Trade News: Recent Blogs by PIERS, Panjiva, Datamyne & Import Genius

From Panjiva: Trendspotting: The Q3 Report is Now Available. The report contains a quantitative analysis of the macro trends shaping global trade during Q3.  Interestingly (and on f0ur very different notes):

• Toy imports to the U.S. are down.
• Guided missile exports from the U.S. are down.
• Trade with NAFTA countries is up.
• Trade with Libya and Egypt is down.

Kinda random. 

From Import Genius: Financial Analysts Use Shipment Data to Measure the Performance of Public Companies.  Thus reports IG: “Import Genius can help you gain real-time insights into recent activity for any publicly traded company.  Instead of just relying on subjective news opinions or quarterly reports, hedge funds and investment banks can quickly assess the operating health of a company by determining the success or failure of new product launches with our data.  Research analysts can complete their reports on target companies by prying into their shipping volumes, trading relationships, and broader industry trends.  More recently, economists and forecasters have started to use the Import Genius database to quantify their macroeconomic models and long-term growth projections.  Great claim if it can be backed up by case examples.  If any are forthcoming, I’ll gladly tout them here.  

From PIERS: Can Black Friday Help Toy Retailers Live Happily Ever After?  Despite an upbeat outlook for the rest of the year from the Toy Industry Association and retailers like Mattel, PIERS indicates 2011 numbers are no fairy tale. A recent report on toy imports showed September was the eighth straight month of year-over-year decline and the toy trade was unlikely to match 2010 levels.  Toy imports are being hurt by “subdued growth in national disposable income, resulting from stubbornly high unemployment and constrained wages, which are causing retailers to be extra careful with their inventory positions,” said PIERS analyst Mario Moreno. Bottom line—toys aren’t necessities and Americans are still struggling to cover the basics.  Interesting.

From Datamyne: LATAM at a Glance.  Miami Herald scores Latin American economies on key indicators.  Here’s a handy reference: the figures on population, GDP, unemployment, trade, remittances, inflation, foreign direct investment, and foreign debt for each of Latin America’s national economies, courtesy of the Miami Herald.

Sourced from Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, CIA World Factbook, and InterAmerican Development Bank, all numbers are for calendar year 2010 and are provided for the 17 Latin American markets in North, Central and South America covered by Datamyne (where you’ll find the latest available data on LATAM import-export trade in 2011).  Link to Complete Miami Herald Article.  Handy information.