Business Briefs – July 24, 2018

Alphabet’s Q2 Profit Triggers Rally, Despite $5B EU Fine

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) – Shares in Google parent Alphabet jumped in after-hours trading Monday as the company’s second-quarter results exceeded Wall Street forecasts after taking into account a $5 billion charge levied by European regulators. The company reported second-quarter profit of $3.2 billion. When excluding the fine, earnings came to $11.75 per share, which topped the average estimate of $9.45 per share by analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research.

Fiat Chrysler Is Shaken Without Visionary CEO Behind Wheel

MILAN (AP) – Fiat Chrysler shares were volatile Monday as investors expressed worry about the exit of ailing CEO Sergio Marchionne, whose driven and creative management style has been the company’s fortune. Shares in the Italian-American carmaker closed down 1.5 percent after a harder 4-percent opening tumble in the first trading since Marchionne’s grave health condition was disclosed over the weekend.

Shooting Victims Outraged Over MGM’s Lawsuit Against Them

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) – Victims of a fatal mass shooting at a Las Vegas country music festival are outraged they are being sued by the company that owns the hotel where the gunman opened fire. Jason McMillan, who was shot and paralyzed, says he can’t believe that MGM officials would try to foist blame onto anyone but themselves. Survivors and attorneys addressed MGM’s decision to sue hundreds of victims in an attempt to avoid liability for the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Trump Reviews ‘Made in America’ Products at the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) – Checking out a speedboat, a fighter jet and a giant industrial magnet parked on the White House driveway, President Donald Trump showcased an array of “Made in America” products Monday as his administration pushes back aggressively against critics who say his punishing tariffs on imported goods threaten to harm the U.S. economy.

Mr. Trump’s event with a smorgasbord of American goods came at the start of a week in which trade discussions are expected to dominate, including talks with European officials and a trip to Illinois in which the president is planning to visit a community helped along by his steel tariffs.

Health Care Industry Branches Into Fresh Meals, Rides to Gym

(AP) – That hot lunch delivered to your door? Your health insurer might pick up the tab.

The cleaning crew that fixed up your apartment while you recovered from a stroke? The hospital staff helped set that up.

Health care is shifting in a fundamental way for millions of Americans. Some insurers are paying for rides to fitness centers and checking in with customers to help ward off loneliness. Hospital networks are hiring more workers to visit people at home and learn about their lives, not just their illnesses.

The health care system is becoming more focused on keeping patients healthy instead of waiting to treat them once they become sick or wind up in the hospital. This isn’t a new concept, but it’s growing. Insurers are expanding what they pay for to confront rising costs, realizing that a person’s health depends mostly on what happens outside a doctor’s visit.