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Manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia region increased in December, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday.

Industrial production slipped 0.2% in November, the first decline in seven months, the Federal Reserve said Thursday.

Prices paid to U.S. producers rose 0.3% in November, led by a 1% increase in food expenses, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Manufacturing activity in the New York region expanded in December to the highest level in seven months, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Thursday.

Initial jobless claims dropped by 19,000 last week to 366,000, the lowest level since May 2008, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said it won’t make current hazardous materials motor carrier information available to the public until 2013, despite brokers’ complaints that its data are rife with errors and aren’t updated fast enough.

For parcel carriers, the reported surge of online shopping has been a boon for their businesses, companies said.

Transplace Inc. has announced it has been chosen to manage the truckload contracts as well as freight audit and payments of composites and coatings manufacturer Reichhold Inc.

Ceva Logistics said it has expanded its less-than-container load consolidation services by introducing 30 new services.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc., an ocean carrier and logistics and real estate firm based in Honolulu, plans to split into two separate, publicly traded companies.