Supply Chain

Washington – October 18, 2026 -- Container rates from Asia to the US West Coast rose 4% last week to $8,400/FEU, a new high for the year, according to the Freightos Baltic Index. East Coast prices held level at about $9,600/FEU, $200/FEU below the late-August peak. Resilient demand kept pressure on rates through month-end.

US-China truce extended two months, with tariff cuts on $30B of goods

The Trump-Xi meeting in Washington extended last year's US-China trade truce by two months. The truce was set to expire on November 10. The leaders also agreed to two more meetings before year-end. The deescalation likely postpones US port call fees on China-linked vessels, though the USTR has not yet issued anything official.

Global – October 18, 2026 -- Typhoon-driven congestion and elevated fuel costs could set a higher floor for container rates before the pre-Lunar New Year rush begins, according to Freightos Group's latest Global Freight Outlook webinar, hosted by Head of Research Judah Levine.

Far East and North Europe backlogs could take months to clear

Typhoon-driven backlogs in the Far East persist, and congestion at key North European hubs is lingering. The backups could take months to unwind completely. Together with high fuel costs, they could keep upward pressure on rates.

Red Sea returns advance as Houthi–Saudi escalation adds risk

All the container alliances plus MSC will send some vessels through the Red Sea by the end of the month. However, the sharp Houthi–Saudi escalation in recent days, including missile strikes on Riyadh, raises the risk of renewed attacks on container vessels. Such attacks could reverse the progress.

Global – October 18, 2026 -- Asia-N. Europe container rates fell 2-3% last week to $3,260 per FEU, and Asia-Mediterranean rates fell to $3,555 per FEU, as carriers send more vessels through the Red Sea. Rates on both lanes have slid since mid-July, according to the Freightos Baltic Index.

Premier Alliance to resume some Red Sea services this month

The Premier Alliance, the last holdout among the three alliances and MSC, announced that some services will resume Red Sea transits this month. Carriers have been gradually adding Red Sea traffic despite elevated regional tension. The shorter route lifts effective capacity, which Freightos names as a likely contributor to the Asia-Europe rate decline.

Global – October 18, 2026 -- Asia-Mediterranean container prices rose 7% to $3,800/FEU last week, about 70% above year-ago levels, as repeated Houthi missile attacks on Riyadh airport raised the risk of renewed Red Sea strikes just as shippers enter 2027 contract tendering, according to the Freightos Baltic Index.

Saudi airport attacks close Riyadh and disrupt other hubs

Multiple Houthi missile attacks since late last week shut down airport operations in Riyadh. Interceptions at Dammam airport and attacks on other airports caused further disruptions and cancellations. Saudi Arabia has promised retaliation.

United States – October 17, 2026 -- Three-quarters of medical technology companies surveyed by AdvaMed report memory chip constraints, and 88 percent have seen price increases, as data-center demand squeezes supply of components used in 75 percent to 80 percent of medtech products (excluding personal protective equipment and consumables).

Survey shows allocation limits and procurement uncertainty across medtech

Beyond the 75 percent and 88 percent figures, 63 percent of respondents reported supplier allocation challenges or limited availability of specific components. Another 63 percent are uncertain they can procure enough memory chips, or products containing them, to avoid supply chain disruptions. Fifty-six percent said they are very concerned about overall memory chip supply chain stability.

Sarasota – October 17, 2026 -- Kreate, a product development and manufacturing company, has been named The Home Depot's 2026 Partner of the Year, its third consecutive year receiving the recognition, following a $100 million expansion in Tiffin, Ohio.

The award comes from The Home Depot's annual Supplier Partnership and Innovation Awards, which recognize suppliers that deliver value, innovation and performance for DIY and Pro customers. Kreate said the recognition reflects a multi-year collaboration to expand and improve The Home Depot's storage assortment.

Tiffin expansion adds capacity closer to customer demand

The $100 million Tiffin investment adds production capacity and brings advanced manufacturing closer to customers. Kreate said its manufacturing and distribution locations help cut freight, handling and lead times.

Geneva – October 17, 2026 -- Gécamines, the Democratic Republic of Congo's state-owned mining enterprise, has finalized an offtake agreement for Kipushi zinc concentrate, with up to 240,000 tonnes to be marketed over the next two years, Mercuria announced.

Gécamines and Mercuria joint venture to market Kipushi output

Gécamines will sell the volumes through its joint venture with Mercuria. The multi-year agreement allows for potentially higher volumes after the initial two-year period and sets a strategic focus on Western supply chains.

The deal marks Gécamines' entry as a major exporter of zinc concentrate to international markets. Mercuria will contribute its global trading capabilities, logistics expertise and market access to connect Kipushi's production with international customers.

Washington – October 16, 2026 -- The United States now produces just 1% of global aluminum, down from industry leadership 25 years ago, according to a study presented by economist Dr. Adam Hersh at an event hosted by the American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA).

Smelter count falls from 23 to four, none military-grade

In 2000, 23 primary aluminum smelters operated in the United States, against 10 in Canada. Four remain in the US, and none can produce military-grade aluminum. The last US smelter capable of making the high-purity aluminum required for many defense applications closed in 2022, leaving the country reliant on foreign sources.

Hersh, a research fellow at the University of Massachusetts, attributed the decline to foreign government subsidies and unfair trade policies. He called the loss of smelting capacity a market failure that exposes the US economy to supply chain disruption.

Lansing – October 16, 2026 -- Niowave is building an 80,000-square-foot medical radioisotope production facility in Lansing, Michigan, with a capital investment of more than $85 million and operations expected to start in 2028.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling toured Niowave's existing dedicated production facility and the construction site of its second plant. He also held a roundtable with company leaders on the production of medical radioisotopes for cancer treatments.

New plant to house up to six linear particle accelerators

The facility will contain up to six new linear particle accelerators and expand Niowave's capacity to produce Actinium-225, an isotope used in targeted alpha therapies for cancer. It will also include production space, radiochemistry laboratories, warehousing and administrative offices.

Washington – October 16, 2026 -- The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has selected former TeamOne Logistics CEO Page Siplon as its next president and chief operating officer, ending a nationwide search to replace Rebecca Brewster, who retires in February 2027 after more than three decades with the organization.

Siplon joins in November for a three-month handover with Brewster

Siplon starts at ATRI in November and works alongside Brewster until she retires in February 2027, when he assumes the presidency. ATRI is the trucking industry's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. Its board announced the appointment on Oct. 16.