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An index of leading economic indicators improved last month, the second straight increase, the New York-based Conference Board said Monday.

The worldwide spike in diesel prices is being driven in part by China’s stockpiling of the fuel in advance of this summer Olympics, which it is hosting, and the United States is exporting more diesel to the world market, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson backed letting California set auto emissions rules stricter than federal standards before consulting with the White House, according to a congressional panel, Bloomberg reported Monday.

The article concerning increasingly complex diesel engines theoretically can be translated directly into increased revenue for dealership maintenance shops, but there are a lot of “ifs” and “buts” surrounding these statements.

Retail fuel prices skyrocketed again last week, with diesel jumping 18.2 cents a gallon to a national average of $4.331, the biggest one-week increase since October 2005 and more than 15 cents more than the last record.

Retail fuel prices around the nation soared last week, setting new records for diesel and gasoline, according to the Department of Energy’s weekly survey of filling stations.

Truckload carriers should expect to face intense pricing pressure this spring after a first-quarter performance characterized by stagnant rates and deteriorating operating ratios.