Transportation Economy News Updates

Optimism among small companies in the U.S. advanced last month to the highest level in more than 34 years as owners became more upbeat about future economic conditions and sales prospects, according to a National Federation of Independent Business survey released Dec. 12.

U.S. wholesale prices rose more than forecast in November, boosted by a jump in the costs of goods that included gasoline, a Labor Department report showed Dec. 12 in Washington.

U.S. job openings unexpectedly cooled in October from an all-time high a month earlier, still consistent with a solid job market, Labor Department data showed Dec. 11.

The U.S. added more jobs than forecast in November and the unemployment rate held at an almost 17-year low, though below-forecast wage gains suggested the labor market still has slack to absorb.

U.S. consumer credit outstanding rose in October by the most since November 2016 on larger credit-card balances, Federal Reserve data showed Dec. 7.

Improved sentiment about the buying climate and personal finances helped carry household optimism to a 13-week high, Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index figures showed Dec. 7.

Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. declined to a five-week low, consistent with a resilient labor market, Labor Department figures showed Dec. 7.

Growth in U.S. service industries cooled by more than forecast in November after the fastest expansion since 2005, as orders eased and supply chains normalized following two hurricanes, an Institute for Supply Management survey showed Dec. 5.

The U.S. trade deficit widened in October to a nine-month high on record imports that reflect steady domestic demand, Commerce Department data showed Dec. 5.

U.S. manufacturing expanded at a robust pace in November amid a burst of production and rising orders that signal durable gains in the industry, figures from the Institute for Supply Management showed Dec. 1.