Business category, Page 53
Butler hospital authority bonds fall to ‘junk’ status
Financial problems continue for the former Butler Health System’s Clarion and Butler hospitals, with a national credit rating agency downgrading its bonds to junk status, indicating it has a negative outlook and would be a risky investment. Fitch Ratings on Dec. 3 lowered the Butler County Hospital Authority’s bonds issued...
Rupert Murdoch loses his fight to change family trust
Rupert Murdoch lost his bid to change his family trust and hand sole control of his media empire to his eldest son. Edmund Gorman Jr., the Reno, Nevada, probate commissioner hearing the case, rendered a verdict on Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing a sealed document saying the elder...
Is there a future for TikTok in the U.S.?
The future of the popular social media app TikTok is growing murkier. A court ruling Friday indicates TikTok will be banned next year in the United States unless it’s sold before then — which is unlikely, according to experts. Jessica Ghilani, associate professor of communication and Cyber Institute Affiliate Scholar...
BNY sells South Buffalo data center for $5.5 million
The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. sold its data center and office building in South Buffalo for $5.5 million to a subsidiary of an Irish firm. Commonly known as BNY, the company’s departure from RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park represents a “strategic consolidation,” spokesperson Ryan Wells said. He did not...
Robotic shorts could revolutionize walking for elderly, people with chronic illnesses
New robotic shorts could transform the way older adults and frail people walk. Designed to improve mobility and independence, the WalkON shorts were created to be worn over everyday clothes and could help those with chronic illnesses as well, the Washington Post reported. “A pouch-like harness goes around the waist...
Chipotle is raising US prices after promising bigger portions
Chipotle is raising its U.S. prices to offset inflation and to compensate for a promise to increase portion sizes. Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs officer, Laurie Schalow, confirmed Friday that the Mexican restaurant chain was implementing a 2% price increase nationally. Schalow said it’s the first time the California-based company has...
Japan’s Nippon Steel sets sights on a growing overseas market in its bid to acquire U.S. Steel
KASHIMA, Japan — The signs at Nippon Steel read: “The world through steel,” underlining why Japan’s top steelmaker is pursuing its $15 billion bid to acquire U.S. Steel. “We can’t expect demand in Japan to grow as the population is declining. We need to invest in production that leads to...
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put time limit on anesthesia
One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted...
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. falls to 6.69%
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased again this week, slipping to its lowest level since late October. The rate dropped to 6.69% from 6.81% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago the rate averaged 7.03%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages,...
Consumer Reports survey finds electric vehicle reliability improving but lagging gas models
DETROIT — The reliability of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids has dramatically improved, narrowing a wide gap with gas-powered automobiles, according to the latest survey by Consumer Reports. But vehicles with internal combustion engines and gas-electric hybrids are still far more dependable, the survey found. Consumer Reports subscribers, who filled...
U.S. applications for jobless benefits rise last week but remain at low levels
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Jobless claim applications rose by 9,000 to 224,000 for the week of Nov. 30, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s more than the 214,000 analysts were forecasting. Continuing claims, the total number of...
Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark as the post-election rally continues. What’s next?
NEW YORK — Bitcoin topped $100,000 for the first time this week as a massive rally in the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, largely accelerated by the election of Donald Trump, rolls on. The cryptocurrency officially to rose six figures Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to...
Why Trump and the Federal Reserve could clash in the coming years
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that his policies would reduce high borrowing costs and lighten the financial burden on American households. But what if, as many economists expect, interest rates remain elevated, well above their pre-pandemic lows? Trump could point a finger at the Federal Reserve,...
District of Columbia says Amazon secretly stopped fast deliveries to 2 predominantly Black zip codes
The District of Columbia sued Amazon on Wednesday, alleging the company secretly stopped providing its fastest delivery service to residents of two predominantly Black neighborhoods in Washington while still charging residents millions of dollars for a service that promises the benefit. The complaint filed in District of Columbia Superior Court...
John Dorfman: Bosses are buying at these 4 companies
Chief executives probably know their companies better than anyone else. So when the boss is buying his company’s stock, it’s wise to pay attention. Here are four stocks I think deserve a look. In each case, the chief executive officer (CEO) has made a significant purchase in the past few...
Nearly 30% of U.S. drugstores closed in 1 decade, study shows
Nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade had closed by 2021, new research shows. Black and Latino neighborhoods were most vulnerable to the retail pharmacy closures, which can chip away at already-limited care options in those communities, researchers said in a study published...
‘Gut punch’: Trump upsets local union leaders by opposing U.S. Steel-Nippon deal
On Monday night, President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to the proposed $14.9 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel Co., vowing to block the deal when he takes office. Some steelworkers in Pittsburgh’s Mon Valley who support the deal — and Trump — weren’t happy. “I am...
GM adds over 132,000 heavy duty pickups to recall for tailgates that can open unexpectedly
DETROIT — General Motors is adding over 132,000 heavy-duty pickups in the U.S. to a previous recall for tailgate release switches that can short circuit and open the gates while the trucks are in park. The recall adds certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks to...
Sewickley-based Custos IQ recognized for excellence in cybersecurity
A Sewickley-based cybersecurity business has been recognized for excellence as a start-up company. Custos IQ was named a 2024 Tech 50 finalist in the start-up company culture category by the Pittsburgh Technology Council from Intersections of Possibility. Co-owners Robert Ragan Jr. and Isabelle Syring work with a small team of...
Small business owners brace for Trump’s proposed tariffs
Small businesses are bracing for stiff tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has proposed as one of his first actions when he takes office. Trump has proposed importers pay a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China,...
Dick’s to bring House of Sport concept to Westmoreland Mall
A Dick’s House of Sport planned for the vacant Sears spot at Westmoreland Mall would be the second House of Sport concept store in the Pittsburgh region. It also follows a trend as malls evolve to remain relevant in the wake of the collapse of former retail giants like Sears....
Delaware judge reaffirms ruling that invalidated massive Tesla pay package for Elon Musk
DOVER, Del. — A Delaware judge has reaffirmed her ruling that Tesla must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick on Monday denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the...
General Motors to sell its stake in Michigan battery factory to LG Energy Solution
DETROIT — General Motors has reached an agreement to sell its stake in a nearly completed electric vehicle battery plant in Lansing, Michigan. The company said Monday that it has a nonbinding agreement for the sale to joint venture partner LG Energy Solution of South Korea. The companies expect to...
Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set record on the year’s biggest day for online shopping
Consumers in the United States are scouring the internet for online deals as they look to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people’s regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined...
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares resigns as carmaker continues to struggle with slumping sales
NEW YORK — Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares is stepping down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands such as Jeep and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales. The world’s fourth-largest carmaker announced that its board accepted Tavares’ resignation on Sunday....
