1、Photo by Michael Zimmerman Kearney,New YorkCost pressures are structural as supply chains stabilizeSupply Chain Navigator|2026 H1 briefingKearney ForesightSupply Chain InstituteThe Supply Chain Institute,part of the Kearney Foresight network,generates strategic insights to help global business leade

2、rs integrate fragmented operational efforts and transform their supply chains.As an authority on supply chain thinking and practices,we regularly conduct comprehensive studies and competitions on critical operations topics to help our clients achieve immediate impact and lasting advantage.The Supply

3、 Chain Navigator forecasts supply chain cost will rise in the range of 2.3 to 4.0 percent above inflation through 2026,driven by structural forces in trade policy,critical minerals constraints,geopolitical friction,and elevated inventory levels that persist even as container rates and commodity pric

4、es moderate.These forces operate continuously and embed cost across supply chains between disruptions,creating a higher baseline that traditional cyclical indicators fail to capture.Enterprise performance depends on how early this pressure is recognized upstream and how effectively its absorbed acro

5、ss planning,sourcing,and operations before options narrow and costs reset higher.Key findingsSupply chain costs will rise 2.3 to 4.0 percent above inflation by the end of 2026,sustained by structural rather than cyclical forces.The Supply Chain Navigatorbuilt using global data and proprietary algori

6、thmshas demonstrated 95 percent+accuracy in predicting quarterly performance of supply chains over 10 consecutive quarters.Enterprise performance increasingly depends on early signal recognition and connected decision-making across the entire supply chain.1Cost pressures are structural as supply cha