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Satellite radio firms Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio Holdings, which are seeking federal approval to merge, said Monday they plan to offer a la carte plans to customers starting at $6.99 a month for 50 channels, the Associated Press reported.

Pittsburgh Logistics Systems said Monday that its freight division has begun to offer truckload van service for general commodities, in addition to its flatbed service.

Manufacturing growth in the Philadelphia area slowed in July, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said.

Heavy equipment and diesel engine manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. said Friday its second-quarter profit plunged 21%, though sales reached a record.

Truckload carrier USA Truck reported its second-quarter profit fell 63% on lower freight demand, declining to $1.6 million or 15 cents a share, from $4.4 million or 38 cents a year ago.

The average U.S. retail price for diesel fuel reached its highest level since September last week after rising 4 cents to $2.889 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported.

Less-than-truckload carrier Con-way Inc. launched a major foray into the truckload sector by reaching an agreement last week to buy Contract Freighters Inc. for $750 million in cash.

Class 8 June truck sales plummeted by 57.9% from a year ago to the lowest level since March 2003, when the last sales bust after a regulation-induced pre-buy was ending.