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WASHINGTON — U.S. businesses hired new workers at a solid pace in November, adding 179,000 jobs, according to a private survey.

WASHINGTON — U.S. productivity grew at an annual rate of 2.3% in the July-September quarter, slower than the previous quarter but still an improvement over the weak annual gains of the past decade. Labor costs rose at a modest pace in the third quarter.

A gauge of U.S. service industries unexpectedly rose in November to a near-record level amid gains in business activity and new orders, adding to indications that the sector remains robust in the fourth quarter.

China and the United States have reached agreement in the sectors of agriculture, autos and energy, and China will immediately start implementing that consensus, a government spokesman said.

WASHINGTON — The next chairman of the transportation policy panel in the U.S. House of Representatives said the ban on earmarks the GOP imposed nearly a decade ago is no longer needed.

The trade association that represents the nation’s ports has written to the leadership of United States Customs and Border Protection expressing concern about the costs that CBP expects ports to absorb for new and upgraded facilities to house CBP staff.

ATLANTA — Nearly all motor carriers subject to the federal electronic logging device mandate have complied with that regulation, but another significant transition remains for fleets still using AOBRDs, older e-log systems that predate the ELD rule, industry experts said.

President Donald Trump’s administration is recommending the U.S. Postal Service raise prices for shipping packages, a move that would hit online retailers such as Amazon.com.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A draft of proposed mandatory federal guidelines for drug testing using hair samples continues to slowly wind its way through the federal bureaucracy, still months — or perhaps longer — away from being released for public comment.

Volkswagen AG is considering adding a second factory to its U.S. manufacturing footprint and could tap Ford Motor Co. plants to build cars, Herbert Diess, CEO of VW, said after a meeting at the White House.