Shipping giant Maersk raises outlook, CEO says global trade proving more resilient than feared

Core Insights - Maersk has raised its full-year operating profit forecast to between $9 billion and $9.5 billion, up from a previous range of $8 billion to $9.5 billion, indicating resilience in demand and operational efficiency [1][3][4] Financial Performance - The company reported preliminary underlying EBITDA of $2.68 billion for the July-September period, which is above the $2.6 billion expected by analysts but significantly down from $4.8 billion during the same period a year earlier [2] - Maersk's third-quarter operating profit exceeded expectations, driven by increasing container volumes and operational cost control [3][4] Market Outlook - The global container market volumes are expected to grow by around 4% in 2025, an increase from the prior forecast of 2% to 4% [5] - The CEO emphasized that the narrative around the decline of globalization is premature, citing the ongoing strength of China's manufacturing sector as a key driver of trade growth [5][6]