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Ground Freight

US warns that it could force out some Pennsylvania railcars

Sean Duffy, U.S. Transportation secretary, warned late Thursday that his department may soon order a Pennsylvania transit agency not to use a fleet railcars because of fire risks. He also raised a number of safety and financial concerns. On October 1, the Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order that required the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to fix fire risks from its Silverliner IV Railcars within 30 days after a safety recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board in response to a series five fires. Duffy wrote to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro that "SEPTA does not have the...

Ground Freight

Norfolk Southern's strong merchandise volume helps it to beat its quarterly profit target

In its first earnings report following the announcement of the merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, the U.S. railroad company beat Wall Street's expectations for the third quarter profit. Mark George, CEO of Osiris Group, said in an earnings call that while the impact was not significant in the third-quarter, the reaction from competitors to the merger announcement had begun to affect revenue. Surface Transportation Board approval is required for the deal that drew positive feedback from U.S. president Donald Trump. Norfolk reported lower quarterly volumes for its coal and intermodal segments. Trump's tariffs are causing a decline in...

Transport Infrastructure

Norfolk Southern's profit increases by a quarter

In its first earnings report following the announcement of an $85 billion agreement to create the nation's only coast-to-coast rail freight operator, Norfolk Southern reported a higher third-quarter profit. Surface Transportation Board approval is required for the deal that drew positive feedback from U.S. president Donald Trump. Union Pacific's strong coal volume helped it to surpass Wall Street profit estimates earlier on Thursday. Last week, CSX, a peer company, beat Wall Street's quarterly estimates due to improved intermodal volumes, higher pricing and increased merchandise prices, which helped offset lower coking prices. Union Pacific has said that it will file its...

Ground Freight

Union Pacific beats quarterly profit estimates on strong coal volumes

Union Pacific beat Wall Street expectations for the third quarter profit on Thursday, thanks to strong volumes of food grains and coal as well as improved pricing. After U.S. president Donald Trump signed executive order aimed at boosting coal production, there is optimism about demand for coal transportation, which benefits railroad operators like Union Pacific. Union Pacific reported that the results included merger costs of 41 million dollars, or $0.07 per diluted share. The company's shares were marginally lower in premarket trading. Union Pacific announced in July that it would acquire Norfolk Southern, a rival freight railroad company. The $85...

Transport Infrastructure

Citi to withdraw lead from LME Singapore Warehouses

Four industry sources have confirmed that Citigroup plans to remove large quantities of lead from London Metal Exchange approved warehouses in Singapore as it seeks other rent-sharing agreements. Citi declined to make a comment. In March of this year, the U.S. Bank placed a large amount of lead in LME's warehouses on warrants - title documents that confer ownership. These were put there for lease deals or agreements which allow warehouses and companies to share their rental income with each other. Metal for Rent companies do not need to own the metal. Instead, they receive a portion of the rent...

Transport Infrastructure

Longacre Square and AI startup InvestorSight announce partnership

Longacre Square Partners, a corporate advisory firm, has formed a partnership with InvestorSight - a startup that uses artificial intelligence to analyze investor behavior during takeovers and board battles. InvestorSight is a company co-founded by Dartmouth Professor Mark DesJardine, and data scientists. It has developed the first interactive tool that models how institutional investors and mutual funds are likely to respond to different corporate situations. This tool can be used to collect advanced data including the voting patterns of investors in previous contests to determine a company's or an activist investor's vulnerability. InvestorSight, a tool interactive that allows users to...

Ground Freight

CSX exceeds its quarterly forecasts on the basis of higher intermodal volumes and merchandise pricing

CSX's third-quarter revenue and profit were above Wall Street expectations on Thursday, as improved intermodal volumes and increased pricing in merchandise offset the impact of lower coal prices. The railroad operator saw its shares rise 3% after the announcement. The East Coast Railroad Company has been hampered by the weakness of the coal market due to the lower demand for energy as consumers switch to natural gas. In a recent earnings call, COO Mike Cory stated that "our domestic coal business continues with steady trends throughout the year." After President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to...

Ground Freight

J.B. Hunt's shares rise as cost-cutting lifts trucking firm’s quarterly profit

J.B. Hunt shares rose 16% on early Thursday trading after a $100-million cost-cutting programme helped the company overcome a long-lasting freight downturn to increase its third-quarter profits. Since 2022 the trucking industry has been struggling with overcapacity, falling freight rates and only modest growth of shipment volumes. J.B. Hunt was able to protect its margins in the third quarter, thanks to a cost-saving program that aimed to save $100 million a year. This included route optimization, lower overhead, and administrative expenses. Analysts at Evercore ISI applauded this performance and called it a J.B. Hunt specific outcome, which establishes an increased...

Passenger Transportation Services

Trump withholds $40,6 million from California due to truck driver English rules

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it would withhold $40.6 million in federal transportation funds from California for failure to comply with rules governing truck driver English proficiency. In August, the U.S. Transportation Department warned California and Washington states that they might lose their funding if they don't adopt English proficiency standards for commercial truckers. Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, said that California is the only state to refuse to make sure big rig drivers are able read road signs and can communicate with police. In response to the Transportation Department's request, a spokesperson for California Governor Gavin...

Ground Freight

J.B. Hunt reports a 12% increase in its quarterly profit due to cost savings

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, a U.S. trucking company, reported on Wednesday a 12% increase in its third-quarter profits. This was due to ongoing cost-cutting initiatives taken in response a downturn in freight in the industry. After-market trading saw a 11% increase in the shares of the company. Since 2022, the trucking industry is in decline, due to excess capacity, declining freight rates and a modest increase in shipment volume. Experts predict that the recession will continue, and that tariffs imposed on U.S. President Donald Trump by Trump's administration will add pressure to the situation. This could delay recovery. The Arkansas-based...

Integrated Logistics

Blackstone buys stake in Tritax Big Box following $1.4 billion UK Logistics Deal

Tritax Big Box announced on Monday that it had agreed to purchase Blackstone's UK logistic assets for 1,04 billion pounds ($1,39 billion). The U.S. Private Equity firm will take a 9% share in the London listed real estate investment trust. Recently, two UK-based companies engaged in a bidding battle over Warehouse REIT. In the UK, the real estate investment trust sector (REIT) has undergone significant consolidation over the last two years. Warehouse landlords, investment firms and other companies are capitalizing on the growing demand for quick delivery by increasing occupancy rates and securing increased rents for logistic spaces in UK...

Ground Freight

Ross Kerber: US Boards seek experience in dealing with AI and tariffs

New data indicates that recruiters are returning to the basics when it comes to hiring directors for top U.S. firms. Boards want experienced people to help them tackle issues like artificial intelligence or President Donald Trump’s tariffs. These trends are also a departure from the focus boards used to have on recruiting younger directors or those with more diverse backgrounds. According to a report released on Tuesday by Spencer Stuart, the executive search firm and leadership advisory, incoming directors of S&P 500 companies are averaging 59.1-years-old. This continues a trend that has been increasing for years. In addition, 30% of...

Europe

Freight Logistics

DSV, a freight company, trims its outlook and flags the persistent market uncertainty

Danish freight company DSV posted slightly higher profits than expected for the third quarter, but cut its outlook for the full year. The company cited a significant impact of foreign exchange rates and softening demand in an uncertain market. Since U.S. president Donald Trump imposed new tariffs earlier this year, European shipping and logistic firms have been under pressure because of falling freight rates and weaker demands. DSV now expects operating profit for 2025 to be between 19.5 and 20.5 billion Danish crowns (3.05 billion-$3.20billion), down from the previous range of 19.5 to 21.5 billion crowns. Michael Ebbe, Chief Financial...

Ground Freight

China's ANE receives take-private bid from Temasek-backed Consortium

ANE (Cayman), said that it received on Friday a conditional offer from a consortium, including Centurium and Temasek, for a potential take-private transaction which could lead to the delisting of ANE from Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In a filing to the stock exchange, the Chinese transport and delivery company stated that an indicative proposal had been submitted on 17 September. It involved Centurium Capital which owns approximately 24,422% of ANE shares and entities related to Temasek, True Light Capital and other companies. After trading was resumed after the announcement on September 18, shares in ANE fell 12%. According to the...

Transport Infrastructure

Media report that Russian railcar and tanks maker reduces working week for civil staff

The company's media service announced to Russian media that the company will be reducing its civil-sector workforce from five days per week to four due to weakening demand. Sources and companies say that the move is being made as Russia's largest industrial companies, such as automakers, mining, and metallurgical firms, put employees on furlough, or cut staff, as war economy slows down, domestic demand stagnates, and exports dry-up, according to sources. Uralvagonzavod, despite temporary fluctuations on the railcar market and its diverse production, continues to operate in a stable manner, the company stated, without specifying the number of employees affected....

Western Europe

East Asia

Ground Freight

Wall Street is over; Zions raises concerns about regional banks

Wall Street fell on Thursday as signs of weakness among regional banks frightened investors who were already on edge due to the U.S. - China trade tensions. Zions Bancorporation shares fell after the regional lender disclosed an unexpected loss in two loans made to its California division. This added to investor anxiety about hidden credit pressure as lenders navigate economic uncertainty while interest rates are still relatively high. Western Alliance's slump also fueled concerns about regional banks after it announced it had initiated a lawsuit for fraud against one of their borrowers. Investors were watching the S&P 500, which recently...

Transport Infrastructure

LMEWEEK - LME examines amending warehouse storage rules

Matt Chamberlain, Chief Executive of the London Metal Exchange (LME), said that the LME is looking at a market consultation for amendments to the rules of the 450 warehouses it has around the globe. The LME has been introducing queue-based rent caps (QBRC), which limit rental income for registered warehouses at 80 days following the notice given by the owner of the metal to take delivery. The rule has unintended effects. The rule has unintended consequences. Traders who have contracts to deliver metal beyond 80 days can cancel warrants and get free storage. Meanwhile, consumers cannot access metal stored in...

Ground Freight

Transnet gets control of Chinese spares disputed by S.African court

Transnet's CEO announced on Thursday that a South African court had ordered China's CRRC E-Loco, which has been in a long-running dispute with Transnet, to release locomotive parts it had refused to provide. This decision is a boost to the plans of Transnet to improve its performance. Both parties are involved in a legal battle after Transnet halted 1,064 locomotives supplied by four original equipment manufacturers, including CRRC E-Loco. Transnet claimed that contracts for 2014 worth $54.4 billion rand (3.18 billion dollars) were illegally awarded by previous company leadership. Transnet reported that in 2023 161 locomotives provided by CRRC E-Loco...

Ground Freight

Wall Street Journal, September 11,

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. Mexico is planning to increase import tariffs on almost 1,500 products including cars, steel, textiles and appliances to protect the domestic industry and job opportunities, particularly from cheap Chinese goods. This comes amid wider trade talks with both the U.S. Oracle has signed an unprecedented $300 billion cloud computing contract with OpenAI to support massive AI expansion starting in 2027. This is one of the biggest tech contracts ever, and signals a high-stakes wager on ChatGPT’s continued...

Integrated Logistics

Sources say that JD.com, a unit of China's largest tech company, JD.com, and two other companies plan to invest $1 billion in Singapore REIT.

Two sources familiar with the matter said that JD.Com's property investment arm and two other firms are planning to launch a Singapore based real estate trust (REIT), with assets valued at potentially more than $1 billion. Sources said that JD Property (the unlisted infrastructure investment platform and asset management platform for JD.Com) is creating the REIT in partnership with Partners Group, a Swiss investment firm, and EZA Hill Property which is backed up by Asian investment firm Hillhouse. Sources who refused to name themselves because the matter was private said that the REIT plan could be listed at the Singapore...

Transport Infrastructure

New York Times Business News - July 30,

These are the most popular stories from the New York Times' business pages. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. Vinay Prashad, chief medical and scientific officer of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has resigned from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (which oversees the FDA). After a rare 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Russia's east coast, the National Weather Service upgraded its tsunami warning to cover a 100-mile stretch of Northern California coastline between Cape Mendocino bordering Oregon. Union Pacific announced that it would purchase smaller rival Norfolk Southern...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Hong Kong Government proposes first ride-hailing regulations

After years of discussions and complaints by licensed taxi drivers in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government has presented proposals to regulate ride-hailing services, such as Uber. Uber, the first ride-hailing service in Hong Kong to operate without regulation, was launched in 2014. Uber drivers were arrested for driving without a licence after police raided the office of Uber in 2015. Ride-hailing services have an unfair advantage over taxis, according to the city's taxi sector, which is struggling with a decline in income. The Transport and Logistics Bureau stated in a document submitted to the Legislature that all platforms offering...

Ground Transportation

LME's new Hong Kong storage facilities are attracting a lot of interest in metal deliveries, according to the CEO.

According to the CEO of the London Metal Exchange, there is a strong demand for metal delivery before the new warehouses open in Hong Kong next month. This is partly due the tightness of the copper market. The LME approved the construction of three new warehouses in Hong Kong last month, bringing the total up to seven. This is part of its efforts to increase its presence in this city, which is the gateway for the world's largest metals consumer - China. Hong Kong's high costs have led to questions regarding the viability and cost of new storage facilities in...

Passenger Transportation Services

Leasys, an auto leasing company, aims to double the fleet of its low-emission cars by 2026

Leasys, an auto leasing company, aims to double its fleet's share of electric and hybrid vehicles by the end of next year. The rapid advancements in electric technology present challenges to the industry. Leasys, a 50-50 joint venture between Stellantis in Italy and France's Credit Agricole is the third-largest player in Europe's long term auto rental industry. The long-term lease, which allows the customer to rent a car at a fixed rate per month, usually for a minimum of 365 days, is an alternative to owning. In recent years, corporate clients have driven its popularity. Leasys is present in 11...

Ground Freight

Shanghai copper prices surge on the back of dwindling stock

Reports citing four traders indicate that copper inventories at the Shanghai Futures Exchange will continue to fall this week. This would be a continuation of the steep drop, and could trigger a price spike. Traders said that the surge in prices for ShFE copper, an important metal used by China's massive manufacturing sector, would attract more metal into the exchange warehouses. This will make a complete depletion of the stock unlikely. Yangshan copper premium is already tightening up. It is a measure of China's appetite to import copper. On Monday, it was at $93 per ton, its highest level since...

Transport Infrastructure

British Company - Jan 28

The following are the leading stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not guarantee their precision. The Times - The takeover of Harland & & Wolff by the Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia has been finished in an offer anticipated to secure more than 1,000 British tasks. - More than $700 billion was wiped from the worth of the world's biggest technology business after the emergence of a. cut-price Chinese rival to ChatGPT raised doubts over whether. America can sustain its lead in expert system. The Guardian - Elon Musk's Tesla has...

Transport Infrastructure

LME authorizes Hong Kong as delivery point for metals

The London Metal Exchange (LME) has authorized Hong Kong as an LME delivery point and the listing will become active three months after the first warehouse company has been approved, it stated on Monday. The metals approved for shipment in Hong Kong SAR are aluminium alloy, copper, lead, nickel, primary aluminium, tin, and zinc, the LME stated. Companies looking for approval to operate a warehouse in Hong Kong needs to reveal that they have access to the needed experience needed to run a storage facility in accordance with the LME procedures, it stated. Authorizing storage facilities in China, the world's...