ReportWire

Tag: logistics

  • Pride Group Restructuring Update

    Pride Group Restructuring Update

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    Pride Group Holdings Inc. and related companies (collectively, the “Pride Group”) had sought and obtained creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the “CCAA”) on 27th March 2024, pursuant to an order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List), as subsequently recognized and enforced in the U.S. Ernst & Young Inc. was appointed as the Court-appointed Monitor of the Pride Group (in such capacity, the “Monitor”). 

    At this time, the Pride Group has sufficient liquidity to continue to operate and it is business as usual. There have been important recent developments in the CCAA proceedings, some which have not been accurately reported on by the media. We wanted to provide you with important context and background in respect of these developments.

    As it concerns Pride Group Logistics (“PGL”) and its business, the Court has not made any determination at this time. The Pride Group continues to seek a going-concern sale of the PGL business, which is in the best interest of PGL’s employees, contractors and business partners. The Monitor’s Reports to the Court, all of which are publicly available online, report in detail on the ongoing Court-supervised PGL sale process, including the bid submitted by a proposed purchaser that is controlled by members of the Johal family. For clarity, as at the date of this letter, PGL is not being wound down. As it stands currently, the Monitor is recommending the continuing pursuit of a going-concern sale transaction supported by the Johal family. That sale, if approved by the Court, would allow PGL to continue as a going-concern for the benefit of its customers, employees and the communities that it serves. Further, Randall Benson, Chief Restructuring Officer (the “CRO”) of the Pride Group, is recommending the Johal family bid as the preferred option.

    The Court will hear and make a decision at a future date with respect to any proposed sale of PGL’s business. In the meantime, until the Court makes its decision, it is business as usual for PGL’s employees, contractors and business partners. 

    As it concerns the Pride Group’s and Tpine’s leasing business lines, it is business as usual for Tpine’s employees, contractors, lessees and business partners — lease amounts are being collected and are expected to be paid in accordance with the Court Orders granted in these proceedings.

    As it concerns Tpine Financial’s factoring business, the Court recently approved the sale of Tpine’s factoring business as a going-concern sale. More information will be forthcoming on the mechanics of the purchase and transfer of the factoring business, however, customers of the factoring business are expected to continue to be customers of the business after it is sold.

    Finally, as it concerns truck inventory and sales, the Pride Group has determined that a going-concern transaction is no longer feasible due to the overall state of the trucking and logistics market. The Pride Group (excluding Pride Group Logistics) is considering its options, including an orderly disposition of its trucks and trailer assets and, where appropriate, turning over assets to financiers on agreed-upon terms and winding down business lines in an orderly fashion, which minimizes impact on affected stakeholders. Should a restructuring option develop involving a standalone truck dealership business, it will be presented to the creditors and the Court for consideration. More information on these decisions will be forthcoming.

    The Pride Group’s interim financing (the “DIP Facility”) matured on July 31, 2024. On Friday, the Court approved the Pride Group’s ability to fund its ongoing operations with its available liquidity, which will fund the next steps in these overall proceedings until further Court Order. The Pride Group is pursuing funding options to ensure it continues to have sufficient liquidity to pursue an orderly disposition of assets and has identified a prospective lender that is prepared to provide such interim financing, which will be subject to Court approval.

    The CRO of the Pride Group confirms that the number one priority of the Pride Group is to pursue an orderly outcome that provides the best possible recovery and minimizes the impact of the Pride Group’s restructuring on affected stakeholders.

    Source: Pride Group

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  • Grand Island Express Achieves Record-Breaking Efficiency and Revenue Gains With Optimal Dynamics’ Software

    Grand Island Express Achieves Record-Breaking Efficiency and Revenue Gains With Optimal Dynamics’ Software

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    Artificial Decision Intelligence swiftly drives significant increases in revenue, load count, and operational efficiency

    Optimal Dynamics, the pioneer in Artificial Decision Intelligence for trucking companies, is proud to announce the outstanding success achieved by their customer, Grand Island Express, one of America’s most recognized and respected refrigerated carriers. Grand Island Express has achieved significant operational efficiencies and record-breaking results within weeks of deploying the Optimal Dynamics’ platform.

    Grand Island Express, based in Grand Island, Nebraska, and operating in 38 states, faced the challenge of managing precisely-timed deliveries on irregular routes, especially for high-volume fresh and frozen boxed meat shipments. Traditional manual dispatching methods were proving inadequate, leading the company to invest in Optimal Dynamics to solve their challenges. The platform automates load allocation and dispatching decisions to maximize network utilization and profitability. The integration with their LoadMaster TMS system from McLeod Software ensures seamless data flow, allowing for rapid implementation and immediate results.

    The implementation of Optimal Dynamics yielded swift and substantial improvements via decision automation. Comparing year-over-year results for May, the first full month on the platform, Grand Island Express achieved:

    • 5.7% increase in linehaul revenue
    • 9.3% increase in load count
    • 13.6% increase in loaded miles
    • Reduction in empty miles from 13.5% to 10.6%

    “During the past two years, we squeezed everything we could out of our network, but there are limits to what humans can bring into their decision-making process,” said Deen Albert, VP of Operations at Grand Island Express. “This need to automate and optimize operations made us look into Optimal Dynamics. The real-time dispatching tool within the Optimal Dynamics platform is built for speed. It acts as a supercharger to McLeod.”

    Automation has allowed Grand Island Express to handle more volume with the same amount of office staff and drivers. The platform’s ability to automate routine planning decisions has freed up 80% of fleet managers to focus on high-value activities such as managing driver relationships and handling exceptions. 

    “At Optimal Dynamics, we believe in the transformative power of automation to drive operational efficiencies and deliver outstanding results for our customers,” said Daniel Powell, Co-founder and CEO of Optimal Dynamics. “The success of Grand Island Express is a testament to how our platform can revolutionize logistics, optimizing every decision and enabling companies to achieve new heights in performance and profitability.”

    The trend of breaking records continues for Grand Island Express as they topped three revenue records and two loaded mile records since implementing Optimal Dynamics just two months ago. Furthermore, the correlation between the adoption rate of Optimal Dynamics’ recommendations and positive outcomes was clear. By week two, Grand Island Express achieved an 84% adoption rate, which ultimately led to a 13.4% increase in revenue per truck per week over the pre-Optimal Dynamics baseline average.

    For a detailed look at the Grand Island Express transformation, download the full case study at https://info.optimaldynamics.com/rapid-transformation-and-record-breaking-results-at-grand-island-express

    About Grand Island Express

    Grand Island Express is one of America’s most recognized and respected small refrigerated carriers. Serving more than 38 states in the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., Grand Island Express specializes in irregular route, temperature-controlled transportation focused on customers that require high-level, time-sensitive performance. Grand Island Express is an eleven-time “Best Fleets to Drive For” awarded company.

    Source: Optimal Dynamics

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  • Leonard’s Express Partners With Optimal Dynamics to Enhance Driver Experience and Asset Utilization

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    Optimal Dynamics, the pioneer in artificial decision intelligence for trucking companies, is proud to announce its partnership with Leonard’s Express, a renowned transportation services provider synonymous with quality service and delivery. Always looking to elevate processes, technology, and communication, this partnership with Optimal Dynamics enables Leonard’s Express to focus on its core value of innovation while planning for long-term success. 

    Leonard’s Express understood the significant advantages of taking a scientific approach to harmonizing asset and brokerage operations for optimal performance and profitability. Optimal Dynamics’ artificial decision intelligence takes in all data points from requirements to preferences, plans holistically throughout the network, and accounts for future uncertainties that arise. Removing guesswork and enabling the team to make swift, confident load acceptance and dispatch decisions was the key to continuous improvement at Leonard’s Express. 

    Leonard’s Express identified Optimal Dynamics as the premier partner, lauding its sophisticated technology and dedicated team poised to facilitate transformative change management. During a collaborative proof-of-value initiative, Leonard’s Express experienced firsthand the significant potential of Optimal Dynamics to optimize the network, maximize asset utilization, and elevate profitability. 

    “After extensive market research and vendor evaluation, we found Optimal Dynamics to have the science, the technology, and the team to transform our internal operations,” said Michael McGovern, Executive Vice President of Operations at Leonard’s Express. “Optimal Dynamics will ensure peak performance and enable us to efficiently scale the business.”

    The collaboration between Optimal Dynamics and Leonard’s Express promises substantial benefits, notably in enhancing driver experience and optimizing planning processes. Drivers can anticipate improved miles, home time alignment, and heightened synergy with company objectives. Simultaneously, planners stand to gain from optimized load acceptance recommendations, enabling swift, confident decision-making devoid of reliance on gut feeling and manual calculations.

    “We are excited to partner with Leonard’s Express, prioritizing advancements in driver experience and operational efficiency,” expressed Daniel Powell, Co-founder and CEO at Optimal Dynamics. “Our partnership is anchored in a shared vision to empower carriers with artificial decision intelligence that enables organizational scale and increased throughput.” 

    About Leonard’s Express

    Leonard’s Express is a family-owned, asset-based transportation provider based in Farmington, New York, with offices located throughout the United States. We provide transportation solutions for a wide range of customers that encompass many industries. With our nationwide footprint, we are prepared to tailor a solution to fit your specific supply chain needs. With our state-of-the-art technology and dedicated staff, Leonard’s Express is willing and able to provide dependable, diversified, and creative solutions that are responsive and cost-effective. For more information, please visit www.leonardsexpress.com.

    Source: Optimal Dynamics

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  • TruckClub Launches Innovative Vehicle Protection Plans for Commercial Truckers, Secures Seed Funding to Fuel Industry Revolution

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    TruckClub™, a new venture aiming to revolutionize the commercial trucking industry, today announced its official launch with the introduction of innovative vehicle protection plans designed specifically for owner-operators and small fleets. The company also revealed the successful closing of its seed funding round, led by Damn Good Brands, to accelerate its ambitious plans.

    TruckClub’s inaugural offering, TruckProtect™, represents a paradigm shift in how commercial truckers safeguard their vehicles and livelihoods. In a market where traditional aftermarket warranties are often criticized for limited payouts due to complex terms and loopholes, TruckProtect™ stands out by providing transparent, industry-leading coverage for over 4,400 parts in a first-ever flexible subscription plan. This comprehensive protection includes traditionally excluded components like seals and gaskets.

    “TruckProtect is just the beginning of our journey to empower owner-operators and small fleets,” said Kalie Felts, co-founder and COO at TruckClub™, bringing years of industry experience to the role. “Our technology-driven approach offers flexible weekly plans and unprecedented coverage, including protection for continued operation and progressive damage. Our level of straightforward, comprehensive security is designed to give owner-operators and small fleets the support they need, not only to succeed, but to thrive.”

    Key features of TruckProtect™ include:

    • Clear coverage for up to +4,400 parts, far exceeding industry norms
    • Flexible weekly subscription plans starting at $59/week, with no long-term commitments
    • Inclusion of seals and gaskets in all plans
    • Transparent protection for continued operation and progressive damage
    • No hidden mileage restrictions or vehicle inspections required
    • Annual no-claim rebates for Members

    TruckClub’s innovative approach addresses a critical need in the trucking industry, where over 60% of independent owner-operators fail within their first five years, often due to unexpected costs that traditional protection plans inadequately cover. The recent seed funding supports the rollout of TruckProtect™ and fuels future developments.

    Looking ahead, TruckClub™ plans to expand its membership benefits beyond vehicle protection. Future offerings will include financing options, educational resources, exclusive perks, and a suite of AI-powered tools delivered through the upcoming TruckBuddy™ mobile app. This comprehensive ecosystem aims to enhance efficiency, profitability, and sustainability for truckers, providing the support and resources often lacking in traditional industry offerings.

    About TruckClub™:

    TruckClub™ is on a mission to empower owner-operators and small fleets in the commercial trucking industry. By leveraging technology and a member-first approach, the company aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem that addresses the diverse challenges faced by truckers. From innovative protection plans to future offerings in financing, education, and operational tools, TruckClub™ is committed to fostering a more resilient, prosperous, and fair environment for its Members. 

    For more information about TruckClub™ and TruckProtect™, visit www.truckclub.com.

    Source: TruckClub

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  • Optimal Dynamics Adds New Functionality to Platform to Revolutionize Spot Freight Procurement

    Optimal Dynamics Adds New Functionality to Platform to Revolutionize Spot Freight Procurement

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    With this latest addition, carriers can easily access optimized freight recommendations across spot and dedicated sources

    Optimal Dynamics, the pioneer in artificial decision intelligence for trucking companies, is proud to introduce Source, the latest addition to its Execute platform. Source aggregates and recommends optimal spot freight, across all available channels including public load boards, emails, and private customer boards, empowering carriers to make decisions that maximize network utilization and profitability.

    As the freight transportation industry continues to experience downward pressure on rates and rising operating costs, carriers must increasingly turn to opportunistic spot freight to fill network gaps and address empty miles. Selecting spot freight closest to a driver’s location at a point in time may seem like a quick fix, but often results in suboptimal load selections, leading to inefficiencies and missed revenue opportunities. 

    Source addresses this challenge by aggregating and optimizing all available spot market sources in a single user interface, allowing for simpler and smarter network-wide freight decisions. Leveraging Optimal Dynamics’ Artificial Decision Intelligence, Source then provides planners and dispatchers with real-time, optimized spot freight recommendations tailored to meet their specific network needs.

    Key Features of Source:

    • Aggregated Spot Freight: Centralizes freight from public load boards, email communications, and private customer boards, providing a comprehensive view of available opportunities with a single search.
    • Optimized Spot Freight Recommendations: Utilizes a patent-pending workflow to deliver optimized recommendations for the most probable and profitable spot freight that aligns with unique network requirements.
    • Integrated with Dispatching: Automates the matching of optimized spot freight to drivers for single loads and full tours, streamlining the dispatching process within the Execute by Optimal Dynamics™ platform.

    Source’s innovative approach ensures that carriers can proactively source spot freight that meets short-term needs while achieving long-term objectives such as driver satisfaction, asset utilization, and profitability. Source is integrated with Optimal Dynamics’ Tactical Procurement, Load Acceptance and Dispatching solutions, resulting in a fully optimized and streamlined workflow from spot and dedicated freight procurement to network balancing to dispatching. 

    “At Optimal Dynamics, we are committed to continuous innovation and platform enhancements that provide significant value to our customers,” added Daniel Powell, CEO and Co-founder of Optimal Dynamics. “The introduction of Source is a testament to our dedication to helping carriers optimize their operations by streamlining, simplifying, and optimizing the decision-making process.”

    For more information about Source and how it is set to transform spot freight sourcing, visit the Optimal Dynamics website and follow the company on LinkedIn for details on an upcoming live webinar on June 26 at 12 p.m. ET.

    Source: Optimal Dynamics

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  • Here’s What Every Business Needs To Know About Global Logistics In 2024 | Entrepreneur

    Here’s What Every Business Needs To Know About Global Logistics In 2024 | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The pandemic made global supply chain issues a common dinner table conversation. Now, with escalating geopolitical tensions and competing manufacturing hubs in China, India and Mexico, it can be hard for businesses to understand what the best strategy is for moving goods internationally.

    Yet, despite the complexities affecting our global supply chains, the opportunity for businesses to engage in international trade has never been better. Advances in technology continue to make it easier to automate logistics. In fact, according to Acumen Research and Consulting, the global logistics automation market is predicted to reach $133 billion USD by 2030.

    Not only is technology making supply chain logistics easier for businesses to manage, but in a down market, there can be opportunities to negotiate better deals with overseas suppliers, find new customers and create business models that adapt to future market conditions.

    Regardless of your motivation, if you’re a business looking to expand abroad, here are three tips that can give you a competitive edge:

    1. Understand regulatory requirements in advance

    Paperwork may seem tedious, but in the world of global logistics, an incorrect or incomplete form can determine whether or not your shipment gets across the border. As the leader of a customs brokerage and freight forwarding business, I can tell you brokers spend a disproportionate amount of time following up with clients to complete the appropriate paperwork to clear customs.

    Understanding simple but important details like what determines your product’s country of origin is instrumental for budgeting and planning. For example, if a business purchases materials from China and further develops them in the U.S. before resale, many leaders assume they qualify for reduced duty through North America’s free trade agreement (now known as the Canada, U.S., Mexico Agreement) — but this isn’t always the case. Products must meet a specific set of criteria to leverage the lower duty rates. Missed details like this can cost businesses a significant amount of money unexpectedly.

    It’s also important to understand how exchange rates are calculated. Many businesses are surprised when they have to pay more for duty on a shipment when it arrives than they originally estimated. That’s because duty is calculated based on the exchange rate at the time the goods arrive at their destination. Exchange rates fluctuate, so it’s important for businesses to bear this in mind when creating budgets.

    Related: Your Customers Don’t Care Where Your Ecommerce Business Is Based, So Be Ready to Ship Anywhere in the World

    Factor In geopolitical tensions and changing market conditions

    From China’s recently passed “retaliation tariff” to attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, growing geopolitical tensions are causing businesses to rethink their trade routes.

    How a business navigates geopolitical disruptions largely depends on whether it is looking for a short-term or long-term strategy. If a company is looking for a short-term strategy, for example, it can likely adapt more swiftly to trade route disruptions. Businesses focused on long-term logistical planning, however, need to factor in the big-picture implications of geopolitical stability.

    Take, for example, the current tensions between the U.S. and China, which have caused more manufacturers to set up operations in Mexico. If the U.S. decides to permanently shift its purchasing from China to Mexico, this change would have significant implications on the trade route’s pricing and capacity in the long term.

    Businesses entering into international markets should factor in what parts of the supply chain are likely to be disrupted within the time frame they are targeting and consider whether or not they are well positioned to pivot, as necessary.

    Related: How to Find International Customers and Partners as You Expand Your Market

    Build strong relationships with international partners

    One of the most overlooked factors in navigating global logistics is the importance of building strong relationships with partners abroad. Businesses seeking strong international partnerships must learn and adapt to the customs and cultures of the regions they operate within.

    In my work, I do business with partners in multiple countries. Every year, when I attend their annual conferences, I notice the difference between leaders who respect the local customs and those who operate as though they were on home soil. Often, this attitudinal difference determines who establishes long-lasting, cooperative partnerships that lead to better pricing and referrals and who loses business altogether.

    According to the International Labour Union, a staggering 70% of international ventures collapse due to cultural disparities. Every culture has its own etiquette. Doing a little research on the communication rules and accepted behaviors in the countries you’re operating in can go a long way toward establishing a cooperative partnership.

    As a seasoned leader in international logistics, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of adapting to global market dynamics. For businesses venturing into international terrain, understanding regulatory landscapes, geopolitical shifts and cultural nuances not only mitigates the risk of expansion but can help maximize the opportunity.

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    Mike Chisholm

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  • Venture Logistics Honored by PECO Pallet With Carrier of the Year Award

    Venture Logistics Honored by PECO Pallet With Carrier of the Year Award

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    Company named Linehaul Carrier of the Year wins accolades as key supplier-partner providing superior quality truckload transportation services for PECO’s North American pooled rental pallet network.

    Venture Logistics, a full-service logistics company with a deep portfolio of specialized transportation, supply chain and freight management services, has been recognized by PECO Pallet as its Linehaul Carrier of the Year.

    PECO Pallet is one of North America’s largest providers of rental pallet services to the beverage, grocery, and consumer products industries. The company works with third-party trucking firms that provide time-definite transportation of PECO’s signature red, highly engineered nine-block pallets to thousands of customer locations across North America and return of pallets to PECO depots.

    PECO reviewed dozens of trucking service providers in its annual supplier performance evaluation program. Venture Logistics won top honors in the Linehaul Carrier category.

    “I want to commend the Venture Logistics team on a level of performance in 2023 that earned the highest evaluation score among our line-haul service partners,” said Mike Greene, PECO’s Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Transportation. “Their consistently superior service played a key role in supporting PECO’s quality and service commitment to our customers.”

    PECO’s inaugural Carrier of the Year program objectively assesses carriers on key performance metrics, including equipment quality and availability, on-time performance, delivery updates, invoicing timeliness, safety, data quality, proactive communications, and overall customer support. Evaluation criteria also include cost-reduction initiatives, FMCSA CSA scores, and continuous improvement efforts. 

    “We are deeply honored to have been chosen as Carrier of the Year by PECO. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Venture team,” said TJ Lehnertz, Business Unit President at Venture Logistics. “At Venture, we strive to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional service to our partners every day. PECO has been a great longstanding partner of Venture and we are truly grateful for their continued support.”

    PECO Pallet operates North America’s second-largest pallet rental network with some 90 pallet depots deploying and managing an inventory of over 20 million of its signature red, high-quality pallets.

    Source: Venture Logistics

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  • The Baltimore Bridge Collapse Is About to Get Even Messier

    The Baltimore Bridge Collapse Is About to Get Even Messier

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    In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the global supply chain and US coastal infrastructure collided in the worst possible way. An enormous container ship, the Dali, slammed into a support of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, crumpling its central span into the Patapsco River and cutting off the city’s port from the Atlantic Ocean. Eighteen hours later, at approximately 7:30 pm Tuesday evening, rescuers called off the search, with six missing people presumed dead.

    With the wreckage yet to be cleared, the Port of Baltimore—a critical shipping hub—has suspended all water traffic, according to the Maryland Port Administration, though trucks are still moving goods in and out of the area. Baltimore is the ninth busiest port in the US for international trade, meaning the effects of the crash will ripple across the regional, US, and even global economy for however long the 47-year-old bridge takes to fix—a timeline, experts say, that’s still unclear.

    This will be a special pain for the auto, farm equipment, and construction industries, because Baltimore handles the most “roll on, roll off” ships on the US east coast—an industry term for those designed to handle wheeled cargo. The port has the special equipment to move these products, workers trained in how to use it, and, critically, a location within an overnight driving distance of the densely populated Eastern Seaboard and heavily farmed Midwest.

    Almost 850,000 cars and light trucks came through the port last year. So did 1.3 million tons of farm and construction machinery.

    Fortunately for the logistics industry, there are some alternative routes both for ships coming into port and trucks crossing the river. Two tunnels traverse the Patapsco, and could take some of the goods and people that once traveled across the Key Bridge, which was also part of Maryland Route 695. Nearby ports, including Norfolk in Virginia, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and Savannah in Georgia, should be able to accept many of the goods usually handled by Baltimore’s port.

    But the shipping picture will get more complicated the longer the disaster takes to resolve. Ships haul big, heavy goods in large quantities across oceans, albeit relatively slowly—meaning changes to their routes and destinations can add a lot of time to a journey. If a ship is hauling a bunch of different cargos for a bunch of different industries, a holdup along the way causes a lot of people to be screaming for their supplies.

    “Everybody right now is saying, ‘We’re just going to reroute, it’s going to be fine,’” says Nada Sanders, an expert in supply chain management at Northeastern University. “If this lasts a while, it’s not going to be fine. It’s going to impact prices.”

    Bigger Ships, Same Bridge

    The destruction of the bridge also underlines that boats are getting bigger. Trade transport volume across the seas has tripled in the last three decades. At nearly 1,000 feet long, the Dali is emblematic of the ballooning shipping industry.

    The growth of boats is down to simple economics: The more goods you can cram on a ship, the more you save on costs. “The amount of cargo has increased tremendously,” says Zal Phiroz, a supply chain analyst at the University of California, San Diego. “This has been impacted to a great degree by Covid, and after Covid as well. The prices of cargo skyrocketed, the prices of containers skyrocketed. Everything just went through the roof.”

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    Aarian Marshall, Matt Simon

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  • Ryanair 3Q Rev EUR2.70B

    Ryanair 3Q Rev EUR2.70B

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    By Anthony O. Goriainoff

    Ryanair Holdings said third-quarter adjusted profit after tax fell as higher fuel costs offset revenue gains, and narrowed its guidance for the year.

    The Irish budget airline said Monday that for the quarter ended Dec. 31 adjusted post-tax profit–its preferred metric–was 15 million euros ($16.3 million) compared with EUR211 million the year before.

    Revenue for the quarter was EUR2.70 billion, compared with EUR2.31 billion a year ago.

    The company said revenue per passenger rose 9%, with ancillary revenue up 2% to around EUR23 and average fares up 13% to over EUR42.

    The airline carried 41.4 million passengers in the quarter compared with 38.4 million a year ago. Load factor–a measure of how full a plane is–for the period fell one percentage point to 92%.

    The company narrowed its profit after tax guidance for the year to between EUR1.85 billion and EUR1.95 billion, from prior guidance of between EUR1.85 billion and EUR2.05 billion.

    The company said that although it will benefit from the first half of Easter traffic falling in late March, this was unlikely to fully offset weaker-than-previously-expected load factors and yields in late third quarter and early fourth quarter.

    Write to Anthony O. Goriainoff at anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com

    By Anthony O. Goriainoff

    Ryanair Holdings said third-quarter adjusted profit after tax fell as higher fuel costs offset revenue gains, and narrowed its guidance for the year.

    The Irish budget airline said Monday that for the quarter ended Dec. 31 adjusted post-tax profit–its preferred metric–was 15 million euros ($16.3 million) compared with EUR211 million the year before.

    Revenue for the quarter was EUR2.70 billion, compared with EUR2.31 billion a year ago.

    The company said revenue per passenger rose 9%, with ancillary revenue up 2% to around EUR23 and average fares up 13% to over EUR42.

    The airline carried 41.4 million passengers in the quarter compared with 38.4 million a year ago. Load factor–a measure of how full a plane is–for the period fell one percentage point to 92%.

    The company narrowed its profit after tax guidance for the year to between EUR1.85 billion and EUR1.95 billion, from prior guidance of between EUR1.85 billion and EUR2.05 billion.

    The company said that although it will benefit from the first half of Easter traffic falling in late March, this was unlikely to fully offset weaker-than-previously-expected load factors and yields in late third quarter and early fourth quarter.

    Write to Anthony O. Goriainoff at anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com

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  • This Critical Mistake Is Slowing Down Your Operations — But There’s 1 Simple Tool You Can Use to Change That. | Entrepreneur

    This Critical Mistake Is Slowing Down Your Operations — But There’s 1 Simple Tool You Can Use to Change That. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Picture this: you’re a business leader at the helm of a thriving company. Your days are packed with making critical decisions, steering your team toward success and ensuring customer satisfaction. Amidst this, the last thing you want is for your purchase-to-pay (P2P) process to become a bottleneck — slowing down operations, frustrating your team and potentially harming vendor relationships. A convoluted P2P process can not only waste valuable time but also lead to errors and financial losses — a risk no entrepreneur can afford.

    Now, picture a simpler, more efficient purchase-to-pay system. One where invoice processing, supplier management and payment processing are seamlessly integrated. Imagine the ease with which your team could operate, the time saved that could be better spent on strategic initiatives, and the reduction in errors that could translate to significant cost savings.

    This is not just about operational efficiency; it’s about creating a competitive edge in an increasingly demanding business environment.

    Understanding what makes for a good P2P process is crucial. A good P2P process can mean the difference between a financial year spent firefighting operational inefficiencies and one where you can focus on growth and innovation. In a world where business agility is paramount, can you afford to overlook the importance of a streamlined purchase-to-pay process?

    Related: 3 Secrets to Streamlining Your Accounts Payable Process

    In my 23 years working with financial systems, one of the evergreen truths I’ve witnessed again and again is the fact that simplicity in processes benefits everyone. Simplicity is borne out of clarity of vision, and it begets quality of output.

    When implementing P2P automation, integrating numerous specialized tools — like one software for invoice processing, another for supplier management and another for payment processing — can lead to a disjointed and inefficient system. Instead of a streamlined process, businesses often find themselves navigating a complex web of incompatible platforms, leading to more confusion and inefficiency. Here are just a few reasons why simplicity is the key to a truly successful Accounts Payable process from every perspective.

    1. From a user experience perspective: The user experience — both on the internal side of a process and on the customer side — is central to the successful use of any kind of software. Streamlining software design often enhances its usefulness for the people who use it daily. A platform should be intuitive to navigate, as this allows it to be accessible to a broader range of people, which in turn enhances user satisfaction, customer retention and engagement. Conversely, juggling multiple apps to fill in the gaps puts more pressure on users to quickly learn an increasing number of interfaces, which is inefficient from both a time and cost perspective.

    2. From a safety and accessibility perspective: When it comes to invoicing and similar processes, sometimes the fewer hands required, the better. Ease of use is paramount in maintaining an operative system that is safe and secure. When users have a clear sense of how to use a given software, processes are more straightforward and self-directed, which can lessen the incidence of human error and oversight.

    3. From an adaptability perspective: Excellent software takes complex integrations and API connections and creates simple, seamless integrations for the end user. Remaining flexible and responsive to the new tools, frameworks and solutions offered by technological innovation is crucial to remaining relevant as a software provider.

    4. From a cost perspective: When a company relies on multiple software architectures with numerous interdependencies to run processes, the cost of maintaining and supporting these systems is often considerable. Unpretentious and succinct software is typically less expensive to implement, test and maintain (and often achieves the desired results with fewer bugs as well) due to only having to pay for one comprehensive solution vs multiple specialized ones. Problems are easier to identify and attend to, saving organizations precious time and creative energy without sacrificing the essential process backbone.

    Why do we create new software tools and solutions in the first place?

    When selecting a P2P or AP automation solution, it’s important to keep some distinctions in mind. There are three major categories on offer that companies must consider.

    • Generalist solutions: These are versatile and can handle a broad range of accounting tasks. However, they may lack deep specialization in any one area. An example of a generalist solution is a well-established ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software application like SAP or Oracle. These systems integrate various business processes but may not offer the depth of features found in more specialized tools.
    • Hyper-specialized solutions: These solutions offer a high level of expertise in a specific area of the P2P or AP process. For example, PayPal or Stripe could be considered hyper-specialized solutions focusing on online payments. These platforms provide advanced features and capabilities specifically for handling online transactions, but they might not address other aspects of the P2P or AP process.
    • All-in-one Solutions: These solutions provide comprehensive coverage of the entire P2P or AP process, combining generalist breadth with specialist depth, and offering end-to-end capabilities from procurement and invoice management to payments and analytics. These solutions are designed to manage the entire process seamlessly, offering a high level of expertise across all stages.

    Related: 8 Tips for Setting Up a Killer Invoicing System That Always Gets You Paid

    Finding the right balance between expertise and end-to-end scope to secure ROI and TCO – and a solution that optimizes user experience as well – is the key to accounts payable automation success. Truly brilliant solutions bring order and efficiency into areas of complexity and confusion thanks to their razor-sharp, “simple” elegance.

    When it comes to the accounts payable process, the best way to improve people’s experience is to make the process as comprehensive and intuitive as possible. Business owners usually have enough on their minds as is, and they don’t need a thousand and one options to choose from when it comes to running the essential elements of their businesses.

    It turns out you don’t need countless tools to create something outstanding that satisfies everyone; you just need the right ones added at the right time. The more streamlined the AP automation process, the better the outcome.

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  • United pulls plans for Boeing’s biggest 737 Max jet after Max 9 groundings

    United pulls plans for Boeing’s biggest 737 Max jet after Max 9 groundings

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    United Airlines Holdings Inc. on Tuesday said it was rethinking its longer-term plans for Boeing’s biggest 737 Max jet, the Max 10, after the government’s grounding of dozens of Max 9s this month raised questions over whether the aircraft maker could still deliver planes on time.

    United
    UAL,
    +5.31%

    Chief Executive Scott Kirby said during the airline’s earnings call on Tuesday that it wasn’t canceling its orders for the Max 10. But he said the airline was taking the jet “out of our internal plans.”

    “We’ll be working on what that means exactly with Boeing,” he said. “But Boeing is not going to be able to meet their contractual deliveries on at least many of those airplanes.”

    United, during the call, said that it had 277 Max 10 jets on order for the rest of the decade. Of the 107 jets set for delivery this year, 31 were Max 9s. But Chief Financial Officer Michael Leskinen said was “unrealistic” to expect those jets to arrive as currently planned.

    “Look,” he said. “The reality is that with the with the Max grounding, this is the kind of straw that broke the camel’s back with believing that the Max 10 will deliver on the schedule we had hoped for.”

    He added: “It’s a great aircraft. But we can’t count on it. So we’re working on alternate plans.” 

    The decision on the Max 10 marks the latest blow to Boeing’s
    BA,
    -1.60%

    reputation, as safety concerns pile up after a panel tore off a 737 Max 9 jet flown by Alaska Airlines earlier this month.

    The Federal Aviation Administration grounded 171 Boeing 737 Max 9s for inspections, leading to scores of flight cancellations for both United and Alaska
    ALK,
    +2.87%
    .
    United, when it reported fourth-quarter results on Monday, said it expected to lose money in the first quarter, following the impact of those cancellations. Still, shares were up on Tuesday on United’s full-year profit forecast.

    The FAA over the weekend also recommended that operators of Boeing’s 737-900ER planes “visually inspect mid-exit door plugs to ensure the door is properly secured.” Regulators around the world grounded the 737 Max in 2019 after two fatal crashes.

    Meanwhile, Ben Minicucci, the chief executive of Alaska Airlines, in an interview with NBC News published Tuesday, said inspectors found loose bolts on “many” of its Boeing 737 Max 9s after the mid-flight blowout.

    “I’m more than frustrated and disappointed,” he said in that interview. “I am angry. This happened to Alaska Airlines. It happened to our guests and happened to our people. And my demand on Boeing is, what are they going to do to improve their quality programs in-house?”

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  • JetBlue, Spirit Airlines appeal court ruling blocking their proposed merger

    JetBlue, Spirit Airlines appeal court ruling blocking their proposed merger

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    JetBlue Airways Corp. and Spirit Airlines Inc. said late Friday that they have appealed a court ruling that earlier this week blocked their planned merger.

    JetBlue
    JBLU,
    -1.19%

    and Spirit
    SAVE,
    +17.19%

    announced the appeal in a terse press release that provided no more details, adding only that the process is “consistent with the requirements of the merger agreement.”

    Wall Street was split on whether the airlines would be legally obliged to appeal the Tuesday ruling, which sided with the Justice Department in saying that a merger between low-cost JetBlue and ultra-low-cost Spirit would hurt competition.

    Shares of Spirit rallied 12% after hours Friday, while JetBlue shares fell nearly 2%. Analysts at JP Morgan said this week that the ruling freed JetBlue from a “costly merger.”

    Earlier Friday, Spirit sought to reassure investors about its liquidity and issued an upbeat fourth-quarter revenue guidance. Spirit has amassed about $5.5 billion in debt, and is reportedly seeking advisers to help restructure it.

    The likelihood of Spirit attracting a new merger or takeover bid is considered low without a debt restructuring. Frontier Group Holdings Inc.
    ULCC,
    -2.13%

    and JetBlue competed for Spirit in 2022, with Frontier ultimately bowing out in July of that year.

    Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth said in a note earlier Friday that it was “clear to us that Spirit is pressing JetBlue to appeal the antitrust ruling, but we continue to believe the chances of success are low.”

    Syth has estimated that an appeal would take some four to five months.

    Shares of Spirit have lost 67% in the past 12 months, while shares of JetBlue are down 41%. The U.S. Global Jets ETF
    JETS
    has lost 9% in the same period. Those losses contrast with gains of 24% for the S&P 500 index
    SPX.

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  • Spirit Airlines Stock Gets a Downgrade. It’s the Least of the Carrier’s Problems.

    Spirit Airlines Stock Gets a Downgrade. It’s the Least of the Carrier’s Problems.

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    Spirit Airlines stock was falling again Thursday as the ultra-low-cost carrier’s predicament worsened.

    Continue reading this article with a Barron’s subscription.

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  • Boeing’s financials won’t be hurt by latest 737 Max issues, analysts say. The company’s size is one reason.

    Boeing’s financials won’t be hurt by latest 737 Max issues, analysts say. The company’s size is one reason.

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    Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Turkish Airlines have all grounded their Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes after part of one such jet tore away during an Alaska Airlines flight on Friday. But despite the potential safety risks for travelers and further damage to Boeing’s
    BA,
    -8.03%

    reputation, some Wall Street analysts, for now, have downplayed the financial impact for the jet maker.

    In part, they pointed to the company’s status as one of two major players in aircraft production — the other being Airbus
    EADSY,
    +3.52%
    .
    They also cited a tighter supply of available aircraft and limited near-term impact, at least while investigators try to figure out the cause of the incident.

    Those airlines and others took the action over the weekend after a panel on a jet blew out about 10 minutes into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 at an altitude of about 16,000 feet.

    No one died in the incident. But the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the temporary grounding of certain Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The order covered 171 planes.

    Shares of Boeing fell 8.2% as the stock weighed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA.

    Still, some Wall Street analysts on Monday said to buy the stock anyway. They said the latest difficulties with the aircraft — which follow the 2019 grounding of Max jets by many nations following two fatal crashes — were unlikely to have a big near-term financial impact.

    BofA analysts, in a research note dated Sunday, said that “at this point in time, due to the duopoly nature of the industry, we do not see this impacting orders for any of the 737 MAX variants. However, if the hits to the program do keep coming … at some point, the flying public may lose confidence in the 737 MAX which could ultimately impact sales.”

    The analysts said it wasn’t clear yet whether the blowout on Friday was due to an assembly mistake at Boeing, an improper installation from fuselage maker Spirit AeroSystems or oversight issues elsewhere. But they noted that the aircraft was relatively new, having been delivered on Oct. 31. And they said that “some scrutiny must be saved for regulators as well, as the FAA is ultimately responsible for certificating these aircraft before delivery.”

    Spirit AeroSystems’ stock
    SPR,
    -11.13%

    was down 11%.

    Analysts at William Blair also said they didn’t expect a big hit to Boeing’s financials.

    “While the Alaska Airlines door plug accident was terrifying, we do not believe that it will have a major financial impact, unless another incident occurs after the aircraft returns to service,” they said in a note on Monday.

    Analysts there estimated that over the past two months, the Max 9 made up less than one-fifth of Boeing’s total deliveries. They said those deliveries would only be “modestly impacted over the first quarter as it could take some time to determine the cause.”

    Of the 23 analyst ratings on Boeing’s stock tracked by FactSet, 18 are buy ratings or the equivalent.

    Read more: How Boeing’s latest 737 Max problem is hurting the Dow

    However, Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker said the 737 Max 9 issues will likely disrupt first-quarter results for United Airlines
    UAL,
    +2.78%

    and Alaska Air
    ALK,
    -0.21%
    .

    “This will hopefully be a situation resolved in days/weeks rather than months, but it will also serve as a reminder of how fragile airline capacity can be despite the overhang of capacity,” Shanker said in a Monday research note.

    United Airlines’ stock rose 2.4% on Monday, while Alaska Air’s dipped by 0.3%.

    Along with United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Turkish Airlines, Copa Airlines and Aeromexico grounded about 40 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes, according to reports.

    According to Deutsche Bank analysts, the affected fleet accounts for 16.1% of Alaska Airlines flights and 6.6% of United flights, although United has more 737 Max 9 aircraft than Alaska.

    Other airlines with the plane in their fleet include Jet Airways of India with one plane, Jin Air of Korea with three, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
    KLMR,

    with five and Korean Air Lines
    003490,
    -1.52%

    with nine, according to Planespotter.net.

    European regulators also grounded the 737 Max 9 for inspection.

    Some major airlines do not have any 737 Max 9s in their fleets, including American Airlines
    AAL,
    +7.21%
    ,
    Southwest Airlines
    LUV,
    -0.10%

    and Air Canada
    AC,
    +3.42%
    ,
    according to reports.

    Also read: Shares in Boeing slump, supplier Spirit AeroSystems tanks, after panel blows out

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  • Why stock-market investors will remain at mercy of shifting rate-cut expectations after wobbly start to 2024

    Why stock-market investors will remain at mercy of shifting rate-cut expectations after wobbly start to 2024

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    Stock investors have gotten off to a wobbly start to the new year, hobbled by shifting expectations on the timing and extent of Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts in 2024.

    All three major U.S. stock indexes snapped a nine-week winning streak on Friday, after unexpectedly strong December job gains prompted traders to briefly pull back on the chances of a March rate cut. The S&P 500
    SPX
    and Nasdaq Composite
    COMP
    also failed to stage a Santa Claus Rally from the five final trading days of 2023 through the first two sessions of 2024, as questions grew about the market’s multiple rate-cuts view.

    It all adds up to a glimpse of what might be in store for investors in the year ahead. Already, the so-called “January effect,” or theory that stocks tend to rise by more now than any other month, could be put to the test by headwinds that include stalling progress on inflation. Inflation’s downward trend in recent months had given traders and investors hope that as many as six or seven quarter-percentage-point rate cuts from the Federal Reserve could be delivered in 2024, starting in March.

    Over the first handful of days in the new year, however, reality has started to sink in. For one thing, multiple rate cuts tend to be more commonly associated with recessions and not soft landings for the economy.

    Moreover, the idea that the Fed could follow through with as many rate cuts as envisioned by traders would significantly increase the probability that policymakers lose their battle against inflation, according to Mike Sanders, head of fixed income at Wisconsin-based Madison Investments, which manages $23 billion in assets. That’s because six or more rate cuts would loosen financial conditions by too much, and boost the risk of another bout of inflation that forces officials to hike again, he said.

    Minutes of the Fed’s Dec. 12-13 meeting show that policymakers were uncertain about their forecasts for rate cuts this year and failed to rule out the possibility of further rate hikes. Nonetheless, fed funds futures traders continued to cling to expectations for a big decline in borrowing costs, with the greatest likelihood now coalescing around five or six quarter-point rate cuts that total 125 or 150 basis points of easing by year-end. That’s roughly twice as much as what policymakers penciled in last month, when they voted to keep interest rates at a 22-year high of 5.25% to 5.5%.

    Source: CME FedWatch Tool, as of Jan. 5.

    Uncertainty over the path of U.S. interest rates could leave investors flat-footed once again, and damp the optimism that sent all three major stock indexes in 2023 to their best annual performances of the prior two to three years. In November, analysts at Deutsche Bank AG
    DB,
    +0.81%

    counted seven times since 2021 in which markets expected the Fed to make a dovish pivot, only to be wrong.

    Sources: Bloomberg, Deutsche Bank. Chart is as of Nov. 20, 2023.

    Financial markets have been operating with “sky-high expectations” for 2024 rate cuts, but the only way to substantiate six cuts this year is with an “abrupt and sharp downturn in the economy,” said Todd Thompson, managing director and portfolio co-manager at Reams Asset Management in Indianapolis, which oversees $27 billion.

    Heading into 2024, euphoria over the prospect of lower borrowing costs produced what Thompson calls “an alarming, everything rally,” which he says leaves equities and high-yield corporate debt vulnerable to pullbacks between now and the next six months. Beyond that period, however, “the trend is likely to be lower rates as the economy finally succumbs to tightening conditions at the same time inflation continues to recede.”

    The coming week brings the next major U.S. inflation update, with December’s consumer price index report released on Thursday. The annual headline rate of inflation from CPI has slowed to 3.1% in November from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. In addition, the core rate from the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, known as the PCE, has eased to 3.2% year-on-year in November from a 4.2% annual rate in July.

    The Fed needs to keep interest rates higher because of all the uncertainty around inflation’s most likely path forward, and the U.S. labor market “won’t degrade fast enough in the first quarter to justify a first rate cut in March,” according to Sanders of Madison Investments.

    Rate-cut expectations are “going to be the issue for 2024, and a lot of it is going to be revolving around inflation getting back to that 2% target,” Sanders said via phone. “We think somewhere between 75 and 125 basis points of rate cuts make sense, and that the first move is more of a June-type of event. We don’t think it makes sense to have a March rate cut unless the labor market falls off a cliff.”

    History shows that Treasury yields tend to fall in the months leading up to the first rate cut of a Fed easing cycle. However, that isn’t happening right now. Yields on government debt have been on an upward trend since the end of December, with 2-
    BX:TMUBMUSD02Y,
    10-
    BX:TMUBMUSD10Y,
    and 30-year yields
    BX:TMUBMUSD30Y
    ending Friday at their highest levels in more than two to three weeks.

    See also: What history says about stocks and the bond market ahead of a first Fed rate cut

    While financial markets generally tend to be efficient processors of information, they “haven’t been very accurate in terms of pricing in rate cuts” this time, said Lawrence Gillum, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based chief fixed-income strategist for broker-dealer for LPL Financial. He said the big risk for 2024 is if financial conditions ease too much and the Fed declares victory on inflation too soon, which could reignite price pressures in a manner reminiscent of the 1970s period under former Fed Chairman Arthur Burns.

    “We think rate-cut expectations have gone too far too fast, and that the backup in yields we are seeing right now is the market acknowledging that maybe rate cuts are not going to be as aggressive as what was priced in,” Gillum said via phone.

    December’s CPI report on Thursday is the data highlight of the week ahead.

    On Monday, consumer-credit data for November is set to be released, followed the next day by trade-deficit figures for the same month.

    Wednesday brings the wholesale-inventories report for November and remarks by New York Fed President John Williams.

    Initial weekly jobless claims are released on Thursday. On Friday, the producer price index for December comes out.

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  • Alaska Airlines grounds all Boeing 737-9 Max planes after flight suffers midair window blowout

    Alaska Airlines grounds all Boeing 737-9 Max planes after flight suffers midair window blowout

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    Alaska Airlines grounded all of its Boeing 737-9 aircraft late Friday, hours after a window and piece of fuselage on one such plane blew out in midair and forced an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.

    The incident occurred shortly after takeoff and the gaping hole caused the cabin to depressurize. Flight data showed the plane climbed to 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before returning to Portland International Airport.

    The airline
    ALK,
    +3.10%

    said the plane landed safely with 174 passengers and six crew members.

    “Following tonight’s event on Flight 1282, we have decided to take the precautionary step of temporarily grounding our fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement.

    Each of the aircraft will be returned to service after full maintenance and safety inspections, which Minicucci said the airline anticipated completing within days.

    The airline provided no immediate information about whether anyone was injured or the possible cause.

    The plane was diverted about about six minutes after taking off at 5:07 p.m., according to flight tracking data from the FlightAware website. It landed at 5:26 p.m.

    The pilot told Portland air traffic controllers the plane had an emergency, was depressurized and needed to return to the airport, according to a recording made by the website LiveATC.net.

    A passenger sent KATU-TV in Portland a photo showing the hole in the side of the airplane next to passenger seats. Video shared with the station showed people wearing oxygen masks and passengers clapping as the plane landed.

    The National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was investigating an event on the flight and would post updates when they are available. The Federal Aviation Administration also said it would investigate.

    The Boeing 737-9 MAX involved in the incident rolled off the assembly line and received its certification just two months ago, according to online FAA records.

    The plane had been on 145 flights since entering commercial service on Nov. 11, said FlightRadar24, another tracking service. The flight from Portland was the aircraft’s third of the day.

    Boeing
    BA,
    +1.66%

    said it was aware of the incident, working to gather more information and ready to support the investigation.

    The Max is the newest version of Boeing’s venerable 737, a twin-engine, single-aisle plane frequently used on U.S. domestic flights. The plane went into service in May 2017.

    Two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people and leading to a near two-year worldwide grounding of all Max 8 and Max 9 planes.

    The planes returned to service only after Boeing made changes to an automated flight control system implicated in the crashes.

    Last year, the FAA told pilots to limit use of an anti-ice system on the Max in dry conditions because of concern that inlets around the engines could overheat and break away, possibly striking the plane.

    Max deliveries have been interrupted at times to fix manufacturing flaws. The company told airlines in December to inspect the planes for a possible loose bolt in the rudder-control system.

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  • The Russell 2000 Index has soared, but you might be better off looking elsewhere for quality small-cap stocks

    The Russell 2000 Index has soared, but you might be better off looking elsewhere for quality small-cap stocks

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    The Russell 2000 Index soared 12% in December, which might reflect investors’ exuberance about the state of the U.S. economy — it appears the Federal Reserve has won its battle against inflation.

    But if you are looking to broaden your exposure to the stock market beyond the large-cap S&P 500
    SPX,
    buying shares of a fund that tracks the Russell 2000 Index
    RUT
    might not be the best way to do it. This is because the Russell 2000 isn’t selective — it is made up of the smallest 2,000 companies by market capitalization in the Russell 3000 Index
    RUA,
    which itself is designed to capture about 98% of the U.S. public equity market.

    A better choice might be the S&P Small Cap 600 Index
    SML
    because S&P Global requires companies to show four consecutive quarters of profitability to be initially included in the index, among other criteria.

    Below is a screen of analysts’ favorite stocks among the S&P Small Cap 600, along with another for the Russell 2000.

    Watch for a “head fake”

    Much of the small-cap buying in December might have resulted from covering of short positions by hedge-fund managers. This idea is backed by the timing of trading activity immediately following the Federal Open Market Committee’s announcement on Dec. 13 that it wouldn’t change its interest-rate policy, according to MacroTourist blogger Kevin Muir. The Fed’s economic projections released the same day also indicate three cuts to the federal-funds rate in 2024.

    Heading into the end of the year, a fund manager who had shorted small-caps, and then was surprised by the Fed’s interest-rate projections, might have scrambled to buy stocks it had shorted to close-out the positions and hopefully lock in gains, or limit losses.

    That buying activity and resulting pop in small-cap prices could set up a typical “head fake” for investors as the new year begins, according to Muir.

    The long-term case for quality

    Looking at data for companies’ most recently reported fiscal quarters, 58% of the Russell 2000 reported positive earnings per share, according to data provided by FactSet. In other words, hundreds of these companies were losing money. These might include promising companies facing “binary events,” such as make-or-break drug trials in the biotechnology industry.

    In comparison, 78% of companies among the S&P Small Cap 600 were profitable, and 93% of the S&P 500 were in the black.

    Here are long-term performance figures for exchange-traded funds that track all three indexes:

    ETF

    Ticker

    2023

    3 years

    5 years

    10 years

    15 years

    20 years

    iShares Russell 2000 ETF

    IWM 17%

    7%

    61%

    99%

    428%

    365%

    iShares Core S&P Small Cap ETF

    IJR 16%

    25%

    69%

    129%

    540%

    515%

    SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

    SPY 26%

    34%

    108%

    210%

    629%

    527%

    Source: FactSet

    An approach tracking the S&P Small Cap 600 has outperformed the Russell 2000 for all periods, with margins widening as you go further back.

    Brett Arends: You own the wrong small-cap fund. How to get into a better one.

    Looking ahead for quality… or not

    For the first screen, we began with the S&P Small Cap 600 and narrowed the list to 385 companies covered by at least five analysts polled by FactSet. Then we cut the list to 92 companies with “buy” or equivalent ratings among at least 75% of the covering analysts.

    Here are the 20 remaining stocks among the S&P Small Cap 600 with the highest 12-month upside potential indicated by analysts’ consensus price targets:

    Company

    Ticker

    Share “buy” ratings

    Dec. 29 price

    Consensus price target

    Implied 12-month upside potential

    Vir Biotechnology Inc.

    VIR,
    +4.47%
    88%

    $10.06

    $32.00

    218%

    Arcus Biosciences Inc.

    RCUS,
    +3.04%
    82%

    $19.10

    $41.00

    115%

    Xencor Inc.

    XNCR,
    +6.03%
    92%

    $21.23

    $39.83

    88%

    Dynavax Technologies Corp.

    DVAX,
    +2.86%
    100%

    $13.98

    $24.80

    77%

    ModivCare Inc.

    MODV,
    +0.95%
    100%

    $43.99

    $75.50

    72%

    Xperi Inc

    XPER,
    +1.81%
    80%

    $11.02

    $18.20

    65%

    Thryv Holdings Inc.

    THRY,
    100%

    $20.35

    $32.75

    61%

    Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    LGND,
    +1.25%
    100%

    $71.42

    $114.80

    61%

    Green Plains Inc.

    GPRE,
    -1.67%
    80%

    $25.22

    $40.30

    60%

    Patterson-UTI Energy Inc.

    PTEN,
    +0.28%
    75%

    $10.80

    $17.00

    57%

    Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc. Class A

    IRWD,
    +8.48%
    83%

    $11.44

    $17.83

    56%

    Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    CPRX,
    +1.78%
    100%

    $16.81

    $26.20

    56%

    Payoneer Global Inc.

    PAYO,
    -3.45%
    100%

    $5.21

    $8.00

    54%

    Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc.

    HLX,
    -2.63%
    83%

    $10.28

    $15.00

    46%

    Arlo Technologies Inc.

    ARLO,
    -3.05%
    100%

    $9.52

    $13.80

    45%

    Pacira Biosciences Inc.

    PCRX,
    -5.16%
    100%

    $33.74

    $48.40

    43%

    Privia Health Group Inc.

    PRVA,
    +2.95%
    100%

    $23.03

    $32.53

    41%

    Semtech Corp.

    SMTC,
    -1.23%
    92%

    $21.91

    $30.90

    41%

    Talos Energy Inc.

    TALO,
    +1.19%
    78%

    $14.23

    $20.00

    41%

    Digi International Inc.

    DGII,
    -1.21%
    100%

    $26.00

    $36.14

    39%

    Source: FactSet

    Any stock screen should only be considered a starting point. You should do your own research to form your own opinion before making any investment. one way to begin is by clicking on the tickers for more about each company.

    Click here for Tomi Kilgore’s detailed guide to the wealth of information available for free on the MarketWatch quote page.

    Moving on to the Russell 2000, when we narrowed this group to stocks covered by at least five analysts polled by FactSet, we were left with 936 companies. Among these, 355 have “buy” or equivalent ratings among at least 75% of the covering analysts.

    Among those 355 stocks in the Russell 2000, these 20 have the highest implied upside over the next year, based on consensus price targets:

    Company

    Ticker

    Share “buy” ratings

    Dec. 29 price

    Consensus price target

    Implied 12-month upside potential

    Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.

    KPTI,
    +4.18%
    75%

    $0.87

    $6.00

    594%

    Rallybio Corp.

    RLYB,
    +0.42%
    100%

    $2.39

    $16.50

    590%

    Vor Biopharma Inc.

    VOR,
    -0.89%
    100%

    $2.25

    $15.44

    586%

    Tenaya Therapeutics Inc.

    TNYA,
    -0.62%
    100%

    $3.24

    $19.14

    491%

    Compass Therapeutics Inc.

    CMPX,
    -5.13%
    86%

    $1.56

    $9.17

    488%

    Vigil Neuroscience Inc.

    VIGL,
    +2.66%
    88%

    $3.38

    $18.75

    455%

    Trevi Therapeutics Inc.

    TRVI,
    -2.99%
    100%

    $1.34

    $7.33

    447%

    Inozyme Pharma Inc.

    INZY,
    +1.64%
    100%

    $4.26

    $21.00

    393%

    Gritstone bio Inc.

    GRTS,
    +6.86%
    100%

    $2.04

    $10.00

    390%

    Actinium Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    ATNM,
    +4.72%
    83%

    $5.08

    $23.36

    360%

    Lineage Cell Therapeutics Inc.

    LCTX,
    86%

    $1.09

    $4.83

    343%

    Century Therapeutics Inc.

    IPSC,
    +9.64%
    86%

    $3.32

    $14.67

    342%

    Acrivon Therapeutics Inc.

    ACRV,
    +1.83%
    100%

    $4.92

    $21.13

    329%

    Avidity Biosciences Inc.

    RNA,
    +1.22%
    100%

    $9.05

    $37.50

    314%

    Longboard Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    LBPH,
    +316.25%
    100%

    $6.03

    $24.17

    301%

    Omega Therapeutics Inc.

    OMGA,
    -1.33%
    100%

    $3.01

    $12.00

    299%

    Allogene Therapeutics Inc.

    ALLO,
    +12.77%
    82%

    $3.21

    $12.79

    298%

    X4 Pharmaceuticals Inc.

    XFOR,
    +5.21%
    86%

    $0.84

    $3.26

    289%

    Caribou Biosciences Inc.

    CRBU,
    -2.79%
    89%

    $5.73

    $22.25

    288%

    Stoke Therapeutics Inc.

    STOK,
    +11.41%
    78%

    $5.26

    $19.33

    268%

    Source: FactSet

    That’s right — this Russell 2000 list is all biotech. And in case you are wondering if any companies are on both lists, the answer is no.

    Don’t miss: 11 dividend stocks with high yields expected to be well supported in 2024 per strict criteria

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  • These 20 stocks soared the most in 2023

    These 20 stocks soared the most in 2023

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    (Updated with Friday’s closing prices.)

    The 2023 rally for stocks in the U.S. accelerated as more investors bought the idea that the Federal Reserve succeeded in its effort to bring inflation to heel.

    The S&P 500
    SPX
    ended Friday with a 24.2% gain for 2023, following a 19.4% decline in 2022. (All price changes in this article exclude dividends). Among the 500 stocks, 65% were up for 2023. Below is a list of the year’s 20 best performers in the benchmark index.

    This article focuses on large-cap stocks. MarketWatch Editor in Chief Mark DeCambre took a broader look at all U.S. stocks of companies with market capitalizations of at least $1 billion, to list 10 with gains ranging from 412% to 1,924%.

    The Fed began raising short-term interest rates and pushing long-term rates higher in March 2022 by allowing its bond portfolio to run off. That explains the poor performance for stocks in 2022, as bonds and even bank accounts because more attractive to investors.

    The central bank hasn’t raised the federal-funds rate since moving it to the current target range of 5.25% to 5.50% in July, and its economic projections point to three rate cuts in 2024.

    Investors are anticipating the return to a low-rate environment by scooping up 10-year U.S. Treasury notes
    BX:TMUBMUSD10Y,
    whose yield ended the year at 3.88%, down from 4.84% on Oct. 27 — the day of the S&P 500’s low for the second half of 2023.

    Read: Treasury yields end mostly higher but little changed on year after wild 2023

    Before looking at the list of best-performing stocks of 2023, here’s a summary of how the 11 sectors of the S&P 500 performed, with the full index and three more broad indexes at the bottom:

    Sector or index

    2023 price change

    2022 price change

    Price change since end of 2021

    Forward P/E

    Forward P/E at end of 2022

    Forward P/E at end of 2023

    Information Technology

    56.4%

    -28.9%

    11.5%

    26.7

    20.0

    28.2

    Communication Services

    54.4%

    -40.4%

    -7.6%

    17.4

    14.3

    21.0

    Consumer Discretionary

    41.0%

    -37.6%

    -11.4%

    26.2

    21.7

    34.7

    Industrials

    16.0%

    -7.1%

    8.0%

    20.0

    18.7

    22.0

    Materials

    10.2%

    -14.1%

    -4.9%

    19.5

    15.8

    16.6

    Financials

    9.9%

    -12.4%

    -3.4%

    14.6

    13.0

    16.3

    Real Estate

    8.3%

    -28.4%

    -21.6%

    18.3

    16.9

    24.7

    Healthcare

    0.3%

    -3.6%

    -3.3%

    18.2

    17.7

    17.3

    Consumer Staples

    -2.2%

    -3.2%

    -5.4%

    19.3

    20.6

    21.4

    Energy

    -4.8%

    59.0%

    51.8%

    10.9

    9.8

    11.1

    Utilities

    -10.2%

    -1.4%

    -11.4%

    15.9

    18.7

    20.4

    S&P 500
    SPX
    24.2%

    -19.4%

    0.4%

    19.7

    16.8

    21.6

    Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA
    13.7%

    -8.8%

    3.8%

    17.6

    16.6

    18.9

    Nasdaq Composite
    COMP
    43.4%

    -33.1%

    -3.5%

    26.9

    22.6

    32.0

    Nasdaq-100
    NDX
    53.8%

    -33.0%

    3.5%

    26.3

    20.9

    30.3

    Source: FactSet

    A look at 2023 price action really needs to encompass what took place in 2022 for context. The broad indexes haven’t moved much from their levels at the end of 2022 (again, excluding dividends). We have included current forward price-to-earnings ratios along with those at the end of 2021 and 2022. These valuations have declined a bit, which may provide some comfort for investors wondering how likely it is for stocks to continue to rally in 2024.

    Biggest price increases among the S&P 500

    Here are the 20 stocks in the S&P 500 whose prices rose the most in 2023:

    Company

    Ticker

    2023 price change

    2022 price change

    Price change since end of 2021

    Forward P/E

    Forward P/E at end of 2022

    Forward P/E at end of 2021

    Nvidia Corp.

    NVDA,
    239%

    -50%

    68%

    24.9

    34.4

    58.0

    Meta Platforms Inc. Class A

    META,
    -1.22%
    194%

    -64%

    5%

    20.2

    14.7

    23.5

    Royal Caribbean Group

    RCL,
    -0.37%
    162%

    -36%

    68%

    14.3

    14.9

    232.4

    Builders FirstSource Inc.

    BLDR,
    -1.02%
    157%

    -24%

    95%

    14.2

    10.7

    13.3

    Uber Technologies Inc.

    UBER,
    -2.49%
    149%

    -41%

    47%

    56.9

    N/A

    N/A

    Carnival Corp.

    CCL,
    -0.70%
    130%

    -60%

    -8%

    18.7

    41.3

    N/A

    Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

    AMD,
    -0.91%
    128%

    -55%

    2%

    39.7

    17.7

    43.1

    PulteGroup Inc.

    PHM,
    -0.26%
    127%

    -20%

    81%

    9.1

    6.3

    6.2

    Palo Alto Networks Inc.

    PANW,
    -0.24%
    111%

    -25%

    59%

    50.2

    38.0

    70.1

    Tesla Inc.

    TSLA,
    -1.86%
    102%

    -65%

    -29%

    66.2

    22.3

    120.3

    Broadcom Inc.

    AVGO,
    -0.55%
    100%

    -16%

    68%

    23.2

    13.6

    19.8

    Salesforce Inc.

    CRM,
    -0.92%
    98%

    -48%

    4%

    28.0

    23.8

    53.5

    Fair Isaac Corp.

    FICO,
    -0.46%
    94%

    38%

    168%

    47.1

    29.3

    28.7

    Arista Networks Inc.

    ANET,
    -0.62%
    94%

    -16%

    64%

    32.7

    22.3

    41.4

    Intel Corp.

    INTC,
    -0.28%
    90%

    -49%

    -2%

    26.6

    14.6

    13.9

    Jabil Inc.

    JBL,
    -0.45%
    87%

    -3%

    81%

    13.5

    7.9

    10.3

    Lam Research Corp.

    LRCX,
    -0.81%
    86%

    -42%

    9%

    25.2

    13.5

    20.2

    ServiceNow Inc.

    NOW,
    +0.57%
    82%

    -40%

    9%

    56.0

    42.6

    90.1

    Amazon.com Inc.

    AMZN,
    -0.94%
    81%

    -50%

    -9%

    42.0

    46.7

    64.9

    Monolithic Power Systems Inc.

    MPWR,
    -0.23%
    78%

    -28%

    28%

    49.1

    27.3

    57.9

    Source: FactSet

    Click on the tickers for more about each company.

    Click here for Tomi Kilgore’s detailed guide to the wealth of information available for free on the MarketWatch quote page.

    Don’t miss: Nvidia tops list of Wall Street’s 20 favorite stocks for 2024

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  • Why this Treasury market trade continues to draw scrutiny

    Why this Treasury market trade continues to draw scrutiny

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    Inside the $26 trillion Treasury market, perhaps the deepest and most liquid place for government debt in the world, a particular trade continues to draw scrutiny ahead of year-end. It’s the “basis trade,” a way of profiting on the differences in prices between Treasurys and Treasury futures. While such differences can be relatively tiny, one’s potential profit or loss can be exponentially magnified when leverage is involved.In a nutshell, the basis trade takes an arbitrage approach: It involves borrowing from the repo market for leverage and financing, and then taking a short Treasury futures position and a long Treasury…

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  • Ukrainian spies vow to stab Russia ‘with a needle in the heart’

    Ukrainian spies vow to stab Russia ‘with a needle in the heart’

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    Press play to listen to this article

    Voiced by artificial intelligence.

    KYIV — Ukraine’s spies aim to intensify intelligence operations and conduct sabotage strikes deep in Russian-controlled territory next year to bring the war as close to the Kremlin as possible, the head of Ukraine’s SBU security service told POLITICO.

    “We cannot disclose our plans. They should remain a shocker for the enemy. We prepare surprises,” Major General Vasyl Malyuk said in written responses to questions. “The occupiers must understand that it will not be possible to hide. We will find the enemy everywhere.”

    While he dodged specifics, Malyuk did give some hints. Logistics targets and military assets in occupied Ukrainian territory are likely to continue to be a focus. And then there are strikes that hit the enemy across the border.

    “We are always looking for new solutions. So, cotton will continue to burn,” Malyuk joked.

    Ukrainians use the word “cotton” to describe explosions in Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine organized by Ukrainian special services. It came from Russian media and officials describing the growing number of such incidents with the word khlopok, which means both “blast” and “cotton” in Russian.

    With combat along hundreds of kilometers of front lines essentially stalled for much of this year, the exploits of the SBU both boost Ukrainian morale and also hurt Russia’s war fighting abilities.

    “The SBU carries out targeted point strikes. We stab the enemy with a needle right in the heart. Each of our special operations pursues a specific goal and gives its result. All this in a complex complicates the capabilities of the Russian Federation for waging war and brings our victory closer,” Malyuk said.

    One area of focus will be Crimea and the Black Sea, building on this year’s operations.

    Malyuk’s pet project is the Sea Baby drone, called malyuk in Ukrainian, which means “little guy.” The drone carries about 850 kilograms of explosives and is able to operate in stormy conditions, making it difficult to detect.

    “With the help of those little guys we are gradually pushing the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation out of Crimea,” Malyuk said.

    It’s been used to attack the Kerch Bridge that links occupied Crimea to mainland Russia in July as well as to hammer Russian ships.

    In October 2022 the SBU’s marine drones attacked Sevastopol Bay damaging four Russian warships. This year, the drones hit two missile carriers, a tanker, an amphibious assault ship and also damaged a large military tugboat and Russia’s newest reconnaissance and hydrographic ship.

    Malyuk’s pet project is the Sea Baby drone, called malyuk in Ukrainian, which means “little guy.” The drone carries about 850 kilograms of explosives and is able to operate in stormy conditions, making it difficult to detect | Courtesy of the Security Service of Ukraine

    That forced Moscow to shift much of the fleet away from its base in occupied Sevastopol in Crimea, leaving the west of the sea free of Russian vessels and allowing Ukraine to resume use of its ports for shipping.

    The Kerch Bridge is still standing after a 2022 truck bomb attack and this year’s strike, but is only partially open, Malyuk said.

    “It is a legitimate target for us, according to international law and the rules of war. Ukrainian law also allows us to attack this object. And we have to destroy the logistics of our enemy,” Malyuk added.

    Malyuk said that Kyiv carefully considers its targets before striking — an effort to stay within the rules of war in contrast with Russia, which has fired missiles, artillery and drones at both military and civilian targets.

    “When planning and preparing its special operations, the SBU carefully selects its targets. We work on military facilities or on those that the enemy uses to carry out their military tasks. We act fully by the norms of international law,” Malyuk said.

    The SBU conducts most of its operations on Ukraine’s territory — in Donbas, Crimea and the Black Sea.

    “This is our land and we will use all possible methods to free it from the occupiers,” Malyuk said.

    When it comes to planning something in Russia, SBU says it focuses only on targets used for military purposes like logistical corridors for supplying weapons — like the rail tunnel in Siberia hit with two explosions (the SBU hasn’t claimed responsibility) as well as warships, military bases and similar targets.

    “All SBU operations you hear about are exclusively our work and our unique technical development,” Malyuk said. “These operations became possible, in particular, because we develop and implement our technical solutions.”

    Russia should prepare to be hit.

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    Veronika Melkozerova

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