Italian eyewear group Marcolin has improved its profitability in the course of fiscal 2024. The group’s financial results, approved this week by the board of directors, showed adjusted EBITDA at €85 million, a 10.2% rise over fiscal 2023. The EBITDA margin on net sales also improved, growing to 15.6% compared to 13.8% in the previous year.
Marcolin – Ansa
Revenue was €545.8 million, down 2.2% at current exchange rates compared to revenue in fiscal 2023. In like-for-like terms, excluding the positive and negative impacts of the new licenses signed up in 2024 and discontinued ones, revenue increased by 1.7%.
On LinkedIn, Marcolin said that “during the year, alongside important licence renewals, Marcolin secured new exclusive agreements, and continued the commercial integration of the new house brand ic! berlin into the group.”
The company makes eyewear for Tom Ford, Adidas, Guess, Max Mara, Pucci, Zegna, Skechers, and Abercrombie & Fitch, among others.
French cosmetics giant L’Oreal is aiming for around 5% growth in China this year, its North Asia chief executive Vincent Boinay said on Monday, pointing to encouraging signs in the market at the start of the year.
Reuters
Speaking at a conference in Shanghai, Boinay added that the target was also in line with China’s forecast for GDP growth.
“We see some encouraging signs in these early days of 2025. The numbers are getting better and the target of 5% is not only the target for Chinese growth this year but also the target of L’Oreal in China, by the way,” said Boinay.
L’Oreal, which sells Lancome skincare and Maybelline makeup, reported sales fell by low-single digits in mainland China last year. The market accounted for 17% of group sales, significantly less than 2022 levels.
CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said in February that the market was somewhat flat and had been stabilising in the first weeks of the year.
L’Oreal is facing “changing demographics, deflation, declining population and … a real challenge in consumer confidence” in China, said Boinay, but added the company remained confident in the market.
German retail sales in February exceeded expectations but a rise in import prices indicated a looming inflation surge, potentially dampening consumer spending, according to data published on Monday.
Reuters
Retail sales rose by 0.8% compared with the previous month, data showed on Monday. Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a 0.2% increase.
However, economists do not expect a consumption spree.
“The bad mood among consumers is a dent in further spending enthusiasm,” said Alexander Krueger, chief economist at Hauck Aufhaeuser Lampe Privatbank. “Worries about one’s own job are currently increasing as a brake on consumption.”
The number of unemployed increased by 26,000 in March to 2.92 million, approaching the 3 million mark for the first time in 10 years.
February data showed import prices up 3.6% year-on-year, marking the highest increase in more than two years due to higher food prices.
Since the German economy purchases many primary products and raw materials from abroad, higher import prices are reflected in inflation data with a time lag.
Germany will publish inflation data for March on Monday, with the inflation rate expected to drop to 2.4% from 2.6% the previous month.
Gold prices on Monday soared above $3,100 per ounce for the first time as concerns around U.S. President Donald Trump‘s tariffs and the potential economic fallout, combined with geopolitical worries, drove a fresh wave of investments into the safe-haven asset.
Reuters
Spot gold prices hit a record high of $3,106.50 per ounce.
Gold prices have hit multiple record highs, gaining more than 18% so far this year – capitalising on its cachet as hedge against economic and geopolitical turbulence.
Earlier this month, it breached the psychological $3,000 per ounce mark for the first time – a significant milestone that experts say reflects growing concerns over economic instability, geopolitical tensions and inflation.
Bullion’s rally has prompted multiple banks to increase their price forecasts for gold this year.
“For now, gold’s appeal as a safe haven and inflation hedge has further strengthened in light of these geopolitical concerns and tariff uncertainty. We remain constructive on the outlook of gold amid ongoing global trade friction and uncertainty,” said analysts at OCBC.
Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and UBS have all raised their price targets for the yellow metal this month, with Goldman forecasting gold to hit $3,300/oz by the end of the year, up from $3,100. BofA expects gold to trade at $3,063/oz in 2025 and $3,350/oz in 2026 – an increase from its previous forecasts of $2,750/oz for 2025 and $2,625/oz for 2026.
Trump has floated plans for a series of new tariffs aimed at protecting U.S. industries and reducing trade deficits since he took office, including a 25% tariffs on imported cars and auto parts, as well as an additional 10% on all imports from China. He intends to announce a fresh set of reciprocal tariffs on April 2.
“Tariff issues will continue driving (gold) prices higher until there is some finality to the tit-for-tat campaign,” Marex consultant Edward Meir said.
Additional factors, like robust central bank demand and exchange-traded fund inflows, will also continue supporting gold’s stunning rally this year, analysts and investment banks say.