U.S. companies are building more flexible logistics networks as they adjust to persistent global upheaval in supply chains, from the war in Iran to uncertainty over tariffs and trade policy, the WSJ Logistics Report’s Liz Young writes.

The turmoil has changed the way shippers approach supply-chain planning to be more nimble, according to experts on a panel discussing the latest annual State of Logistics Report from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Shippers are more involved with each step of the supply chain, and companies are using a combination of annual contracts and spot ocean shipments to manage costs, one panelist said.

U.S. businesses last year spent $2.4 trillion on transportation, inventory-carrying costs and other shipping related expenses, down 1% from 2024, according to the report. Logistics costs are on the rise this year, with trucking rates climbing after a four-year slump and ocean shipping rates surging after a 36% drop last year.

Increased use of warehouse automation coupled with the rapid buildout of AI data centers could place a different kind of pressure on supply chains, with higher power costs and lower grid reliability, another panelist warned.

General Motors is in talks with Lockheed Martin about making parts for the defense contractor’s weapons, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Journal’s Sharon Terlep and Drew FitzGerald write that, under the arrangement, GM would manufacture commonly used parts that could help Lockheed bolster munitions production. The companies are discussing which components GM could potentially make.

Stocks of missiles and other critical weapons have dropped because of the wars in Ukraine and Iran. To replenish supplies, Trump administration and Pentagon officials have pressed weapons makers to accelerate production, while seeking to enlist other manufacturers, including GM.

Criminal owners of shadow-fleet tankers are skimping on physical-safety measures while relying on vulnerable information systems, making some tankers far more dangerous to the environment, to other mariners and to crews than previously known.

That is according to U.S. Coast Guard cyber teams, which found the practices have left sanctioned tankers that ferry oil from Iran and Russia exposed to bad actors who could exploit those weaknesses to cause an explosion or spill, the WSJ’s Shelby Holliday writes.

With the U.S. and Iran on the verge of officially signing a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, analysts say dozens of dark-fleet vessels stuck in and around the Persian Gulf could resume their illicit trade, putting more potential ticking time bombs back out on the ocean.

• The U.S. will allow Iran to immediately begin selling oil and fuel under the deal to end the war. (WSJ)

• European lawmakers approved their trade deal with the U.S., ahead of a deadline set by Trump that would have triggered an increase in tariffs on cars. (WSJ)
• U.S. import prices rose 1.9% in May, a slower rate than April’s 2%, but overall price growth remained elevated, the Labor Department reported. (WSJ)
• U.S. housing starts fell 15.4% in May to 1.177 million, significantly below economists’ expectations of a 2.4% decline. (WSJ)
• Consumer spending in China declined last month for the first time in more than three years and investment contracted further. (WSJ)
• The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate to 1% from 0.75%, a 31-year high, to counter inflation risks. (WSJ)
• Japan’s imports climbed 12.5% in May from a year earlier, higher than April’s 9.8% rise, government data showed Wednesday. (WSJ)
• GM says higher fuel prices are pushing consumer preferences away from pickups and full-size SUVs. (WSJ)
• EV maker Rivian laid off hundreds of employees. (WSJ)
• BMW cut its outlook for 2026 due to a heavier-than-expected impact from the Iran war and increased competition in China. (WSJ)
• Canadian lawmakers proposed legislation to expand the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ power to restrict imports suspected of links to forced labor. (SupplyChainBrain)
• U.S. sales of Class 8 heavy-duty trucks fell 8% year over year to 17,280 in May, according to Omdia Automotive. (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.