During the past year, freight prices have been increasing nonstop and have now hit a record high. Bloomberg has highlighted that the rate to ship a forty-foot container to Rotterdam from Shanghai has jumped by 485% year-on-year, following a 3.1% rise over a week, according to information released by the Drewry World Container Index. The …
Container freight rates from Asia to Europe exceed 10.000 USD Read More »
For centuries now, gold has consistently attracted more investors and higher demand in comparison to the other precious metals. Demand per year outweighs 3,000 billion tonnes, with China and India being top of the list of those demanding more of the ‘yellow metal.’ Gold is widely regarded as a ‘safe haven’ par excellence, given its …
The economic and environmental impact of gold mining Read More »
The immense amount that the shipping industry has changed over time is something that we take for granted in modern society. In the era of free two day shipping and sometimes even 1-day deliveries, it’s important to examine what is different. Means of Travel Ships, railroads, and trucks have changed the fundamentals of how we …
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that “these extraordinary times and circumstances call for extraordinary measures. The US supports the waiver of IP (intellectual property) protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help end the pandemic and we will actively participate in WTO (World Trade Organisation) negotiations to make that happen”. It is reported that 10-15 billion …
COVID-19 accelerated a major shift in working relations with new and elaborate definitions and notions such as smart working. Smart working stands for an employment relationship agreed between the parties, organised through phases, cycles and goals and without any schedule or place constraints, with the possibility of using technological tools to work. In its essence …
The International Energy Agency (IEA), which I consider to be the global gold standard for energy data, warns that in 2021 global carbon dioxide emissions are set for their second biggest increase in history. This huge spike is second to the massive and carbon-intensive rebound after 2008 financial crisis. Global Energy Report 2021 of IEA …
Economic recovery from COVID19 is neither green nor sustainable Read More »
The Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) is an indispensable instrument for the entire financial sector, the one that gives direction. Published daily in London since 1986, this reference, on which $300 trillion of financial contracts are indexed, will disappear at the end of 2021, along with the other interbank rates (Ibor). It will be replaced …
There are a growing number of articles and reports, which leaves especially small and medium size business owners rather perplexed. One of the major human resources specialists, Manpower, conducted a recent survey, which I find very interesting and representative in this regards. According to the survey; while nine out of ten working people consider keeping …
Worried for jobs, but unwilling to return to the office Read More »
By far not all the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis have been learned. And those that have been learned have not necessarily been applied. Nevertheless, one of them – drawn and applied – will certainly have been of great help in the current crisis. At least it has helped to limit the economic catastrophe: …
Have we learned from history – Current crisis vs. 2008 Read More »
Geneva is not only a global trade finance hub; it is also home to United Nations and many of its agencies. One of the most prominent ones among these agencies is United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Having established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the main authority of the …
UNCTAD warns COVID-19’s economic fallout will long outlive the health crisis Read More »
