• Supply chains into Asia are the busiest since October 2022 due to sharp rises in manufacturing activity in China, Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan
• North American factory input demand softens, reflecting a cooling of U.S. manufacturing growth
• Europe’s industrial recovery gains momentum, driven by Germany, but supply bottlenecks reported

CLARK, N.J., March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 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 — showed that worldwide purchases of raw materials, commodities and critical components rose at the fastest pace in almost four years. Underlying data suggest the upturn was broad-based across sectors, with procurement activity rising in both capital-intensive and consumer-facing industries, pointing to a cyclical upswing prior to the war in the Middle East.

Asia was the key driving force behind a resurgence in global factory demand. China, Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan reported strong rates of purchasing growth among key markets, leading Asia’s supply networks to record their busiest month in three-and-a-half years.

North America, on the other hand, saw a weaker trend in factory purchasing in February, reflecting a loss of momentum in the U.S. manufacturing economy. Canadian goods producers, by comparison, lifted their purchases of raw materials and intermediate products for the first time in more than a year.

Meanwhile, Europe’s industrial recovery continued to progress as the manufacturing sector of the continent’s largest economy, Germany, gathered momentum. The rise in procurement activity across Europe has led to the emergence of bottlenecks, with supply capacity becoming slightly stretched. A similar story was recorded for the U.K. in February.

“The war with Iran is already creating an oil supply shock that will disrupt global supply chains,” said John Piatek, vice president of consulting at GEP. “Companies need to assess their exposure to energy, petrochemical and shipping costs now, while U.S. manufacturers should also move quickly to proactively secure price reductions from suppliers following the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling.”

GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index March 2026 Headline

Interpreting the data: 
Index > 0, supply chain capacity is being stretched. The further above 0, the more stretched supply chains are.
Index < 0, supply chain capacity is being underutilized. The further below 0, the more underutilized supply chains are.

GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index March 2026 All Regions

Interpreting the data: 
Index > 0, supply chain capacity is being stretched. The further above 0, the more stretched supply chains are.
Index < 0, supply chain capacity is being underutilized. The further below 0, the more underutilized supply chains are.

FEBRUARY 2026 REGIONAL KEY FINDINGS

• ASIA: Index jumps to 0.40, from 0.12, its highest level since October 2022, signaling that supply chains into Asia were their busiest in nearly three-and-a-half years.
• NORTH AMERICA: Index slips from 0.06 to -0.26, signaling underused supplier capacity in North America after a pick-up in January. US factories tapered purchasing activity.
• EUROPE: Index rises to 0.05, from -0.27, indicating further progress in Europe’s industrial recovery.
• U.K.: Index increases to -0.01, from -0.17, suggesting that the U.K.’s supply chains are running at full capacity.

FEBRUARY 2026 KEY FINDINGS 

GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index March 2026 Breakdown

• DEMAND: Global demand for raw materials, commodities and intermediate products rose substantially in February to its strongest level since March 2022. Asia was a key factor behind this resurgence, with stronger growth in factory purchasing seen in key manufacturing economies across the region such as China, Japan, India, South Korea and Taiwan.
• INVENTORIES: Global reports of manufacturers stockpiling materials due to concerns regarding supply or price were below historically typical levels in February. This is in line with the general trend seen over the past two years, where firms have strongly favored lean inventories.
• MATERIAL SHORTAGES: The items in short supply indicator rose markedly in February, signaling a rise in reports of shortages from global manufacturers. That said, the overall frequency at which supply issues were noted was contained, recording in line with the long-run average level.
• LABOR SHORTAGES: Reports of backlogs rising at manufacturers due to shortages of staff were anchored around the level seen on average, historically, during February. This indicates that labor is not a restrictive factor for global production.
• TRANSPORTATION: The global transportation costs indicator posted in line with its historical average during February.

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, Apr. 10, 2026.

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.

A Supply Chain Volatility Index is also published at a regional level for Europe, Asia, North America and the U.K. For more information about the methodology, click here.

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.

Media Contacts

NEW YORK, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HelpMeSee, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating preventable cataract blindness, is featured in Healthier Together, a branded content series presented by the WHO Foundation.

A cataract patient in Mumbai featured in the Healthier Together series undergoes sight-restoring surgery performed by a surgeon trained through the HelpMeSee Simulation-based Cataract Surgery Training Program.

The short film showcases how HelpMeSee is addressing the global cataract backlog by training cataract surgical skills through high-fidelity, simulation-based surgical education. The content was paid for by Cisco and produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, the commercial content division of BBC Studios.

The film follows a cataract surgery patient in Mumbai, India, as well as a HelpMeSee instructor and the MSICS cataract surgeon she trained, who performed the procedure. The video highlights how simulation-based training prepares surgeons before they perform live surgeries, with the goal of expanding access to safe, high-quality cataract care in regions facing workforce shortages.

Cataracts remain one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, with an estimated 100 million people affected by cataract blindness or moderate to severe visual impairment. While cataract surgery is widely recognized as an effective treatment, access to trained cataract surgeons remains limited in many low- and middle-income countries. The HelpMeSee training model focuses on preparing surgeons through standardized, instructor-led simulation practice before they operate on patients.

“Our mission is to eliminate preventable cataract blindness by increasing the number of highly trained surgeons worldwide,” said Dr. Nicoletta Fynn-Thompson, Chief Medical Officer at HelpMeSee. “By strengthening surgical training, we aim to address the backlog of patients waiting for sight-restoring care.”

The story also explores the role of data in surgical education. Splunk, a Cisco company, is one of the key technology systems used by HelpMeSee to support the development of new features, global deployment, and troubleshooting. Remote performance data collection and monitoring help refine instruction and improve learning outcomes.

Through ongoing expansion efforts in regions including India, Africa, and South America, HelpMeSee is working to increase access to high-quality cataract surgical training in areas where the need is greatest.

With the generous support of Dr. Nayana Potdar, Professor and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, and Dr. Shailesh Mohite, Dean and Director of Medical Health and Medical Education at Topiwala National Medical College, BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai, this film came to life.

Faculty leaders who pioneer and champion surgical simulation play a critical role in accelerating procedural proficiency, strengthening patient safety, and fostering a culture of continuous, deliberate practice. HelpMeSee values their leadership and the collaboration of partners worldwide as we expand access to data-driven surgical education.

The film is part of the Healthier Together series, presented by the WHO Foundation and produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions for Cisco.

To learn more about the HelpMeSee mission or to support surgical training initiatives, visit helpmesee.org.

Media Contact:
Amanda Kronberg
HelpMeSee, Director of Marketing
Pr@helpmesee.org

About HelpMeSee
In a world where 100 million people are blind or visually impaired due to cataract, HelpMeSee, a not-for-profit under IRS 501(c)(3), has a global mission to eradicate cataract blindness by increasing the training of Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS). This safe and relatively quick procedure delivers successful outcomes at a low cost. The HelpMeSee MSICS training system features high-fidelity, virtual reality simulation with haptic feedback, sophisticated courseware, learning management systems, and electronic learning aids. 

HelpMeSee was founded by Al and Jim Ueltschi, who imagined building the MSICS training system by incorporating many of the methods and techniques used successfully in commercial pilot training. As co-founder of Orbis International and founder of FlightSafety International, Al Ueltschi was an icon in the aviation industry and was devoted to ending preventable blindness in the developing world. HelpMeSee trains high quality, very low cost MSICS to ensure that all communities have access to sight restoring affordable treatment. With more than 40 simulators and 15 training centers worldwide, HelpMeSee partners with governments, universities and innovators to fight the global cataract blindness crisis. For more information, visit http://www.helpmesee.org.

International Capital Selects King Salman Park, Riyadh

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At MIPIM 2026, the King Salman Park Foundation announced the award of Package 5, selecting a consortium led by Kolaghassi Development Company to deliver a new residential-led mixed-use district within King Salman Park.

Consortium led by Kolaghassi Development Company to deliver a new residential-led mixed-use district in King Salman Park

The development will be supported by a CMA-regulated investment fund managed by Mulkia Investment Company, with a total project value exceeding SAR 11 billion (USD 3 billion). The award confirms that the parties are currently progressing toward the finalization of definitive agreements.

The announcement forms part of the Foundation’s wider real estate investment program. At MIPIM 2026, King Salman Park also announced investment packages worth more than USD 3.8 billion across multiple mixed-use districts, bringing the total committed investment to over SAR 20 billion across five major development packages.

International capital supporting Riyadh’s growth

The development will be supported through a Saudi-domiciled CMA-regulated investment fund managed by Mulkia Investment Company, bringing together leading Saudi and international investors.

Under the structure, the King Salman Park Foundation will contribute the land, while private-sector partners and local banks will provide capital and development capabilities.

The investment highlights growing international confidence in King Salman Park as a globally investable urban destination, with international investors, globally experienced development partners, and significant financing commitments from local banks supporting the project.

A metro-connected mixed-use district

Under the proposed agreement, Kolaghassi Development Company will lead the development in partnership with:

• Al Othaim Investment, one of Saudi Arabia’s established real estate investment groups
• RXR, a global real estate investor and operator with extensive experience in large-scale mixed-use urban developments

The district will feature a total built-up area exceeding 1 million square meters and will be located adjacent to the King Salman Park metro station, providing strong connectivity across Riyadh and within the park itself.

The development will be residential-led, spanning more than 400,000 square meters, and will include:

• Approximately 3,700 residential units
• A best-in-class K–12 school
• Around 300 hospitality keys
• More than 100,000 square meters of Grade A office space
• A wide variety of retail and dining offerings

The district will be delivered in line with international sustainability and wellbeing standards, targeting LEED and WELL Gold certification for key assets, with equivalent standards applied across the wider development.

Delivery momentum and future opportunities

King Salman Park continues to advance from planning to delivery, with significant progress across infrastructure works, public realm development, and cultural anchor assets.

To date, 93% of associated construction packages have been awarded, marking continued momentum as the project moves into its next development phase.

As infrastructure delivery advances and development interfaces become clearer, early participation in the project provides strong positioning within the Park’s long-term urban hierarchy.

Executive statements

George Tanasijevich, CEO of King Salman Park Foundation, said:

“Securing investment of this scale, supported by international capital and expertise, is an important milestone for King Salman Park. It reflects confidence in the project’s fundamentals and the Foundation’s delivery framework. Our partners bring not only capital, but also experience and perspective that help raise standards and contribute to Riyadh’s evolution as a global city.”

He added that the Foundation looks forward to concluding the transaction with Kolaghassi Development Company and its partners Al Othaim Investment and RXR as the district moves toward delivery.

Ali Kolaghassi, Chairman and CEO of Kolaghassi Development Company, commented:

“This project represents a significant long-term commitment for Kolaghassi Development Company in Saudi Arabia. Working alongside the King Salman Park Foundation, we are taking full responsibility for delivering a complex residential-led mixed-use district at scale, drawing on our international development experience and embedding it within the Kingdom’s evolving urban framework.”

Sultan Al Hudaithi, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Mulkia Investment Company, added:

“King Salman Park represents a compelling opportunity to invest at scale in a project of global significance. The clarity of the Foundation’s vision, the strength of the master plan, and Riyadh’s long-term fundamentals were central to our investment decision. We see this development as a platform for sustained growth and long-term value creation.”

Register Your Interest here

Flyfish.ai now deploys 35+ coordinated AI agents across the sales lifecycle, helping early enterprise adopters close deals up to 30% faster and improve sales productivity by 42%.

NEW YORK, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fractal (www.fractal.ai), a publicly listed global enterprise AI company serving Fortune 500® organizations, launched new intelligent agents within Flyfish.ai (www.flyfish.ai), its AI-native revenue acceleration platform built to reimagine how modern revenue teams operate, compete, and win. The upgraded platform brings together more than 35 coordinated AI agents that work across the entire sales lifecycle, from researching accounts and identifying buying signals to drafting personalized outreach and maintaining accurate pipelines in real time.

Sales teams today operate in increasingly complex environments, with representatives spending less than one-third of their time actively selling. Much of their day is consumed by research, follow-ups, data entry, and navigating disconnected systems. Flyfish.ai is designed to remove that burden. Working continuously in the background, it identifies high-intent accounts, gathers relevant context, drafts personalized outreach, and keeps pipeline data current, enabling sales professionals to focus on strategic conversations and closing deals.

Unlike traditional CRM systems or AI copilots that primarily provide recommendations, Flyfish.ai is built to execute. Its coordinated AI agents research accounts, identify stakeholders, detect buying intent, draft context-rich communication, and update pipeline data in real time. The platform continuously learns from organizational data and engagement patterns, improving accuracy and effectiveness over time.

Early deployments have shown promising results, including up to 30% faster deal cycles and a 42% increase in sales team productivity, driven by reductions in manual research, follow-ups, and pipeline management work.

“Sales is hard, and too much of a salesperson’s time is spent preparing rather than engaging with clients,” said Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Group Chief Executive and Vice Chairman of Fractal. “AI should help reduce preparation time and increase the number of meaningful conversations. When we began using Flyfish internally, we saw how dramatically it improved the way our teams researched opportunities, prepared for meetings, and moved deals forward. The traction we saw convinced us that this approach could help other enterprises as well. Flyfish.ai reflects how we believe modern B2B sales should operate.”  

“Most AI tools assist. Flyfish.ai orchestrates,” said Shridhar Marri, Founder and CEO of Flyfish.ai. “We didn’t set out to automate tasks. We set out to reinvent the revenue engine. Flyfish is a coordinated system of intelligent agents that thinks, acts, and executes across the pipeline, freeing human sales reps to do what only humans can: build trust, nurture relationships, and close deals. That’s not an upgrade to sales. It’s a new operating model.”

Flyfish.ai integrates with leading CRM, communication, and revenue platforms, enabling rapid deployment within existing enterprise workflows. With this evolution, Flyfish.ai moves beyond assistive tools to operate as a coordinated, execution-focused system embedded directly into how enterprises manage and grow their revenue.

For more information, visit www.flyfish.ai

About Fractal

Fractal (NSE: FRACTAL) is a publicly listed global enterprise AI company with a vision to power every human decision in the enterprise.

Fractal’s suite of businesses includes Asper.ai (enabling interconnected decisions for revenue growth) and Analytics Vidhya (among the world’s largest data science communities). Fractal spun out Qure.ai, a global healthcare AI leader enhancing the rapid identification and management of tuberculosis, lung cancer, and stroke. Fractal’s dedicated AI Research team is focused on foundational AI advancements, including knowledge-based foundational models, reasoning-based systems, and agentic systems. The team has launched successful products, including MarshallGoldsmith.ai, Vaidya.ai, Kalaido.ai, and the open-source reasoning model Fathom-R1-14B and tool-based reasoning model Fathom-DeepResearch.

Fractal employs over 5,000 professionals across global locations, including the United States, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Ukraine, India, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE, and Australia. It has consistently earned recognition as one of India’s Best Companies to Work For (Top 100, 2025), a ‘Great Workplace’ for ten consecutive years, and as one of ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women’ for five years running by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Fractal was also named a Leader in the 2025 Forrester Wave™ for Customer Analytics Service Providers and earned leadership positions in the Everest Group Peak Matrix Assessment 2025 for AI and Analytics Services, and Information Services Group’s 2024 assessments for Data Engineering and Data Science Services.

DUBAI, UAE, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, and Tether, the largest company in the digital asset industry, have jointly launched the Golden Month Giveaway, a month-long referral and trading campaign centered on gold-backed digital assets. Featuring one of the highest referral rewards in the industry, participants can earn up to $30 per qualified invite, along with Lucky Draw entries for a chance to win prizes, including up to 1 ounce of gold paid in XAUT, Tether’s tokenized gold product. The campaign features a combined reward pool of $1 million.

The initiative comes amid heightened market volatility, as investors increasingly seek assets tied to real-world value. This campaign reflects a shared focus on stability-oriented products backed by physical gold. Alongside the giveaway, users can access up to $10 million in stablecoin-based fixed-income opportunities designed to offer more predictable yield during periods of market uncertainty.

Driving Engagement Through Gold-Backed Rewards

The campaign, now running through March 25, 2026, rewards users for inviting friends to join Bybit, trading, and participating in platform activities.

Participants can earn up to $30 per qualified referral, along with Lucky Draw entries for a chance to win rewards equivalent to up to 1 ounce of gold, paid in XAUT. Every eligible entry receives a guaranteed reward, with additional chances to win higher-value prizes through the Lucky Draw.

In addition, a limited-time 12% APR XAUT earn product will be available for 21 days, offering users enhanced yield opportunities during the campaign period.

Through initiatives such as Golden Month Giveaway and its expanding stablecoin Earn programs, Bybit – together with Tether – continues to invest in gold-backed and yield-focused tools that help users stay resilient across market cycles – combining innovative products, community support, and long-term ecosystem development to navigate volatility together.

More information about the Golden Month Giveaway, including full terms and conditions, is available on the website.

#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #IMakeIt

About Bybit

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com.

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

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