Supply Chain Research

The U.S. advance trade deficit for April, scheduled to be published on May 30, may show a marked year over year increase. Panjiva’s analysis of seafreight data shows exports from eight major ports fell 3.6% year over year, while imports climbed 4.5% across all ports. While export price inflation outstripped import price deflation that still yields a “signal” for a 3.3% drop in exports and 3.4% rise in imports when adding shipments to inflation. Given the value of imports is 1.5x that of exports there will need to be a marked swing in air- and land-freight to avoid a second monthly year-o...