Fashion
Drewry WCI jumps 16% on Transpacific & Asia-Europe rate hikes
The index recorded a sharp increase, mainly due to rate hikes on the Transpacific and Asia–Europe trade routes.
Drewry’s World Container Index jumped 16 per cent to $2,257 per FEU in the week ending January 8, 2026, driven by sharp rate hikes on Transpacific and Asia–Europe routes.
Spot rates rose strongly from Shanghai to Europe and the US amid higher FAK charges.
However, rising capacity and soft Asia–US volumes suggest the surge may be short-lived.
Spot rates on the Shanghai–Genoa route increased 13 per cent to $3,885 per 40-foot container, while those on Shanghai–Rotterdam rose 10 per cent to $2,840 per 40-foot container. This upward momentum was driven by higher Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates implemented by carriers.
Spot rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles surged 26 per cent to $3,132 per 40-foot container, while rates from Shanghai to New York climbed 20 per cent to $3,957 per 40-foot container.
Rates from New York to Rotterdam remained steady at $966 per FEU, while Rotterdam to New York increased 2 per cent to $1,685 per FEU. Freight rates on the Rotterdam–Shanghai route rose 3 per cent to $504, while Los Angeles–Shanghai rates increased 1 per cent to $721 per 40-foot container.
Container shipping capacity rose 7–10 per cent month on month on both Asia–North American routes and 5–7 per cent on Asia–North Europe/Mediterranean routes in January. However, anecdotal evidence points to soft volumes from Asia to the US, suggesting these sharp increases appear opportunistic and are unlikely to be sustained.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Fashion
Bangladesh’s CPD calls for reforms in biz & tax climate, trade deals
Bangladesh think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue has called for major reforms in business environment, tax collection, trade deals and FDI management, cautioning that the country’s post-election economic transition may be at risk without evidence-based decisions and strong accountability.
A CPD study identified ‘leaking revenue’ as the weakest area across all decision-making indicators.
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Fashion
Netherlands manufacturing prices fall 1.9% in January
The downward movement remained closely tied to crude oil dynamics, which continue to shape industrial cost structures across energy-intensive sectors. Average North Sea Brent crude prices stood at nearly €55 per barrel in January 2026, representing a drop of more than 27 per cent from a year earlier. In comparison, December prices averaged €52.5 per barrel, marking an annual decline of almost 25 per cent, CBS said in a press release.
Dutch manufacturing output prices fell 1.9 per cent YoY in January 2026, extending December’s decline as lower crude oil costs weighed on industrial pricing.
Brent prices dropped over 27 per cent annually, pulling petroleum derivative prices down 15.8 per cent.
However, producer prices rose 0.9 per cent MoM, supported by export and domestic market gains.
Petroleum-derived products registered a sharper contraction in line with weaker crude benchmarks. Prices for petroleum derivatives fell 15.8 per cent YoY in January, following a 12 per cent decrease in December, underscoring persistent softness in refined energy product pricing.
Despite the annual decline, producer prices showed sequential improvement at the start of the year. Overall manufacturing output prices increased 0.9 per cent in January from the previous month, indicating short-term pricing stabilisation across industrial segments.
The monthly uptick was led by export markets, where prices rose 1.2 per cent, while domestic market prices increased 0.6 per cent. The divergence between YoY declines and MoM gains highlights the continued influence of last year’s elevated energy base alongside emerging signs of near-term price recovery.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Fashion
US cotton acreage seen falling to decade low in 2026: CoBank
Regional adjustments are anticipated to drive the contraction. Cotton acreage across the southern United States is expected to transition towards soybeans amid improved profitability prospects, while irrigated cotton areas in the Plains are likely to shift towards corn production as producers rebalance crop rotations and manage input cost pressures, CoBank said in an article by Tanner Ehmke and Emmie Noyes.
Slower US cotton export momentum to China, intensifying competition from Brazil and Australia in global markets, and continued substitution by manmade fibres have collectively restrained price recovery, limiting growers’ willingness to expand cotton area.
US cotton planted area is forecast to decline for a second straight year to about 9 million acres in 2026, down 3 per cent year on year, reflecting weak price competitiveness.
Acreage shifts towards soybeans and corn, slower exports to China, rising competition and fibre substitution are weighing on plantings.
Meanwhile, farm support payments are expected to stabilise the overall acreage decline.
Despite the projected decline, policy mechanisms are expected to provide a degree of support. Base acreage payments under farm support programmes are likely to cushion the adjustment, helping stabilise cotton plantings and preventing a sharper contraction in the 2026 season.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
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