Watson's Daily

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…

Tuesday 26/11/19

In POLITICAL & DEAL-MAKING NEWS, Hong Kong gets behind pro-democracy, Saudi Arabians arrest more dissidents, the LibDems face difficulties and the M&A boom is back with a...boom. In RETAILING/HIGH STREET NEWS, US trad retailers continue to face challenges but the…

Monday 25/11/19

In TECH/MEDIA NEWS, Chinese videogame makers make inroads into Japan while Uefa considers Champions League streaming. In RETAIL & CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, LVMH buys Tiffany and we look at the problems caused by Black Friday returns and fake sellers on…

Friday 22/11/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, US-China trade talks take a more positive turn, Labour's manifesto launch ruffles feathers and Saudi Aramco sidelines foreign banks. In BID NEWS, Charles Schwab closes in on TD Ameritrade, Google's acquisition of Fitbit faces resistance,…

Thursday 21/11/19

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, Europe warns France and Italy on debt and China continues to finance coal. In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, Target unveils solid results, B&Q owner's new chief plays the blame game, Crew Clothing benefits from LTA "love"…

Wednesday 20/11/19

In TECH NEWS, American tech is on course for a decade-best performance, Tesla is set to make the world's biggest lithium ion battery and Samsung plans to emulate Apple in services. In RETAIL NEWS, US retailers paint a mixed picture,…

Tuesday 19/11/19

In DEAL NEWS, Saudi Aramco cancels its international roadshow, Airbnb becomes an Olympic sponsor and Kylie Jenner signs a massive deal with Coty. In NEWS ON COMPANY EVOLUTION, TikTok aims to distance itself from its roots, Ford announces an electric…

Monday 18/11/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, UK house prices fall and Saudi Aramco's IPO ambitions get a reality check. In TECH NEWS, Google's Stadia has big plans, ByteDance launches music streaming, Yahoo Japan confirms merger talks with Line and HP rejects…

Friday 15/11/19

In MACRO NEWS, Germany avoids recession and Chinese manufacturing slows down. In RETAIL NEWS, Walmart continues its winning streak while UK retail sales fall. In DATA & SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS, Google plans to restrict data access, Apple launches a research…

Thursday 14/11/19

In TECH NEWS, we see Google try banking, how our health data gets shared, Tencent's weaker profits and the new Twitter/Facebook from Wikipedia. In ELECTRIC VEHICLE NEWS, Tesla's Musk attacks Brexit and Chinese EV start-up raises $400m. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY…

Wednesday 13/11/19

In CAR NEWS, Nissan's woes continue, German suppliers get hit by sluggish car sales and Tesla announces plans for a Berlin factory. In RETAIL & CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, Aldi and Lidl continue to strengthen, B&M has Germany issues, New Look's…

Tuesday 12/11/19

In MACRO NEWS, the UK manages to grow, avoiding recession. In RETAIL NEWS, Alibaba's Singles' Day is a huge success, Amazon opens its first supermarket in LA, UK retailers call for a rates review, Burger King teams up with Unilever…

Monday 11/11/19

In MACRO NEWS, Spanish elections disappoint and Bolivia's Evo Morales resigns. In TECH NEWS, Apple's share price continues to rise and Tencent looks to Nintendo for US inspiration. In RETAIL NEWS, October rain keeps shoppers at bay, Clintons wobbles and…

Friday 08/11/19

In MACRO, TRADE & OIL NEWS, German industrial production weakened, more positive noises re the US-China trade stand-off boosts hopes and Saudi Aramco sweetens its IPO with even bigger dividends. In RETAIL NEWS, Gap's CEO steps down, Sears aims to…

Thursday 07/11/19

In MACRO, TRADE & OIL NEWS, economists cut Germany growth forecasts, UK pay hits new highs, China restarts Canadian pork and beef imports and Brazil's oil auction is a disaster. In HIGH STREET NEWS, M&S stumbles on, Pizza Express gets…

Wednesday 06/11/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the UK service sector slows and Brazil holds a big oil auction. In RETAIL NEWS, Walgreens Boots Alliance eyes a massive buyout, Primark aims for US expansion, Pandora suffers from riots and Mothercare shuts down…

Tuesday 05/11/19

In TRADE & COMMODITIES NEWS, the US and China edge closer to a deal, India refuses to sign a pan-Asian trade pact and Freeport uses AI to mine copper. In NEWS BY SECTOR, German manufacturers ask for government help on…

Monday 04/11/19

In MARKETS & OIL NEWS, China's stock market heads for top spot in 2019 and Saudi Aramco launches its IPO. In PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NEWS, administrators see fat fees but KPMG and Grant Thornton have issues. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber…

Friday 01/11/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Trump faces more impeachment stuff, Hong Kong goes into recession, sterling trading heats up and Shell suffers from weak oil prices. In RETAIL NEWS, Authentic Brands gets the green light for Barneys, JC Penney eyes…

Thursday 31/10/19

In MACRO NEWS, the Fed cuts rates for a third time, French GDP rises and the City hopes for a "Boris Bounce". In TECH NEWS, sApple and Facebook smash it, Twitter goes a-political. In RETAIL/CONSUMER NEWS, Australia's biggest supermarket faces…

Wednesday 30/10/19

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, BoJo gets his election, Macron's labour reforms bear fruit, Saudi Aramco announce a cut-down IPO and BP suffers from weather and weaker oil prices. In CAR NEWS, strikes cost GM $3bn while Fiat and Peugeot's…

Tuesday 29/10/19

In MACRO NEWS, BoJo goes for an election while Argentina goes left again after its election. In TECH NEWS, Google sees a dip in profits, Spotify adds users and TikTok's parent mulls a Hong Kong listing. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS,…

Monday 28/10/19

In CONSUMER NEWS, UK consumer confidence hits new lows and booming pork prices in China have consequences. In LUXURY RETAIL NEWS, Tiffany mulls a bid from LVMH and Galeries Lafayette targets China growth. In TRANSPORT-RELATED NEWS, Tesla faces hot competition…