Exploring Global Trends: From Consumer Demand to Population Powerhouses

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Nuke the emissions!

There is a lot of talk about nuclear power. Why? One reason is greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power is one of the cleanest sources of energy. Coal's emissions per unit of electricity produced are 273 times higher than those of nuclear power. Oil is 180 times higher.

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Canal in deep drought

Rainfall near the Panama Canal was less than 50% of normal from February to April. That's the lowest level in two decades. Moreover, summer forecasts are not promising. Water levels in Lake Gatun, the larger of the two lakes that feed the canal, are projected to reach historic lows. This would significantly restrict ship movement through the canal and limit the amount of cargo they can carry.

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Logistics funding hits reverse

Funding for logistics start-ups notably dropped in 2022. Investments shifted away from e-commerce solutions such as distribution and fulfillment, including warehouse picking and packing (down 90%), first and middle-line brokers (down 70%), and digital last-mile platforms (down 65%). Meanwhile, there was increased investment in warehouse management systems and digital freight forwarders.

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Monday gas prices 'May'verial

Let’s talk regular gas prices on the Monday before Memorial Day.

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Freightos Baltic Indexes: Smooth sailing

Back to normal! The Freightos Baltic Indexes demonstrate a roller coaster ride that appears to be settling down.

Dwell times are equilibrating to pre-pandemic levels as well. 

Finally, as indicated by the previous two charts, the overall pressure on supply chains is decreasing. 

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Paying the CEO Price

CEO pay relative to median worker compensation across various companies. Check out the last column.

Most of the pay awarded to CEOs is in stock, as company boards are increasingly tying compensation to shareholder returns. 

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Truckin' on Clean Energy

The messy middle. Over-the-road class 8’s journey to near-zero.

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Governing Woes Take Center Stage

According to a new survey by Gallup, Americans believe that the most important problem facing the nation is the government. In second place is the economy, and third is immigration. The poll was conducted as the government faced yet another deadline to raise the nation's debt limit.

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Inflation's Heat Fails to Deflate Demand

This chart from the St. Louis Federal Reserve shows that consumer demand remains strong amid high inflation. One explanation concerns the three rounds of federal direct assistance in 2020 and 2021 that increased households' disposable income (shown in blue), which in turn triggered persistently strong consumption (shown in red). According to the Fed, households still have about $373 billion of excess savings at their disposal. This suggests that the Fed will continue to apply brakes by keeping interest rates elevated.

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Debt Can't Dampen Demand

This chart supports the St. Louis Federal Reserve's case, indicating that there is little evidence to suggest that consumer debt will cripple demand. The household's financial obligation ratio remains historically low. Americans' debt service, including rent, property tax, and homeowners' insurance, as a percentage of disposable personal income, was just 14.4% in Q4 2022. Of course, this could change in the future, but for now, it remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

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India and China: Population Powerhouse

Wow, that makes everything clear. 

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