Manufacturing PMI Slips to 54.6 as New Orders Cool 3 Points
Eighth straight month of expansion, but new-order index fell to 53.7 in August. Supplier deliveries slowed for the ninth month running, and 71% of…
Markets & Rates
Spot and contract freight rates, fuel prices, capacity, lane trends, and freight demand.
Rejection Rates Stall at 13.5% as Rail Siphons Long-Haul Freight
Tender rejections aren't climbing into Labor Day like prior years. Spot rates down 2.5% month over month but still up 44% year over year. Rail is taking the…
Capacity Still Shrinking as Rejection Rates Hold at 13.5%
Accepted tender volumes near 2019 levels, but rejection rates more than double what they were then. The supply-side correction is still running.
Canada Hits U.S. Goods With 50% Tariffs Sept. 8, Targeting $20B in Freight
Ottawa's counter-tariffs cover steel, dairy, furniture, and 700+ products after weekend trade talks collapse. Cross-border truck volumes at Detroit, Port…
Intermodal Saves Up to 49% vs. Truckload on East Coast Lanes
Harrisburg-Atlanta van spot rates up 42%, intermodal up just 16%. Contract truckload climbs while rail pricing holds flat, opening the widest savings window in…
Supply Crunch Could Run Into 2028 If ELD, CDL Rules Stick
Reliance Partners CRO says five regulatory enforcement actions already reshaping capacity. Demand improved June and July, but supply still drives the cycle.
Leading Index Peaks, Signals Freight Demand Slowdown Into 2027
ECRI's global industrial leading index has turned down, pointing to slower freight growth in coming quarters even as volumes remain elevated.
Data Center Buildout Adds 1.5% Freight Volume Hidden From Cass Index
AI infrastructure construction is generating truckload volumes that conventional measures miss. Air freight imports up 17%, metals volumes rising, and tender…
U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows to $73.3B as Imports Drop 1.8% in June
The gap shrank 5.6% from May as computer and semiconductor imports slowed. Capital goods imports fell for the first time since September.
LTL Tonnage Up 5% in July as Manufacturing Hits Four-Year High
Four major LTL carriers beat seasonal volume trends by 250 to 400 basis points in July. Manufacturing PMI at 55.6, highest since May 2022, signals more…
Spot Rates Run 40% to 70% Above Contract on Infrequent Lanes
RXO exec says contract awards on low-frequency routes carry almost no chance of being honored when capacity is tight. Shippers who proactively raised rates…
Schneider Locks Double-Digit Contract Rate Hikes as Spot Nears 2021 Peak
One-way fleet captured double-digit contract increases in Q2. June spot market resembled March 2021. Schneider raised full-year EPS guidance 18%.