INSIGHTS ICE cotton futures declined due to technical selling ahead of USDA's export report, despite expectations of a positive outcome. Weak US dollar failed to boost sentiment. May 2025 contract settled at 67.47 cents per pound, its lowest in 8 sessions. Analysts see potential market stabilisation around 67 cents. Brazil's record cotton exports and tariff concerns continue to influence market trends. ICE cotton futures continued to ease due to selling pressure ahead of the USDA’s expo

INSIGHTS Online shopping in the EU continues to expand, with the most frequently purchased goods online last year being clothing (including sportswear), shoes and accessories, with 45 per cent of people making these purchases in the previous three months, a survey by Eurostat found. Online shopping of furniture and home accessories or gardening items rose by 19 per cent last year in the bloc. Online shopping in the European Union (EU) continues to expand, with the most frequently purchased go

INSIGHTS ICE cotton futures gained on Wednesday, supported by rising crude oil, though a stronger dollar discouraged buying. The March 2025 contract settled at 67.40 cents per pound, up 0.86 cents. Traders are rolling positions ahead of the February 24 delivery. The USDA kept US cotton exports at 11 million bales. Cotton prices fell 1.44 per cent in 2025. Currently, March 2025 cotton trades at 67.46 cents. ICE cotton futures continued to gain on Wednesday, supported by rising crude oil. Howev

INSIGHTS Fitch Ratings warns of rising global trade war risks as the Trump administration adopts a tougher US trade policy, with Mexico and Canada most vulnerable. Trade tensions pose a key threat to global credit, alongside US policy shifts in immigration, deregulation, and tax cuts. The 2017 tax cuts are expected to be extended, while inflation uncertainty and interest rate risks persist. The risks of a global trade war have increased significantly as the Trump administration adopts a more

INSIGHTS Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition will feature 3,000+ exhibitors across 190,000 sqm. The Econogy Hub and Functional Lab will showcase eco-friendly innovations, with major players like 3M, Henglun, Eastman, Esquel, and Grasim presenting sustainable textiles. Certification bodies will also participate, ensuring traceability across the value chain. Featuring over 3,000 exhibitors across 190,000 sqm at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center,

INSIGHTS Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2025 is set to return with 3,000+ exhibitors from 25+ countries at NECC, Shanghai. Hall 5.1 will feature SalonEurope, Premium Wool Zone, and Verve for Design, showcasing top global textile suppliers. Country pavilions from France, Italy, Japan, and more will join. The fair will run alongside Yarn Expo and CHIC. In China’s garment manufacturing industry, imported textiles are often equated with quality output, boostin

INSIGHTS Though a ceasefire in the Middle East has raised hopes of a large-scale return of container ships to the Red Sea, most container ships are still sailing around the Cape of Good Hope and there is no guarantee the situation will change this year, Xeneta said. But if that happens, it could see freight rates collapse due to increased capacity in the market caused by carriers taking the shorter route. Though a ceasefire in the Middle East has raised hopes of a large-scale return of contai

INSIGHTS A study from the University of Buffalo's School of Management reveals that retailers are leveraging AI and subscription models to boost customer loyalty and growth. Hybrid shoppers, especially those using both online and in-store channels, are the most active subscribers, with Amazon Prime leading. AI tools like personalised shopping lists and smart carts are transforming services. Retailers are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence and subscription-based models to enhance custome

INSIGHTS China's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.5 per cent YoY and 0.7 per cent month on month (MoM) in January. The core CPI (excluding food and energy) rose by 0.6 per cent YoY in the month, up from the 0.4-per cent YoY increase in December 2024. The country's producer price index went down by 2.3 per cent YoY in January, flat with that in December 2024. It dropped by 0.2 per cent MoM in the month. The consumer price index (CPI) in China rose by 0.5 per cent year on year (YoY) and 0.7

INSIGHTS Nigeria's Ogun state governor Dapo Abiodun has said the biggest cotton and apparel industry in West Africa will be soon set up in the state that can employ up to 40,000. The groundbreaking ceremony for it would be performed soon, and it will be located in the Special Agro-Processing Zone. His administration is working on generating power that would offer industries the cheapest source of energy. Governor of Nigeria’s Ogun state Dapo Abiodun recently said the biggest cotton and