INSIGHTSMethane emitted from animals accounts for most of the climate change impact from virgin animal-based fibre production, according to a report by the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.For raw silk, producing the leaves to feed the silkworms was the highest contributor of climate impacts, compared to the subsequent sericulture and reeling processes.Methane emitted from animals (enteric fermentation and manure) accounts for most of the climate change impact from virgin animal-based

INSIGHTSHigh inflation and elevated interest rates continue to put pressure on the stock prices of ports and terminals companies, UK-based Drewry Financial Research Services has said.Supply chain congestion has normalised, bringing the container dwell times down to pre-pandemic levels, lowering the storage-led income and thus contracting overall revenue, it noted.High inflation and elevated interest rates continue to put pressure on the stock prices of ports and terminals companies, according to

INSIGHTSThe US international trade deficit was $87.8 billion in June 2023, down $4.0 billion from May; exports increased by $0.4 billion, and imports decreased by $3.6 billion.Retail inventories for June were $783.9 billion, up 0.7 per cent from May and 5.4 per cent from June 2022.Wholesale inventories were $908.0 billion, up 1.7 per cent from June 2022.The US’ international trade deficit was $87.8 billion in June 2023, down $4.0 billion from $91.9 billion in May. Exports of goods for June were

The textile industry's environmental impact is a long-standing subject of scrutiny, with parties ranging from concerned consumers to government officials chiming in to suggest how to make meaningful, positive changes. Here are five ways textile manufacturers could stimulate progress.Figure 1: Piled of folded textileReduce the use of toxic processesOne option for textile manufacturers to make improvements is to analyze which processes cause the most harm to the planet and look for ways to alt

INSIGHTSThe S&P Global China business activity net balance fell from a ten-year high of 34 per cent in February to 23 per cent in June, signalling a softer degree of optimism regarding future output.It was the second-highest since February 2022.Expectations around job creation, profitability, capex and R&D spending also moderated in June, but remained positive.Chinese companies were highly upbeat regarding the 12-month outlook for output during June, according to the latest S&P Globa

INSIGHTSMost capital goods in China saw higher prices in early July over late June.Of the 50 major goods classified in nine categories, 35 reported higher prices in the period, 12 saw price declines, while the prices of three remained unchanged, the National Bureau of Statistics said.The price of LNG rose by 0.5 per cent in early July compared with late June.Most capital goods in China registered higher prices in early July compared with late June, according to official data.Of the 50 major good

INSIGHTSChina's consumer price index (CPI), an inflation gauge, remained unchanged in June 2023 from the same period last year, as per the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).The figure was below a 0.2 per cent rise in May 2023.A detailed analysis showed a minor 0.2 per cent decrease in overall monthly prices and a 0.6 per cent drop in non-food item prices.In June 2023, China’s consumer price index (CPI), a crucial measure of inflation, recorded no change compared with the same period in the

INSIGHTSIn May 2023, German exports decreased by 0.1 per cent while imports rose 1.7 per cent compared to April 2023.On a year-on-year basis, exports declined 0.7 per cent while imports fell 8.6 per cent.A surplus of €14.4 billion was recorded in foreign trade, although exports to EU countries dropped 1.5 per cent, with imports from them increasing 3.5 per cent.In May 2023, German exports were down 0.1 per cent and imports were up 1.7 per cent on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis compared

INSIGHTSChina's port activity grew significantly in the first five months of 2023.Container throughput rose 4.8 per cent YoY, handling 122.07 million twenty-foot equivalent units, data from the ministry of transport showed.Cargo throughput increased 7.9 per cent YoY to 6.75 billion tonnes, while foreign trade cargo throughput climbed 8.5 per cent YoY.China has reported a significant surge in its port activity during the first five months of 2023. Container throughput at Chinese ports rose by

INSIGHTSEurozone's business output growth nearly stalled in June 2023, indicating renewed economic weakness post-spring revival, as per a survey by S&P Global.Inflows of new orders in eurozone dipped for the first time since January 2023, while employment growth slowed.Despite these challenges, the downturn saw a reduction in inflationary pressures.Eurozone business output growth came close to stalling in June, according to the latest HCOB flash purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey da