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The number of heavy-duty vehicles in use in the United States increased 1.9% in the fourth quarter of 2004, a slower rate than the third quarter’s gain.

AAA said Thursday that the average retail price for regular gasoline rose to a record $2.055 a gallon on Tuesday..

Regional less-than-truckload carrier Central Freight Lines said it posted net losses of $8.9 million or 49 cents a share in the fourth quarter of 2004, and $20.5 million or $1.14 for the full fiscal year.

Light sweet crude oil futures receded to close at $56.40 Thursday after rising above $57 a barrel in intraday trading for the first time, Bloomberg reported.

An index of manufacturing in the Philadelphia area fell to 11.4 in March, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

The index of leading U.S. economic indicators rose in February, the third increase in four months, the Conference Board reported Thursday.

FedEx Corp. reported Thursday that net income for its third quarter ended Feb. 28 rose to $317 million or $1.03 per share, up from $207 million or 68 cents a year ago.

The number of Americans filing initial applications for unemployment insurance fell by 10,000 to 318,000 for the week ended March 12, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Frozen Food Express Industries Inc. said its fourth-quarter profit was $1.8 million or 10 cents a share, up from $0.7 million or 4 cents a year earlier.

In a 51-49 vote, the Senate Wednesday endorsed President Bush’s plan to drill for oil in protected environmental areas in Alaska, news services reported.