Business

About Business News...

Transport Topics business coverage focuses on the financial, economic, and commercial aspects of the modern freight business. Looking at both the microeconomic and macroeconomic forces shaping bottom lines, the news in this category includes labor news, jobs reports, tonnage and sales indicators, operations analysis, money and banking, mergers, acquisitions, e-commerce, bankruptcy, insurance issues, and more.

Business, Government

Business Inventories Rise 0.5%

Business inventories rose 0.5% in July while sales gained 1.1%, the Commerce Department said Friday.

September 14, 2007
Business

Industrial Production Rises 0.2% in August

Industrial production rose 0.2% in August, the Federal Reserve said Friday.

September 14, 2007
Business, Government

August Retail Sales Rise 0.3%

Retail sales gained 0.3% in August, the Commerce Department said Friday.

September 14, 2007
Business, Fuel, Autonomous

Oil Closes Above $80 for First Time

Crude oil futures rose to a third record in three days Thursday, closing the trading day at more than $80 a barrel for the first time ever, Bloomberg reported.

September 13, 2007
Business, Safety

Rail, Intermodal Traffic Drop for Week

Rail carload and intermodal freight traffic declined from a year ago for the Labor Day holiday week ended Saturday, the Association of American Railroads said.

September 13, 2007
Business, Safety, Government

Senate Bill Blocks Some Tolls

A transportation spending bill passed by the Senate Wednesday includes a ban on tolls for existing Texas roadways, the Associated Press reported.

September 13, 2007
Business, Safety, Government

Conn. Sets Truck Ban on Dangerous Decline

The Connecticut State Traffic Commission has put in place a temporary ban on big trucks from the a steep portion of state Route 44 on Avon Mountain, the Hartford Courant reported.

September 13, 2007
Business

Jobless Claims Rise for Week

Initial jobless claims rose by 4,000 last week to 319,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

September 13, 2007
Business, Safety, Government

DOT Freight Transport Index Drops

The Department of Transportation’s freight transportation services index for July declined 2.9% from the same month a year ago, DOT said Wednesday.

September 13, 2007
Business, Fuel

Oil Tops $80 a Barrel for First Time

Crude oil futures topped $80 a barrel for the first time and closed at a record high for a second straight day, finishing the trading day at $79.19 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

September 13, 2007