World Business

Toyota Motor Corp.’s global output sank for the fourth straight month as a shortage of semiconductors and supply chain disruptions caused by Covid lockdowns in China hurt production. Output fell 8.6% in July from a year earlier to 706,547 vehicles, the Japanese automaker said in a statement Tuesday. Sales declined 7.2% to 797,179 units, extending a slump for an 11th consecutive month. A shortage of computer chips that go into many car parts, higher raw material costs and frequent shutdowns at factories in China because of Covid-related curbs have thrown global auto assembly lines in turmoil. Still, Toyota is sticking to its production target of 9.7 million vehicles for the fiscal year through March 2023 and has also kept its profit outlook. While Toyota’s overseas output climbed to a record for July, volumes still fell short of target. Output in Japan slid 28.2% from a year earlier. Even though the yen has weakened against the US dollar this year, meaning the carmaker’s products are more competitive overseas and its income gets a boost in the local currency, executives this month said they aren’t confident enough to raise profit guidance. They cited "many uncertainties ahead,” such as downward pressure on the economy and potential interest rate hikes in other nations. Toyota shares are little changed since the start of the year and traded 0.7% higher as of 1:30 p.m. in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Qatar Business

Doha: To meet the increasing demand for residential units and commercial and administrative spaces for Barwa Village, Barwa Real Estate Group has added a new stage to its expansion by developing an additional building with international specifications and quality. This expansion contains 71 commercial units that meet the needs of restaurants, stores, exhibitions and retail outlets; in addition to 177 apartments of various sizes, and a hypermarket. The occupancy rate in the apartments for this expansion is about 99.5 percent, and it has reached more than 70 percent in the shops. Barwa Village extends over an area of 400,000 square metres, and its buildings are characterised by designs inspired by the local heritage of the country, making it an integrated city that provides all modern and comfortable lifestyles for residents, traders and visitors. Modern highways and main roads and with modern and multiple transportation facilities such as the Doha Metro and public transport modes contribute to a smooth and safe access for visitors from all regions, in addition to its proximity to the most important development and service facilities in the country such as Hamad International Airport, Hamad Port and a number of important logistical areas in the country. Read Also Qatar Airways Cargo launches ‘Next Generation’ strategy QFMA received 100 e-services applications in 2021 QIB launches instant school fee payment feature on its mobile app Ooredoo and partners host major privacy, data protection event Also, this pioneering project will contribute to meeting the needs and aspirations of visitors and fans of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 who will live in Al Wakra and the nearby areas. Barwa Village consists of 18 buildings offering 918 high-quality commercial stores with various activities, and 457 apartments of various sizes. It also includes two shopping centres, restaurants, stores, a medical centre, a gym, an international school and a nursery, in addition to many service facilities such as a mosque and parking for cars, and ample green spaces. The occupancy rate in the shops at Barwa Village is about 88 percent, while it reached 99.5 percent for the apartments. Waseef, the leading real estate management and marketing company, operates commercial and mixed-use projects that provide high quality residential solutions, commercial and administrative spaces that meet the aspirations of all users at competitive prices, and this is manifested in the Barwa Village project and its expansion, which Barwa Real Estate Group developed to achieve a complete balance between the needs of tenants and visitors and the commercial ambitions of retail outlets, in addition to achieving the Group’s vision and strategic plan in supporting and providing the real estate market with sustainable projects that keep pace with all changes. Waseef provides various services to Barwa Village and its expansion around the clock, seven days a week, including security and safety services, general hygiene, and periodic maintenance of facilities and equipment, in addition to providing integrated services for commercial projects, with the aim of achieving a sustainable environment that meets the requirements of the residents, merchants, as well as visitors. The offered rental values also satisfies all segments and keeps pace with the current prices in Qatar, in order to ensure fair competition between real estate companies in Qatar.

Qatar Business

Doha: Qatar Airways Cargo is trailblazing the next generation of air cargo business with the launch of its ‘Next Generation’ strategy. With the new corporate mindset shift, Qatar Airways Cargo is defining the future air cargo industry, alongside digital enhancements, new products, a new website, and a new business approach in perfect alignment with today’s requirements. The world is changing. The pandemic has challenged long-serving, traditional structures and work processes. Digitalisation is finally taking off within the air cargo industry, and the past two years have shown that resilience, courage, and embracing change yield the best results. These elements have led to the emergence of the Next Generation approach which induces a corporate mindset shift. Thanks to its many dedicated employees across the world, Qatar Airways Cargo demonstrated agility, innovation, and flexibility in the face of this extraordinary period in which the air cargo industry, as a whole, experienced major upheaval. It is this positive disruption within a crisis that Qatar Airways Cargo intends to apply to all aspects of its business. “The future is in every decision we take – be it in technology, sustainability, diversity, the new generation of employees joining our company, our products and services, and how we approach our business in general. Every move we make has consequences, and we consciously endeavour to ensure that it yields the best results for our customers and the regions we serve,” Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways, stated. “We have a responsibility as the world’s leading airline and with Next Generation we are taking our industry to the next level. There has never been a better time to set entirely new standards. We are shaping the air cargo industry of tomorrow – one that combines digital efficiencies with a unique, professional human touch. Next Generation has a clear vision to develop employees’ talents, to fully utilise digital potential, and to take a fresh, innovative approach to the business of air cargo,” he added. Qatar Airways Cargo will be unveiling digital enhancements and new products in the course of this year. The Next Generation launch is accompanied by a strong new logo in the airline’s corporate colours. Alongside the already familiar WeQare logo denoting Qatar Airways Cargo’s sustainability initiatives, the Next Generation logo represents the company’s core focus: an unparalleled air cargo mindset. Qatar Airways Cargo is crossing thresholds into a new way of doing business, hence the emphasised X in the word NeXt. This cross also acts as an arrow pointing to the future and to an even higher level of quality and service. With the shift to Next Generation, every Qatar Airways Cargo product has been allocated its own identifying colour. These colours are incorporated in the logo whenever the particular product is featured. Qatar Airways Cargo’s website relaunch is a further visible implementation of Next Generation. The emphasis here is on an intuitive, inviting, and optimal customer experience. In providing visually appealing, precise and clear information and fast navigation, the design responds to modern user requirements. More digital solutions and new products are being developed under the Next Generation strategy.