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Author: Niccolo Conte

NEW FEATURE: Unlock the VC+ Archive in March

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

VC+ is our members program that gives you exclusive access to extra visual content and insightful special features. It also gets you access to The Trendline, our twice a week members-only newsletter that features the very best visualizations and data releases.

This month we’re taking the overall VC+ experience to the next level…

Promotional image of the VC+ archive

In the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing the long-awaited VC+ Archive. Not only will members get more value for their subscription, but they’ll be able to easily view all past and upcoming content in one place!

So if you missed the exclusive reports and webinars from our 2023 Global Forecast Series or The World at 8 Billion, now is the time to join our VC+ community.

Sign Up Now
 

Need more information? Here’s what VC+ members can look forward to in March:

New to VC+ in March 2023

“The VC+ Archive”

NEW ACCESS: Look back at All Past VC+ Content in One Easily Accessible Place

VC+ archive site mockup

Ever wanted to dive into past VC+ special features or editions of The Trendline newsletter? The VC+ Archive launching this month will finally make it possible without having to sift through your inbox.

This platform gives VC+ members a single location where they can log in for access to our exclusive reports, special dispatches webinars, and other past content!

The archive is especially useful for members who missed or want to revisit our exclusive reports and webinars for the 2023 Global Forecast Series and The World at 8 (Read more...)

Which Countries are Buying Russian Fossil Fuels?

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

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Bar chart of top importing nations of Russian fossil fuels

The Countries Buying Russian Fossil Fuels Since the Invasion

This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on natural resource megatrends in your email every week.

A year on from Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, Russian fossil fuel exports are still flowing to various nations around the world.

According to estimates from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), since the invasion started about a year ago, Russia has made more than $315 billion in revenue from fossil fuel exports around the world, with nearly half ($149 billion) coming from EU nations.

This graphic uses data from the CREA to visualize the countries that have bought the most Russian fossil fuels since the invasion, showcasing the billions in revenue Russia has made from these exports.

Top Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels

As one might expect, China has been the top buyer of Russian fossil fuels since the start of the invasion. Russia’s neighbor and informal ally has primarily imported crude oil, which has made up more than 80% of its imports totaling more than $55 billion since the start of the invasion.

The EU’s largest economy, Germany, is the second-largest importer of Russian fossil fuels, largely due to its natural gas imports worth more than $12 billion alone.

CountryTotal Value of Russian Fossil Fuel Imports*Crude OilNatural GasCoal
🇨🇳 China$66.6B$54.9B$6.1B (Read more...)

What’s New on VC+ in February?

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

If you’re a regular visitor to Visual Capitalist, you know that we’re your home base for data-driven, visual storytelling that helps explain a complex world.

But did you know there’s a way to get even more out of Visual Capitalist, all while helping support the work we do?

More Visuals. More Insight. More Understanding.

VC+ is our members program that gives you exclusive access to extra visual content and insightful special features. It also gets you access to The Trendline, our twice a week members-only newsletter that features the very best visualizations and data releases.

Sign Up for VC+
 

Along with The Trendline newsletter and our special dispatches, we’re continuing to work on building the VC+ Archive which will give members access to all past content. You’ll be able to browse all previous emails in one place—including special reports and webinars like the recent 2023 Global Forecast Series.

In the meantime, what is getting sent to members in the coming weeks for VC+ in February?

New to VC+ in February 2023

“At a Glance: 5 Key Takeaways from the IMF’s China Country Report”

SPECIAL DISPATCH: Breaking Down the Insights from the IMF’s Report on China

Image with large text "At a Glance" above text columns with highlights

In today’s world, time is of the essence. With the sea of information that exists, it’s difficult to extract what’s truly important.

In this Special Dispatch series, we do the work for you, analyzing global reports from reputable sources to neatly deliver the key takeaways along with context and commentary.

This time, we’ll examine the International Monetary Fund’s newly released documents from bilateral (Read more...)

Mapped: Europe’s Biggest Sources of Electricity by Country

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

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Map of Europe with countries colored according to their biggest sources of electricity generation

Mapped: Europe’s Biggest Sources of Electricity by Country

This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on natural resource megatrends in your email every week.

Energy and electricity supply have become vital for nearly every European nation over the past year, as the region shifts away from its dependence on Russian fuel imports.

While many countries have been making progress in their energy transition away from fossil fuels, nearly half of European countries are still dependent on them as their primary source of electricity generation.

This graphic maps out European countries by their top source of electricity generation using data from Electricity Maps and the IEA, along with a breakdown of the EU’s overall electricity generation by source in 2021.

Europe’s Electricity Generation by Energy Source

Europe has been steadily transitioning towards renewable sources of energy for their electricity generation, making considerable progress over the last decade.

In 2011, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal) made up 49% of the EU’s electricity production while renewable energy sources only made up 18%. A decade later, renewable energy sources are coming close to equaling fossil fuels, with renewables making up 32% of the EU’s electricity generation compared to fossil fuels’ 36% in 2021.

SourceEU Electricity Generation Share (2011)EU Electricity Generation Share (2021)
Nuclear29%25%
Coal25%14%
Natural Gas19%20%
Hydropower10%13%
Wind6% (Read more...)

Join VC+ for 2023’s Global Forecast Report of Expert Predictions

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

There’s no better way to prepare yourself for 2023 than seeing what the world’s experts are predicting for the year ahead.

As part of our ongoing Global Forecast Series, next week, VC+ members will be receiving the 2023 Global Forecast Report. Our team has been reading through hundreds of expert predictions and outlooks to curate the ultimate visual guide of what 2023 might have in store.

2023 Global Forecast Report image

Some of what you’ll find in the 2023 Global Forecast Report includes:

  • The top banks’ forecasts for the S&P 500, treasury yields, and recession timelines charted
  • A bird’s-eye view of the IMF’s inflation, unemployment, and GDP growth outlooks for nations
  • A collection of the “spiciest” and most outrageous predictions from experts for the year ahead

Along with these, the report will also include the results of our audience prediction polls which are running on our Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages until January 6th.

Below is a sneak preview of the results from three of our most salient questions:

Visual Capitalist audience poll question results

The 2023 Global Forecast Report featuring all of these insights and more is being sent out to VC+ members on Wednesday, January 11th.

To receive it along with our regularly scheduled content including our premium newsletter, The Trendline, and bi-monthly special features, sign up for VC+.

Sign Up for VC+
 

Need more details? Here’s what else we have in store for the series and more:

“VC+ Webinar: Unpacking the 2023 Global Forecast”

EXCLUSIVE EVENT: Explore 2023’s Predictions (Read more...)

Visualizing Currencies’ Decline Against the U.S. Dollar

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

Subscribe to the Elements free mailing list for more like this

Infographic of currency performance against U.S. dollar

Visualizing Currencies’ Decline Against the U.S. Dollar

This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on natural resource megatrends in your email every week.

In a highly volatile and difficult year for many currencies and equities, the U.S. dollar has been a safe haven for investors.

The greenback has provided exceptional stability, with almost every currency around the world declining against the U.S. dollar in 2022.

This graphic visualizes almost 50 years of the Dollar Index’s returns along with the decline of major currencies against the U.S. dollar in the past two years using price data from TradingView.

U.S. Dollar and Major Currencies’ Returns in 2022

As shown in the graphic above, the past two years have seen nearly every major currency lose value against the U.S. dollar.

One of the currencies hit hardest is the euro, which briefly fell below parity (meaning the euro was worth less than one U.S. dollar) in September and October of 2022, before recovering with a 5.3% rally in November.

Currency2021 Returns2022 YTD Returns
Japanese Yen (JPYUSD) 🇯🇵-10.4%-14.7%
Indian Rupee (INRUSD) 🇮🇳2.0%-9.6%
Pound Sterling (GBPUSD) 🇬🇧-1.1%-8.0%
Chinese Yuan (CNYUSD) 🇨🇳2.7%-8.6%
Euro (EURUSD) 🇪🇺-7.0%-6.0%
Canadian Dollar (CADUSD) 🇨🇦0.7%-6.6%
Australian Dollar (AUDUSD) 🇦🇺-5.7%-5.2%
Swiss Franc (CHFUSD) 🇨🇭-3.0%-1.1%

2022 YTD Returns as of December 14th 2022. (Source: TradingView)

However, the Japanese yen was the (Read more...)

Join Us as We Reveal Game-Changing Predictions for 2023

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

As 2022 comes to a close, this past year was packed with uncertainty and volatility across international borders and markets.

  • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has worn on, entrenching geopolitical divides
  • Energy prices have surged around the world with record-setting volatility
  • Markets await the Fed’s pivot on interest rates as a global recession looms

To help you navigate the year ahead, we’re giving a glimpse into the future at what experts are predicting for 2023 with the upcoming Global Forecast Series.

The 2023 Global Forecast Series

Over the next few weeks, VC+ members will be receiving the ultimate cheatsheet for 2023, giving them a head start into the New Year.

This includes an in-depth report curating the most important insights from 300+ expert predictions for 2023, access to an exclusive webinar and Q&A session, along with a recap of how expert predictions panned out this past year.

To gain access to the 2023 Global Forecast Series and more, join VC+ and all these special features will be sent straight to your inbox.

Sign Up for VC+
 

Need more details? Here’s what we have in store:

“2023 Global Forecast Report”

REPORT: Your Guide to 2023’s Expert Predictions and Trends to Watch Out For

The 2023 Global Forecast Report will reveal the pivotal trends that will shape our world next year. Compiling hundreds of expert predictions, we distill their insights for 2023 into one essential report.

From how current geopolitical clashes and tensions will unfold to market and industry forecasts, this report will contain everything you (Read more...)

How Gold Royalties Outperform Gold and Mining Stocks

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

Published • Updated •
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The following content is sponsored by Gold Royalty
Infographic on gold royalty company returns

How Gold Royalties Outperform Gold and Mining Stocks

Gold and gold mining companies have long provided a diverse option for investors looking for gold-backed returns, however royalty companies have quietly been outperforming both.

While inflation’s recent surge has dampened profits for gold mining companies, royalty companies have remained immune thanks to their unique structure, offering stronger returns in both the short and long term.

After Part One of this series sponsored by Gold Royalty explained exactly how gold royalties avoid rising expenses caused by inflation, Part Two showcases the resulting stronger returns royalty companies can offer.

Comparing Returns

Since the pandemic lows in mid-March of 2020, gold royalty companies have greatly outperformed both gold and gold mining companies, shining especially bright in the past year’s highly inflationary environment.

While gold is up by 9% since the lows, gold mining companies are down by almost 3% over the same time period. On the other hand, gold royalty companies have offered an impressive 33% return for investors.

In the graphic above, you can see how gold royalty and gold mining company returns were closely matched during 2020, but when inflation rose in 2021, royalty companies held strong while mining company returns fell downwards.

 Returns since the pandemic lows
(Mid-March 2020)		Returns of the past four months
(July 8-November (Read more...)

Visualized: FTX’s Leaked Balance Sheet

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

Visualization of FTX Balance Sheet

Visualizing FTX’s Balance Sheet Before Bankruptcy

In a difficult year for the crypto space that has been full of hacks, failing funds, and decentralized stablecoins going to zero, nothing has compared to FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried’s (SBF) rapid implosion.

After an astronomical rise in the crypto space over the past three years, crypto exchange FTX and its founder and CEO SBF have come crashing back down to earth, largely unraveled by their misuse of customer funds and illicit relationship with trading firm Alameda Research.

This graphic visualizes FTX’s leaked balance sheet dated to November 10th, and published by the Financial Times on November 12th. Spreadsheet shows nearly $9 billion in liabilities and not nearly enough illiquid cryptocurrency assets to cover the hole.

How did FTX wind up in this position?

How FTX’s Bankruptcy Unfolded

FTX’s eventual bankruptcy was sparked by a report on November 2nd by CoinDesk citing Alameda Research’s balance sheet. The article reported Alameda’s assets to be $14.6 billion, including $3.66 billion worth of unlocked FTT and $2.16 billion of FTT collateral.

With more than one-third of Alameda’s assets tied up in FTX’s exchange token FTT (including loans backed by the token), eyebrows were raised among the crypto community.

Four days later on November 6th, Alameda Research’s CEO, Caroline Ellison, and Sam Bankman-Fried addressed the CoinDesk story as unfounded rumors. However, on the same day, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) announced that Binance had decided to liquidate all remaining FTT on their books, kicking off a -7.6% decline (Read more...)

What’s New on VC+ in November?

by Niccolo Conte
This post is by Niccolo Conte from Visual Capitalist

If you’re a regular visitor to Visual Capitalist, you know that we’re your home base for data-driven, visual storytelling that helps explain a complex world.

But did you know there’s a way to get even more out of Visual Capitalist, all while helping support the work we do?

More Visuals. More Insight. More Understanding.

VC+ is our members program that gives you exclusive access to extra visual content and insightful special features. It also gets you access to The Trendline, our twice a week members-only newsletter that features the very best visualizations and data releases.

Sign Up for VC+
 

In the Coming Months…

“The Global Forecast Series”

CONTENT SERIES: A Full Exploration of Expert Predictions for 2023
Visual Capitalist Guide to 2023
As we near the end of the year, experts around the world are beginning to put out their predictions and forecasts for what’s to come in 2023.

Starting next month in December, our VC+ members will receive a full selection of exclusive content that breaks down this past year’s prediction results and everything to know for next year.

The Global Forecast Series includes:

  • A Special Dispatch recapping 2022’s Prediction Consensus
  • The Visual Capitalist Guide to 2023 report featuring the most crucial trends and forecasts to watch out for in the new year
  • A live webinar exploring our predictions database, allowing VC+ members to check in on the trends and predictions that matter most to them

Coming in December 2022 and January 2023 (Get VC+ to access)

In the meantime, what (Read more...)