Foreign Trade

U.S. Import Slowdown Deepens as Retailers Pull Back Amid Iran Crisis

U.S. container imports are expected to remain weaker than last year through early fall despite temporary May-June rebounds, according to National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates projections. March volumes reached 2.16 million TEU, up 0.6% year-over-year, but April is forecast at 2.13 million TEU, down 3.6%. After June, volumes are projected to turn negative, with July falling 7.8% to 2.2 million TEU. Economic uncertainty and Middle East tensions are weighing on consumer demand and retail restocking efforts.