Weekly Supply Chain Intelligence

Trade is no longer a neutral backdrop—it’s the main stage where policy, power, and technology collide. We unpack a week of shifts that redefine how global supply chains are built and defended, from India’s bold move into critical minerals to the UAE’s rise as a shaper of trade rules rather than just a logistics hub. If you’re planning capacity, negotiating suppliers, or mapping risk, these signals point to the next 12–24 months.

We dig into UNCTAD’s outlook for slower but positive growth in 2026 and explain why policy choices—protectionism, industrial strategy, sustainability rules, and data governance—now steer trade flows more than price. You’ll hear how nearshoring and friendshoring are reconfiguring value chains, where green technology and digital services create new upside, and why agility is becoming a competitive moat. We also break down the World Economic Forum’s message that volatility is structural, not episodic, and how leaders are turning resilience into a growth engine with multi-sourcing, digital visibility, and regionalized manufacturing footprints.

Electronics offers a frank reality check: lead times and inventories are improving, capacity is expanding, yet exposure to geopolitical flashpoints and policy uncertainty keeps the sector in “fragile stability.” We close with the UK’s tighter trade remedies on biodiesel and the WTO’s latest signals on merchandise and services growth, plus what executive sentiment says about investment and hiring in 2026. If you need a concise, expert pass at what matters this week in supply chains, this briefing gives you the context and the playbook.

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon...