Maersk, a bellwether for global trade, posts profit beat and raises full-year guidance

Company Performance - Maersk reported a second-quarter operating profit of $2.3 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.97 billion and up approximately 7% from $2.14 billion in the same period last year [1][2] - The company raised its full-year 2025 financial guidance, now expecting underlying EBITDA between $8 billion to $9.5 billion, an increase from the previous range of $6 billion to $9 billion [2] - Sales for the second quarter rose nearly 3% year-on-year to $13.1 billion [3] Market Outlook - Maersk anticipates global container market volume growth between 2% and 4%, a revision from the previous forecast of -1% to 4%, indicating stronger market demand outside of North America [3] - The company noted ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea are expected to persist throughout the year [3] Industry Context - The shipping industry is facing a new era of trade complexity due to U.S. President Donald Trump's implementation of higher tariff rates ranging from 10% to 50% on various trading partners [4] - Major trading partners like the U.K., Japan, and South Korea have negotiated lower tariffs, while the European Union has reached an agreement to reduce tariffs on most goods to 15% [5] - The U.S. has imposed significant levies on goods from several countries, including 50% on Brazil, 39% on Switzerland, 35% on Canada, and 25% on India [5]