Container Market Report December 2017

    The recovery of the world economy has been firm. International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts global trade growth rate of 2017 with 4.2%. But the world economic growth rate is 3.6% and trade growth rate exceeds economic growth rate after an interval of three years. As for the employment statistics of November in the United States, the number of the employees of the American non-agriculture section increases 228,000 people compared with the month before. The unemployment rate is the same as the last month in 4.1%. The mean hourly wage is 2.5% increase for 26.55 dollars from a year earlier. Europe sees that the growth rate of this year of the euro area exceeds 2%. The economy of the euro area countries including Germany, France is looking up. The expansion of the manufacturing industry would continue if we watch annual number of car sales in China of 28 million (17 million in United States). If it is replaced by an electric car, it is serious.
    Japanese Cabinet Office announced the third-quarter GDP is 2.5% increase at an annual conversion rate. As for the positive growth, consecutive seven quarters. Ministry of Finance announced that the international trade balance of October is the black of 2.1764 trillion yen. Year-to-year basis, 40.7% increase. The black of the current balance increases consecutively for 40 months. The allotment total sum of 2017 of the listed company updates the past maximum amount increase by 7% to 12.8 trillion yen compared with the previous fiscal year. Cash, the deposit that a Japanese company holds at the end of 2016 is 200 trillion yen.

    On the other hand, the world have been involving in upheavals of the industrial structure in the face of globalization and a productivity revolution of AI and IoT utilization. In various fields, the conventional leading players are on the verge of replacement. They work on a change not to fail to keep up with the times. It is boundless if I give an example. But by demand for gas turbine used for thermal power generation decrease General Electric (GE), German Siemens will have to reduce 12,000, 6,900 each in an electricity section while a shift to renewable energy advances. Application of the Chapter 11 of U.S. major toy retail shop, Toys “R” Us. The largest department store, Macy’s closed 100 stores out of 728 in the United States. If they miss the bus they may be merged or acquired by somebody or they are forced to leaving from the market.

    Amazon, IT company which caused a retail trade revolution, Ali Baba of the electronic commerce (EC) company could take in trade of the both purchase by consumer and the settlement of payment by delivering the products on the same day or a next-day.
On November 11, “a single day of this year in China ,” Ali Baba gave sales of 2,850 billion yen only in one day of that day. This is up 40% on the same day from the previous year. A delay of the credit card spread supports smartphone use computerized account settlement in China. By the Internet spread, the significance of existence of a newspaper, a magazine and TV have been fading and the influence that Web advertising by Google, Facebook gave to the existing advertising industry is immeasurable. Global magazine companies like Forbes proud of the history of 100 years, The British Economist and the TIME who failed to keep up with for digitization have changed their owner. Labor saving investment in order to solve labor shortage attracts attention. Personnel cost rises remarkably in China so robot demand is strong in order to improve productivity. Utilization of IoT and AI could create new demand.

    The Japanese three major mega banks in the van of the conservative company are no exception. The cause is that a negative interest rate of Bank of Japan has pushed their back. The number of bank stores will be reduced and the number of the bank clerks will be reduced accordingly. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group will reduce 9,500 people, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank will reduce 4,000 people and Mizuho Bank will reduce 19,000 people. A negative interest rate of Bank of Japan has caused them decrease of the profit of the banking business of their main business. Besides, it is caused by the spread of electronic money and the world electronic commerce. Existence of global surplus funds. It runs through the world for an investment. Besides, Fintech (fusion of finance and IT) calls in the entries of the new business, and competition becomes intense. Corporate culture not to pass on the stone bridge even if they knock will not have the prosperous future. The company will be required epoch-making thought reform which will be free from conventional frame. It is necessary to utilize IT and to expand productivity and to make ourselves difference from others by making the most of essential data after winnowing from enormous data available with IoT and AI.

    There was around 630,000TEU at factory in China as of the end of Nov. The new container price is $2,350 per 20f. 100,000TEU increases in comparison with last month.
There is an order from a shipping company, a lease company to prepare for demand before the lunar New Year when begin on Friday, February 16, 2018.

    It is already December. This year will be over in a few weeks too. It flew by. How much result were you able to leave? Was it a year when I could be satisfied to the full? There were many things experienced but all are a passage point to the present when it is over. To spend fruitful moment, every moment without the regret. I am aware that the accumulation of such moments would be significant. What kind of year will it be next year? I am convinced that this substantial time gives confidence. I am certain that the year of 2018 must be excited about. Of course there are some hardships, trouble. I change it into energy and challenge it. A sense of fulfilment, joy amplify it to that extent. As for the insatiate challenge it has nothing to do with age.