{
  "id": 6322262,
  "title": "Shipping Volatility: Are Freight Markets Balancing?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/shipping-volatility-are-freight-markets-balancing",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-08T19:31:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FreightWaves",
    "slug": "freightwaves",
    "url": "https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shipping-volatility-are-freight-markets-balancing"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Freight market volatility has spiked, with truckload tender rejections surging above 14.5% heading into Labor Day. This represents the highest increase since 2021, according to a September 8 FreightWaves SONAR update. Spot rates have also risen, reaching an average of $344 per mile, a 2% increase month-over-month. Contract rates remained high, at $272 plus fuel, which is about 20% above the year-ago levels. Intermodal contract rates also saw a 7.5% to 8% increase year over year.\n\nThe market remains imbalanced, with little slack in available truckload capacity. Julie Van de Kamp, a market analyst, stated that while demand hasn't increased, the market is still volatile and highly sensitive to disruptions. Capacity is still a significant driver, and any upward pressure from demand could lead to more favorable conditions for carriers and create further pressure on brokers and shippers.\n\nTender volumes only increased by less than 2% leading into the holiday, before dropping sharply on Monday, which is typical when shippers close operations over long weekends. Some of this decline is due to shifting to alternative modes rather than a reduction in overall demand. Intermodal demand stayed strong during the holiday period, with domestic container volumes up about 20% year-over-year, and international container volumes up over 10%.\n\nThe inbound ocean TEU index, which measures container bookings destined for U.S. ports, averaged more than 10% above spring levels. This indicates a prolonged peak import season that is gradually tapering off in September. Most of the recent softness in spot rates and rejections can be attributed to typical seasonal pressures and demand losses to intermodal, rather than any structural changes in the market. As shippers resume operations and push seasonal volumes, capacity is expected to remain under pressure through the middle of the month. By then, the market will reveal whether a genuine freight demand peak is emerging or if conditions normalize again.",
  "summary": "The latest freight market update reveals Labor Day tender rejections surged significantly, marking the strongest increase since 2021. Dive into the numbers on truckload rejections, spot rates, and intermodal trends to understand the current market volatility and what shippers can expect as we head into Q4. Truckload tender rejection rates jumped back above 14.5% in […] The post Shipping…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}