Still Working The Brakes – The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates again today, reflecting the continued strength of the U.S. economy. Inflation is down from its peak last year, but the Fed wants additional reductions in the pace of consumer price increases. U.S. chickens have so far been unruffled by any federal action to pen in price […]

It is Balloooon! Not since the days of Fort Courage has a quasi-celestial object so entranced your nation’s capital. That first balloon was perhaps a fitting symbol of the wind-whipped drift of U.S.-China relations during the month. Good news from our mates across the pond. Leadership of the United Kingdom and the European Union announced an agreement on a new […]

Food Fight – Well we know for sure the PMA and ILWU are discussing the west coast labor contract. Because now they are fighting.  ILWU Local 13 workers have shut down terminal operations in LA/LB during lunch and dinner breaks. Terminal operators want to stagger breaks so pickups and drop-offs can continue during meals. The lack of a contract makes […]

Mixed Signals For FTZs The month of April was a mixture of good and not-as-good news for international traders. The ILWU announced that they reached agreement on more key issues with the PMA, which is an improvement over the work stoppages we reported to you in April’s FTZ’ine. No west coast contract yet though. U.S. Customs had dramatic attendance at […]

Madam Secretary: The FTZ industry is breathing easier this month. The U.S. Department of Commerce formally announced the appointment of Elizabeth Whiteman as Executive Secretary of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board. That means there is an experienced hand at the helm of this evolving program as it prepares to enter its ninth decade of fostering U.S. employment growth through international trade. […]

Done Deal: FTZ users and operators cheered the news last month of a tentative contract between the ILWU and PMA to cover U.S. West Coast port workers. Ratification by the membership is still required, and is expected in late July. A yes vote, combined with other global events, will start to reorient supply chains as west coast unloading becomes a […]

FTZs Dodge A Bullet: It is a hot one in your Nation’s Capital, but temperatures have dropped a little since UPS worked out a tentative agreement to avert a strike of its drivers. That strike could otherwise have started today, but instead we have two major labor deals in the last two months. The FTZine also hears that the Canadian […]

Summer Heat Wilts Trade: August is vacation month here in DC. Congress adjourned at the end of July and promptly left town; the Senate will resume normal business after Labor Day; the House a week later. That made it easy for August weather to have a larger impact on trade than policy changes in your Nation’s Capital. Hurricanes on both […]

Back In Business: Bet you didn’t think that was going to happen. With only hours left before Uncle Sam’s spending authority expired, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy reached a deal with Democrats to keep the government in business for six more weeks. Still no federal budget, and more negotiation will be needed before the Thanksgiving holiday to avoid a […]