Business category, Page 27
Americans turn cautious and retail sales slide after a spring rush to beat tariffs
WASHINGTON — Retail sales fell sharply in May as consumers pulled back from a spending surge early this year to get ahead of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports. Sales at retail stores and restaurants dropped 0.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, after a decline...
TV milestone: Streaming is now bigger than cable and broadcast combined
LOS ANGELES — For the first time, streaming services have eclipsed traditional television in overall U.S. TV viewership, according to a Nielsen report released Tuesday. YouTube, Netflix, Paramount+ and other streaming services combined to attract 44.8% of all television usage in May, representing the largest share to date for direct-to-consumer...
Kraft Heinz pulling artificial dyes from its U.S. products in 2027
Kraft Heinz will be pulling artificial dyes from its U.S. products starting in 2027 and will no longer roll out new products with the dyes. The move comes nearly two months after U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to phase out petroleum-based artificial colors in the nation’s...
Senate passes crypto regulations, sends to House without addressing Trump’s investments
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would regulate a form of cryptocurrency known as stablecoins, the first of what the industry hopes will be a wave of bills to bolster its legitimacy and reassure consumers. The fast-moving legislation, which passed by a 68-30 vote and will be sent...
‘Purgatory’: Fed officials left in limbo as tariffs complicate this week’s rate decision
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy is mostly in good shape but that isn’t saving Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell from a spell of angst. As the Fed considers its next moves during a two-day meeting this week, most economic data looks solid: Inflation has been steadily fading, while the unemployment...
U.S. and U.K. announce trade deal, but steel imports still being negotiated
BANFF, Alberta — U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that they had signed a trade deal that will slash tariffs on U.K. auto and aerospace industry imports — but they are still discussing how to handle steel production. The pair spoke to reporters at...
Leonard Lauder, who globalized family cosmetic business, dies at 92
NEW YORK — Leonard Lauder, a renowned philanthropist who expanded the family cosmetics business into a worldwide empire, has died at 92. Estee Lauders Cos. announced the news in a release Sunday and said he died Saturday surrounded by family. Lauder, the eldest son of Estee and Joseph H. Lauder,...
Wall Street recovers from Friday’s shock as stocks rise, oil prices ease
NEW YORK — Calm returned to Wall Street on Monday as U.S. stocks rose and oil prices gave back some of their initial spurts following Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear and military targets at the end of last week. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% to reclaim most of its drop...
Smaller amusement parks hope for strong summer under shadow of tariffs
NEW YORK — The trade disputes involving global economic powerhouses such as the U.S. and China are being felt even in such distinctly local places as regional amusement parks. Families who balk at the cost of a summer vacation at big amusement parks like Disney World favor trips to regional...
Trump family’s next venture, a mobile phone company
NEW YORK — If Trump watches or sneakers or bibles aren’t your thing, the family business just added another product to show your support for the U.S. president: mobile phones. The Trump company announced Monday a new business, Trump Mobile, that will offer cell service in a licensing deal and...
Trump administration offers some details of how it would control U.S. Steel, but union raises concerns
CALGARY, Alberta — President Donald Trump would have unique influence over the operations of U.S. Steel under the terms of the investment being made by Nippon Steel. Administration officials over the past few days provided additional insight into the “golden share” arrangement that the federal government made as a condition...
U.S. Open’s economic impact in Oakmont, Verona is minimal, businesses report
The borough of Oakmont has been running like a broken clock twice a day this week. Before and after U.S. Open competition started each day, traffic was at a standstill on Hulton Road as players and fans made their way to Oakmont Country Club. Aside from those times, however, Oakmont...
Trump order, U.S. control clear path for Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order paving the way for a Nippon Steel investment in U.S. Steel, so long as the Japanese company complies with a “national security agreement” submitted by the federal government. Trump’s order didn’t detail the terms of the national security agreement....
Massive Google Cloud outage disrupts popular internet services
NEW YORK — Popular online services across the globe were disrupted Thursday because of ongoing issues at Google Cloud. Tens of thousands of users of Spotify, Discord and other platforms began noticing issues with their services early in the afternoon, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages. Outage reports for music...
Monroeville manufacturing company expands with state backing, aims to grow industry in region
Mike Gunniers has a plan to expand his Monroeville-based automated systems company — Premier Automation — into a manufacturing hub for Southwestern Pennsylvania. The product of Gunniers’ vision, Premier Labs, a 70,0000-square-foot corporate venture studio in Murrysville, was introduced Thursday. It will focus on helping innovation and manufacturing startups, President...
Trump signs measure blocking California’s ban on new sales of gas-powered cars
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed a resolution on Thursday that blocks California’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The state quickly announced it was challenging the move in court, with California’s attorney general holding a news conference to discuss the lawsuit before Trump’s signing...
The number of Americans filing for jobless claims last week remains at the highest level in 8 months
WASHINGTON — U.S. filings for jobless benefits were unchanged last week, remaining at the higher end of recent ranges as uncertainty over the impact of trade wars lingers. New applications for jobless benefits numbered 248,000 for the week ending June 7, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts had forecast 244,000...
Doubled steel and aluminum tariffs leave W.Pa. businesses uneasy
Christian Klanica’s gut told him President Donald Trump wasn’t done raising steel and aluminum tariffs, so he turned down long-term production contracts and stocked up on supplies throughout the spring for his tool-and-die shop in Hempfield. Already, the 25% tariffs on these metals imposed in March have inflated the cost...
Scholl brothers retiring from family’s West View bike shop, making way for new borough complex
The day after graduating from North Allegheny High School in 1978, Dave Scholl went to work fixing bicycles in his parents’ shop in West View. He and his older brother, Ken, a 1973 grad, have been together there ever since. “That’s all we’ve done all of our life — fix...
Westmoreland Mall a feasible location for proposed convention center
A 200-room hotel and convention center with 15,000 square feet of meeting space could find a home at Westmoreland Mall. Some results of a study examining the feasibility of a hotel and convention center in Westmoreland County were revealed Wednesday by Sean Sullivan, general manager of Live Casino Pittsburgh, during...
EPA moves to repeal rules that limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed repealing rules that limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, an action that Administrator Lee Zeldin said would remove billions of dollars in costs for industry and “unleash” American energy. The EPA also proposed weakening...
Inflation barely rose last month as cheaper gas and cars offset some costlier importsVideo
WASHINGTON — U.S. inflation picked up a bit last month as higher prices for groceries and some imported goods were largely offset by cheaper gas, travel services, and rents. Consumer prices increased 2.4% in May compared with a year ago, according to a Labor Department report released Wednesday. That is...
Trump says U.S. gets rare earth minerals from China; tariffs on Chinese goods going to 55%
LONDON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the United States will get magnets and rare earth minerals from China under a new trade deal and that tariffs on Chinese goods will go to 55%. In return, Trump said the U.S. will provide China “what was agreed to,” including allowing...
GM to invest $4 billion to shift some production from Mexico to the U.S.
Shares of General Motors rose before the opening bell after announcing plans to invest $4 billion to shift some production from Mexico to U.S. manufacturing plants as the automaker navigates tariffs that could drive prices higher. President Trump signed executive orders in April, relaxing some of his 25% tariffs on...
Apple unveils iOS 26 and a new ‘liquid glass’ design
CUPERTINO, Calif. — After stumbling out of the starting gate in Big Tech’s pivotal race to capitalize on artificial intelligence, Apple tried to regain its footing Monday during an annual developers conference that focused mostly on incremental advances and cosmetic changes in its technology. The presummer rite, which attracted thousands...
