The conflict in the Middle East creates additional unknowns. “The whole issue of supply chain reliability will become more important,” CEO Stefan Paul told journalists on March 3.

A decision to tap the Energy Department’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve could help stanch prices spikes, at least temporarily. The reserve currently holds about 415 million barrels.

Shipowners and brokers are demanding more than $200,000 a day for LNG tankers in the Atlantic Basin, roughly double what they were commanding less than a day earlier, according to sources.

Oil producers jumped on a chance to lock in prices for future sales as the crude market soared, opening a window that had been scarce before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on OPEC member Iran. 

Sunbelt Rentals Holdings made its U.S. stock-market debut March 2, amid a recent rush by investors into asset-heavy, capital intensive businesses that can’t be replaced by AI.

Freightliner Cascadias equipped with Torc’s software began testing in Michigan in February, adding to trials already underway on roads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and in Virginia.

Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced a proposed rule to rescind a controversial independent contractor rule in a move welcomed by the trucking industry.

Agriculture traders rushed to adjust positions with the escalating conflict in Iran threatening to disrupt supply chains from corn and soybean meal to fertilizer and sugar.

Some carriers are canceling bookings temporarily, skipping some port calls, warning of delays and implementing surcharges to transport containers through the conflict zone. 

Trailer manufacturer Wabash is continuing to expand its parts and service center operations while trimming manufacturing capacity as part of a strategic pivot.

An appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s request to delay next steps in the fight over tariff refunds for importers after the Supreme Court struck down Trump's signature policy.

Chicago’s Interstate 294 at I‑290/I‑88 has been named the nation’s top freight bottleneck in 2026, according to a new analysis from the American Transportation Research Institute.

Here's the solution to the crossword puzzle found in the March 2, 2026 print edition.

“It’s the rockets and feathers effect,” Christopher Knittel, a professor of energy economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “When things are going up — they go up fast.”

Soy rose to its highest level in more than two years after strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran. Contracts in Chicago surged as much as 3.9% before paring some gains.

The Institute for Supply Management’s gauge of prices paid for manufacturing inputs jumped 11.5 points to 70.5, the highest level since overall inflation peaked nearly four years ago.

“One of the things in this industry is that there’s always uncertainties,” Krista Swanson, chief economist at the National Corn Growers Association, said in an interview.

The most immediate impact from the escalating Middle East conflict is through market reaction as investors take flight to safe havens such as the dollar and gold, while stocks slump.

Not only are the capital expenditures eating into Amazon’s free cash flow, but market pros are growing impatient about when they’ll pay off in dramatic fashion. 

Runaway freight is one of the most tangible market responses to a conflict that began on Feb. 28 and culminated with the vital Strait of Hormuz chokepoint all-but closing to tanker traffic.