Compagnie Financière Richemont SA

China and Switzerland have reached a new trade agreement, under which China will exempt import tariffs on 99.8% of the current value of Swiss exports, covering key goods such as watches, pharmaceuticals, and high-precision instruments. Swiss investors will also gain greater access to the Chinese market. The agreement marks a significant upgrade in trade relations between the two countries and supports shares of Swiss companies with business tied to the Chinese market, especially luxury goods makers such as Swatch Group and Richemont. China is currently Switzerland's third-largest trading partner after the European Union and the United States, with bilateral trade last year worth about 34 billion Swiss francs, or around 43 billion dollars. The new agreement also adds provisions on labor rights and the environment in a chapter on sustainability, and for the first time China has agreed to reference the Universal Declaration of Human Rights within a free trade agreement. The two countries plan to formally sign the new agreement by the end of 2026.

The jewelry business is emerging as a key growth driver for the luxury goods industry, as fashion sales continue to slow and Middle East conflicts weigh on consumer purchasing power. Analysts at Vontobel note that jewelry consistently delivers growth and boasts standout margins relative to its business size. Carole Madjo, head of European luxury goods research at Barclays, says consumers are growing tired of high-end fashion that lacks novelty, while the sustained rise in gold prices is drawing more attention to jewelry as an investment asset. This trend is reflected in the results of Richemont, owner of Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, whose jewelry sales surged 24 percent in the quarter ending June, far exceeding analyst expectations. Meanwhile, LVMH, owner of Bulgari and Tiffany, is also expected to post stronger performance in its watches and jewelry division. Barclays has raised its growth forecast for LVMH's watches and jewelry business in 2026 to 8 percent from 7 percent, well above the 3 percent growth rate in 2025. This division is LVMH's third-largest business unit, accounting for 13 percent of its total revenue of 81 billion euros in 2025. Kering, owner of Pomellato and Boucheron, disclosed in April that its jewelry sales rose 22 percent in the first quarter year-on-year, the highest growth rate among all its businesses. Madjo adds that even brands with strong fashion and leather goods heritage, such as Hermès, Prada, and Gucci, are placing greater emphasis on jewelry, as it is a category delivering standout growth at this time. The market is watching earnings announcements from major luxury goods makers this week, with LVMH reporting on Monday, July 27, followed by Kering on Tuesday, July 28, and Hermès on Wednesday, July 29.

Japanese luxury jewelry sales reached a record high in the first half of 2026, driven by domestic consumers seeking stores of value amid a weak yen and rising living costs. Sales of gems, precious metals and artwork at Japan's department stores rose 19% year over year to 330 billion yen, or about $2 billion, the highest for the period since records began in 2008. This growth far outpaced the 3.2% increase in overall department-store sales, while duty-free sales also rose 3.2%, indicating domestic shoppers were the main force. The yen trades near 164 per dollar, its weakest since the 1980s, and core consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 1.6% in June. Tokyo-based jewelry maker Happiness and D has shifted more of its business toward jewelry, with its president noting it is becoming more common for consumers to hold 5% to 10% of their assets in gold rather than cash. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Catherine Lim observed that Japanese consumers are increasingly choosing branded jewelry over handbags as higher living costs make them more selective. Luxury groups with strong jewelry portfolios are benefiting: Richemont, owner of Cartier, reported a 20% year-over-year sales increase in its latest quarter, with Japan delivering the strongest regional performance led by jewelry, while Kering reported a 57% increase in Japanese jewelry sales during the first quarter even as its fashion and leather-goods business in the country declined 14%.

Richemont reported a 20% sales increase at constant exchange rates for the three months through June, nearly double the Bloomberg consensus forecast of 11% growth. The Swiss luxury group behind Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels saw its shares jump as much as 7.4% to a record in Zurich, the largest intraday gain since early May. The jewelry division, which accounts for about three-quarters of the business, grew 24%, led by the Americas, while the specialist watchmakers division rose 8% with strong performances from Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre and A. Lange & Sohne. Sales expanded across all regions, including a return to growth in the Middle East and Africa and a more than 20% increase in Asia-Pacific. Richemont ended the quarter with a net cash position of 9.1 billion, including 400 million from the sale of its stake in duty-free operator Avolta.

European stocks were subdued on Wednesday as escalating Middle East tensions overshadowed upbeat earnings results from companies including ASML Holding and Richemont. The pan-European STOXX 600 was marginally lower at 641.80 after rising 0.2 percent on Tuesday, while the German DAX dipped 0.6 percent and the UK's FTSE 100 slid 0.2 percent. ASML Holding surged over 4 percent after the Dutch chip equipment supplier lifted its annual sales forecast for the second time this year due to surging AI spending. Swiss luxury group Richemont soared 5.7 percent after reporting better-than-expected quarterly sales, helped by booming demand for its jewelry business. Other notable movers included Dr. Martens rising 1.3 percent after backing its annual outlook, Hunting jumping 5 percent on solid first-half trading, and B&M European Value Retail slumping 4.5 percent on modest first-quarter sales growth.