The Surface Transportation Board is hitting pause on its review of the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, imperiling the timetable of a $71.5 billion deal that would create a transcontinental rail giant.

The STB said it needed more information to “thoroughly evaluate” the railroads’ revised application. The board said it accepted the application but paused the merger review, including an environmental review, and will later publish a schedule for the rest of the proceeding.

Customers and rivals have argued the tie-up, announced in July, would raise freight prices and curb competition. The companies say marrying the two networks would speed up shipping, make supply chains more efficient and reduce bottlenecks at interchange terminals. 

The board ordered the two railroads to submit more details in the next 60 days, such as how competition would be enhanced and what would change for shippers that have fewer railroads to choose from.

DHL eCommerce, a unit of DHL Group, signed a multiyear deal with the U.S. Postal Service to have the agency deliver its last-mile parcels. They previously signed single-year contracts, but the Postal Service has been looking to be more accommodating to its large customers, in part by signing multi-year deals, the Journal’s Esther Fung writes.

The stability of the longer-term agreement will help DHL eCommerce expand in the U.S., while USPS says the deal will bring in more than $10 billion in revenue. DHL eCommerce directs hundreds of millions of parcels to USPS every year for final-mile delivery, since it doesn’t have its own ground network in the country–and doesn’t plan to build one. The yellow DHL planes and trucks handle faster, international deliveries for DHL Express.

Jeep maker Stellantis said it will launch 11 new commercial vehicles by 2030 as part of a strategic plan to strengthen its position in the sector, the WSJ’s Dominic Chopping writes. The plan includes the rollout of new midsize and large van platforms that will provide different powertrain options, including battery electric, hybrid and combustion engine technologies.

As part of the model refreshes, the Stellantis Pro One unit will launch an updated small van, renew a compact van, and introduce two new battery-electric powertrains across the lineup. It is also renewing the Fiat Strada and Fiat Toro small and compact pickups in South America, and plans to introduce the new Ram Rampage to North America, as well as renew that region’s full-size pickup line.

• The U.S. economy grew at a 1.6% annual rate in the first quarter, revised down from 2%, the Commerce Department said. (WSJ)
• Orders for durable goods grew by 7.9% in April to $346 billion, after a 1.3% increase in March, a second consecutive monthly increase, the Commerce Department said. (WSJ)
• The Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge of monthly price increases–the personal-consumption expenditures price index–climbed by 0.4% in April from March, with core PCE prices rising by 0.2%. (WSJ)
• The European Union fined Temu $232.5 million, saying consumers in the bloc were very likely to come across illegal items on the Chinese e-commerce company’s platform. (WSJ)
• The EU opened a foreign-subsidies probe into Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com’s planned $2.6 billion takeover of German retail company Ceconomy. (WSJ)
• Uber Technologies increased its stake in Delivery Hero, bolstering its position in the German food-delivery company days after making an $11.63 billion takeover approach. (WSJ)
• Averitt is planning to invest an estimated $313 million to open new facilities in Kentucky and North Carolina in 2028. (TruckingDive)
• Atlas Air Worldwide agreed to acquire a 49% equity stake in Iceland-based Air Atlanta, a provider of aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance leasing services. (Air Cargo News)

Mark R. Long is editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Reach him at mark.long@wsj.com. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report team on LinkedIn: Mark R. Long, Liz Young and Paul Berger.