The U.S. GDP grew at an annual rate of 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2021, according to the advance estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Fueled by several rounds of stimulus checks, personal consumption expenditure was the main driver behind the upswing, as private domestic investment and the negative trade balance pulled in the other direction.Personal consump...

Murata is changing its battery strategy by forgoing sales to smartphone makers in favor of those to wearable producers.Murata Manufacturing will begin mass-producing all-solid-state batteries in the months ahead and supply the ultrasafe, next-generation power packs to makers of earphones and other wearables as it forgoes short-term profit and attempts to carve out a niche for itself in a cutthr...

The inflatable garment is packed with a “top secret” ultra-light material.There’s something about the childlike balloon that continues to fascinate grownups. For one, in 2013, Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog sold for a then-record price of US$58.4 million.These party objects usually serve an aesthetic purpose more than anything else, but designer Andrew Kostman is changing that with a jacket so lig...

MONTHLY TREND REPORT - May. 2021 Edition Released !TRENDBIRD (What's the Next Big Thing ?) is a Global Trend Research & Consulting Service that Instantly Delivers Industry Expert Information on Emerging Trends & Future Business Opportunities from Around the World, Ahead of The Curve."

The median existing-home sales price in March rose by a record-breaking annual pace of 17.2% to a historic high of $329,100, with all regions posting double-digit price gains. The median existing-single-family home sales price jumped 18.4% to $334,500, both historic highs.Existing-home sales fell 3.7% from the prior month to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.01 million as sales in all majo...

Can you believe it’s been a year since the world was first forced to stay indoors and turned to Animal Crossing: New Horizons for a mental escape? It turns out that life in the game is still good, and it is even getting an island-sized UNIQLO store that Tom Nook is surely gaining a large share of.Yes, the Japanese everyday fashion retailer is joining the beloved simulation game, and it’s goin...

With always-on digital connections and step-changed consumer demands, the grocery store experience is evolving. From text-based customer service to virtual kitchens, we visualize the tech changing our trip.The past year forced grocers to focus on omnichannel connections. Online grocery sales growth skyrocketed an estimated 53%, and these new digital shopping behaviors are projected to stick. Th...

New options help you carve out downtime between meetings.For many people, back-to-back video meetings are a hallmark of the pandemic era. One conversation ends, another begins, and too often there’s no chance to stretch, pour a glass of water, or just clear your head.In our latest study of brain wave activity, researchers confirmed what many people sense from experience: Back-to-back virtual m...

Boosting luxury supplies for Chinese consumers stuck at home. Firms reassess how to reach mainland shoppers during pandemic.Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s logistics arm is launching direct cargo flights between Singapore and China’s Hainan Island, seeking to bolster the supply of luxury goods for voracious Chinese shoppers after the pandemic halted global travel.Cainiao Smart Logistics Network...