April Trade Data Indicates Slow Recovery

The latest trade data from the Panjiva research team shows that global trade is continuing on a slow recovery path. In April, there was a 3 percent increase in the number of global manufacturers shipping to the U.S. market, as well as a 2-percent increase in the number of U.S. companies receiving waterborne shipments from global manufacturers.

This confirms that global trade activity is heading in the right direction, but at a deliberate pace. Other positive indicators:

• The percentage of significant manufacturers on the Panjiva Watch List fell to its lowest level yet, down 1 percent from March to 17 percent last month.
• The percentage of significant buyers having done business with a Panjiva Watch List supplier in the preceding three months declined slightly from 25 percent to 24 percent.
• The number of waterborne shipments coming into the U.S. saw a healthy 11 percent year-over-year increase in April.

Panjiva cautions that year-over-year comparisons are a bit misleading, since global trade was a mess this time last year. Also, it says that recent turmoil in global financial markets could jeopardize global trade's nascent recovery.

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