Retail sales rebounded in October, climbing 0.6% over the previous month and 5% compared to the same month last year, according to the NRF/CNBC Retail Monitor. The growth follows a dip in September and signals strong consumer activity heading into the holiday season. Total retail sales for the first ten months of 2025 are up 5.11% year-over-year.

DNOW has finalized its $1.5 billion acquisition of MRC Global, marking a significant milestone for both companies and creating a company with an enterprise value of around $3 billion. The merger combines two major Houston-based industrial supply distributors that are key suppliers to the US oilfield and energy sectors. The combined entity will operate and be publicly traded under the DNOW name, but both brands are expected to continue operating independently.

Sonepar-owned QED has opened a 250,000-square-foot central distribution center in Aurora, Colorado, as part of a shift to a centralized logistics model that consolidates inventory and streamlines operations, enabling more efficient, accurate and faster order fulfillment. The site features automation technologies, including robots from Locus Robotics, and aims to enhance services for contractors and industrial clients in the Denver area.

US imports are forecast to decline through early 2026, with December imports expected to drop to 1.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units, the lowest since March 2023, according to the Global Port Tracker. Retailers significantly increased imports earlier in the year to prepare for the holiday season and to preempt potential tariff impacts, ensuring store shelves are well stocked with minimal pricing impacts from tariffs. 

Organizations are turning to digital supply chain management to address challenges posed by a linear supply chain model. Salman Shahid of DevBatch writes that using technologies such as the internet of things, AI and automation can be used to enhance SCM visibility, efficiency and decision-making. Shahid also has tips for integrating technologies like GPS trackers and RFID for real-time data, designing SCM models that align with product flow and opting for packaging automation.

There has been a 27% increase in cargo theft in the US this year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, driven by technology that enables criminals to clone vendor identities, forge documents, reroute shipments and orchestrate large-scale thefts without physical confrontation. Vulnerabilities in one vendor can compromise entire networks, and traditional vendor vetting methods are no longer sufficient, writes Jessica Lewis McFate, a senior director of intelligence solutions for Babel Street. She suggests that companies adopt AI-driven vendor risk intelligence platforms and open-source intelligence for real-time threat detection and continuous monitoring.

B2B marketers have rapidly integrated AI, with 96% rating their team's AI capability as high, but a study by The Drum and Gut Network reveals that only 16% of marketers say their chief marketing officer oversees AI, with most control resting with technical teams and innovation leads. While 78% of marketers have reported time savings and 74% have reported improved marketing effectiveness via AI, many marketers remain concerned about ethical and reputational risks.

A consumer sentiment index maintained by the University of Michigan has declined to 50.3, reaching the lowest level since June 2022, as Americans react to the ongoing government shutdown. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he is pushing for reengagement on talks to end the shutdown.

Small businesses are struggling to cope with tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, unlike large retailers that have the resources to manage the increased costs. Owners like Eunice Byun of Material Kitchen have seen their supply chains grow more complicated and their revenues decline. Others, such as Anjali Bhargava of Anjali's Cup, struggle to adapt due to limited resources, as they are unable to stockpile inventory or buffer against price hikes.

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