Economy

A barometer of future U.S. economic activity rose in April following a drop in March, signaling growth could speed up later in the year. The Index of Leading Economic Indicators from the private research group The Conference Board, shows a 0.6% gain in April to 95, following a downwardly revised 0.2% drop in March.

Building of new homes in the United States fell in April to its lowest level since November, but the rate is still well above the same time a year ago, and new building permits are at their highest level since June 2008.

Industrial production in the United States tumbled in April, the biggest drop in eight months. The Federal Reserve says the total output at the nation’s factories, mines and utilities fell 0.5% following a downwardly revised 0.3% gain in March.

Retail sales in the United State edged slightly higher in April after falling the month before, but analysts say the gains are broad-based.

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry rose 0.3% in March from February, rising for the fifth month in a row, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Job creation overall in the United States as well as in trucking both posted solid gains in April according to a new report, leading to a surge on Wall Street as well as an increase in the price of oil.

The government’s first look at shipments and new orders for manufactured durable goods in the U.S. during March shows mixed performance.T he U.S. Commerce Department reports shipments increased in March from the month before by 0.4% to $230 billion. This is the highest level on record, going back to 1992.

Sales of new homes in the United States continue getting better, while sales of existing ones have dipped just slightly.

The latest read on where the U.S. economy is heading suggests activity will slow a bit in the coming months.

The latest numbers about the health of the U.S. economy are more upbeat than those that came out last week. Industrial production rose in March by 0.4% from the month before due to utilities using more energy and a surge in auto production and new homes starts in the country have hit an annual level not seen in nearly four years.

Job growth in the United State stumbled in March, according to a report released Friday morning. Employers added a total of only 88,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Labor Department, about half the number many analysts were expecting.

A new full report from the U.S. Commerce Department shows factory goods shipments and orders are continuing a nearly non-interrupted streak of increases, which combined with other evidence bodes well for the near future of trucking.

Shipments and orders of manufactured durable goods, increased in February according to numbers released today from the U.S. Commerce Department, while home sales slid and consumer confidence fell in March.

FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index for January slipped an additional two points since the previous report, falling to a negative 7.1, reflecting deteriorating conditions for shippers in the early months of 2013. Translated, it means that motor carriers and other transportation providers have more clout to obtain rate increases.

The American Trucking Associations' Truck Tonnage Index rose 0.6% in February, marking the fourth straigth month of increases -- which hasn't happened since late 2011.

U.S. retail sales rose in February by the greatest level since September. The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday reported a 1.1% increase from the month before with the January figure being upwardly revised to a 0.2% gain. February activity was 4.6% higher than the same time a year ago.