Business

NEW YORK — California is suing Amazon, accusing the company of violating the state’s antitrust laws by stifling competition and engaging in practices that push sellers to maintain higher prices on products on other sites.

A former Nikola Corp. contractor whose allegations of fraud at the electric truck company helped spur a criminal investigation told a federal jury he made $600,000 off a short seller’s report on Nikola.

DETROIT — President Joe Biden, a gearhead with his own vintage Corvette, is showcasing his administration’s efforts to promote electric vehicles during a visit Sept. 14 to the Detroit auto show.

Paccar Inc. announced an increase of 9% in its regular quarterly cash dividend to 37 cents from 34 cents per share.

Class 8 U.S. retail sales in August reached their high point for the year, clearing 23,000 for a 29.7% increase compared with a year earlier, Wards Intelligence reported.

A measure of U.S. producer prices fell for a second month in August as fuel costs continued to retreat, though an underlying measure of wholesale costs solidified a sign of persistent inflation in the production pipeline.

The owner of brake-lamp technology with a pulsating bulb feature intended to help reduce rear-end collisions with trucks and trailers has asked a federal appellate court to compel the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to act on a long-pending exemption request to permit the company to deploy the system.

The looming U.S. rail strike threatens to push inflation even higher across the country after prices jumped more than expected last month.

Senate Commerce Committee leaders recently introduced a Coast Guard authorizing bill that would dedicate funds for shoreline modernization programs.

The U.S. may begin refilling its emergency oil reserve when crude prices dip below $80 a barrel, according to people familiar with the matter.