Michael C. Rudolph

2 months ago | freightwaves.com | Michael C. Rudolph |Michael Jackson Worked

Unlike manufacturers’ cautious optimism, economic anxiety is on the rise among consumers for the first time in six months. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell to 71.1 in January, below both analysts’ expectations of 73.2 and the previous month’s reading of 74. There’s no cost like homeJanuary’s decline is largely attributable to concerns about the return of inflation — specifically, beliefs about the potential threat of tariff-induced price increases.

Jan 23, 2025 | freightwaves.com | Michael C. Rudolph |Michael Jackson Worked

Industrial production in the United States ended 2024 on a hopeful note, surpassing economists’ expectations and suggesting that the manufacturing sector is stabilizing after two years of decline. In December, industrial output rose by 0.9% — the largest monthly increase since last February — bolstered by an uptick in factory activity and the resolution of a prolonged strike at Boeing.

Jan 15, 2025 | freightwaves.com | Michael C. Rudolph |Michael Jackson Worked

In December 2024, U.S. consumer inflation reached an annual rate of 2.9%, largely driven by a surge in gas prices. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) ticked up 0.4% from November, in line with economists’ forecasts. The core CPI — which excludes items with volatile pricing like food and energy — rose by 0.2% month over month (m/m), rounding out 2024 with a 3.2% year-over-year (y/y) increase.

Sep 11, 2024 | freightwaves.com | Michael C. Rudolph |Michael has worked

A FreightWaves article on Tuesday discussed the circumstances leading to the International Longshoremen’s Association’s (ILA) last multicoast strike in 1977. We noted how the ILA — which represents dockworkers at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts — is one of the less strike-prone unions in the industry.

Apr 15, 2024 | freightwaves.com | Michael C. Rudolph |Michael has worked

The end of Panama’s dry season is in sight, and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) plans to welcome more vessels in the coming weeks. Over six months since the Panama Canal’s reservoir system suffered from the driest October in at least 73 years, the ACP finally sees a path to normalizing operations. On March 25, the ACP allotted three additional transit slots to Panamax vessels, bringing the total number of reservations to 27 per day.