2016 Was a Bad Year for Trade – What if 2017 is Worse? Perhaps Not! | BIIA.com | Business Information Industry Association

Welcome to 2017! 2016 was a bad year for trade. What if 2017 is worse? Josh Green, CEO of Panjiva, a member of BIIA analyses of what may lay ahead:

A protectionist U.S. President could kick off trade wars that hurt industries from autos to apparel and electronics to weapons; Europe could dither over trade deals; China could leverage its strength strictly to serve its own interests; and global trade volumes could decline further. Shipping company woes could deepen: they could be distracted by complex restructuring plans without cutting capacity; rates could remain low, leading to another year of weak revenues; fuel costs could rise; and investments in new technology and equipment could be wasted.

There is another possibility. 2017 could be global trade’s best year yet: Corporates could learn to live with Trump and find new opportunities to trade elsewhere in the world. Brexit negotiations could help Europe find a new path forward for sustainable trade. China could drive a new period of trade liberalization across the Pacific rim and beyond, bringing improved standards of living to many emerging markets. Global trade volumes could grow as a consequence, supporting improved shipping rates and revenues for the container-liners.

While we all have our opinions about what will happen, at Panjiva, we believe that data — and data-driven analysis — should drive decision-making. With this in mind, we’ve prepared “Panjiva Global Trade Outlook – 2017” to identify the issues you need to think through for 2017. It is a six-part report based on data and ideas gathered for nearly 1,000 Panjiva Research articles over the past year, as well as original material researched for this document. The original online content provides the data and tools you need to find the answers you require to be successful in the coming year.

I hope you find this report useful. Reach out to us at sales@panjiva.com. If you want to know more about Panjiva’s data and services. Finally, I wish all our customers a successful and prosperous new year.