Expenditures

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.184—eked out a 0.6% annual gain, well short of August’s 12.3% annual gain, and September freight expenditures—at 3.818—increased 32.2% annually, which is off from August’s 42.2% annual gain.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.234—was up 12.3% annually, and freight expenditures—at 3.832—saw a 42.2% annual gain.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.231—saw a 26.8% annual gain, falling short of May’s 35.3 annual increase, to 1.269, which set a new record for annual percentage growth and the second-best reading ever, trailing only May 2018. Compared to May, the June reading was off 3% and was off 4.2%, for the same period, on a seasonally-adjusted (SA) basis, following May’s 5.9% SA gain compared to April.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.269—was up 35.3% annually, outpacing April’s 27.6% annual spread, setting a new record for annual percentage growth and the second-best reading ever, trailing only May 2018. For freight expenditures, Cass reported that, for May, freight expenditures grew at its fastest pace on record, increasing 49.9%. over May 2020, to 3.362, topping April’s 45.1% annual increase.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.178—saw a 27.6% annual gain, which outpaced March’s 10% annual increase, and was down 3.1% compared to March on a seasonally-adjusted (SA) basis. On the spend side, Cass reported that April expenditures—at 3.452—headed up 45.1% annually, setting a new record and topping March’s 27.5% annual increase, and saw a 1.1% SA gain compared to March.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.196—headed up 10% annually, well outpacing February’s 4.1% annual gain that was impacted by harsh winter weather, and was also up 5.8% compared to February and up 3.4% compared to February on a seasonally-adjusted (SA) basis.

The report’s shipment reading—at 1.130—increased 4.1% annually, trailing January’s 8.6% annual gain, and it was up 1.8% compared to January. February expenditures—at 3.132—rose 16.9% annually, trailing January’s 19.5% annual gain, while rising 2.0% annually.

The report’s shipment’s reading—at 1.110—headed up 8.6% annually, topping December’s 6.7% annual increase, and expenditures—at 3.070—saw a 19.5% annual gain and a 0.2% sequential decline.

The report’s December shipments reading—at 1.122—saw a 6.7% annual increase, and December freight expenditures—at 3.077—saw a 13% annual increase, turning in its highest reading on record.

September shipments—at 1.099—were down 1.8% annually, nearly 6% better than August’s 7.6% annual decrease and were up 7.1% compared to August. And September expenditures, which measures the total amount spent on freight—at 2.888—rose 1.2% annually and were up 7.2% over August.

August shipments—at 1.099—were off 7.6% annually, improving over July’s 13.1% annual decrease, while rising 8% over July and expenditures—at 2.695—were down 5.1% compared to August 2019 and up 9.9% compared to July.

July shipments—at 1.018—were down 13.1% annually, faring better than June’s -17.8% annual spread, and up 4.8% compared to June, and expenditures—at 2.452—were down 14.3% annually and up 2.8% compared to June.

With minimal improvement off of dismal April readings, which were viewed as “recessionary,” the May edition of the Cass Freight Index, from Cass Information Systems, showed that the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on freight transportation shipments and expenditures remains intact.

March shipments—at 1.087—fell 9.2% annually and eked out a 0.2% increase compared to February, and expenditures——at 2.651—fell 8.2% annually and are down 1% compared to February.

January shipments—at 1.022—fell 9.4%, marking its largest annual decline going back to 2009, while also dropping 2.9% compared to December, and January expenditures—at 2.568—fell 8% annually and were down 5.7% compared to January 2019.