The National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago’s manufacturing index fell in January to the first contraction since April 2003, NAPM said Wednesday.

Transportation and logistics firm C.H. Robinson Worldwide's 2006 net income rose to $266.9 million or $1.53 a share, up from $203.4 million or $1.16 in 2005.

Canadian freight railroad Canadian Pacific’s fourth-quarter net income was C$145.6 million or 92 cents a share, up from $137.1 million or 86 cents a year earlier.

Truckload carrier Schneider National said Thursday it had $3.7 billion in revenue last year, up from $3.4 billion in 2005.

Existing home sales fell 0.8% in December and purchases for the year fell by the most since 1989, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

Western freight railroad Union Pacific Corp. said Thursday its fourth-quarter profit jumped to $485 million or $1.78 a share, from $296 million or $1.10 cents for the same quarter a year earlier.

Eastern freight railroad Norfolk Southern Corp. said Wednesday its fourth-quarter profit rose 6%, as record revenue from coal shipments offset declines in intermodal shipments.

Canadian freight railroad Canadian National Railway Co. reported its fourth-quarter net income rose 16% to C$499 million, with earnings-per-share rising to 95 cents.

Eastern freight railroad CSX Corp. reported fourth-quarter earnings of $347 million or 75 cents a share, up from $237 million or 52 cents a year earlier.

Freight railroads Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway said Tuesday that they will launch a new intermodal train service in February that will add rail capacity and expand intermodal rail service between Los Angeles and the Southeast.