Business

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.

The U.S. Transportation Department’s transportation services index fell 0.6% in January following a one-month increase in December, DOT said Wednesday.

Moving company Sirva Inc. said Wednesday it signed an agreement to sell its moving operations in 11 European countries to European firm Team Relocations for about $10 million.

General Motors Corp. reported its second quarterly profit in two years on increased auto revenue and reduced labor costs, the automaker said Wednesday.