Watch exports climb back over the 20-billion threshold

The year 2018 was a good year for the Swiss watch industry. Driven by the consumer desire in China watch exports climbed back above the 20-billion threshold. However, the business of the year lost towards the end of momentum. The fear of a further weakening in the newly begun year, charged on the stock exchange continues to be difficult on the stock prices of Swatch and Richemont.

In the month of December alone, the Swiss watch manufacturers have sold less time knife abroad. Watch exports fell compared with the same month last year by 2.8 percent to 1.63 billion francs, as the Swiss watch Federation (FH) said on Tuesday. In addition to the slump in September (-6,9%), this was the only decline on a monthly basis throughout the past year. However, the November, counted with a Plus of almost 4 per cent to the weaker months.

was Otherwise dominated 2018 greatly from the good demand for watches in Asia and double-digit growth rates in the first half of the year. A total of Swiss watches were exported in the full year, the equivalent of 21.2 billion Swiss francs. The are 6.3 percent more than in 2017. The record of 22.3 billion from the year 2014, however, was not reached by far.

growth in China weakens

if you Look on the world map, then shows well, how the growth of the last year comes. A sharp increase from 19 percent to 3 billion francs, the watch exports after Hong Kong, which is by far the most important market for the industry is learned. Hong Kong is considered a hub for the sale of watches and multitudes from year to year by the army of Chinese Shopping tourists visited. Strong in markets such as South Korea ( 26%), Australia ( 20%) or Qatar ( 53%) were able to grow.

Chinese buy their watches more and more also in your home country. This is an expression of the some time ago by the Chinese government introduced measures such as import restrictions on customs. In 2018, the Swiss watch manufacturer have exported 1.72 billion Swiss francs, 12 percent more into the realm of the middle. The growth has slowed, however, in the course of the year, noticeably. The decline of 10 percent in December.

Also in Japan, there are signs of a slowdown in growth (Dec: -1,7%: 2018: 9,1%). As well, the business is in the United States, where watch exports in December rose by around 8 percent in the full year to as much.

The Region of Europe has experienced in the last month of the year, led by countries such as France, Italy and Spain – a decline of 5.4 percent; after all, this was for the full year at 2.9 per cent, slightly lower. In mid-January of the Geneva group Richemont pointed to in the submission of Figures that the luxury-goods shops in Paris in the final quarter, while the yellow West-unrest had to be closed on six successive Saturdays.

stock

On the stock exchange, the shares of Swatch and Richemont to give on Tuesday until around 11.20 PM, by 2.7 percent, or 1.7 per cent, and thus in the case of Swiss Blue Chips on the end table. The overall market gains, as measured by the SMI, even 0.6 percent.

Since September, exports is "a significant slowdown in the Watch," writes Patrik Schwendimann from ZKB in his comment. It had developed in December of the expensive watches from the top and the second from the top downward. They were during the year of the guarantor for the growth in the industry.

(fal/sda)

Created: 29.01.2019, 13:17 PM