Latest business and financial updates from around the world

17-Sep-2018 - Last updated on 17-Sep-2018 at 08:03 GMT

From beauty’s part in the so-called ‘trade wars’ between the US and other major global markets, to Mibelle’s ambitious Asia expansion plans, we round up some of the defining recent business and financial updates across the supply chain.

US & Latin America: region spotlights

Beauty products have been caught in an ‘ugly trade war’ recently, according to our guest article author Aliza R. Karetnick, a Partner with Duane Morris LLP, on the topic.

Find her full expert insights, published during the summer, here.

Karetnick explains that the industry as a whole is facing an economic shakeup stemming from burdensome tariffs on exports from the United States.

In other news from the Americas region, Avon is facing challenges down in Brazil.

Although Brazil has seen some economic recovery from the downturn of 2015, Avon’s results in the country have not kept up with average growth for the cosmetics and personal care category, prompting the need for a new approach, writes our senior editor, Simon Pitman.

Find his full analysis here.

Meanwhile, renowned German pencil maker, Faber-Castell, which also produces cosmetic solutions for face, eyes, lips, and nails, has announced it is opening its first North American manufacturing facility in Elgin, Illinois. Full info here.

Asia Pacific: trade war hitting

It is between China and the US where the trade war is currently playing out most clearly.

Indeed, it has even prompted Estée Lauder to reassure stakeholders that the it will be able to absorb the impact of the tariffs due to high growth margins.

Executive vice president and CFO Tracey T. Travis made the comments at the recent Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference.

She reiterated the financial results of their fourth quarter, which saw tremendous double-digit growth in China, and added that the company anticipates that their business in the country will continue to thrive. Find our full report here.

Meanwhile, Mibelle Group is pushing forward with its expansion in Asia. The swiss private label manufacturers has acquired Gowoonsesang, the developer of popular Korean derma-cosmetic brand Dr. G. Full details here.

Europe: Unilever restructure and Hut Group expansion continues

Finally, to Europe.

The region has just seen the announcement from Unilever of how it intends to carry out is planned structural shift into one legal entity. Discover how here.

Meanwhile, the Hut Group (THG) has acquired Acheson & Acheson, a leading UK player in the beauty contract manufacturing and product development sector.

With the acquisition, THG is striding forward once again with its ambitious expansion in beauty and wellness retail. Discover our full report here.