JPMorgan Hires CDH Investments Chief to Strengthen Asia Pacific Push
JPMorgan JPM -0.14%decrease; red down pointing triangle has appointed the chief executive of Chinese alternative asset manager CDH Investments as its new vice chair of Asia Pacific, marking the latest major hire by the U.S. bank as it seeks to expand its business in the region.
Alex To, who has over three decades of experience in banking and alternative asset management, will be based in Hong Kong and report to Sjoerd Leenart, chief executive of JPMorgan Asia Pacific, according to a memo seen by The Wall Street Journal.
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Business of Fashion
21 minutes ago
- Business of Fashion
Surprise! Why Apparel Prices Are Actually Falling
A little over a month into President Donald Trump's new tariff regime, the verdict is in: Clothes are getting cheaper. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday reported that apparel prices fell 0.4 percent between April and May, and were down 0.9 percent from a year prior. Inflation overall was estimated at 2.4 percent, in line with expectations. The data likely reflects pain delayed rather than avoided. Many retailers stocked up before Trump announced a 10 percent tariff on all imports, as well as an additional 30 percent levy on Chinese goods. Inflation figures also don't account for hikes that were announced but have yet to kick in. E.l.f. Cosmetics, LVMH, Nike and many others have said they plan to raise prices this summer. But the downward trend speaks to another truth about fashion's approach to pricing: The tariffs came at a time when brands were already working overtime to convince reluctant shoppers to keep spending. Rather than pass along costs, many companies' instinct is to explore every other option first. Urban Outfitters, Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch fall in that camp, saying they'll hold off on increasing prices even as they warn of shrinking margins. And for brands that engaged in years of post-pandemic price hikes, discounting even in the face of tariffs is still the best way to win back customers. Many luxury labels fall in this category, though plenty of mass-market brands are more expensive than they used to be, too. 'Retailers don't want to scare consumers or the market and suggest they're [raising] prices,' said Sonia Lapinsky, partner at retail consultancy Alix Partners. 'They're refraining as much as possible, they're not talking as much as possible.' Fashion's Falling Prices Apparel prices fell month on month between April and May, and nearly 1 percent in May year on year. The rate of price increases began slowing in 2023, and then declining early this year. This doesn't account for the full impact of tariffs on retailers' margins, which won't be realised until late summer or fall. That is when prices could get 'wildly volatile,' because of brands' individual approaches to pricing in the face of rising costs, said Michael Prendergast, managing director of Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group. Some brands will look at this moment as a time to sacrifice margin to gain market share. With expanded margins, thanks to years of rising prices, many retailers are well positioned to absorb the impact. For now brands are doing everything in their power to keep people shopping and drive traffic, said Lapinsky, including upping discounting throughout April and May. Beyond categories like footwear that are highly susceptible to tariffs, brands will get specific about where they raise prices — fashion items may have elasticity, but shoppers would see a more obvious change in basic pieces, for example. Likely, after years of experimenting, brands have learned where their limits are. Planning for the rest of the year is filled with extra risk. Raise prices too much, and kill demand; plan for lower demand and potentially end up with empty shelves. That conundrum will likely come to a head for retailers during back-to-school shopping season. 'We're likely going to have an inventory issue on one end or the other,' said Lapinsky. 'Either we've got inventory in the stores that had to be priced at a point that they can't clear, or retailers may have pulled back and just don't have what customers are looking for.' Mood-Swing Shopping As they make inventory and pricing decisions for the rest of the year, retailers are watching consumer sentiment closely to try to determine whether they'll have the appetite to spend — and to what degree. 'You have to be cautious of exactly what inventory you're taking in, given consumer sentiment and how much they're shopping,' said Jessica Ramírez, co-founder of research firm The Consumer Collective. 'If you're just churning inventory that isn't a priority on your consumers' list, you're not going to do very well.' After falling to its lowest point in years, consumer sentiment got a slight boost in May. Part of that may be thanks to a comparative settling of the news cycle from April, when Trump first announced, and then temporarily paused, levies. But even just the feeling of rising prices and uncertainty can put a damper on shoppers' moods. Plus, more generally, price inflation in other categories will have an impact on consumer appetite to spend on apparel. 'Food and gas prices affect discretionary income,' said Prendergast. 'Gas prices are coming down, that's the good news. The not great news is food continues to rise — that pinches the wallet.' Trouble is Brewing Elsewhere The picture of softened demand is clearer in China, the second biggest fashion market after the US. Earlier this month, China reported consumer prices overall — not just apparel — fell for a fourth consecutive month in May, raising concerns that deflation is here to stay. Meanwhile, wage shrinkage and property value slumps continue. It's already having an impact on fashion, reported Reuters: Amid raging price wars, stores are putting merchandise on steep discount — $30 for a Coach handbag at Super Zhuanzhuan, for example. US-based apparel companies operating in China will face more uncertainty in an already challenged market. Trouble abroad could even be felt back home. 'The more that's happening in the macro, the more concerned the consumer in America is going to be,' said Lapinsky. 'We don't see any end to that in the next few months.' Though, starting in March, China began ramping up fiscal stimulus. And much remains to be seen about how the Chinese consumer will react, said Ramírez. Fashion is still in a wait-and-see phase when it comes to price hikes and planning, but the moment of truth could be getting closer. 'Overall retailers are underplaying the effect of what tariffs and inflation are going to do to their sales and EBITDA,' said Prendergast. 'We're advising clients, take the next two years of your revenue and margin plans down, like, take them down and again, use this opportunity to cut costs internally.'
Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
Japan's Largest Companies 2025: Rare Interest Rate Hikes Lead To A Volatile Year
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Yahoo
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- Yahoo
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The humanoid robotics industry is poised for growth, structured into three segments: the upstream tier providing core components, the midstream tier where manufacturers like Boston Dynamics and Tesla create humanoid platforms, and the downstream tier of deployment in sectors such as healthcare and education. Fueled by advances in electric actuation, AI, and cloud robotics, the market is evolving from pilot to commercial phases with projections of 50% annual growth through 2025. Key players, including Softbank Robotics and Agility Robotics, are competing intensely with innovations in autonomy and safety. North America leads in production, backed by infrastructure demand and government support. Dublin, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Humanoid Robot Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, Component, Motion, and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2025-2034" report has been added to offering. 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Market Dynamics Increasing Demand for Humanoids in Educational Sector Performance Limitations of Humanoid Robots Competitive Landscape Softbank Robotics Group Robotis Ubtech Robotics Corp Ltd. PAL Robotics Agility Robotics Kawada Robotics Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation Honda Motor Co., Ltd Hason Robotics Ltd. Hyulium Robot SAMSUNG TESLA Key Topics Covered: Executive SummaryScope and DefinitionMarket/Product DefinitionKey Questions AnsweredAnalysis and Forecast Note1. Markets: Industry Outlook1.1 Trends: Current and Future Impact Assessment1.2 Stakeholder Analysis1.2.1 Use Case1.2.2 End User and Buying Criteria1.3 Market Dynamics Overview1.3.1 Market Drivers1.3.2 Market Restraints1.3.3 Market Opportunities1.4 Regulatory & Policy Impact Analysis1.5 Patent Analysis1.6 Start-Up Landscape1.7 Total Addressable Market1.8 Investment Landscape and R&D Trends1.9 Future Outlook and Market Roadmap1.10 Value Chain Analysis1.11 Global Pricing Analysis1.12 Industry Attractiveness2. Humanoid Robot Market (by Application)2.1 Application Segmentation2.2 Application Summary2.3 Humanoid Robot Market (by Application)2.3.1 Research and Space Exploration2.3.2 Education and Entertainment2.3.3 Personal Assistance and Caregiving2.3.4 Hospitality2.3.5 Search & Rescue2.3.6 Others3. Humanoid Robot Market (by Product)3.1 Product Segmentation3.2 Product Summary3.3 Humanoid Robot Market (by Component)3.3.1 Hardware3.3.1.1 Sensors3.3.1.2 Actuators3.3.1.3 Power Systems3.3.1.4 Control Systems/Controllers3.3.1.5 Others3.3.2 Software3.3.3 Services3.4 Humanoid Robot Market (by Motion)3.4.1 Biped3.4.2 Wheel-drive4. Humanoid Robot Market by Region4.1 Humanoid Robot Market (by Region)4.2 North America4.2.1 Regional Overview4.2.2 Driving Factors for Market Growth4.2.3 Factors Challenging the Market4.2.4 Key Companies4.2.5 Application4.2.6 Product4.2.7 North America (by Country)4.2.7.1 U.S.4.2.7.1.1 Market by Application4.2.7.1.2 Market by Product4.2.7.2 Canada4.2.7.2.1 Market by Application4.2.7.2.2 Market by Product4.2.7.3 Mexico4.2.7.3.1 Market by Application4.2.7.3.2 Market by Product4.3 Europe4.4 Asia-Pacific4.5 Rest-of-the-World5. Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles5.1 Next Frontiers5.2 Geographic Assessment5.3 Company Profiles5.3.1 Overview5.3.2 Top Products/Product Portfolio5.3.3 Top Competitors5.3.4 Target Customers5.3.5 Key Personnel5.3.6 Analyst View5.3.7 Market Share6. Research Methodology For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Sign in to access your portfolio
