European manufacturers that depend on Russian natural gas are growing more concerned about their supplies. Companies that have been seeking alternative energy sources now fear that Russia may prolong the closure for maintenance of the critical Nord Stream pipeline that ferries gas from Siberia to Germany. The WSJ’s Bojan Pancevski and Jenny Strasburg write that there are insufficient supplies of goods like oil and coal and that a prolonged disruption would reverberate across the continent. A gas cutoff would disrupt European supply chains, particularly in the petrochemical sector. The production of steel, copper and ceramics would also be severely affected since Germany says it will prioritize gas usage for households and institutions such as hospitals. Russia’s energy giant Gazprom sent an ominous signal this week when it invoked force majeure for its failure to deliver contractually agreed gas shipments in recent weeks.

• European coal terminals are rushing to stockpile Russian coal ahead of new sanctions. (Lloyd’s List)
• Battery makers are raising prices as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggers shortages of key raw materials. (Nikkei Asia)

Prices for agricultural commodities are tumbling as the shock of war in one of the world’s major breadbaskets is wearing off. Futures prices for wheat have fallen back below prewar levels, and corn and soybean prices are also down sharply from the high levels they reached after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent commodities markets reeling. The WSJ’s Jesse Newman and Patrick Thomas report the declines reflect easing concerns over world food shortages even as food and agriculture officials warn that threats to global grain supplies are far from over. Patrick Lockwood-Taylor of Bayer warns the world still faces “an emerging food crisis.” Global inventories of grains and oilseeds remain tight, with world wheat stockpiles forecast to fall to the lowest levels in six years. Still, falling grain prices will offer some relief for developing countries faced with soaring food costs and for U.S. farmers coping with higher feed prices.

The global housing boom that’s helped fuel economic expansion is cooling at a rapid pace. Rising interest rates are slamming the brakes on home-construction demand, the WSJ’s Jason Douglas, Paul Vieira and Stephen Wright report, as residential real-estate markets from Europe to Asia to Latin America come off the boil and even see home values fall. That is adding pressure on central banks as they try to tame inflation without triggering deep downturns in their economies. Numerous supply chains, from raw construction materials to manufacturing of appliances and household goods are intertwined with the housing sector. A shrinking market would mean layoffs of construction workers and weaker demand for steel and other commodities. Falling home prices also hurt household and bank balance sheets, hitting other parts of the economy. For consumers, lower real-estate prices may make more homes affordable, but higher financing costs will eat up those savings.

• A measure of home-builder confidence fell sharply to its lowest level since May 2020. (MarketWatch)

The Justice Department and Cargill and Continental Grain are discussing potential concessions that could clear the way for the companies to acquire poultry processor Sanderson Farms. (WSJ)

Delta Air Lines is ordering 100 of Boeing's largest 737 MAX jets. (WSJ)

Stellantis plans to drop the joint venture that makes and distributes its Jeep brand in China and focus on selling imported vehicles in the country. (WSJ)

Draft legislation headed for a U.S. Senate vote would block semiconductor subsidies​ for companies making advanced chips in China. (WSJ)

Fast fashion apparel retailer Hennes & Mauritz said it would exit Russia. (WSJ)

Train operators canceled services and London Luton Airport suspended service as the runway buckled under record high temperatures in the U.K. (WSJ)

Textile producer Milliken & Co. is phasing out its Sylvania, Ga., plant as it restructures its U.S. footprint. (Sourcing Journal)

Retailers including Abercombie & Fitch, Dillard’s and American Eagle Outfitters are joining the push to charge customers for e-commerce returns. (Footwear News)

Kroger is adding warehouses automated with Ocado technology for e-commerce fulfillment in Tennessee and Illinois. (Supermarket News)

Alphabet’s Wing subsidiary has developed new drones designed to more efficiently deliver packages weighing up to 7 pounds. (BNN Bloomberg)

The U.K. is setting up a 164-mile airspace corridor for what it calls a drone superhighway. (BBC)

Boeing expects the global freighter fleet to grow 80% over the next 20 years, an average annual pace of 3%. (Air Cargo News)

A court barred further strikes by German port workers until at least Aug. 26. (The Loadstar)

East and Gulf coast ports in the U.S. are gaining container volumes as shippers divert goods from the West Coast amid dockworker contract negotiations. (Journal of Commerce)

European ferry operator DFDS raised its earnings outlook on improving freight and passenger traffic. (ShippingWatch)

Shares in Performance Shipping tumbled after the tanker owner struck deals for $6 million in sales in direct share offerings and warrants to institutional investors. (Dow Jones Newswires)

Prologis second-quarter earnings rose 1.8% to $610 million as warehouse rental income ticked up to $1.1 billion. (Dow Jones Newswires)

Marten Transport’s $40.9 million second-quarter operating profit was the best in the truckload carrier’s 77-year history. (Dow Jones Newswires)

The average price of used trucks sold through Ritchie Bros. auctions rose 31% in the second quarter. (Today’s Trucking)

Paul Page is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Write to 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.