ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

img src="/sites/default/files/images/articles/printeditiontag_new.gif" width=120 align=right>Freight shippers and industry analysts said they expected this year's holiday shipping volume to remain relatively flat compared with 2001 due to a lackluster U.S. economy, a weak job market and concerns about rising fuel prices.

Industry officials and observers told Transport Topics they thought consumers would not be inclined to spend because of concerns about job security.

Some said the possibility of a U.S. war against Iraq continued to pose a risk of oil-supply disruptions, which would further drive up prices for diesel fuel and gasoline and could hurt the overall economic outlook.