ESG and Of Interest News
Merchandise trade continues to expand in third quarter of 2024
December 13, 2024-World merchandise trade volume rose 1.1% quarter-on-quarter and 3.3% year-on-year, on a seasonally adjusted basis, in the third quarter of 2024, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of moderate trade expansion. |
| By comparison, merchandise trade in current US dollar terms was up 4.3% year-on-year in Q3. This represents a significant improvement from the 1.8% increase seen in Q2 and the 1.4% contraction observed in Q1. For the year through September, trade volume was up 2.4% compared to the same period in 2023, slightly less than the WTO's most recent forecast of 2.7% for 2024issued on 10 October. Meanwhile, the value of merchandise trade was up 1.6% over 2023. Slower trade growth in value terms than in volume terms implies a small (less than 1%) decline in prices of traded goods during this period. |
New database on critical minerals trade launched to support clean energy transitionDecember 18, 2024-The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the WTO Secretariat have jointly launched a database on trade in critical minerals to enhance transparency regarding these minerals and to support the clean energy transition. The database provides information on trade flows, allows visualizations of trade networks and specialization patterns and compiles data on tariffs and other trade policies for 250 critical minerals and related products across value chains. |
The World's Oldest Bond Just Celebrated Its 400th Birthday And Still Pays an 13.64 Euro Annual YieldDecember 16, 2024--On December 10,1624, a Dutch water authority issued a bond to fund repairs for a critical dike breach. Four centuries later,that bond is still alive,making it the oldest bond in the world. This perpetual bond, issued by Hoogheemraadschap Lekdijk Bovendams, continues to pay interest, reminding us of the enduring power of financial innovation. |
State Of Compute: The New Power ParadoxDecember 1, 2024--News broke November 28 that the U.S. government is considering additional curbs on the sale of semiconductor equipment and AI memory chips to China, escalating tensions between the two superpowers. It is a sign of the times. Governments have begun to view AI compute infrastructures, including advanced AI chips, as a geostrategic resource. |