WASHINGTON — Americans on Friday will get their last major look at the state of the U.S. economy — the October jobs report — just four days before Election Day. The view, though, is likely to be obscured by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. The Labor Department … Read more
HONG KONG — Asian stocks were mostly lower Friday morning, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei losing over 2% in early trading after a sharp decline on Wall Street driven by high expectations. United States futures and oil prices were higher. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 sank 2.3% in morning trading to 38,196.53. On Thursday, the Bank of … Read more
BEIJING — A closely watched survey on manufacturing in China has edged into positive territory after months of contraction, the government statistics agency said Thursday. The Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 50.1. A reading above 50 indicates an improvement over the previous month. It was the first improvement after five straight months of decline. “The … Read more
NEW YORK — Peloton has appointed its next CEO. Peter Stern, co-founder of Apple Fitness+ and a current Ford executive, will soon helm of the tech-fitness company. Stern takes over as president and CEO on January 1, Peloton said Thursday. Karen Boone, one of two current interim CEOs, will continue to serve as chief executive … Read more
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the fifth straight week, returning to its highest level since early August. The rate rose to 6.72% from 6.54% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.76%. Borrowing costs on 15-year … Read more
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — It was after midnight when she crept down the narrow, dimly lit stairs carrying a bag of dirty laundry. She crossed under a patchwork of pipes and ducts to the far back corner of the basement, as she had done many times before. That, she said, is where correctional officer James Widen … Read more
NEW YORK — Some 60,000 Wawa-branded beverage tumblers are under recall due to a laceration hazard posed by the products’ metal straw. According to a Thursday notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the metal straw inside the now-recalled tumblers can cut a user’s mouth and/or fingers. Four injuries have been reported to … Read more
FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas jury ordered Bell Helicopter Textron to pay $16 million to a California company that claims Bell gave proprietary information that the companies developed to a rival supplier of cockpit display systems. The jury in state court in Fort Worth this week decided that Bell engaged in unfair competition, but … Read more
BEIRUT — Lebanon charged the country’s former central bank governor with illicit enrichment and issued an arrest warrant against the detained banker, the second in less than two months, judicial officials said Thursday. Riad Salameh, 74, was charged by the first examining magistrate of Mount Lebanon Nicola Mansour over an apartment that was rented in … Read more
Getty Images Hello Kitty was created on 1 November, 1974 Hello Kitty, arguably Japan’s best loved creation, is celebrating her 50th anniversary. But all has not always been well at Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the character. The business has been on a spectacular journey of financial peaks and valleys. Hello Kitty has been ranked … Read more