INSIGHTS Import volumes at major US container ports are projected to be higher than previously expected as retailers prepare for a potential East Coast/Gulf Coast port strike and tariff increases under President-elect Donald Trump. A brief October strike highlighted ongoing labour disputes, with formal negotiations set to resume. Concerns over tariffs are pushing retailers to expedite shipments. Import volumes at the nation’s major container ports could be higher than previously expecte

INSIGHTS Germany's economy is facing severe pressure due to a growing shortage of orders, with 41.5 per cent of companies reporting insufficient demand in October, up from 39.4 per cent in July. This is the highest level since the 2009 financial crisis. Nearly half of manufacturing firms (47.7 per cent) reported shortages, with the textile industry at 57.7 per cent and furniture at 56.1 per cent. Germany's economic landscape is under significant pressure as the shortage of orders continues to

INSIGHTS ICE cotton prices continued to decline for a third straight session amid lower crude oil prices, making polyester cheaper and pressuring cotton. December 2024 cotton settled at 70.36 cents per pound, reaching its lowest since mid-September. Crude oil dropped as supply concerns eased, impacting polyester costs. The CFTC reported speculators cutting net shorts in cotton. ICE cotton continued to see declining trend for the third consecutive trading session yesterday. US cotton prices hi

INSIGHTS The seasonally-adjusted retail trade volume rose by 0.5 per cent month on month (MoM) in the euro area and by 0.3 per cent MoM in the EU in September. The calendar-adjusted retail sales index rose by 2.9 per cent YoY in the euro area and by 2.8 per cent YoY in the EU in the month. In August, retail trade volume grew by 1.1 per cent MoM in the euro area and by 0.9 per cent MoM in the EU. The seasonally-adjusted retail trade volume increased by 0.5 per cent month on month (MoM) in the

INSIGHTS ICE cotton saw slight gains as rising crude oil prices and a weaker dollar provided support. The December 2024 contract settled at 69.95 cents per pound, up 0.02 cents, with similar small increases noted in other contracts. Crude oil prices rose by $2.20 per barrel, raising polyester production costs, while a weaker dollar made US cotton more attractive for overseas buyers. ICE cotton closed with modest gains across most contracts yesterday, supported by rising crude oil prices and a

INSIGHTS ICE cotton prices rose due to stronger grain markets and expected drier weather aiding US cotton harvest. The December contract settled at 70.56 cents per pound, up 0.20 cents from a low of 69.93 cents on Monday. However, cheaper crude oil limited cotton's gains. Trading volume hit 35,951 contracts. Key US economic data this week could impact prices. ICE cotton recovered yesterday from a low of more than a month. Increase in grain market and expectations of drier weather in cotton gr

INSIGHTS The impact of Red Sea conflict, spiralling freight rates and congestion across global ocean container supply chains led to record high carbon emissions in Q3 2024, Xeneta and Marine Benchmark say. Emissions across Xeneta's top 13 ocean container shipping trades hit a record high in Q3. Cutting emissions is not a priority at times of rising congestion, tightening capacity and high freight rates. The ongoing impact of conflict in the Red Sea, spiralling freight rates and congestion acr

INSIGHTS RE&UP Recycling Technologies, a circular-tech leader in textile-to-textile recycling, produces Next-Gen Cotton and Polyester with virgin-fibre performance. Winning the 2024 ITMF Start-up Award in Samarkand, RE&UP has also joined ITMF, a step Director General Christian Schindler praised as key to advancing industry circularity and fostering RE&UP's global network and data access. RE&UP Recycling Technologies is the circular-tech company reshaping the traditional textil

INSIGHTS ICE cotton futures fell to a one-month low due to the strengthening US dollar and declining crude oil prices. A higher dollar discouraged cotton purchases, while weaker oil reduced polyester production costs. USDA cut global cotton trade estimates, driven by lower Chinese import forecasts. December 2024 ICE cotton settled at 70.80 cents, with other contracts also seeing declines across the board. ICE cotton futures slipped to a one-month low due to the pressure from a stronger US dol

INSIGHTS Global cotton prices showed mixed trends over the past month. The NY/ICE futures and the A Index saw gains, with NY/ICE rising from below 70 to 74 cents/lb before stabilising at 72 cents/lb. China's cotton prices also increased, while Indian and Pakistani spot prices declined. Currency fluctuations had a minor impact, with the RMB slightly strengthening and both the INR and PKR remaining stable. Global cotton prices exhibited a mix of stability and growth across major benchmarks in t