2026-01-30 08:08:14
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Amazon, America’s second-biggest private employer, is deploying robots at rapid speed.
Over the past five years, the number of robot workers has increased from 265,000 to one million, far outpacing hiring growth. Overall, the company reports that three-quarters of global deliveries are aided by robotics, from lifting and loading to sorting packages.
This graphic compares the size of Amazon’s robot fleet with its human workforce, based on data from Ark Invest via Jason Calacanis and Yahoo Finance.
Below, we show the global number of robots deployed at Amazon since 2013:
| Year | Number of Robots | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,000,000 | 1,556,000 |
| 2024 | 750,000 | 1,525,000 |
| 2023 | 750,000 | 1,541,000 |
| 2022 | 520,000 | 1,608,000 |
| 2021 | 350,000 | 1,298,000 |
| 2020 | 265,000 | 798,000 |
| 2019 | 200,000 | 648,000 |
| 2018 | 140,000 | 566,000 |
| 2017 | 100,000 | 341,000 |
| 2016 | 45,000 | 231,000 |
| 2015 | 30,000 | 154,000 |
| 2014 | 15,000 | 117,000 |
| 2013 | 1,000 | 88,000 |
Between 2024 and 2025, the number of robots in Amazon facilities grew by 250,000 alone, with many picking up items from shelves or ferrying goods for packaging.
Some robots have electronic arms, utilizing computer vision to complete tasks. Using a new generative AI model called DeepFleet, robot travel time has dropped by 10%, further boosting efficiency.
Amazon is also reportedly test-running humanoid robots in San Francisco for doorstep delivery.
Last year, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated that the company will need less employees given automation and advancements in AI. While some employees have transitioned into higher-paying roles to manage robotic systems, many others could face a more uncertain future.
In January 2026, Amazon shed 16,000 corporate employees, tacking on to the 14,000 laid off in October last year.
Together, these represent the company’s biggest wave of corporate layoffs. During the pandemic, employee headcount swelled as deliveries boomed. Now, Amazon says it’s cutting back to reduce bureaucracy and streamline operations.
While the company did not cite AI as a reason behind these cuts, it is spending billions on AI infrastructure, from data centers to custom chips, investment that often comes with pressure to cut costs elsewhere.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on U.S. job cuts by industry in 2025.
2026-01-30 03:02:48
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After more than doubling since the start of 2025, gold prices surged another 27% in the first month of 2026 alone.
With gold now trading above $5,500 per ounce, central bank gold reserves are worth far more than at any point in the past several decades.
This visualization highlights how much the world’s largest gold holders now control in dollar terms. The data for this visualization comes from the World Gold Council.
The rally has been driven by strong safe-haven demand, as currency volatility and a wobbling U.S. dollar push investors and policymakers toward hard assets. For central banks, higher prices strengthen reserve positions without adding a single extra tonne of gold.
The United States remains the world’s largest official holder of gold, with 8,133.5 tonnes in reserves. At $5,500 per ounce, that stockpile is worth roughly $1.44 trillion. This puts the U.S. far ahead of Germany in second place, whose gold reserves are valued at just under $600 billion.
| Rank | Country | Value of gold holdings | Gold holdings (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 United States |
$1.44T | 8,133.5 |
| 2 |
 Germany |
$592B | 3,350.3 |
| 3 |
 Italy |
$434B | 2,451.9 |
| 4 |
 France |
$431B | 2,437.0 |
| 5 |
 Russia |
$411B | 2,326.5 |
| 6 |
 China |
$408B | 2,305.4 |
| 7 |
 Switzerland |
$184B | 1,039.9 |
| 8 |
 India |
$156B | 880 |
| 9 |
 Japan |
$150B | 846 |
| 10 |
 Türkiye |
$114B | 644 |
| 11 |
 Netherlands |
$108B | 613 |
| 12 |
 Poland |
$96B | 543 |
| 13 |
 Taiwan |
$75B | 424 |
| 14 |
 Portugal |
$68B | 383 |
| 15 |
 Uzbekistan |
$67B | 380 |
| 16 |
 Kazakhstan |
$59B | 333 |
| 17 |
 Saudi Arabia |
$57B | 323 |
| 18 |
 United Kingdom |
$55B | 310 |
| 19 |
 Lebanon |
$51B | 287 |
| 20 |
 Spain |
$50B | 282 |
America’s large gold position reflects decades of accumulation and its historical role at the center of the global monetary system.
Germany, Italy, and France all hold more than 2,400 tonnes of gold each. At current prices, each country’s reserves are valued between $430 billion and $590 billion.
Switzerland, while smaller, also stands out. Its gold reserves are worth around $184 billion, reinforcing its reputation for financial stability and conservative reserve management.
Russia and China both hold over 2,300 tonnes of gold, with reserve values exceeding $400 billion each. In recent years, both countries have steadily increased gold purchases as a way to diversify away from U.S. dollar assets.
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Emerging markets such as India, Türkiye, and Poland also feature prominently.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Rise of Major Currencies Against the USD in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-01-30 01:46:29
Each day, billions of dollars are traded on the global foreign exchange (FX) market. The U.S. dollar (USD) is involved in 88% of all trades and accounting for 58% of global currency reserves. But which currencies are most frequently paired with the dollar in these transactions?
In collaboration with OANDA, this graphic offers a clear visual breakdown of the top currencies traded alongside the USD. The data is based on daily transaction data from the New York Fed’s April 2024 FX Volume Survey.
At an average volume of $135.3 billion per day, the euro was the most-traded currency against the USD in April 2024 by a wide margin.
| Currency | Daily Transaction Volume ($ billions) |
|---|---|
| Euro | 135.3 |
| Japanese yen | 92.7 |
| Canadian dollar | 52.9 |
| British pound | 43.9 |
| Australian dollar | 36.3 |
| Mexican peso | 27.4 |
| Swiss franc | 18.4 |
| Hong Kong dollar | 15.4 |
| Singapore dollar | 14.4 |
| Chinese yuan | 11.0 |
The Japanese yen ranked second with $92.7 billion in daily transactions, followed by the Canadian dollar at $52.9 billion. Together, these three currencies accounted for the majority of non-USD FX trading activity with the dollar.
European and Asia-Pacific currencies continue to play crucial roles in FX trading with the USD. In addition to the euro and yen, the pound sterling (#4) and the Australian dollar (#5) saw significant trading volumes, reflecting their importance in global trade and finance.
Several North American and Asia-Pacific currencies (such as the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Mexican peso, and Singapore dollar) benefit from strong trade ties with the U.S., including free trade agreements that support higher cross-border capital flows.
Meanwhile, smaller but highly liquid currencies like the Swiss franc and New Zealand dollar are still important in FX markets due to their stability and use in risk management strategies.
Trading on the FX market can be intimidating, but understanding who the key players are can help bring clarity to investors. Learning how to manage risk, having a trading plan, and understanding price movements are also essential components of successful trading.
Note: Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Gold’s breakout in 2025 is compelling when viewed across global currencies. Which ones are rising the fastest?
As U.S. trade policy shifts under President Trump, global exporters are facing a more uneven landscape. Which ones are winning versus losing?
Will Fed easing in 2026 pressure the USD, or will global rate shifts rewrite the usual pattern?
For each of the world’s seven major regions, what is the most-traded currency and how did it perform versus the U.S. dollar in 2024?
Building a well-balanced, diversified portfolio involves including assets with varying correlations. The USD, with its weak or negative correlations to other assets, can be a valuable…
The U.S. dollar is used in 88% of FX trading transactions. Which currencies are most commonly on the other side of the exchange?
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2026-01-29 23:26:13
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From rapid advances in AI to shifts in the postwar economic order, multiple forces are reshaping the global system.
As these shifts accelerate, they introduce growing risks. Not only do they raise questions for national competitiveness and security, they stand to disproportionately hit labor markets.
This graphic shows the world’s leading risks in 2026, based on data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026.
For the analysis, the World Economic Forum surveyed more than 1,300 experts on the most pressing global risks in 2026.
Here, respondents were asked to answer the following question, “Please select one risk that you believe is most likely to present a material crisis on a global scale in 2026.” Surveys were conducted between August 12 and September 22, 2025:
| Risk | Percentage Selecting as Top Risk |
|---|---|
| Geoeconomic confrontation | 18% |
| State-based armed conflict | 14% |
| Extreme weather events | 8% |
| Societal polarization | 7% |
| Misinformation and disinformation | 7% |
| Economic downturn | 5% |
| Erosion of human rights and/or of civic freedoms | 4% |
| Adverse outcomes of AI technologies | 4% |
| Cyber insecurity | 3% |
| Inequality | 3% |
| Lack of economic opportunity or unemployment | 2% |
| Concentration of strategic resources and technologies | 2% |
| Critical change to Earth systems | 2% |
| Natural resource shortages | 2% |
| Disruptions to critical infrastructure | 2% |
| Asset bubble burst | 2% |
| Debt | 2% |
| Disruptions to a systemically important supply chain | 1% |
| Decline in health and well-being | 1% |
| Involuntary migration or displacement | 1% |
| Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse | 1% |
| Biological, chemical or nuclear weapons or hazards | 1% |
| Inflation | 1% |
| Pollution | 1% |
| Insufficient public infrastructure and social protections | 1% |
| Infectious diseases | 1% |
| Non-weather related natural disasters | 1% |
| Censorship and surveillance | 1% |
| Crime and illicit economic activity | 1% |
Geoeconomic confrontation ranks as the top global risk in 2026, selected by 18% of respondents.
Since last year, it has jumped up two spots in the rankings given persisting tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine. More recently, U.S. pressure over Greenland, along with the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, have added further strain.
At the same time, President Trump’s perceived indifference toward defending Taiwan could create a perfect storm, according to experts, for China’s push for “reunification.”
State-based armed conflict ranks second in the WEF report, selected by 14% of respondents. Notably, there are 59 active state-based conflicts worldwide, the highest number since World War II.
Rounding out the top three risks are extreme weather events, selected by 8% respondents overall. From wildfires to droughts, severe weather events are meaningfully contributing to food inflation, displacement, and higher insurance costs. As global temperatures continue to rise, these impacts could intensify in both frequency and severity.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 10 global risks from 2020 to 2025.
2026-01-29 21:05:12
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Each year, the U.S. needs to sell more Treasuries to finance its growing budget deficit.
Both domestic and overseas investors buy this debt, with foreign holders of U.S. Treasuries owning a record $9.4 trillion of the total. Overall, European countries collectively hold close to 40% of foreign-owned U.S. debt.
This graphic shows which countries hold U.S. debt, based on U.S. Treasury data.
Below, we show the largest foreign holders of U.S. Treasuries as of November 2025:
| Rank | Country | Value Nov 2025 (B) |
Annual Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Japan |
$1,202.6 | 11% |
| 2 |
United Kingdom |
$888.5 | 16% |
| 3 |
China |
$682.6 | -11% |
| 4 |
 Belgium |
$481.0 | 33% |
| 5 |
 Canada |
$472.2 | 27% |
| 6 |
 Cayman Islands |
$427.4 | 5% |
| 7 |
 Luxembourg |
$425.6 | 2% |
| 8 |
France |
$376.1 | 13% |
| 9 |
 Ireland |
$340.3 | -1% |
| 10 |
Taiwan |
$312.5 | 9% |
| 11 |
Switzerland |
$300.3 | 1% |
| 12 |
 Singapore |
$272.2 | 8% |
| 13 |
 Hong Kong |
$256.0 | -4% |
| 14 |
 Norway |
$218.9 | 35% |
| 15 |
India |
$186.5 | -20% |
| 16 |
 Brazil |
$168.1 | -27% |
| 17 |
Saudi Arabia |
$148.8 | 10% |
| 18 |
 South Korea |
$145.1 | 14% |
| 19 |
Germany |
$109.8 | 10% |
| 20 |
 Israel |
$107.7 | 23% |
| -- |
 Other countries |
$1,833.2 | N/A |
| -- |
 Global Total |
$9,355.4 | 7% |
With $1.2 trillion in U.S. Treasuries, Japan is the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt.
In 2019, Japan overtook China, marking a major shift from a decade earlier, when China held nearly $1.3 trillion. Since then, China’s Treasury holdings have been nearly cut in half, while Japan’s have risen more modestly, up $61 billion over the same period.
The UK ranks next, with $888.5 billion in U.S. federal debt. In the past 12 months, these debt holdings increased by the double-digits, a pattern echoed across several European nations, including Belgium, France, and Norway.
By contrast, BRICS countries saw significant selloffs. Brazil’s holdings fell 27%, outpacing India’s 20% decline and China’s 11% reduction. At the same time, gold’s share of global central bank reserves surpassed U.S. Treasuries in late 2025 for the first time since 1996.
While U.S. Treasury demand is shaped by many complex factors, 2025 underscored a clear divergence. Traditional U.S. allies continued to build their positions, while others increasingly diversified away, likely reflecting growing geopolitical considerations.
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the world’s $111 trillion in government debt.
2026-01-29 04:23:44
Over the past 152 years, the S&P 500 has delivered a wide spectrum of annual returns, ranging from catastrophic downturns like 1931’s -44%, to massive bull runs such as 1954’s +45%. Using data from TradingView, the visualization above charts every calendar-year performance of the S&P 500 since 1871.
As we enter 2026, Wall Street optimism is running high. All 21 strategists surveyed foresee gains for the S&P 500 this year, marking a rare consensus among analysts.
Here’s the historical distribution of S&P 500 annual returns, compiled by TradingView:
| Annual S&P 500 Return Range | Number of Years in Range | Share of Years in Range |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 50% or more | 3 | 2.0% |
| 30 to 40% | 9 | 5.3% |
| 20 to 30% | 22 | 14.6% |
| 10 to 20% | 34 | 22.5% |
| 0 to 10% | 30 | 19.9% |
| 0 to -10% | 25 | 16.6% |
| -10 to -20% | 18 | 11.9% |
| -20 to -30% | 7 | 4.6% |
| -30 to -40% | 3 | 2.0% |
| -40 to -50% or more | 1 | 0.7% |
Roughly 2 in 3 years have seen positive returns, with the most common range being between 10% and 20%. Only a handful of years (just 2%) delivered returns above 40%, underscoring how rare years like 1954 or 1995 truly are. On the downside, only a small cluster of years produced losses beyond -20%.
Editor’s note: If expanding the lens to look at total returns (i.e. including dividends), it can be said that roughly 3 of every 4 years end up in positive territory.
For the S&P 500 in 2026, analysts are forecasting an average return of 12%, citing continued earnings growth and resilient consumer demand.
Multiple investment firms, including Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, expect momentum in tech, AI, and small-cap sectors to drive performance this year. As noted in our global stock markets wrap for 2025, U.S. equities outperformed many international peers, bolstering investor confidence further.
If the forecasted 12% gain materializes, 2026 would fall within the historically common 10–20% return range. That would place it alongside years like 2016 and 2010, which would be solid, unspectacular, and consistent with long-term averages.
Based on analyst forecasts compiled in Visual Capitalist’s 2026 Predictions Database exclusively on VC+, the consensus outlook for U.S. equities leans constructively bullish, but more selective.
Key themes expected to shape 2026:
Put simply, 2026 is shaping up to look less like a speculative surge, and more like a market digesting gains while still moving higher.
But as history shows, market behavior can be unpredictable. Whether 2026 joins the ranks of great bull years, or surprises to the downside, remains to be seen.
