President Donald Trump announced a delay in the implementation of 25% tariffs on many US imports from Mexico and Canada. The move applies to goods covered by the 2020 US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, encompassing about half of imports from Mexico and about 38% of those from Canada, a White House official said. Business leaders and trade experts continue to express concerns over the uncertainty and supply chain challenges created by fluctuating trade policies.

Winsupply, a distributor of plumbing, HVACR and industrial PVF, has taken a minority stake in Ohio-based Mined XAI, an explainable AI solutions provider for enterprise forecasting, fleet management and supply chain optimization. The move strengthens a three-year partnership, with Winsupply aiming to enhance operational processes and support entrepreneurs, says Robert DiTommaso, president of Winsupply Support Services.

US LBM, a building materials distributor, is enhancing its support for builders in the Carolinas, where new construction is expanding, by acquiring Beach Window and Door in Calabash, N.C. Beach Window and Door will be part of US LBM's Professional Builders Supply division, and founders Harvey Sutton and David McPherson will continue to manage operations.

President Donald Trump has amended executive orders to maintain the de minimis provision that exempts small shipments from duties and customs inspections. The provision, which exempts international shipments valued below $800, will remain until the Commerce Department establishes adequate inspection and levy processing systems.

Logistics activity reached its highest growth rate since June 2022 in February, driven by rising inventory levels and trade policy, according to the Logistics Managers' Index. The index rose to 62.8, with inventory levels increasing nearly 15 points since December. Tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and Canada have led to higher costs, with inventory costs and warehousing prices growing at their fastest rates in several years.

The marketing qualified lead (MQL) model is outdated and fails to reflect modern buyer behavior, writes Mark Stouse. The model has become a vanity metric that misaligns marketing and sales, leading to unqualified leads and ineffective revenue generation. Stouse advocates for a shift toward revenue-centric metrics and causal AI to better measure marketing's impact and align with actual business growth.

Economic activity has risen slightly since mid-January amid growing uncertainty about tariffs, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Beige Book report. The report notes moderate price increases, mixed employment and consumer spending lower on balance, and it highlights concerns about policies relating to tariffs and immigration.

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