Business

U.S. consumer confidence fell this month following fuel price increases and a hitch in the stock market, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly consumer sentiment index released Friday.

Trailer maker Wabash National Corp. said Friday its first-quarter sales will drop by about 1,000 units from the previous first quarter to about 10,800 trailers.

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in February, the Labor Department said Friday.

A funny thing happened just as some fleets were discussing reducing their fuel surcharges: Prices went flying again. Since Jan. 26, after five straight weekly increases, the average retail price of diesel is $2.626 a gallon, and climbing.

YRC Worldwide subsidiary Meridian IQ said Thursday it named John Carr to the newly created position of president of the Americas and Europe regions.

Rail intermodal traffic rose 8.9% last week but carload traffic fell 0.9% as overall volume reached its highest level this year, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.

The producer price index rose 1.3% in February, while the “core” rate rose by just 0.4%, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Manufacturing growth in New York state fell off sharply this month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims fell by 12,000 last week to the lowest level in more than a month, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The House of Representatives approved a bill that would make it easier for labor unions to organize employees, but President Bush said he would veto the measure if it passed the Senate.