Fashion
ASEAN manufacturing sector shows sustained recovery momentum
Strengthening demand and higher production needs boosted business confidence, which surged to its highest since March after hitting a five-year low earlier.
ASEAN manufacturers saw their sharpest output rise since June 2024 in August, with the PMI climbing from 50.1 in July to 51, as per S&P Global.
Growth was fuelled by renewed new orders and stronger demand, while business confidence rebounded to a five-month high after July’s 5-year low.
Despite modest job shedding and price pressures, output growth accelerated, signalling sustained recovery momentum.
The rise in the headline index was supported by a solid and stronger increase in production, as well as a renewed, albeit a modest uptick in new orders. Output has now risen for a second consecutive month, with the rate of growth in August the fastest since mid-2024. Additionally, the fresh uptick in new orders effectively ended the previous four-month sequence of decrease, S&P Global said in a press release.
Job shedding was recorded for the fifth consecutive month in August, indicating that firms remained hesitant to take on staff. However, the respective seasonally adjusted index rose further since June, reaching a five-month high, indicating only a slight decline in employment—the weakest in five months.
On the price front, while input prices rose at a weaker pace than seen in July, charges were raised modestly but at the strongest pace in eight months.
After hitting a five-year low in July, confidence rose in August across ASEAN manufacturers. Firms on balance were more positive about output growth in the year ahead. While below the long-run average, the respective index posted a five-month high, added the release.
“The August PMI data signalled building momentum across the ASEAN manufacturing sector following the recovery experienced in July. Demand conditions strengthened, as reflected by a fresh increase in new orders. Additionally, output growth accelerated,” said Maryam Baluch, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
“The enhanced performance of the sector led to an increase in business sentiment regarding production prospects over the next 12 months. Confidence levels reached a five-month high in August, rebounding from a five-year low recorded in July, suggesting that the region could sustain and even build upon the growth observed during the latest survey period,” added Baluch.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
At a seminar organised by BKMEA at the Global Sourcing Expo 2025 in Purbachal, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem said the changes in labour laws for this sector appear to have shown the ‘seeds of destruction’, just the way it happened to the jute sector. The impact will be visible later, he noted.
The domestic apparel industry may face a crisis similar to the one witnessed by the country’s jute sector once, trade body BKMEA recently cautioned.
At a seminar, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem said the ‘deceptive’ reforms in labour laws for this sector appear to have shown the ‘seeds of destruction’, just the way it happened to the jute sector.
The impact will be visible later, he noted.
Calling the reforms ‘deceptive’, he lamented: “We feel somewhat betrayed. We are ready to hand over the keys of our factories within a year to them; we hope they will be able to run the industry as well as they run the government.”
IFIC Bank managing director Syed Mansur Mustafa said the reasons behind the reported closure of 400 factories should be properly probed, according to domestic media reports.
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) administrator Mohammad Abdur Rahim Khan said the narrowness of Bangladesh’s export basket becomes evident during trade negotiations.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
By
Reuters
Published
December 5, 2025
Ulta Beauty raised its annual sales and profit forecast on Thursday, betting on strong demand for its makeup and skincare products going into the holiday season.
Shares of the company, which also reported third-quarter results above estimates, were up about 5% in trading after the bell.
The cosmetic retailer enjoyed strong sales at its outlets, helped by its trendy and affordable offerings, along with marketing efforts, which helped attract shoppers, especially younger demographics.
Ulta also benefits from fast-growing demand for fragrances, as well as the popularity of celebrity-owned labels on its shelves, including Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty.
The positive outlook comes at a time when budget-conscious consumers are pulling back on discretionary spending amid macroeconomic uncertainty, causing expectations of muted holiday spending in the U.S. this year.
“As we look ahead to the all-important holiday season, we know many consumers’ wallets are pressured and they are seeking value,” CEO Kecia Steelman said in a statement.
The company now expects annual net sales of about $12.3 billion, compared with its prior forecast of $12 billion to $12.1 billion.
It expects comparable sales to rise in the range of 4.4% to 4.7% in fiscal 2025, compared with its prior growth forecast of 2.5% to 3.5%.
Ulta Beauty said it expects annual profit of $25.20 to $25.50 per share, higher than its prior forecast of $23.85 to $24.30.
Third-quarter sales rose 12.9% to $2.86 billion, compared with the average analyst estimate of $2.72 billion, while earnings per share of $5.14 beat estimates of $4.64, as per data compiled by LSEG.
Meanwhile, lower e-commerce shipping costs and inventory shrink – a term used for lost or damaged stock – helped the company’s margins.
© Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.
By
Bloomberg
Published
December 5, 2025
A new crop of Chinese gold jewelry brands are attracting investor interest in the wake of Laopu Gold Co.’s breakout success.
Hangzhou-based Borland, a gold jeweler specializing in traditional Chinese goldsmith technique known as “filigree”, said this week it has raised more than 100 million yuan ($14 million) from investors including Kering Ventures, the startup investment arm of Kering SA, and Shunwei Capital, a top Chinese venture capital firm co-founded by billionaire Xiaomi Corp. chairman Lei Jun.
Kering said the small minority interest in Borland through Kering Ventures enables the company to “participate in the development of a rapidly growing brand in the particularly buoyant 24-karat gold jewelry segment”.
Separately, Dayone Capital in recent days announced a strategic investment worth more than 100 million yuan in Lamchiu, a maker of hand-crafted bespoke pieces based in the northwest Chinese city of Lanzhou.
China’s high-end gold jewelry boom has been fueled by the surprise rise of Laopu, which has defied the weak performance seen among Western luxury rivals in China. Laopu’s revenue in the first half of 2025 soared more than 250% year-on-year to 12.4 billion yuan, on top of 168% sales growth the year before.
“Laopu has shown the market that this niche sector can continue to break out, and rising gold prices also help lift the overall buzz,” said Richard Lin, a consumer analyst with SPDB International Holdings Ltd. “The rising investment and financing enthusiasm for the heritage gold segment is clearly driven by confidence in the category’s long-term growth potential.”
Heritage gold jewelry refers to gold pieces rooted in Chinese culture and traditional goldsmith techniques, including filigree work. With stores in top-tier malls, Laopu’s clientele overlaps — and increasingly threatens — stalwarts from Hermès International SCA to Richemont-owned Cartier.
Still, while Borland and Lamchiu have official stores on e-commerce platforms like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s Tmall and JD.com Inc., both have a limited physical presence — Borland operates just three mall outlets and Lamchiu, despite more than 1 million followers on ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok-like Douyin, has only one Lanzhou storefront.
Borland said it will use the new funding to expand distribution and boost supply chain resilience. Dayone has formed a team to help Lamchiu with similar tasks.
Bangladesh’s apparel sector may face crisis similar to jute’s: BKMEA
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