Business

At a time when good news is in notably short supply, it’s nice to be able to report several positive stories on this week’s front page.

U.S. truck tonnage grew by 3.3% in May — the seventh straight monthly increase — according to a preliminary report from American Trucking Associations.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance said 23.9% of the 52,345 vehicles that underwent comprehensive inspections during Roadcheck last month were placed out of service, the lowest percentage in the program’s 21-year history.

After a notable hiatus, truck maker Navistar International Corp. has returned both to profitability and to the New York Stock Exchange.

The average price of a gallon of retail diesel dipped 0.3 cent last week, to $4.645, making June only the second month so far in 2008 during which the average did not rise, the Department of Energy reported.

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia received European antitrust approval to complete its $8.1 billion purchase of Navteq Corp., a Chicago-based provider of digital maps for in-vehicle navigation systems.

Heavy-duty components maker ArvinMeritor Inc. said it will buy Trucktechnic, a Belgium-based remanufacturer and distributor of commercial vehicle disc and foundation brakes and components.

Two federal lawmakers joined the head of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut in calling for action to help relieve soaring fuel prices that are driving trucking companies out of business, the Connecticut Post reported Thursday.

U.S. payrolls declined in June but the unemployment rate held at 5.5%, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The U.S. economy’s service sector contracted in June as prices reached a record high and employment reached a record low, the Institute for Supply Management said Thursday.