Global Trade & Economics

Tokyo Olympics Show Years of Tech Decline as Japan Fights for Chips

July 20, 2021

Bloomberg

As Tokyo prepares to host the Games this week, Japan is in a technological funk.

Will Global Supply Problems Choke Off Economic Recovery?

July 19, 2021

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Numbers from the first quarter of this year show that the U.S. economy is “back in business.” But can it keep up the momentum?

U.S. Clashes With Mexico, Canada on Auto Parts Trade Rules

July 19, 2021

Bloomberg

The dispute focuses on how to calculate the percentage of a vehicle that comes collectively from the three countries under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement that took effect last year.

Container Rates to U.S. Top $10,000 as Shipping Crunch Tightens

July 16, 2021

Bloomberg

Container shipping rates from Asia to the U.S. and Europe increased to new record levels over the past week, ensuring transportation costs will stay elevated for companies heading into a peak season for rebuilding inventories.

Senate Backs Bill to Ban Xinjiang Goods Unless Waiver Given

July 15, 2021

Bloomberg

The U.S. Senate passed a bill that would ban all goods from or made in China’s Xinjiang region unless importers can prove they weren’t made with forced labor, a move that could potentially have widespread implications for the solar industry.

Live Updates

Virus Update: U.S. Factory Production in Declines; Jobless Claims Fall to Pandemic Low

July 15, 2021

SupplyChainBrain

The latest supply-chain news and insights on the novel coronavirus and global response to the outbreak.

Ten Ways Renewable Energy’s Boom Year Will Shape 2021

EU’s Bold Climate Plan Targets Cars, Planes and Trade

July 14, 2021

Bloomberg

The European Union rolled out a climate plan that will transform every corner of its economy — from how people heat their home to the cars they drive — as the bloc uses a massive overhaul of rules to position itself as a global leader on the environment.

Slow Vaccines for Seafarers Could Worsen Global Shipping Chaos

July 14, 2021

Bloomberg

Global vaccinations of seafarers are going too slowly to prevent outbreaks on ships from causing more trade disruptions, endangering maritime workers and potentially slowing economies trying to pull out of pandemic slowdowns.

Suez Ship’s Owner Braces for ‘Thousands’ of Legal Claims

July 14, 2021

Bloomberg

The owner of the Ever Given — the cargo ship that blocked the Suez Canal for almost a week, hampering global trade and roiling markets — expects to be hit with “many hundreds or thousands” of legal claims.

EDITOR'S Q&A

When Will Air Cargo Operations Return to Normal?

July 13, 2021

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Like all modes of freight transportation, the air cargo sector was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling with tight restrictions on operations even as demand for services soared.