Charts are snapshots of our world, and we’ve gathered the ones we think are most revealing of the state of affairs in 2024.
From Deutsche Bundesbank, things are not looking rosy for German industry. Abandoning nuclear power, losing access to Russian oil, and an overstrong euro have added up to industrial stagnation:
While in an age of housing prices spiraling out of reach for many, Austin, Texas, bucked the trend. Rent is actually falling:
Meanwhile, multiple polls have shown that men and women continue to diverge in their ideological positions (of course this depends, like all polls, on how each question is asked).
Men and women in the US have grown apart in their beliefs and voting patterns, as seen in these charts:
But this is not limited to the US. International surveys show people’s views changing on a range of axes. Respondents in the US and Japan claim to be growing more conservative, while in the UK people are becoming more progressive:
And in a world built on global trade, shipping trends affect us all. The attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels have had ripple effects on cargo prices and shipping figures. This chart shows the sharp drop off in ships using the Suez route—and a matching increase around the Cape of Good Hope, as vessels go the long way around Africa:
And for our final chart of the year, Bitcoin’s winning streak:
So if you live by the numbers: plan your shipping schedule, look for housing in Austin, and stash your cash in crypto (and maybe don’t invest in Germany).
Happy New Year, FEE readers!