supply chains

An aerial view of the cargo ship Dali after it ran into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.

National

Clearing Baltimore's shipping channel won't be easy, will take at least weeks

5:15pm March 29, 2024

by Scott Neuman

The likely first step will likely be securing the massive container ship that brought the bridge down on Tuesday. Then, clearing debris from the shipping channel.

Tomato shortages in the U.K. are being blamed on bad weather, energy prices and trade policy

Let them eat... turnips? Tomato shortage in UK has politicians looking for answers

7:32am March 01, 2023

by Stacey Vanek Smith

Frost, floods, energy prices and Brexit are among the possible culprits in the shortage of tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli and lettuce in the U.K.

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A tentative deal announced Thursday would avert a strike on the nation's freight lines with the potential to throw supply chains into chaos. Above, a CSX freight train travels through Alexandria, Va.

A deal to avert a rail strike is on track, but it won't fix U.S. supply chain issues

10:22am September 16, 2022

by Scott Neuman

Supply chain disruptions have eased since the height of the pandemic, but concern over a potential rail strike, which appears to have been narrowly averted, highlights how that system remains fragile.

The House and Senate are far apart on their bills to address computer chip shortage

5:15pm April 18, 2022

by The Associated Press

Both bodies have passed legislation on the matter, and the effort is one of their last opportunities before the November elections to show voters they are addressing strained supply chains.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has been selected for a second term at the helm of the Fed, a move likely to be welcomed by markets.

Biden reappoints Jerome Powell as Fed chairman at a critical time for the economy

11:07am November 22, 2021

by Scott Horsley

President Biden has tapped Jerome Powell to serve a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve as the economy faces huge challenges, including surging inflation.

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High-resolution satellite imagery shows the Suez Canal and the container ship Ever Given that remains stuck north of the city of Suez, Egypt.

Here's How A Long Shutdown Of The Suez Canal Might Roil The Global Economy

5:09pm March 26, 2021

With one of the world's largest container ships solidly lodged in the Suez Canal, blocking billions of dollars' worth of commerce each day, NPR takes a look at the worldwide implications.

What Bikes Tell Us About A Changing Global Economy

10:19am August 25, 2020

by Greg Rosalsky

COVID-19 and tariffs are reconfiguring trade. And companies are reevaluating how and where their products get made.

Workers wear protective face masks at the Yanfeng Adient factory in Shanghai, where car seats are assembled, on Feb. 24.

As New Coronavirus Cases Slow In China, Factories Start Reopening

11:32am February 29, 2020

Strict quarantine measures have prevented 300 million migrant workers from returning to work. Now local authorities are trying to get businesses going again. The main bottleneck: a shrunken workforce.

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An entrance to a dormitory for Foxconn workers. China's factories normally ramp up production right after the Lunar New Year, but few workers have returned so far this year.

The Wide-Ranging Ways In Which The Coronavirus Is Hurting Global Business

5:36pm February 19, 2020

Some factories are beginning to reopen, but labor shortages continue. In a recent poll of U.S. companies by Shanghai's American Chamber of Commerce, 78% said they lack staff to resume full production.

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A shipping container is offloaded from the Hong Kong-based ship in Oakland, Calif., last month.

China Says U.S. Has Begun 'Largest Trade War' In History, Retaliates With Tariffs

1:12pm July 06, 2018

by Colin Dwyer

At midnight, U.S. tariffs took effect on $34 billion worth of imported Chinese goods — and Beijing responded quickly. The tit for tat marks a significant escalation in the countries' trade dispute.