Volkswagen AG’s $9.2 billion bid to buy the rest of heavy-truck maker Scania AB received a boost after Scania’s fourth-largest shareholder backed the deal.

Canada’s two major freight railroads reported higher first-quarter earnings from a year ago despite harsh winter conditions.

Sales of new homes plunged 14.5% in March to a 384,000 annualized pace, the lowest level in eight months, the Commerce Department reported April 23.

Sales of previously owned homes fell in March for the third consecutive month as rising prices and cold weather discouraged would-be buyers.

The average price for U.S. regular gasoline rose 8.5 cents in the past two weeks to a 13-month high $3.69 a gallon, according to latest Lundberg Survey released April 20.

Union Pacific Corp.’s first-quarter earnings jumped 14% to $1.1 billion, or $2.38 a share, the company reported April 17. Revenue rose 6.6% to $5.64 billion.

Jobless claims increased by 2,000 to 304,000 in the week ended April 12 from a revised 302,000 the prior period that was the lowest since September 2007, a Labor Department report reported April 17.

Industrial production rose 0.7% in March after a revised 1.2% increase the prior month, figures from the Federal Reserve showed April 16.

Housing starts climbed 2.8% in March to a 946,000 annualized rate after February’s 920,000 pace, which was higher than previously reported, Commerce Department reported April 16.