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Smithway Motor Xpress Corp., Fort Dodge, Iowa, said net earnings for the second quarter rose to $1.6 million, up 15% from $1.4 million in 2005.

Wireless-services provider Qualcomm Inc. reported net income for its third fiscal quarter ended June 25 rose 15% to $643 million or 37 cents a share from the previous third quarter.

Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it lost $123 million or 7 cents a share in the second quarter, compared with a $964 million profit or 47 cents a year earlier.

Refrigerated truckload carrier Marten Transport’s second-quarter income rose to $7.5 million or 34 cents a share, from $6.8 million or 31 cents a year earlier, the company said late Wednesday.

Toronto-based transportation and logistics firm Vitran Corp.’s second-quarter profit and revenue rose to records, as it posted net income of $5.8 million or 45 cents a share, up from $4.8 million or 38 cents last year.

An index of U.S. leading economic indicators rose 0.1% in June, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

Truckload carrier USA Truck said Thursday its second-quarter net income rose to a record $4.4 million, from $4.3 million a year earlier. Earnings per share fell to 38 cents from 45 cents in the previous second quarter.

Western freight railroad Union Pacific Corp. said Thursday its second-quarter profit rose 64% to $390 million or $1.44 per share, from $233 million or 88 cents a year earlier.

Rush Enterprises, the nation’s largest dealer of Peterbilt trucks, said late Wednesday its second-quarter net income rose to $14.9 million or 59 cents a share, from $11.2 million or 45 cents a year earlier.

First-time jobless claims fell by 30,000 to 304,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.