Market Trends & Consumer Behaviour
U.S.-bound container imports hit second-highest month on record amid tariff and seasonal pressures Summary The August edition of Descartes’ Global Shipping Report reports that U.S.-bound container imports reached 2,519,722 TEU — the second-highest monthly total recorded in 2025. Volumes fell 3.9% from July but were up 1.6% year-on-year and 17.6% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Descartes […]
Ukraine’s front line regains Starlink internet after a brief global outage that paused some drone flights Summary Starlink suffered a short, global outage on Monday that briefly knocked tens of thousands of users offline — including parts of Ukraine’s front line. Reports on Down Detector peaked around 1:15 a.m. ET and largely subsided within an […]
From 30% to 50% satisfaction: How Refresco’s employee benefits strategy won over a deskless workforce Summary Refresco began with just 30% of its UK workforce feeling they had “special and unique benefits.” The HR team, led by Sarah Tomson with communications support from Anne Hobson, consolidated fragmented benefits into a single platform, introduced flexible new […]
40% of workers experience weekly financial stress, as wages fail to keep pace with inflation Summary New data from LiveCareer (survey of 1,000 UK workers, May 2025) shows 40% of workers experience financial stress weekly and 18% face it daily. Inflation and the rising cost of living are the main concerns for 75% of respondents. […]
The silent culture killer that is impacting your talent Summary Sanjay Lobo MBE argues that the real cause of widespread disengagement at work is a lack of authentic purpose, not the work itself. Despite flexible working, tech advances and CSR statements, many employees feel their roles lack meaning. The article explains how ‘performative purpose’ undermines […]
CEOs Cut 2026 Outlook In September Poll As Economic Uncertainty Persists Summary Chief Executive’s September CEO Confidence Index shows falling optimism among U.S. CEOs as tariffs, trade uncertainty and Fed policy cloud planning. Current business conditions score 5.1/10 (near the year’s lows), while the 12-month outlook has slipped to 5.5/10 after stronger readings earlier in […]
U.S.-bound container imports hit second-highest month on record amid tariff and seasonal pressures Summary Descartes’ August Global Shipping Report shows U.S.-bound container imports reached 2,519,722 TEU — the second-highest monthly total in 2025. Volumes fell 3.9% month-on-month but were up 1.6% year-on-year and 17.6% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. August marked the second consecutive month above […]
This week in 5 numbers: Hopeful employees are more likely to produce great work Summary This short roundup pulls five headline numbers from recent HR coverage. The standout: employees who feel hopeful at work are far more likely to produce high-quality work. Other figures highlight gaps in skills confidence among HR pros, a big projected […]
Culture is the strategy: Why the most innovative leaders are rewriting the rulebook Summary Organisations facing rapid disruption are finding that technology and strategy alone aren’t enough. This piece argues that culture — the set of behaviours, norms and psychological safety within an organisation — is the durable competitive advantage that shapes outcomes such as […]
GM to Invest $4 Billion in Michigan, Kansas, and Tennessee Plants Summary GM will invest $4 billion over the next two years to expand vehicle production at U.S. plants in Michigan, Kansas and Tennessee, shifting some work from Mexico. The move increases U.S. annual production capacity to more than two million vehicles from about 1.7 […]
