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GLOBAL PURCHASING ACTIVITY CONTRACTING AT STRONGEST PACE SINCE DECEMBER 2023 AS MANUFACTURERS WORLDWIDE RETRENCH: GEP GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN VOLATILITY INDEX

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North American suppliers report strong rise in excess capacity and the softest demand in eight months, with flagging factory conditions in the U.S.Asian suppliers, who experienced growth in the first half of 2024, report spare capacity as Chinese procurement declinesEurope’s manufacturing recession deepened in August, with Germany and France driving the continent’s downturnIn contrast to the EU, UK manufacturers close to full utilization

CLARK, N.J., Sept. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index — a leading indicator tracking demand conditions, shortages, transportation costs, inventories and backlogs based on a monthly survey of 27,000 businesses — fell to -0.37 in August. This is its lowest level year-to-date (vs. -0.22 in July), signaling the highest level of spare capacity at global suppliers in 2024. This marked two successive months of underutilized capacity across the world’s supply chains, and the lowest level of input demand in eight months, as global economic conditions deteriorate.

Suppliers in all parts of the globe experienced a slowdown in activity during August. Conditions in North America were the weakest — in fact, vendors used by manufacturers in the region recorded the greatest level of unused capacity since June 2023. Factories in all three of the continent’s economies, but especially the U.S., recorded lower purchasing activity in August, as a result of months of below-average demand, highlighting a diminished near-term outlook.

For the first time since March, our data shows spare capacity across Asian supply chains. Procurement activity in China weakened, which was a key driver of August’s downturn in vendor activity, offsetting strength in India.

Europe’s manufacturing recession continued to dampen supply chains and even worsened further, with the continent’s big-two economies, Germany and France, spearheading manufacturing weakness. In contrast to the continent, U.K. manufacturers are close to full utilization.

“What is most concerning in our August data is that manufacturers are aggressively drawing down their inventory suggesting they’re preparing for a sustained soft patch,” explained Neha Shah, president, GEP. “To head off a material slowdown in the second half of the year, manufacturers need to see interest rates lowered, and for the U.S., China and the EU to avoid raising tariffs and trade barriers.” 

AUGUST 2024 KEY FINDINGS

DEMAND: Global demand for raw materials, commodities and other necessary components like semiconductors shrank in August at an accelerated pace that was the strongest in the year-to-date. The globe’s two economic powerhouses, the U.S. and China, both reported lower procurement activity, as well as other major manufacturing hubs like Germany.INVENTORIES: Safety stockpiling was reduced to the greatest extent since March. Reports from global businesses of inventories rising because of supply or price concerns were well below historically typical levels as firms targeted cost savings and lean inventory management amid softening economic conditions.MATERIAL SHORTAGES: Reports of item shortages fell for a second successive month and were their lowest since January 2020 as weaker demand had clearly boosted vendor stock levels.LABOR SHORTAGES: Reports of manufacturers’ backlogs because of insufficient staffing capacity were muted in August, holding close to their long-term trend level. This indicates that labor supply is generally capable of meeting demand.TRANSPORTATION: After having risen in recent months and reaching the highest level since October 2022 in June and July, global transportation costs cooled slightly in August. They were still slightly greater than their long-term average, however.

REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN VOLATILITY

NORTH AMERICA: Index fell sharply to -0.62, from -0.11, signaling the highest level of vendor spare capacity since June 2023. Procurement activity in the U.S. was the weakest across the region during August.
EUROPE: Index decreased to -0.53, from -0.49 as the continent’s industrial recession intensified. Factory demand in Germany and France was deteriorating rapidly.
U.K.: Index slipped back into negative territory, falling from 0.11 to -0.14, signaling slack in U.K. supply chains for first time since April.
ASIA: Index fell to -0.07, from 0.07, indicating underutilized capacity at suppliers to Asia for first time in five months. Although factory activity remains robust in India, procurement managers in China reported cutbacks.

For more information, visit www.gep.com/volatility.

Note: Full historical data dating back to January 2005 is available for subscription. Please contact economics@spglobal.com.

The next release of the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index will be 8 a.m. ET, October 10, 2024.

About the GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index

The GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index is produced by S&P Global and GEP. It is derived from S&P Global’s PMI® surveys, sent to companies in over 40 countries, totaling around 27,000 companies. The headline figure is a weighted sum of six sub-indices derived from PMI data, PMI Comments Trackers and PMI Commodity Price & Supply Indicators compiled by S&P Global.

A value above 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being stretched and supply chain volatility is increasing. The further above 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being stretched.A value below 0 indicates that supply chain capacity is being underutilized, reducing supply chain volatility. The further below 0, the greater the extent to which capacity is being underutilized.

About GEP

GEP® delivers AI-powered procurement and supply chain solutions that help global enterprises become more agile and resilient, operate more efficiently and effectively, gain competitive advantage, boost profitability and increase shareholder value. Fresh thinking, innovative products, unrivaled domain expertise, smart, passionate people — this is how GEP SOFTWARE™, GEP STRATEGY™ and GEP MANAGED SERVICES™ together deliver procurement and supply chain solutions of unprecedented scale, power and effectiveness. Our customers are the world’s best companies, including more than 1,000 Fortune 500 and Global 2000 industry leaders who rely on GEP to meet ambitious strategic, financial and operational goals. A leader in multiple Gartner Magic Quadrants, GEP’s cloud-native software and digital business platforms consistently win awards and recognition from industry analysts, research firms and media outlets, including Gartner, Forrester, IDC, ISG, and Spend Matters. GEP is also regularly ranked a top procurement and supply chain consulting and strategy firm, and a leading managed services provider by ALM, Everest Group, NelsonHall, IDC, ISG and HFS, among others. Headquartered in Clark, New Jersey, GEP has offices and operations centers across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. To learn more, visit www.gep.com.

About S&P Global

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) S&P Global provides essential intelligence. We enable governments, businesses and individuals with the right data, expertise and connected technology so that they can make decisions with conviction. From helping our customers assess new investments to guiding them through ESG and energy transition across supply chains, we unlock new opportunities, solve challenges and accelerate progress for the world. We are widely sought after by many of the world’s leading organizations to provide credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help the world’s leading organizations plan for tomorrow, today.

Media Contacts

Derek Creevey 

Joe Hayes

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Director, Public Relations

Principal Economist

Email: Press.mi@spglobal.com

GEP

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Phone: +1 646-276-4579

Phone: +44-1344-328-099

Email: derek.creevey@gep.com               

Email: joe.hayes@spglobal.com               

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TransPerfect Legal Recognizes Its 2026 Pro Bono Partners

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Translation and interpretation services for partner firm Fenwick and legal aid organizations.Helps immigrants, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations access the US legal system.Language support remains critical to ensuring equal access to justice.

NEW YORK, Oct. 26, 2026
/PRNewswire/ — TransPerfect Legal, the global leader in legal technology, AI, and advisory services, today announced that in honor of the 2026 National Celebration of Pro Bono, it is recognizing the legal aid organizations and partner firms it has supported this year with translation and interpretation services. These partnerships extend legal access to immigrants, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable populations who depend on accurate language support to navigate the US legal system.

The National Celebration of Pro Bono, sponsored by the American Bar Association October 25–31, brings attention to the importance of pro bono legal services and honors the lawyers and organizations working to expand access to justice.

This year, TransPerfect provided translation and interpretation services at reduced rates to Fenwick in support of the following pro bono efforts:

Fenwick — Immigration clinics and mattersCommunity Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) — U Visa Project with attorneys (full-scope work); passport and asylum clinicsCo-Counsel NYC — Naturalization clinicsImmigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) — Naturalization clinicsLawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) — Asylum clinicsNew York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) — Asylum, naturalization, and TPS clinicsTahirih Justice Center — Immigration intake and U visa clinics

The need for pro bono legal support remains significant. The Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas states that “members of the legal profession have a responsibility to provide pro bono legal services”—a responsibility the Declaration links to the profession’s broader role in society and its commitment to a fair and equitable legal system.

“Access to justice depends on access to language,” said Eric Elting, Regional Director. “When someone can’t understand the proceeding that will decide their asylum claim or their immigration status, the legal system isn’t actually open to them. That’s the gap our pro bono partners work to close every day, and we’re proud to support that work.”

TransPerfect President and Co-CEO Phil Shawe commented, “Since our humble beginnings in NYC, we are proud to have performed pro bono legal work, including work to eliminate language barriers in legal processes. These efforts continue to this day.”

About TransPerfect Legal
TransPerfect Legal is the global leader in legal technology, AI, and advisory services for Am Law 200 and Global 100 law firms as well as corporate legal departments. With offices in more than 150 cities worldwide, solutions include forensic technology and consulting, eDiscovery and early data assessment, managed review and legal staffing, language services, deposition and trial support, and paper discovery, all offered alongside the Reef Technology ecosystem, TransPerfect Legal’s suite of proprietary applications that address the needs of legal and regulatory practitioners around the world. For more information, please visit www.transperfectlegal.com.

About TransPerfect
TransPerfect is the world’s largest provider of language and AI solutions for global business. From offices in over 150 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 200+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 6,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect’s GlobalLink® technology to simplify the management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com.

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Forum Edge AI Announces $94.4 Million Definitive AI Cloud Services Compute Agreement with Fireworks

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PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Forum Markets, Incorporated (“Forum” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: FRMM), an innovator in sourcing and operating cash-generating assets in AI infrastructure, commercial aerospace and AI-powered consumer finance, today announced that Forum Edge AI LLC (“Forum Edge”), the Company’s joint venture with Edge Node Inc., has entered into a definitive agreement with Fireworks, the specialized intelligence platform, for a 36-month reservation of Nvidia B300 GPU capacity at its existing, powered data center facility in Dallas.

The agreement carries a combined total contract value of approximately $94.4 million, reflecting GPU capacity and associated CPU management node fees payable over the 36-month term. Fireworks has provided a substantial prepayment deposit, which will be credited against fees due across the term.

The GPUs are expected to be deployed at Forum Edge’s Dallas data center in late December or early January. The Dallas facility is one of the sites included in Forum’s initial AI infrastructure investment and features existing permits, power access and physical infrastructure.

“This agreement is an important proof point for our AI infrastructure strategy and reflects our focus on bringing revenue generating GPUs to market quickly in a modular manner,” said McAndrew Rudisill, chairman and chief executive officer of Forum Markets, Incorporated. “We have a strong partnership with Fireworks and are excited about our growth trajectory as we scale our AI infrastructure business. This is the first finalized contract Forum Edge is executing against and the first of several exciting partnerships we expect to deploy into our unique footprint.”

Fireworks provides inference, training, and routing that help enterprises deploy and scale generative AI applications in production. The company was most recently valued at approximately $17.5 billion, with backers including Nvidia, Atreides Management, Index Ventures and TCV. Fireworks’ scale and the caliber of its financial backers reflect the type of high-quality counterparty Forum has identified in its off-take partnerships.

Hosted AI, Inc., through its AI commercialization network/mesh and platform, facilitated the relationship between Forum Edge AI and Fireworks.

The agreement represents Forum Edge’s first contracted customer commitment and supports Forum’s broader strategy of deploying disciplined, risk-adjusted capital into cash-generating AI infrastructure assets.

About Forum Markets, Incorporated

Forum Markets, Incorporated (Nasdaq: FRMM) is an innovative company that sources and structures cash-generating assets with attractive risk-adjusted returns in aerospace, AI, and AI-powered consumer finance. The company draws on proprietary origination pipelines and strategic co-investment partnerships to scale its portfolio and generate durable operating income. Forum integrates traditional asset management principles with hands-on operational execution as it builds a new framework for how real-world assets are owned, managed, and monetized. For more information, please visit forum-markets.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the future performance and growth of the Company; the ability of the Company to execute its plans, the assets to be held by the Company, the Company’s current and anticipated yield strategies, and future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and actual results may differ materially. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk that the proposed transactions described herein may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, including the risk that the parties do not execute definitive documentation for the joint venture or any individual project; the risk that anticipated site capacity, power availability, permitting, equipment delivery or customer contracts are delayed or not obtained; the risk that equipment financing is not available on the terms or in the amounts assumed, or at all; risks relating to the Company’s recently completed offering, including dilution to existing stockholders and the risk that the net proceeds are insufficient to fund the initial projects as contemplated or are applied to uses other than those described herein; risks associated with the Company’s guarantee obligations in support of project-level financing; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the stock repurchase program, previously announced private placements, sale of convertible notes, and related transactions, including the Company’s ability to achieve profitable operations; the Company’s ability to repurchase shares of common stock, the timing thereof, purchase price thereof, and the fact that repurchases may not be undertaken under the stock repurchase program; fluctuations in the market price of ETH that will impact the Company’s accounting and financial reporting; government regulation of tokenized securities; risks relating to the treatment of assets for U.S. and foreign tax purposes; changes in securities laws or regulations; changes in business, market, financial, political and regulatory conditions; risks relating to the Company’s OTC transaction, including the Company’s ability to repay such facility, covenants associated therewith and security interests associated therewith; risks relating to the Company’s previously announced ATM offering, including potential downward pressure on the Company’s stock price associated therewith; risks relating to the Company’s operations and businesses; risks related to increased competition in the industries in which the Company does and will operate; risks relating to significant legal, commercial, regulatory and technical uncertainty regarding digital assets generally; expectations with respect to future performance, growth and anticipated acquisitions; potential litigation involving the Company; global economic conditions; geopolitical events and regulatory changes; access to additional financing, and the potential lack of such financing; and the Company’s ability to raise funding in the future and the terms of such funding, including dilution caused thereby, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and those identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, as well as the supplemental risk factors and other information the Company has or may file with the SEC, including those disclosed under Item 8.01 of the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. Investors should also be aware that under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), certain crypto assets must be measured at fair value, with changes recognized in net income for each reporting period. These fair value adjustments may cause significant fluctuations in the Company’s balance sheet and income statement from period-to-period. In addition, for certain crypto assets, including ETH, which the Company holds as collateral against a loan, impairment charges may be required to be reported in net income if the market price of such assets falls below the cost basis at which those assets are carried on the balance sheet. Readers are encouraged to read the Company’s filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law. The Company’s business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

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SOURCE Forum Markets, Incorporated

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Perhaps Agency Expands Network Relationships for Emerging Brands

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Perhaps Agency’s new FuseTwo partnership and AvantLink certification give emerging brands broader access to networks, partnerships and expertise as rising paid-media costs push advertisers toward new acquisition channels.

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Perhaps Agency, a full-funnel partner marketing agency specializing in affiliate and influencer marketing, announced the continued expansion of its strategic relationships with networks across the partner marketing industry, including FuseTwo, a recently launched partner marketing platform, and AvantLink, an affiliate marketing platform. These relationships give Perhaps Agency’s clients broader access to networks, technology and partnership opportunities as emerging brands seek growth channels beyond paid media.

“Every network relationship we add gives our clients another route to find the right partners. Our partnerships with FuseTwo and AvantLink build on that, and we’ll keep expanding our list of strategic partners that serve emerging brands.” — Jen Root, Managing Director, Perhaps

Rising costs across paid social and search have pushed many brands to look for acquisition channels they can scale without expanding an internal team or committing to a large retainer. Partner marketing is one route: it brings affiliate, influencer, creator and media partnerships together in one performance-based program. For growing brands, the right network relationships can determine whether an affiliate or influencer program gets off the ground. Perhaps builds and maintains those relationships on its clients’ behalf, while strengthening its ability to identify strategic opportunities and connect brands with the partners that support their growth.

Perhaps Agency’s partnership with FuseTwo, a partner marketing platform built for growing brands, offers Perhaps clients additional opportunities, resources and expertise. These brands gain access to the FuseTwo platform, which brings affiliate, influencer, creator and media partners into a single system with unified attribution. FuseTwo’s cookieless affiliate attribution and tracking, real-time reporting and AI-assisted automation give the Perhaps team faster data across every program the agency manages, supporting publisher recruitment and partner program optimization.

This approach pairs human expertise with accelerated technology. The Perhaps team, with more than two decades of combined partner marketing experience, continues to make the strategic calls, while the FuseTwo platform speeds up the analysis behind them.

As part of the partnership, Perhaps Agency is able to offer certain promotional features through the Perhaps + FuseTwo Growth Launch Offer, available to brands that register with FuseTwo through Perhaps. The features include FuseTwo covering a brand’s first month of Perhaps partner marketing management services, including strategy, recruitment and hands-on support, and Perhaps covering the brand’s FuseTwo platform setup fee. FuseTwo also offers qualifying migrating advertisers 0% transaction fees when they bring a qualifying group of active publishers to the platform. Subsequent management services are subject to the applicable service agreement, and additional terms and eligibility requirements may apply.

Beyond its partnership with FuseTwo, Perhaps is now an AvantLink Certified Agency Partner, demonstrating the company’s expertise and commitment to building network relationships for clients. AvantLink, an affiliate marketing platform, offers an agency certification program for agencies within its ecosystem. The program validates practical expertise in affiliate strategy, partner management, attribution and technology capabilities.

The certification signifies three areas: credibility, capability and visibility. Credibility reflects demonstrated knowledge of affiliate marketing strategy and program management. Capability reflects an understanding of partner relationships, attribution models, reporting and optimization. Visibility reflects opportunities for agency recommendations, preferred partner listings and co-marketing collaboration.

For Perhaps Agency, this status reinforces its expertise in affiliate marketing strategy and publisher partnerships. For growing brands, it means working with an agency that combines experienced program management with access to established affiliate marketing technology, which can help reduce the complexity of launching, managing and scaling a partner program.

About Perhaps: Perhaps Agency is a full-funnel U.S. partner marketing agency, serving as an affiliate marketing agency and influencer marketing agency for emerging and mid-market brands across Apparel, Beauty, Health & Wellness, Home Goods, CPG, DTC and more, including affiliate marketing for Shopify brands, WooCommerce affiliate marketing and affiliate marketing for CPG brands. Perhaps combines affiliate network management, influencer and creator management and Performance PR into a single, integrated partner marketing program. The Perhaps team brings more than two decades of combined affiliate and influencer marketing experience. Learn more at Perhaps.com.

Media Contact

Jen Root, Perhaps, 1 (786) 396-9863, pr@perhaps.com, www.perhaps.com

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