shipping

Strike Likely Averted at East Coast Ports

The union for longshoremen along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico has agreed to extend its contract for 30 days, averting a possible strike that could have crippled operations at ports that handle about 40 percent of all U.S. container cargo, a federal mediator announced Friday.

Looming Port Strike Could Cost Economy Billions

Time is running out to avoid a strike at 14 ports from Boston to Houston that could choke off half of the ocean containers carrying goods to and from American shores. Businesses that depend on the flow of goods are warning of billions of dollars in economic damage.

An Annoying Twist for Walmart.com's Clearance Deals

There are nearly 3,000 items in the Walmart.com "Clearance" section and the prices are remarkably low. But the world's largest retailer is testing a new, less customer-friendly wrinkle. Now, some of the online clearance products have to be picked up at stores unless the customer wants to pay for home shipping.

Justice Department Investigates UPS and FedEx

The U.S. Justice Department has begun an investigation into the country's two largest delivery companies, UPS and FedEx. Both have policies aimed at preventing customers from negotiating lower shipping rates through third parties.

California Postpones Its Diesel-Emission Standards

California has postponed enforcing its strict new diesel-emission standards for four years. The rules, intended to slash emissions from trucks, buses and construction equipment, had been scheduled to take effect in March 2010.

FedEx Looks to Deliver Solid Gains in Its Latest Quarter

FedEx will likely show an increase in fiscal second-quarter earnings of about 20% from a year earlier when it releases its latest report on Thursday. The huge air-cargo carrier is looking for a jump in revenue to more than offset rising costs for jet fuel and other items.

UPS Predicts 7.5% Jump in Holiday Shipping for 2010

As UPS gears up for its busiest time of year by hiring about 50,000 temporary workers, the world's largest package-delivery service said it expects to ship about 7.5% more packages this holiday season than it did a year ago.

Are Air Cargo Costs About
to Go Sky High?

The discovery of two explosive devices found in packages on U.S.-bound cargo planes Friday raises new questions about security in the air-freight industry -- and its potential cost. How big is the risk, and how much is security worth?

Aiming for Amazon: Retailers Join New Web Shipping Service

Retailers such as Toys R Us, Rockport and Borders hope to grow their Web sales with a new shipping service called ShopRunner.com. Much like Amazon's Prime program, consumers pay $79 per year for a membership, which lets them ship as many orders as they want from ShopRunner's retail partners.

Postal Service Request to Raise First Class Stamp Price Rejected

The U.S. Postal Service's attempt to raise the price of a first-class stamp to 46 cents from 44 cents was unanimously rejected today by an oversight board, which said the Postal Service failed to sufficiently quantify either the effect of the recession on operations or how much mail shipments would decline if rates were increased.

FedEx Will Boost Shipping Rates 3.9% in January

FedEx, the world's biggest air-cargo carrier, will boost shipping rates in January as it looks to offset the effects of rising fuel costs on its bottom line. The company will increase FedEx Express shipping rates for domestic and export services by an average of 3.9%.

Under the Radar: A Possible Ten-Bagger Stock

Looking for companies that are growing fast but still ignored by Wall Street? Hilary Kramer talks about two stocks here with great upside potential. One of them, she says, could even be a ten-bagger.

Baltic Dry Index Points to Slower Global Demand

Investors perplexed by the market's anxiety over slower global economic growth should look no farther than the Baltic Dry Index, a closely watched measure of worldwide industrial demand that has fallen a whopping 50% since May.

FedEx Earnings: A Barometer of Global Recovery

Looking for clues about global growth? Keep an eye on FedEx, which reports quarterly earnings early Wednesday. The world's second-largest package deliverer after UPS, FedEx is a barometer of global demand, and especially of business in China.

Overnight Delivery to Europe? Not While the Volcano Is Spewing

International shipping companies are scrambling to keep their operations moving, even as volcanic ash from Iceland closes down air traffic across much of Europe. Time-sensitive documents make up a large part of international air shipments. Promises of overnight deliveries are on hold.