globalEDGE Blog Podcast

Beer is a beverage that finds a place in almost every occasion, from a relaxing night in to a social gathering with friends. People flood into local dive bars and even travel for events such as Oktoberfest in Munich to experience a wide variety of brewers, communities, and venues. With beer dating back to ancient times, it is not surprising that it has evolved into the unique flavors we see today; a more unexpected turn is the growing popularity of non-alcoholic beers.

Trade partners are seeing a ripple effect throughout their economies following disagreements regarding established regulations. In 2020, NAFTA was replaced by USMCA, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, to help facilitate trade regulations in North America. Even though this agreement was only enacted two years ago, some of its rules are already being questioned and even ignored.

Halfway through MSU's academic semester, in this blog, we will highlight key changes and updates our team has made over the last few months.

Historically, foreign investment in African nations has tended to do more harm than good for the country's people. Africa’s many developing nations are rich in natural resources and host an abundant workforce, but reliance on markets like petroleum and mining has led to more exploitation than profits. In many cases, these industries have been foundational causes of civil unrest, disease, and violence. In recent years, however, the growth of one innovative industry puts Africa in a position to draw investments of a much safer and more valuable nature: telecommunications.

Reflecting on the past couple of months, many headlines have emphasized the hyperinflation businesses and individuals are feeling around the world; however, many analysts have questioned if these price hikes are inflation or "greedflation". Headlines across Canada specifically are calling out grocery store chains for skewing the prices of their goods. With rising inflation, the majority of companies are steadily losing profit with the exception of grocery stores in Canada that are reporting high profits.

From November 20, 2022, to December 18, 2022, all eyes will be on Qatar for the FIFA National World Cup. Whether you are viewing it from your TV, phone, or laptop, the tournament will be one of the most accessible world cups, as it will be televised on FOX, FS1, and Telemundo while also streaming on a variety of legal platforms. The 2022 World cup is predicted to have 5 billion views which would surpass the 3.5 billion viewers from the 2018 Russia World Cup. This is the perfect opportunity for brands to capitalize on the World Cup and promote their goods or services.

The World Cup is making history in 2022! This year marks the first time in the 92-year history of the World Cup that it is hosted by a Middle Eastern nation. Qatar put in its bid in 2009 while competing against Australia, South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. for the chance to host this prestigious event. Hosting sports events as globally recognized as the World Cup ensures economic benefits that will provide the nation with a great opportunity to not only capitalize on profit but also show off its unique culture and traditions throughout the event, resulting in progress for the nation of Qatar.

The anticipation around the growing electric vehicle market has consumers excited about the future of transportation, but this future may be approaching in a way we did not expect. With concerns around COVID-19 exposure on public transportation, many people started utilizing alternative methods of getting around, one of those methods being biking. A Dutch company in particular saw this phenomenon and has taken their solution to the next level, saying goodbye to the average bicycle and introducing electric bikes.

Twitter is a United States-based company that is the 7th most popular social media worldwide and the 9th most visited website globally in 2021. However, throughout 2022, Twitter and Elon Musk, a well-known multi-billionaire for his Tesla and SpaceX companies, have had an on-and-off acquisition deal for Twitter. This deal’s repercussions could change how businesses can effectively digitally advertise their products on the platform.

Porsche’s recent initial public offering (IPO), valued at around $72 billion, is one of the largest in European history. This IPO raised about $9 billion for Volkswagen which owns Porsche. The company offered 25% of Porsche’s preferred stock to investors, putting up about 12.5% of the entire company. This IPO is happening during a time that is seeing the market for IPOs drying up due to the volatility of the market.