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U.S. intermodal traffic fell 9.3% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Container traffic declined 8.4% to 167,411 units, while trailer traffic dropped 14.3% to 26,401 units, AAR said in its weekly report.

Railroad carloads excluding intermodal decreased 3.7% to 274,862 units, AAR said.

Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.