Lockout may lead to money crunch

CARGO If the deadlock between shippers and longshoremen in the US continues for more than a week, exporters in Asia could suddenly find themselves short of cash

By Angelia Chen and Bill Heaney / STAFF REPORTERS , WITH AGENCIES

The autumn months are the busiest as US retailers stock up on imported goods for the key December shopping season which is crucial to US consumer figures.

The indefinite lockout, which port employers said could cost the economy as much as US$1 billion a day, brought threats of bankruptcies by trucking companies and worries that everything from US$1 bunches of bananas to US$35,000 luxury cars could be shut out of the US market.

Washington has asked both parties to meet for emergency talks in the capital tomorrow.