Visibility graph analysis of crude oil futures markets: Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict

Drawing inspiration from the significant impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the recent COVID-19 pandemic on global financial markets, this study conducts a thorough analysis of three key crude oil futures markets: WTI, Brent, and Shanghai (SC). Employing the visibility graph (VG) methodology, we examine both static and dynamic characteristics using daily and high-frequency data. We identified a clear power-law decay in most VG degree distributions and highlighted the pronounced clustering tendencies within crude oil futures VGs. Our results also confirm an inverse correlation between clustering coefficient and node degree and further reveal that all VGs not only adhere to the small-world property but also exhibit intricate assortative mixing. Through the time-varying characteristics of VGs, we found that WTI and Brent demonstrate aligned behavior, while the SC market, with its unique trading mechanics, deviates. The 5-minute VGs' assortativity coefficient provides a deeper understanding of these markets' reactions to the pandemic and geopolitical events. Furthermore, the differential responses during the COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine conflict underline the unique sensitivities of each market to global disruptions. Overall, this research offers profound insights into the structure, dynamics, and adaptability of these essential commodities markets in the face of worldwide challenges.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure

The “Competition” for Training Cross Border E-commerce Talents in China on the Background of “Internet Plus”

Under the background of “Internet plus,” more and more traditional industries have been integrated into the Internet through information technology. The international trade (foreign trade) industry has constantly been networked, informalized and electrolyzed. Based on the statistical analysis of the current development trend and market demand for cross-border e-commerce talents, this paper attempts to find out the causes of the current multidisciplinary “competition” for cross-border e-commerce talent training, analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this "competition," and put forward the development strategies of multidisciplinary cross-border e-commerce talent training. This study will be of essential reference and significance for applied universities, colleges and higher vocational colleges to adjust the cross-border e-commerce talent training positioning, orientation and professional layout