Kelsea Ansfield

After several years of uneven freight demand, the less-than-truckload (LTL) sector is operating from a position of renewed strength in 2026. Improving industrial activity, resilient consumer spending, and disciplined capacity management have restored pricing power and given carriers greater confidence. Industry analysts report that LTL carriers continue to secure mid- to high-single-digit contract renewals. Revenue per shipment has been supported by general rate increases and broader adoption...

Airfreight rates declined in July even as jet fuel prices climbed sharply following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East. The latest Baltic Air Freight Index (BAI00) from TAC shows average rates fell 8.8% compared with June levels. Despite the monthly drop, rates remained 16.8% higher year-over-year as of late July, supported by residual effects from earlier Middle East tensions, elevated fuel costs, and continued demand linked to data center construction. However, the pace of...

The Logistics Manager’s Index (LMI®) registered 68.9 in July, a moderate slowdown from June’s 71.1 (the fastest expansion rate since March 2022). While expansion eased, the reading remains well above the all-time average of 61.7 and higher than any monthly figure recorded between 2023 and 2025. Logistics activity is still growing robustly, but the nature of that growth is shifting. Key Drivers of the July Reading Cost pressures continue to dominate: Inventory Costs rose to 77.0 (up 1.1...