By Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor
It has been almost a year since the first novel coronavirus case appeared in the United States. And while health officials warn that the worst may be yet to come, they are also beginning to repeat the time-worn expression “it’s always darkest before dawn.”
President Joseph R. Biden Jr., has made it a priority to get 100 million Americans vaccinated during his first 100 days in office. Further, he has promised to rebuild the pandemic task force disbanded by the previous administration. And he has been much more vocal in recommending all Americans wear masks. Taken together, government and health officials hope these measures will help bring the coronavirus pandemic under control and restore some semblance of normalcy by year’s end, if not sooner.
然而，免受大流行的保护比政府，生命科学和医疗保健需要更多。它需要在商业和社会的各个方面进行统一的努力。在本专栏中，它已经有充分的文献记录了纱线旋转器以及整个纺织业的角色 - 在保持前线医务人员和其他人免受感染和传播感染方面发挥了作用。该行业已经引起了人们的关注，就像容量允许生产个人防护设备（PPE）一样，将纱线和面料制成诸如口罩和礼服之类的物品。
In the latest development, Illinois-based UMF Corp. revealed on January 19 that its Micrillon® fiber inactivates the coronavirus, as well as the H1N1 subtype of Influenza A, MRSA and E. coli. UMF engages in the research and development of high-performance textiles for the commercial cleaning and infection prevention markets.
该公司在PR Newswire的PR Newswire发行中说：“合同研究组织综合制药服务证实，UMF的微型护套和核心纤维对人类冠状病毒表现出重要的抗病毒特性，该冠状病毒在短短几分钟内引起了COVID-19，而Human Hyphenza A Hyphenza a H1N1病毒。”“微粒鞘和核纤维旋转成纱线并编织成材料，还表现出对金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）和E. Coli 0157：H7的显着抗菌功效（100％杀死）。这些发现对众多应用具有重大影响，包括用于编织和针织纺织品的各种纱线类型，例如毛巾，隐私窗帘和个人保护设备（PPE）。
“We are thrilled with the results of the Micrillon testing, which show definitively that it inactivates Human Coronavirus and Human Influenza, and destroys MRSA and E. coli,” said UMF Corp. CEO George Clarke in the PR Newswire release. “There are significant implications for industries including healthcare — where it can be included in PPE — as well as hospitality and education, which are more focused than ever before on infection prevention in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We plan to incorporate Micrillon splitable bicomponent microfiber in all our PerfectCLEAN products later this year.”
释放说，UMF的微圆子是一种可充电，广泛的聚合物添加剂，可以掺入膜，塑料和纤维中，并用氯分子充电。微小化学为产品的寿命充值，不会渗入环境。当细菌和霉菌与微小表面接触时，它们被消除，病毒被灭活。
Economic Growth And Consumer Confidence
由于围绕冠状病毒控制的谨慎乐观，即使进步速度比预期的要慢，许多组织预计2021年将是经济增长的稳定年份。根据世界银行的数据，据世界银行称，预计全球经济将在2021年增长4％，假设世界银行全年最初的Covid-19疫苗推广变得广泛。但是，警告是，除非决策者果断地驯服大流行并实施增强投资增强的改革，否则可能会征服复苏。
同时，摩根士丹利（Morgan Stanley）预测了更强大的全球经济，预测增长率为6.4％，首先是新兴经济体，然后迁移到美国和欧洲的重新开放经济体。相比之下，2020年全球经济中的4.3％收缩。
Comerica Inc. forecasts 3.9 percent real GDP growth in the United States for 2021, while the National Association for Business Economics expects a 3.4-percent growth rate. Other organizations predict similar results.
Consumers, however, were not quite so bullish. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® declined in December. The Index now stands at 88.6 (1985=100), down from 92.9 in November. The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — decreased sharply from 105.9 to 90.3.
“Consumers’ assessment of current conditions deteriorated sharply in December, as the resurgence of COVID-19 remains a drag on confidence,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “As a result, consumers’ vacation intentions, which had notably improved in October, have retreated. On the flip side, as consumers continue to hunker down at home, intentions to purchase appliances have risen. Overall, it appears that growth has weakened further in Q4, and consumers do not foresee the economy gaining any significant momentum in early 2021.”
消费者对当前状况的评估在12月下降。声称业务状况的消费者百分比从18.8％降至16.0％，而声称业务状况“不良”的消费者比例从34.9％增加到39.5％。消费者对劳动力市场的评估也不太好。表示工作“丰富”的消费者百分比从26.3％下降到21.8％，而声称工作“难以获得”的人从19.4％上升到22.0％。
但是，消费者对短期前景更加乐观。预期业务状况的消费者百分比将在未来六个月内提高，从26.5％增加到29.0％，而期望业务状况的人则将从22.5％下降到21.9％。
Cotton prices hit 2+ year high
棉花的基本质量的平均点报价（颜色41，Leaf 4，Staple 34，Mike 35-36和43-49，强度27.0-28.9和均匀性81.0-81.9）截至2021年1月14日（星期四）的一周的每磅美分。这是截至2018年9月13日价格为78.98美分的每周自每周最高的平均每周平均水平。每周的平均水平从上周的75.34美分，一年前报告的66.49美元。
截至1月14日的一周的现场交易总计79,659包。相比之下，有67,350个报道了上一周，而126,308个点交易报告了一年前的相应一周。
The ICE March settlement price ended the week at 81.15 cents, compared to 79.76 cents last week.
Buyers for domestic mills inquired for a moderate volume of color 41, leaf 4, and staple 34 and 36 for April through June delivery. No sales were reported. Mill buyers also made initial inquiries for 2021-crop cotton, color 41, leaf 4, and staple 34 and 36 for November 2021 through March 2022 delivery. No sales were reported. Reports indicated that mills continued to incrementally increase operating schedules as warranted by increased finished product demand. Yarn demand was good. Mills continued to produce personal protective equipment for frontline workers and military supplies.
January 2021
