Supply Chain Research

U.S. international trade activity rose by 3.7% year over year in February, the fourth straight expansion. That was largely down to a 10.1% rise in imports and particularly an 18.4% jump in consumer goods imports as demand remained robust and congestion at ports was worked through. Exports however fell by 5.4% year over year, the 14th straight decline and the 22nd in the past 24 months. The automotive industry and its semiconductor woes are partly to blame with exports linked to the sector down by 10.4%. The February winter storms in the southern U.S. contributed to a 1.2% dip in industri...