01 Dec 2023

America’s Tech Leadership at Risk: A Call for Renewed Commitment

America’s once-unquestioned dominance in technological innovation is facing a serious challenge. The recent withdrawal of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) from key digital trade proposals at the World Trade Organization raises alarming questions about our commitment to maintaining this leadership position. This decision is not just a missed economic opportunity; it’s a strategic blunder with […]

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14 Nov 2023

China’s Economy Faces Continued Deflationary Pressures

  China’s consumer prices remain stagnant and factory-gate prices continue to decline, indicating persistent deflationary pressures in the world’s second-largest economy. The consumer price index (CPI) remained unchanged in September from a year earlier, falling short of the expected 0.2% gain. Core inflation, excluding food and fuel prices, held steady at 0.8%. The producer price […]

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06 Nov 2023

Container Freight Rates Expected to Fall in November

After four weeks of gains, spot container freight rates are expected to decline in November, as shipping lines continue to add capacity despite weak demand. The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index (SCFI) closed on 3 November with Transpacific rates still up, but Shanghai-North Europe rates had already begun to retreat. This is due to carriers adding […]

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23 Oct 2023

Container Shipping Market Forecast for 2024

A recent report by analyst Maritime Strategies International (MSI) predicts a positive outlook for container carriers operating between Asia and North Europe in 2024. The report cites emerging signs of a demand recovery in the medium term, as inventories are replenished. The Trans-Pacific route is expected to experience healthy growth in the upcoming year, while […]

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02 Oct 2023

  A voluntary partnership of leading maritime goods movement stakeholders, including the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Shanghai, some of the largest shipping lines in the world, with input from leading cargo owners, have developed a Green Shipping Corridor Implementation Plan Outline to accelerate emissions reductions on one of the world’s busiest container […]

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12 Sep 2023

China’s imports from Russia surge to record high, bucking overall decline in purchases of foreign goods

  China’s imports from Russia surged to $11.5 billion in August, the highest monthly haul in over two decades, despite an overall decline in its purchases of foreign goods. The surge comes as trade between the two neighbors’ booms in the wake of Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Bilateral trade between […]

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10 Sep 2023

Container activity remains high at China’s major ports despite declining exports to the U.S.

Despite declining exports to its main market, the United States, container activity remains high at China’s major ports. This is because the country has found new buyers elsewhere, such as Europe, India, the Middle East, and South America. Deflation has also become an asset for Chinese exports, as it lowers importers’ prices. Figures from the […]

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21 Aug 2023

Hong Kong International Airport sees cargo volumes rise for the second month in a row.

  Hong Kong International Airport’s cargo volumes rose by 3.8% YoY in July to 361,000 tonnes, marking the second consecutive month of growth. The increase was driven by exports which rose by 12.6% YoY in July, with traffic to and from key trading regions in North America, the Middle East and Europe rising considerably during […]

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16 Aug 2023

Biden Administration Introduces New Outbound Investment Screening System Targeting Americans’ Investments in China

  On Wednesday, August 9th President Joe Biden declared a new national emergency and immediately used it as the justification for creating a new screening system that will limit Americans’ ability to invest overseas. The new rules, which have been in development since last year, will prohibit private equity and venture capital firms from investing […]

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