Global Trade & Logistic Trends

Leaders of multinational corporations are navigating an unprecedented level of geopolitical volatility as they rethinking supply chain strategies and reconfigure global manufacturing footprints. In this environment, Southeast Asia has emerged as a strategic hub for companies seeking to manage cost pressures, diversify risk, and build greater resilience.

Companies are increasingly responding to persistent supply-chain volatility by diversifying their sourcing strategies and exploring new trade routes. According to a recent Maersk survey of more than 900 firms across Europe, four out of five cargo owners expect major disruptions to continue for at least another 2 years.

Although China and the United States have recently achieved progress on trade and maritime-shipping agreements, there is little indication of a robust rebound in trans-Pacific trade activity in the near term. Ongoing uncertainty has compelled ocean carriers to push for higher freight rates.

Container rates along major trans-Pacific and Asia-to-Europe routes have improved by double-digits recently, as negotiations proceed on significant regional trade deals.

President Donald Trump has reportedly agreed to a 10% reduction in US tariffs on a broad range of Chinese imports, following a high-level meeting held in Seoul, South Korea, with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Despite the latest surge in tariffs and mounting geopolitical tensions, global trade has held up far better than many expected. According to the latest Global Connectedness Tracker, the world’s trade networks are still very much active, and globalization, though sometimes perceived to be under threat, has yet to reverse course.

Trump administration has issued sharp warnings against nations supporting a proposal to impose mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) limits and a global carbon pricing system on international shippin, calling it a ‘European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations’.

Global trade is bracing for significant disruption after President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, effective November 1, 2025, or sooner depending on future developments. The move represents a dramatic escalation in US – China trade tensions, coming just one day after Beijing unveiled sweeping new export controls on rare earth elements

The recent announcement of a first-phase ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has bring cautious optimism across the global shipping industry, raising hopes that the long-disrupted Suez Canal corridor may finally begin its recovery.

The EU and Indonesia officially launched trade negotiations on 18 July 2016, with the 19th round held in July 2024. Since then, talks continued in an ad-hoc format. On 23 September 2025, the EU and Indonesia concluded negotiations on both the CEPA and a parallel Investment Protection Agreement.