Ships don’t lie
A temporary truce between the U.S. and China on May 12—reducing mutual tariffs—appears to have kicked shipping container bookings into overdrive. The week following the deal saw the biggest spike all year, as exporters rushed to take advantage of the tariff reprieve.
Source: Vizion; Dun & Bradstreet (May 2025)
Confidence rebooted
The May 12 deal didn’t just spark a surge in shipping—it gave consumers something to smile about too. After five straight months of decline, U.S. consumer confidence partly rebounded in May. The rebound in confidence gained momentum after the US-China trade deal and was broad based across all age groups and income cohorts.
Source: The Conference Board; NBER (May 2025)
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