Monthly Supply Chain Pulse - 28

📰 Supply Chain Pulse | Monthly Edition – March 9, 2026

Your Go-To Source for Supply Chain Insights, Trends, and Actionable Advice

Strong supply chains are rarely accidental. They are built through careful sourcing, reliable partnerships, and constant attention to market conditions. The manufacturers that perform best are the ones that stay informed and make adjustments before risks turn into disruptions.

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📊 Key Metrics

Staying competitive means keeping an eye on the data that matters most. Here are five supply chain metrics that we monitor and will provide updates on within each newsletter.

🛳️ Drewry World Container Index (WCI)

The 40ft rate from Shanghai to New York moved up modestly this month to $2,977 from $2,819, a 5.6% increase. We are keeping a close eye on this these rates as rising global oil prices could begin putting upward pressure on ocean freight rates in the coming weeks.

🚚 DAT Truckload Freight Rate Index

Van spot rates eased slightly to $2.43 per mile, down from $2.47, as winter pressures continue to unwind and capacity stabilizes. However, with global oil prices trending higher, diesel costs could begin putting upward pressure on truckload rates in the coming months, particularly if fuel surcharges adjust quickly.

🛢 Commodity Research Bureau (CRB) Index

The CRB index measures a basket of 19 commodities including energy, agriculture, and metals. It’s widely considered a leading indicator of inflation, economic health, and overall cost trends for goods across the market. An increase tends to signify an increase in economic activity while a decrease tends to signify a slowdown in economic activity.

Why it matters: The CRB Index closed at 336.85, up 7.6% from 312.9 last month. CRB tends to move before supplier price lists, making it an early read on input-cost pressure. The jump is mainly energy/freight-risk driven due to oil repriced higher with the Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions. Because petroleum products are ~33% of the index, this increase is largely oil-led, not broad-based inflation.

🇺🇸 🏭 Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index

To create this index, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia surveys around 250 manufacturers, asking about factors like employment, working hours, new and unfilled orders, shipments, inventory levels, delivery times, prices, costs, and business forecasts for the next six months. An index level above zero signifies improving conditions, while a level below zero indicates worsening conditions. Read more here.

Why it matters: The index rose to 16.3 in February from 12.6 (up 29.4%), staying in expansion. Digging into the data, you will see that new orders remained positive, shipments stalled near zero, employment slipped slightly negative, and prices paid/prices received eased but remained positive. The six‑month outlook jumped to 42.8, so this timely regional demand read points to firmer orders later, even as near‑term output looks choppy. 

What to consider: We recommend keeping inventory tight, but set reorder triggers for fast movers and long‑lead inputs, shorten quote validity and re-check freight/material surcharges while price pressure eases, and use the time to review your sourcing strategy for critical components.

🧾 Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)

The PMI is an economic indicator derived from monthly surveys of private sector companies, measuring the performance of the manufacturing and services sectors. It covers metrics such as new orders, inventory levels, production, supplier deliveries, and employment. A PMI above 50 indicates expansion, while below 50 suggests contraction.

Why it matters: The PMI index reading 52.4 signals U.S. factory activity is in expansion. The internal report data shows New Orders (55.8) and Production (53.5) are positive, Employment (48.8) is still contracting, and Supplier Deliveries (55.1, inverted) is slower, hinting at firmer demand alongside tighter lead-time risk. Tracking the PMI matters because it’s a fast, monthly national read on manufacturing demand and supply conditions before “hard” output data. 

🌍 Global Hot Topic: Supply Chain Disruptions From The Iran War (Click To Read Article)

The war involving Iran has significantly disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical trade chokepoints through which roughly 20% of global oil supply passes. Thousands of ships are currently stalled or waiting outside the Persian Gulf while others are rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 10–14 days to shipping times and roughly $1 million in additional fuel costs per voyage. The disruption extends far beyond oil, impacting shipments of pharmaceuticals from India, semiconductors and batteries from Asia, and petrochemical feedstocks used to produce plastics, rubber, and fertilizers. At the same time, major Middle Eastern airspace and airports have closed, constraining air cargo capacity and delaying high-value goods that typically move by air, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, and perishable products. Shipping companies are adding fuel, war-risk, and emergency surcharges, increasing transportation costs across global trade lanes.

While only a small percentage of global ships are directly affected, supply chains operate as interconnected networks, meaning even limited disruptions can create cascading congestion across ports and logistics hubs worldwide. As companies reroute shipments and compete for limited transportation capacity, delays and price increases are likely to ripple across multiple industries. The situation underscores how geopolitical instability in a single strategic region can quickly affect global logistics, reinforcing the need for diversified sourcing, stronger inventory strategies, and more resilient supply chain planning.

🇺🇸 US Hot Topic: US Supreme Court Blocks Tariffs (Click To Read Article)

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are unlawful, limiting the president’s ability to impose sweeping tariffs without congressional approval. While the decision removes one of the fastest tools for imposing tariffs, it does not eliminate tariffs as a broader policy strategy. The administration quickly responded by introducing a temporary global tariff of up to 15% while signaling it may pursue alternative legal pathways, including national security investigations and other trade statutes. Over the past year, tariffs have generated significant revenue but have largely failed to achieve their stated goals of reducing the U.S. trade deficit or bringing large-scale manufacturing back to the country. Instead, supply chains have adapted by shifting production across different countries rather than reshoring to the United States.

For businesses, the ruling does little to remove the underlying uncertainty surrounding global trade policy. Companies have already adjusted supply chains, rerouted trade flows, and absorbed higher costs caused by tariffs and retaliatory measures. Even if some tariffs are modified or removed, many of these changes, such as relocated production and renegotiated trade relationships, are difficult and costly to reverse. The broader takeaway is that tariffs remain a persistent policy tool, and companies should continue planning for ongoing volatility in trade policy, pricing, and global sourcing strategies.

📈 Ena Monthly Stock Pick

$VTI– VTI provides exposure to the entire U.S. equity market, covering thousands of companies across all sectors and market capitalizations. In periods of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, broad diversification becomes more valuable than trying to pick individual winners. Rather than attempting to time the market, steadily dollar-cost averaging into a low-cost index like VTI remains one of the most reliable long-term strategies for investors focused on staying invested through volatility.

• As always, it’s not about timing the market, it’s about time in the market

• Disclaimer: This is not financial advice or a recommendation for any investment. The content is for information purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

🚀 Your Supply Chain, Your Competitive Edge

Supply chains are more than just logistics, they’re about your bottom line, your growth, and your ability to outpace the competition. At Ena Source, we don’t just find suppliers; we engineer strategic supply chain solutions that cut costs, build resilience, improve reliability, and free up your cash flow. We see our selves as an extension of your core competencies.

If you’re curious how much you could be saving, let’s talk. No pressure. No cost. Just clarity.

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