The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled that most of President Donald Trump's tariffs are illegal, finding that the law the administration cited does not give the president authority to impose tariffs. The levies will remain in effect while the case plays out, but the decision has added further trade uncertainty, potentially delaying corporate investment.

Core & Main has agreed to purchase all assets of Canada Waterworks and Canada Waterworks Ottawa, marking the distributor's first acquisition since 2024 and expanding its presence in Ontario. Core & Main President Brad Cowles said the acquisition is the next step in the distributor's effort to build its Canada operations. Canada Waterworks distributes water, wastewater and storm drainage products in southern Ontario, with operations in Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton.

US manufacturing activity contracted for a sixth consecutive month in August, with the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing PMI rising from 48 to 48.7. The new orders index improved from 47.1 to 51.4, but production fell from 51.4 to 47.8. In contrast, S&P Global's US manufacturing PMI showed a more positive trend, rising to 53 in August, the strongest since May 2022.

Customer-specific pricing agreements represent a significant portion of distributor revenue and are intended to solidify profitability by locking in negotiated terms with customers, writes David Bauders, CEO of SPARXiQ and Trade Hounds. However, many distributors lack formal, ongoing review processes, causing CSPs to go unmonitored and misaligned with current costs, market conditions and company strategy, leading to substantial financial risk and lost profitability. Bauders highlights the need for commercial discipline and governance to ensure pricing agreements align with company strategy, suggesting that AI can triage and prioritize agreements that need review.

Motor carriers face a challenging environment amid economic uncertainty, disappointing employment numbers and fluctuating tariffs. Analyst Jason Seidl of TD Cowen notes that the current freight downturn is the longest in three decades, with shippers uncertain about peak season. The less-than-truckload market remains stable, with companies such as Estes Express Lines, Averitt and Old Dominion Freight Line investing in capacity and infrastructure.

B2B marketers face the challenge of the "hidden buyer," a decision maker often from procurement, finance or legal who holds significant purchasing power but is not captured by most marketing efforts. Marketers can engage this buyer by building strong brands, creating diverse and high-quality content, showcasing real-life use cases, maintaining brand relevance over long sales cycles and using transparent and emotionally appealing sales techniques, writes Georgia Harris.

When companies go through change, leaders need to focus on the experience of their employees in addition to their plans and strategy, says Nicole Roberts, the founder and president of People Solutions Group, who notes that trust erodes when teams don't feel valued or informed. "Even when all the answers aren't available, it's important to acknowledge uncertainty, share what is known, and create space for employees to process change," Roberts notes.

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