A former textile hub for the Russian Empire now hosts Europe’s biggest production plant for rare-earth magnets needed in EVs and wind turbines. The Journal’s Kim Mackrael writes that the factory–built in 500 days in Narva, Estonia–will still only produce a fraction of what Europe is estimated to need to get a foothold in a global supply chain dominated by China.

The factory’s Canadian builder, Neo Performance Materials, plans to boost production to 5,000 metric tons of permanent magnet material a year from an initial 2,000 tons. Total European demand, meanwhile,  is forecast by Adamas Intelligence to reach about 45,000 metric tons by 2030.

The U.S. has much more in the pipeline. Companies are currently planning to build more than 40,000 metric tons of capacity in the U.S. by 2030, according to Adamas. After China imposed new export restrictions for rare earths in April, the Trump administration stepped up subsidies and other measures to support the industry, spurring a race to build out American mining, processing and manufacturing capacity. Boosting capacity will take several years, and there is no guarantee all of these projects will be successful, analysts said.

Sharp price increases in coffee, beef, bananas and other household items over the past year have fueled widespread frustration with the rising cost of living. The Trump administration last week walked back tariffs on these and other goods to help ease the pressure.

The Journal’s Konrad Putzier writes that coffee and banana importers and wholesalers work with slim margins, meaning they face more pressure to pass tariff costs on to their customers. The surge in beef prices wasn’t primarily caused by tariffs, however, economists say. Herds have been shrinking for years, partly because of drought, pushing up prices. Imports help make up the shortfall, but tariffs make those pricier.

The blast at a Tennessee explosives maker that killed 16 workers is putting a spotlight on safety along the explosives supply chain. Excluding fireworks makers, about two dozen U.S. factories manufacture explosives for commercial use. Several agencies regulate the companies, but not everything gets checked, the Journal’s John Keilman writes.

Investigators have yet to determine a cause of last month’s deadly blast. Pentagon safety inspectors visited the Tennessee site four times a year to check facilities where land mines and other military products were made. But Building 602, which blew up, made explosive boosters for the mining industry, so inspectors passed it by.

The Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which regulates commercial products, focuses on storage and security, not worker safety. It found no violations in a 2024 inspection at Accurate Energetic’s site, but it didn’t look at Building 602, either. The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration oversees worker safety in the state but doesn’t regularly inspect particular businesses, a spokesman said.

• U.S. construction spending came in at $2.17 trillion in August, up 0.2% from the month before, according to a Census Bureau report delayed by the government shutdown. (WSJ)
• Canada’s CPI increased by 2.2% year-over-year in October, a slight ease from September’s 2.4%, with prices excluding volatile food and energy costs rising 2.7%. (WSJ)
• The EU raised its expectations for eurozone economic growth this year, though higher-than-forecast tariffs are expected to weigh on the bloc in 2026. (WSJ)
• Japan’s economy contracted by 0.4% in the July-September quarter, its first decline in six quarters. (WSJ)
• South Korea’s largest conglomerates pledged billions of dollars in new domestic investments, in a push to shore up the country’s manufacturing base. (WSJ)
• Factory activity in New York State unexpectedly picked up pace this month, as signals of demand improved, despite some dimming of optimism among manufacturers. (WSJ)
• Switzerland’s economy contracted in the third quarter as ramped-up U.S. tariffs took effect. (WSJ)
• Poland’s prime minister called an explosion on the country’s rail network near the Ukraine border an act of sabotage. (WSJ)
• Sealed Air struck a deal to be acquired by private-equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice for about $6.2 billion in cash. (WSJ)
• BNSF Railway and CSX launched an expanded intermodal partnership to speed service between Los Angeles and the Ohio Valley, and on to the Northeast. (TrainsPRO)
• Germany’s Port of Hamburg posted an 8.4% increase in container volume from January through September as Asian imports and shipments within Europe offset lower trade with the U.S. (Journal of Commerce)
• Uber Freight is making a strategic investment in Better Trucks as it expands its partnership with the last-mile-delivery firm. (SupplyChain247)
• Hong Kong is planning a dual-registration system that would allow ships sailing under the Chinese territory’s flag to be bareboat chartered under another registration. (Lloyd’s List)
• The U.S. Postal Service plans to raise prices, effective Jan. 18, with increases of 7.8% for Ground Advantage, 6% for Parcel Select, 6.6% for Priority Mail and 5.1% for Priority Mail Express. (SupplyChainDive)
• Nevada will stop issuing commercial licenses to drivers who reside outside the U.S., and is canceling nearly 1,000 non-domiciled CDLs after finding that the holders didn’t meet updated federal rules. (Transport Topics)

Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at mark.long@wsj.com. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long, Liz Young and Paul Berger.