Economy

UPDATED -- Sales of new single-family homes in the U.S. plunged during March, hitting it lowest level since July and marking the third decline out of the last six months.

The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 0.6% in March, after jumping 1.9% the previous month, according to just released figures.

Truckload linehaul rates spiked in March, with the Cass Truckload Linehaul Index surpassing the 120 mark, showing a 6% year-over-year increase.

The number of new home starts in the U.S. picked up slightly in March but is below the pace from a year earlier, according to a new U.S. Commerce Department report.

A new report shows inflation remains in check with consumer prices increasing 0.2% in March, following a 0.1% gain in February, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

The amount of freight carried by the nation’s for-hire transportation industry rose 1.2% in February from January, rising after two consecutive monthly declines.

March freight shipment volume in the U.S. increased 6.6% over the prior month, on top of the 7.3% rise seen in February, according to the just released Cass Freight Index.

Private sector employment in the U.S. increased by 191,000 jobs from February to March, according to the March ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday.

New figures show biggest driver of the U.S. economy increased last month while the overall economy grew more than estimated a month ago.

After the strong finish to last year, the construction start statistics have shown lackluster activity during the first two months of 2014, totaling an annual rate $486.7 billion last month.

A new U.S. Transportation Department repot shows three of the five surface transportation modes, truck, rail and pipeline, carried more U.S. trade with North American Free Trade Agreement partners Canada and Mexico by value in 2013 than compared to the year before.