No peak season for shippers this year?

Shipping companies are bracing for a disappointing peak season this fall, the Wall Street Journalreports. So far, there are no indications that the customary rush where firms scramble to shore up their inventories ahead of the holiday season will materialize. “There are no signals, neither on air or sea, at least not for the time being,” WSJ cited the CEO of freight forwarding giant Kuehne + Nagel International, Stefan Paul, as saying. Shipping firms usually rely on the seasonal upturn in volumes beginning in midsummer for a boost to their earnings.