A leading measure of investor confidence in Germany is expected to rise for a fourth straight month on the prospects of record government spending for the country’s military and infrastructure.

An analysts’ poll predicted that the forward-looking economic sentiment reading from a survey conducted by Germany’s ZEW economic institute will improve to 41.0 points from last month’s 39.3. 

The institute’s current conditions indicator is expected to stay in negative territory—its home since December 2021—with an improvement to -78.2 from -80.0 in October. (LS – Continue Reading) 

A record-setting 41-day US government shutdown is on a path to end as soon as Wednesday after the Senate passed a temporary funding measure backed by a group of eight centrist Democrats.

The Senate’s 60-40 vote Monday comes amid escalating flight disruptions, food aid delays and frustrations in a federal workforce that has mostly gone without pay for more than a month. (BBG – Continue Reading) 

A rise in China’s shipments to the EU, ASEAN and Africa offset subdued flows to the US in 3Q25, supporting port cargo throughput growth of 6% yoy in 3Q25, up from 5% in the prior quarter, says Fitch Ratings. However, the slowdown in US-bound exports could moderate in 4Q25 following the recent agreement on a one-year pause in trade tensions. 

  
 
China’s exports rose by 6.5% yoy in 3Q25, slightly higher than the 6.0% in 2Q25. The steep decline in shipments to the US – 27.3% yoy – was outweighed by robust demand from the ASEAN, Africa, EU and LatAm markets. 

  
 
Container rates fell sharply in 3Q25, with the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index down by 52% yoy and the China Containerized Freight Index by 39% yoy on vessel oversupply and soft US-bound demand. Capacity redeployments have yet to absorb excess tonnage. (FitchRatings – Continue Reading)