Wall Street Journal (October 2)
“Certain spending habits developed during the pandemic—increased purchasing for home improvements and workout equipment, for instance—have waned as part of an expected normalization postpandemic. Other shopping patterns from the last few years, meanwhile, are sticking. Still unknown is what the new normal in spending will look like, according to finance executives, analysts and economists.”
Tags: Analysts, Economists, Finance, Home improvements, New normal, Normalization, Pandemic, Postpandemic, Purchasing, Shopping patterns, Spending habits, Workout equipment
U.S. News (August 3)
“A surge in consumer demand and pandemic-related logjams holding up containers in key ports had boosted freight rates and profits in the shipping industry in recent quarters, yet the cost of living crisis has reversed that trend.” Shipping giant Maersk, which controls 17% of the container shipping market “expects global container demand to fall this year as sales of durable goods come to a ‘standstill.’” Inflation, “dented consumer demand” and the weaker economy “could lead to a normalization of the global shipping market towards the end of the year.”
Tags: Containers, Crisis, Demand, Durable goods, Freight rates. Profits, Inflation, Logjams, Maersk, Normalization, Pandemic, Ports, Shipping industry, Surge
Institutional Investor (March 18)
“Market sentiment today hinges almost entirely on the Federal Open Market Committee’s announcement this afternoon. The anticipation of any change in wording to policy means investors are again ready to rethink what a new market reality may look liked as the process of policy normalization begins.”
Tags: Announcement, Anticipation, FOMC, Investors, Market, Normalization, Policy, Sentiment