MoreRSS

site iconVisual CapitalistModify

By highlighting the bigger picture through data-driven visuals, we stay true to our mission to help cut through the clutter and simplify a complex world.
Please copy the RSS to your reader, or quickly subscribe to:

Inoreader Feedly Follow Feedbin Local Reader

Rss preview of Blog of Visual Capitalist

Where Inflation Has Risen the Most in the U.S. (2019–2025)

2026-01-27 02:48:46

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

This graphic about Inflation in the U.S. since 2019 shows the biggest price increases in insurance, utilities, food, and housing costs.

Use This Visualization

Where Inflation Has Risen the Most in the U.S. (2019–2025)

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Motor vehicle insurance has seen the largest price increase since 2019, rising more than 56%.
  • Household essentials like utilities, food, and rent have risen faster than overall inflation.

Inflation has reshaped household budgets across the United States since 2019, but price increases have not been evenly distributed. While the overall consumer price index (CPI) is up roughly 26% over the period, some everyday expenses have climbed far faster.

This graphic highlights where inflation has risen the most across major consumer categories between November 2019 and 2025. The data for this visualization comes from reporting by CNBC (via Gabriel Cortes), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and POLITICO.

Transportation Costs Lead the Inflation Surge

Motor vehicle insurance tops the ranking, with prices rising 56.1% since late 2019. Higher repair costs, more expensive vehicles, and increased claims severity have all pushed premiums upward.

Vehicle maintenance and repair costs are close behind, up nearly 49%, reflecting higher labor rates and parts prices.

Rank Consumer Category % Change (2019-2025)
1 Motor vehicle insurance 56.1%
2 Utility (piped) gas service 48.8%
3 Vehicle maintenance 48.8%
4 Coffee 46.1%
5 Electricity 40.4%
6 Meats, poultry + fish 38.1%
7 Food away from home 34.8%
8 Used cars + trucks 33.6%
9 Rent of primary residence 30.8%
10 Bread 29.4%
11 Housekeeping supplies 26.2%
12 Alcoholic beverages 25.9%
13 Personal care products 24.9%
14 Milk 24.1%
15 New cars + trucks 22.6%
All items less food + energy 24.7%
All items 26.0%

Energy and Food Prices Continue to Pressure Households

Utility costs have also surged, with piped gas services rising 48.8% and electricity up more than 40%.

Food prices remain another major strain, particularly for items consumed outside the home. “Food away from home,” which includes restaurant meals, is up nearly 35%, while coffee, meats, and bread have all seen increases well above the overall inflation rate.

Housing and Everyday Essentials Outpace Headline Inflation

Housing-related costs continue to rise faster than the CPI average.

Rent for primary residences is up 30.8% since 2019, outpacing both “all items” inflation and the CPI excluding food and energy.

Other everyday categories—such as housekeeping supplies and personal care products—have also experienced steady increases, reinforcing the sense that inflation is most visible in daily spending rather than discretionary purchases.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out What the Top 1% Richest Americans Pay in Taxes Across the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Ranked: Top 10 ETF Themes That Crushed the S&P 500 in 2025

2026-01-27 01:54:58

Published

on

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Ranked: Top 10 ETF Themes That Crushed the S&P 500 in 2025

Rising geopolitical strain defined financial markets in 2025. Capital moved toward assets linked to security, energy, and strategic control. Investors favored themes that reflected real world power dynamics rather than broad market averages.

This analysis uses data from ETF Central, our data partner for this post. Their figures show how sharply thematic returns diverged from the broader market. The S&P 500 rose 17.9%, a solid gain in isolation. Yet it trailed far behind sectors aligned with global instability and state driven investment priorities.

Security and Strategic ETF Assets Took the Lead

Strategic metals delivered the strongest performance of any ETF theme. Returns reached 94.9% as nations rushed to secure materials critical for defense systems, batteries, and advanced manufacturing. Supply chain control became a top economic priority.

Rank Investment Theme 2025 Return
1 Strategic Metals 94.9%
2 Europe Defense 75.1%
3 Global Defense 70.9%
4 Life Sciences 66.3%
5 Battery Value-Chain 64.1%
6 Nuclear Energy 61.7%
7 Space & Deep Sea 53.5%
8 Solar Energy 51.2%
9 Alternative Energy 47.1%
10 U.S. Defense 46.7%
S&P 500 17.9%

Defense followed closely behind. Europe defense returned 75.1%, while global defense gained 70.9%. U.S. defense also performed well with a 46.7% return.

Higher military budgets and prolonged conflicts sustained long term demand. Life sciences added to the momentum, rising 66.3% as innovation continued despite market uncertainty.

Energy Transition Outperformed the Benchmark

Energy related themes dominated the middle of the rankings. The battery value chain returned 64.1% as electric vehicles and grid storage expanded worldwide. Nuclear energy gained 61.7% as governments reconsidered reliable baseload power.

Solar energy posted a 51.2% return, while alternative energy rose 47.1%. Energy security became just as important as emissions reduction. Investors rewarded technologies that offered resilience and scale. In 2025, focused exposure captured the defining trends that broad indexes could not.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on investment peaks by industry.

Click for Comments

You may also like

Subscribe

What’s Worrying Billionaires the Most in 2026?

2026-01-26 23:27:33

See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.

Graphic showing what are the major concerns among billionaires in 2026.

Use This Visualization

What’s Worrying Billionaires the Most in 2026?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Trade tensions, geopolitics, and policy uncertainty top the list of risks worrying billionaires in 2026.
  • Regional concerns vary, with tariffs dominating in Asia-Pacific and inflation and conflict leading fears in the Americas.

This infographic highlights the factors most likely to negatively impact the global market environment over the next 12 months, based on responses from billionaires across regions. The data for this visualization comes from the UBS Billionaire Survey 2025.

Trade and Geopolitics Dominate Concerns

Tariffs rank as the top concern overall, cited by 66% of respondents. Close behind, 63% of billionaires point to major geopolitical conflict as a key risk, underscoring fears around wars, regional instability, and great-power rivalry.

What Billionaires Are Most Worried About in 2026 Share of Respondents
Tariffs 66%
Major geopolitical conflict 63%
Policy uncertainty 59%
Higher inflation 44%
Debt crisis 34%
Higher taxes 28%
Global recession 27%
Higher interest rates 19%
Supply chain disruptions 19%
Financial market crisis 16%
Technological disruptions 15%
Climate change 14%
Higher energy costs 8%
Global health crisis 6%
Deflation 5%
Other 1%
Not worried 1%

Policy uncertainty is the third-largest concern, flagged by 59% of respondents. Meanwhile, 44% of billionaires remain worried about higher inflation, indicating that price stability is still not taken for granted after years of elevated inflation across major economies.

Regional Differences Reveal Uneven Risk Exposure

While global results show common themes, regional differences stand out.

In Asia-Pacific, 75% of billionaires cite tariffs as their biggest concern, reflecting the region’s deep integration into global supply chains and export-driven growth models.

Meanwhile in the Americas, 70% of respondents are most worried about higher inflation or major geopolitical conflict.

Lower-Ranked but Persistent Threats

Concerns such as debt crises (34%), higher taxes (28%), and global recessions (27%) still rank meaningfully, though below headline geopolitical risks.

Interestingly, technological disruptions (15%) and climate change (14%) appear lower on the list, suggesting that billionaires may view these as longer-term or more manageable challenges compared to immediate political and economic shocks.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How Balanced Is Economic Growth Within Countries? on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

The World’s Top 50 Economies by GDP in 2026

2026-01-26 21:22:48

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

Circle graphic showing the top 50 economies by GDP in 2026.

Use This Visualization

The World’s Top 50 Economies by GDP in 2026

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • U.S. real GDP is projected to hit $31.8 trillion in 2026 as growth rises moderately to 2.1%.
  • India is on pace to surpass Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy.

In 2026, global economic output is forecast to reach $123.6 trillion.

While the U.S. economy is projected to expand to $31.8 trillion, China’s GDP is set to reach $20.7 trillion. Since 2021, the U.S. and China have added nearly $9 trillion and $4 trillion, respectively, to their total economic output.

This graphic ranks the top 50 economies by GDP in 2026, based on projections from the International Monetary Fund.

Ranking Projected Country GDPs in 2026

Below, we show global GDP rankings in 2026 based on these IMF projections:

Rank Country Projected GDP in 2026 (B)
1 🇺🇸 United States $31,821
2 🇨🇳 China $20,651
3 🇩🇪 Germany $5,328
4 🇮🇳 India $4,506
5 🇯🇵 Japan $4,464
6 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $4,226
7 🇫🇷 France $3,559
8 🇮🇹 Italy $2,702
9 🇷🇺 Russian Federation $2,509
10 🇨🇦 Canada $2,421
11 🇧🇷 Brazil $2,293
12 🇪🇸 Spain $2,042
13 🇲🇽 Mexico $2,031
14 🇦🇺 Australia $1,948
15 🇰🇷 South Korea $1,937
16 🇹🇷 Türkiye $1,576
17 🇮🇩 Indonesia $1,550
18 🇳🇱 Netherlands $1,413
19 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia $1,316
20 🇵🇱 Poland $1,110
21 🇨🇭 Switzerland $1,075
22 🇹🇼 Taiwan $971
23 🇧🇪 Belgium $761
24 🇮🇪 Ireland $750
25 🇸🇪 Sweden $712
26 🇦🇷 Argentina $668
27 🇮🇱 Israel $666
28 🇸🇬 Singapore $606
29 🇦🇹 Austria $604
30 🇦🇪 UAE $601
31 🇹🇭 Thailand $562
32 🇳🇴 Norway $548
33 🇵🇭 Philippines $534
34 🇧🇩 Bangladesh $519
35 🇻🇳 Vietnam $511
36 🇲🇾 Malaysia $505
37 🇩🇰 Denmark $500
38 🇨🇴 Colombia $462
39 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR $447
40 🇷🇴 Romania $445
41 🇿🇦 South Africa $444
42 🇨🇿 Czechia $417
43 🇪🇬 Egypt $400
44 🇮🇷 Iran $376
45 🇵🇹 Portugal $365
46 🇨🇱 Chile $363
47 🇫🇮 Finland $336
48 🇳🇬 Nigeria $334
49 🇵🇪 Peru $327
50 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan $320
-- Global Total $123,585

The U.S., China, and Germany remain the world’s largest economies by GDP, but growth rates diverge.

For the U.S., real GDP is set to grow 2.1% in 2026, edging up from 2.0% in 2025. Meanwhile, China’s economy is projected to expand at roughly twice that pace, despite slowing from 4.8% last year. Germany, Europe’s largest economy, trails behind with just 0.9% growth.

Notably, India will overtake Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, fueled by 6.2% real GDP growth. Since 2020, India has also surpassed the U.K.’s GDP.

Elsewhere, Australia replaces South Korea as the 14th-largest economy, while Bangladesh climbs to 33rd, moving ahead of Vietnam on the back of 4.9% growth.

Going further, Egypt jumps two spots to 43rd by GDP, as strategic economic reforms strengthen its position as a regional trade hub. At the same time, Nigeria entered into the list, ranking 48th overall.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on each state’s share of U.S. GDP.

Charted: Are Younger Countries More Optimistic About AI?

2026-01-26 03:09:24

Scatterplot comparing AI optimism and median age across countries, showing higher excitement in younger and Asian populations

Charted: Are Younger Countries More Optimistic About AI?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Younger countries tend to show greater enthusiasm for AI, but there are several key outliers.
  • Thailand and South Korea are surprisingly optimistic about AI despite having older populations.
  • Western nations like Canada, Belgium, and France show the least AI excitement, correlating with older demographics.

Does age influence optimism about artificial intelligence?

This visualization from Iswardi Ishak charts the relationship between the median age of a country’s population and public sentiment toward AI, based on 2025 data from Ipsos and the UN Population Division.

Respondents were asked whether they agreed with the statement: “Products and services using artificial intelligence make me excited.” The results highlight notable geographic and demographic divides.

Explore the Full Dataset

Here is the full ranking of AI optimism levels across 30 countries, alongside each nation’s median age:

Country Optimism About AI (Ipsos, 2025) Median Age (UN, 2025)
🇮🇩 Indonesia 80% 30.4
🇹🇭 Thailand 79% 40.6
🇲🇾 Malaysia 77% 31.0
🇰🇷 South Korea 69% 45.6
🇹🇷 Türkiye 67% 33.5
🇸🇬 Singapore 67% 36.2
🇵🇪 Peru 66% 30.2
🇲🇽 Mexico 65% 29.6
🇮🇳 India 65% 28.8
🇿🇦 South Africa 61% 28.7
🇨🇴 Colombia 60% 32.5
🇧🇷 Brazil 57% 34.8
🇨🇱 Chile 53% 36.9
🇵🇱 Poland 49% 42.5
🇮🇹 Italy 49% 48.2
🇯🇵 Japan 46% 49.8
🇪🇸 Spain 45% 45.9
🇩🇪 Germany 45% 45.5
🇭🇺 Hungary 44% 43.9
🇨🇭 Switzerland 44% 42.9
🇦🇷 Argentina 43% 32.9
🇮🇪 Ireland 41% 39.0
🇦🇺 Australia 40% 38.3
🇫🇷 France 40% 42.3
🇳🇱 Netherlands 39% 41.5
🇺🇸 United States 38% 38.5
🇬🇧 Great Britain 37% 40.1
🇸🇪 Sweden 34% 40.3
🇧🇪 Belgium 32% 41.9
🇨🇦 Canada 31% 40.6

Younger populations in countries like Indonesia (80% agree), Malaysia (75%), and India (67%) lead the global AI optimism chart. Meanwhile, older and more developed economies, particularly in the West, typically express far less excitement.

Younger Countries, Higher AI Optimism?

The correlation between youth and optimism is strong. Nations with median ages under 35, such as Mexico, Peru, and South Africa, all report optimism levels above 60%.

Indonesia tops the list, with 80% of respondents feeling excited about AI products and services. Interestingly, even countries like Türkiye and Colombia, with slightly older populations, maintain high excitement levels.

Asian Nations Buck the Trend

Despite their aging demographics, countries like Thailand (79%) and South Korea (69%) are among the most enthusiastic about AI. This defies the trend and may reflect a strong emphasis on tech-forward policy and innovation in these regions.

In contrast, Japan, which has the highest median age in the dataset, shows much lower excitement at just 46%.

The West’s Tepid AI Outlook

Western countries generally fall below the global average. Nations such as Canada (36%), Belgium (37%), and France (38%) have older populations and appear less enthused about AI’s promises.

This aligns with broader findings from organizations like Pew Research and the UNU’s MACAU Institute, which suggest a cautious, even skeptical, public attitude in many developed nations, fueled by fears over automation, privacy, and misinformation.

In some cases, neighboring countries with similar demographics show dramatically different attitudes. Argentina (43%), for instance, has a relatively young population but reports much lower optimism than other Latin American countries like Mexico (67%) and Peru (67%).

Ranked: America’s Top Trading Partners in 2025

2026-01-25 23:37:17

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app.

Voronoi showing the largest U.S. trading partners in 2025.

Use This Visualization

The Largest U.S. Trading Partners in 2025

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • The European Union accounted for 18.8% of all U.S. trade in the first 10 months of 2025, valued at $883.3 billion .
  • China ranks as America’s fourth-largest trading partner, with U.S. imports declining 26.7%, given rising tensions.

U.S. bilateral trade reached $4.7 trillion between January and October 2025, in a volatile year for trade policy.

As the U.S.’s largest trading partner, the EU plays a central role in trade flows. While tariffs linked to Greenland were briefly threatened on eight EU countries before being withdrawn, trade dynamics vary across the bloc. The U.S. runs surpluses with countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, while having deficits with Ireland and Germany.

This graphic shows America’s biggest trading partners in 2025 through October, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

A Closer Look at the Largest U.S. Trading Partners

Below, we show America’s top trading partners in a year of head-spinning trade policy:

Rank Country/Region Total Trade Jan-Oct 2025 Share of Total Trade
1 🇪🇺 EU $883.3B 18.8%
2 🇲🇽 Mexico $731.2B 15.6%
3 🇨🇦 Canada $606.7B 12.9%
4 🇨🇳 China $357.2B 7.6%
5 🇹🇼 Taiwan $201.1B 4.3%
6 🇯🇵 Japan $190.7B 4.1%
7 🇻🇳 Vietnam $170.5B 3.6%
8 🇰🇷 South Korea $162.1B 3.5%
9 🇨🇭 Switzerland $154.3B 3.3%
10 🇬🇧 United Kingdom $133.5B 2.8%
11 🇮🇳 India $126.4B 2.7%
-- 🌍 Other countries $977.2B 20.8%
-- Total Trade (Jan-Oct '25) $4.69 trillion 100.0%

Trade with the EU stood at $883.3 billion, with Germany ($196.4 billion), Ireland ($140.8 billion), and the Netherlands ($108.7 billion) driving the most trade activity overall.

In August 2025, the U.S. and EU agreed to a framework that set a 15% tariff ceiling on most goods, while existing 50% U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum were left in place for all global trading partners.

Mexico follows, with $731.2 billion in cross-border trade in 2025. After the U.S. announced tariffs on Mexican imports in February 2025, subsequent negotiations led to delays and partial exemptions.

Ranking in third is Canada, with $606.7 billion in trade value.

Meanwhile, U.S-China trade totaled $357.2 billion, with the U.S. trade deficit with the country sitting at $175.4 billion as of the end of October. Over the period, U.S imports from China sank 26.7%, the largest across U.S. trading partners.

In stark contrast, U.S. imports surged 40.4% from Vietnam and 37.4% from Thailand amid shifting trade alignments. When it comes to India, America’s 11th-biggest trading partner, trade increased moderately to $126.4 billion compared to the previous time period.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top import partner of each U.S. state.