Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) announced the acquisition of Tiffany for $16.2 Billion at about the time that you are reading this. This will complement the A to Z of brands that LVMH already own that includes Acqua di Parma, Berluti, Bulgari, Celine, Christian Dior, Dom Pérignon, Fendi, Krug and alphabetically all the way through to Veuve Clicquot. Incidentally the only brands beginning with a T that they have owned to date are TAG Heuer and Thomas Pink!
In these times of trade wars/agreements and civil unrest, it is instructive to remember that in 2018 the USA led the way with $277Billion, next was China with $139 Billion and the Hong Kong with $116 Billion. The UK was in 6th place with $64 Billion ahead of Brazil with $61 Billion and Australia with $60 Billion.
Where is Milka chocolate made in Austria? Bludenz: the scene of a major heist when a Hungarian haulier (not a joke by the way) was hired last week by the company to deliver a lorry full of chocolate. The Hungarian haulier sub-contracted to a Czech pal who substituted number plates and delivery documentation and disappeared. Just how much is such a consignment worth? EUR 50,000 is the answer! Austrian police on the case (fruit and nut?)
Financial markets last night welcomed the fact that one of their own, Michael Bloomberg(77 and worth $53.4 Billion) has announced that he is running as the Democrat candidate. First he needs to beat off Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg the most youthful of the candidates by some distance at 37.
Discussion and Analysis by Humphrey Percy, Chairman and Founder

Bucking the trend The Aussie Dollar has broken out from recent ranges and is on a convincing upward trajectory. Post-Covid, the antipodean currencies, AUD and NZD, had found themselves a step ahead of the dominant global cycle shared between the likes of the UK, EU, and US economies. Over the past couple of years that […]
A Dollar Vacuum If you’ve ever heard the phrase, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, you already know everything you need about today’s FX market. That is provided of course you’re not trying to analyse the rising tide itself, in this case our US Dollar. The Dollar is the counter currency to most key pairs […]
Renminbi Reserves? The Dollar debasement debate hasn’t finished but should now take a breather whilst some stability has been restored to the currency. A combination of the nomination of Kevin Warsh, as we noted yesterday, as well as some robust US data are to thank for that recovery. To note here whilst on the subject, […]