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Sales of heavy-duty trucks soared 39.7% in September from a year earlier, as fleets continued to buy trucks with engines made before tougher federal emissions standards took effect Oct. 1.

Production at the nation's factories, mines and utilities dropped for two consecutive months for the first time this year, continuing August's 0.3% decline with a 0.1% drop in September, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

The number of new homes being built in the United States jumped 13.3% in September to an annual rate of 1.843 million – the highest in 16 years, the Commerce Department said.

As trucking companies joined the transport surge to move stacked-up freight at jammed West Coast ports, industry officials and analysts differed on whether the freight disruption would diminish or enhance the financial performance of carriers and logistics companies that depend on servicing the ports.

Morgan Group Leaves Amex • Philly Fed Index Falls to -13.1 • Cummins Sees Loss Ahead for Fourth Quarter• Old Dominion Boosts Earnings by 75% • World Oil Price Falls on Inventory Debate • Martens Shows Record Revenue, Income Up 14.9% • And more. . .

Washington-Area Police Enlist Trucking Army • California Truckers Linked to Amber Alert System • ATA Council Plans Terrorism Forum •

Standard & Poor’s cut Cummins Inc.’s credit ratings to junk status Tuesday, citing slow sales growth at the nation’s largest maker of heavy-dty engines, Bloomberg reported.

Arkansas Best Corp. said Wednesday that the chief executive officer of its ABF Freight System Inc. unit, David E. Stubblefield, will retire in January 2003.

Caterpillar Posts Flat 3Q Earnings in 2002 • Reviewing Financial Statements, Atlas Air Says • Oil Prices Stable As Inventories Rebound • Cannon Sees Loss Widen in Fiscal 4Q; Blames Driver Shortage • And more...