Due to long mining periods and overblown expectations, industries in the midstream lithium supply chain shoulder the most pressure and are the most fragile in the supply chain.

Despite expectations for a slight increase in the trade deficit, it narrowed to $63.2 billion, a decrease from the revised figure of $64.5 billion in October, according to the United States Commerce Department.

Remittances to countries with low and middle incomes experienced a growth of 3.8% in 2023, showing a slowdown compared to the substantial increases of the preceding two years. 

In October, the eurozone shifted from a trade deficit to a surplus, according to the latest non-adjusted figures released on Friday. This change was largely due to a decrease in the value of energy imports compared to the previous year.