Trade suffers as suppliers struggle to obtain financing

(Journal of Commerce, Newark, 24 December 2008) Just when supply-chain managers were hoping that the trillions of dollars being injected into the global banking system would loosen the strings choking trade finance, another danger has risen. International trade executives are becoming more concerned that some of their weaker suppliers, especially in developing countries, may not last long enough for those billions of dollars to work their way down to their level.