President Trump to meet Xi ‘very soon’ as markets hope for end to US-China trade war, Conway says February 12, 2019 President Donald Trump wants to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon in an effort to end the trade war that has raged between the US and China, according to an adviser. Kellyanne Conway, previously Trump's campaign manager and now counsellor to the White House, told Fox earlier this week that Trump “wants to meet with [...]
US market braces itself for US-China trade talks February 12, 2019 This week marks a resumption of trade talks between China and the US, so expect to see movement on the US equity markets as the headlines hit. Preliminary talks began on Monday and saw the US team fly to Beijing to try and close the gap – and tension – between the two nations when [...]
Gucci shrugs off China troubles after trumping sales estimates February 12, 2019 Kering’s flagship Gucci brand became the latest in a swathe of luxury retail names to buck fears of a slowdown in demand from Chinese shoppers today, after the Italian label trumped sales expectations for the final quarter of 2018. Outperforming many of its peers in the fourth quarter of last year, Kering posted a 23.3 per [...]
The stakes are high in the global 5G race February 12, 2019 High up in the Swiss Alps in Davos last month, it was clear that most of the town was pessimistic because of the outlook on trade and the global economy. But what should concern investors more is the breaking up of the global web through the arrival of what’s known as the “splinternet”. It’s increasingly likely [...]
US officials head to Beijing to resume trade talks as deadline for tariff war looms February 11, 2019 Asian markets finished with mixed results this morning while the FTSE 100 had an early rise, as investors looked forward to the reopening of trade talks between the US and China this week. A delegation of US officials, including Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, head to Beijing today for the next round of negotiations, but investors’ [...]
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 [...]