Global Markets

After his first 100 days as chief executive officer of Chalhoub Group, Michael Chalhoub joined Imran Amed, BoF’s founder and chief executive officer, at BoF CROSSROADS in Dubai — to discuss the state of luxury in the MENA region and the strategic next steps for the third-generation Chalhoub leader.

From high-street labels to haute couture houses, Pakistani brands are opening international stores as far afield as suburban Texas and London’s luxury district in a push to diversify away from the shaky domestic market where some have reached saturation point.

The US GDP decreased an annualised 0.3 percent in the first quarter, well below average growth of 3 percent in the previous two years.

With soaring profits and rapidly expanding store networks, ‘heritage-gold’ jewellery brands like Laopu Gold and Lao Feng Xiang are red-hot in China’s otherwise tepid luxury market.

This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features India’s Jaipuria Group, Mexican department stores and Nigeria’s Woven Threads showcase.

The number of vessels scheduled to arrive at the Port of Los Angeles next week is down by almost a third year on year.

Entrepreneur and podcast host Anas Bukhash joined BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed at BoF CROSSROADS 2025 to explore Dubai’s transformation into a global creative and business hub, and how it uniquely empowers innovation and entrepreneurship in the Global South.

Trump told reporters the US and China held talks on Thursday to resolve the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong said Thursday, “Any reports on development in talks are groundless” and called for the US to revoke all unilateral tariffs imposed on China.

‘It will come down substantially but it won’t be zero,’ Trump said Tuesday in Washington following earlier comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the standoff was unsustainable.

At BoF CROSSROADS 2025 in Dubai, Imran Amed, BoF’s founder and CEO, sat down with Khalid Al Tayer, CEO of luxury e-commerce platform Ounass, to unpack his strategy for success when launching a global brand in the Gulf.

This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features anxious Chinese exporters, Mercado Libre’s $2 billion Argentina bet and the gold traders fuelling Sudan’s civil war.