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As war and drought throttle supply chains, importers reopen pandemic playbooks

Jan 29, 2024
Firms that import goods are returning to pandemic-era strategies to brace their businesses against delays and higher shipping costs.
Because of ongoing delays, some importers are stocking up on goods and passing along price hikes.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A weakening dollar is good news for exporters, bad news for importers

Dec 5, 2022
The greenback's strength has made it tough for U.S. businesses to compete overseas.
While some American exporters are already benefiting from the weakening dollar, it's making imports pricier. Above, the Port of Los Angeles on Nov. 16.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

For importers, taking advantage of the strong dollar hasn’t been easy

Oct 4, 2022
Foreign vendors often prefer to be paid in U.S. dollars instead of their local currencies. Others are adding energy surcharges.
A lot of businesses have been hoping that the stronger dollar would help them save some money on imports — but that hasn't been the case for many.
Daniel Munoz/AFP via Getty Images