After more than two months of COVID-related lockdowns, Shanghai started lifting restrictions today. However, it will likely take some time for China's economy to recover, especially while the country's zero-COVID policy remains in place."There is still quite some uncertainty and a scare that if there is a positive case in the office building or in ...

European Union leaders agreed late Monday to immediately ban 75% of oil imports, with plans to reach a ban on 90% of Russian oil by the end of this year, the Associated Press reported. The sanction covers oil imported by sea, but allows a temporary exemption on imports delivered by pipeline, "a move that was crucial to bring landlocked Hungary on b...

Its a rainy day here at NACM headquarters in Columbia, Maryland. But what better way to spend the day inside than listening to the latest episode of our Extra Credit #podcast ? ?Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927071/10692102This week we talked about...1. Credit departments losing staff to other companies2. Possible early signs of an ...

Stagflation occurs when increasing prices and slowing economic growth occur at the same time. Inflation is currently sitting near a 40-year high, but economic growth is still fairly healthy and the unemployment rate is low.However, the Federal Reserve is playing a risky game of raising interest rates, which could send the U.S. economy into a 1970's...

Americans are becoming less concerned about punishing Russia for invading Ukraine and more concerned about the cost those sanctions are having on the economy, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Publish Affairs Research.More than half (51%) of U.S. adults say limiting damage to the U.S. economy should be a top priority whi...

Have five minutes? Use it to get caught up on the latest B2B news in this week's episode of NACM's Extra Credit #podcast? (Hint: listeners will hear an exclusive webinar coupon code) ?Click the link to listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927071/10652328This week we talked about...1. How Russia's invasion into Ukraine has complicated global tra...

The housing market is showing signs of cooling, as U.S. homebuilding permits dropped to a five-month low last month, Reuters reports. "Homebuilding was already being constrained by soaring prices as well as shortages of materials," the article reads. "The housing market is the sector of the economy most sensitive to interest rates, with building pe...

The U.S. is moving to ease some economic sanctions against Venezuela in hopes to encourage negotiations between the U.S.-backed opposition and Nicolás Maduro's government, according to the Associated Press.Several U.S. oil firms had their Venezuelan operations frozen by sanctions first imposed in 2019 to "choke oil exports and deprive Caracas of it...

Grab a cup of coffee and start your morning by listening to the latest episode of NACM's Extra Credit #podcast! ? ?Episode #7 (buzzsprout.com)This week we chatted about...1. The biggest challenges facing the U.S. economy today2. How industry credit groups compare to other information sources3. Turning risk into opportunities for growthWhat topics w...

Inflation slowed in April after seven months of surging, a signal that prices may already have peaked. However, inflation still has a long way to go. Consumer prices rose 8.3% in April, down slightly from the 8.5% year-over-year surge in March, per a government report."The Federal Reserve has signaled that it is all-in on fighting inflation but cal...

The price for a gallon of diesel fuel hit another record month, costing $5.62 compared to the average $2.44 per gallon the same time last year, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). The cost increases come as diesel inventories sit at historic lows."Fuel prices have surged as efforts to isolate Russia, one of Europe's most importa...

​The Federal Reserve raised the benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point on Wednesday, it's most aggressive hike since 2000. The Fed also hinted to further rate hikes in the future as it tries to tame the worst inflation in 40 years."With appropriate firming in the stance of monetary policy, the Committee expects inflation to return to it...

Happy Friday! Take a few minutes and get caught up on all things #B2Bcredit with this week's episode of the Extra Credit #podcast. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927071/10527186On this week's episode: How to manage credit during a recession; Navigating conflict as a #leader; Using technology to create more value-added time for the credit team.You...

China's currency hit a 17-month low against the U.S. dollar today, as fears grow about the economic repercussions from continued Covid lockdowns in some major Chinese cities. "There are concerns about the Covid situation in Beijing evolving into what happened in Shanghai with some prolonged lockdowns that bites the economy," Kevin Li, portfolio man...

 It's Friday and you know what that means! The latest episode of our Extra Credit podcast is out now!Get up to date on all things B2B credit in just a few minutes. This week we took a close look at how supply chain disruptions are here to stay and what factors could lead to a U.S. recession. Listen to the newest episode here: ht...

The U.S. dollar has remained the world's reserve currency since 1944 and is used in roughly half of all financial transactions, according to Kellogg Insight. But the dollar's status in global trade may be in jeopardy as countries begin diversifying their reserves with alternative currencies as a form of economic protection. "We might see an erosion...

Supplier prices rose 11.2% from a year ago in March, according to data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food and energy played a massive role in rising inflation. If you exclude more volatile food and energy prices, the core Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.9% on a monthly basis, nearly double the 0.5% estimate."These numbers are ...

Mexico finished 2021 as the No. 1 trade partner of the U.S. for only the second time ever, according to Forbes. And trade between the two countries is only expected to grow as more businesses look to nearshore."A lot of companies that went to China, Thailand or Vietnam are considering bringing their investments back to North America," Kenneth Smith...

Businesses have put up a tough fight against record-high inflation, supply disruptions and labor shortages for two years now. But the U.S. Treasury yield curve could possibly signal a losing battle. "The bond market just flashed a warning sign that has correctly predicted almost every recession over the past 60 years: an inversion of the U.S. Treas...

Russia and India could bring back a payment arrangement from the Cold War-era that would allow Indian exporters to keep doing business with Russia without the use of US dollars (the primary international trade currency), CNBC reported.A Sakthivel, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) told the news outlet that "the India...