Global Logistics Market rising optimism

According to the latest results of Transport Intelligence Global Logistics Business Confidence Index, it has shown a significant return of optimism to the market.  Although the index weakened slightly in April from +1.05 to -4.43, there was far more positive sentiment about the future. Overall, the index assessing confidence in the state of the market in twelve months time moved from a score of -26 in February to +4 in April. This contrasts strongly with the results in February and March when respondents expressed overwhelmingly negative expectations of the future. One of the key findings shows that logistics service providers are more optimistic than shippers. Given that manufacturers/retailers will have a better idea of order books and production schedules than their suppliers, the bounce back may not be as strong as some hope.

High growth forecast for China logistics industry

The new China Logistics Industry Report, 2008-2009 states that the development of China’s logistics industry in 2008 can be divided into two periods, rapid growth and decline. Rapid growth period: the total value of social logistics achieved a fast growth of 26.7% in the first three quarters of 2008. With the further influences of global financial crisis in 2009, China’s logistics industry will step in the period of slow growth and structural adjustment, which will create new development opportunities for the third-party logistics. Third-party logistics in China is still in its early development stage, and has a high regional concentration degree, mainly distributing in the regions of YRD and PRD. The Chinese manufacturers seldom select third-party logistics companies, while the foreign-funded manufacturers prefer the third-party logistics companies.