Big business is on the rise in the US and in other developed economies. It has become ever more common that local mom and pop shops are run out of business by corporate goliaths that are able to flex their expansive resources and economies of scale to undercut their smaller competitors’ prices. In Latin America, this is not the case. In these emerging economies, you can still find many local family-run businesses lining the street corners, relatively unperturbed by major corporate competitors.
globalEDGE Blog Archive March 2019
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Socks have long been an important clothing item to society, dating back to around the eighth century. Today, socks are mass produced around the world and are an essential item in many peoples’ wardrobe. From athletic, to dress, to casual, there are now a variety of types of socks that are catered to each individual’s occasion and a plethora of patterns and colors exist within these categories. Whether functioning as an outfit essential, stylish accent piece, or just to keep feet warm or cool, socks have displayed abundant uses across countries.
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Tourism is vital for the success of many economies around the world. There are several benefits of tourism on host destinations. Tourism boosts the revenue of the economy, creates thousands of jobs, develops the infrastructures of a country, and plants a sense of cultural exchange between foreigners and citizens.
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There are about 7,000 different languages spoken around the world. These languages are more than just a form of communication but instead represent different cultures, traditions, and identities. They are an inseparable aspect of people's lives. Especially in today's society, bilingualism or even multilingualism is very common due to close proximity to other countries with different languages and an increased desire to acquire such skills. Below are some advantages of being multilingual:
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Just 10 years ago, no one knew what Netflix was. In fact, in 2008, then Blockbuster CEO, Jim Keyes said, Netflix isn’t “even on the radar screen in terms of competition.”
Today, Netflix is the preeminent leader in the streaming service business with more than 125 million subscribers worldwide, and Blockbuster declared bankruptcy only two years after that interview.
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In a recently published report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore was named the most expensive city in the world for the 6th consecutive year. It was joined by Paris and Hong Kong for a three-way tie for the number one spot.
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Earlier this week, Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (FIS) announced their agreement to acquire fellow global payments company Worldpay in a deal valued at $35 billion in cash and stock. The combined company will become a one-stop shop to process online and in-store payments and manage multiple currency transactions. Management is hoping the combined larger company will be able to reach more customers in an increasingly online industry, while also recognizing around $400 million in cost synergies.
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As spring break passes for students and people around the world begin to get a taste of warmer spring weather, the global ski industry will work to close out the winter season with strong earnings and participation. Millions of people elect to swarm to the snowy peaks of ski resorts each year, taking on the slopes in hopes of finding leisure, winning a competition, or satisfying their adventurous spirit. With the recent passing of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, China, the industry is hoping to capitalize on recent attraction to winter athletics in previously lacking regions like Russia and previously mentioned China.
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Tourism is a crucial factor for a lot of economies and a main source of revenue for most countries around the world. Remarkable growth has been recorded in the tourism industry since 2017. According to a report released by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), international tourist arrivals worldwide increased by 7 percent in 2017. This result was the highest since a consistent percentage of around 4 percent was being recorded since 2010. In the first nine months of 2018, international tourist arrivals grew 5 percent year-on-year.
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The food service industry is experiencing more changes than ever. Several decades ago, traditional food services were improved by food delivery apps. Now, a new method of food delivery is on the rise that will revolutionize this industry. Autonomous vehicles have been in the spotlight recently, from daily conversations to public debates. But who would have imagined for autonomous driving to step into the food industry first? Currently, auto manufactures from around the world are partnering with small startups to deliver food and groceries.
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The development of fracking has created a revolution in the United States oil and gas industry. Following a conference in Houston, analysts have projected the U.S. to surpass Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world's top crude exporter within the next few years. The U.S. is projected to double its gross crude oil exports to 4.2 million barrels per day by 2024. Additionally, the United States is expected to account for 70% of the total increase in global production capacity over the next 5 years. Directors for the International Energy Agency have crowned this the “Second wave of the U.S. shale revolution”. Additionally, there is a $2.5 billion project being discussed that would carry wind and solar energy from Iowa into the Chicago area. This ‘cord’ is estimated to be 349 miles long and would connect to a power grid serving 13 midwestern states.
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Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth largest country in the world. They have endured much financial and political hardship as a nation. Just three years ago, Brazil's economy experienced 8 consecutive quarters of contraction. GDP declined 3.6% in 2015 and 3.8% in 2016. Recovering from their worst recession in a century, Brazilian citizens had to overcome corruption from thousands of politicians and business owners alike. Even the president was arrested and prosecuted for crimes of corruption
As a result of this, new controversial president Jair Bolsanaro was elected with high hopes for Brazil's economic future. President Bolsanaro has a plan to revitalize his nation through economic reform.
Specifically, he had three goals that he wants to reach to make a positive difference in Brazil. He wants to privatize government owned businesses that dominate the economy, he wants to cut taxes, and he wants to make trade deals that more closely align with the interests of Brazil. Eletrobras, Brazil's state owned electricity company, is currently scheduled to be partly sold to public investors by June 2019. He plans to increase the minimum annual salary to pay taxes from $6,000 to $30,000, and he plans to install a single 20% tax rate for all households. Finally, he hoped to mend fences with America to promote beneficial trade relations.
Just three months into his presidency, we haven't been able to see the results of Bolsanaro’s presidency. The outcome of this legislation will have a monumental effect on Brazil's presence in world relations in the future.
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As stated by Capital Economics’ Chief Asia Economist Mark Williams, “China’s time as an emerging markets outperformer is ending”. The reasons for this include high levels of debt, a declining working-age population, and lower levels of productivity. This has the potential to send shockwaves through countries supply chains and force companies to look elsewhere when seeking imports. The Chinese government is planning to cut taxes and boost military spending as a cash injection into the economy, but analysts remain skeptical. Last year, China reported growth of 6.6%, anything below this mark would be a new three-decade low.
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Under globalEDGE Insights by Country, a variety of indices can be found for each country. GlobalEDGE has recently updated its indices including the Big Mac Index. The Big Mac Index includes the price of a Big Mac in different countries around the world. This index has become a global standard based on the theory of purchasing power parity, and that over time, exchange rates should move so that an identical basket of goods would have equal prices across countries. There is a GDP-adjusted index that addresses the changes in prices between countries with higher or lower labor costs.
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The State Insights section was recently updated by the globalEDGE team. These sections include background information, important trade destinations such as ports and major cities, and a list of trade contacts for each of the 50 American states. In addition to this information, Fortune 1000 company rankings and data, trade statistics, and resources designed to enhance your business knowledge are included within the State Insight sections.