FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index sees mild signs of improvement

FTR’s most recent edition of its Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) showed some gradual improvement, the freight transportation consultancy reported this week.

FTR describes the SCI as an indicator that sums up all market influences that affect the transport environment for shippers, with a reading above zero being favorable and a reading below zero being unfavorable and a “less-than-ideal environment for shippers.”

For August, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI was -8.8, which, while still negative, represents an improvement over July’s -9.9, which was in close range to June’s -9.5. While these readings are firmly in negative territory, they represent an improvement over May’s -12.3 and April’s -13.4.