VinFast scales EV deliveries and launches $500M plant in India
VinFast delivered 3,520 electric vehicles in a single 24‑hour period in Vietnam, showcasing its production and logistics capabilities. The company is breaking ground on a $500 million plant in Tamil Nadu that will support a 150,000‑vehicle‑per‑year capacity and serve as a regional export hub for right‑hand‑drive markets. Its next logistical test will be expanding into India and Indonesia.
Also developing:

The Philippine Department of Energy has signed contracts to import 1 million barrels (≈165.7 million liters) of diesel, enough for five days of national consumption. The deals, brokered through the Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corp., are part of a P20 billion ($360 million) procurement plan to acquire 2 million barrels. The first shipment of 22.57 million liters arrived earlier this week, and the government will sell the diesel to retailers at cost. Suppliers may include firms from Southeast Asia, Japan, Canada and the United States.
Halo Vista, a $7 billion, 30‑million‑square‑foot mixed‑use masterplan led by Mack Real Estate Group and McCourt Partners, broke ground on March 26 around TSMC’s new Phoenix semiconductor plant. The development will add office, industrial, retail and residential space, anchoring a technology ecosystem...
Swift Beef workers at JBS USA's Greeley, Colorado plant have extended their walkout into a third week, with 99% of the 3,800‑strong United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 backing the strike. The labor dispute pits workers demanding higher pay...
Mercedes‑Benz North America chief Jason Hoff announced a company‑wide reorganization, including a $34 million technology hub in Atlanta, to eliminate siloed business units and tighten feedback loops. The move targets corporate inefficiencies that have hampered the luxury automaker’s U.S. performance.
Apple announced a $400 million commitment to broaden its U.S. manufacturing partnerships, targeting new production capacity and tighter supply‑chain control. The move underscores the tech giant’s strategy to localise critical components and reduce reliance on overseas factories.
Sony announced a temporary suspension of orders for almost all SD and CFexpress memory cards due to a worldwide semiconductor shortage. Prices have tripled, tightening supply for AI data centers and consumer electronics across emerging markets.
The Iran‑Israel‑U.S. war has pushed Brent crude to about $120 a barrel, shut 20% of global oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz and sparked warnings that soaring energy costs could tip the United States toward recession. The crisis is...

@KirkusReviews , 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 1933, 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚’𝐬 90% 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥. Kirkus describes the book as “𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.” The review highlights how China has built industrial capacity to meet 90%...
But of course. It's not the US' problem. Literally saying, "now let the rest of the world fight it out with Iran. We're done here." Interesting new angle, though: Is it all just about money for Iran? What about their...
UAE supermarket chain Spinneys is piloting a 6,000‑km overland truck route from the UK through Europe, North Africa and Egypt to deliver snacks and crisps, aiming to bypass sea‑freight delays caused by the West Asia conflict. The trial, run with...
GE expects higher LEAP engine deliveries in 2026 as supply chain recovery and strong MRO demand support growth. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/ge-leap-engine-deliveries-set-to-rise.html

FreightWaves will be introducing a brand new low-cost data, new, and research platform of national freight market summary data for website browsers next week. We call this FreightWaves Market Monitor. It is a roundup of our national data, making it...
All northbound lanes of Interstate 75 were closed Friday morning after a multi‑vehicle crash near the Brent Spence Bridge, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) said. Traffic backed up into Northern Kentucky by 5:30 a.m., snarling a key regional corridor and prompting...
Trump delays Iran attacks to 6 April, but Strait of Hormuz risk keeps oil and supply chains on edge. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/trump-delays-iran-attacks-as-strait-of.html
Nvidia reported a 263% year‑over‑year jump in networking revenue to $11 billion in the latest quarter, underscoring the surge in AI‑driven data‑center builds. The growth highlights a widening AI supply chain that now includes high‑speed interconnects, Ethernet switches and power‑management firms.
A U.S. firm has reportedly resumed domestic production of a critical rare‑earth material for the first time in decades, though the company gave no specifics. Meanwhile, Chinese mining and energy groups posted divergent full‑year results, underscoring volatility in the global...
Apple has broadened its U.S. manufacturing program, bringing Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK and Qorvo on board as new domestic suppliers. The move underscores a multi‑billion‑dollar effort to shore up American supply‑chain resilience for its consumer‑electronics portfolio.
Robots demonstrated package sorting, piano playing and food preparation at Beijing's Zhongguancun Forum, underscoring the breadth of real‑world applications on display and drawing global attention to China's robotics momentum.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) unveiled LoTSA 2.5, an upgraded Long‑Term Slot Allocation program designed to give shippers more certainty and flexibility. The new system introduces slot redistribution by package type and transit direction, sequential competitions, and expanded options for date...

Can someone explain this why Jason Miller believes that flatbed spot rates are flat or down slightly in March? Is DAT's flatbed data that far off from Truckstop and SONAR (two completely independent data sources)? Even if you use Miller's...
A plastic shortage is emerging. Asia makes ~60% of plastics & depends on Hormuz-linked oil & gas Less energy = less plastic Less plastic = broader shortages This is how an energy shock hits the real economy. #Oil #NatGas #Plastics #SupplyChains #EnergyCrisis
Iraq is currently sending 200,000 barrels per day of crude through the Iraq‑Turkiye Pipeline, and officials expect to lift that to 300,000 barrels daily in the near term. The blend includes oil from Kirkuk and about 40,000 barrels from the...
With Houthis entering the war, Cape of Good Hope may soon be the Cape of Only Hope. Countries already facing physical energy shortages are staring at even longer transport schedules, and higher costs. Some useful background from 2024 here: https://t.co/K1abD0tYoN.
Thailand has reached a deal with Iran to allow Thai tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. “An agreement has been reached to allow Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz," Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said...

China’s semiconductor industry has set an ambitious goal to achieve 80% domestic self‑sufficiency by 2030. The target was announced by a coalition of 13 leading Chinese chip firms, signaling a coordinated effort to close the technology gap with the United...
Hormuz oil "We don't have any alternatives at all, and we should not talk about alternatives," says @asasalhajii Any questions? No. Now, what should we talk about? #Oil #Energy #Reality #Geopolitics
How Trump’s Tariffs Are Choking U.S.-China Trade—Chinese share of American imports drops to lowest level since 2001, but overall U.S. goods trade deficit rises @hannahmiao_ @CloudberryRoque https://t.co/tWBXJwnAkx https://t.co/tWBXJwnAkx
Global oil prices surged past $100 a barrel after the Iran war intensified, prompting UBS analysts to warn of higher US inflation expectations and a possible slowdown in consumer spending. The spike is already reverberating through supply chains, fuel markets...
No military operation or policy can replace 20% of global oil supply At some point, price stops listening to narratives, says @JasonBordoff End of discussion #Oil #EnergyMarkets #Hormuz #Geopolitics

PODCAST: What’s next for oil, natural gas and the U.S.-Iran war? A great pleasure to join a special edition of the #ColumbiaEnergyExchange podcast with host @JasonBordoff to discuss how supply disruptions are reverberating across the industry. 🎧Listen now: https://t.co/Nfa3nQ6UWm
Morgan Stanley upgraded Alphabet's revenue forecast, pointing to Waymo's accelerating growth as a key long‑term driver. The analyst house said the autonomous‑driving unit is gaining market share and expanding its commercial fleet, prompting a more optimistic outlook for the tech...

Quick question for @Cargill: With drones and missiles flying across major sea lanes, are you planning to keep these giant bullseyes mounted on your “eco” ships? https://t.co/BWiyOEbXKV

🇮🇳At least they have this choice in India. Most of the developing world do not have this option. India Orders Mandatory Transition from LPG to PNG Amid Supply Crisis
The requested story about the European Commission urging member states to top up gas storage as the Iran war disrupts fuel markets cannot be produced because none of the provided sources contain verifiable details on that specific action.
Gas prices in Europe are running 50-70% above normal, and the Qatar LNG facility attack hit infrastructure will take decades to rebuild. @8eanmurray from @fuseenergy says markets are pricing this as a blip. He thinks they're wrong. @Steven_Ehrlich @bitsandbips https://t.co/DwMsHVSFmY
How Next-Generation #Robots Are Redefining Smart #Warehouses by @lukas_m_ziegler #AI #Robotics #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood #Technology https://t.co/VvolzaqpF3
The Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar fell to their lowest levels in about two months on Thursday, pressured by a sharp rise in fuel prices and a broader slowdown in commodity demand linked to the war in the Middle...
Japan announced a temporary lift of coal‑plant operating caps, the EU urged member states to refill gas storage ahead of winter, and the United States paused attacks on Iranian energy sites, causing Brent to slip to $107.11 a barrel. The...
Agile Robots SE announced a collaboration with Google DeepMind to integrate the lab's Gemini Robotics foundation models into its Agile ONE humanoid platform. The partnership will run a series of development and deployment phases in high‑value manufacturing environments, seeking to...
Opening the Strait of Hormuz is not America's problem, says Marco Rubio "The countries that are most impacted by that should be willing to do something about it." "We'll help you." "We're impacted by it a little bit, but the rest of the...

WSJ: How Trump’s Tariffs Are Choking U.S.-China Trade (with AMAZING charts) by @hannahmiao_ & @CloudberryRoque 🤓 👉🏻 https://t.co/vNeIUWWiqm https://t.co/GB3I7d35ly
The ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis is costing the global shipping sector roughly €340 million a day – about $371 million in U.S. dollars – as vessels reroute or wait for safer passages. The surge in fuel expenses highlights the industry’s acute...
The U.S. could take the Hormuz islands—but not control the outcome says @MahmoudianArman It would be a casualty-heavy scenario It ends in exhaustion, not victory. #IranWar #Geopolitics #AsymmetricWarfare #Oil
The facilities in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman account for roughly 9% of global primary aluminum. This is going to tighten supply for many key global industries like construction, vehicles, and aerospace. #aluminum #iranwar #geopolitics https://t.co/qO2ERCGHMN
Summit Midstream is exploring a capacity expansion on its interstate pipeline that transports natural gas from the Permian Basin’s Delaware subbasin to the Waha Hub, linking Southwest and Gulf Coast markets. The move targets “hidden” constraints—primarily gathering and processing bottlenecks—that...
Reefer, hazmat, and flatbed truckers and logistics service providers were just given a massive financing vehicle by the SBA.
Houthis Threaten Red Sea Escalation as Iran War Risks Spreading to Second Shipping Chokepoint https://t.co/9Nypu2iQHO

The U.S. International Development Finance Corp. is converting a $31 million loan into equity, securing roughly a 20% stake in Australian graphite miner Syrah Resources. DFC will also allocate an additional $15 million to Syrah’s Balama subsidiary in Mozambique, making the agency...
I’ve been a little busy… Did we pass the SAVE Act yet? How about the SHIPs Act?

The Iran war has crippled Middle East production/shipments of fertilitizer and upstream inputs, threatening global food supplies. That could be bad for rich countries - and disastrous for poor ones. https://t.co/YLuPd0NrWM https://t.co/FPLfLjAOYy