Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government intervened to end port shutdowns by mandating binding arbitration. The labor dispute was expected to strain supply chains and disrupt the economy, with an estimated daily impact of more than $930 million. Work is set to resume immediately as the parties work to settle the dispute with the labor-relations board.

Cargo traffic at major US ports is projected to rise as retailers prepare for potential disruptions from a possible East Coast and Gulf Coast port strike and proposed new tariffs, says NRF's Jonathan Gold. Retailers are increasing imports to avoid these issues, with ports forecast to see a 13.6% increase in cargo volume in November and 6.1% in December.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors congratulated the incoming ambassador to the United Nations, Congresswomen Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who president-elect Donald Trump named as his first cabinet pick on Monday. "Elise has consistently shown remarkable leadership in Congress, and with her family's roots in distribution, she truly understands the challenges our industry faces and the essential role we play in the American economy," said NAW CEO Eric Hoplin. "Congratulations, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik -- we're excited to see all that you'll accomplish for our country in this new role."

Total US retail sales rebounded robustly in October, with a 0.74% month-over-month increase and a 4.13% year-over-year rise, fueled by lower gas prices and strong employment, as reported by the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. Core retail sales also rose by 0.83% month over month and 4.59% year over year. "Healthy spending resumed in October as consumers continued to benefit from this year's job gains and higher wages," NRF CEO Matthew Shay said.

Logistics real estate demand in the US remains subdued, as highlighted by Prologis' latest Industrial Business Indicator report. Despite a solid GDP, the demand for new logistics facilities is low due to existing spare capacity. This trend is reflected in the third quarter IBI Utilization Rate, which was 84.4%, below the normal range of 85%-86%.

Wiliot has launched WiliBot, a generative AI chatbot that facilitates natural-language interactions with products connected to the internet. This innovation allows users to engage in conversations about their supply chain, providing insights that surpass traditional database queries and improve the traceability of produce.

Seventy-three percent of third-party logistics providers and 61% of shippers responding to the 2025 Annual Third-Party Logistics Study rated change management as either critical or significant. Economic factors, customer demands and technological change factored as major change considerations for both shippers and 3PLs, with 3PLs also noting the role of labor constraints in their change management scenarios.

Rejection is not the end but the beginning of a sales journey, writes B.D. Dalton, director at the Rockfine Group, who adds that some rejection just means "not yet" instead of a flat "no." Dalton encourages salespeople to view "no" as an opportunity to engage further, build trust and ultimately convert it into a "yes."

Only about half of companies believe their pay programs effectively meet objectives like attracting and retaining employees, promoting fair and competitive compensation, and aligning with business strategy, according to a Willis Towers Watson report. Ineffective communication about compensation is also a significant issue, with fewer than 25% of companies rating their communication as effective. Despite increased salary budgets in recent years, inflation has diminished their impact, and salary budgets are expected to decrease through 2025.

Recent research supports the idea that sleep enhances decision-making, problem-solving and creativity. A study showed that participants who slept before making decisions made more rational choices, unaffected by initial impressions. Additionally, Thomas Edison and other creative thinkers recognized the transitional sleep state as a source of inspiration, a notion further backed by French research in 2021.

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