Watson's Daily

Monday 24/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, the IMF warns of global economic vulnerability, Italy and Iran have issues and we look at ongoing effects on private jet demand and toys. In CAR NEWS, we see China's designs on India and how Tesla's electronics…

Friday 21/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, Chinese banks cut lending rate to help the economy, Airlines and Maersk count the cost and app downloads soar. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Morgan Stanley buys ETrade, Swiss Re suffers from storms and wildfires and Lloyds Bank sees…

Thursday 20/02/20

In MACROECONOMIC NEWS, UK inflation hits a 6-month high, UK house prices rise across the UK and we look at the winners and losers from the new immigration laws. In INDUSTRY-WIDE NEWS, Big Tech faces data changes, cord-cutting increases and…

Wednesday 19/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & MACRO NEWS, companies see consequences and opportunity, Germany's wobble continues, the UK Budget will be delivered on time and UK wage growth slows. In RETAIL NEWS, it's a mixed bag for Walmart, Beales faces extinction and WH…

Tuesday 18/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & MACRO NEWS, China faces a major growth slowdown, restrictions in foreign internet and now a chicken cull as Cathay Pacific and Apple warn on repercussions. Germany and Japan's economies look vulnerable. In CAR NEWS, GM exits Oz…

Monday 17/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS, China relaxes taxes to help out. In CONSUMER/SERVICES-RELATED NEWS, UK house prices rise, Strava aims to go the distance and fashion renting looks on trend. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Alstom offers $7bn for Bombardier and Arm announces strong…

Friday 14/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & POLITICS NEWS, we see data problems, the effect on businesses, tourism and why this could benefit Trump. The UK replaces its Chancellor of the Exchequer. In CAR NEWS, Tesla asks for more money just as it faces…

Thursday 13/02/20

In MACRO & CORONAVIRUS NEWS, the Eurozone's economic outlook takes a blow, Macron's popularity continues to dive and Italy's Salvini goes to trial while the coronavirus rages on. In RETAIL NEWS, the landlords' rescue of Forever 21 poses questions and…

Wednesday 12/02/20

In CARS'N TAXI NEWS, Daimler announces its worst profits in a decade, Uber fails in its California challenge and Lyft announces losses as it focuses on profitable growth. In TELEPHONE-RELATED NEWS, the T-Mobile/Sprint deal gets the green light and Samsung…

Tuesday 11/02/20

In MACRO & CORONAVIRUS NEWS, Trump promises spending cuts, China's inflation reaches new highs and Germany's leadership plunges into further turmoil while the coronavirus hits global growth, oil prices and mobile phone production. In RETAIL NEWS, US mall operators Simon…

Monday 10/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & POLITICAL NEWS, China tries to restart, factories struggle, the "Boris Bounce" could get knocked off course and the Irish election yields a major upset. In TELECOMS NEWS, Huawei stripping comes at a cost and Samsung is to…

Friday 07/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & MACRO NEWS, we see more developments and impact as the virus continues to spread, Steve Mnuchin warns of a slowing momentum in the US economy and UK hiring picks up. In RETAIL NEWS, Tesco attracts bidders for…

Thursday 06/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, markets rise on the prospects of a virus cure. In CAR NEWS, Tesla takes a tumble, GM and Ford take stock, more Brits ask about electric cars and the Nissan Leaf breaks a self-driving distance record. In…

Wednesday 05/02/20

In CAR NEWS, EU/US fear parts shortages due to coronavirus, BoJo moves the goalposts for "dirty" cars and Tesla goes higher. In RETAIL NEWS, Macy's announces store closures, Ikea plans to shut a UK store and Kantar stats show supermarket…

Tuesday 04/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS & MACRO NEWS, Hong Kong closes crossings to China as world growth, oil and supply chains look vulnerable while UK manufacturing output steadies. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Goldman teams up with Amazon and banks eye bitcoin again. In M&A…

Monday 03/02/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, China acts to protect markets and insurers check cover. In CAR NEWS, Nissan has an interesting plan for Brexit while hybrid cars face a price war. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, sports brands compete with retailers and ghost kitchens…

Friday 31/01/20

In MACRO & CORONAVIRUS NEWS, markets continue to fall, the coronavirus continues to spread, US growth slows, European unemployment hits a new low and the Bank of England leaves the interest rate unchanged. In TECH NEWS, the Huawei decision weighs…

Thursday 30/01/20

In MODES-OF-TRANSPORT NEWS, Boeing has a shocker, Tesla delights, British car manufacturing hits new lows, Brit bike-maker Norton goes under and UPS gives electric van start-up a massive boost. In TECH NEWS, Microsoft benefits from the cloud, Samsung sees the…

Wednesday 29/01/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, Xi resolves to fight, Cathay and Starbucks take action and Microsoft and Dell donate. In TECH NEWS, the UK lets Huawei in, Apple unveils strong results and WhatsApp reports security flaws. In UK RETAIL NEWS, sales are…

Tuesday 28/01/20

In CORONAVIRUS & MACRO NEWS, markets take fright, US drug companies pitch in and Germany's economy fails to climb out its current rut. In RETAIL NEWS, US retailers and restaurants go bankrupt and British Land predicts decimation. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY…

Monday 27/01/20

In CORONAVIRUS NEWS, fears increase about its actual spread. In TECH NEWS, the UK looks likely to give Huawei a sniff, Apple faces a potentially lucrative year and a start-up aims to be the Spotify of textbooks. In RETAIL NEWS,…

Friday 24/01/20

In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, the ECB holds steady and markets get nervy on the corona virus. In RETAIL NEWS, Morrisons cuts managers while Hotel Chocolat and Asos toast a solid Christmas. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS,Intel gets a boost and…

Thursday 23/01/20

In MACRO NEWS, US-UK trade tension builds and UK manufacturing gets a "Boris bounce". In CAR NEWS, German carmakers have a hard time, JLR announces job losses, Tesla hits $100bn and GM unveils its first fully autonomous EV. In UK…

Wednesday 22/01/20

In TECH-RELATED NEWS, the UK and France take different stances on digital tax, Facebook creates UK jobs but loses Vodafone as a Libra backer. In RETAIL NEWS, Sainsbury's says it'll axe managers, Aldi is to become the #1 payer, Dixons…

Tuesday 21/01/20

In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, US retail landlords suffer from retail closures, Intu asks for cash, Beales falls into administration, Matalan profits fall whilst options for the future of Reiss and Itsu are considered. In UK CONSUMER NEWS, confidence in household finances…

Monday 20/01/20

In RETAIL NEWS, Intu's finances are in trouble, Beales looks vulnerable and Amazon examines hand gestures. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, we see that owners are hanging on for longer, that electric car demand pushes GKN and Delta together and that pubs…

Friday 17/01/20

In MACRO & "ECONOMIC BELLWETHER" NEWS, China's GDP slows down, Turkey announces its fifth interest rate cut in a row, European car sales rise and UK recruiters suffer. In RETAIL NEWS, Gap goes back on its plan to split itself,…

Thursday 16/01/20

In MACRO NEWS, a US/China trade deal is announced, Vlad Putin has a reshuffle, China's GDP looks shaky, Germany's is the worst for six years, UK inflation falls but the number of house sellers rises. In RETAIL NEWS, Bezos announces…

Wednesday 15/01/20

In MACRO NEWS, Europe ups the pressure on Iran, Germany invests big in rail and the Irish PM calls for a general election. In RETAIL NEWS, Boohoo overtakes M&S in value and Games Workshop sees rising sales. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY…

Tuesday 14/01/20

In MACRO NEWS, UK GDP drops but housing sales rise In CAR-RELATED NEWS, China car sales fall again, Russia's Yandex aims at European car-sharing, Germany warns about EV-related job losses and we look at how EVs could change car model…

Monday 13/01/20

In MANUFACTURING/CAR NEWS, US manufacturers offer incentives to attract workers, Nissan looks at a Renault split and we look at whether 2020 is the year for electric cars In RETAIL NEWS, shopper numbers fall and Beales looks tricky. In INDIVIDUAL…

Friday 10/01/20

In RETAIL NEWS, JC Penney and Kohl's announce weaker sales, India's Reliance takes on Amazon, Ikea buys a shopping centre (!), John Lewis has a shocker, Selfridges thrives on vegan hampers, M&S suffers, Tesco's Christmas is a bit meh and…

Thursday 09/01/20

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, Trump tries to calm the US/Iran situation, India slashes its own growth forecasts, von der Leyen manages Brexit expectations, Spain's Sanchez digs in and a lithium producer cuts guidance. In RETAIL/CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, Macy's outlines…

Wednesday 08/01/20

In MACRO NEWS, Iran retaliates, the Venezuela drama continues, Sanchez becomes Spain's PM and European inflation rises. In CAR NEWS, Tesla talks China expansion, GM has its worst China sales decline, Rolls-Royce benefits from its SUV and Aston Martin announces…

Tuesday 07/01/20

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, we look at more Iran/US fallout, Venezuela's Guaidó getting ousted, buoyant services sectors in France and the UK and a "decade of renewal" budget. In RETAIL NEWS, boozers help Aldi, Mountain Warehouse looks for more…

Monday 06/01/20

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, the US/Iran situation heats up, Spain closes in on actually forming a government, BoJo hopes for swift EU trade talks and the battery industry talks about weaning itself off cobalt. In CONSUMER NEWS, restaurant chains…

Friday 20/12/19

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, BoJo gives a broad outline of policies, the Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged and gets a new governor while renewables make up more of the UK's energy mix. In CONSUMER NEWS, UK house…

Thursday 19/12/19

In MACRO NEWS, Trump gets impeached and UK inflation stays low. In CAR NEWS, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot agree to merge, Tesla considers lowering the Model 3 price in China and Volvo sells its Japanese truck unit to Isuzu. In…

Wednesday 18/12/19

In MACRO NEWS, Trump targets Europe, BoJo gets feisty with Brexit and Davos while UK employment hits a record high. In MANUFACTURING-RELATED NEWS, suppliers suffer Boeing fallout and Tesla confounds the short-sellers. In INDIVIDUAL NEWS, JAB lines up a big…

Tuesday 17/12/19

In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, UK stocks continue to rise but UK and European manfacturing stay gloomy. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, high end property starts shifting, water bills are set to fall, UK shopper numbers weaken while Sports Direct…

Monday 16/12/19

In MACRO NEWS, we look at the US trade deal impact and post-UK election expectations. In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, US retail suffers a tricky year, Toscafund buys a decent wedge of Ted Baker and UK cinemas want to feel The…

Friday 13/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the Conservatives win the UK election, Trump agrees to a limited China trade deal and Saudi Aramco hits $2tn. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, Dixons Carphone says it's back on track, Superdry raises margins - but also…

Thursday 12/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, US interest rates stay unchanged, UK polls cast doubt on a Conservative majority and Saudi Aramco has a solid market debut. In RETAIL NEWS, Home Depot announces a downbeat outlook, Amazon/Deliveroo faces potential competition hurdles,…

Wednesday 11/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the US looks at trade agreements with neighbours and the Chinese, China's inflation rises on pork prices and UK GDP flatlines while Saudi Aramco pumps up the valuation and Chevron cuts estimates. In RETAIL NEWS,…

Tuesday 10/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Japan's economy grows and Tullow Oil has a shocker. In CONSUMER/RETAIL NEWS, UK employers pause, Prosus ups its offer for Just Eat and we take another look at Tesco's potential disposal. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS,…

Monday 09/12/19

In MACRO NEWS, China exports falter and Greece cracks down on tax evasion. In TECH NEWS, China orders a clear-out of foreign PCs and software while Amazon and Facebook expand in New York. In RETAIL NEWS, UK shopper numbers fall…

Friday 06/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Japan gets a chunky stimulus, Germany's SPD decides not to rock the boat after all, Europe weighs in on the digital services tax and Saudi Aramco aims for a top price. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, GM…

Thursday 05/12/19

In TECH NEWS,digital services taxes set to go ahead despite Trump's threats and Slack raises its forecasts. In TROUBLED COMPANY NEWS, Expedia loses its CEO and CFO, Metro Bank's CEO departs, M&C Saatchi's share price halves on an accounting scandal…

Wednesday 04/12/19

In MACRO NEWS,Trump pours cold water on an imminent China trade deal, insults President Macron and promises not to touch the NHS. Boris sticks with his digital tax, Labour's nationalisation plans come under fire and Brazil's economy surprises on the…

Tuesday 03/12/19

In MACRO NEWS, Trump talks tariffs on Argentina, Brazil and France, Chinese manufacturing gets a surprise uplift and UK manufacturing cuts jobs. In RETAIL NEWS, the UK high street has an uptick while Ted Baker has a shocker. In INDIVIDUAL…

Monday 02/12/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Germany's coalition government gets a shock and Saudis are likely to pump up the oil price ahead of Saudi Aramco's IPO. In TECH NEWS, Huawei makes phones without US parts, big tech companies take big…

Friday 29/11/19

In TRADE & OIL NEWS, China continues to make positive noises about trade while the EU continues to suffer and the Saudi Aramco IPO looks like it'll shift. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, UK house prices rise on a monthly…

Thursday 28/11/19

In MACRO NEWS, Hong Kong continues to suffer protest impact while Trump endorses the movement, Seoul makes conciliatory noises to Japan and UK wages growth falters. In SMOKING-RELATED NEWS, British American Tobacco is hit by vaping while cannabis is on…

Wednesday 27/11/19

In MACRO NEWS, China makes positive trade noises but in the UK, mortgage approvals fall and employers lose confidence. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Audi cuts jobs to pay for EV investment while Ola and Bolt try to take advantage of Uber’s…