The Covid-19 pandemic has played havoc with global trade flows, as consumers have displayed an increased need for goods while manufacturing struggles to meet demand. The system for moving those products has been under unprecedented stress for months, and its weak...
U.S. import volumes continued to run at a record pace in November 2021. Despite this overall success, retail inventories are not catching up to pre-pandemic levels as a percentage of sales. The ultimate takeaway: as long as the high demand for goods continues in 2022,...
When in the midst of a challenging journey, most of us check the progress we are making, however slow, by looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. As part of Descartes’ ongoing update on the global shipping crisis, we will examine key logistics and economic...
The U.S. International Trade Commission has filed a report on the measurable effects of U.S. free trade agreements on U.S. imports and exports, domestic production, income, and employment – new considerations for the ongoing debate regarding the pros and cons of...
As one of the top stories of 2021, every day there are multiple stories about global importing and the current shipping crisis speculating when it might end. While there are many reasons it exists, sorting through the noise to find the answer is not an easy task....
The Biden Administration has announced plans to strengthen the resiliency of critical U.S. supply chains to protect American industries from shortages that were exacerbated by COVID-19, significantly impacting earnings prospects in several key U.S. industries. But...
Pharmaceutical imports and imports of chemicals under Section VI of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) are likely to be one of the sectors most notably impacted by the coronavirus pandemic over the next several years. The commonly held belief is that Covid-19 has...
Last year closed with a Phase One agreement to “reset the relationship” between the U.S. and China. Roughly the same time, the first cases of the novel coronavirus were presenting themselves in Wuhan. The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global markets will dwarf the...
Sophisticated and globally connected supply chains have made the movement of goods more efficient and accessible but, at the same time, susceptible to economic crisis and natural disasters such as the financial crisis in 2008 and the Asian Tsunami in 2011. While many...
Companies in diverse sectors, including consumer electronics, automobiles and automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, and apparel are warning they are mere weeks away from running out of production-critical supplies as Chinese factories shut down and cross-border commerce...
