November 21, 2024
Why The US Now Wants a Weaker Dollar
The US dollar has surged to new highs against global currencies.
However, the US is no longer seeing a strong dollar as an advantage. Read more
LOGISTICS
Rates continue to vary across routes between China and Southeast Asia to N. America, though we’re seeing increased pressure on routes to the U.S. West Coast, per Flexport.
General Rate Increases introduced at the start of the month on Asia-Europe routes had held strong, with rates increasing this week – despite being past peak season.
With bookings being deferred to avoid arrivals during the Christmas and New Year holidays in Europe, the November GRI may not materialize, and carriers are instead preparing for a December GRI, projected at $3,900/$6,000/$6,000, per Flexport.
China – N. America air cargo rates have reached $7.00/kg – a high for the year – and up about 17% from mid-October, driven by e-commerce volumes, per Freightos.
At $4.00/kg, China – Europe air cargo rates are just 6% higher than a month ago, per Freightos.
THIS MONTH
This month Prof. Calvin Wong, CEO of AidLab, talks about how AI could impact the apparel and textile industry. He shares some of the models his lab is working on that have practical application for industry.
Find out how AI will help make the industry more resilient – and become an important tool that supports people, instead of replacing them. Read more
PODCAST
In an increasingly complex environment, we need to be able to gather better data – and analyze it faster.
While most organisations acknowledge this – they also feel a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of adding a new massive undertaking like migrating to a new platform. Equally as daunting is the Capex commitment.
And then there’s all of the warnings that most digital transformations fail.
Fortunately one of the biggest, but least acknowledged changes in technology is that it is actually getting easier and less expensive for companies of all sizes to get onboard.
In this podcast Nick Foy, the Founder, CEO, and Chief Evangelist of Silverdale Technology, which helps companies access world-class processes, systems, and change management – regardless of their size or budget.
You’ll Learn:
MATERIALS
Cotton prices pulled away from recent three-month lows, in part due to rising crude oil prices and expectations of strong U.S. cotton export sales.
Oil prices rose as heightened geopolitical risks outweighed concerns over growing US crude supplies.
MARKETS
The eurozone risks another debt crisis if the currency bloc cannot boost growth, lower public debt and fix ‘policy uncertainty’, the European Central Bank has warned.
CURRENCIES
The Euro fell to its lowest level since mid-October 2023, pressured by a general dollar strength, mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and growing concerns about downside risks to the Eurozone economy.
The British pound also fell back to near its six-month low on concerns over tensions between Russia and Ukraine
The Japanese yen strengthened, but uncertainty surrounding the Bank of Japan’s future interest rate hikes continued to weigh on the currency.
OFFERS & OPPORTUNITIES
➤ Reach a targeted audience of apparel industry decision makers. Inside Fashion’s advertising packages give you affordable market access. Learn more
➤ Sell multiple countries and scale your business internationally. Handle store localization, compliance, currencies, duty – all from a single Shopify store. Learn more about Shopify.
➤ Meeting scheduling made easy – and affordable. Other calendar apps charge a monthly fee. TidyCal is a ‘pay once, use forever’ app. Learn more about TidyCal.
© 2026-27 Inside Fashion Ltd.
