China’s expanding use of ports to extend its economic and political influence is raising concerns in the U.S. and other countries. Chinese firms fully or partly own and operate 95 ports beyond the country’s borders. In a video report, the WSJ looks at how U.S. diplomats have been working to counter Beijing’s influence, but that effort has had mixed success. For Washington, China’s growing role in the ports business carries high stakes. American officials view China’s expanding network as an increasing security threat, posing significant economic and even military risk. They are concerned that China could build on its commercial relationships at ports to establish military sites, particularly at seaports facing the Atlantic. One major focus now is Equatorial Guinea, where the existing port already has the capacity for military vessels.

• Germany’s government approved the 24.9% stake by China’s Cosco Shipping Ports in a Port of Hamburg container terminal. (Reuters)

When A.P. Moller-Maersk withdrew its stake in a seabed mining company, the move highlighted the big questions facing the business of providing metals for electric-vehicle battery production. Maersk’s investment arm last week joined Lockheed Martin and Norway’s Storebrand in dropping interests in deep-sea mining companies, the WSJ’s Yusuf Khan reports, amid growing concerns over how metals used in battery production are sourced and the scale of the associated environmental costs. More than a dozen countries are concerned about the environmental impact of the practice and are calling for a moratorium on seabed mining. The pushback is coming as a global race is underway to find metals for electric vehicles and batteries. Companies are looking to secure supplies in ways that minimize environmental and humanitarian concerns, but are finding that a challenge for minerals including cobalt and nickel. Both metals face supply shortages as demand for EVs surges.
 

It takes 1-800-Flowers.com an entire year to prepare for Mother’s Day. The task brings in more than 5,000 local florists, along with a sprawling network of fulfillment centers and transport operators who bring aircraft and trucks to the effort.
In a video report, the WSJ looks at the complicated logistics of delivering 23 million flowers on the gifting behemoth’s biggest day.

• Executives at 1-800-Flowers say price increases and lower freight costs are improving gross margins. (Dow Jones Newswires) 

U.S. supplier prices rose 0.2% from March to April, matching average prepandemic increases. (WSJ)

New U.S. jobless claims in the U.S. reached their highest level since October 2021. (MarketWatch)

OPEC’s crude output slipped in April on supply disruptions in Iraq and Nigeria. (WSJ)

The Biden administration is proposing new rules to drastically reduce greenhouse gases from coal- and gas-fired power plants. (WSJ)

The White House assembled a team to address chronic shortfalls in U.S. pharmaceutical supplies. (Bloomberg)

Walmart and Costco Wholesale joined the White House’s supply chain data exchange. (Supply Chain Dive)

U.S. lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at toughening enforcement of rail safety measures. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

JD.com CEO Lei Xu is retiring after a year in the post and will be replaced by current CFO Sandy Ran Xu. (Barron’s)

First-quarter profit at contract manufacturer Foxconn plunged 56% on a writedown related to its stake in Japanese electronics maker Sharp. (Nikkei Asia)

Walmart says it is on track to meet a regulatory demand to export $10 billion in goods from India annually by 2027. (Times of India)

Hapag-Lloyd’s first-quarter profit fell by more than half to $2 billion as revenue declined by a third on a 4.9% drop in container volume. (Dow Jones Newswires)

Maersk plans to order eight mid-sized container ships from China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. (TradeWinds)

Product tanker owner Torm upgraded its metric for voyage distances on upheaval in global oil markets. (TradeWinds)

Operating ratio at Heartland Express has been worsening since the truckload carrier’s recent spate of acquisitions. (Transport Dive)

Autonomous delivery startup Nuro is pausing commercial expansion and laying off workers as it restructures its finances. (TechCrunch)

Airfares may seem high, but travelers, take heart: Prices are about the same as they were 10 years ago.

It’s no longer easy to raise money for large private-equity funds. Some blue-chip buyout firms are struggling to meet lofty fundraising goals.

That new cybersecurity vendor also is feeling the pinch of uncertain economic conditions.

Laid-off software developers, data scientists and engineers are being lured by startups. Perks include permanent remote- or hybrid-work, equity stakes and a chance to build something from ground up.

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 Twitter at @WSJLogistics.