supply chains

Global container rates up 143% as congestion hits pandemic-era levels

Global container freight rates have jumped 143% from a year ago as an unusually prolonged peak season collides with severe port congestion, tight vessel capacity, and a cascade of disruptions spanning multiple continents, according to DHL Deutsche Post AG Global…

Taiwan’s Lai says chip dominance rests on democracy

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday declared that the island's semiconductor dominance is rooted in its democratic institutions and rule of law, framing Taiwan as a dependable global partner amid rising geopolitical tensions over chip supply chains.

Hormuz crisis cost importers $330B in six months, report finds

The US-Israel war on Iran has cost the world's fossil fuel importers more than $330 billion in extra charges for crude oil, diesel, and liquefied natural gas in the six months since strikes began on February 28, a new report…

Hormuz disruptions ripple through pharma, glove and energy supply chains

Nearly six months after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, the waterway remains effectively shut to routine commercial traffic, sending cascading effects through pharmaceutical manufacturing, rubber glove production, and global shipping networks while…

Copper hits new record as AI demand and supply squeeze intensify

Copper surged to a new all-time high on Monday, reaching as much as $6.73 per pound on US futures markets as intensifying demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure, renewable energy buildout, and a deepening supply squeeze pushed the metal into uncharted…

Hormuz tolls, dry rivers, robot ban strain supply chains

Supply chain operators are contending with three simultaneous disruptions this month: Iranian toll restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, record-low water levels on European rivers, and a US ban on foreign-made robots that is reshaping automation procurement. The convergence of…

Panama Canal auction fees hit record $1.1M amid Iran war, El Nino

The cost of transiting the Panama Canal has surged to record levels, with average winning auction bids reaching about $1.1 million this month — more than 16 times the level seen during the same period last year — as the…

Record European heat disrupts supply chains, markets

Record temperatures across Europe are compounding pressure on food prices, supply chains, and heavily indebted economies, with analysis suggesting total economic losses from extreme heat could reach €800 billion as the continent grapples with its worst summer of wildfires and…

Hormuz disruption cut strategic export volumes 54%, ITC finds

New analysis from the International Trade Centre shows that disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused export volumes of strategic products to plunge by more than half, with liquefied natural gas shipments collapsing by 95 percent —…

Toyota, Honda halt Kyushu plants through Friday after earthquake

Toyota said on Wednesday it would halt operations at three plants in southern Japan through Friday, July 31, after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, disrupting suppliers and logistics across the region.

Decoupling from China would cost West $23.6T, EY finds

The United States, eurozone, and United Kingdom would need to invest a combined $23.6 trillion over the next quarter-century to replicate the supply chains and industrial infrastructure currently dependent on China, according to new analysis by EY-Parthenon published on Monday.

ECB warns Hormuz disruptions could cut euro area output by 3%

The European Central Bank published new research on Wednesday warning that persistent disruptions to trade through the Strait of Hormuz could place up to 3% of euro area production at risk, with supply shortages extending well beyond the direct impact…