Στάλθηκε από: george_
« στις: Δεκέμβριος 24, 2019, 08:04:10 πμ »
From Bloomberg News: December 19, 2020 - 16:55
Swatch Group AG faces a threat to sales of a key watch part as the industry reels from a plunge in demand for lower-end timepieces.
Switzerland's antitrust regulator is temporarily banning Swatch from supplying mechanical watch movements to big rivals next year as it reviews whether there's adequate competition in that market. The move came as a report Thursday showed that the country is on track to export fewer watches than it has in any year since 1984.
While still a blow to Swatch, the regulator's move is a step back from a proposal for a total ban that it had reportedly been considering. Component maker Sellita is set to gain more business as it's the largest alternative to Swatch's ETA component-making unit. Rivals such as Richemont that use ETA movements in some watches may need to come up with new plans if they had expected to continue relying on Swatch.
The halt will start in January and applies until the regulator finishes a review to ensure there's adequate competition in the component market next year. Swatch shares fell 1.5% in Zurich and are on track for a second annual decline.