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Fashion

Stars align for luxury circular economy

23 Dec 2020

The pandemic and a desire to save the planet will prompt shoppers to buy pre-owned apparel. Luxury items’ lasting charm may unlock a $600 bln market for old Gucci, Hermès and other high-end brands. Even manufacturers could get in on the act, marrying financial and ESG goals.

Corona Capital: Vaccine dibs

21 Dec 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Vaccine prioritization is about to get competitive.

Corona Capital: New York City, Fed/climate change

15 Dec 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: New York City’s exodus puts local government in a tight spot; the Fed’s belated move shows a change in Washington.

Corona Capital: Airbnb IPO, IKEA catalog

7 Dec 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Vacation-rental app Airbnb ups its likely market valuation when it goes public later this week; and IKEA kills off its doormat-denting printed catalog after 70 years.

Corona Capital: Movie releases, Ads, Running

4 Dec 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: HBO Max uses its muscle on movie releases; advertising wins some and loses some; Brooks’ beast year.

Corona Capital: Chevron, Boeing, OPEC, Orange

3 Dec 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Chevron cuts spending, prudently; Boeing orders are a solid step; OPEC makes up its mind; and Orange’s Belgian deal has some juice.

Philip Green’s retail roulette hits the little guy

1 Dec 2020

The Monaco-based tycoon’s Arcadia empire has collapsed. His decision to pay wife Tina a 1 bln pound dividend took chips off the table, but left the Topshop owner poorly placed for the internet. With pensioners and small suppliers on the hook it’s a stark lesson in moral hazard.

Private equity can sprint ahead in Adidas castoffs

11 Nov 2020

Buyout groups are considering buying Reebok from the German sportswear group, the FT says. Chunky returns are possible despite the brand’s dismal growth. But after a failed turnaround, the maker of Kanye West Yeezy trainers will need to accept much less than the $3.8 bln it paid.

Chinese tech giants take proxy war to New York

3 Nov 2020

Alibaba is jostling for a stake in U.S.-listed online fashion retailer Farfetch. That would put Jack Ma’s behemoth in contention with rivals JD and Tencent, who also have their fingers on the UK firm. Courting such investors will better equip Farfetch in its battle with Amazon.

Review: What can be more premium than luxury?

30 Oct 2020

The next generation of affluent shoppers will spend more on experiences and edgy products, says Erwan Rambourg in “Future Luxe”. That may dim the appeal of classic deluxe products like Gucci bags or Cartier watches. Luxury will be more about what you do than just what you own.

Corona Capital: Quibi

22 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Video streaming company Quibi’s failure is in spite of – not because of – the Covid-19 pandemic.

Corona Capital: Greenwich, CT real estate

16 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Home sales in the swank New York City suburb preferred by bankers have soared while Manhattan apartment sales crater.

Corona Capital: Black Friday, JPMorgan’s new tower

14 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Walmart’s Black Friday rejig makes for a curious experiment; JPMorgan goes all-in on New York real estate.

Corona Capital: Fiscal stimulus, Fitness riches

6 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Central bankers including the Federal Reserve’s Jerome Powell urge more fiscal help as Covid-19 cases rise again; and the owner of NordicTrack treadmills raises cash at a $7 billion-plus valuation.

Corona Capital: Donald Trump, Kenzo Takada

5 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: U.S. President Donald Trump’s fight with the coronavirus could lead to a less fiercely contested election result; the death of Japanese designer Kenzo Takada comes at a bad time for the global fashion industry.

Corona Capital: Covid-19 tests, Bed Bath & Beyond

1 Oct 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Diagnostic company Quidel predicts a quarterly earnings bonanza; meanwhile the pandemic turns a struggling retailer into a winner, at least temporarily.

Corona Capital: LVMH and Macron, Eyewear deals

23 Sep 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: LVMH has friends in high places; 1-800 Contacts has semi-disposable owners.

Corona Capital: Fed’s optimism, Package holidays

16 Sep 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: Jay Powell and crew at the U.S. central bank reckon the nation’s economy is doing better, just, than they expected; Anglo-German travel company TUI may raise 1 bln euros as the virus whacks new bookings.

Corona Capital: Kraft Heinz, U.S. poverty

15 Sep 2020

Concise views on the pandemic’s corporate and financial fallout: The food giant is boosting advertising outlays, even as it continues cutting costs; and the poverty rate in the United States hit a low at the end of 2019, according to new data, only to run into a Covid reversal.