Supply Chain Research

U.S. trade experienced an 11th month of price inflation in October. Import prices rose 2.6%, and while that was partly due to fuel costs, the underlying price component rose 1.4% – the fastest rate since March 2012. Export prices inflated more quickly, at 2.5%. A 12th month of growth in the trade deficit may depend more on shipping volumes than average prices. Imports overall grew 3%, down from 5% a month earlier. The picture on exports is less clear. Five complexes have reported so far, averaging 2% export growth vs. 6% in imports for those ports alone. Yet, east coast ports saw exports...