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Stories Tagged as

Supply chain

Why some car parts are still hard to find

by Henry Epp
Sep 18, 2023
Dealers are still playing catch-up after the chip shortage and suppliers are building parts for new cars rather than those on the road.
Dealerships are hesitant to sell high-demand parts to repair shops. Instead, they're prioritizing putting those parts into new cars.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images
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When one company dominates a market, there can be downsides

by Meghan McCarty Carino
Aug 24, 2023
Chipmaker Nvidia is the breakout sensation of the AI boom. But supply chain snarls have taught us the risks of having few sources.
Nvidia designs about 80% of the specialized chips needed to train complex artificial intelligence models. It makes a single-source product that's fabricated by only one company.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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India's ban on certain rice exports sends some U.S. consumers scrambling to find it on store shelves

by Ali Budner
Jul 28, 2023
The Indian government recently decided to ban exports of non-basmati varieties.
The Indian Government said it banned some rice exports to tackle inflation that had been driving rice prices way up for Indian consumers.
Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images
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Businesses are stocking inventory again

by Justin Ho
Jul 27, 2023
Businesses spent 2022 offloading a glut of inventory, but — in a good sign for the economy — they’re starting to carry more products now.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Why homebuilders remain confident in spite of high interest rates

by Ali Budner
Jul 19, 2023
High interest rates are hitting the construction industry, but homebuilder confidence keeps growing, given the steady demand for new construction.
With existing inventory still low and mortgage rates still high, more buyers are turning to new construction.
JIM WATSON / Getty Images
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What happens if UPS workers go on strike?

by Kristin Schwab
Jul 10, 2023
The last time UPS workers went on strike was 1997. It lasted 15 days, and cost $850 million. 
UPS and its workers union just ended another round of negotiations with no deal, and their contract expires July 31.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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After months of glut, manufacturers now say inventories are almost "too low"

by Justin Ho
Jul 6, 2023
Manufacturers surveyed by the Institute for Supply Management said that their clients’ inventories shrank in June. But how low is too low?
Low inventory levels could be a sign that manufacturers are doing a good job of handling the economic slow down.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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West Coast ports lost market share. Will they get it back?

by Sabri Ben-Achour
May 8, 2023
Stung by supply chain breakdowns and worried about labor unrest, many shippers have rerouted goods to the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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After years of too much or too little, a return to just-in-time inventory

by Justin Ho
Apr 4, 2023
The cycle of shortages and overstocking may be easing, thanks to supply chains restarting in Asia and the cost of storing products.
With inventories in better shape, big promotions and discounts have subsided.
Hollie Adams/Getty Images
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With labor and supply still tight, a Detroit business owner finds an optimistic new normal

by Nicholas Guiang
Feb 1, 2023
Supply chain hangups and labor shortages have frustrated small businesses. But for a custom frame shop in Detroit, optimism is high for 2023.
Eric Vaughn of Eric's I've Been Framed Shop has handled business smoothly, despite being down to just two employees.
Courtesy Vaughn
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