Christmas delays? ‘Challenging conditions’ causing shortages to your goods

Published

5 years ago

June 14, 2021

Experts are warning that consumers may begin to feel the pinch from rising shipping costs, as the price of transporting goods by sea skyrockets.

New figures show the transportation of a 40-foot steel container ship between Shanghai and Rotterdam now costs over $10,000, that’s a huge 547 percent increase on the average price.

Around 80 percent of the world’s goods are transported by ships, meaning the costs will be largely unavoidable for both consumers and businesses.

Toy importer, Gary Grant says “during 40 years in toy retailing he has never known such challenging conditions from the point of view of pricing.”

It’s believed the rise in costs is associated with a number of factors, from soaring demand to a shortage of containers, busy ports and a limited workforce.

The disruption to the shipping industry could lead to shortages in the lead up to Christmas.

An outbreak of Covid-19 in a province in southern China is causing congestion at the region’s ports.

Shipments have now been delayed… adding to the tensions within global supply chains, the knock-on effects could take many months to resolve.

This is the latest in a series of severe setbacks for the industry and experts says that problems in just one region can have ripple effects around the world for several months.

Related Topics:delays experts industry shipping transport

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U.S. and China approve TikTok sale to American investors

US and China approve TikTok’s sale to Oracle and Silver Lake amid regulatory scrutiny, with ByteDance retaining 20%.

Published

20 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Harvey Vargas

US and China approve TikTok’s sale to Oracle and Silver Lake amid regulatory scrutiny, with ByteDance retaining 20%.

The United States and China have officially approved a deal for TikTok’s US operations to be sold to American investors, led by Oracle and Silver Lake.

This marks a major shift in the social media landscape as the platform navigates increasing regulatory scrutiny.

Under the new agreement, ByteDance will retain just under 20% of TikTok US, while Oracle and Silver Lake will each take 15% stakes. Other investors will also participate, forming a structure designed to satisfy both commercial and regulatory demands.

The new US-based entity will have a majority American board tasked with overseeing data protection and content moderation. Despite these safeguards, concerns remain about ByteDance’s influence and whether the deal fully complies with recent legislation.

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#TikTokSale #USChinaDeal #Oracle #SilverLake #ByteDance #TechNews #SocialMedia #DataProtection

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Markets tumble as Trump tariffs, Greenland rhetoric and Europe backlash collide

U.S. stocks plummet over 800 points amid renewed tariff threats and political tensions from Trump, sparking global trade concerns.

Published

3 days ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

U.S. stocks plummet over 800 points amid renewed tariff threats and political tensions from Trump, sparking global trade concerns.

U.S. equities took a sharp hit as markets reacted to renewed tariff threats and heightened political rhetoric from President Donald Trump. The Dow plunged more than 800 points, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also sliding as investor nerves rattled risk assets.

The sell-off highlights growing concern around global trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, with markets struggling to price in what comes next for U.S. economic leadership and policy direction.

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#USMarkets #WallStreet #TrumpTariffs #GlobalMarkets #USDebt #Europe #Davos #Ticker

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Gold hits record highs as investors flee risk

Gold surges amid global uncertainty, with February futures rising 1.71% to $4,674.20 per ounce, signaling safe-haven demand.

Published

4 days ago

January 20, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Gold surges amid global uncertainty, with February futures rising 1.71% to $4,674.20 per ounce, signaling safe-haven demand.

Gold is shining brighter than ever as investors flock to safe-haven assets amid global uncertainty. U.S. gold futures for February delivery jumped 1.71% to $4,674.20 per ounce, while spot gold rose 1.6% to $4,668.14.

The surge comes as geopolitical tensions continue to worry traders, prompting a rush into metals perceived as stable and secure. Analysts say gold is proving its status as the ultimate hedge during turbulent times.

Investors are closely watching markets as gold sets new benchmarks, signalling growing caution across the financial landscape.

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