U.S. rail intermodal traffic increased 6.7% in the week ended Oct. 25 compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Confidence among U.S. consumers rose in October to a seven-year high as gasoline prices dropped and the job market improved.

After years of ending the holiday shopping season with too much merchandise stacked in their warehouses, U.S. retailers face the opposite this year: They may not have enough.

September trailer orders spiked 86.2% from a year earlier and soared to the highest level in nearly a decade, ACT Research reported.

Swift Transportation Co. said its third-quarter net income climbed to $50.2 million, or 35 cents per share, from $30 million, or 21 cents, a year earlier.

Forward Air Corp.’s third-quarter net income rose to $16.7 million, or 54 cents a share, from $14.2 million, or 46 cents, a year ago.

For the first 42 weeks, U.S. intermodal volume has increased 5.4% from the same period last year, to 10.9 million units, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Universal Truckload Services Inc.’s third-quarter earnings slipped to $13.1 million, or 44 cents per share, from $13.7 million, or 46 cents, a year ago.

Hub Group Inc. said its third-quarter income declined due to driver-settlement and software-development charges.

Union Pacific Corp.’s third-quarter net income rose to $1.37 billion, or $1.53 per share, from $1.15 billion, or $1.24, during the same time last year.