US wholesale inventories increased 0.4% in March after a 0.5% gain a month earlier, according to the Census Bureau. Inventories rose 2.2% year over year, with significant stockpiling of imports to avoid tariffs. Wholesale sales grew 0.6% in March after surging 2% in February, while the economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter due to a record trade deficit.

Dakota Supply Group marked its 127th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the opening of its new headquarters and a 120,000-square-foot warehouse in Fargo, N.D., that will house HVAC, plumbing and electrical products. DSG, which began as Dakota Electric Supply in 1898, has grown significantly and now employs 1,000 people across 62 locations in the Upper Midwest.

Worker productivity in the United States fell at an annualized rate of 0.8% during the first quarter, marking the first decline in nearly 3 years, according to Labor Department data. Productivity declines, coupled with a 5.7% rise in unit labor costs, could further pressure business margins amid rising tariffs and lead firms to approach investment and expansion cautiously amid elevated uncertainty.

The US supply chain industry faces a labor shortage crisis driven by various factors, including an aging workforce and immigration challenges. Companies are struggling to meet staffing needs, leading to increased operational costs and shipping delays. To combat this, companies can utilize alternative hiring strategies and invest in training programs and career development pathways to attract younger talent and retain existing employees.

Wall Street is closely monitoring shipping and logistics data to assess the impact of US tariff policies on the global economy. The Port of Los Angeles is expected to see a 35% decrease in imports this week compared with a year ago, and there's been a significant decline in China-to-US container bookings and reduced truck orders.

B2B buyers are increasingly independent, preferring to conduct research before engaging with sales, writes Alexander Kesler. Buying groups average 11 members and often operate anonymously, so marketers must adopt buyer-led strategies, such as precise identification of stakeholders, partnership-focused engagement and buyer-led content, to remain effective, Kesler writes.

Half of C-suite executives might cut budgets in the second quarter due to supply chain disruptions, reduced consumer demand and inflation, according to a Gartner survey. Nearly 60% of respondents expect supply chain disruptions to affecting operations, with roughly 40% expecting impacts from reduced demand and inflation. "CFOs and their teams must ensure that steps taken to help guide cost cuts are done in a measured way that doesn't impact resilience and long-term performance," said Alexander Bant, research chief at Gartner Finance.

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