The Czech Republic’s information and communication (ICT) sector generated a gross value added (GVA) of CZK 220.6bn in 2016, up by a real 1.9% y/y. The sector accounted for 4.6% of GDP in 2016, retaining its share in the period 2012-2016. The gross output of the ICT sector amounted to CZK 412.6bn or 8.6% of GDP in 2016. The sector employed 106,200 workers, accounting for 2.7% of the total employment in the country in 2016. The computer programming, consultancy and related activities subsector had the highest number of employees, accounting for 57.4% of the total employment in the sector. In respect to revenues and number of enterprises the subsector also has the highest share in the ICT sector. The mobile penetration was 117.7 subscribers per 100 inhabitants in 2016, lower than the European average of 118.2 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.

The Montenegrin telecommunications market is well developed but small and highly saturated in the case of mobile communications. The wireline market continues to benefit from modernisation, with next-generation access networks (NGANs) facilitating the provision of complex, multi-service packages for which operators can charge a premium. However, voice usage is on the decline and the broadband market's expansion potential is hampered by low consumer spending power. The broadband services sector is a little more developed, but dependence on the ageing WiMAX technology also hampers private sector development.

Limited competition, difficult geographical terrain and a low income population have histroically combined to slow the rate of mobile growth in the market, particularly in comparison to other markets. The introduction of a third mobile operator has given some fresh impetus to the market and may drive growth prospects further. Nevertheless, the market remains at a nascent stage of development. We believe there is significant scope for growth here in organic subscriber numbers over the next few years and in terms of 3G/4G and advanced data uptake. The two dominant players, Ncell and the Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited have carved a significant piece of the market for themselves. Challenging their powers in the market will require significant expertise, technological innovation and price competition.

Smart Mobile reportedly halted operations in late 2017 after failing to meet its financial obligations. In September 2017, the regulator NATCOM fined Airtel USD750,000, Africell USD400,000 and Sierratel USD200,000 also instructing them to offer three days of free calls to customers. NATCOM cited their failure to achieve agreed KPIs regarding quality of service for subscribers. In late 2016, Orange acquired Airtel's subsidiary in Sierra Leone, with its official brand launch taking place in October 2017. We believe this has injected much-needed competition to boost mobile uptake and improve 3G services across Sierra Leone. airtel was fined USD1.2mn by NATCOM in early 2016. The regulator stated that the fine was due to the fact that the operator failed to deliver adequate quality of service to its clients across the country.

Russia’s oil and gas subsector remained more effective in comparison with other industries and sectors by ROA in 2017. (ROA ratio calculated by the Federal Statistics Service is based on earnings before tax). Meanwhile, ROA of oil refining sector fell to 0.3% in Q4 2017 in comparison with Russia’s average of 2.2%.

Russia's agriculture sector saw growth in fixed-capital investments in 2017, up by 3.1% in comparison with the same period a year ago. Moreover, investments slowed down in Q4 2017, up by 4.2%, after surging by 20.0% in Q3 2017.

A change in technology leads to the transformation in the customer's experience and human interaction. As customers are increasingly relying on smartphones and the convenience of information available to them through a large number of websites, their needs along with their expectations have altered. By using a voice-assistance technology, companies are trying to offer their customers something which can assist them and make their life convenient. For example, Santander, a UK-based bank, has recently unveiled its voice banking services. The company’s clients can ask their simple questions via an iOS SmartBank application. The bank’s clients can no longer need to manually review their monthly statements.

The world population is set to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 from 7.5 billion in 2015, which is largely driven by rapid population growth in the Africa and Asia continents. This not only implies that the existing agricultural ecosystem should gear up to feed the additional 2.2 billion but also should accommodate their shift in dietary patterns and account for the shrinkage in acreage. Increased reliance on protein-rich diet, which comprise meat products, places an additional demand for grains. Urbanization and deforestation are resulting in climatic shifts that are severely affecting the agricultural yields. In view of all these, there is an imperative need for smart solutions that can effectively help to mitigate the negative effects and meet the demand.

Data centers are built, operated, and maintained to process a vast amount of both customer and business data. The number of people accessing the internet has grown significantly in the past decade from about 1.5 billion in 2008 to 4.1 billion in 2017. Consequently, the amount of data generated has also grown by over 50 times because of the increased use of desktop systems, smartphone penetration, social media, wearable devices, and connected devices.