Category: shortages

From Pilots to Ramp Agents: US Airlines Go All Out to Staff Up

CHICAGO—From offering premium pay to hefty signing bonuses or poaching workers from other airlines, American carriers are scrambling to ramp up staffing for the holiday season and prevent disruptions that marred air travel this summer. After reducing headcount by thousands during the depths of the pandemic, the industry is grappling with shortages of pilots, flight…


Japan’s Economy Shrinks More Than Expected as Supply Shortages Hit

TOKYO—Japan’s economy contracted much faster than expected in the third quarter as global supply disruptions hit exports and business spending while new COVID-19 cases soured the consumer mood, undermining efforts to stoke a virtuous growth cycle. While many analysts expect the world’s third-largest economy to rebound this quarter as virus curbs ease, worsening global production…


Truck Companies in Unprecedented Scramble To Find Spare Parts

It’s a simple fact of life for the commercial trucking industry: without replacement parts, the big semis stop rolling. When the trucks stop rolling, store shelves across the United States won’t be refilled with products. “It’s getting horrible” simply finding parts to fix the long-haul trucks, said Patrick Benford, general manager at Rocky Mountain Truck…


German Industrial Production Drops in September on Supply Chain Shortages

BERLIN—German industrial production unexpectedly fell in September, official data showed on Friday, as supply bottlenecks for raw and preliminary materials continued to take a toll on output in Europe’s biggest economy. The Federal Statistics Office said industrial output fell by 1.1 percent on the month after an upwardly revised drop of 3.5 percent in August….


US Service Sector Index Hits Record High in October; Shortages Worsening: ISM Survey

WASHINGTON—A measure of U.S. services industry activity surged to a record high in October likely as declining COVID-19 cases boosted demand, but businesses remained burdened by snarled supply chains and the resulting exorbitant prices. The Institute for Supply Management said on Wednesday its non-manufacturing activity index vaulted to a reading of 66.7 last month. That…


Relentless Shortages, High Prices Hamper US Manufacturing

WASHINGTON—U.S. manufacturing activity slowed in October, with all industries reporting record-long lead times for raw materials, indicating that stretched supply chains continued to constrain economic activity early in the fourth quarter. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) survey on Monday also hinted at some moderation in demand amid surging prices, with a measure of new…


’Buy It When You See It’: Retailers Dread Holiday Shortages

NEW YORK—The Perfect Pigg, a gift shop owned by Ginger Pigg, is the go-to place for residents of Cumming, Georgia, to pick up gift items like kids toys and home goods. But this year, store shelves might be a little sparse. Because of bottlenecks in the global supply chain, many stores like Pigg’s are scrambling…


US Business Activity Accelerates in October, Shortages Hamper Factories: IHS Markit Survey

WASHINGTON—U.S. business activity increased solidly in October, suggesting economic growth picked up at the start of the fourth quarter as COVID-19 infections subsided, though labor and raw material shortages held back manufacturing. Data firm IHS Markit said on Friday its flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the manufacturing and services sectors, rebounded to…


London Stock Exchange Warns on Supply Chain Shortages

London Stock Exchange Group said it was on track to achieve cost savings from the integration of data platform Refinitiv after a steady third quarter, but warned supply chain shortages could impact the timing of its technology spending. The exchange said pro forma underlying income was 1.78 billion pounds ($2.46 billion) in the three months…


Poll: Majority of Likely Voters See Delays, Shortages When Shopping

More than half of American likely voters said they are facing delays or shortages when buying consumer goods, according to a recent poll. Nearly 54 percent of respondents affirmed the problem, while less than 36 percent denied it. A bit over 10 percent weren’t sure, according to the poll by Trafalgar Group. The results somewhat…