Ground Freight








Asia

North America

Ground Freight

Lutnick: US and Kazakhstan sign $4 billion locomotive agreement

Howard Lutnick, the Commerce Secretary announced Monday that the United States and Kazakhstan had reached an agreement on locomotives worth $4 billion. Lutnick, in a blog post on X, said that the deal was reached after a phone call between President Donald Trump of the United States and Kazakh president Kassym Jomart Tokayev. Lutnick stated that "these locomotives will provide connectivity in Europe and Asia, connecting The Middle Corridor with American technology as its core." He didn't mention the U.S. firms involved or their role in manufacturing the locomotives. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on the central Asian nation, which...

Ground Freight

Trump: Merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern sounds good

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said that he thought it was a good idea to merge Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern for $85 billion. The Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and President Trump met in the Oval Office last week to discuss the railroad’s plan to buy out Norfolk Southern. Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office that "Union Pacific is an excellent railroad." The announcement in July of the merger of two of the major U.S. railroad operators shocked the market, which was already highly concentrated. Under the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust policies, such a...

Passenger Transportation Services

Trump administration strikes deal with Washington Union Station to regain control

The Trump administration announced late Friday that it had reached a deal with the federal government to regain control of Washington Union Station, located in the nation’s capital. The U.S. Department of Transportation, President Donald Trump’s latest initiative to increase federal control, announced last month that it would reclaim the management of Washington's Union Station. It is one of the nation's largest rail hubs. The federal government will assume control of Union Station under a new agreement signed by Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA stated that "regaining control of the station will allow Amtrak the freedom to...

Ground Freight

FedEx's quarterly profits rise, but US tariffs dent 2026 earnings forecast

FedEx posted a higher profit for the quarter, but projected 2026 earnings per shares that were largely below analyst's estimates. This is because it expects to take a hit due to U.S. tariffs ending on low-value direct-to consumer shipments. In extended trading, shares of the company rose by about 6% on Thursday. On May 2, the U.S. government ended the "de minimis exemptions" that allowed packages valued below $800 to be imported duty-free from China and Hong Kong. These shipments represented about three quarters of the roughly 1.4 billion packages which entered the United States every year under this program....

Ground Freight & Logistics

FedEx's earnings forecast for 2026 is below expectations due to US tariff impact

FedEx posted a higher profit for the quarter, but projected earnings per share in 2026 that were largely below analyst's estimates. This is because it expects to take a hit due to U.S. tariffs ending on low-value direct-to consumer shipments. According to data compiled and analyzed by LSEG, the Memphis-based company expects adjusted earnings for full-year in a range between $17.20 and $19.00 per share. The mid-point is slightly below analyst estimates of $18.21. Since 2023, FedEx has been working to reduce operating costs by billions of dollars. This is done through parking planes and closing facilities. It has a...

Passenger Transportation Services

Trump names board to mediate New York rail dispute

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive directive to create an emergency board that will conduct mediation in order to prevent a strike at the Long Island Rail Road. The rail road serves more than 300,000 passengers each day. Five unions claimed to have asked Trump for intervention on Monday. The unions threatened to strike the New York commuter railroad this week. A spokesperson for the White House said that Trump had acted on the unions' requests "to bring both parties back to the negotiation table and prevent an strike which could have crippled New York City and disrupted...

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Unions withdraw their threat to strike New York Rail Agency

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Monday that the unions have backed down from their threat to strike at Long Island Rail Road later this week, which serves more than 300,000 daily passengers. At a press event, a group of unions announced that they had requested President Donald Trump appoint a board to act as a mediator after threatening to strike the commuter railroad in New York. This action does not mean that a strike will never happen. Gil Lang, the general chairman of BLET's LIRR Engineers, said that it is unlikely to happen in the near future....

Transport Infrastructure

Union Pacific CEO talks to Trump about $85 billion plan for Norfolk

Union Pacific Corp CEO Jim Vena and U.S. president Donald Trump met in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the railroad’s proposed $85billion buyout of Norfolk Southern Corp, according to the company. The company is seeking regulatory approval for the largest U.S. railway merger in decades. The announcement in July of a merger between two major U.S. railroad operators shocked a market that was already very concentrated. Under the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust policies, such a proposal was unthinkable. The White House didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Trump's backing could speed up the review process in...

Ground Freight

Union Pacific CEO talks to Trump about $85 billion plan for Norfolk

Union Pacific Corp CEO Jim Vena and U.S. president Donald Trump met in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the railroad’s proposed $85billion buyout of Norfolk Southern Corp, according to the company. The company is seeking regulatory approval for the largest U.S. railway merger in decades. The announcement in July of a merger between two major U.S. railroad operators shocked a market that was already very concentrated. Under the Biden administration's aggressive antitrust policies, such a proposal was unthinkable. The White House didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Trump's backing could speed up the review process in...

Ground Freight

Union Pacific CEO talks to Trump about $85 billion plan for Norfolk

Union Pacific Corp CEO Jim Vena and U.S. president Donald Trump met in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the railroad’s proposed $85 Billion buyout of Norfolk Southern Corp. The company is awaiting regulatory approval as it waits for what could become the U.S. rail freight industry's largest consolidation in decades. White House support may accelerate the lengthy review despite opposition from competitors and concerns from shippers about reduced competition. The White House didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. If approved, the merger could transform the U.S. rail freight industry, creating the first coast to coast single-line...

Passenger Transportation Services

Trump nominates pilot to serve on Transportation Safety Board

According to Senate records, President Donald Trump has nominated an American Airlines captain and safety official for the National Transportation Safety Board. John DeLeeuw is the managing director for safety and efficiency at American Airlines, and a Boeing 777 captain. He has been appointed to replace Alvin Brown, a former appointee from the Biden administration, who was fired by the White House last May. The NTSB is responsible for investigating all major highway, rail, marine, and aviation accidents. The NTSB determines the probable causes of accidents and provides safety recommendations. If confirmed, John will be a great addition to the...

Transport Infrastructure

Vena, CEO of Union Pacific, says merger with Norfolk Southern will be approved

Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena stated on Wednesday that he is confident the railroad operator will receive approval for a merger from the U.S. government over its deal to acquire Norfolk Southern. Union Pacific announced in July that it would acquire the smaller competitor for $85 billion, including cash and stock. If approved, this acquisition would make the United States' first coast-tocoast freight rail operator. Vena, speaking at the Morgan Stanley Conference in New York, said that he had met with high-ranking officials of the government who called the deal "a win for the country". Do I think that we...

Europe

Passenger Ground & Sea Transportation

Tunnel under the Alps connects Italy and Austria

On Thursday, workers broke through the final thin layer of rock to open an underground tunnel that will become a high speed rail line connecting Europe's north and south. The Brenner Base tunnel, which has been dubbed the longest underground rail link in the world, is at the heart of an EU initiative to move freight from the road to rail to reduce pollution and increase cross-border trade. At the ceremony of breaking the first rock, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Mello said: "Today we take together a crucial step towards the construction of one the largest infrastructure projects on the...

Ground Freight

Diesel tweaks help truckmakers hit EU climate targets

The International Council on Clean Transportation's (ICCT) report on Wednesday showed that most European truckmakers will meet the European Union 2025 emission targets, despite the fact that electric trucks only make up a small percentage of sales. Heavy-duty vehicles, which are almost exclusively diesel-powered, account for one quarter of road transport emissions in Europe. According to EU regulations, manufacturers are required to reduce CO2 emissions in 2025 by 15 percent compared with 2019 levels. Truckmakers, unlike carmakers, can meet the emission standards by increasing diesel efficiency, and using regulatory flexibility, rather than selling large numbers of electric vehicles. The ICCT...

Ground Freight

French and Benelux stocks: Factors to watch

Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or even individual stocks. SAFRAN The French aerospace group is looking to sell a significant part of its interiors business. SOFINA The Belgian holding reported a lower net asset value for the first half of 2024 than it did in 2010. It was 9.8 billion euro compared to 10.3 billion euros in the same period last year. The French group announced a half-year revenue totaling 2.5 billion Euros and confirmed its long term strategy. Pan-European market data: European Equities speed guide................... FTSE Eurotop 300...

Western Europe

Middle East

Ground Freight

Israeli military identifies missile fired from Yemen toward Israel

Israel's military confirmed that a missile fired from Yemen at Israel on Thursday fell in an area open outside Israeli territory. No sirens were activated. This was the third launch of this kind within 24 hours. Yemen's Iran supported Houthis have recently increased attacks and launched missiles in response to Israeli attacks against Yemen. The Houthis launched missiles and drones towards Israel from thousands of kilometers away, calling it an act of solidarity with Palestinians. The majority of missiles or drones that were launched either missed their targets or were intercepted. Israel has responded by bombing areas in Yemen controlled...

Ground Freight

Operator says crew of Greek ship that was hit by Yemen is safe, but vessel could sink.

The operator of the Greek bulk carrier said that the 19-member crew, which was severely damaged by repeated attacks in the Red Sea, likely carried out by Houthi militants are safe. They will arrive at Djibouti on Monday evening. Michael Bodouroglou said that the fate of the Liberian Magic Seas, which is flying the Liberian flag, was uncertain. The vessel could sink, according to Bodouroglou. The first incident of this kind to be reported since mid-April was Sunday's attack off the southwest coast Yemen. The Magic Seas was targeted by gunfire, rocket-propelled missiles, and skiffs for more than four hour....

Ground Freight

UK maritime agency reports that a ship was attacked in the Red Sea near Yemen.

An attack on a ship in the Red Sea, off the coast of Yemen's southwest coast, was launched by eight small boats using gunfire and grenades. A British maritime agency and a security firm confirmed the incident. The situation continues, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and British maritime security company Ambrey. The attack was not immediately attributed to anyone. This is the first report on the region by the agencies since the middle of April. The tensions in the Middle East are still high due to the conflict in Gaza, the 12-day Israel/Iran war that lasted for...

Ground Freight

New York Times business news - Sept 12

The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has actually not confirmed these stories and does not guarantee their accuracy. - Norfolk Southern fired its chief executive officer, Alan Shaw, and promoted its primary financial officer to run the railway after an internal probe into accusations Shaw had actually broken business ethics policies. - Shares of Trump Media & & Innovation Group, the moms and dad business of Truth Social, opened more than 15% lower on the early morning after the debate in between republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris....

Ground Freight

UAE's Etihad Rail launches sustainable finance framework in green push

Etihad Rail, the designer and operator of the United Arab Emirates' rail network, has actually introduced a sustainable financing framework to support its green financial investments in transportation and infrastructure, it said on Wednesday. The business said the structure would connect future funding to its ecological, social and governance method, supplying standards on potential investments in areas such as clean transport, green structures and pollution avoidance and control. Etihad Rail's statement, which gave no more details on prospective investments, said that the framework offers guidelines around green loan and bond concepts, using proceeds, job assessment and selection, along with proceeds...

Ground Transportation

United States railway company, safety board chair to affirm at U.S. House hearing

The head of the Federal Railway Administration, chair of the National Transport Safety Board and senior pipeline security firm official will affirm at a July 23 U.S. Home subcommittee hearing on rail security. In May 2023, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passed sweeping rail safety reform legislation in the consequences of the February 2023 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio that forced homeowners to temporarily desert their homes after the train ignited and launched over 1 million gallons of dangerous materials and toxins but there has actually been little movement given that. Recently, bipartisan legislation was...