Dennis Moore

The U.S. trade deficit was $45.6 billion in August, unchanged from the revised $45.6 billion in July the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The July deficit was revised up from the originally reported $44.8 billion.

The U.S. trade deficit was $45.6 billion in August, unchanged from the revised $45.6 billion in July the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The July deficit was revised up from the originally reported $44.8 billion.

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee warned Wednesday that "a national infrastructure bank as proposed" in President Obama's jobs bill "is dead on arrival in the House of Representatives."

WASHINGTON - President Obama's jobs council has made transportation investment one of five priorities for accelerating job growth and improving the country's long-term competitiveness.

Consumer credit decreased by $9.5 billion, or 4.6%, in August to $2.445 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

WASHINGTON - Fitch Ratings sees no widespread threat to state ratings from efforts to cut the federal deficit or from a slowing economy. Both, however, "present much uncertainty and risk," according to a report released on Thursday.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims rose 6,000 to 401,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Oct. 1, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims rose 6,000 to 401,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Oct. 1, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Continuing claims fell to 3.700 million for the week ending September 24, their lowest level since July 30.

WASHINGTON — New factory orders fell 0.2% in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Excluding transportation, new orders were also down 0.2%.

WASHINGTON - There are perceptible signs that a long-awaited surface transportation bill may actually be approved by Congress early next year.

New factory orders fell 0.2% in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Excluding transportation, new orders were also down 0.2%.

WASHINGTON — Construction spending rose 1.4% in August after a revised 1.4% decline in July, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

Construction spending rose 1.4% in August after a revised 1.4% decline in July, the Commerce Department reported Monday.

Personal income fell 0.1% in August and personal spending rose 0.2%, according to the seasonally adjusted report from the Commerce Department Friday.

Personal income fell 0.1% in August and personal spending rose 0.2% according to the seasonally adjusted report from the Commerce Department Friday.

Fitch Ratings warned it may have to lower ratings on Garvee bonds if Congress only approves more short-term extensions of a surface transportation bill through 2012 instead of a multi-year bill.

Second-quarter real gross domestic product expanded 1.3% at an annual rate in the third estimate, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The figure was revised up 0.3 percentage points from the second estimate in August, bringing it back to the the first estimate.

Real gross domestic product expanded 1.3% at an annual rate in the third estimate for the Q2, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The second-quarter GDP was revised up 0.3 percentage points from the second estimate in August, back to the same as the first estimate.

The fiscal condition of cities is continuing to weaken in 2011 and isn't likely to improve in 2012, the National League of Cities concluded in a report released Tuesday.

House Transportation Committee chairman Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., has been given the go-ahead by leadership to include $15 billion more for transportation programs in his multi-year bill, if he can find the revenue, sources said.