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The U.S. economy’s service sector contracted in January but at a lower rate than previously reported, the Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday.

Truck components maker ArvinMeritor said Wednesday its fiscal first-quarter loss from continuing operations was $991 million, or $13.71 per share, compared with a loss of $1 million, or 1 cent, a year ago.

Transportation software firm Xata Corp. said Wednesday it lost $716,000, or 8 cents a share, in its fiscal first quarter, compared with a loss of $1.1 million, or 14 cents, a year ago.

U.S. auto sales plunged in January, with all of the Big Three automakers’ sales down at least 40%, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Kansas City Southern said its fourth-quarter profit fell 27% to $36.4 million, or 40 cents a share, from $49.9 million, or 56 cents, a year ago.

Express-1 Inc., parent company of Express-1 Expedited Solutions, acquired First Class Expediting Services in a deal that may become a template for future acquisitions, Express-1’s chief financial officer said.

UPS Inc. on Jan. 27 appointed Ken Torok president of its global freight-forwarding operations.

Senate Republicans Tuesday blocked a proposal to add billions of dollars of highway and mass transit funding to the economic stimulus bill continuing to shape, the Associated Press reported.

ArvinMeritor Inc. said Tuesday that it has presented Wal-Mart Stores Inc. with a prototype heavy-duty truck equipped with the first Meritor diesel-electric drivetrain.