04 Dec 2024

Global Air Freight Soars: Peak Season Drives Rates and Demand to New Heights

The global air cargo market entered its peak shipping season this week, with demand surging past available capacity, pushing rates on key trade lanes to new highs for 2024. Asian export routes and the trans-Atlantic corridor are experiencing particularly sharp rate increases, reflecting strong demand and limited supply. Spot rates for Shanghai to North Europe […]

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18 Nov 2024

Hapag-Lloyd Predicts Pre-Lunar New Year Cargo Rush Amid Strong Demand

Hapag-Lloyd anticipates a possible cargo surge ahead of the Lunar New Year in January, driven in part by shippers aiming to avoid potential new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods under the incoming Trump administration. Despite strong fourth-quarter demand, the carrier expects profitability to dip compared to its record-breaking third quarter. “There could be a rush […]

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18 Nov 2024

US Retailers Rush Year-End Imports Amid Strike and Tariff Concerns

US retailers are accelerating their year-end import volumes, planning to bring in an additional 350,000 TEUs this November and December compared to forecasts from just a month ago. The surge aims to preempt disruptions from a potential East and Gulf Coast dockworker strike in January and significant tariff hikes proposed by President-elect Donald Trump. According […]

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04 Nov 2024

High Imports and Low Blanks Extend Peak Season on Trans-Pacific Routes

The eastbound trans-Pacific trade is experiencing an unusually extended peak season, with steady demand for imports from Asia and fewer-than-expected blank sailings announced for November. Carriers are holding off on the typical reduction in services, seeking to maintain higher rates as import levels remain strong. Typically, import demand from Asia decreases as Black Friday approaches, […]

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28 Oct 2024

Air Cargo Follows the Money: Capacity Shifts Ahead of Holiday Rush

As China’s Golden Week holiday disruptions wind down, airlines are shifting more capacity to high-demand routes between Asia Pacific and North America, preparing for the busy Christmas season. According to the U.S. National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday consumer spending is projected to increase by 2.5% to 3.5% over last year, with e-commerce expected to grow […]

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05 Jun 2024

China’s Trade Surplus: Undervalued Yuan or Something Else?

The debate over China’s manufacturing overcapacity has ignited intense discussions among policymakers. During her trip to China in April, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen raised concerns about the impact of “artificially cheap Chinese products flooding the global market,” questioning the sustainability of foreign firms, echoing similar concerns from a decade ago. Yellen’s observation holds […]

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01 Feb 2024

Anticipated Shifts in 2024 US Container Import Patterns Aligning with Key Sourcing

The slight shifts in the percentage of containerized imports from China to the United States align with three major trends acknowledged by both the business and geopolitical communities: China Plus One, incremental gains in friendshoring by volume, and an increased reliance on Vietnam and India. To mitigate their dependence on China, US retailers and other […]

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29 Dec 2023

Trump’s Trade Storm Clouds: Prepare for More Friction if He Returns

Donald Trump’s first term as president was a seismic shift in U.S. trade policy. He launched a tariff war with China, pulled out of major trade agreements, and earned the nickname “Tariff Man.” Now, if he wins re-election, expect the ground to tremble again. Trump’s campaign documents and interviews hint at a second term filled […]

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19 Dec 2023

China’s Foreign Trade Bounces Back, Signaling Positive Future

After months of fluctuating trade activity, China’s exports are finally on the rise. This positive trend, coupled with growing external demand, indicates a promising path ahead for the nation’s foreign trade structure. Shu Jueting, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson, announced the encouraging news at a recent press conference. “China’s export volume, which initially dipped earlier this […]

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