August "Fifth Best Intermodal Month Ever": AAR

In reporting U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 29, 2020, as well as volumes for August 2020, Association of American Railroads Senior Vice President Policy and Economics John T. Gray emphasized the importance that railroads have in moving consumer goods, as indicated by the ongoing recovery in intermodal loadings.

Blackstone Group and Global Infrastructure Partners Makes Bid for Kansas City Southern

A report in today's Wall Street Journal said that Blackstone Group and Global Infrastructure Partners made a takeover offer for Class I railroad carrier Kansas City Southern (KSU). The report noted that KSU currently has a $17 billion market value, citing sources familiar with this development. A dollar price for the acquisition offer was not available.

June 2020 North American Transborder Freight Up 46% from May 2020

Total Transborder freight between the U.S. and other North American countries (Canada and Mexico): $82.1 billion of transborder freight moved by all modes of transportation, up 46.3% compared to May 2020 and up 41.2% from April 2020.

PMI® at 56.0%: August 2020 Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in August, with the overall economy notching a fourth consecutive month of growth, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. A PMI above 42.8 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy. Therefore, the August PMI indicates the overall economy grew in August for the fourth consecutive month following contraction in April.

U.S. LNG Exporters Face Adverse Market in 2020 but Outlook to Improve

U.S. LNG exports fell to 3.2 Bcf/d in the third quarter from 7.9 Bcf/d in the first quarter. They may rise to 5.5 Bcf/d in the fourth quarter and 7.1 Bcf/d in first quarter 2021, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected in mid-August.

CN to Order 50 All-Electric Trucks for Intermodal Fleet

CN and The Lion Electric Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding for CN to acquire 50 zero-emission trucks as part of the railroad's intermodal truck fleet. The trucks will be used at CN's intermodal terminals in urban areas to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, CN officials said in a press release.

USDA Implements OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative

The USDA on Aug. 31 announced the implementation of the agency's OneRD Guarantee Loan Initiative and released new information on rates and terms that will help lenders apply for loan guarantees to support rural businesses, infrastructure and community facilities.

AAR Endorses FRA Rule on Continuous Rail Inspection Technology

The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) final rule affecting continuous rail inspection technology will facilitate widespread deployment of such technology to advance safety and efficiency of the nation's rail network, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). For years, railroads have operated continuous rail inspection technology under longstanding waivers and demonstrated the innovation's promise to improve efficiency and safety, AAR officials said in a press release.

Russian Wheat Prices Jump With Global Benchmarks and Strong Demand

Russian wheat export prices rose sharply last week after prices for Chicago and Paris futures rose and on strong demand from a large buyer, analysts said on Monday. Egypt, the second largest importer of Russian wheat behind Turkey, purchased 530,000 tonnes of Russian wheat for October shipment last week.

Poland Increases Production, Use of Wood Pellets

Polish wood pellet production reached approximately 1.3 million metric tons in 2019, according to a report recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agriculture Information Network. According to the report, Poland is a growing market for wood pellets.