Arkansas Online - Business

Jobless-aid deal hit with Senate holdout

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 10:55:00 GMT

Senate Democratic leaders reached an agreement late Friday over unemployment benefits with moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, ending a nine-hour standoff that threatened to derail action on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

Gain of 379,000 jobs lifts hopes, but analysts see recovery as fragile

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 10:46:00 GMT

The U.S. economy added 379,000 jobs in February, a level well above the pre-pandemic rate of growth that surpassed analysts' estimates and bolstered hopes about more positive growth through the year as the public-health crisis lessens.

U.S., EU set 4-month tariff hiatus

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:11:00 GMT

A phone call Friday clinched the first trade breakthrough to start rebuilding trans-Atlantic relations between the United States and the European Union in the wake of the Trump presidency.

U.S. trade deficit widens by 1.9%

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:10:00 GMT

The U.S. trade deficit widened to unprecedented levels in January as imports surged to the highest since mid-2019.

Groups' suit filing supports Walmart

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:09:30 GMT

Walmart Inc. has the backing of several business groups in a federal lawsuit that claims the retailer's pharmacies violated the Controlled Substances Act in dispensing opioid medications.

Work from home a tax-time letdown

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:09:20 GMT

The home office deduction could've been this tax season's most popular way to reduce taxes -- a breakout tax break.

Paid reviews have consumers questioning trustworthiness

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:09:10 GMT

You can buy a thousand positive reviews on Amazon for $10,900. That's less than $11 each. So how do you know which reviews to trust?

S&P 500 posts weekly gain as stocks bounce back

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:09:00 GMT

Wall Street capped a volatile day of trading Friday with a broad rally that snapped the market's three-day losing streak.

Review set on meat-plant inspections in pandemic

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:08:20 GMT

The inspector general for the U.S. Agriculture Department is reviewing the agency's handling of inspections at meatpacking plants during the coronavirus pandemic, in part to determine how it protected front-line meat inspectors, according to a letter obtained by The Washington Post.

Ford production said begun on new truck

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:08:10 GMT

A new pickup from Ford Motor Co. began rolling off assembly lines at the Dearborn, Mich. automaker's Hermosillo plant in Mexico last month, according to production data reported to shareholders this week.

Former AT&T CEO joins Walmart board

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:08:00 GMT

Walmart Inc. has appointed Randall Stephenson, former chairman and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc., to its board of directors, the Bentonville-based retailer said Friday.

U.S. charges virus-software pioneer

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:07:20 GMT

Technology pioneer John McAfee has been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering in a deceptive scheme to promote cryptocurrencies, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Texas utility regulators stand pat on overcharges

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:07:10 GMT

Texas utility regulators have rejected a recommendation that they reverse about $16 billion in overcharges for wholesale electricity that were racked up during the failure of the state's utility grid last month because of a pricing error by the grid's operator.

News in brief

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:07:00 GMT

Reddit hire signals move toward an IPO

U.S. adds a strong 379,000 jobs in hopeful sign for economy

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:55:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added a robust 379,000 jobs last month, the most since October and a sign that the economy is strengthening as confirmed viral cases drop, consumers spend more and states and cities ease business restrictions.

Jobless filings up despite virus strides

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:13:00 GMT

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits edged higher last week to 745,000, a sign that many employers continue to cut jobs despite a drop in confirmed viral infections and evidence that the overall economy is improving.

Tariffs paused on British imports

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:12:00 GMT

The U.S. agreed Thursday to suspend millions of dollars' worth of tariffs on imports from the United Kingdom including Scotch whisky as part of an effort to resolve a long-running trans-Atlantic trade dispute over aerospace subsidies.

Fed chief foresees no raise of rates

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:10:00 GMT

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell suggested Thursday that inflation will pick up in the coming months but that it would likely prove temporary and not enough for the Fed to alter its record-low interest rate policies.

OPEC, allies keep production down

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:09:00 GMT

Caution about the pandemic took the upper hand Thursday at a meeting of the OPEC oil cartel and allied countries, as they left most of their production cuts in place amid worry that coronavirus restrictions could still undermine recovering demand for crude.

Craft sticks landing, then blows

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:07:00 GMT

SpaceX's futuristic Starship aced a touchdown Wednesday, but then exploded on the landing pad with so much force that it was hurled into the air.