With yachts bobbing along the Mediterranean coast and preparations for the Formula One Grand Prix under way, there was little sign of pessimism among executives gathered for the Financial Times’ Business of Luxury summit in Monaco this week, the principality a perennial favourite of the wealthy who have powered the recent boom in luxury goods.
Top figures in the industry expressed confidence that business would continue to thrive, driven by affluent buyers globally, despite fears of a slowdown that wiped off almost tens of billions of dollars in market value from the sector as they spoke.
The sell-off was spurred by concerns that demand — which has been driven by China and the US — could finally be moderating, as expressed in a note by analysts at Deutsche Bank as well as at a Morgan Stanley investor conference.