New York Times (March 7)
“The pandemic has disrupted international trade, driving up the cost of shipping goods and adding a fresh challenge to the global economic recovery.” Although “the volume of global trade dipped by only 1 percent in 2020,” that fact obscures “a plunge of more than 12 percent in April and May, followed by an equally dramatic reversal. The system could not adjust, leaving containers in the wrong places, and pushing shipping prices to extraordinary heights.” Some experts believe the upheaval will last the remainder of the year.
Tags: Containers, Cost of shipping, Disrupted, Economic recovery, Global trade, International trade, Pandemic, Plunge, Reversal
Nikkei Asian Review (November 24)
So-called slow trade, “in which global trade volumes grow more slowly than the world economy” and, for that matter, shipping capacity, is playing havoc with shipping companies. “With weak industry fundamentals likely to persist, the world’s shipping lines seem to be entering a war of attrition, with a focus on achieving economies of scale through acquisitions. It is a war in which further casualties seem inevitable.”
Tags: Capacity, Economies of scale, Global trade, Shipping, Slow trade
Chicago Tribune (November 17)
Despite his “nasty campaign bluster,” elements of Donald Trump’s “economic plan could boost growth and standards of living here and nationwide. This is potentially good news for millions of jobs-starved Americans.” But the devil is in the details. “There are yuuuuge caveats. Trump has not been good on details, he’s a serial exaggerator, and he’s completely out to sea in his insistence that America has the option to unplug from global trade. He also pays little heed to the nation’s $20 trillion debt, the looming threat of Social Security insolvency and Medicare’s unsustainable cost trajectory.” Still, the country could benefit from having someone who’s a “business guy and dealmaker at heart” in the White House.
Tags: Bluster, Campaign, Caveats, Details, Economic plan, Exaggerator, Global trade, Growth, Jobs, Living standards, Medicare, Nasty, Social security, Trump
Wall Street Journal (February 12)
Focusing on employment and rising wages, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen believes “the U.S. economy is in decent shape and would be even better if not for the blasted rest of the world.” Markets, on the other hand, “are looking at different signals that suggest the world economy continues to weaken.” For example, “global trade is no longer growing as rapidly as world GDP, which is the opposite of the historical pattern. Containers are piling up at the world’s ports.” Ms. Yellen may “turn out to be right” given market proclivity for volatility and overreaction.
Tags: Containers, Economy, Employment, Fed, GDP, Global trade, Markets, Overreaction, Signals, U.S., Volatility, Wages, Yellen
Washington Post (January 14)
“The China bubble has burst,” but the nation’s trajectory remains unclear. “The worst outcome—a doomsday scenario—would have China fostering worldwide deflation. Its growth would continue to deteriorate sharply, extending the decline in commodity prices and the weakness of global trade. Around the world, there would be more production cuts, layoffs and bankruptcies.”
Tags: Bankruptcies, Bubble, Burst, China, Commodity prices, Deflation, Doomsday, Global trade, Layoffs, Outcome, Production cuts, Unclear, Worst
Financial Times (February 16, 2014)
The “US and EU must not lose momentum on the TTIP talks.” Successfully concluding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) “would not only bolster prosperity in the participating countries; it could be a springboard for new global trade talks.”
Tags: EU, Global trade, Momentum, Prosperity, Springboard, TTIP, U.S.
