Category: global supply chain

UK Chancellor ‘Confident’ Shops Will Have ‘Good Amount of Christmas Presents’

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak assured Britons on Thursday that “a good amount of Christmas presents” will be available amid concerns that supply chain issues may lead to empty shelves. Retailers have been urging people to buy their Christmas gifts early after a shipping company decided to divert their freight from the port of Felixstowe due…


China Controls the World’s Critical Minerals Supply Chains

News Analysis Global supply chain interruptions are exacerbated by China’s lock on chemical processing. In 1987, former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping said, “The Middle East has oil, China has rare earths.” It seems that decades ago, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had already recognized the importance of controlling raw materials. Beyond mining and extraction, China’s…


China’s Large-Scale Power Cuts Create Further Chaos in Global Supply Chain

China’s power cuts and blackouts have affected more than 19 provinces, causing factories to shut down and disrupting the global supply chain. Several Apple and Tesla suppliers and companies in the chemical industry suspended their production, which caused the prices of raw materials to soar. Chinese news portal Sohu reported on Sept. 28 that workers…


Global Supply Disruptions Could Still Get Worse, Central Bankers Warn

FRANKFURT—Supply constraints thwarting global economic growth could still get worse, keeping inflation elevated longer, even if the current spike in prices is still likely to remain temporary, the world’s top central bankers warned on Wednesday. The disruptions to the global economy during the pandemic have upset supply chains across continents, leaving the world short of…


Australian Consumer Watchdog Begins Investigation Into Rising Shipping Costs

The Australian consumer watchdog has begun an investigation into Australia’s rapid rise in shipping and container costs, which is beginning to cause price hikes in the retail sector. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman Rod Sims told The Australian that the investigation would focus on the price and movement of containers. “We are…


Australian Retailers Warn Shoppers to Buy Christmas Gifts Now Amid Global Supply Issues

Australian retailers are warning Aussie shoppers to finalise their Christmas shopping now as the global supply chain experiences severe congestion and major delays. Port closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks are seriously affecting global supply chains and ocean freight lines. “Global disruptions continue to cause flow-on delays to vessel arrivals in Australia and capacity limitations,” NSW…