With an output of 34.4mn tonnes, Brazil was the world’s ninth-largest crude steel manufacturer and its fifth-biggest net steel exporter in 2017. The country also plays a central role in the global nonferrous metals processing sector, being the largest primary aluminium producer in Latin America (ninth in the world), the fourth-biggest refined copper manufacturer in Latin America (24th globally), and the undisputed global leader in terms of recycling of aluminium packaging, having reprocessed more than 97% of all aluminium cans sold between 2010 and 2016.

Over the 2012-2017 period, the gross value added (GVA) of the food and beverage manufacturing industry expanded at a slow CAGR of 0.2%. The industry was negatively affected by sluggish overall economic activity, stubbornly high inflation and the depreciation of the Argentine peso against the US dollar, which raised production costs, and, at the same time, reduced households’ disposable incomes. However, the sector – being focused on the production of essential goods – outperformed manufacturing industry as a whole, whose GVA contracted at an annual average rate of 1.1% over the same period.

Egypt's mobile market is among the most competitive in the Middle East and North Africa. The three established providers have the backing of the international operators Vodafone, Orange and Etisalat, and have obtained 4G licenses and spectrum. Incumbent Telecom Egypt (TE), which acquired a 4G licence in August 2016, has launched its own mobile operator under the name WE.

Computer hardware spending contracted 2015-2017, with peso depreciation the main negative factor in 2015, but it was increasingly the cannibalisation of PC use cases by smartphones that was responsible for weak performance. Audio-visual spending growth resumed in 2017, supported by flat-panel TV set upgrades and replacements, as well as the positive trend for smartphone complimentary audio devices. After a slowdown in the smartphone boom in 2015 and 2016 as a result of challenging economic conditions the trend rebounded strongly in 2017 through upgrades and an extension of ownership to new users.

Zambia's poor per capita expenditure figures are offset somewhat by its growth potential, which will be driven by the copper mining sector and state, NGO and foreign investment in pharmaceutical production and distribution. Agricultural output also continues to have a significant impact on private spending on healthcare and medicines.

Foreign financing, especially from Chinese sources, will remain an important contributor of growth in Cambodia's construction industry. Foreign participation will be facilitated by Cambodia's growing investment appeal as a manufacturing hub and by the limited industrial capacities of local companies. Cambodia's infrastructure sector presents few positives in terms of attracting investment. As a market in its infancy, Cambodia is beleaguered by an opaque and infantile operating environment; however this also means that it is filled with development needs and growth opportunities.

Latest results suggest the mobile market ended Q218 with an estimated total of 235.076mn subscribers, representing a y-o-y decline of 2.9%. The mobile market has contracted for 13 consecutive quarters, and lost over 22.7mn subscribers since early 2016. We attribute this to inactive SIM disconnections and we believe many inactive SIMs may still be present in the market. • In May 2016, the Ministry of Communications (MiniCom) initiated the next phase of its National Broadband Programme (PNBL). By end-2019 the number of municipalities covered by fibre will be increased from 52% of the country to 70%, covering 95% of the population. Investment will also be channelled into 5G research and development and the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. MiniCom will contribute BRL400mn (USD115mn) to the fibre rollout, with additional funding supplied by regional operators. The total investment is expected to reach BRL2.5bn by end-2019.

There was a sharp decline in US dollar IT spending in 2016 as a result of recession and a weaker peso that reduced the affordability of imports. The hardware sector was exhibiting a negative US dollar trend prior to 2016, and only recorded modest growth in 2017 with more supportive economic conditions because of shifting usage patterns. Technology trends supported software and services spending growth outperformance, such as the acceleration in cloud adoption after investments in supporting infrastructure such as networks and datacentre capacity during the review period.

There was a sharp decline in device spending in 2016 as a result of depreciation and recession, which affected all three segments of the market, before a stabilisation in 2017 as economic conditions improved. The hardware trend was exhibiting a negative US dollar trend prior to 2016, and only recorded modest growth in 2017 with more supportive economic conditions because of shifting usage patterns. Handset spending outperformed again in 2017 as the smartphone boom resumed, based on a flow of first-time buyers and pent-up replacement demand from existing owners.

The Americas smart farming market comprises major companies providing yield monitoring equipment, steering and guidance equipment, herd monitoring equipment, farm management software, and smart greenhouses and other such equipment and systems used in smart farming. This varied range of market participants provides opportunities to other players willing to bear the high risks involved in the industry. This chapter details the latest strategies and developments adopted by the key market players in the Americas smart farming market. In order to lead the market as well as engage in the process of market growth, a company needs to work in collaboration with the top market leaders, acquire the relatively weaker companies, bring new products and services to the market, and improve the existing products.