The US and China have agreed to extend their reciprocal tariff suspension for an additional 90 days, set to expire on November 10. This decision, formalized by a US executive order on August 11, allows both countries to maintain a 10% baseline tariff while suspending extra levies previously imposed during the trade war. All other existing tariffs remain in place during this extension.

US consumer prices rose 0.2% in July from the prior month and 2.7% year over year, both in line with expectations. Core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose 0.3% on the month and 3.1% annually, its highest since February, with shelter costs the main driver. The data prompted traders to boost bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut in September.

Onvo has entered into a distribution agreement with Performance Food Group division Core-Mark to supply foodservice products, marketing programs and technology to Onvo's 40 travel centers in Pennsylvania and New York. The partnership aims to strengthen Onvo's position in the Northeast and extend its regional footprint, streamline operations and improve customer experience.

UPS is in talks with the US Postal Service to resume a partnership for last-mile delivery under the UPS Ground Saver service. UPS previously relied on the USPS for last-mile delivery through the UPS SurePost service, but ended the partnership and rebranded the service as Ground Saver, opting to use its own drivers. However, UPS has faced more delivery stops than expected since the change, which has affected financial results.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform last-mile logistics, but carriers must move beyond quick fixes to achieve this. Arthur Axelrad of Dispatch Science says that while AI is being used to streamline operations, most tools operate in isolation. Axelrad advocates for a modern, connected platform with cloud-native architecture and open APIs to fully harness AI's power.

Global supply chains face new regulatory challenges, such as the elimination of the $800 de minimis exemption in the US and the EU's VAT in the Digital Age initiative. Companies must integrate tax compliance into their operations to avoid delays and audits. "Compliance is not just about avoiding penalties," says Kevin Akeroyd, CEO of Sovos. "It becomes a source of efficiency, risk mitigation, and competitive advantage."

Social media usage among marketers in 2025 has declined, with 92% reporting use compared to 97% in the previous two years, according to Digiday's survey. Social media usage is declining due to tariff uncertainty, a potential TikTok ban and increased display advertising. However, marketers are allocating smaller budgets to platforms and adopting a cautious approach.

Lowe's recently held its third annual AI Day, a 24-hour hackathon involving 600 associates from various departments focusing on 27 use cases addressing issues such as supply chain and store operations. This broad involvement is designed to bridge the gap between business thinkers and technical builders, and the event is part of the retailer's strategy of improving AI fluency and driving practical applications that can boost operations and customer service. Lowe's is considering holding quarterly hackathons to maintain its AI momentum.