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FedEx is helping the U.S. Army modernize logistics operations across 23 government-owned depots and industrial facilities, as the military looks to replace legacy supply systems with predictive analytics and faster delivery networks.

FedEx Dataworks is leading the effort to improve inventory management, demand forecasting, and transportation routing, using its supply chain data and technology capabilities alongside time-definite next-day delivery.

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The Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) rose to 70.7 in October from 70.2 in September, its second-highest reading in four years, behind June’s 71.1.

What’s Happening: Inventory levels rose 8 points to 66.9 in October, while inventory costs climbed nearly 9 points to 88.8, their highest reading since March 2022.

The influx of goods is tightening available capacity: the warehousing capacity index fell to 43.5, while transportation capacity dropped to 38, both indicating contraction. At the same time, warehousing and transportation prices continued to rise.

Price Rise: Higher inventory costs, storage prices, and transportation prices pushed the aggregate logistics costs index to 257.5 on a 300-point scale, up more than 11 points from September.

Researchers said aggregate logistics costs are expanding at their fastest rate in more than four years, drawing a comparison with March 2022.

Americold raised its 2026 earnings forecast for the second consecutive quarter as higher warehouse occupancy, increased throughput, and improved pricing lifted operating performance.

Key Details: Third-quarter revenue grew 4.2% year over year to $691.6 million, while same-store net operating income in its global warehouse segment increased 6%. Reported net income surged to $683.4 million from a loss of $11.4 million a year earlier.

Big Picture: Occupancy improved across its facilities: economic occupancy, which includes both physically stored pallets and contractually committed space, rose 210 basis points to 78.5%, while physical occupancy climbed 460 basis points to 70%. Throughput at same-store warehouses also increased 4.1%, indicating more goods moving through the facilities.

Same-store warehouse services revenue grew 7.1% to $324.5 million, while services NOI increased 25.1% and the services margin expanded from 13.6% to 15.9%.

North American Class 8 truck orders fell sharply in October as fleets delayed equipment purchases amid uncertainty over the Environmental Protection Agency's 2027 nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions regulations.

Key Details: ACT Research estimated preliminary net orders at 13,500 units, down 45% year over year, while FTR put the figure at 15,600, a 36% decline from October 2025 and 24% below September. FTR said orders were nearly 50% below the 10-year October average of 31,089 units.

A major source of uncertainty is how the EPA27 rules will affect engine prices and production schedules. Under a proposed regulatory framework, nonconformance penalties could add an estimated $6,000–$7,000 per engine if passed on to customers, compared with an estimated $8,000–$12,000 premium for fully compliant engines.

Key Details: Rising operating expenses are adding to the hesitation. Fuel, insurance, and labor costs continue to pressure fleet margins, even as freight rates improve, and some operators may be prioritizing trailer purchases over new tractors

The U.S. Postal Service plans to introduce a permanent fuel surcharge on mail and package shipments in 2027, extending fuel-related price increases across the U.S. parcel industry.

Key Details: Unlike the temporary 8% surcharge USPS introduced in April, the new fee will vary week to week, meaning shipping costs will fluctuate with fuel prices rather than remain fixed. The current surcharge is scheduled to expire on January 17, 2027.

The Reason: The move follows a sharp increase in transportation fuel costs since the war in Iran began. U.S. diesel prices have climbed to $6.35 per gallon from $3.76 last February, while average gasoline prices have risen to $4.22 from $2.98 before the war.

Big Picture: FedEx and UPS have also raised fuel-related charges: their ground fuel surcharges stood at 25.5% and 26%, respectively, when USPS introduced its temporary increase in April. USPS has not yet disclosed the details or rate structure of its planned permanent surcharge.

U.S. railroads moved 514,080 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending October 31, a 3.5% increase from the same week last year, according to Association of American Railroads data. Carload traffic rose 3% to 233,816, while intermodal volumes climbed 3.9% to 280,264 containers and trailers.

Key Details: Seven of the 10 commodity groups tracked by the AAR recorded year-over-year gains. Metallic ores and metals led with an 18.3% increase to 25,059 carloads, followed by motor vehicles and parts, up 9.1% to 16,628, and chemicals, up 7.9% to 34,523. Grain shipments fell 8.3%, miscellaneous carloads declined 12.2%, and coal slipped 0.4%.

The growth extended across North America. Canadian railroads reported a 5.1% increase in carloads and 4% growth in intermodal units, while Mexican railroads recorded gains of 11.1% and 26.9%, respectively. For the first 43 weeks of 2026, combined U.S. carload and intermodal traffic was up 3.8% year over year to 22.1 million units.

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether major cardboard producers colluded to fix prices for containerboard and related products.

Key Details: Smurfit Westrock, International Paper and Packaging Corporation of America disclosed in regulatory filings that they received grand jury subpoenas as part of a criminal investigation being conducted in federal court in Chicago.

What’s Happening: The investigation follows a class-action lawsuit filed last year that accused several containerboard manufacturers of conspiring to fix prices beginning in 2020.

The scrutiny comes amid repeated price increases by major producers, even as inflation and elevated freight costs weigh on demand for packaging products. North American containerboard prices rose in September, according to Fastmarkets RISI's benchmark index, which helps determine pricing under some contracts.

Companies are rethinking their warehouse networks as rising consumer expectations make delivery speed a competitive priority over cost.

In a survey of more than 1,800 business leaders across six countries, 91% said retailers and logistics providers urgently need more decentralized fulfillment networks, according to Prologis.

Key Details: The survey also found that just 36% of companies plan to maintain their existing global footprint, down 14 percentage points from a year earlier. Faster delivery was the primary reason behind the shift, with same-day delivery increasingly seen as a competitive priority.

Close to Customer: More than half of the surveyed companies said they were both diversifying and regionalizing their operations, while roughly a third were pursuing nearshoring or reshoring. Prologis CEO Dan Letter said the company is focusing on warehouses in major consumption and population centers, closer to customers.

More than 250 trade groups and shipper associations are urging the U.S. Trade Representative to permanently suspend port fees on China-built or China-linked vessels, arguing that the charges would add costs to an already strained transportation system.

What’s Happening: Signatories include the National Retail Federation, National Association of Manufacturers, World Shipping Council and U.S. Dairy Export Council. The fees, imposed under Section 301, have been paused for a year, but the current suspension is due to expire November 9. USTR has proposed extending it through January 9, 2027.

Key Details: The proposed charges range from $18 per ton to $120 per container. The policy was designed to encourage domestic shipbuilding by offering vessel owners exemptions of up to three years if they order new U.S.-built ships.

But the groups argue that China-built vessels account for a significant share of global ocean capacity, meaning the fees would affect a much wider pool of importers and exporters than just Chinese shipping companies.

A.P. Moller-Maersk raised its full-year earnings forecast for the third time this year after higher freight rates drove a sharp increase in third-quarter profit.

Key Details: Revenue rose 27% year over year to $18.1 billion, while EBITDA climbed to $4.7 billion from $2.7 billion a year earlier. The company now expects full-year underlying EBITDA of $14 billion to $14.5 billion, up from its previous forecast of $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion.

Sea Power: The Ocean division was the biggest contributor, with operating profit rising to $2.6 billion from $567 million a year earlier, as higher freight rates offset a roughly 1% decline in Maersk’s shipping volumes. Logistics & Services revenue grew 13%, while Terminals posted record revenue and maintained strong earnings.

The Fall: However, EBITDA fell short of analysts’ $5.04 billion estimate, and Maersk shares dropped as much as 11.6% in Copenhagen trading.