A United Auto Workers (UAW) strike at the American Axle factory in Three Rivers, Michigan, that began on Monday June 1 could lead to reduced demand for automotive steel if not resolved quickly, but analysts disagree on whether it will ultimately have a significant impact.

European automotive procurement faces growing complexity due to regional cost volatility and policy-driven supply chains reshaping material pricing and sourcing strategies. This demands granular, region-specific market intelligence for precise cost modeling and strategic decision-making.

USMCA-driven localization is strengthening automotive supply chains, improving resilience and reducing certain cost risks. But as production spans multiple stages across the US–Mexico corridor, OEMs need clearer visibility into how costs build across regions to maintain margin control.

Japanese auto producer Honda canceled plans to produce electric vehicles in North America amid weak demand and pressure from the US government, the company said during its earnings call for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026.

An interview with Assistant Secretary, Michael Cadenazzi at the Department of War, as it is known, and Zach Boykin, the department's technical director for strategic and critical minerals with Andrea Hotter for the Fast Forward podcast.

Critical minerals have long sat quietly in the background of industrial supply chains. Today, they are at the centre of national security strategy. Fastmarkets’ Andrea Hotter speaks to senior officials from the US Department of Defense in the lastest Fast Forward podcast episode.

When packaging inputs, agricultural markets, energy and freight costs move simultaneously, siloed buying becomes harder to manage. Learn how Fastmarkets market intelligence supports procurement teams

As CBAM and the EU ETS reshape cost structures across Europe’s automotive supply chains, OEMs are under growing pressure to protect margins while navigating opaque carbon pass-through.

US light vehicle production averaged 10M units per year in 2021 through 2025 with most years finishing above 10M units.

Procurement and supply chain managers face new challenges as wooden pallet prices surge. Understand the key drivers behind this volatility to improve budget planning and supplier negotiations.