The Filtered Blog / Business Pulse
Business Pulse
Freight, tariffs, energy, main street: the forces that move your costs before they move your P&L.
Diesel, freight rates, tariff schedules, insurance premiums: the costs that move before your P&L does.
This page collects every Business Pulse story Filtered has shipped, each one elaborated past the headline to the mechanism and the operator move.
Read it when a quote suddenly comes back higher and you want to know which input moved first.
The standing guide for this beat: The Operator Economy Watch.
Latest in Business Pulse
Freight, tariffs, energy, main street: the forces that move your costs before they move your P&L.
Cass: TL rates up 11% in August as freight shipments finally turn positive
The downturn is over. Lock linehaul before spot rates set your new floor.
Sep 15, 2026 · 21 min
Trump escalates Canada trade war, import bans land on dairy, alcohol, and autos
A tariff raises the price. A ban removes the shipment. Know which one you face.
Sep 10, 2026 · 20 min
US slaps import ban on Canadian goods as trade war moves past tariffs
Import ban effective Sept. 29; audit Canadian inputs and re-quote now.
Sep 09, 2026 · 14 min
Diesel at 5-year highs. FreightWaves says the surge isn't a blip
Diesel's surge is structural. Re-quote contracts before stale fuel costs lock in.
Sep 03, 2026 · 15 min
Iran mines Hormuz strait, two tankers struck as conflict with U.S. widens
U.S.
Sep 02, 2026 · 12 min
Tehran presses for June deal return; Trump vows hard strikes, oil prices tick up
Iran strikes U.S. bases; oil ticks up. Lock fixed pricing before the next escalation.
Sep 01, 2026 · 17 min
Trucking market stuck in a supply-driven cycle, capacity won't clear fast
Spot rates reflect oversupply, not demand. Lock terms before the cycle turns.
Aug 31, 2026 · 14 min
FMCSA and New York head toward oral arguments over non-domiciled CDL ban
New York CDL ban heads to court; audit driver compliance now.
Aug 28, 2026 · 14 min
Ocean ship orders near 40% of global fleet, pressuring future container rates
Ship orders near 40% of fleet signal a rate drop coming. Lock contracts now.
Aug 27, 2026 · 16 min
USPS adding a 6% peak-season surcharge on parcels this year
USPS adds a 6% peak surcharge on parcels starting Oct. 4; reprice before it locks in.
Aug 26, 2026 · 17 min
Uber Freight: US-Mexico capacity crunch could 'get worse before it gets better'
Tighter B-1 visas and strong demand are squeezing northbound Mexico capacity. Lock lanes now.
Aug 25, 2026 · 18 min
Oil heads for second weekly rise as U.S. vows to tighten economic pressure on Iran
Diesel's heat means re-quote fuel surcharges before contracts reset.
Aug 21, 2026 · 16 min
Lowe's cuts outlook as DIY spending stays under pressure
DIY is soft; Pro and services carry growth. Adjust forecasts before commitments.
Aug 20, 2026 · 13 min
Ocean freight rates up 400%, supply squeeze, not demand, is driving it
Ocean freight rates up 400% on capacity control, not demand. Re-quote open contracts.
Aug 19, 2026 · 13 min
Tyson closing more beef plants as cattle shortage deepens
Tyson's plant closures tighten beef supply; lock pricing now.
Aug 18, 2026 · 14 min
SPR oil reserves near structural damage threshold for Gulf Coast caverns
A depleted SPR means less cushion for the next energy price spike.
Aug 17, 2026 · 19 min
5th Circuit strikes No Surprises Act benchmark, a win for providers
The old arbitration benchmark is gone. Reprice out-of-network schedules before renewal.
Aug 14, 2026 · 15 min
Uber Freight confirms cyber incident after hackers claim nearly 1 million files
Assume your shipment data is exposed until Uber Freight says otherwise.
Aug 13, 2026 · 17 min
DentaQuest breach exposes data of 15M people, largest healthcare breach this year
The largest healthcare breach this year puts your notification SLA under a microscope.
Aug 12, 2026 · 15 min
Hormuz deadlock holds, oil traders price in no imminent deal
Hormuz deadlock keeps energy costs high; lock surcharge terms now.
Aug 11, 2026 · 19 min
CBP has paid $100B in IEEPA tariff refunds, a live cash-flow lever
File your IEEPA tariff refund claim now; $100B has been paid, but backlogs are growing.
Aug 10, 2026 · 13 min
Trans-Pac box rates climb as peak-season demand hits container shipping
Trans-Pac rates are climbing; reprice inbound freight before your next PO cycle.
Aug 07, 2026 · 14 min
Construction spending fell 3.2% in June as job openings rose, contractors can't staff up
Labor scarcity, not demand, is pricing your next bid.
Aug 05, 2026 · 17 min
25 states sue Trump over Section 301 forced-labor tariffs
Section 301 forced-labor tariffs face a 25-state legal challenge; audit your exposure now.
Aug 05, 2026 · 14 min
Trump admin revives 340B rebate rule, healthcare operators face renewed margin pressure
340B rebate rule returns. Review your contracts and model the margin hit before it lands.
Aug 02, 2026 · 14 min
Tankers near Oman come under fire as Iran threatens to choke off shipping routes
War-risk surcharges are now baked into Gulf freight quotes.
Aug 01, 2026 · 10 min
Exxon and Chevron profits surge as Iran war pushes oil prices higher
Oil's war premium is now your fuel surcharge. Re-quote before the next renewal.
Jul 31, 2026 · 22 min
MSC and CMA CGM add fresh Panama Canal surcharges
Panama Canal drought is now a permanent surcharge line item.
Jul 23, 2026 · 14 min
Trump's 200% pharma tariff targets one of the world's most globalized supply chains
President Trump announced a 200% tariff on generic pharmaceuticals, with duty-free treatment maintained for two years before the hike takes effect.
Jul 23, 2026 · 10 min
Diesel prices spike, hammering logistics margins
The latest DOE/EIA report shows diesel prices experiencing their largest weekly jump since the Iran War, adding over 55 cents per gallon in just two weeks.
Jul 22, 2026 · 10 min