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U.S. companies added fewer jobs than expected in August, reflecting persistent hiring challenges and suggesting a slowdown in the labor market recovery.

One-third of small and midsize trucking companies want to reduce emissions but face barriers, a Convoy survey released Aug. 31 showed.

U.S. consumer confidence dropped in August to a six-month low, suggesting concerns over the delta variant and elevated prices are weighing on Americans’ views of the economy now and in the coming months.

Louisiana communities battered by Ida faced a new danger as they began the massive task of clearing debris and repairing damage from the storm: the possibility of weeks without power in the stifling, late-summer heat.

Hours-of-service flexibility for truckers involved in critical relief efforts is one element of the federal government’s response to Tropical Depression Ida.

The national average price for a gallon of diesel rose 1.5 cents to $3.339, according to Energy Information Administration data released Aug. 30. But that did not include fuel price increases or consider the damage resulting from Hurricane Ida.

Although federal regulators are studying a possible change in the way motor carrier safety is measured, the Compliance Safety Accountability program is likely to remain in place, a trucking attorney told a group of industry executives.

Hurricane Ida forced Kansas City Southern to shut its main line in Louisiana and has halted exchanges between railroads in New Orleans, which may worsen delays in a U.S. shipping industry that already is stretched thin.

WASHINGTON — Hurricane Ida is sure to take a toll on the energy, chemical and shipping industries that have major hubs along the Gulf Coast. But the impact on the overall U.S. economy likely will be modest so long as damage estimates don’t rise sharply and refinery shutdowns are not prolonged, economists say.

The Federal Trade Commission is examining ways to crack down on mergers in the oil and gas industry and investigate whether gas station franchises are driving up gas prices as part of a Biden administration effort to combat higher costs at the pump.