Inflation Jumps in Eurozone

According to Eurostat, the inflation in Eurozone hit a near 4 year high in January. To be specific, inflation in the euro area jumped to 1.8% last month from 1.1% the month before. One of the causes of the inflation is the jump in energy prices in January compared with the year before.

 

                                        Image source: http://advisoranalyst.com/glablog/2014/09/23/contrarian-view-eurozones-                                                        economy-is-turning-the-corner.html

Eurostat data also revealed that eurozone's GDP growth reached 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2016, up from 0.4% in the previous quarter.

The same source showed that the euro area's unemployment rate fell to 9.6% in December, which is the lowest rate since May 2009.

Source
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38807942

Seven Steps for a B2B Startup

B2B start up in seven steps:

1) Your brand premise should be clear and concise.
This means that the description of the brand premise should be simple and very clear for everyone. Complex descriptions don't attract new customers and new partners.

2) Enunciate the brand premise on your homepage.
Attention! Do not try to post as much information as possible. Choose a clear, central theme of your business and promote it. A clean, simple design is your best friend. Apply this technique for your logo, your website, your blog and anything else that the customer sees.

3) Identify potential buyers and target them
It is very important to try to define your potential clients more precisely, because it is easier to be convincing when you have a narrow target.

4) All messaging should have a goal of conversion
This action suppose turning site visitors into customers. Ask your clients questions about the site, about the brand and products to understand your progress.

5) Differentiate
Your brand shouldn't be necessarily seen as the best. Be different- it is better.

6) Invest in the design of your site and it will work for you
A creative web site makes you look more successful and helps you attract new customers and partners.

7) Create content which is most appreciated by your customers
Videos that provide information your client really needs is a strategy that will considerately grow your brand.

Advantages of E-commerce

The e-commerce business model replaced the traditional commerce, as more and more companies choose to sell goods via an e-commerce platform. The reasons why e-commerce became so widespread are clear, it obviously provides advantages for both buyers and sellers.

The advantages for buyers are the following:
- Eliminate geographical limits
Buyers can purchase products from around the world by some simple clicks. Customers don't need to wait for the overseas products to appear in their local shops, them can just find the desired items on an e-commerce site and add them to the cart.

- Bring favorite overseas shops closer
Customers do not always have the possibility to travel to another country in order to do shopping in their favorite shops. Instead, they can visit the online versions of these same shops from their homes!

- Give the possibility to compare products
With e-commerce buyers have the possibility to compare products and prices, and choose the most convenient offers.

- Help buyers find reviews
Reviews people write about the items help customers buy quality products.

The advantages for sellers are:
- Help businesses go global
The e-commerce business model allows sellers expand on an international level, reach new markets and find new customers.

- Eliminate waiting for check clearing
The electronic payment systems simplifies a lot financial transactions. Sellers don't have to wait the check clearing, as the electronic transactions are instant.

- Enables companies to sell products worldwide
With e-commerce companies are not limited to sell their products regionally, they can sell products across the world. Goods can be sold without any geographical limit, thus increasing sales and giving companies new opportunities.

The UK Trade Deficit Narrows

A record jump for Britain’s products exports helped the country’s trade deficit fall more than expected in April. The trade figures showed that the United Kingdom's economy had steadied ahead of the EU referendum, following a wobble in the first three months of the year.

Exports of British-made goods to the EU increased by 10.3% compared with a year ago while non-EU exports nudged just 1.9% higher.

However, in April alone exports to the rest of the world performed better after a £1.3bn jump to a record £14bn, compared with a £900m rise in exports to the EU.

The latest figures also ease concerns after last month’s figures showed Britain’s trade deficit with other EU countries was running at a record high. Britain’s current account deficit, which reflects the trade gap with the rest of the world and the shortfall between money paid out by the UK and money coming in, is one of the biggest in the world.

The rise in the deficit to almost 7% in March was seized on by campaigners for Britain to remain in the EU, who argued it would only worsen if Britain quit the single market. Brexit supporters have argued that bringing down trade barriers outside the EU would increase exports to the rest of the world.


Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jun/09/uk-trade-deficit-falls-after-record-rise-in-exports

Commodity Types

When related to trade, a commodity represents a basic good interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Commodities also refer to bulk goods and raw materials used to produce consumer products. Commodities are generally divided into two types: hard and soft commodities. Hard commodities refer to natural resources, and soft commodities include agricultural products and livestock.

Image source: http://www.livetradingnews.com/commodities-outlook-23268.html#.WGt80Pl96Uk 

The reasons why commodities are separated into different types are the following: it is easier to compare prices, it is easier to research them and it is more convenient for trade.

There also exist other commodity classifications. In several sources you can find 4 categories of trading commodities:
- energy (examples: crude oil, natural gas, gasoline, solar power)
- metals (examples: iron, zinc, aluminium, including precious metals)
- livestock and meat
- agricultural products (fruits, vegetables, cereals, coffee, cotton, sugar)

In some classifications there is also a 5th commodity type – financial commodity, which refers to financial products such as currency or stock and bond indexes.

Commodities are bought, sold and traded on commodity markets. A commodity market represents a physical or online marketplace for buying, selling and trading raw or primary products. Commodity exchanges play a vital role to the economy, making it much more efficient.