The White House is leaving the door to U.S. electric-vehicle supply chains cracked open a bit for Chinese suppliers. New rules set tighter limits on the vehicles that qualify for a $7,500 tax credit, the WSJ’s Andrew Duehren reports, including a bar against the consumer subsidy for battery materials produced by a “foreign entity of concern.” But some ties that involve Chinese companies, such as licensing technology, might be permissible under the rules. That could be a relief to automakers that already have relationships with Chinese battery companies or are considering such arrangements. Ford has a big stake with its deal with the Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology under the subsidy rules. The potential opening highlights the complications in Western efforts to rein back China’s crucial role in EV supply chains. Some worry that even tighter restrictions could make the tax credit impossible for consumers to claim.

• China raised new restrictions on the export of graphite, a key material for batteries used in electric vehicles. (Nikkei Asia) 

There’s still plenty of fire in the coal sector despite efforts by wealthy nations to wean poorer countries off the energy source. The world’s big economies are sending tens of billions of dollars to poor countries as part of a global strategy to cut greenhouse-gas emissions in the developing world. The WSJ’s Alexandra Wexler, Sha Hua and Matthew Dalton report ambitious efforts in South Africa and Indonesia are at risk of unraveling, however, sowing doubts about moves to push developing countries away from fossil fuels. The two countries are among the world’s most coal-hungry economies and are backtracking on commitments to burn less of the fuel. Indonesia is the world’s largest exporter of thermal coal and its shipments to China have been surging. That shows the immense challenge of replacing coal in countries that rely on the fuel for electricity and to provide jobs and facilitate economic development.

• Global leaders at the COP28 climate summit are taking a big swing at cutting methane emissions. (WSJ)
• Five major shipping companies called at the COP28 summit for tighter emissions regulation over their industry. (DC Velocity)

Factory activity in the U.S. remained in contraction in November while supplier delivery performance improved. (MarketWatch)

Activity in Australia’s manufacturing sector slowed in November for the ninth straight month. (WSJ)

A U.S. destroyer and several cargo ships came under drone and ballistic missile attacks in the Red Sea. (WSJ)

Alaska Air reached a roughly $1 billion deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines. (WSJ)

Sportswear and footwear supplier VF laid off about 500 employees amid flagging consumer demand and activist investor pressure to trim costs. (WSJ)

Nieman Marcus rejected a takeover offer from Saks Fifth Avenue that valued the chain at close to $3 billion. (WSJ)

U.S. liquefied natural gas exports rose in November to the second highest level on record. (Reuters)

The U.S. sold a shipment of seized Iranian crude to an undisclosed buyer for $83.4 million. (TradeWinds)

Rice prices are on track to reach a 15-year high. (Bloomberg)

Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen believes dire outlooks for container shipping overcapacity are overstated. (ShippingWatch)

Maersk Tankers ordered up to 10 ammonia carriers from South Korea’s Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. (Splash 247)

A trucking research group says traffic congestion in 2021 cost the industry nearly $95 billion. (Commercial Carrier Journal)

A FedEx worker died after an accident at the company’s main hub in Memphis, Tenn. (Associated Press)

Sam's Club plans to open four distribution centers across the U.S. (Progressive Grocer)

Comparable-store sales at retailer Big Lots fell 14.7% in the third quarter. (Retail Dive)

Syrup Tech raised $17.5 million in a Series A funding round backing its AI-focused inventory management platform. (PYMNTS)

A former General Motors procurement manager was convicted in a bribery scheme tied to a $100 million supplier contract. (Supply Chain Dive)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at paul.page@wsj.com.

Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team: @PaulPage, @bylizyoung and @pdberger. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on X at @WSJLogistics.