A seemingly simple yogurt shipment that went missing last year highlights a deepening problem in the business of brokering and booking truck transport. The shipment handled by freight brokerage Dedicated Carriers was diverted by swindlers who had obtained the motor carrier number for the trucking company Dedicated had booked, and they held it hostage for $40,000. The WSJ’s Inti Pacheco reports the theft is an extension of the sector-wide problem known as double-brokering, and a sign of the increasingly sophisticated, tech-fueled problem of cargo theft. CargoNet says reports of freight fraud more than quadrupled in 2023. One industry group estimates fraud-related losses were at least $500 million last year. Victims say they aren’t getting enough help from law enforcement and regulators, and say load boards should do more to suspend fraudulent accounts. Industry experts say brokers, carriers and shippers need to better vet the companies they work with.

Cybersecurity efforts at many companies are reaching deeper into supply chains. Many firms now are ramping up oversight of suppliers after major supply-chain cyberattacks have affected thousands of businesses and breached data on millions of customers. The WSJ’s James Rundle reports the moves mark a shift from relatively complacent approaches in which companies have often sought only periodic certifications from suppliers about their controls. Now, corporate security chiefs are demanding stricter contractual terms around when and how their suppliers must notify them that they have experienced a cyberattack. Many also require that third-party providers adhere more closely to industry best practices, which is particularly important as more enterprise and supply-chain software ties into multiple corporate systems. Recent high-profile breaches show how quickly a hack of one widely used software tool or service provider can spread. Experts say setting the expectations for accountability early is crucial.

The U.S. index of leading economic indicators rose in February for the first time in two years. (MarketWatch)

Foreign direct investment in China fell nearly 20% in the first two months of the year from last year. (WSJ)

A measure of business activity showed the eurozone moving closer to a recovery this month. (WSJ)

Retail sales were flat in the U.K. in February as better online sales offset weak in-store traffic. (WSJ)

Air-safety regulators are stepping up scrutiny of United Airlines following a spate of safety issues. (WSJ)

Automaker Stellantis is laying off hundreds of workers in the U.S. (WSJ)

The European Union plans to impose tariffs on Russian grain in an effort to limit imports of the cheaper agricultural products. (WSJ)

Forecasters say weather conditions leave the Mississippi River at risk of a third straight year of transport bottlenecks. (Bloomberg)

Cushman & Wakefield says new construction starts for industrial real estate are slowing sharply. (DC Velocity)

Alibaba is suspending operations at its LST e-commerce sourcing platform. (South China Morning Post)

Momentum is building behind International Maritime Organization members’ efforts to agree on legally binding global greenhouse gas pricing. (TradeWinds)

Germany is building its first land-based liquefied natural gas terminal. (Reuters)

India’s oil imports from Russia are tumbling as the country appears to be shunning Sovcomflot tankers. (Lloyd’s List)

Mediterranean Shipping closed a deal for a 42% stake in French freight forwarder Clasquin. (Splash 247)

Container terminal operator PSA International’s throughput rose to a record level last year but revenue slumped 11.2%. (ShippingWatch)

Apparel retailer Outdoor Voices is moving toward filing for bankruptcy protection after shutting all its stores. (Sourcing Journal)

All Nippon Airways is slashing domestic airfreight rates by up to 90% in a bid for volume stemming from the country’s truck driver shortage. (Nikkei Asia)

Nestlé is working with Cargill and ETG|Beyond Beans to eliminate deforestation​ in its supply chain. (Supply Chain Digital)

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.