Global Trade

Frankfurt am Main – October 31, 2026 -- German machine tool orders rose 15 percent in the first quarter of 2026, the first notable upturn after three difficult years, while production fell 11 percent to EUR 2.8 billion, according to the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association).

VDW chief economist Bernhard Geis said the trough has probably been passed but a clear trend reversal is still some way off. The coming months will show whether the recovery holds. Higher uncertainty and costs linked to the Middle East conflict are weighing on investment appetite.

Domestic and foreign orders rise 18 and 14 percent from a weak base

Domestic orders grew 18 percent and foreign orders 14 percent. The VDW cautions that the figures are only partly reliable: the starting level is low, especially in Germany, and one-off orders and project business play a major role. Service and retrofit business continue to stabilize the sector.

Guangzhou – October 18, 2026 -- The Canton Fair launched its Buyers Alliance with 58 founding member companies from 32 countries and regions across five continents, as the 140th edition opened and the fair marked its 70th anniversary.

More than 140 overseas buyers attend the October 15 launch

The alliance was officially launched on October 15 at the Canton Fair Complex. More than 140 overseas buyers attended the ceremony.

Luís Vilariça, CEO of Joinco, Import & Export, Ltd., spoke about his company's long relationship with the fair. He said cooperation with Chinese suppliers had created growth opportunities for his business, and he pointed to the fair's role in supporting international business development.

Representatives of five member companies read a joint declaration in their native languages. Other members sent video congratulatory messages.

Beijing – October 15, 2026 -- The Canton Fair has grown from 9,600 square meters and 1,200 buyers in April 1957 to 1.55 million square meters and around 340,000 buyers, as the 140th edition opened on Wednesday with Phase 1 featuring more than 25,000 booths and over 12,000 exhibitors.

Xi and Li frame the fair as a vehicle for China's high-level opening-up

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th China Import and Export Fair, saying the event has promoted trade exchanges between China and other countries over its 70 years. Premier Li Qiang delivered the keynote at the opening ceremony. He said China will promote high-quality development, expand high-standard opening up and share more market opportunities with partners.

Guangzhou – – September 29, 2026 -- Overseas attendance at the 2026 China (Guangzhou) International Building Decoration Fair reached 11,473 visitors, up 33.4% year on year, with participants drawn from 147 countries and regions despite broader market pressures on the sector.

Exhibitor numbers grow as fair concludes at Canton Fair Complex

The 2026 edition wrapped at the Canton Fair Complex with exhibitor growth reported even as the home furnishing and building decoration industry navigates a shift away from a property-driven growth model toward renovation and upgrading. Chen Penghan, Sales Head of CBD Fair, said new opportunities lie in renovation, quality upgrades, intelligent innovation and broader channel development, pointing to early-stage brand globalization, supply-procurement mismatches and incomplete service chains as ongoing challenges.

New York – September 24, 2026 -- The Appeal of Conscience Foundation presented Raj Subramaniam, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, with the Appeal of Conscience Award at its 61st Annual Gala at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier honors FedEx CEO for global trade leadership

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Founder and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, cited Subramaniam's international leadership and his role in connecting people worldwide through logistics innovation. Schneier, who founded the interfaith coalition in 1965, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the same gala for his decades-long work on religious freedom and interfaith cooperation.

New York – September 21, 2026 -- The Appeal of Conscience Foundation will honor Raj Subramaniam, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, with its Appeal of Conscience Award at the 61st Annual Gala on September 23, 2026, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City.

Foundation cites Subramaniam's leadership in global trade connectivity

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Founder and President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, said Subramaniam is being recognized for his international visionary leadership and commitment to connecting people worldwide through innovation and service. Schneier noted that under Subramaniam's stewardship, FedEx has advanced a culture of social and global responsibility.

Beijing – September 17, 2026 -- China's Silk Road Maritime shipping network added 12 new routes at the 8th Silk Road Maritime International Cooperation Forum held in Xiamen from September 8-9, bringing the total to 160 named routes spanning 50 countries and 153 ports worldwide.

Gdansk becomes first European port with an officially named route

Poland's Gdansk Port, Europe's largest deep-water container terminal on the Baltic Sea, received its first officially designated Silk Road Maritime route at the forum. Zhang Bijun, chief representative of the Port of Gdansk Authority's Shanghai office, said Poland already handles roughly 80 percent of cargo entering the EU via the China-Europe Railway Express, and the new maritime route creates a two-way logistics channel that could speed Polish agricultural products and cosmetics into the Chinese market.

Xiamen – September 17, 2026 -- More than 100,000 business participants and over 1,200 registered delegations from 129 countries and regions attended the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), held in Xiamen, Fujian, from September 8 to 11, 2026.

Forty-eight of the world's top 50 economies by GDP sent delegations to the fair.

Representatives from 30 international organizations joined government agencies and industrial enterprises for the event, underscoring sustained cross-border interest in Chinese investment channels despite global trade tensions.