Economies around the world are bracing for a slowdown as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and lockdowns in China drag on. Analysts are no longer saying ‘if’ they are saying ‘when’ – and ‘how much’.
LOGISTICS
Supply and demand have been rebalancing however weaker demand is not enough to offset severe congestion, equipment imbalances, sliding vessel schedules, port omissions, blank sailings, and higher fuel charges, per Flexport.
The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are expecting a surge later this spring due to “earlier” back-to-school shipments that will coincide with delayed shipments from Shanghai once Covid-19 lockdowns are lifted, according to UPS.
Disruptions continue to dominate trade lanes from Asia to Europe, with congestion still heavy in several ports – despite a slowdown in imports, according to Flexport.
The longer the Chinese lockdowns last, the more intense the scramble by US importers to secure factory production and transport capacity, potentially mirroring the whiplash of order cancellations in early 2020 that were followed by unprecedented demand, according to the JOC.
AP Moller-Maersk warned that container trade could decline this year due to the ongoing supply chain crisis even as the shipping group upgraded its annual profit forecasts by a quarter.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Good quality trims, like rhinestones and crystals, play a key role meeting consumer demand for more durable garments. But what makes one stone better than another? Read more
PODCAST
How to Drive Up Return on Digital Marketing with Predictive Analytics
Customer acquisition costs have gotten so high that it’s been driving digital brands to open physical stores – which is now seen as the less expensive way to attract new customers.
John Readman, Founder & Product Owner at Ask BOSCO has worked with some of the world’s largest brands – including Asos, Pepsi, BMW, Superdry, Honda, HP, Toyota, Argos and Sigma Sports – helping them shape their online proposition and increase their e-commerce performance.
In this podcast he talks about:
- Why the money is in the conversion not the clicks.
- How competing for keywords is helping Google and Facebook – not you.
- Why every brand needs a ‘marketplace strategy’
- How predictive marketing is helping brands maximise the return on their digital marketing spend.
SUSTAINABILITY
Crystal International Group Limited (Hong Kong) has published its 13th Sustainability Report summarizing its impressive 2021 achievements. Read more
MATERIALS
Cotton prices remain high, but there is some pessimism about the cotton market in China that could put downward pressure on prices, according to PCCA.
Commodities prices face the risk of lower demand driven by prolonged lockdowns in China that are hurting growth, according to Saxo Capital Markets.
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