Last year was a year of change for the economy, including record-low unemployment rates, ballooning national debt, and increased income inequality. However, 2019 also brought about drastic changes in wealth for some of the world’s richest individuals. Our new visualization illustrates some of the most dramatic upswings and downswings for billionaires worldwide, as measured by the changes in their net worth from 2018 to 2019.

• According to Forbes, the top five “winners” amassed nearly $112 billion in additional net worth from 2018 to 2019, more than double the increase from 2017 to 2018. 
• Taking a longer-term view, billionaires have fared much better over the past ten years. Since 2010, the 10 richest people in the world increased their net worth by more than half a trillion dollars. 
• Although Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg increased his net worth by $22.1 billion in 2019, he had lost $18.7 billion in net worth the previous year. 

The information for this visualization comes from Forbes’ ranking of Biggest Billionaire Winners and Losers of 2019. In creating their list, the publication analyzed the net worth of more than 2,200 billionaires between December 28, 2018 and December 13, 2019. Only billionaires with investments in publicly traded companies were considered, and their wealth was measured in absolute dollars.

In the top half of the visualization, we show the five billionaire “winners” by increasing order of positive changes to net worth. In the bottom half, we show the five billionaire “losers” by increasing order of negative changes to net worth. Each dot in the visualization is equal to $1 billion, and the dots are color-colored in shades of turquoise or pink to indicate magnitude (the darker the color, the greater the amount of money gained or lost, respectively).

Top 5 Biggest Billionaire Winners of 2019

1. Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy–Louis Vuitton: +$40 billion
2. Mark Zuckerberg, Cofounder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook: +$22.1 billion
3. Amancio Ortega, Cofounder of Inditex: +$17.3 billion
4. Steve Ballmer, Owner of the Los Angeles Clippers: +$16.3 billion
5. Mukesh Ambani, Founder and Chairman of Reliance Industries: +$16.1 billion

Top 5 Biggest Billionaire Losers of 2019

1. Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited (ADR): -$14.1 billion
2. Jeff Bezos, CEO and Founder of Amazon: -$13.1 billion
3. Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Essel Group: -$3.4 billion
4. Travis Kalanick, Cofounder of Uber Technologies Inc.: -$3.1 billion
5. Yan Zhi, Chair of Zall Smart Commerce Group: -$3 billion

Forbes noted that stock performance was a major reason for the changes in wealth. Notably, LVMH stocks soared after the conglomerate’s acquisition of Tiffany & Co., and CEO Bernard Arnault briefly surpassed Jeff Bezos as the richest person in the world. By contrast, the ramifications of Uber’s disastrous IPO in May 2019 took a toll on the wealth of co-founder Travis Kalanick.

Other billionaires experienced changes in wealth for personal reasons. For example, Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame had experienced the biggest increase in net worth in 2018. However, an expensive divorce settlement caused his net worth to decrease significantly in 2019. In addition, Azim Premji donated $7.5 billion of his stake in Wipro to his charitable foundation, bucking the notion that a decrease in wealth is always a bad thing. 

Did anything surprise you about this list? What do you think about the causes of these billionaires’ changes in wealth?  Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

As we turn to the next decade, many countries aim to tackle the gender gap inherent in their societies. Exhibited through unequal access to opportunity, academics categorize its causes into structural and merit-based. Some countries continue to make significant strides to improve the situation, while others still need more work. Solutions exist both within the corporate and political spheres to address the problem. Addressing the problem isn’t simply moralistic, it provides economic and social benefits as well.

• 35 countries scored perfect in education, none in economic participation, several scored ~98% in Health, while the highest political involvement score came in at 70.1% followed by a drop to 59.8%
• The average (population-weighted) distance to parity is at 68.6%, which is up from the prior measure.
• Political empowerment remains the largest gap, with 108 of the 149 countries improving year over year.
• Educational opportunity gaps are fairly small across the board, but still have some countries with areas for improvement.
• Using current forecasts, the overall gender gap will close in 99.5 years across 107 countries.

Most Americans know of the fight for gender equality starting with the suffrage movement and extending to the cultural revolution in the ‘60s. Today, America’s Women’s World Cup marked a high achievement in the fight to close the gender gap. Yet, the work begun still has a long way to go, with different distances based on the country.

To draw a comprehensive look at the global gender gap, our visualization looks across 4 categories: Economic Participation, Educational Attainment, Health & Survival, and Political Empowerment. Countries included must have a minimum of 12 out of the 14 indicators that the index measures.

Top 5 Countries with the Smallest Gender Gap

1. Iceland - 87.7%
2. Norway -84.2%
3. Finland - 83.2%
4. Sweden - 82%
5. Nicaragua - 80.4%

Top 5 Countries with the Widest Gender Gap

1. Yemen - 49.4%
2. Iraq - 53%
3. Pakistan - 56.4%
4. Syria - 56.7%
5. Congo, Dem. Rep. - 57.8%

Political movements across the globe work to varying degrees to enhance opportunity and access for females. While education has come the furthest, even in the U.S. there remains legacy biases to overcome. 

Luckily, we’re seeing more champions step into the fold across the spectrum. Well-known individuals such as Melinda Gates spearheaded the ‘Equality Can’t Wait’ campaign to focus on gender pay gap issues. And even in the far reaches of the globe, gender equality is finding champions. Malala Yousafzai’s story is one of the most daring and inspiring out there.

It’s important to understand where each country stands relative to one another, and against itself. The information gathered by World Economic Forum helps leaders and advocates in each country understand their progress and shape their decisions.

Although great progress has been achieved, it still would take nearly a century to close the gender pay gap. Governments and corporate citizens along with Non-Governmental Organizations work tirelessly to improve the situation.

But are there efforts effective, or have they missed key components for success?

Data: Table 1.1

Forget the top one percent. The 25 richest people in the world belong to an ultra-elite group of families who control astonishing amounts of wealth. But where do these families come from? And who has the most dynastic wealth?

• The Walton family remains the world’s wealthiest at $190.5 billion.
• The Al Saud royal family of Saudi Arabia makes its debut among the world’s wealthiest at $100 billion.
• The Koch family remains among the world’s richest after brother David’s death.
• The wealth of the Ambani family, India’s richest, increased $7 billion to $50 billion.

The data comes from Bloomberg's annual report of the twenty-five wealthiest families. Our viz maps out the top 25 wealthiest families and their businesses. A larger circle and darker shade of green indicate a larger net worth. 

Top 10 Richest Families in the World

1. Walton family, Walmart - $190.5 B
2. Mars family, Mars - $126.5 B
3. Koch family, Koch Industries - $124.5 B
4. Al Saud family - $100.0 B
5. Wertheimer family, Chanel - $57.6 B
6. Hermes family, Hermes - $53.1 B
7. Van Damme-De Spoelberch-De Mevius family, Anheuser-Busch InBev - $52.9 B
8. Boehringer-Von Baumbach family, Boehringer Ingelheim - $51.9 B
9. Ambani family, Reliance Industries - $50.4 B
10. Cargill-MacMillan family, Cargill - $42.9 B

Most of the world’s wealthiest families reside in the northern hemisphere: our top ten list features four families from North America, four from Europe and two from Asia. American families take the top three positions with the Walton, Marses and Kochs, respectively. The Waltons, of Walmart fame, retain a majority stake in the company founded by Sam Walton in 1962. This allows the family to maintain considerable control of the company’s strategy, and its profits: the family becomes a staggering $100 million wealthier every day from their stake in the family business. In close competition for the number two spot (indeed, their positions were reversed last year) are the Mars and Kochs family. The latter had a death in the family this year as Koch Industries co-founder David died in August, leaving his wife Julia and their three children an estate that CNN valued at $47.5 billion in 2015. 

A newcomer to Bloomberg’s list this year is the Al Saud royal family of Saudi Arabia. While the wealth is estimated based on payouts from Saudi Arabia’s executive office of the king, the Royal Diwan, Bloomberg concedes the estimate may be too low -- after all, the state-owned Saudi Aramco oil company is the world’s most profitable company. Saudi Aramco, which has recently been taken public, did not perform quite as well as expected by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and shares have dropped an additional 10% from the IPO high amid tensions between the United States and Iran.

So, how do these family fortunes compare to that of the Trumps and the British royal family? The London Evening Standard put the worth of the entire royal family in 2019 at $88 billion. This estimate would put the Windsors squarely in the top five wealthiest families. So why are they missing from the list? Well, as Bloomberg’s methodology states: “clans whose source of wealth is too diffuse or opaque to be valued are excluded.” As for the Trumps, Business Insider put their wealth at $4 billion: that’s still quite a sum, but it pales compared to that of the Walton or Mars family fortune. 

Which of these family fortunes are new to you? Is wealth inequality a concern to you after reading these statistics? Let us know in the comments and share with your friends.

Data: Table 1.1

Tesla’s stock just hit another all-time high. The company now has a higher market capitalization than GM, even though Tesla only sold about 367,000 vehicles last year. Clearly some investors believe the electric car market has a lot of upside, and our latest visual provides some clues why.

• Louisiana has the highest average monthly loan payments for electric vehicles, a major reason why the state only has 0.28% market penetration.
• California has the highest portion of electric cars on the road at 7.84%, despite an average monthly loan size of $803.
• Some states, like Colorado and Oregon, post relatively high rates of electric vehicle ownership perhaps due to small monthly loan payments (2.61% and 3.41%, respectively).
• States with the lowest numbers of electric vehicles also have economies that are heavily dependent on traditional fossil fuels, like Mississippi (0.22%), North Dakota (0.24%) and West Virginia (0.27%).

We created our map by combining electric car sales figures from Auto Alliance and average loan amounts from AutoWise. Darker shades of green indicate that electric car loans are higher, and larger pink circles indicate greater market saturation. This gives you a quick and easy way to understand a snapshot of the electric car industry today.

Top 10 States with the Highest Monthly Payment for Electric Cars

1. Louisiana: $849, 0.28% market share
2. Nevada: $837, 1.62% market share
3. Georgia: $821, 1.18% market share
4. Mississippi: $808, 0.22% market share
5. California: $803, 7.84% market share
6. Alabama: $802, 0.41% market share
7. Arizona: $800, 1.84% market share
8. Oklahoma: $797, 0.35% market share
9. Kansas: $781, 0.96% market share
10. Illinois: $778, 1.20% market share

We can learn several insights about the electric vehicle industry from our visualization. First off, let’s assume the size of an auto loan is an accurate indication of how expensive it is to purchase an electric vehicle. Cheaper cars would have lower monthly loan payments, and vice versa. A big factor determining the cost of electric vehicles is state tax breaks and subsidies. Electric vehicle market share isn’t correlated with loan size. For example, market share is highest in California at 7.84%, which also has the fifth highest average loan payments. This suggests that things like environmentalism and the availability of charging stations have more to do with electric cars than simple economics.

But that’s not always the case. Some states, like Colorado, enjoy comparably lower loan payments ($699) and also see an uptick in electric car ownership (2.61%). Oregon is another example ($708 and 3.41%). More interesting is how far behind the Northeast is in terms of market share compared to the West Coast. Massachusetts for example has the highest rate of ownership east of the Mississippi River (2.53%) followed by Connecticut (2.02%).

It’s also worth focusing on the states with the lowest rates of market penetration. Mississippi (0.22%), North Dakota (0.24%) and West Virginia (0.27%) are all heavily dependent on traditional fossil fuels, and they likewise have the lowest rates of ownership. After all, if a lot of people are employed drilling oil and mining coal, it might not be the best idea to drive around in an electric vehicle.

If you’re thinking about buying a car, it always helps to shop around, especially when getting a lower rate can decrease your monthly payment. Our auto loan guide is a great resource to learn more about financing a car. And if you’ve already got a car, our car insurance guide can help you save money too.

Why do you think electric vehicles have been so slow to take off? Would you ever consider owning one? Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

Americans control almost 30% of the entire world’s wealth. Other countries aren’t that far behind anymore, and when measured collectively, Asia already boasts a higher total. That’s according to a new global wealth report from Credit Suisse.

• The U.S. remains by far the richest country in the world, controlling some $105.99T of wealth, or almost 30% of the entire world’s net worth.
• Taken together, countries in Asia have a higher net worth than the U.S. at $141.21T, or about 39% of the world’s total.
• The poverty of underdeveloped countries is also obvious in our visual. Africa and Latin America only control 1.14% and 2.75% of the world’s wealth, respectively.
• The U.S., Europe and China control comparable amounts of the world’s wealth, indicating how important trade relationships are to the global economy.

The researchers at Credit Suisse define wealth, or “net worth,” as the sum total of all financial assets minus any debts. One can argue with the methodology, especially as it relates to the value of intangible assets geography or cultural sites. But this is similar to a balance sheet that a household or business might create, except it’s for an entire country. We grouped each one by continent, letting you quickly compare the total net worth of different countries around the world.

Top 10 Countries with the Most Wealth in the World

1. United States: $105.99T
2. China: $63.83T
3. Japan: $24.99T
4. Germany: $14.66T
5. United Kingdom: $14.34T
6. France: $13.73T
7. India: $12.61T
8. Italy: $11.36T
9. Canada: $8.57T
10. Spain: $7.77T

The most obvious takeaway from our analysis is how the U.S. still controls by far more wealth than any other country. Americans simply have a significantly higher net worth than anybody else in the world. Much of this can be explained by the astonishing growth in fortunes of the richest people. For example, the world’s 500 wealthiest people saw their fortunes grow by an incredible $1.2T last year alone, bringing their net worth to $5.9T. To put that in perspective, that’s more than the total for all of Africa ($4.11T).

Other countries are seeing similar patterns of growing inequality, which further helps explain our visual. The wealth of the richest 10% in China surpassed the U.S. last year. In fact, taken as a whole, Asian countries boast a collective net worth substantially higher than the U.S. ($141.21T). Perhaps the Chinese will start supporting higher taxes on the wealthy like they have in the U.S.

Our visualization also illustrates how the U.S., Europe and Asia now control similar amounts of wealth. That’s part of the reason why observers are tracking all the intricacies of the trade war so closely. One of the reasons the world has so much wealth today is thanks to globalization. It’s helpful to remember that if the world’s major economies grow further apart in the future (see: Brexit), the economic consequences can be very high indeed.

Do you keep track of your own personal net worth? If you run a business, having a clear idea of your financial picture is critical for getting credit. Check out our small business loan guide to learn more about what else is required.

Data: Table 1.1

It’s the year 2020, and contrary to earlier predictions, flying cars don’t exist. However, new cars are flying off dealer lots in the US. What are the most popular vehicles in all 50 states?

• 17 million new cars were sold in the US in 2019, down slightly from 2018
• Lower fuel costs are a factor in the sustained demand for vehicles
• American consumers have shifted preferences from vehicles to trucks and SUVs
• Average monthly auto payments are up 15% since 2014, concerning some investors

Our data for this viz comes from Insurify’s report of the most popular vehicle in each state. The ranking reflects the most common cars currently being driven. For this viz, we display the most popular vehicle for all 50 states on a map. Each state’s average monthly auto payment is also displayed as calculated by Edmunds.com, considering 72 months as the average 2019 car loan term and an average down payment of 11.7%.A darker shade of pink indicates a higher monthly auto loan payment.

Top 5 Most Popular Vehicles & Their Lowest/Highest Monthly Loan Payment

1. Honda Accord (Nº1 in 13 states) - Lowest average payment: OR, $341; Highest average payment: GA, $374
2. Honda Civic (Nº1 in 8 states) - Lowest average payment: NH, $280; Highest average payment: AZ, $311
3. Nissan Altima (Nº1 in 8 states) - Lowest average payment: AL, $361; Highest average payment: LA, $384
4. Chevrolet Impala (Nº1 in 7 states) - Lowest average payment: SD, $421; Highest average payment: MO, $443
5. Toyota Camry (Nº1 in 4 states) - Lowest average payment: D.C., $343; Highest average payment: NV $381

Despite the growing affinity for light trucks and SUVs, Millennials have stated a preference for smaller, less expensive cars. Particularly popular are the Honda Accord and Civic, which are the most popular new vehicle purchase in 13 and 8 states, respectively. While the most popular vehicle in all but three states may be a sedan, but on the whole consumers are falling out of love with them: in the first quarter of 2019 vehicles made up only 30% of overall new vehicle sales.

And Americans are hungry for new vehicles: automakers sold more than 17 million new vehicles and light trucks in 2019 according to the market research firm Edmunds. This marks an unprecedented fifth straight year sales over 17 million. A contributor to increased interest in SUV’s? Gas prices, which on average nationwide haven’t gone past $3 a gallon since 2014.

One downside of a shift to bigger vehicles? Bigger vehicle payments: the average vehicle payment as of 2019 was $577 per month, compared to $499 in December 2014. This shift has influenced the auto lending market: with auto loan delinquencies hitting an eight-year high, some experts think vehicle loans are the next red flag for the economy. To see a state-by-state breakdown of auto loan burdens, check out this HowMuch viz.

With auto debt looming larger for so many Americans, why not educate yourself on the market before purchasing your next vehicle? Check out our HowMuch Auto Loan Guide

Data: Table 1.1

Ever since the Iranian Revolution in the ‘70s, the U.S. and Iran haven’t been on the best of terms. Even with the recent conflict abated, many questions arose about the impact globally should a broader problem arise.

Iran relies heavily on crude oil exports to the global marketplace. U.S. sanctions lay a heavy toll on Iran as they put more pressure on political changes. If a broader conflict were to break out, is Iran’s economy diverse enough to handle the burden, and what would the comparative militaries look like?

• While Iran has more people in its military proportionally to its total population, the spending for the U.S. dwarfs Iran’s by over $600B.
• However, Iran makes up for that with military conscription, with 0.69% of its population in armed services vs 0.415% in the U.S.
• Even with the U.S. main export of refined petroleum and Iran’s being crude oil, Iran has nearly 5x the amount of oil reserves as the U.S.
• Interestingly, both countries rely on imports of automobiles, with the U.S. largest suppliers being Japan, Canada, and Mexico.
• When you compare GDP (PPP), U.S. services drive a GDP (PPP) that’s nearly 12x that of Iran’s.

It’s often not a surprise that the U.S. economy dwarfs most others in the world. Plus, U.S. military expenditure is one of the highest in the world. So how does that compare to the countries they come into conflict with like Iran? We wanted to compare the economies, militaries, and populations of the two countries to get a sense of the size both in terms of magnitude and relative to one another. Data from The World Bank, UN Comtrade, OEC, and the CIA helped us create the visualization that stacks up the countries side by side.

Iran relies heavily on crude oil exports for its economy, while the U.S. growth comes more from services. That puts Iran more at the mercy of global commodity pricing and sanctions from the U.S. Fracking technology and excess refinement capacity led the U.S. to become a major exporter of refined petroleum products. This has lead to a large difference in the sizes of the economies, not just in total, but per capita. The additional U.S. oil production capacity has given them further leverage over Iran. Plus, the U.S. has the ability to run much larger deficits at cheaper costs, allowing them additional funding for any needed expansion.

The U.S. economy holds a lot of sway globally given the size and impact on individual countries. Militarily, it spends significantly more than Iran, while maintaining a larger armed force. Being a top economy in the world gives the U.S. flexibility and leverage compared to Iran.

So can small countries like Iran compete with the U.S., or are they capped in their capabilities? Let us know your thoughts.

Data: Table 1.1

In mid-January, Alphabet (the parent company of Google) became the newest company to join the “Trillion Dollar Club.” The companies in this exclusive group have three main features in common: their market caps have reached $1 trillion at some point, they are all based in the U.S., and they are all part of the technology sector. Our latest visualization sets out a side-by-side comparison of the four U.S. companies that belong to the Trillion Dollar Club, based on various financial metrics.

• Across the board, Apple has the highest market cap, revenue, profit, and profit per employee. It was also the first company in the world to reach a $1 trillion market cap.
• Amazon is included in the Trillion Dollar Club because its market cap reached $1 trillion in September 2018. The market cap currently sits at $925 billion.
• Despite having a market cap of almost $1 trillion and profits of $10,1 billion, Amazon’s profit per employee sits at only $15,557 due to its large, international workforce.
• Even though Amazon has the lowest market cap among the Trillion Dollar Club, it has the most expensive stock price of the group, at $1,864.72 per share as of January 21, 2020.

Market cap, or market capitalization, refers to the total value of a company's shares of stock that have been purchased by shareholders. Our data on the market cap and employees for each company comes from Yahoo Finance as of January 21, 2020. Information about the company’s profits and revenue comes from the Fortune 500 list as of 2019. Our visualization places the companies next to each other in order to compare financial metrics, including the market cap, number of employees, revenue, profit, and profit per employee. Each of these metrics is represented by a circle with the corresponding number listed inside. To get a high-level overview of how the companies compare to each other, the larger circles represent higher numbers and the smaller circles represent lower numbers.

Companies in the Trillion Dollar Club

1. Apple: $1.397 Market Cap
2. Microsoft: $1.275 Market Cap
3. Alphabet: $1.021 Market Cap
4.Amazon: $0.925 Market Cap

While the market cap numbers indicate that the Trillion Dollar Club is flourishing, the financial future of these Big Tech companies will be called into question as conversations around regulation become more important. Notably, Alphabet achieved its trillion-dollar milestone after France declared it will suspend its digital tax amid the threat of counter-tariffs of the U.S. In addition, Trump recently asked Apple to unlock iPhones for national security reasons, further inserting the government into the tech industry.

Interestingly, some of these companies themselves are looking for regulation of new technologies. More specifically, Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, has made calls for a joint U.S.-EU effort in order to regulate artificial intelligence. As technology--and regulation--continue to advance at a rapid rate, the effect on these companies’ bottom lines will become increasingly apparent.

Which companies do you think will be the next to join the Trillion Dollar Club? Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

The U.S. and China have long been the world’s two largest economic powerhouses, and their impact can be seen in trading activity around the world. By comparing the U.S. and China’s biggest trade partners between 1980 and 2018, we can see how international relations have changed over the years and how these two superpowers have shaped the world economy.

• In 1980, the U.S. more or less dominated world trade. However, as the decades have passed, China has become a major trade partner for many countries around the world.
• The U.S. and China trade war has had a major impact on the world economy, and while a trade deal has been reached, many are concerned this trade deal leaves too many questions unanswered.
• Some believe that the U.S.-China trade deal is a major positive for the financial sectors in both countries.
• The IMF says the U.S.-China trade deal provides a “pathway to peace” and is a positive sign for the future of the global economy.

To compare the U.S. and China’s major trade partners over the years, we pulled data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which tracks a variety of metrics and data regarding the performance of the world economy. By looking at the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS), we can see “the value of merchandise exports and imports disaggregated according to a country’s primary trading partner.”

Our visualization compares the dollars traded between China and the chosen country to that same country’s trade with the U.S. For example, if country ABC did $100m in trade with China and did $200M with the U.S., the ratio would show 50% in favor of the U.S.

Top 5 U.S. Top Trade Partners in 2018 (Total Merchandise Trade, $M)

1. Canada: $617,382
2. Mexico: $611,528
3. Japan: $217,563
4. Germany: $183,558
5. Republic of Korea: $130,635

Top 5 China Top Trade Partners in 2018 (Total Merchandise Trade, $M)

1. Japan: $328,043
2. Republic of Korea: $312,520
3. Hong Kong: $312,258
4. Taiwan: $225,780
5. Germany: $184,368

After taking a look at our visualization, one of the first things you’re likely to notice is that very few countries actively participated in trade with China. Instead, the U.S. remained the largest trading partner for most of the world’s countries until around 2000 — at which point we can see China take a more active role in the global economy.

Since 1980, countries like Japan, which at one point almost exclusively traded with the United States, now rely on China for a majority of their trading activity. As demonstrated by the visualization, the world economy depends largely on these two economic powerhouses, which makes the prospect of a successful trade deal even more significant. While a “phase one” deal has been reached, it leaves many questions unanswered, making it difficult to predict the implications of the deal on the global economy. Still, though many questions remain, many believe this trade deal to be a step in the right direction, with the IMF calling it a “pathway to peace.”

The U.S. and China have been the world’s leading economic powers for some time, and by examining their trade activity over the last several decades, we can see the impact these countries have had on the global economy.

What do you think these numbers say about the state of the global economy? Do you think the U.S.-China trade deal is a step in the right direction? Let us know in the comment section below.

Data: Table 1.1

The United States and China recently signed Phase I of a trade deal designed to thaw relations between the world’s two largest economies. The ongoing trade war between these two countries led to an overall slowdown of global growth in 2019, with continued weakness in global trade and investment. Despite this, China has maintained a positive trade balance overall and continues to be a major exporter to countries around the world. Our new series of visualizations maps out the relationship between China and its biggest trading partners.

The data for these visualizations comes from the International Monetary Fund, with all values expressed in U.S. dollars. Here is the breakdown of exports, imports, and trade balance between China and other countries around the world.

• Between imports and exports, China is involved in $4.6 trillion worth of trade worldwide.
• China has a trade balance of $367 billion, which means that its overall exports are higher than its imports.
• Since 1989, China’s economy has roughly doubled every eight to ten years, surpassing the growth rates of the U.S., Europe, and most high income countries during the same time period.

• Although the U.S. dominated most of world trade in 1980, China has gradually taken on a greater role, surpassing the U.S. as the major trading partner in many countries around the world.

In total, China exports $2.5 trillion worth of goods to other countries. For the countries in the visualization above, China has exported more than $1 billion in goods. The size and the color of each country on the map show at first glance which ones are the biggest recipients of Chinese exports. Countries that are larger and a deeper shade of turquoise have a higher value of exports.

Top Countries Where China Exports the Most

1. United States: $481 billion
2. Hong Kong: $304 billion
3. Japan: $148 billion
4. South Korea: $110 billion
5. Vietnam: $84 billion

Even with the ongoing trade war since 2018, the U.S. remains China’s top destination for exports. The most common goods that China exports to the U.S. tend to be electronic devices, such as cell phones. The U.S. is the only country on the top five list that is not located in East Asia.

Although China is categorized as a “net exporter,” it still imports $2.1 trillion worth of goods from other countries, especially from the surrounding region. Similar to the previous visualization, the size and the color of each country on the map illustrate the magnitude of trade between China and that country. China has imported the most goods from the countries on the map that are larger and a deeper shade of pink.

Top Countries Where China Imports the Most

1. South Korea: $203 billion
2. Japan: $180 billion
3. Taiwan: $177 billion
4. United States: $156 billion
5. Germany: $106 billion

As you can see, there are fewer countries on this import map compared to the export map. That’s because China imports $1 billion or more worth of goods from only about 81 countries, while it exports $1 billion or more of goods to about 117 countries. However, China’s imports have a massive effect on neighboring countries. Notably, shipments to China account for a quarter of South Korea’s exports.

The map above shows countries that have a trade balance with China worth $1 billion or more. Countries are shaded in turquoise if China exports more to that country than that country exports to China. By contrast, countries are shaded in pink if China imports more from that country than that country imports from China. The size of the country also corresponds to the value of the trade balance--bigger countries have a higher trade balance.

Top 5 Countries Where China Has a Positive Trade Balance

1. United States: $324 billion
2. Hong Kong: $295 billion
3. The Netherlands: $61 billion
4. India: $58 billion
5. The United Kingdom: $33 billion

Top 5 Countries Where China Has a Negative Trade Balance

1. Taiwan: -$128 billion
2. South Korea: -$93 billion
3. Australia: -$57 Billion
4. Brazil: -$43 billion
5. Switzerland: -$35 billion

Importantly, some provisions of the new deal between the U.S. and China seek to establish a greater balance of trade. For example, the deal requires that China increase its purchases of U.S. goods and services by more than 50% over the next two years. While this deal could be beneficial for some American industries such as agriculture, some economics experts also suggest that this type of preferential treatment for U.S. products over other trading partners could be a threat to free trade. As additional phases of a U.S.-China trade deal are also implemented, the overall effect on trade balances worldwide could also be subject to change.

Did any of China’s top trading partners surprise you? How do you think the new trade deal will affect the balance of trade between the U.S. and China? Let us know in the comments!

Data: Table 1.1

With the entrance in a new decade, we are going to start the year with significant BANG! 2020 is the year for an election that will change the course of the United States, Australia has had a fire that has potentially endangered several species of animals while burning most of the continent, and a potential virus that has caused alarm for the world as a whole. These events have inspired three of the five data visualizations that we at HowMuch.net wish we would have done with our community because they are too good not to share.

1. Sizing up Australia’s Bushfires (Reuters Graphics)

This design takes designing outside the box to a whole new level. When you view this visual, you can't help but keep scrolling down. This scrolling action provides the user with an understanding of how large the fires are in Australia in two fantastic ways. The first is by using the scale of each block as one square kilometer, or 0.386 square miles, and stakes them side by side. Each block is how much the fire has burned. These blocks take about 4-5 full page scroll downs. And the second great thing is that during the scroll, different shapes are placed in the areas to explain how big some well-known regions cover.

A few cities, like Washington DC, and countries, like Lebanon, include just small fractions of this data visualization. Another great feature this offers is the total s.q. km keeps adding up as you scroll down. Just WOW!! And if you are wondering if it works on the mobile phone, we encourage you to try it. This visualization drives home the point of how much damage these fires have caused. On a side note, our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by the wildfires in Australia.

2. Mapped: The Anatomy of Land Use in America (VisualCapitalist)

Have you ever wondered how much land is left in the United States? With development having, pretty much everywhere, this map will surprise you. This article and map display how the land in the United States is being used as a whole. It starts with a basic map that shows several different color spots throughout the United States. Then it stacks all those different color squares into groups. These groups are then labeled with the type of land. And surprisingly, Urban areas only cover 2% of the land in the United States.

When you scroll down the page, it separates the type of land — giving the user a clear picture of how each looks across the United States. What sets this visual apart is the subtle transformation from the colors spread out to organized by color. The data visualization gives the viewer a clear understanding based on the portion of the United States.

3. Who Will Win The 2020 Democratic Primary? (FiveThirtyEight)

This year is set up to be a big election for the United States. Of course, isn't it every year?! This data visualization or visuals are perfect for those who want to know the odds of who will be going up against the President of the United States this November.

This data visualization is incredible in providing live up to date results. It uses these results to give the user insight on the odds of who will win the nomination. Oh, did we mention the very cool caricature cartoons of the candidates? That only gives entertainment in the visual even if you are not into politics. This data visualization gives the user in-depth analytics by state and candidate. Oh, and again, this is up to date information!

4. Tracking Coronavirus in Real-Time (Johns Hopkins CSSE)

It is time to get a little bit more serious. In the past month, the world has been infected with a deadly virus that has no cure. It has, at the time of this article, infected over 9,700 people worldwide, with over 200 deaths. It is the coronavirus, and it has the world in fear. But who can remember where these cases are located? No need to worry, this data visual provides anyone in the world with the current location and impact the size of the coronavirus. This fantastic chart uses the map and colors to give the necessary insight anyone needs when trying to find out how far they are from the nearest virus outbreak.

The whole screen is in a darker gray, while the locations are deep red bubbles. The larger the bubble, the significant the problem. The use of the colors on this chart enforces the message of this map. Oh, I forgot to mention, the side panels give the exact numbers of deaths and those who have recovered. And on the left, you can see where the most cases have been reported worldwide. These guys did a great job of ensuring the world is in the know of the status of this potentially catastrophic virus. As before, our hearts and prayers go to those who have been affected by the illness.

5. The Truth About Weekend Working (Financial Times)

This insightful visual provides insight into how most United Kingdom adults spend their days, both as a weekend and weekday. This visual breaks up several daily activities and shows how each is performed throughout the hours of the day. Have you ever wondered if waiting to do your chores after work was regular? It is as healthy as doing them before you head to work. Who would have thought, unless you are one of those people who do their chores in the morning?

Some of the visuals have an explanation pointed out, so understanding insight is not hard to figure out. The color combination of this visual is fantastic. The light tan background allows the teal and orange to protrude in the visuals. How do your activities compare to those in the UK?

These five visuals are the top five HowMuch.net wish we had published. If you know of any that should be on the list that we might have missed, let us know in the comments. If you want to share what you liked about these visuals, let us know in the comments as well!

News about public companies often dominates conversations about the economy, including which new companies have launched IPOs, which companies have reached a $1 trillion market cap, and which public companies are the largest in the world. But what about private companies, which don’t have any shareholders or stocks to trade on the market? We used data from Forbes’ ranking of America’s Largest Private Companies to illustrate the largest private company in each state. Our findings are in the map below.

• For the twelfth year in a row, Cargill earns the distinction of being the largest private company in the U.S.
• All of these companies have at least $2 billion in revenue. Collectively, they account for $762.8 billion in revenue.
• Together, these companies employ more than 1.8 million people.
• Nebraska’s company Tenaska has the fewest employees with 646, while Idaho’s Albertsons has the most with 267,000 employees.
• Not every state is represented on the map. Thirteen states, including Nevada, Oregon, and Maine, are not home to one of America’s 288 largest private companies. These are the gray states on the map.

Forbes provided the list of the largest private companies by revenue, and for this visualization, we picked the biggest company by revenue for each state. According to Forbes’ methodology, all companies must have at least $2 billion in revenue and 100 employees. The ranking excludes auto dealerships, real estate investment or management firms, companies that don’t pay income tax, mutually owned companies, cooperatives, and companies that are more than 50% owned by another public, private or foreign company. The largest public companies per state are represented by large pink circles with the company logo, situated next to each respective state. The size of the circle corresponds to the number of employees at the company, with larger circles representing larger workforces. In addition, each state in the visualization is color-coded in a shade of turquoise. The lighter shades mean that the state’s largest public company has lower revenue compared to the others, while the darker shades indicate that the state’s largest public company has higher revenue.

Top Ten Largest Private Companies by State

1. Cargill: Minnesota, $113.5 billion
2. Koch Industries: Kansas, $110.0 billion
3. Albertsons: Idaho, $60.5 billion
4. Mars: Virginia, $37.0 billion
5. Ernst & Young: New York, $36.4 billion
6. Publix Super Markets: Florida, $36.1 billion
7. Reyes Holdings: Illinois, $30.0 billion
8. Pilot Flying J: $29.0 billion
9. H-E-B Food Markets: Texas, $28.0 billion
10. C&S Wholesale Grocers: New Hampshire, $27.0 billion

Many of the companies on this list appear in other rankings, too. The Koch family, which owns Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the U.S., is the third-richest family in the world. In addition, some of these companies, such as Publix and Mars, are also listed among the best employers in America according to Fortune.

While private companies may not be as sensitive to the ebb and flow of the stock market when compared to public companies, broader events happening in politics and the overall economy can still have an effect on the bottom line. For a political example, cyberspace is the next front in Iran-US conflict – and private companies may be most at risk of cyberattack. For an economics example, the preference of many companies to leverage private equity to raise funds rather than go public has affected buyouts, mergers & acquisitions, and even the number of employees that the company can hire.

Do you think any of these private companies will go public in the near future? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

In January 2020, Tesla became the most valuable U.S. automaker ever. Their latest earnings report surpassed market estimates and resulted in the company’s first annual profit. Tesla is best known for its electric vehicles (EV), unique in a marketplace where most products are powered by petroleum. Since Tesla went public in 2010, the company has enjoyed consistent market success. Our new visualization compares Tesla’s market capitalization against other well-known automakers headquartered both in the U.S. and overseas.

• Since its IPO in 2010, Tesla’s market cap has grown from $2.64 billion to $101.81 billion.
• Percentage-wise, Ford’s market cap has suffered the most over the past 20 years. Its market cap dropped from $81.99 billion in 2000 to $35.68 billion in 2020, a decrease of more than 50 percent.
• Over the past ten years, Tesla and Ferrari are the only two automakers in the chart that have consistently grown their market cap or remained relatively steady.
• Even though Tesla is the most valuable automaker in the U.S. ($101.81 billion), the well-established Japanese automaker Toyota has a market cap nearly twice as high ($202.04 billion).
• Ferrari is the most recent automaker in the chart to launch an IPO (in 2015). Tesla and General Motors went public in 2010, and the other automakers became public companies prior to 2000.

Data for the market capitalization came from Ycharts. All values are adjusted by the CPI-U, which was obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every year but 2020 is adjusted with the January CPI value for that year. The data for 2020 is adjusted with the index value for December 2019. The value for each year is the earliest the company had in that specific year.

The chart tracks the market cap of eight publicly-traded automakers over the past 20 years. Each automaker is represented by a differently colored line, with the line originating from the year of its IPO (or the year 2000) and continuing through 2020. The numbers listed under the company names and logos on the right side of the chart are the most recent market caps, retrieved on January 27, 2020. As you can see, most of the automakers in the chart have experienced significant market volatility over the past 20 years.

Automakers by 2020 Market Cap

1. Toyota: $202 billion
2. Tesla: $102 billion
3. Volkswagen: $96 billion  
4. Daimler: $51 billion
5. General Motors: $49 billion
6. Honda: $47 billion
7. Ferrari: $43 billion
8. Ford: $36 billion

Tesla’s market cap is more than twice the amount of the other U.S. automakers on this list, General Motors and Ford. Consumer appetite for electric vehicles seems to be growing along with concerns about the environment and the effects of climate change. Interestingly, Tesla’s Model 3 is the only EV making some headway in the U.S. Taking into account all models, Tesla’s EV market share was around 78% in the U.S. However, some analysts say that this Tesla fever may come to an end if the government cuts the subsidies for consumers. If you’re wondering how much it costs to buy an EV, here is a breakdown by state.

Thinking about buying a car? You may want to check out our auto loan guide to shop around for the best rates. If you’re looking to save some bucks on your auto insurance for your new car, you should check out our auto insurance cost guide, too. 

Would you consider making the switch to an electric vehicle? Let us know in the comments!

Data: Table 1.1

The 92nd annual Academy Awards are coming, and it’s quite a different affair from when it first started. Back then, tickets to the event cost $5 each and 270 people attended. Today, it’s a globally-televised event costing about $44 million. Another big change? Streaming services, particularly Netflix, are competing with the major movie studios for the awards. But how competitive are they, exactly?

• Netflix has 24 Academy Awards nominations this year, more than any studio.
• Two Netflix films are nominated for Best Picture: The Irishman and Marriage Story.
• Netflix allegedly spent over $100 million in awards marketing, a sign of its intention to win Best Picture.
• While the odds point against Netflix winning Best Picture, it could win in the documentary or animated categories.

For this viz, we compare the gross income versus budget of the nine nominees for Best Picture. Each bubble is drawn relative to scale. The majority of this data comes from BoxOfficeMojo. Data that wasn’t available there was retrieved through the press (such as Business Insider and Yahoo! Finance).

Top-Grossing Oscar Nominees for Best Picture

1. Joker (dir. Todd Phillips). Gross income: $1.07 B. Budget: $55 M.
2. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (dir. Quentin Tarantino). Gross income: $389 M. Budget: $90 M.
3. Ford v Ferrari (dir. James Mangold). Gross income: $220 M. Budget: $98 M.
4. 1917 (dir. Sam Mendes). Gross income: $205 M. Budget: $100 M.
5. Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho). Gross income: $161 M. Budget: $11 M.
6. Little Women (dir. Greta Gerwig). Gross income: $148 M. Budget: $40 M.
7. Jojo Rabbit (dir. Taika Waititi). Gross income: $55 M. Budget: $14 M.

It’s difficult to compare Netflix films with those of the major studios based on earnings, as those figures aren’t available for the bundled streaming service. We can, however, look at prediction polls and other market trends to determine Netflix’s place in the pecking order for Best Picture. 

Overall, Netflix leads all organizations in total nominee count, with 24 nominations in total. These range across categories, but the real prize is Best Picture, for which Netflix produced two of the nine nominees. If either of its films were to win, it would more likely be its mafia epic The Irishman. However, it’s not the favorite overall: critics expect World War I drama 1917 to take the award. The awards website Gold Derby recently put the odds of 1917 winning at 11-2, versus The Irishman’s 17-2. 

It may not be this year, but Netflix seems bent on eventually winning a Best Picture: rumors have circulated it spent over $100 million on an awards marketing campaign. While most of this went to promoting the more likely contender The Irishman, don’t forget that Netflix has a second nominee for Best Picture: Marriage Story, which, while not as likely to win the award, was recently with The Irishman added to the Criterion Collection, a sign of its critical acclaim.

If Netflix can’t win Best Picture for The Irishman or Marriage Story, it’s got 22 nominees left overall, and the odds are quite good for winning in a smaller category like Best Documentary.

Can Netflix continue throwing resources into producing Oscar-worthy films? It faces growing competition in the streaming space, with Disney+, Apple TV+, and soon HBOMax and NBC’s Peacock. It’s managed to weather the competitive landscape so far, adding 8.8 million subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2019. So, we’re likely to see more Netflix productions on next year’s red carpet.

Which of these movies were your favorite? Which do you see winning the award and why? Do you think Netflix will continue producing Oscar-worthy pictures? Let us know in the comments and share with your friends.

Data: Table 1.1

State taxes can be a pretty complex topic. Each state has its own income, sales, property, fuel, and other tax rates — making it difficult to determine which state is the best to live in with regards to taxes.

By analyzing the data and taking a look at the following seven visualizations, not only can we effectively compare state tax rates, but we can get a complete picture of the tax situation in each U.S. state.

• Wyoming is the most tax-friendly state in the United States.
• Illinois is the least tax-friendly state in America.
• States collected over $1 trillion in taxes in 2018.
• 40 out of 50 states receive more in federal spending than they pay in taxes.

A Breakdown of All States’ Taxes Revenue

Our first visualization illustrates exactly where states get their tax revenue based on data from the United States Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections.

As shown in the image, the largest source of tax revenue is individual income tax, which accounts for $392.1 billion in tax revenue. This is followed fairly closely by general sales with selective sales tax in a distant third place.

Are Taxpayers in Your State Giving More Money to the Feds Than They Get Back?

Of course, knowing where your tax revenue goes is just as important as knowing where it comes from.

As demonstrated in the visualization, a surprising 40 out of 50 states actually receive more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes.

On the other end of the spectrum, though, are states like New Jersey and Massachusetts, which spend thousands more per capita than they receive.

This Map Shows the Average Tax Refund in Every State

For a lot of people, the best part of paying taxes is getting their tax refund, but not everyone gets a refund. Many people either receive very small refunds or end up owing the IRS after filing.

Per the above visualization, we can see that, while the average refund is around $2,700, refunds vary widely by state. Texans receive the largest average refund at $3,206, while Maine residents receive only $2,336 on average.

The Best and Worst States for Taxes in America

States take in tax revenue from a variety of different sources. While many people only look at income and sales tax, other taxes can have a serious impact on your take-home income by the end of the year.

Only nine states have no income tax rate — six of which made it in the top 10 of the most tax-friendly states in the country.

Rich vs. Poor: Who Pays More Taxes in Each State?

Income taxes are progressive, meaning those with higher incomes pay more in taxes. However, not all taxes work this way. This next visualization illustrates how much the top earners in each state pay in taxes compared to those with lower incomes.

On average, the bottom 20% of taxpayers pay a state and local tax rate that eats up a larger percentage of their income than top 1% of households. Washington state has the most regressive tax system with a 14.8% gap between the lowest and highest-income taxpayers.

This is What you Take Home from a $100K Salary in America's Biggest Cities

A $100,000 salary isn’t the same in every state. How far your money will go significantly depends on where you live. For reference, a $100,000 annual salary comes out to $8,333 per month before taxes.

New York, NY, Portland, OR, and Louisville, KY top the list of the states in which workers earning $100,000 a year end up with the lowest monthly take-home pay. If you’re basing your next move on where you can take home the most money, there are several great options, including Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, and more.

See How Your Take Home Pay Compares to Workers Around the World

Even if you live in one of the least tax-friendly states in the country, you’re still probably taking home more than you would in many other countries.

As the graphic above illustrates, the United States is 10th in the world when it comes to the highest average net wage after taxes at $39,211. Based on the available data, Switzerland sits at first place with an average net wage of $58,864, while Mexico sits at the bottom at $11,304.

America’s tax system can be very complex. From state income taxes to taxes on tobacco, there are a lot of factors to consider when determining the best state to live in for tax purposes.

By examining the seven visualizations in this article, we can get a clear picture of each state’s tax system and understand how these systems compare to other states and other countries around the world.

What did you take from these visualizations? Do we need a more progressive tax system? Let us know in the comments below.

Motorcycle insurance is expensive, averaging $702 per year across the U.S. Most states also have a sizable population of riders, averaging over 3.5%. And yet so much depends on where you live, as our new map breaking down the cost of motorcycle insurance and their popularity makes clear.

• There is a correlation between the percentage of motorcycles on the road and how much it costs to buy insurance. States with higher rates of motorcycle ridership like Montana (13.82%) enjoy lower insurance ($532).
• California is the most expensive state to purchase motorcycle insurance, costing $1,360 on average per year. Only 2.74% of vehicles on the road are motorcycles.
• The cheapest place in the U.S. to get insurance is North Dakota ($382), where 5.01% of vehicles are motorcycles.
• Motorcycles are wildly popular in some states, like the Northern Plains, and relatively hard to find in others, like the Deep South.

Top 10 Cheapest States for Motorcycle Insurance and % of Motorcycles

1. North Dakota: $382 per year (5.01% of vehicles on the road)
2. Iowa: $414 per year (5.24% of vehicles on the road)
3. Wyoming: $439 per year (3.61% of vehicles on the road)
4. Nebraska: $469 per year (2.90% of vehicles on the road)
5. South Dakota: $472 per year (9.47% of vehicles on the road)
6. Maine: $492 per year (4.77% of vehicles on the road)
7. Wisconsin: $501 per year (5.89% of vehicles on the road)
8. Vermont: $515 per year (5.08% of vehicles on the road)
9. Kansas: $516 per year (3.55% of vehicles on the road)
10. Montana: $532 per year (13.82% of vehicles on the road)

We found the data behind our map in two different locations. We took motorcycle ridership figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation for 2017 and how much it costs to insure those motorcycles on average per year from ValuePenguin. We overlaid the two datasets to create a unique snapshot of the motorcycle market, revealing a few interesting trends.

For starters, the cost of insuring a motorcycle varies wildly across the country. It’s as much as $1,360 per year in California and as low as $382 in North Dakota. There are lots of possible reasons for this variation, including how long the driving season is, how many other cars are on the road and how dangerous the roads can be. The same variability can be seen when it comes to rates of ridership. Lots of states have minuscule ridership numbers, like Mississippi (1.38%), Texas (1.67%) and Alabama (2.25%). But other places have a relatively high rate of motorcycles on the road, including Wisconsin (5.89%) and South Dakota (9.47%).

There’s also a correlation between the percentage of motorcycles on the road and how much it costs to purchase insurance. In other words, it’s cheaper to get insurance for a motorcycle if lots of other people in your state also ride motorcycles. Just compare state across the Northern Plains and the Deep South. 13.82% of all vehicles on the road in Montana are motorcycles, and it costs $532 on average for insurance. In Mississippi, motorcyclists only claim 1.38% of the market and must pay $677 for insurance.

This begs the question about cause and effect. Does the high cost of insurance result in fewer riders? Or does the popularity of motorcycles force insurance companies to lower their rates to stay competitive? We aren’t sure how to answer that question, but certainly President Trump’s trade wars have raised the overall cost of owning motorcycles, especially Harley Davidsons.

If you’re shopping for car insurance, check out our auto insurance cost guide for more information.

Why do you think it costs so much to insure motorcycles in some states, but not others? Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

Bitcoin is enjoying a comeback, having topped $10,000 for several days in a row according to the crypto price tracker CryptoMarketCap. This got us thinking about its viability as a useful way to store and exchange value, and many investors would argue liquidity is the most important factor to consider.

• Bitcoin’s average daily liquidity surged from 2018 to 2019, rising from $6.05B to $16.73B.
• Despite its volatility, bitcoin now sees almost as much daily liquidity as German bonds ($16.73B vs. $19B).
• U.S. treasuries are by far the most liquid class of assets, averaging some $485B per day in 2018.
• Gold remains a highly liquid asset even in the age of fiat and cryptocurrencies, topping $112.5B in 2018.

Liquidity measures how often things are exchanged for money. Some assets are highly liquid, like stocks and bonds, because there is a market readily available. Other assets are illiquid, meaning they are more difficult to sell, like physical property or works of art. Illiquid assets may still be very valuable, it’s just harder to exchange them for money.

All of which is to say that liquidity is an important way to think about the maturity of bitcoin. After all, bitcoin owners believe they control an asset that can be exchanged for goods and services, or at least other fiat currencies. The more difficult it is to purchase and sell bitcoin, the less liquid (and less useful) it becomes. Indeed, bitcoin has seen its liquidity explode over the last year, jumping from $6.05B to $16.73B on average each day. Keep in mind, this growth occurred within the context of a historic collapse in crypto values at the start of 2018. This suggests a growing acceptance of bitcoin as a legitimate way to store value.

Our visual helps put these figures in perspective. Bitcoin has enjoyed substantial liquidity growth, but it’s still quite small compared to other major asset classes. German bonds go for slightly more than bitcoin each day, topping $19B on average. Compare that gold, which saw on average $112.5B in average daily liquidity last year. That’s a lot of value changing hands, and in fact some countries dominate the gold market more than others. Or consider the entire S&P 500, which generates $124.7B in daily liquidity. U.S. treasuries remain by far the most widely exchanged asset class, with $485B changing hands each day. With the U.S. deficit topping $1T in 2020, we’re betting treasuries will continue to top the charts in the future.

What do you attribute to the sudden rise in bitcoin’s liquidity? Do you think bitcoin’s recent price changes will increase liquidity? Let us know in the comments.

Data: Table 1.1

Homeowners insurance is a critical part of financial security, and there’s a lot to consider when shopping around for a provider. On the one hand, the best insurance carriers have the financial strength, customer service and appropriate offering to be there in the event of a catastrophe. And on the other hand, competitive rates shouldn’t break the budget. To that last point, here’s the average cost of homeowners insurance for every state in 2020.

• Homeowners insurance costs the most in the South Central part of the U.S., also known as Tornado Alley. Rates average as high as $2,559 per year in Oklahoma.
• The cheapest rates in the country can be found in the Northeast. Delaware is the least expensive at just $598.
• Most people can expect to pay somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000, depending on their type of home and other factors.
• Homeowners insurance does not usually include coverage for a few key perils, like floods and earthquakes. These types of risks require additional coverage over and above the figures in our visualization.

For most people, their home is their most important asset. The only way for a family to financially recover from a home lost to a natural disaster is if it was properly insured. Homeowners insurance is therefore essential for financial security. We found average rates for 2020 in every state at ValuePenguin, a financial education and product comparison website. Visualizing the breakdown for every state in the country lets you easily see if you’re getting a good deal on such a critical part of your personal finances.

Top 10 Most Expensive States for Homeowners Insurance

1. Oklahoma: $2,559
2. Kansas: $2,461
3. Texas: $2.451
4. South Dakota: $2,364
5. South Carolina: $2,321
6. Minnesota: $1,952
7. Montana: $1,939
8. Missouri: $1,914
9. North Dakota: $1,901
10. Alabama: $1,850

States inside Tornado Alley have the highest homeowners insurance rates in the country. Oklahoma stands out as by far the most expensive, coming in at $2,559 on average per year. Kansas and Texas both have high rates as well ($2,461 and $2,451, respectively). These states not only get tornadoes more frequently than elsewhere, but they tend to be significantly stronger as well, topping F3-5 strength ratings. For example, Oklahoma City alone has been struck by two or more tornadoes on the same day 29 times. These factors tend to make homeowners insurance much more expensive.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are a handful of states where it costs less than $1,000 per year on average. Many of these places are clustered in the Northeast, like Vermont ($614), New Hampshire ($773) and Maine ($849). Delaware boasts the cheapest rates in the country at just $598, or about $50 per month. That’s about half as much as the average American spends on a cellphone, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.

The cost of homeowners insurance falls between these two extremes for most states. In general, most people can expect to pay somewhere between $1,000 to $2,000 for coverage. However, it’s important to remember that homeowners insurance does not typically cover damage from things like floods and earthquakes. Anyone concerned about those types of perils should consider additional types of coverage.

If you’re on the market for homeowners insurance and need help finding the right coverage for you, check out our homeowners insurance cost guide. It always pays to shop around and find the best company for you.

Data: Table 1.1

The U.S. has run a trade deficit since the 1970s. That means that as a whole, for the past five decades the U.S. has imported more goods from other countries than it has exported to other countries. However, at a more granular level, the U.S. has a trade surplus with some trading partners and a trade deficit with others. Our new series of visualizations illustrates the trade balance between the U.S. and other countries.

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. has a trade balance of -$853 million, which means that its overall imports are higher than its exports. 
• Between imports and exports, the U.S. is involved in $4.1 trillion worth of trade worldwide (goods only).
• Although the US trade deficit shrank slightly in 2019 (due in large part to the trade war with China), it's still bigger than when Trump took office. 

The data for each map comes from the U.S. Census Bureau and all values are expressed in U.S. dollars. Overall, the U.S. exported $1.6 trillion worth of goods to other countries in 2019. The visualization above only shows countries to which the U.S. exported more than $1 billion in goods. In addition, the size and the color of each country on the map indicate which received the most U.S. exports. Countries that are larger and a darker shade of blue had a higher value of exports.

Top Countries Where the U.S. Exports the Most

1. Canada: $293 billion
2. Mexico: $256 billion
3. China: $107 billion
4. Japan: $75 billion
5. United Kingdom: $69 billion

In general, countries in North America, Western Europe, and East Asia received the most U.S. exports. Interestingly, the top five countries alone account for about half of U.S. exports. 

By contrast, the U.S. imports $2.5 trillion worth of goods from other countries. Like the previous visualization, the size and the color of each country on the map illustrate the volume of trade between the U.S. and that country. The U.S. has imported the most goods from the countries on the map that are larger and a darker shade of red. 

Top Countries from Where the U.S. Imports the Most

1. China: $452 billion
2. Mexico: $358 billion
3. Canada: $320 billion
4. Japan: $144 billion
5. Germany: $127 billion

Despite the trade war that has been raging between the U.S. and China since 2018, the U.S. still imports almost half a trillion dollars worth of goods from China. When combined, goods from China, Mexico, Canada, and Japan account for more than half of U.S. imports.

The map above shows countries that have a trade balance with U.S. worth $1 billion or more. Countries are represented in blue if the U.S. exports more to those countries than those countries export to the U.S. By contrast, countries are represented in red if the U.S. imports more from those countries than those countries import from U.S.. The size of the countries also corresponds to the value of the U.S. trade balance with those countries --bigger countries have a higher trade balance.

Top 5 Countries Where the U.S. Has a Positive Trade Balance

1. Hong Kong: $26 billion
2. Netherlands: $21 billion
3. United Arab Emirates: $16 billion
4. Australia: $15 billion
5. Belgium: $15 billion

Top 5 Countries Where the U.S. Has a Negative Trade Balance

1. China: -$346 billion
2. Mexico: -$102 billion
3. Japan: -$69 billion
4. Germany:-$67 billion
5. Vietnam: -$56 billion

Overall, the U.S. has a trade surplus with 127 countries (28 of which have a trade surplus of more than $1 billion) and a trade deficit with 97 countries (42 of which have a trade deficit of more than $1 billion). Although the U.S. trade deficit shrank slightly in 2019 (due in large part to the trade war with China), it's still bigger than when Trump took office. 

Notably, the U.S. balance of trade is highly responsive to other political, economic, and social events happening around the world. For example, everywhere we look we see the headlines talking about the coronavirus and its impact on tourism, trade, and investment between China and the West — and China and the U.S., in particular. In addition, the UK’s recent departure from the EU will necessitate new trade deals between the island nation and its trading partners in Europe and elsewhere. With so much change happening with the United States’s major trading partners, it is likely that next year’s trade balance will undergo some changes, too.  

Given recent events ranging from the U.S.-China trade deal, Brexit, and the rise of coronavirus, how do you think the balance of trade will shift in 2020? Let us know in the comments!

Data: Table 1.1

A good brand can take years to develop, and it can also be ruined in a moment. The most valuable brands in the world are global corporate giants. They generate billions in annual profit, hold enormous influence over public opinion and are recognizable around the world. Here’s what the top 100 most valuable brands in the world look like.

• North America, Europe and Asia dominate the list of top 100 brands in the world. Saudi Aramco ($47B) is the only company from another continent to make the ranking.
• 4 companies have a brand valuation more than $100B, and 3 are in technology (if we count Amazon as a retail company).
• While most companies saw the value of their brands increase last year, some like McDonald’s saw it decline ($44B in 2019 vs. $37B in 2020).
• There are lots of industries in the top 100 beyond tech, like media companies ($328B), auto manufacturers ($370B) and banks ($454B).

We found the data for brand values at Brand Finance. Analysts took into account a variety of different measures of brand strength, including investments into marketing, stakeholder equity and their contributions to financial performance. We accordingly created a bubble for the value of each company’s brand in the top 100, grouping each by both industry and geographic location. The result is a fascinating kaleidoscopic view of the world’s most well-known brands.

Top 10 Most Valuable Brands in the World in 2020

1. Amazon: $221B (Retail)
2. Google: $160B (Tech)
3. Apple: $141B (Tech)
4. Microsoft: $117B (Tech)
5. Samsung Group: $94B (Tech)
6. ICBC: $81B (Banking)
7. Facebook: $80B (Media)
8. Walmart: $78B (Retail)
9. Ping An: $69B (Insurance)
10. Huawei: $65B (Tech)

At the highest level, it’s no surprise that North America, Asia and Europe dominate the top 100. The only company from anywhere else in the world is Saudi Aramco ($47B), a huge Saudi oil company. Saudi Arabia has massive natural oil supplies and an autocratic regime, so naturally Saudi Aramco would enjoy significant brand recognition. The company has a market value today of $1.8 Trillion.

Brands from certain countries dominate the top 100, but no single industry or sector does. Of course, tech companies have a substantial presence thanks to sky-high valuations and global brand recognition. 5 out of the top 10 most valuable companies are all in tech, and that’s not counting Amazon, which Brand Finance classified as a retail company. After all, cloud computing in Amazon Web Services has long been the company’s biggest source of profit.

But by and large, there’s a nice blend of sectors represented across the spectrum, like media companies ($328B), auto manufacturers ($370B) and banks ($454B). Building a great brand is about a lot more than just having the best technology. There’s an underlying business model in each of these companies that adds a lot of value to customers’ lives, and in return, companies enjoy strong brand recognition.

One of the most interesting things to do is see how rankings change from year to year. Comparing this visual to the one from last year with data from Forbes, most companies saw the value of their brands grow, especially in technology. Amazon was only at $97B and has since catapulted to $221B. But some other companies are clearly struggling to maintain brand value, like McDonalds, which lost billions ($44B in 2019 vs. $37B in 2020). It will be interesting to see how Facebook’s decision to allow carte blanche political advertising will impact its brand value after the 2020 election.

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What brands do you think are missing from the ranking? Let us know in the comment.

Data: Table 1.1