Wire stories category, Page 81
Stocks hit records after Trump signs $900B aid package
Stocks began the final week of 2020 with more gains Monday, nudging the major U.S. indexes to record highs. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9%, powered by gains in technology, communication services and consumer discretionary stocks. Companies that were hit the hardest by the pandemic, including restaurants, airlines and cruise operators,...
‘We are struggling’: A bleak Christmas for America’s jobless
NEW YORK — Last Christmas, Shanita Matthews cooked up a feast for her family of three: Roast chicken, barbecue spareribs, spinach, macaroni and cheese. This year? They’ll stick with tuna fish and crackers, among the few items she can afford at the supermarket. “We’re not really doing Christmas — I...
Writing off more of that 3-martini lunch is causing a stir
Stuffed into the new emergency relief package is a morsel that President Donald Trump has long had on the buffet of his economic wish list: restoring full tax breaks for restaurant business meals. But experts say it’s scant immediate help for an industry reeling from the pandemic, while critics deride...
S&P 500 ticks higher, on track to break 3-day losing streak
Stocks are ticking higher on Wall Street Wednesday following a mixed set of reports on the economy. The S&P 500 was up by 0.6% and on pace for its first gain after three days of losses pulled it off its record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 253 points...
November existing home sales fall 2.5% following record summer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The market for existing homes cooled slightly in November, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday, after climbing through the late spring, summer and early fall despite the pandemic. Existing home sales fell 2.5% between October and November on a seasonally adjusted basis to 6.69 million annualized...
Rich Americans who fear higher taxes hurry to move money now
Rich Americans are rushing to make large transactions before the end of the month, trying to get ahead of any moves next year by President-elect Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress to raise taxes or close loopholes. Some advisers say they’re busier than ever in the last weeks of 2020,...
Stocks around the world slump as coronavirus mutation hits economy
NEW YORK — Stocks are falling Monday as worries about a new, potentially more infectious strain of the coronavirus have borders shutting around the world and adding more threats for the economy. The S&P 500 was 1% lower in early trading, putting it on track to fall for a second...
Average US price of gas up 4 cents a gallon to $2.26
CAMARILLO, Calif. — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline jumped 4 cents a gallon over the past two weeks to $2.26. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that a rise in crude oil prices spurred the increase. The price at the pump is 35 cents...
Senate investigators fault FAA over Boeing jet, safety
Boeing improperly influenced a test designed to see how quickly pilots could respond to malfunctions on the Boeing 737 Max, and Federal Aviation Administration officials may have obstructed a review of two deadly crashes involving the plane, Senate investigators say. In a report released Friday, the Senate Commerce Committee also...
U.S. stocks slip from records as wait continues for Congress
NEW YORK — U.S. stock indexes pulled back from their record levels Friday as the wait drags on to see if Congress can reach a deal to send more cash to struggling workers and businesses. The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, a day after it and other major indexes returned to...
Robinhood agrees to pay $65 million to settle SEC charges
Robinhood Financial agreed to pay $65 million to settle government charges that it failed to disclose the full details of its dealings with high-speed traders and didn’t get the best prices for customers trading on its app, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday. Robinhood and other retail brokerage firms...
38 states, including Pennsylvania, file anti-trust lawsuit against Google
DENVER — A group of 38 states filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Google on Thursday, alleging that the search giant has an illegal monopoly over the online search market that hurts consumers and advertisers. The lawsuit, announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, was filed in federal court in Washington,...
Bitcoin surges past $20,000, erasing 3 years of deep losses
The price of bitcoin rose above $20,000 for the first time Wednesday, as the speculative digital currency topped its previous peak reached shortly after it became tradable on Wall Street three years ago this month. Like other instruments used to store value in times of uncertainty, bitcoin has benefited from...
Fed keeps rate near zero but sees brighter economy in 2021
The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it will keep buying government bonds until the economy makes “substantial” progress — a step intended to reassure financial markets and keep long-term borrowing rates low indefinitely. The Fed also reiterated after its latest policy meeting that expects keep its short-term benchmark interest rate...
S&P 500 nears record following stimulus progress, Fed moves
NEW YORK — The S&P 500 ticked up to the edge of its record Wednesday after the Federal Reserve pledged to keep buying bonds until the economy makes substantial progress from its virus-wracked state. In a mixed and muted day of trading, the S&P 500 rose 6.55 points, or 0.2%,...
How to spot fake shopping sites and avoid being scammed
NEW YORK — Ben Black bought what he thought was a well-priced drone online. But the drone never showed up, the site stopped responding to his emails and he never got his $100 back. He was scammed. “I’m I got caught in it,” says Black, who lives in Westminster,...
Stocks climb on Wall Street, breaking a 4-day losing streak
NEW YORK — Stocks notched broad gains Tuesday on Wall Street as renewed optimism that Washington will deliver more aid to the struggling economy put investors in a buying mood. The S&P 500 climbed 1.3%, snapping a four-day losing streak. Technology companies powered much of the rally, which helped push...
U.S. stocks end mostly lower after an early rally evaporates
Stocks ended mostly lower on Wall Street Monday after an early rally evaporated. In the U.S., investors are waiting to see if Congress can break a logjam on delivering more aid to people, businesses and local governments affected by the coronavirus pandemic, while in Europe talks continue on trying to...
Apple’s app stores open new privacy window for customers
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple has begun spelling out what kinds of personal information is being collected by the digital services displayed in its app stores for iPhones and other products made by the trendsetting company. Starting Monday, the additional disclosures will begin to appear in apps made for iPads, Mac...
Visa, Mastercard won’t allow charges for services on Pornhub
Mastercard and Visa said Thursday they would block their customers from using the credit cards to make purchases on Pornhub following accusations the pornographic website showed videos of rape and underage sex. They reacted following an investigation by opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times that also alleged...
Inflation still a no-show, US wholesale prices up just 0.1%
U.S. wholesale prices edged up just 0.1% in November with the economic disruption from the pandemic continuing to suppress demand and keeping inflation at extremely low levels. The increase in the producer price index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, followed bigger gains of 0.3% in October...
Stocks extend losses as virus aid languishes in Congress
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks fell in afternoon trading Friday as prospects for another aid package from Washington faded while a surge in virus cases threatens to inflict more damage on an already battered economy. Investors have been hoping for another financial lifeline to help cushion the latest blow from...
Airbnb shares more than double in price in long-awaited IPO
Airbnb proved its resilience in a year that has upended global travel. Now it needs to prove to investors that it sees more growth ahead. The San Francisco-based home sharing company made a triumphant debut on the public market Thursday, with its shares more than doubling in price to open...
Stock indexes end mixed as damage to the economy piles upVideo
U.S. stock indexes closed mostly lower Thursday following more evidence that the pandemic is tightening its grip on the economy while Congress remains in a stalemate over how to do something about it. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% after flipping between gains and losses in the early going. The index...
U.S. jobless claims jump to 853,000 amid resurgence of virus
WASHINGTON — The number of people applying for unemployment aid jumped last week to 853,000, the most since September, evidence that companies are cutting more jobs as new virus cases spiral higher. The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of applications increased from 716,000 the previous week. Before the...
