Supply Chain Research

Supply Chain Edge: New routes, risks, and realignment after Trump-Xi summit and amid continued Middle East-driven shifts

May 21, 2026

Key findings
– The summit between US President Donald Trump and mainland Chinese President Xi Jinping lowered the temperature, not the stakes: both sides signaled a managed stabilization in ties, but the deliverables remain narrow and reversible, and see unresolved points from Taiwan to ... Read more →

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Supply Chain Edge: Passage to peace, national security tariffs revisited, slowdown slows down

April 10, 2026

– A narrow US-Iran two‑week ceasefire will not immediately smooth logistics through the Strait of Hormuz. More than 600 vessels are waiting at Persian Gulf ports and crossings fell to three per day in March versus a usual 100, leaving disruption likely to persist even if tensions ease.
–... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Widening impact of Middle East war, outlook for trade policies, prospects for US-mainland China deal

April 2, 2026

Key findings – The continued conflict in the Middle East is driving a widening range of supply chain disruptions. In new research this week, we identify challenges for US farmers from nitrogenous fertilizer shortages, clothing and industrial materials makers from reduced naphtha availability, ... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Section 232 time, Middle East conflict costs and upcoming consoles

March 20, 2026

– US trade policy and the resulting tariffs remain highly dynamic, with the average US import duty rate reaching 9.8% in January ahead of the replacement of International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) duties with Section 122 and previously signed trade deals in question. The latest act... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Impact of Middle East conflict; shifting maritime regulations; new deals in Latin America

March 6, 2026

– The conflict in the Middle East has serious repercussions for global supply chains. In new research this week, we consider the impact of the loss of transshipment hubs for global container freight and the loss of airfreight access for electronics and pharmaceuticals. The US government also c... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Inflection points, cyberattacks, fire disruptions

October 10, 2025

Key findings – US supply chain activity is at an inflection point, our latest outlook shows, with an early end to the peak shipping season, container shipping rates continuing to fall and lower imports expected for next year. It might be too early for holiday decorations, but imports are alrea... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Q3 outlook has conflicting decisions; US inventories rise; dull fireworks boom

June 27, 2025

• A focus on tariffs has distracted decision-makers from other disruptive challenges in supply chains, our third-quarter supply chain outlook finds, with escalations in kinetic conflicts, natural risk and trade disputes possible.
• Tariffs will still play an important role, with rulings ... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Finding a home for tariffs; conflict risks return; Mexico’s reshoring future

June 20, 2025

– US import duties are not a new phenomenon for home goods firms, but new challenges and solutions abound. A deep dive into the furniture sector shows a steady long-term trend in reshoring away from mainland China and (eventually) to the US, while tactically firms are using price increases spa... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Dealmakers, device-makers, toymakers and toolmakers

May 9, 2025

– The governments of the US and mainland China will meet to discuss trade relations, potentially leading to lower tariffs, although there are significant barriers to a deal before July. The US government in the meantime has clarified Section 232 automotive tariffs, including tariff rebates and... Read more →

Supply Chain Edge: Tackling tariffs with global regionalization, pricey tires and early

May 1, 2025

– As the corporate earnings season gets underway, more firms are discussing their approaches to dealing with tariffs with a range of tactical price and cost responses and steady moves to strategic reshoring in what we are referring to as “global regionalization.”
– A prime example comes ... Read more →

Showing research about Iran