Key Currency Exchange Rates for Friday, 2/23/24

The oil prices were bullish in the market as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East dies down. The commodity’s prices managed to hit another milestone despite the astonishing performance of the dollar in the market. The commodity continues to push great performance in the market on multiple factors. The great oil inventories reports and the OPEC agreement to extend the output cut have managed to put the prices on its best figures ones again. Click Read More below for additional information.

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 1.5% in June after falling 1% in May. In June, the index equaled 111.6 (2015=100) compared with 113.3 in May. “Tonnage has definitely flattened out, on average, over the last six to nine months,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The good news is that it remains slightly above 2020 levels. “Supply chain issues are likely putting some downward pressure on tonnage,” he said. “But it is also likely that tonnage isn’t growing as much as it could because of industry-specific supply constraints. This index is dominated by contract freight, and the for-hire truckload carriers have seen their tractor counts fall because they are having difficulty finding qualified drivers. It is difficult to move more tonnage with less equipment, which is why we are seeing strong volumes in the spot market as shippers scramble to get loads moved.”

UPS announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Andlauer Healthcare Group Inc. (TSX: AND) (“AHG”), a leading North American supply chain management company headquartered in Canada and offering customized third-party logistics and specialized cold chain transportation solutions for the healthcare sector. Under the terms of the agreement, AHG shareholders will receive CAD $55.00 per share in cash, representing a total purchase price of approximately CAD $2.2 billion (USD $1.6 billion). This transaction will extend the global portfolio of end-to-end cold chain capabilities available to UPS Healthcare customers, who increasingly seek temperature-controlled and precision logistics solutions. “Next-generation treatments are driving more complexity than ever, expanding the needs of healthcare customers and increasing demand for the integrated, end-to-end cold chain solutions UPS Healthcare provides around the world,” said Kate Gutmann, EVP and president of International, Healthcare and Supply Chain Solutions for UPS.