Last year, India took the baton from China as the world's fastest-growing major emerging market. India's real gross domestic product rose 7.4% in 2015, surpassing China's growth for the first time in more than a decade. More important, India's growth is expected to accelerate in 2016 and 2017, while growth in China decelerates.
India offers plenty of factors to attract foreign investment. Inflation has slowed in recent years, and the Indian rupee has held up better than many other foreign currencies. India also says it has no plans to boost growth by devaluing its currency, departing from strategies used by China and Japan.
Unlike many emerging markets, India imports most of its commodities; its economy should benefit from low oil prices. Despite rising fuel consumption, India expects to spend 45% less on crude-oil imports in the fiscal year ending March 2016.
Perhaps most attractive: India's demographics. It boasts the second-largest population (1.32 billion) in the world. About half of India's residents are under the age of 25, and an estimated 13 million people enter the work force each year. At the same time, much of its labor force remains unskilled, and women in some areas face a stigma if they work outside of the home.
Foreign companies that hope India will supplant China as a major source of growth still face plenty of roadblocks. Some of India's rules prevent it from serving as replacement for China. Foreign companies must comply with religious rules requiring, for instance, that factories locate at least 500 meters from temples. BlackBerry ($8; BBRY) has sparred with Indian officials over technology used to encrypt corporate e-mails, while Facebook ($110; FB) recently ran afoul of regulators over its attempt to offer free internet services with limited access.
Foreign companies are prohibited from opening supermarkets and can only own up to a 51% stake in local chains, limiting their ability to tap into the grocery industry, about one-third of India's consumer spending. Other retailers must ensure that one-third of their products are made locally. For years, IKEA has struggled to gain a toehold in India, while Wal-Mart Stores ($66; WMT) abandoned its plans to open retail stores, instead opting to operate as a wholesaler.
Apple ($101; AAPL) is the latest U.S. company to take a crack at India's retail market. In January, Apple applied for government approval to open retail stores in India and sell its products online. It currently sells devices through Indian-owned distributors and retailers. Apple controls less than a 2% share of India's smartphone market, projected by researcher IDC to overtake the U.S. as the second-biggest market in the world by 2017. Apple said December-quarter sales surged 38% in India, compared to 14% in China. Despite the growth, revenue from India is still less than a third of the company's $18.38 billion from China.
Not to be outdone, Alphabet ($739; GOOGL) expects to launch a low-cost smartphone through an Indian partnership later this year. The company expects more than 500 million Indians to be online by 2018, up from 300 million in 2015. Both Apple and Alphabet are Focus List Buys and Long-Term Buys. Wal-Mart is rated A (above average). Facebook is rated B (average).
Thando Thabethe is a South African actress and radio personality. She was born and raised in Johannesburg, Gauteng province, South Africa. She is also a radio DJ, television host and motivational speaker.
Thando is in a relationship with Frans Mashao. She went to Instagram to celebrated her four year anniversary with her boyfriend, Frans Mashao. The Instagram caption read; “4 years my love thank you for all the lessons, for the love, the growth and for making me the best version of myself…to a life time of memories…happy anniversary”
Actress, television and radio personality Thando Thabethe was engaged to Frans Mashao of over four years. Thando said that her engagement happened when she was in Ibiza, Spain, saying that the moment was so beautiful.
“It was Thursday in Ibiza. So obviously I was there for work and I don’t think he had planned to do it but we had a moment just him and it was a very deep conversation, and I guess he felt it was the right time. So then he went down on his knee and then he said “will you marry me”. But he didn’t have a ring ‘cause we were all the way in Ibiza, it wasn’t something he planned…”
She attended Mondeor High School for her Secondary education. She enrolled at the University of Johannesburg where she studied Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) Accounting.
While she was in high school she started doing some television work on shows such as YOTV’s Quest for Fame, Backchat and Celebrity Fast Facts.
While she was studying in the University of Johannesburg she started working at UJFM as a news reader. She landed a role in a documentary on the DSTV Channel, Mindst Learn.In 2011 she moved from being a news reader to being a host of UJFM’s drive show.
In 2011 she was cast in a lead role of the SABC 1 original sitcom, My Perfect Family as ‘Thando Nkosi’.
In 2013 she made a guest appearance as co- host of e.tv’s Club 808. She also guest starred on the second season of Intersexions which aired on SABC 1 as Lulu.
In 2013 she guest starred as Evette on the SABC 1 sitcom, Single Guys. She appeared as a commentator on Vuzu TV’s game show,10 Over 10.
Thando Thabethe spoilt her mom with a new Mercedes-Benz and posted a picture of the big unveiling on her Instagram account. She had it all planned out and started off the day by saying she was going to do something really awesome for someone she loved.
I can’t begin to explain what this project means to me and EVERYONE involved‼️‼️‼️ We worked really hard to put this one together, im super nervous but so excited for you to see our work…thank you for walking this path with us ❤️❤️❤️ let’s #HousekeepersMzansi NOW!!! DSTV channel 161???
Youth Village: How old were you when you broke into entertainment industry? And what was the first gig?
Thando Thabethe: Well the first time I was ever on TV was on a YOtv presenter search called Quest for fame, I made it all the way to the top 4. I was 13 then.
Youth Village: On SABC 1’s My Perfect Family you play the role of “Thando Nkosi” who is “blonde” what made you go for that role? And was it challenging to play that role?
Thando Thabethe: Thando Nkosi is a very fun, light hearted role to play. She is also EXTREMELY energetic so I had to always make sure that I’m on top of my game.
Thando Thabethe: She’s very fast paced so I need to know my lines really well and of course I also have to psych myself up for her high energy levels.
Youth Village: Let’s talk about Intersexions which is a programme about educating people about HIV/AIDS, what did you learn from being part of it?
Thando Thabethe: I had the most fun on intersexions, the role I played was very real, and I know of so many girls who behave that way. I learnt and hope to have showed the repercussions of having multiple life partners.
Youth Village: Thando Do you think Intersexions is a Drama that can be watched by the whole family to start a healthy conversation or can be watched by young people only?
Thando Thabethe: Definitely by the whole family. It’s the type of drama that makes people uncomfortable, and perhaps we need that to start conversations around these key issues.
Thando Thabethe: I attended the University of Johannesburg, and when I got there I found out there was a campus radio station. I auditioned, just for the fun of it, and got taken up as a newsreader. I then decided that news reading wasn’t enough for me and ventured into presenting. Within a couple of months I received a request to join YFM.
Thando Thabethe: My show is called the audiotreat weekends 12-3pm on YFM. It’s lifestyle show, has a lot of reality elements. We cover current affairs, celebrity gossip and music.
Thando Thabethe: The point of radio is to give a good, sound and reputable product, and the point of callers is to add to that, and I make sure that they do or I have to let them go
Thando Thabethe: Definitely DJ Fresh, he knows the ins and outs of radio, and he is technically sound
Thando Thabethe: Presenting is something I’ve always wanted to do, and Club808 is the best platform I could ever dream of doing it on.
Thando: Nothing worth having comes easy, so if you love something and truly keep trying, no matter how many times you fail eventually you will win.
You know you’re stars have been aligned when all your dreams manifest into reality in just a year and that is exactly what Thando Thabethe is experiencing in the year 2018.
She recently came from an exciting campaign partnership between Ciroc and Moschino in Milan, announced that she’d be acting on a new tv show titled – House Keepers which aired for the first time yesterday, made a young girl’s dream come true by sponsoring her with a Matric dress and now she is spoiling herself and her mommy with some house renovations.
Thando recently shared how she’s been working on renovating her home and her mother’s bathroom and looked back at how grateful she is for all that she has achieved.
She then flexed on us with this tweet announcing how she’s working on getting herself a walk-in closet whilst at the same time gifting her mom with an ensuite toilet.
The architect tweet that was talking of how on gets late just to give an excuse that they were having a meeting with their architect had us snapping our fingers in Z-formation for Thando…ok?