Canada

A strike affecting around 30 maritime hubs in British Columbia on Canada’s West Coast crippled cargo movements in the first half of July, including via the key Port of Vancouver. While the dispute has now been resolved, the congestion caused by the strike is expected to take some considerable time to work through the system.

Various recyclers are experiencing a lower influx of metal as manufacturing slows, reflected in Canada’s PMI which slid from an expansionary 52.4 in May to 48.8 in July. A relief to many, inflation has declined to 3.4% in July - its lowest level since June 2021.