DETROIT-The plant shutdowns that have cascaded through the auto industry as a result of the labor dispute at American Axle & Manufacturing have contributed to a rise in weekly unemployment claims across the nation, with new claims last week coming in among the highest this year. MORE

DETROIT-As the UAW's strike at five U.S. American Axle & Manufacturing plants continues, the Detroit auto supplier has reportedly moved axle production for some of General Motors Corp.'s large SUV models to its plant in Mexico. MORE

GUANGDONG, China-Higher costs and new labor laws are forcing some older plants to close or relocate farther inland as China’s manufacturing sector continues to evolve. MORE

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario-Just hours before a vote on unionization was to be held at its Cambridge facility, Toyota says it received notification from the Ontario Labor Relations Board that union organizers were withdrawing their certification application. MORE

CHICAGO-Vought Aircraft, which is supplying fuselage sections to Boeing’s troubled 787 Dreamliner, is said to be making “great progress in overcoming initial supply chain challenges.” MORE

NASHVILLE, TN-Nissan is cutting the workweek to four days at the same time it boosts daily work hours at its plants in Smyrna, TN, and Canton, MS. MORE

TOLEDO, OH-About 1,100 laid-off workers at General Motors Corp.'s Toledo Powertrain plant, idled by the ongoing American Axle strike, have been called back to work to produce transmissions for some select vehicles. MORE

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario-Organizers of the union drive at Cambridge’s Toyota assembly plant have accused the Japanese automaker of unfair labor practices in charges filed Monday with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. MORE

NASHVILLE, TN-Nissan will stop all vehicle production at its Smyrna assembly plant for two days this month to "balance inventory levels," company officials said Monday. MORE

WASHINGTON-Industrial production dropped at the sharpest rate in four months during February, and the nation's mines, factories and utilities ran at their slowest rate in more than two years, the Federal Reserve said on Monday. MORE