★★★★★☆ Click here to see the full list of 27 stocks from our Top ASX Dividend Stocks screener. Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Lindsay Australia Limited offers integrated transport, logistics, and rural supply services to the food processing, food services, fresh produce, and horticulture sectors in Australia with a market cap of A$228.36 million. Operations: Lindsay Australia Limited generates revenue through its Rural segment (A$160.92 million), Hunters segment (A$100.09 million), Corporate segment (A$5.15 million), and Transport segment (A$573.35 million). Dividend Yield: 6.8% Lindsay Australia's dividend yield of 6.81% places it in the top quartile of Australian dividend payers, supported by a sustainable payout ratio of 67.1% and a low cash payout ratio of 21.8%. Despite recent volatility in dividends, an increase to A$0.023 per share was announced for April 2025. The stock trades at a significant discount to fair value, though profit margins have decreased from last year's figures, currently at 2.9%. Click here to discover the nuances of Lindsay Australia with our detailed analytical dividend report. The valuation report we've compiled suggests that Lindsay Australia's current price could be quite moderate. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Smartgroup Corporation Ltd, with a market cap of A$972.35 million, offers employee management services in Australia. Operations: Smartgroup Corporation Ltd generates revenue primarily from its Vehicle Services, which contributed A$21.87 million, and Outsourced Administration services, amounting to A$287.87 million. Dividend Yield: 6.9% Smartgroup's dividend yield of 6.9% ranks it among the top 25% of Australian dividend payers, though its sustainability is questionable due to a high cash payout ratio of 135.6%. While dividends have grown over the past decade, they have been volatile and not well covered by free cash flows. The stock trades at a significant discount to fair value and analysts anticipate a price increase, reflecting potential upside despite recent earnings growth challenges. Click here and access our complete dividend analysis report to understand the dynamics of Smartgroup. The analysis detailed in our Smartgroup valuation report hints at an deflated share price compared to its estimated value. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited offers electrical, instrumentation, communications, security, and maintenance services to the resources, commercial, and infrastructure sectors in Australia with a market cap of A$436.28 million. Operations: Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited generates revenue of A$693.73 million from its electrical services provision across various sectors in Australia. Dividend Yield: 3.6% Southern Cross Electrical Engineering's dividend yield of 3.64% is modest compared to top Australian payers. Despite a volatile dividend history, payments are well-covered by earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 69.4% and 21.5%, respectively. The stock trades at a good value, being 27% below its estimated fair value, with analysts expecting a price rise of nearly 46%. Earnings growth has been robust at 42.3%, supporting potential future dividends despite past instability. Dive into the specifics of Southern Cross Electrical Engineering here with our thorough dividend report. Our valuation report here indicates Southern Cross Electrical Engineering may be undervalued. Gain an insight into the universe of 27 Top ASX Dividend Stocks by clicking here. Got skin in the game with these stocks? Elevate how you manage them by using Simply Wall St's portfolio, where intuitive tools await to help optimize your investment outcomes. Streamline your investment strategy with Simply Wall St's app for free and benefit from extensive research on stocks across all corners of the world. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ASX:LAU ASX:SIQ and ASX:SXE. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ 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
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top ASX Dividend Stocks To Consider In June 2025
As the Australian market shows signs of a modest advance, buoyed by positive U.S. inflation data and energy sector fluctuations, investors are keeping a keen eye on dividend stocks for stable income amid economic uncertainties. In this environment, selecting dividend stocks that demonstrate resilience to rising power costs and global market shifts can be crucial for maintaining a balanced investment portfolio. Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Super Retail Group (ASX:SUL) 8.49% ★★★★★☆ Sugar Terminals (NSX:SUG) 8.37% ★★★★★☆ Nick Scali (ASX:NCK) 3.19% ★★★★★☆ MFF Capital Investments (ASX:MFF) 3.70% ★★★★★☆ Lycopodium (ASX:LYL) 7.40% ★★★★★☆ Lindsay Australia (ASX:LAU) 6.81% ★★★★★☆ IPH (ASX:IPH) 7.46% ★★★★★☆ GR Engineering Services (ASX:GNG) 6.21% ★★★★★☆ Fiducian Group (ASX:FID) 4.59% ★★★★★☆ Accent Group (ASX:AX1) 9.56% ★★★★★☆ Click here to see the full list of 27 stocks from our Top ASX Dividend Stocks screener. Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Lindsay Australia Limited offers integrated transport, logistics, and rural supply services to the food processing, food services, fresh produce, and horticulture sectors in Australia with a market cap of A$228.36 million. Operations: Lindsay Australia Limited generates revenue through its Rural segment (A$160.92 million), Hunters segment (A$100.09 million), Corporate segment (A$5.15 million), and Transport segment (A$573.35 million). Dividend Yield: 6.8% Lindsay Australia's dividend yield of 6.81% places it in the top quartile of Australian dividend payers, supported by a sustainable payout ratio of 67.1% and a low cash payout ratio of 21.8%. Despite recent volatility in dividends, an increase to A$0.023 per share was announced for April 2025. The stock trades at a significant discount to fair value, though profit margins have decreased from last year's figures, currently at 2.9%. Click here to discover the nuances of Lindsay Australia with our detailed analytical dividend report. The valuation report we've compiled suggests that Lindsay Australia's current price could be quite moderate. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Smartgroup Corporation Ltd, with a market cap of A$972.35 million, offers employee management services in Australia. Operations: Smartgroup Corporation Ltd generates revenue primarily from its Vehicle Services, which contributed A$21.87 million, and Outsourced Administration services, amounting to A$287.87 million. Dividend Yield: 6.9% Smartgroup's dividend yield of 6.9% ranks it among the top 25% of Australian dividend payers, though its sustainability is questionable due to a high cash payout ratio of 135.6%. While dividends have grown over the past decade, they have been volatile and not well covered by free cash flows. The stock trades at a significant discount to fair value and analysts anticipate a price increase, reflecting potential upside despite recent earnings growth challenges. Click here and access our complete dividend analysis report to understand the dynamics of Smartgroup. The analysis detailed in our Smartgroup valuation report hints at an deflated share price compared to its estimated value. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited offers electrical, instrumentation, communications, security, and maintenance services to the resources, commercial, and infrastructure sectors in Australia with a market cap of A$436.28 million. Operations: Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited generates revenue of A$693.73 million from its electrical services provision across various sectors in Australia. Dividend Yield: 3.6% Southern Cross Electrical Engineering's dividend yield of 3.64% is modest compared to top Australian payers. Despite a volatile dividend history, payments are well-covered by earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 69.4% and 21.5%, respectively. The stock trades at a good value, being 27% below its estimated fair value, with analysts expecting a price rise of nearly 46%. Earnings growth has been robust at 42.3%, supporting potential future dividends despite past instability. Dive into the specifics of Southern Cross Electrical Engineering here with our thorough dividend report. Our valuation report here indicates Southern Cross Electrical Engineering may be undervalued. Gain an insight into the universe of 27 Top ASX Dividend Stocks by clicking here. Got skin in the game with these stocks? Elevate how you manage them by using Simply Wall St's portfolio, where intuitive tools await to help optimize your investment outcomes. Streamline your investment strategy with Simply Wall St's app for free and benefit from extensive research on stocks across all corners of the world. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include ASX:LAU ASX:SIQ and ASX:SXE. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Free Malaysia Today
12-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Investors hesitant amid global economic concerns, says Tengku Zafrul
Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said it is becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : Foreign investors are taking a cautious approach towards new investments in Malaysia due to global economic uncertainties, investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said today. He warned that attracting new investors would be challenging in the current climate, noting that while existing investors in Malaysia remained committed, newcomers were showing hesitation. 'Those who have committed have not pulled out. But the ones that have not committed are now thinking (whether to invest or not),' he told reporters during the regional launch of the Asean Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026–2030. He also said it was becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. 'When we have discussions with companies, we understand their concerns. Many (investors) are adopting a wait-and-see approach due to the dynamic geopolitical situation, especially between the US and China. 'New companies looking to invest want to assess the global situation first,' Tengku Zafrul added. When asked about Malaysia's RM89 billion in approved investments in the first quarter of the year – up 3.7% from the same period last year – Tengku Zafrul said it was 'pleasantly surprising' given typical first-quarter sluggishness. 'In terms of foreign investment, it is almost 70% of the investment. And at the same time, we see that the biggest sector is services, especially the digital economy,' he added. Tengku Zafrul is expected to travel to Washington on June 18 to continue negotiations over the US tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods. He said the Malaysian government hopes to persuade Washington to reduce import duties for certain sectors to below 10%. 'We also want to ensure that our local companies exporting to the US – especially in sectors such as furniture and downstream palm oil – are taken into account,' Tengku Zafrul said, adding that these sectors 'are not really in competition' with American industries.
