It's a big number in isolation, sort of, but it's also got to be taken in aggregate. Absolutely. Look, Apple spends a lot on these types of initiatives all the time.They have already been planning to spend hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming years. The Trump administration likes big, round, big honking numbers. Right.And this is a way for them to say we've scored a victory. We are bringing manufacturing back to the United States on Apple's part, making these pledges, throwing these numbers out the ...

Who buys Iran’s undercover foodstuffs? And where do they end up? Our investigation into the intricate supply chain that props up Iran and corrupts its neighbours https://t.co/5aZZuf05SF ...

GXO Logistics (GXO) Q2 2025 Earnings Call August 06, 2025 08:30 AM ET Speaker0Welcome to the GxO Second Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Conference Call and Webcast. My name is Shyamali, and I'll be your operator for today's call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. Later, we will conduct a question and answer session. Please note that this conference is being recorded.Before the call begins, let me read a brief statement on behalf of the company regarding forward looking statements ...

It's the bright green drink that's now a lot of people's cup of tea. Every time someone else is getting coffee, I'm like, "Okay, give me the matcha." Matcha, a vibrant powder swirled into lattes, lemonades, and ice cream. Oh, it's really good. It's so creamy.The budding obsession is rooted in a rich history. Matcha has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies and appreciated for its apparent health benefits for centuries. in like the 1200s, 1300s, like people in Japan were talking about that and promoting it li ...

Manufacturing Reshoring & Challenges - Guardian Bikes shifted manufacturing from China starting in 2022, facing risks and initial losses [1][2] - US manufacturing firms and plants decreased by 25% between 1997 and 2023 due to falling global trade barriers [3] - Obstacles to reshoring include higher costs and the need to rebuild domestic supply chains [5][13][19] - Automation is crucial for US manufacturers to combat offshoring advantages like lower labor costs [15] Guardian Bikes' Strategy & Progress - Guardian Bikes' annual revenue exceeds $100 million, producing approximately 12 thousand bikes weekly [11] - The company aims for 70% of bike components to be US-made by the end of 2025, potentially reaching 100% by 2026 [17] - On each assembly line, Guardian Bikes produces about 1 thousand bikes a day, equating to one bike every 30 seconds [1] - Guardian Bikes leverages proximity to other manufacturers to source parts locally [16] Economic & Policy Context - The average wage for a manufacturing worker in the US is around $35 per hour, compared to approximately $4 per hour in China and $1.30 per hour in Vietnam [24] - China's spending on industrial policy was around $248 billion in 2019, compared to $84 billion (0.39% of GDP) by the US [25] - The US has shifted towards a service-based economy, with service jobs accounting for over 80% of non-farm employment [32]

China's Economy & Trade Talks - China's economy is in relatively good shape, with July data showing improvement compared to June, although growth is not exceeding year-ago levels [1][2] - China has included export controls in trade negotiations, giving them significant leverage, particularly concerning rare earths and critical minerals [3][5] - The inclusion of export controls has created a situation of mutually assured destruction, giving China a choke point over the United States economy [6] Manufacturing Sector - Despite PMI data suggesting weakness, the manufacturing sector in China remains strong and continues to export [9][10] - While exports to the United States have contracted, there has been a surge in exports to Asia, indicating the manufacturing machine is still productive [10] - Manufacturing's strength is crucial as China currently lacks other significant growth drivers [11] Security Concerns & Chip Industry - China is raising potential security risks with chips, potentially as a response to concerns about Huawei [6] - There are concerns about the future ability to geographically track chips, leading to worries about transshipment and potential circumvention of regulations [7]

RT Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive)"Asia's role in global supply chain allows it to influence the transition in ways that many other regions cannot," aberdeen's Nicole Lim speaks on Asia shaping innovation, labor and long-term resilience at #SustainableBizSummit⏯️ https://t.co/vSEJ4lV3Es https://t.co/ANh7MXnXEw ...

RT Jeff Lutz 🔋 (@thejefflutz)Agreed - well said. When you're building something never done before, there is no predecessor to lean on in product decisions, engineering, or supply chain, the probability of schedule variation is essentially those three areas ^3.... , you're inventing it all real time. I would expect more surprises too but agree there is a fairly strong track record of excellence in product, eng, & supply chain at Tesla to figure this out w/Elon's leadership & team.I also believe >90% of bot p ...

These feeds here, each of these bags hold two metric tons of monazite and they're 50 plus percent rare earth oxide. So a very, very high value feedstock here. Here at the White Mesa mill in Utah, mineral company Energy Fuels is processing rare earth elements. These materials are crucial to modern-day technology. Rare earths refer to 17 elements on the periodic table whose atomic structure gives them special magnetic properties. Rare earth magnets power everything from electric vehicles and wind turbines to ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: China Industrials and Shipping - **Focus**: Tracking trade flows amid changing US tariffs on China, covering shipping, shipbuilding, ports, international freight flights, and land transportation [2][36] Core Insights - **Container Throughput**: Container throughput at key ports in China increased by 3% week-over-week (WoW) and 5% year-over-year (YoY) in week 29, indicating an acceleration in front-loading [3][6] - **Port of Los Angeles**: Import volume estimates indicated a flat WoW change but a significant 17% YoY growth in week 31, following a 14% YoY decrease in week 30 [9] - **International Freight Flights**: The number of international freight flights rose by 12% YoY last week, compared to an 11% YoY increase in week 28 [30] Shipping Rates and Trends - **Freight Rates**: The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) decreased by 5% WoW, with transpacific rates declining by 2% and 13% for the West Coast and East Coast of the US, respectively [4][12] - **Container Ship Supply**: The supply of container ships in intra-Asia remained stable, with the Asia feeder ship availability index increasing by 2% WoW [4][15] Port Operations and Congestion - **Port Congestion**: High yard utilization continues at European ports, although overall waiting times for container ships have decreased by 22% WoW [5][24] - **Average Waiting Times**: Average waiting times at major North and South American ports remain around 5 days, with some ships still experiencing delays [26][31] Additional Insights - **China Expressway Truck Traffic**: Increased by 2% YoY last week, indicating a potential rise in domestic logistics activity [25] - **Vietnam Exports**: Vietnam's exports rose by 21% YoY in the second half of June, reflecting strong trade dynamics in the region [19] Risks and Considerations - **Macroeconomic Risks**: Investment downsizing at the macroeconomic level poses a key risk for China's industrial sector, with potential impacts on demand for industrial goods and import/export volumes [36] - **Policy Changes**: Cancellation of preferential policies, such as tax incentives for high-tech companies, could adversely affect earnings [36] This summary encapsulates the key points from the conference call, highlighting the current state of the China industrial and shipping sectors, along with potential risks and opportunities.