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U.S. intermodal traffic declined 5.6% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Container traffic dropped 4.1% to 191,097 units, while trailers plunged 12.8% to 29,906 units.

Railroad carloads excluding intermodal fell 5.2% to 281,989 units, the rail trade group said in its weekly report.

Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandi than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.