Business Briefs – April 2, 2017

U.S. Consumer Spending Up Tiny 0.1 Percent In February

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending at the weakest pace in six months, while the 12-month rise in consumer prices was the largest in nearly five years. Consumer spending edged up 0.1 percent in February following a similarly sluggish 0.2 percent increase in January, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

3 Airliners in Near-Misses With Drones at London’s Heathrow

LONDON (AP) – A new report says three airliners just missed colliding with drones near London’s Heathrow Airport. While actual collisions are rare, the number of near-misses has increased dramatically in recent years. The UK Airprox Board says there were 70 near misses between objects identified as drones and aircraft in 2016, compared to 29 in 2015 and 6 in 2014.

Farmers to Plant Record Low Wheat Acres, Most Soybeans Ever

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of acres planted in wheat this year will be the lowest on record and much of that will be planted instead in soybeans, which will be at a record high of 89.5 million acres. Four years of good wheat-growing weather led to a global glut, pushing prices low and making it unprofitable for farmers to grow. Corn has experienced a similar trend.

5 Countries Launch Tax Evasion Sweep Linked To Credit Suisse

GENEVA (AP) — European authorities are investigating dozens of people suspected of tax evasion and money laundering involving Swiss bank Credit Suisse. Dutch authorities in particular said they had detained two people and seized assets including luxury cars, paintings and even a gold bar in the multi-country sweep.

Trump Paying $25M After Judge Approves Trump University Deal

SAN DIEGO (AP) – A judge has approved an agreement for President Donald Trump to pay $25 million to settle lawsuits over his now-defunct Trump University. The ruling ends nearly seven years of legal battles with customers who claimed they were misled by failed promises to teach success in real estate. U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel said it represents an “extraordinary amount” of money for customers to recover.

McDonald’s Canada Says Its Website’s Jobs Section Was Hacked

TORONTO (AP) — McDonald’s Canada says the jobs section of its website has been hacked, compromising the personal information of about 95,000 applicants over the last three years. The company says the accessed information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, employment histories and other standard job application information.

To Read The Full Story

Are you already a subscriber?
Click to log in!