Global shares in flux
Big shifts in stock markets, where shares in companies are bought and sold, can affect the value of pensions or individual savings accounts (Isas).
The FTSE, Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nikkei all saw huge falls as the number of Covid-19 cases grew in the first months of the crisis.
The major Asian and US stock markets have recovered following the announcement of the first vaccine in November, but the FTSE is still in negative territory.
A difficult year for job seekers
Many people have lost their jobs or seen their incomes cut. Unemployment rates have increased across major economies.
In the United States, the proportion of people out of work hit a yearly total of 8.9%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), signaling an end to a decade of jobs expansion.
Most of countries now in recession
If the economy is growing, that generally means more wealth and more new jobs.
It’s measured by looking at the percentage change in gross domestic product, or the value of goods and services produced, typically over three months or a year.
The IMF estimates that the global economy shrunk by 4.4% in 2020. The organization described the decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Billions of dollars have been lost in 2020 and although the forecast for 2021 is better, many analysts believe that international travel and tourism won’t return to the normal pre-pandemic levels until around 2025.
Shopping… at home
Retail footfall has seen unprecedented falls as shoppers stayed at home.
This change in shopping behavior has significantly boosted online retail, with a global revenue of $3.9 trillion in 2020.
Pharmaceutical companies among the winners
Governments around the world have pledged billions of dollars for a Covid-19 vaccine and treatment options.
Shares in some pharmaceutical companies involved in vaccine development have shot up.
It’s the biggest question everyone is asking right now: how is the Coronavirus pandemic going to impact business moving forward? What logistics trends should we all keep an eye on to help us navigate this new landscape?
We’re already seeing major shifts in the logistics industry due to COVID-19, and we anticipate this will only continue its trajectory after the stay-at-home directive has eased up across the nation. At this point, it is safe to assume that most businesses will be looking to build stronger and more resilient operations.
