As it happened: FTSE 100 recovers after oil surge dampens mood; Strikes in the Strait of Hormuz Markets Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Oil prices are marching higher after the latest wave of military action in the Middle East following the US reinstating its blockade on imports from Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – surged above $84 per barrel on Tuesday, bringing gains for the week [...]
As it happened: Markets on high alert as Streeting calls on Starmer to resign Markets Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The past few days of political drama have to come to a head today and UK assets are bracing for a showdown. All eyes were on the bond market after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and called for a leadership contest. Gilt yields see-sawed yesterday as Sir [...]
High street jewellery giants struggle to sparkle Retail Growth seems to be hard to come by in almost any industry at the moment, especially as UK business leaders brace for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver her expected tax hikes later this month. But the latest set of financial results for two of the country’s largest jewellery chains has shone a spotlight on the [...]
Watches of Switzerland shares slump as Trump ups tariffs August 1, 2025 Watches of Switzerland saw its share price drop more than seven per cent in early trade as investors shied away from the effect of Trump’s sweeping new tariffs. On Friday morning, Trump announced a new tariff rate of 39 per cent for Swiss exports to the US – higher than the initial ‘Liberation Day’ tariff [...]
Swiss watch exports plummet after tariff uncertainty hits sales June 19, 2025 Swiss watch exports fell significantly in May after anticipation of steep tariffs caused a downturn in the US market. Exports fell 9.5 versus May, according to new figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH), reversing a recovery in sales that has been brewing since the start of the year. The market for [...]
Sofas and season tickets: Inside the world of retail finance May 16, 2025 Retailing financing is on the up and as big banks steer away from the market, specialist lenders are cashing in. Fresh research from the finance and leasing association (FLA) showed consumer finance grew by 13 per cent in March 2025, compared to the year prior. The first quarter of 2025 saw a six per cent [...]
Watches of Switzerland: US sales drive return to growth May 15, 2025 Rolex and Patek Philppe-seller Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) has returned to growth, driven by a double-digit sales rise in the US. The luxury watch seller told markets this morning that full year Group revenue reached £1.6bn in the year ended April 27, up eight per cent year on year and in line with market [...]
City broker downgrades Watches of Switzerland as US prices set to rise April 7, 2025 A City broker has downgraded its price target for Watches of Switzerland by a fifth, citing lower spending and higher prices as the retailer’s challenges. Peel Hunt downgraded the target price for the luxury watch firm from 500p to 400p. Shares in the retailer were trading at 335p as of midday on April 7, having [...]
Luxury brands Watches of Switzerland and Burberry suffer on Trump tariffs April 3, 2025 The share prices of high-end retailers Watches of Switzerland and Burberry both slid today in the wake of Trump’s tariff announcement. Watches of Switzerland saw its share price drop more than 15 per cent, while Burberry’s share price fell by nearly seven per cent. “There are heavy losses for the luxury sector,” Kathleen Brooks, research [...]
Watches of Switzerland: Rolex retailer bolstered by US sales February 6, 2025 Watches of Switzerland has expressed optimism about the European luxury market and noted momentum in the US, in the latest signs the global luxury market is beginning to recover from a two-year downturn. The watch retailer said the luxury market, which has been under pressure from lower disposable income and changing trends, has stabilised. The [...]