The Democrats and the Republicans don’t agree on much, but there is one thing that their conventions have in common: huge requirements for security. The Republican Convention in Cleveland, with controversial candidate Donald Trump expected to secure the party’s nomination, could be especially contentious.

The proliferation of startups that have achieved “unicorn status” — with valuations over $1 billion — raises concerns of a possible tech bubble. In January 2014, 45 private companies were valued at $1 billion or more; by June 2016, 148 companies reached the billion dollar mark, according to the Wall Street Journal.

During the last quarter, many top news organizations predicted “the era of the unicorn” would soon be coming to an end. However, after Twilio’s solid performance during its recent IPO, CNN Money voiced renewed optimism announcing, “Unicorns live!” Opinions about the future of tech startups continue to shift.

Services for self-storage and moving — fixed storage, mobile storage, climate-controlled, and not climate-controlled, full-service moving, and DIY truck rentals — are expected to reach $71 billion in revenues in 2020. Advances will be driven by increased mobility nationwide, as people and businesses are starting to relocate at higher rates following the recession and extended slow recovery. Growth will also stem from the lack of storage space in many US homes. 

As one might guess, revenues for these services vary significantly by region, state, and municipal area. Regional markets are primarily influenced by local factors such as population size, density, age distribution, mobility, homeownership rates, and growth trends. 

The publishing divisions at MarketResearch.com are frequently cited in top publications and trade journals. In June, research by Kalorama information appeared in articles on direct-to-consumer laboratory testing, the market for electronic medical records, and outsourcing in drug discovery. A variety of media outlets turned to Packaged Facts for its expertise on pet litter products, coffee creamer trends, and meal kit delivery services.

Take a look at press highlights from June below. To access more information, click the link to the report page.

Macy’s stock plunged 47 percent in the last year. Gap, Nordstrom, and Kohl’s also reported a drop in sales. What’s causing the slump? According to Business Insider, “Executives from nearly every company blamed a spending pullback in one common category for the declines: apparel.”

Although many consumers are reluctant to purchase new clothes, footwear is a different story. Footwear has outpaced apparel, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6 percent over 2010-2015 in comparison to 4 percent for apparel, according to a report by Euromonitor. 

Interest in drones from the retail sector is growing rapidly as competitive pressures push retailers and distributors to develop new ways to make their supply chains more efficient, to automate warehouses, and to reduce delivery costs. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, recently announced plans to use drones for inventory management in its warehouses. Amazon, the nation’s largest internet retailer, is researching the use of drones to deliver packages to consumers. Global e-commerce giant Alibaba is testing delivery drones in China while DHL is already using drones to deliver packages in Germany.

While the potential of autonomous vehicles should not be underestimated, it would be a mistake to ignore other fast-growing technologies in the transportation industry.

Before self-driving cars become the norm, a host of other innovations will change how people move. Read on to learn about four global transportation markets that are poised to achieve exponential growth by 2020.

Both residential and nonresidential construction markets are on solid footing, and steady gains can be expected over the next 12 to 18 months. In 2016, year-to-date new home sales are up 9 percent and existing home sales are up about 5.5 percent, according the latest US Census and National Realtors Association.

Furthermore, housing prices are trending upwards and have increased 5 to 6 percent compared to the same period the year before.[1] The US Census indicated in May that the residential housing market was on pace for about 1.164 million starts for 2016, while Freedonia anticipates new residential housing starts will ultimately reach above 1.2 million for the year. In addition, home builder confidence has remained positive throughout all of 2016.[2]

The home care industry is worth $84 billion in the U.S. alone and employs more than 1.7 million people. As seniors age, exponential growth is projected in this industry in the coming decade. The global home healthcare industry is forecast to produce revenues of $300 billion in 2020, up from $180 billion in 2014.

For more information on these healthcare industry trends, check out the infographic created by Be Independent Home Care, which draws on data and analysis found on MarketResearch.com and other sites.

Despite past failures and false starts, virtual reality is taking off. According to a report by Rider Research, virtual reality has become one of the hottest technology buzzwords for 2016. Consumer demand is rising fast as realistically priced virtual reality and augmented reality products hit the market.

But what exactly are augmented reality and virtual reality products? Who can use them? And which industries are going to most benefit from these new technologies? Read on to find out.