Canadian National this week was the only Class I railroad to publicly comment on the $85-billion acquisition agreement between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, a corporate marriage that if approved would create the first U.S. transcontinental freight railroad. “CN is closely monitoring the ongoing discussions about possible transcontinental rail mergers,” the Montreal-based company (NYSE: CNI) said in a statement to FreightWaves. “Our focus remains on delivering consistent performance for our customers, pursuing strategic growth opportunities, and creating long-term value for our shareholders. “CN believes this can be achieved through greater collaboration between railways, connecting key markets with critical resources,” as opposed to mergers.

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Crude oil prices steadied near multi-year highs on Wednesday, even as concerns over geopolitical tensions began to ease, as supply cut efforts by global oil producers continued to support the commodity. Oil prices had climbed amid Iranian protests, marking the biggest challenge to the country's clerical leadership since 2009. However, the protests were showing no signs of impacting Iran's oil production. Crude prices continued to be supported by production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. The producers agreed in December to extend current oil output cuts until the end of 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.