According to the Labor Department of the United States, consumer prices (CPI) increased 3.1% in November over the same month of the previous year. Trading Economics notes that the consensus estimate of analysts predicted inflation would drop to 3.1%. Inflation in November was at its lowest level in five months. The rate of decrease in energy costs quickened, rising from 4.5% in October to...

The S&P 500 index is expected to hit a record high in 2024, according to respondents to Bloomberg’s survey. As long as the United States stays out of recession, the S&P 500 Index will hit a record high in 2024, according to respondents to a Bloomberg Markets Live Pulse survey. They believe this will occur even though the agency acknowledges that weaker consumer demand will cause the index to...

According to a research posted on the website of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), geopolitical tensions have contributed to the decline in global trade, which has decreased by 5% in 2023 from its peak level in 2022 to approximately $30.7 trillion. "World trade in 2023 will be approximately $30.7 trillion, a decline of about $1.5 trillion (or 5 percent) from the...

In November, China's consumer prices (CPI) fell by 0.5%, the largest annualized rate of decrease since November 2020, according to a data released on Saturday by the State Statistics Office (SSO). Trading Economics notes that the consensus estimate was for a 0.1% decrease in prices last month. October saw a 0.2 percent decline. In November, food product prices in the country decreased by 4.2%,...

The earthquakes in Turkey and Syria were the most expensive natural disasters for the insurance sector. Preliminary predictions from Swiss Re Institute, the research arm of the Swiss reinsurer, show that insurance claims related to natural disasters will top $100 billion in 2023 for the fourth year in a row. According to Swiss Re, the amount will be 25% less than the $133 billion recorded the...

According to research firm Kantar, food sales in the UK will surpass £13 billion ($16.4 billion) for the first time in December 2023. The analysts predicted that while customers will purchase 10% more items in December on average due to Christmas, inflation will also help growth in 2023. "It looks like the spending at supermarket checkouts will set a new record this Christmas," Kantar notes....

The World Gold Council (WGC) estimated that global central banks added 42.5 tons of gold to their foreign exchange reserves in October 2023. According to WGC analyst Krishan Gopaul, this is 23% greater than the monthly average this year but 41% less than the revised September quantities (71.6 tons). China, which announced a 23-ton rise in its gold holdings, was the biggest importer of the metal...

According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 975 million tourist trips were made worldwide between January and September, up 38% from the same period the previous year. By the end of 2023, international tourism will have recovered to nearly 90% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Global tourism numbers increased by 22% in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same...

The European Defense Agency's (EDA) Defense Data Report 2022 states that defense spending in EU member states has climbed for eight years running. The reports are published every year, but this one includes information on defense spending across all EU members for the first time. "In 2022, European defense spending increased again by 6% year-on-year to a record €240 billion, marking the eighth...