According to a report from Supply Chain Dive, the executive director of the Port of Los Angeles has observed that shippers are currently maintaining stable purchase orders with factories in Asia, looking three months ahead. He noted that this contrasts with past behavior where orders were canceled during periods of uncertain economic performance.

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Based on this order pattern, the port anticipates following traditional seasonal cargo trends this year, including goods for spring and summer fashion, back-to-school, Halloween, and the holiday season. However, cargo arrivals in February appeared flat compared to the same period last year, and a slowdown is expected in March following the Lunar New Year.

The port director attributed the flat comparisons partly to high import volumes in 2025, when importers accelerated shipments ahead of potential tariffs. He projected a first-quarter decline of less than 10% compared to the strong first quarter of the previous year, adding that he does not foresee a severe drop in economic activity or cargo volume thereafter. He also stated that nationwide inventory levels remain slightly elevated due to the earlier surge in cargo and more cautious inventory management practices.

Businesses are managing uncertainty as trade policy evolves under the current administration of the President of the United States. A recent Supreme Court ruling found that the administration’s broad use of a 1977 emergency powers act to enact global reciprocal tariffs was illegal.

A senior fellow from the Peterson Institute for International Economics advised business leaders to monitor tariff changes and major trade developments. He highlighted an anticipated meeting between the President of the United States and the President of China as significant, noting that past meetings between the two leaders have led to agreements. The fellow also pointed to an upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this summer, which could affect cross-border supply chains, but stated that the administration’s specific priorities for that review are not yet clear.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform