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U.S. Factories Cut Off in the Cold; Ford Reveals Tariff Costs; Carney Angles to Defuse Bridge Dispute By Mark R. Long | WSJ Logistics Report
U.S. manufacturers say they are increasingly cut off from natural gas during the coldest winter days, even as production reaches new highs and the country has become the world's No. 1 exporter of the fuel. These interruptions risk offsetting a big advantage American factories have
had over global competitors since shale drillers flooded the market with cheap gas.
In many parts of the country, there isn't enough pipeline capacity to guarantee factories a flow of gas when heating and cooling demand surges, the WSJ's Ryan Dezember writes. Power plants and homes don't get cut off where gas is needed to keep people from freezing, and firms that ship gas overseas have long-term contracts guaranteeing them pipeline space.
Pipelines curtailed or otherwise restricted the flow of gas to manufacturers more than 40 times last year, according to one trade group, which said it expects as many or even more such closures this year. That tally doesn't include manufacturers that wind down
when high gas prices render operations unprofitable.
The National Association of Manufacturers urged lawmakers to reauthorize key federal transportation programs, warning that highway congestion costs manufacturers
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Number of the Day Automakers
The Trump administration dealt Ford Motor a $900 million tariff blow to close out 2025, the Journal's Sharon Terlep reports. Ford said U.S. officials alerted the company
in December that a tariff-relief program would be retroactive going back to November, not all the way back to May as the automaker anticipated.
The year-end hit nearly doubled Ford's anticipated tariff tally, and capped a period that saw the automaker post its biggest-ever quarterly loss, $11.1 billion, mainly because of previously announced charges tied to the automaker's EV business. Ford reported revenue of $45.9 billion, down 5% from a year earlier.
The automaker is forecasting bigger profit and improved cash flow this year, as well as narrower electric-vehicle losses, though EVs are expected to lose money until 2029.
Honda Motor posted a loss in its car business, hit by tariffs and EV-related impairments , forcing the company to rethink its electrification strategy in major markets such as the U.S. (WSJ) Ferrari said it expects revenue and earnings to rise
this year, supported by its lineup of higher-margin luxury sports models and demand for customized vehicles. (WSJ) Global Trade
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sought to defuse a fresh dispute with the U.S. over President Trump's threat to block the opening of the bridge connecting Michigan and Ontario. Carney said he spoke to Trump
after the president suggested the U.S. should take at least 50% ownership
of the Gordie Howe International Bridge and complained that U.S. products weren't used in its construction.
Carney told Trump that Michigan already has an ownership stake and that American steel and labor were used to build the bridge, the WSJ's Paul Vieira reports. Afterward Carney said "this is going to be resolved." So why is this bridge, due to open this year, so important and suddenly contentious? The Journal's Jeanne Whalen explains what you need to know
about the controversy.
In Other News The Federal Aviation Administration said it was halting all flights to and from El Paso , Texas, for 10 days for "special security reasons." (WSJ) U.S. small-business confidence fell unexpectedly in January , with uncertainty on the rise as owners await a stronger economic revival. (WSJ) The Trump administration is planning this week to repeal the 2009 finding that greenhouse gases pose a threat
to public health, the underpinning for rules limiting emissions. (WSJ) U.S. officials have considered seizing tankers
carrying Iranian oil to pressure Tehran, but fear retaliation and impact on global oil markets. (WSJ) Target is laying off about 500 employees
as its new CEO revamps its shopping experience in an attempt to reverse declining sales. (WSJ) Less-than-truckload carrier Saia posted a drop in earnings
that lagged expectations amid lower volumes. (Trucking Dive) Semiconductor Manufacturing International's annual revenue crossed the $9 billion mark , as the Chinese contract chip maker cashed in on domestic orders. (WSJ) DuPont de Nemours posted flat quarterly sales as its building-technologies business was hurt by weak construction activity . (WSJ) Harley-Davidson's CEO said the motorcycle maker, which posted a wider quarterly loss, is shipping fewer bikes to ease inventory pressure , and changing its e-commerce model to send more traffic to dealerships. (WSJ) Red Lobster is reviewing its real-estate footprint and leases as it works to cut costs, and it could close more locations , the seafood chain's CEO said. (WSJ) Vanuatu warned of a false-flag operation
purporting to represent the South Pacific nation's ship registry, the third country to issue such an alert in a month. (The Maritime Executive) About Us
Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at [mark.long@wsj.com]. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long , Liz Young and Paul Berger .
This article is a text version of a Wall Street Journal newsletter published earlier today.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 11, 2026 07:02 ET (12:02 GMT)
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