American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index grew 1.8% in August after rising 0.4% in July. In August, the index equaled 115.8 (2015=100) compared with 113.8 in July. “August tonnage levels rose to the highest level since February 2023,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “Not only does the latest robust gain show freight levels are coming off the bottom, but so does the sequential pattern over the last eight months. Starting earlier this year, every time tonnage falls, it is higher than the previous low. For me, this month-to-month pattern is more important than looking at the year-over-year percent changes since we are at an inflection point in the freight market.” July’s increase was revised up from our August 20 press release. Compared with August 2023, the index increased 0.7%, just the second year-over-year gain in the last eighteen months (the other being in May 2024).

American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.803578 American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.152452; American Dollar to Euro = 1.192098; American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.009080; American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.056014.

Futures were little changed in New York after gaining 2 percent last week. The number of U.S. rigs targeting oil remained unchanged at 747, Baker Hughes data showed Friday. A repair of the North Sea’s Forties Pipeline System is complete and pressure testing has started, operator Ineos Group said Monday. The halt of the line earlier this month sent prices surging. Oil is heading for a second yearly advance as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia prolong supply curbs through the end of 2018. Iraq’s Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said Monday that he’s optimistic prices will gain next year with global stockpiles falling and demand rising in China and India. Click Read More below for additional information.