HIV patents: no solution - yet

While the WTO has not yet made a breakthrough on the issue of patent-free HIV drugs for developing economies, something must be done to alleviate the human and economic cost of the HIV epidemic. Western pharma companies will inevitably lose out - the only question is how well their profit maintenance strategies can cushion the blow.

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HIV: US senate may face more pressure

Many patient advocacy groups argue that the US is not contributing sufficiently to HIV prevention and treatment, despite the recent budget approval. Furthermore, most of the major HIV drug manufacturers are either US based or heavily involved in the US - a factor likely to provide additional pressure for increased funding.

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HSBC: rebranding its global private banking operations

HSBC has announced that it is to rebrand its global private banking operations amid concerns in the wider industry over the rebuilding of fee income and client confidence. This could be an effective approach, but only if it comes as part of a broader business transformation.

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IOCs: facing difficult strategic choices

International oil companies (IOCs) are facing increasingly difficult challenges in the pursuit of sustainable development. Threatened by mounting pressure from shareholders and environmental groups, and restrained by limited access to high potential areas in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, IOCs must address these concerns while still offering value to their investors.

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Kellogg's: suffering losses after a challenging Q3

Breakfast giant Kellogg's has announced a net income fall of 6% in Q3, citing declining cereal sales and a product recall as key factors. While a recall is unusual and unforeseen, the result highlights the challenges posed in such a mature category. Kellogg's faces the problem not only of battling multiple competitors, but also the attitudes of consumers towards breakfast consumption in general.

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Kraft: down Mexico way

Kraft looks set to succeed where Coke and Pepsi failed, taking over Mexican juice giant Jugos del Valle. The Mexican economy is on the rise, Kraft has a strong history of targeting Spanish speakers in the US, and Jugos del Valle will significantly improve the company's distribution network south of the border. In short, es muy buena.

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Kuehne & Nagel: positive moves

Kuehne & Nagel is continuing its growth strategy with another acquisition in Central America. As economic slowdown keeps freight growth down in the developed world, it makes sense for K&N to focus on less exploited markets to maintain its profit growth. At the same time, the move expands the Swiss firm's worldwide network still further.

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Kuehne & Nagel: taking over the world, with minimal risk

K&N can now fully integrate the unit's activities into its network, controlling the subsidiary's operations for the benefit of its global network. Setting up joint ventures and turning the successful ones into wholly owned subsidiaries is a wise strategy for K&N. It can test the waters in each market before putting forward full capital and resource commitment.

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Lip make-up: Argentinean sales set to rise

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Maersk Q3 results: shipping lines continue to sail in rough waters

Shipping lines over the past year have experienced a sharp deterioration in revenues because of falling trade volumes, with Maersk expecting to suffer a net loss of $1 billion for 2009. Although the economy started to show signs of revival in the third quarter, the effect is yet to trickle down to the shipping lines and they continue to post subdued results.

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