Economy
Vietnam opens trade talks with the US over looming tariffs
Vietnam and the US have formally opened talks over the Trump administration’s threat to impose a 46% tariff on goods from the Southeast Asian country, according to state media reports
Spain Retail: a case for optimism
Despite a decline in fashion sales in January, February bucked the trend, and the data points to a stable performance for the sector in 2025, with online taking the lead. Although the deflation in the apparel and footwear sectors is not good news, retailers in general remain optimistic about the future - as shown by the import data - supported by the economic growth the country has experienced and is expected to continue to experience
What’s next for footwear businesses in a volatile global trade landscape?
We have looked at the prospects for footwear companies in light of the recent US tariffs announcements, highlighting some concerns from both a manufacturing and retail perspective
US retail sales grew in March but consumers are worried
Data released by the US Census Bureau showed that retail sales rose in March, even as consumers continued to worry about the impact of rising tariffs, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said
EU and UAE agree to open free trade talks
The European Union (EU) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to start Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. The European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) has welcomed this move
China hits back with 125% tariffs on US goods
China has retaliated against Donald Trump’s latest round on tariffs by raising duties on all US goods to 125% and dismissing the administration’s actions as a “joke”
France Retail: watch out for the snowball effect
Both the footwear and the retail sector as a whole have failed to start the year on a strong footing, according to sales data. Consumers, who seemed to start the year in a more positive mood, took a step back in March and remain pessimistic about the French economy. Import data also suggest that retail confidence is in free fall. All in all, the risk of a snowball effect in the French retail sector cannot be dismissed.
China retaliates with an additional 50% as the US raises tariffs on Chinese goods to 104%
The trade war between China and the US has escalated after Donald Trump’s move to impose 104% tariffs on Chinese goods. Beijing has retaliated with an additional 50%, bringing the total tariff to 84%
US-China tensions escalate over tariff hikes
Donald Trump has threatened China with an additional 50% tariff on goods imported into the US unless the Asian country withdraws its 34% counter-tariff
Retail and business organisations express concern over Trump’s new tariffs
Retail and business organisations from the US and around the world have voiced their concerns over President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs. Read some of these reactions
New US tariffs disrupt global markets
The US administration has imposed a baseline tariff of 10% on all imports into the US, as well as higher targeted tariffs on some of the country’s largest trading partners
Netherlands Retail: optimism reigns at the start of the year
Despite falling consumer confidence in the Netherlands, footwear retailers have good reason to be optimistic about 2025. The data shows that consumers have absorbed the expected lower price increases – footwear inflation shows no signs of abating – and will be spending. In fact, overall retail and e-commerce sales in the Netherlands are forecast to grow by 3.5% and 8%, respectively, this year. It’s worth noting that online shopping continues to stand out as a preferred channel for Dutch shoppers
A quarter of a million jobs lost in five years in the UK retail sector
The UK retail sector has lost nearly a quarter of a million jobs over the past five years, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), highlighting the sector’s ongoing struggles
Concerns over tariffs weigh on US retail spending
Despite growing year-over-year, US retail spending fell on a monthly basis in February amid concerns over tariffs, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor-
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