What does the year of the pig hold for stocks? History has some clues February 8, 2019 Chinese stock markets are currently on holiday, with traders and consumers off celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Pig. But maybe equity markets across the world have something to celebrate, given the past performance of stocks during previous porcine-themed years. Statistically speaking, the Year of the Pig is a good one for stocks. [...]
Tata Motors’ share price tanks on Jaguar Land Rover losses February 8, 2019 The share price of Indian conglomerate Tata Motors fell 17 per cent today after it posted the biggest-ever quarterly loss in Indian corporate history of about £3.1bn. The loss was triggered by falling Chinese demand for Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) cars, the main source of Tata Motors’ revenue. Tata said JLR would post an operating [...]
L’Oreal sales bolstered by Chinese demand for luxury skincare creams February 8, 2019 French beauty group L’Oreal trumped sales forecasts towards the end of last year, as Chinese demand for high-end skincare products boosted fourth-quarter results. Shares edged up slightly in morning trading after the firm reported an 8.6 per cent rise in the final quarter of 2018, following strong demand for goods in the firm’s luxury and [...]
Three themes for 2019 – and some black swans February 8, 2019 2018 was a challenging year for investors with US equity and government bond markets both returning less than cash. Two factors were instrumental in delivering this outcome: disappointment with global growth and less cash flowing through the global economy (tighter liquidity). These factors will continue to influence markets in the year ahead. We have identified [...]
How to capitalise on China’s luxury boom February 8, 2019 As many companies experience a slowdown in China, luxury brands are surely smiling as they look at their sales performance. Last week, LVMH – the world’s largest luxury group, which includes brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Moet & Chandon – surprised everyone by announcing an increase in sales during its fourth quarter earnings, and [...]
Jaguar Land Rover hit by stagnating Chinese market as losses mount February 7, 2019 Britain’s largest car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has endured quarterly losses of £3.4bn after taking a write-down in the value of its investments, amid falling Chinese demand. The results for the last three months of last year have left the firm expecting a loss for the full financial year for the first time in [...]
Siemens and Alstom merger plans blocked by EU antitrust regulators February 6, 2019 A planned merger between Siemens and Alstom has been stopped in its tracks after EU regulators rejected the deal due to competition concerns. The transportation giants had put forward plans to create a combined company with revenues of roughly €15bn (£13.2bn). Read more: Alstom and Siemens offer merger concessions to get EU on side But [...]
What is the outlook for interest rates in 2019? February 5, 2019 US Concern over the outlook for US interest rates was one of the dominant themes of 2018, especially as the year progressed. President Trump got involved in the debate, tweeting in December that it was “incredible” that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) was considering raising interest rates again. Despite the pressure from the president, the [...]
Despite 2018’s woes, could the year of the pig be a sign of good fortune for Chinese equities? February 5, 2019 Chinese stock markets were dogged with problems last year – pretty fitting given that it was the year of the dog. The country grappled with slower growth, a mountain of debt, and a trade war with the US, creating a tough environment for Chinese equities. The MSCI China index slumped by 14 per cent in [...]
The trade war in your head? A look behind the US-China feud February 5, 2019 As the US-China talks resume this week, the spectre of global trade disintegration on looms ever larger. There is one month for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to strike a deal before the 90-day ceasefire in tit-for-tat rhetoric expires. At stake is $200bn of Chinese exports to the US, which will otherwise see tariffs rise [...]