globalEDGE Blog - Page 25

The past two years have been crazy for many industries, including the oil market. Crude oil was sliding into the negatives early on in the pandemic; however, the price has surpassed $100 per barrel recently. The global benchmark, Brent crude oil, was trading above $130 per barrel this past week. Since gas prices primarily depend on oil prices, there has been a significant increase in gas prices worldwide. Many reasons led to this increase, some weighing more than others.

Wheat is an ingredient in a wide range of goods, including bread, pastries, pasta, and more. This essential ingredient is at a 14 year high, and it is estimated that it will soon face a shortage due to recent events of the Russian-Ukrainian War.

As the globalEDGE team returns from our short break, we have just one question for you: how much do you think you know about international business? The globalEDGE team has recently updated the International Knowledge Quiz with the latest data. Test your knowledge with a ten-question quiz covering everything from "which country has the highest export rate" to "which country is home to the largest seaport?". You will receive ten different questions each time you take the quiz, coming from our extensive question bank of over 100 hand-selected questions. Once you answer, you will receive more information after that question and a place to read more about the topic! So, if you think you're up to the task of seeing how much international business knowledge you know, take the quiz!

To find the quiz, go to our "Tools and Data" tab at the top of globalEDGE, click on "Test Your Knowledge," and then "International Business Knowledge Quiz." Or, click the link here.

Good luck!

While a major investment, real estate has always been considered a safe investment as it comes with benefits in the long run. Passive income, equity, monthly rents, and tax breaks are just some of the benefits of investing in real estate. The luxury real estate market is specific in the real estate industry as it consists of the industry’s high-end buyers. Luxury real estate is not called luxury just because it’s expensive. Still, the exclusivity and unique attributes of the property make these properties desirable to high-end buyers.

It’s safe to say that the global economy has been relatively trouble-ridden since the beginning of the pandemic. Many countries are struggling to find solutions to economic issues like high inflation, depreciating value of native currencies, and shortages. Unfortunately, with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, these issues are expected to intensify for the time being. Many western countries, including the U.S., Canada, UK, and European Union are imposing sanctions on Russia, further contributing to economic turmoil both in Russia and domestically.

The Super Bowl has been one of the most lucrative earning events each year making this year's game no different. For years it has brought in major profits through media coverage, ad revenue, and ticket sales. The extravagant Super Bowl LVI featured the Los Angeles Rams battling with the Cincinnati Bengals leading to a 23-20 victory in favor of the Rams. On top of the nail-biting game, was the all-time great halftime performance by artists Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and 50 Cent.

Since the beginning of February, some Canadians have been deep into a series of protests called the "Freedom Convoy." This protest is led by truckers in response to vaccine mandates from the Canadian government, which says that you must have a COVID-19 vaccine to cross the United States-Canadian border. Hundreds of trucks and truckers have participated in this protest. They began their blockade at the busiest route that links Canada to the United States and has since spread out into the surrounding areas.  In an act of rebellion, the trucks have been honking their horns for hours on end. Canadian citizens living near the protests grew increasingly frustrated, which led to Prime Minister Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act, which allows the Canadian federal government to have temporary powers to do whatever may be necessary to stop the protests. The enactment of the Emergencies Act has led to arrests and decreased protests. Additionally, those who engage in the protests now run the risk of having their funds frozen by their banks, which could prevent some people from paying their own bail after being arrested for charges related to the protests.

With inflation among the highest in the world, Turkey is on the brink of an economic crisis concerning the dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Key economic contributors such as natural gas, oil, and tourists from Russia and Ukraine are relied upon by Turkey. The possible Russian invasion of Ukraine poses a major threat to Turkey’s already fragile economy.

We all learned about the industrial revolutions in our world history class - due to the increase in wealth from violent colonialism, Europe invested in technology and created the cotton mill and steam power in the late 1700s to early 1800s. And now, more and more technological revolutions have led us to this new, debated Fourth Industrial Revolution, a revolution that is radically changing every business sector.

The rise of the East and the decline of the West have become a common theme among Chinese government officials. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are plotting the next Cold War. China and Russia’s relationship grew closer over the mutual interest to dismount the United States' dominance. With the United States occupied with COVID-19 and pulling troops out of Afghanistan in disarray, Russia and China see an opportunity to invade the nearby countries Ukraine and Taiwan. Both countries have been targets for China and Russia for decades. As Ukraine struggles to join NATO it will be a tough battle for them to compete with Russia. Also, China is being projected to become the world’s largest economy and building the world’s largest army they will be a force to be reckoned with.