The White House announced Tuesday that the Trump administration has received 18 trade proposals from US partners and plans to enter discussions with 34 countries in the coming days. While officials struck an optimistic tone about China, no direct talks have yet occurred between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Uline plans to open a 286,000-square-foot distribution center in Reno, Nev., in August to meet growing demand in California, Nevada and Utah. The expansion will bring Uline's regional footprint to 1.2 million square feet, and the new location is three miles from its existing branch. "Even in an uncertain economy, Uline continues to grow and offers employees generous benefits and opportunities for growth," said Brian Wayer, Uline's Reno branch manager.

President Donald Trump's tariffs have raised the US nominal average tariff rate to its highest since 1909, with Customs and Border Protection collecting $21 billion so far, despite a temporary pause on tariffs for most countries. The remaining base tariffs and additional levies for China, Canada and Mexico represent the largest tax increase on Americans since 1993.

Walmart has integrated geospatial technology to redefine its delivery areas using hexagonal grids, rather than squares or circles, offering more precise service coverage without gaps. With the new technology, Walmart extended its delivery services to reach another 12 million households in the US and is likely to reduce split deliveries and enhance the likelihood of complete, single deliveries.

A GS1 US survey finds supply chain professionals are confident in managing disruptions, with 64% expressing high confidence. However, 43% struggle with visibility. Companies with centralized systems and full automation report better agility and data management.

B2B marketers are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude to enhance daily tactics. Pam Didner offers tips for effective prompt engineering, emphasizing specificity, context and continuous testing. "You can't expect it to read your mind," Didner writes.

Skills-based hiring is gaining momentum as companies face labor shortages and more candidates acquire skills through nontraditional means. This approach prioritizes capabilities over academic credentials, expanding the talent pool and improving retention. Organizations are encouraged to adopt skills frameworks and unbiased assessments to effectively implement this hiring strategy.

Corporate executives are expressing significant concerns about the economy during earnings calls, with the ratio of positive to negative comments reaching its worst level since 2009, according to a Bank of America analysis. Companies have highlighted the challenges of navigating the trade war, with many firms cutting guidance for 2025, particularly automakers.

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