#supply-chain-volatility
(43 articles)Tender Rejections Spike 14%: Labor Day Demand Tightens Freight Market
The U.S. freight market is experiencing renewed tightness ahead of the Labor Day holiday, with tender rejection rates climbing above 14%—a faster pace than the same period over the past three years. T
Trump's Canada Trade War Threatens North American Supply Chains
The Trump administration is escalating trade tensions with Canada through the threat of tariffs and trade restrictions, with fentanyl trafficking cited as a primary justification. This represents a si
Container Rates Decline as Trans-Pacific Spot Prices Fall 2%
The Drewry World Container Index fell 1% this week to $4,473 per forty-foot container, driven by declining spot rates on trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trade lanes. While the moderation in rates offers
2026 Logistics Report: Why Supply Chain Volatility Is Here to Stay
The 2026 State of Logistics Report signals a fundamental shift in how supply chain professionals should interpret market turbulence. Rather than cyclical fluctuations that historically trend toward eq
Supply Chain Pressures Ease, But Hormuz Strait Risks Loom
Global supply chain pressures showed modest improvement in July according to GEP's Supply Chain Volatility Index, signaling a temporary reprieve from earlier constraints. However, this short-term easi
Truckload Rates Hit Records Amid Volume Decline
According to DAT's July Truckload Volume Index, contract rates for both dry van and reefer (refrigerated) services have reached record levels, despite an overall decline in truckload volumes. This cou
Supply Chain Pressures Ease, But Strait Disruption Looms
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index indicates that overall supply chain pressures moderated in July, suggesting a near-term respite from the acute constraints that characterized earlier 2024.
Supply Chain Eases in July but Strait of Hormuz Risk Looms
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index indicates that global supply chain pressures moderately eased during July, suggesting a temporary reprieve from the acute constraints that characterized ea
DHL Express Expands Time-Definite Services Amid Market Volatility
DHL Express is strategically expanding its time-definite air freight offerings in response to ongoing supply chain volatility and uncertainty. This capacity and service expansion reflects the carrier'
Project Cargo Summit 2026: Managing Logistics Volatility
The Project Cargo Summit 2026 represents an industry-wide effort by heavy lift and project forwarding specialists to develop strategies for navigating persistent market volatility while identifying co
Expeditors Q2 Beat Masks Analyst Divide on Air Freight Sustainability
Expeditors International delivered a record second-quarter performance with adjusted EPS of $2.03, driven by strong airfreight volumes. However, the real story lies in the stark disagreement among equ
Transform Supply Chain Volatility Into Regional Competitive Advantage
Supply chain volatility, once viewed purely as a risk factor, is increasingly recognized as an opportunity for organizations to build regional competitive advantages. Companies that proactively manage
LatAm-N. America Airfreight Capacity Drops Post-World Cup
The World Cup created a temporary surge in airfreight capacity between Latin America and North America, but the tournament's conclusion triggered a sharp capacity rebalancing that is now pressuring fr
ONE Raises Profit Outlook 200% Despite Iran War Fuel Costs
Ocean Network Express (ONE), a joint venture of three major Japanese container carriers, significantly raised its full-year profit guidance to $900 million from $300 million—a 200% increase—following
Air Cargo Market H2: Iran Tensions & AI Demand Drive Volatility
The air cargo market faces a pivotal second half driven by two countervailing forces: ongoing geopolitical instability in the Iran region and surging demand for AI-related equipment and components. Th
Air Cargo Rates Fall Despite Rising Fuel and Middle East Tension
Global air freight rates are contracting despite structural headwinds that typically support price increases. The Freightos Air Index shows rates retreating to approximately $2.82 per kilogram from Ma
Tariffs Drive Supply Chain Volatility, 3PLs Report Rising Costs
Third-party logistics providers are reporting continued operational disruption driven by tariff uncertainty and policy changes. The volatility is forcing 3PLs and their customers to constantly reasses
UPS & Logistics Stocks Amid Rising Global Shipping Risks
The article addresses growing concerns about geopolitical threats to global shipping networks and positions UPS alongside other logistics providers as investment considerations for a riskier operating
Air Cargo Rates Decline as Fuel Costs Rise, Pressuring Margins
Air cargo markets are entering a period of conflicting pressures: while spot rates are beginning to soften—with the Baltic Air Freight Index falling 3.1% in the week to July 20—carriers face intensify
AI Data Center Boom: Freight Demand Bubble or Structural Growth?
The freight market is experiencing a significant structural divergence driven by the accelerating build-out of AI data centers and supporting infrastructure. While traditional consumer-facing sectors
Transpacific Rates Rally Amid Tariff Uncertainty & Inventory Buildup
The transpacific trade lane is experiencing significant rate volatility driven by a divergence between declining sales-to-inventory ratios and rising absolute inventory levels in the United States. Ac
Air Cargo Rates Could Jump 15% in 2026 Amid Iran Conflict
A renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is forcing a structural reassessment of 2026 air cargo pricing, with freight rate benchmarking firm Xeneta revising its forecast from a 5-10% decl
Tariffs and Iran tensions force LA port to abandon shipping traditions
The Port of Los Angeles achieved record throughput in June with 1 million TEUs, signaling strong near-term demand amid global trade uncertainty. However, Port Director Gene Seroka indicated that visib
Short Sellers Target Manufacturing as Supply Chain Stress Mounts
Short-sellers are intensifying their bets against manufacturing companies in June, signaling growing investor skepticism about the sector's ability to navigate persistent supply chain stress. Accordin
Businesses Build Buffer Stocks as Supply Volatility Persists
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index reveals a structural shift in corporate procurement behavior: businesses are deliberately accumulating safety stock across their supply chains in preparati
Asia Pacific Shippers Brace for Rising Demand and Lingering Volatility
A Dimerco survey of Asia Pacific shippers reveals a mixed outlook characterized by rising cargo demand expectations tempered by persistent supply chain volatility. The research captures shipper sentim
Asia Pacific Shippers Forecast Rising Cargo Demand Amid Volatility
A new Dimerco survey indicates that Asia Pacific shippers anticipate higher cargo demand in coming periods, yet acknowledge persistent supply chain volatility as a defining operational challenge. This
Firms Build Buffer Stocks as Supply Shortages Persist
Businesses worldwide are deliberately accumulating buffer stocks in response to persistent supply chain disruptions and anticipated future volatility, according to the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatili
Manufacturers Build Buffer Stock Amid Persistent Supply Chain Disruptions
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index reveals a significant industry trend: manufacturers are proactively building buffer inventory levels to insulate their operations from persistent supply ch
Businesses Build Buffer Stocks Amid Persistent Supply Shortages
Global businesses are actively increasing buffer stock levels in response to persistent supply chain disruptions and heightened expectations of future volatility, according to GEP's Supply Chain Volat
Companies Build Buffer Stocks Amid Persistent Supply Shortages
The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index reveals that businesses across multiple sectors are proactively increasing buffer stock levels in response to persistent supply shortages and expectations
UPS and Global Logistics Firms Face Rising Shipping Risks
This investment analysis piece highlights growing operational and market risks facing UPS and other major global logistics providers as shipping headwinds intensify. The article positions logistics eq
Supply Chain's New Normal: Managing Perpetual Change, Not Stability
Supply chain management is undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift: the days of pursuing stable, predictable operations are ending. Rather than treating disruptions as temporary anomalies to be absorb
Financial Planning Strategies for Volatile Supply Chains
Volatile supply chain conditions—driven by geopolitical tensions, energy fluctuations, and demand unpredictability—are forcing procurement and finance teams to rethink their budgeting and financial fo
Volatility Is New Normal in Global Supply Chains: What Logisticians Must Do
The latest State of Logistics report signals a fundamental shift in how supply chain professionals must operate: volatility is no longer a temporary disruption but a structural feature of global comme
2026 State of Logistics: Volatility Becomes the Norm
The 2026 State of Logistics Report from FreightWaves signals a fundamental shift in supply chain operating conditions: volatility is no longer a temporary disruption but an embedded structural charact
2026 State of Logistics: Volatility Now Structural, Not Temporary
The 2026 State of Logistics Report marks a critical inflection point for global supply chains, signaling that volatility has evolved from a temporary pandemic-era disruption into a permanent structura
Nearshoring strengthens as supply chain volatility drives regional shifts
The business case for nearshoring—relocating production and sourcing closer to end markets—continues to strengthen as supply chain volatility persists globally. Rather than a temporary trend, nearshor
DHL Gulf Network Faces Fresh Disruption as US-Iran Tensions Escalate
Escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran have triggered renewed disruption to air cargo operations across the Gulf region, with Kuwait temporarily suspending airspace access fol
Container Logistics Disruption: Navigating Current Market Volatility
McKinsey & Company has released analysis on the ongoing disruptions affecting containerized logistics globally. The piece examines the structural and cyclical factors creating volatility in container
Air cargo supply chains face mounting volatility pressures
Supply chain volatility is embedding itself as a structural feature rather than a temporary disruption in global air cargo markets. Rather than returning to pre-pandemic stability, the industry faces
Ocean Freight Rates Spike Then Collapse: Carrier Tactics Spark Shipper Outrage
Ocean carriers have faced a significant reversal in their aggressive spot rate increase strategy over the past two weeks. Following the Strait of Hormuz disruption, carriers pushed rates upward aggres
June 2026 Freight Market: Capacity Squeeze Drives Spot Rate Volatility
Ryder's June 2026 State of the Industry Report reveals a freight market under structural stress, with capacity constraints and inflation pressuring both rates and shipper strategies. The report docume