Taiwan Targets Drone Hub with $1.38B Non‑red Supply Push
Can Taiwan fulfil Asia-Pacific drone hub goal with ‘non-red’ supply chain push? Plan is to invest US$1.38 billion between 2025 and 2030 for uncrewed systems industry, but questions linger over scale, politics and timing https://t.co/jb0kr8jdVY via @scmpnews
Governments Sign Free‑trade Deals, Sparing Consumers New Tariffs
Yes, and the kicker is that these governments keep signing real, durable, comprehensive FREE TRADE deals without imposing costly new taxes (tariffs) on their consumers. Almost as if....

US‑Iran Standoff: Unclear Resolution Timeline, Strait at Risk
US demands. Iran demands. Will there be resolution? If so, how long to achieve? And if not? In the meantime, what about maritime and the Strait? https://t.co/H96YCgv7lV

Top Nations Relying on Hormuz for Fertilizer Imports
Which countries are most dependent on fertilizer through the Straits of Hormuz. More on this in the Chartbook Top Links today. https://t.co/r2Cnz3sGtS
Taiwan's Political Choices Ripple Through Global Supply Chains
Taiwan politics isn’t just a local issue. When a party like the KMT shapes how closely the country engages with China and the US, it influences a supply chain the entire world depends on. That’s why it matters far beyond Taiwan. https://t.co/2eGMOnyZKp

TACO Boosts Trump, War Uncertainty Keeps Oil Low
"Rather than being a sign of weakness, TACO is working in Trump’s favor. No one knows for certain when or if he’ll try to end the war, which has been enough to stop traders from pushing up the oil price."...
US Import Prices Surge to Four‑Year High
"US Import Prices Jump by Most in Nearly Four Years Ahead of Iran War" "Excluding petroleum, import costs advanced 1.2%, the most since January 2022 and driven by higher prices for capital goods and consumer merchandise excluding automobiles." https://t.co/0glmjMPmLR
Transparent Negotiations Won’t Survive Last‑Minute Discount Demands
Procurement entered at the the 5 yard line of my largest Enterprise deal ever last year. We ran discovery on their procurement process. Learned what mattered most: -Short-term contract vs. longer-term agreement? -Total price vs. price per seat? -Cash flow for billing? We were transparent about...

Qatar's Largest LNG Plant Faces 2‑4 Year Restart Delay
The world's biggest LNG plant in Qatar wont be able to quickly restart even after the Iran war ends🇶🇦⚠️ Two of the plant's trains were damaged, and need new gas turbines to power LNG refrigeration compressors. Delivery will take 2-4 years...

Fuel Surcharges Emerging Globally, More to Follow
Fuel surcharges are starting to roll in around the world. This one's for an Australian car service, but I'm betting your going to see a lot more of these everywhere very soon. https://t.co/4lWJw5vyNw

EU-Mercosur Trade Deal Launches May 1, Covering 25% of Global GDP
"EU says Mercosur free trade deal will start May 1, accounting for 25% of global GDP" https://t.co/357IyH3KRA https://t.co/tpysXMlyjm

Europe's Gas Reserves Deplete Amid War‑driven Supply Crisis
Europe faced with near-empty gas stores just as war hits supply https://t.co/AMi8Pr6NeH via @priazrocha https://t.co/iNtIl6DXzV

Flatbed Rates Surge to $3.74/mile, Industrial Demand Spikes
Flatbed trucking spot rates +$.05/mile overnight to $3.74/mile as industrials show no sign of cooling. https://t.co/kpqUrejGlK
SLN Secures Funding, Yet New Caledonia Nickel Remains Risky
SLN stabilised with fresh funding, but New Caledonia nickel supply still faces deep structural risks. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/new-caledonia-nickel-supply-gains-time.html

Countries Scramble for Fertilizer to Avert Food Crisis
Nations race to secure enough fertilizer and prevent a food crisis https://t.co/XNG35EquM6 via @parija_pratik @ilenapeng @ElThorn22 https://t.co/6wfySPHkym
Weak Refining Economics Heighten Strategic Pressure on US Smelters
US copper smelters face rising strategic pressure as weak refining economics reshape the copper supply chain. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/us-copper-smelters-face-strategic.html

India's Economy Crippled by Gulf Dependence Amid Iran War
#IndiaWatch 🇮🇳: As the Iranian war drags on, India takes an economic hit. Eighty percent of Indian gas imports, forty percent of Indian oil imports, and forty percent of India’s remittances depend on the Gulf. MODI SHOULD SEND TRUMP AND NETANYAHU A...
Asia Cuts LNG Imports to Free Gas for Europe
This is why there is so much focus on gas demand destruction 👇 Importers (particularly those in emerging Asia) will need to take less LNG to free-up more for Europe and other richer nations the longer Hormuz/Qatar is shut

Saudi Red Sea Exports Avert Major Hormuz Oil Disruption
Saudi oil exports from its Western ports on the Red Sea represented the most immediate and largest mitigation of the Hormuz crisis. Logically, any oil transported via pipelines from east to west and loaded at the Red Sea ports must be...

Australia Faces Fuel Shortage as Hormuz Disruption Persists
Australia is RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. As the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, hundreds of gas stations across the country are running dry. THE GAS STATIONS SHOULD SEND A BILL FOR DAMAGES TO TRUMP AND NETANYAHU. https://t.co/9LMx4BprMq

WTO Tracker Shows Heavy Oil/LNG Traffic Through Hormuz
Look at the number of oil and LNG vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz in the WTO's newly-launched tracker. It is based on "AIS-traceable vessels only" -- but I think that's a fair picture. Who in their right mind would think "dark...
US Navy's Proximity Stalls Commercial Traffic in Hormuz
And Trump just explained why there’s virtually no commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz right now. The Lincoln is ~600 miles off Iran’s coast. That gives it several minutes of warning time, plus an entire air wing, three destroyers, a...

US Brigade Plan Risks Escalation Into Iran's Oil Heart
US weighing deployment of a combat brigade to take Kharg, repair airfields Supply lines would follow That’s a blueprint for escalation into Iran’s oil heart MARKETS AREN’T READY FOR THAT OUTCOME #IranWar #Oil #Hormuz #Geopolitics #EnergyMarkets https://t.co/ekbkXerzjV

Domestic Intermodal Rail Jumps 8% YoY
Truckers aren't the only ones feeling the freight market surge. Domestic intermodal rail +8% YoY https://t.co/3KVVCFp8Q9

Hair‑follicle Tests Could Curb Trucker Drug Abuse, Not Racism
Lots of public attention towards non-english speaking truck drivers, but the industry has far bigger safety issues. One of them is the proliferation of drug and alcohol issues among truck drivers, including cocaine and opioids. Currently, truck drivers are only...

Tariffs Boost Prices Now, Promise Uncertain Future Benefits
Tariffs raise prices now and gamble on benefits later—if they come at all. Meanwhile, retaliation and supply chain shifts hurt U.S. businesses. That’s not a clear “benefit.” And corporations don’t price based on taxes alone—they price based on what they...
Europe Braces for Iran War Fuel Shortages
Europe will soon face the same kind of fuel supply disruptions as Asia due to the war in Iran, says Shell’s CEO 🇪🇺 ⚠️ “If you look through the slate, jet fuel is already being impacted. Diesel will be next...
California's Energy Crisis Looms as Iran Blocks Oil Routes
California is careening toward an energy crisis because it depends on refined out imports, says Chevron 🇺🇸 ⚠️ Now shipments from China, South Korea, Singapore and elsewhere are at risk of slowing significantly as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz https://t.co/KXe3T6k8Dw
Trump Pushes Iran Ceasefire to Keep Strait Open
So Trump admin is [rightly] panicking about the Strait of Hormuz so they’re going to try to get Iran to agree to a 1-month ceasefire to negotiate during which I’m sure Trump wants the Strait open Iran’s main leverage is the...

Aluminum Prices Surge 12‑40% Amid US‑Israel Conflict
As a result of the US-Israeli war in Iran, ALUMINUM prices are UP 12-40% THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. The world’s biggest carmakers are reportedly “panic buying.” CARMAKERS SHOULD SEND A BILL FOR DAMAGES TO TRUMP & NETANYAHU. https://t.co/yRInvBpEdm
Trump Hints at Hormuz Delay Due to Rapid Interceptions
One of the charms of Trump is that he will sometimes tell you what is really happening if you read between the lines. For example, here he all but told us the real reason Hormuz isn't open yet. I would think interception...

Iran's Strait Fees Prompt Calls for Counter-Embargo
We go to war and end up getting embargoed by Iran, which is now charging protection fees for oil tankers to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That's nuts. If Iran can embargo us with a couple of drones, we...

Speed Is 2026’s Currency—Upgrade to Faster Ops
Speed is the 2026 currency. If ops aren't moving with $SOL velocity, you're losing. Upgrade to a system with $BTC-like certainty. Interested? Let's chat. Connect and let's talk how I can help you solve your problems. $SOL $BTC $ETH #ERP #SupplyChain #SAPBusinessOne...

Drone Strikes Threaten Russian Oil, Global Market Stability
With the Persian Gulf effectively offline, losing Russian oil would be devastating to the global markets. Drone warfare continues to evolve and reshape the way these conflicts unfold, especially when targeting energy infrastructure. #crude #russiaukrainewar #geopolitics https://t.co/L5OoXtN7DJ
US Should Leverage Abu Musa, Tunbs
FTR, I suggested the US look at Abu Musa and the Tunbs as avenues to securing the Straight of Hormuz back on March 5… https://t.co/UU4UsAph4d
Oil Shortage Anywhere Hits All Nations Equally
The trouble with looking at the current Hormuz crisis through the lens of which countries have historically imported the volumes is that all of these countries will now be rabidly bidding for all the other barrels. A barrel of oil lost...

Farming and Trucking: Low Pay, Chronic Shortages, Immigrant Dependence
Don’t mean to rage bait y’all but have you seen this article? “Like working on a farm, driving a truck is far from the most rewarding occupation, which is why both industries are chronically understaffed and need immigrants to fill their...
Sources Hint Kharg Island Transfer Explains Sudden Cooperation
What of they are giving us Kharg Island? Why would they suddenly be so cooperative? There aren’t many theories out there where this makes any sense… but my sources suggest it may be true.
Russia's Oil Profits Surge; Carmakers Forced to Source Russian Aluminum
Russia is earning the most from its oil exports since the 2022 Ukraine invasion. https://t.co/71t01Q9mI9 Meanwhile some carmakers are considering buying aluminum from Russia. “We don’t really want to take supplies from Russia but we have no choice” https://t.co/fzAXIO4N0x

Master Flow Math: Key Laws for Leadership
📘 My favorite leadership read this week. What’s on your list? 💡 The math of flow, variability, WIP, and cycle time—must-know laws. Helpful resource: 🔗 https://t.co/2wgrSzLcqG #FactoryPhysics #OperationsScience #Flow #MachineShopTechTalk #Manufacturing #MachineShop https://t.co/X3kAibF2OI
Iran Conflict Could Shut Strait, Disrupt Global Supply Chains
Planning for two-three weeks more of Iran war. What does Iran do? Are we teaching a tipping point of how long the Strait will be closed or have few ships transiting? Then what? Maritime? Supply chains. Global economy?
Iran's Strait of Hormuz Leverage Ensures Persistent Economic Power
“Iran holds a lot of cards with the Strait Of Hormuz.” That’s the quote to remember. Geography can be economic power, and “that vulnerability remains pretty much forever.” https://t.co/OoCOYi8LMc

Service Input Costs Hit May High; Manufacturers at Seven‑month Peak
"Input prices for services rose to the highest since May, while those for manufacturers jumped to a seven-month high." https://t.co/NMR6KvBOzE https://t.co/DhoJ1m76qO

Rising $5 Diesel Squeezes Truckers, Hits Economy
"$5 Diesel is Crushing Truckers. It Will Soon Be Felt Across the Economy." https://t.co/u6Z4qcVLci https://t.co/m3UrTU1L2r

Speed and Security Don't Justify Government Equity Stakes
"Rare Earths, Vulcan, and Government Equity Stakes" https://t.co/O8xyNepv2V via @CatoInstitute @DeHavenTad "The case for speed is not a case for ownership—and the case for national security is not a case for normalizing a model in which politically favored firms receive...

Freight Data Reveals Unprecedented Manufacturing Surge Since COVID
The freight data doesn't lie... It has been signaling incredibly strong manufacturing conditions for months. I am seeing some of the strongest freight volume charts tied to industrial activity I've seen since COVID. https://t.co/jJXPO8D1OQ
Iran's Transit Fee Hikes Oil, LNG, and Shipping Prices
Factoring in Iran’s “transit” fee. And what it does to the price of oil, LNG, and anything else moving thru the Strait.
Jeff Wilke Reveals Amazon’s Trillion‑dollar Scaling and Physical AI
Deployed Episode 1 is live. @jeffawilke scaled Amazon’s operations from a billion to a trillion dollars. We got into things he's rarely talked about publicly -- drones, lights-out factories, the future of Physical AI. Link below. https://t.co/BLWpc9TdvS

Japanese Automakers Turn to Russian Aluminum Amid US‑Israeli Conflict
As a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Japanese carmakers are looking to BUY ALUMINUM from RUSSIA. RUSSIA = THE BIG WINNER OF TRUMP & NETANYAHU'S WAR. https://t.co/JIiV9xOkFp

Inland Markets Thrive, Ports Lag as Nearshoring Rises
TL;DR: Inland markets looking good, port markets less so. Nearshoring picking up steam. Great report by @CushWake, will put link below. https://t.co/srELQGxQpf