At year-end 2015, "smart" watches for the first time outstripped sales of Swiss mechanical and quartz watches, according to the research firm Strategy Analytics. Global sales of smart watches in the IV quarter 2015 reached 8.1 million, while sales of Swiss watches dropped by 5% yoy, reaching 7.9 million Moreover, the ‘Swiss watches’ definition implied models of all segments of the market - from...

Chinese customers may refuse extra spending abroad due to the yuan’s devaluation and reduced difference between luxury goods in China and Europe, according to a review of the European luxury goods market made by Credit Suisse analysts. Renminbi fell against the dollar by 6%, the euro - 10% in the spring of 2015. Overall, it can reduce profits of producers and sellers of luxury goods by an average...

US energy sector is on the verge of collapse. In its latest report, Deloitte predicts that about a third of US oil companies may declare bankruptcy this year. A case in point is, of course, not about the industry giants, but high-risk companies that have emerged during the shale revolution. Due to the fall in oil prices, they have lost the ability to generate necessary cash flow, while reducing...

Demand for civilian aircraft in Southeast Asia (SEA) will grow, and the region will buy 3,750 new airplanes worth $ 550 billion over the next 20 years. This is an opinion of senior vice-president of Boeing for sales in Southeast Asia and India Dinesh Keskar. Single-aisle aircraft such as Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 will be most popular. Before opening of the Singapore Airshow, one of the two...

Today, Brussels is hosting a large-scale walkout organized by national trade unions and Eurofer (European steel producers organization) in protest against Chinese steel dumping. Top managers of leading steel companies joined the members of steelmakers union. Today in Brussels, at the EU headquarters, the leading European trade unions together with Eurofer are carrying out a mass protest against...

Of all that could strangle Iranian oil exports, from geopolitical factors to diplomatic games, insurance - the most seemingly harmless phenomenon - really jeopardizes plans of both oil consumers and suppliers. Although the US and Eurozone removed the oil and financial sanctions against Iran in January, there are new challenges - now caused by bureaucracy in insurance companies that provide...

Despite the crisis, global M&A market has demonstrated excellent results in 2015, beating 2007’s record of 4.6 trillion dollars. According to MarketWatch, the total volume of mergers and acquisitions announced in 2015 around the world, exceeded five trillion dollars. Below are some of the largest transactions of 2015, which became known to the whole world. $ 160 billion Purchase of Botox...

Support of Yuan during the fall of stock indexes in China in January turned into the reduction in foreign reserves of the country by $ 99.5 billion to $ 3.23 trillion. It is the lowest level since May 2012 (according to the latest Chinese statistics data). Yuan is now at its five-year low (about 6.6 Yuan for $ 1). From the beginning of January, the Chinese currency has lost about 3% of the cost...

The price of a barrel is balancing in the region at $ 30, though quotes are occasionally falling sometimes, jumping up again later, as it was with the recent news about the possible reduction of production at 5% in all oil countries. Experts say that now everything depends on speculators, and final result will be based on the February talks of OPEC and other oil producers. US President Barack...