Issues

Diesel sets an all-time record near $5.97, truckload spot rates rise across every equipment type, holiday parcel surcharges jump about 25%, and a Fed rate hike looks likely.

Drought throttles the Panama Canal, a typhoon strands 139 ships off Shanghai, a trucking enforcement purge tightens capacity, and a new tariff wall goes up with Canada.

Ocean rates climb to $4,526 per box with Shanghai–New York up 9%, while truckload spot rates roll over and flatbed posts its steepest drop since 2008.

Section 122's 10% surcharge expires and new Section 301 duties take effect the same minute, while diesel jumps on Hormuz and the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger clears another hurdle.

Ocean spot rates jump 20–31% in a week, factory activity hits a four-year high, and truckload spot runs its hottest since 2022 as consumer confidence slips.

The Supreme Court's 9-0 Montgomery ruling strips brokers of a key liability defense, the STB accepts the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern application, and Beijing's trade deals stay on paper.

Container rates hit a 2026 high while Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and ZIM post losses, the Trump–Xi summit yields a 200-plane Boeing order, and consumer sentiment sets another record low.

April PPI jumps 1.4%, nearly triple forecasts, as wholesalers pass tariffs through, and the Federal Circuit pauses the ruling that struck down the Section 122 tariff.

The Court of International Trade invalidates the 10% Section 122 tariff, surcharges lift container rates 3%, and consumer sentiment falls to 48.2, the lowest since 1952.

Q1 GDP misses at +2.0% with hot inflation, the CAPE refund portal posts its first data, Union Pacific refiles its $85 billion merger, and truckload spot rates hit a 12-year high.

Iran captures an 11,660-TEU container ship in the war's first containership seizure, turning what carriers treated as an energy disruption into a shipping-lane closure.

A U.S. Navy blockade knocks ocean rates off a six-week peak, consumer sentiment falls to a record low, diesel posts its first decline in 12 weeks, and MODEX puts physical AI into production.

Oil drops $20 and stocks surge on the ceasefire, but Hormuz stays largely blocked, Section 232 metals tariffs take effect, and diesel climbs to $5.64.

Daily transits through Hormuz fall 95%, Section 232 metals tariffs are restructured, the ISM index hits its best reading since 2022, and Amazon adds a 3.5% fuel surcharge.

A practical guide to how U.S. tariffs work — classification, valuation and country of origin — and the legitimate strategies companies use to reduce what they pay.

Diesel hits $5.38 as the Hormuz crisis enters its fourth week, container rates rise for a third straight week, the Fed raises its inflation outlook, and Amazon overtakes USPS in parcels.

A 10% Section 122 surcharge replaces the struck-down tariffs, ocean rates slide for a seventh week, and Apple announces its first U.S.-built Mac.

The Supreme Court strikes down IEEPA tariffs and puts $175 billion in refunds in play, Walmart's e-commerce turns profitable, and new CDL rules tighten trucking.

The House votes against Canada tariffs, ocean rates fall as Suez reopens, an AI freight tool knocks logistics stocks, and DP World's leadership collapses.

Ocean rates keep falling, Maersk posts a fourth-quarter loss, a return to the Red Sea threatens more overcapacity, and port volumes drop as front-loading runs out.

Container rates fall 10% in a week as Lunar New Year exposes overcapacity, Micron breaks ground on a $100 billion fab, and semiconductor tariffs advance.

Carriers test a rate increase against weak demand, the U.S.–China truce holds ahead of an April reset, and chip capacity limits constrain AI expansion.

Truck rates turn up as capacity tightens, a wave of tariff changes takes effect January 1, and retailers brace for record holiday returns.

Carriers push container rates up despite soft volumes, Union Pacific files its $85 billion merger application, and factory activity keeps contracting.

Record holiday volumes prove the case for warehouse automation, ports stabilize as carriers hold rates, and new factory investment keeps coming.

GE Appliances commits $640 million to U.S. production, the Canada Post strike ends, and AI-driven workforce cuts accelerate heading into peak season.

Ocean rates turn down as holiday goods land, trade relief extends to Brazil, truck capacity finally rebalances, and cargo theft gets more sophisticated.

Tariff relief arrives product by product rather than across the board, ocean rates split by trade lane, and agentic AI moves from buzz to backbone.

Carriers' capacity discipline sends container rates higher, Walmart takes its AI playbook global, and reshoring momentum stalls on policy uncertainty.

The U.S.–China truce opens a one-year planning window, container rates end a 17-week slide, and reshoring commitments pass $1.5 trillion.

China pushes back on the 100% tariff threat ahead of the November 10 truce deadline, container rates end a 17-week slide, and Walmart and Symbotic commit $520 million to automation.

China's rare earth controls trigger a threatened 100% U.S. tariff, container rates hit two-year lows, and factory investment keeps setting records despite a contracting PMI.

Sweeping new product tariffs create procurement urgency, while the Supreme Court's November 5 hearing puts $750 billion in collected duties in question.

Amazon spends $4 billion to bring fast delivery to rural America, dark stores reshape urban fulfillment, and ocean rates collapse despite record volumes.

Walmart's $520 million automation bet resets the bar for retail logistics, Target's missteps become clear, and record port volumes push terminals to their limits.

The Supreme Court schedules its tariff hearing, a container accident exposes port weak points, and cyberattacks hit critical supply chain software.

Amazon's growth pulls away from Walmart, early tariff front-loading leaves retailers with inventory whiplash, and ports settle into a post-peak slowdown.

Reshoring talk meets factory reality, Vietnam emerges as the clear winner of trade diversion, and retailers rework inventory and last-mile plans.

Walmart widens its sourcing and operations bets, AI moves into day-to-day operations at global scale, and retailers rethink inventory under tariff pressure.