The US logistics manager’s index (LMI) for September this year was 57.4, down by 1.9 points from August’s 59.3. This is the lowest reading for the overall index since March this year and the seventh consecutive reading to come in below the all-time overall average of 61.5.

The rate of expansion was more pronounced later in September, reading in at 60.5 during the second half of September – which was up significantly from the reading of 55.9 early in the month. The drop can be largely attributed to slowdowns in the expansion of supply chain costs.

The US logistics manager’s index (LMI) for September was 57.4, down by 1.9 points from August’s 59.3.
This is the lowest reading for the overall index since March this year.
The slowdown in logistics expansion is due to a declining rate of growth across the majority of the sub-metrics, with transportation utilisation down by 4.7 points to 50, which indicates no movement.

The LMI score is a combination of eight unique components that make up the logistics industry: inventory levels and costs, warehousing capacity, utilisation and prices, and transportation capacity, utilisation and prices.

Taken together, the three cost/price metrics were down 11.9 points in September, reading in at 195.66. This is the slowest rate of cost expansion since March and the second lowest in 2025.

The slowdown in logistics expansion is due to a declining rate of growth across the majority of the sub-metrics, with transportation utilisation down by 4.7 points to 50, which indicates no movement.

This is the first time a reading this low has been seen for transportation utilisation in September, which is generally a busy season in the freight market.

The slight negative freight inversion that began in August continued in September, with transportation prices dipping by 1.9 points to 54.2, which is just below 55.1 of transportation capacity (minus 2.2 points).

While transportation prices are still expanding, this is the lowest rate of growth tracked for this metric since April 2024, which was the last month of the most recent freight recession.

Inventory costs were high at 79.2.

Researchers at Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Florida Atlantic University, Rutgers University and the University of Nevada, Reno, and in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) issued the LMI report.

This slowdown is reflective of uncertainty in the overall economy, an official release said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Luxury goods giant LVMH is exploring a sale of its 50% stake in Fenty Beauty, which it co-owns with Grammy Award-winning singer and entrepreneur Rihanna, according to four people familiar with the matter.

The company is working with investment bank Evercore on the sale, three of the people said. All four asked not to be identified because the process is confidential.

In 2017, Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, launched Fenty Beauty with the help of Kendo Brands, LVMH’s in-house beauty incubator. She and LVMH each own half of the company, sources said.

LVMH and Evercore declined to comment. Fenty Beauty and representatives for Rihanna did not immediately return requests for comment.

Fenty Beauty, which generated around $450 million of net sales in 2024, could be valued at somewhere between $1 billion to $2 billion, two of the people said.

Barbados-born Rihanna, who also owns lingerie brand Savage X Fenty, started Fenty Beauty to create a makeup line that works for a wider range of skin tones and types, including Black, Hispanic and Asian women. The products, which include makeup, skincare, haircare and fragrance, are sold in Sephora and on Amazon.

Elf Beauty bought Hailey Bieber’s company Rhode for $1 billion earlier this year.