Weekly Transportation Update: Manufacturing’s February gain fails to offset January drop in output

In February, key economic indicators improved after January's weather impact, but updated data revealed a larger hit than expected. February gains didn't fully offset January declines. Inflation remained a concern for both consumers and businesses, partly due to volatile fuel prices. Government pricing data for freight brokers in transportation showed continued strengthening, prompting questions about underlying causes.

• Retail sales rise in February but not by enough to offset January’s losses.
• The Producer Price Index for freight brokers continues to rise sharply.
• Total trucking spot rates basically hold steady in the latest week.
• Rail and intermodal volumes change little from the prior week.