Fashion
Nigeria, Brazil sign MoU to boost cotton productivity in former
This was announced by Nigerian minister of innovation, science and technology Uche Geoffrey Nnaji during Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Brazil, where the MoU was signed.
Nigeria and Brazil recently signed an MoU in science, technology and innovation to strengthen biotechnology cooperation to boost sustainability, traceability and productivity of cotton cultivation in Nigeria.
Nigeria will leverage Brazil’s experience in crop circle optimisation, pest resistant technologies and seed performance trails, and also access Brazilian Cotton Association’s research data.
He said that Nigeria will leverage Brazil’s experience in crop circle optimisation, pest resistant technologies and seed performance trails, and also access Brazilian Cotton Association’s (ABRAPA) research data, an official release from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation said.
Nigeria’s National Biotechnology Development Agency, National Space Research and Development Agency and Energy Commission of Nigeria will benefit from such shared Brazilian data, the release added.
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.
The average November price settled at BRL 3.4505 (~$0.65) per pound, 1.91 per cent lower than in October 2025 and 12.5 per cent below November 2024. Over the month, the Index slipped 0.23 per cent and remained below export parity, signalling little support from external markets.
Brazil’s cotton prices fell in November, hitting their lowest real level since September 2009 as strong supply, weak domestic demand and softer global quotes pressured the market.
The CEPEA/ESALQ Index stayed below export parity, with buyers taking minimal volumes and sellers accepting lower prices to clear stocks.
ABRAPA reported 81.73 per cent of the 2024-25 crop processed by November 27.
Market participants are preparing for the year-end period, buying only small volumes. Sellers under cash pressure or looking to clear inventories have shown greater price flexibility, adding to the downward momentum, CEPEA said in its latest fortnightly report on the Brazilian cotton market.
Beyond ongoing shipments under term contracts, traders are already negotiating new deals for early 2026 deliveries and for cotton from the next season. According to Brazilian Cotton Producers Association (ABRAPA), 81.73 per cent of Brazil’s 2024-25 crop had been processed by November 27, with progress at 79 per cent in Mato Grosso and 92 per cent in Bahia.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
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