The Port of Los Angeles experienced a 12% drop in cargo volume in January 2026, with significant declines in imports and exports, according to Eugene Seroka.
The Port of Los Angeles reported a 12 per cent drop in cargo throughput for January 2026, port executive director Eugene Seroka said at a media briefing, reported the American Journal of Commerce.
Imports fell 13 per cent to 421,000 container units, while exports dropped eight per cent to 104,000 units. Seroka noted that China's share of trade through the port has declined to 40 per cent from 60 per cent in 2018, with Southeast Asian countries offsetting some of the losses. He described exports to China as 'dismal,' citing an 80 per cent fall in soybean shipments in 2025.
Economist Chad Bown of the Peterson Institute of Economics stated that uncertainty from Trump administration tariffs continues to weigh on US business leaders. He explained that companies are absorbing tariff costs by reducing profit margins rather than passing them on, which has kept prices stable but diverted resources from investment planning.
Mr. Bown said three events will shape US trade in 2026: a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of Trump-era tariffs, an April meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi, and a July review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He warned that if the court rules tariffs were imposed illegally, billions of dollars must be refunded, creating what he called an uncertain repayment process.
Mr. Bown added that the court may also signal whether alternative justifications for tariffs are legally valid, potentially influencing future trade policy and adding to business uncertainty.
