Business category, Page 3
Average U.S. long-term mortgage rate leaps to 6.38%, the highest level in more than 6 months
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in more than six months, driving up borrowing costs during what’s typically the busiest time of the year for prospective home buyers. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.38% from 6.22% last week, mortgage...
EU lawmakers approve trade deal with U.S. but add safeguards
BRUSSELS — The European Parliament voted Thursday to approve a trade deal between the European Union and the United States but with amendments added to protect European interests should the U.S. fail to hold up its end of the bargain. The deal was negotiated last July in Turnberry, Scotland, by...
U.S. filings for jobless aid tick up last week to 210,000 but remain at historically healthy levels
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for jobless aid inched up last week as employers continue to retain workers despite a labor market that has weakened considerably in the past year. U.S. applications for jobless aid for the week ending March 21 rose by 5,000 to 210,000 from the...
EU targets Snapchat over child safety and accuses porn sites of failing to block minors
LONDON — European Union regulators are investigating Snapchat over concerns the platform isn’t doing enough to protect kids and exposing them to risks such as increased vulnerability to child predators or recruitment by criminals. The 27-nation EU’s executive Commission said Thursday it was opening a formal investigation into Snapchat under...
Green a lucky color for Howard Hanna Realtor
Lauren Shepherd knows how to go green. She uses the primary color as her signature hue for her successful realty marketing campaign. She often is spotted around the Fox Chapel area in signature green outfits as a Howard Hanna Realtor and drives the “Green Machine,” the playful moniker given to...
U.S. Postal Service to hike prices as war drives up fuel costs
The U.S. Postal Service plans to raise prices to offset rising transportation expenses including the cost of fuel, a sign that the beleaguered mail carrier is feeling the strain of higher oil prices as the war in Iran continues. The USPS will increase prices by 8% on some packages until...
Delta Air Lines says it will suspend special services for Congress members
Delta Air Lines said that it would suspend special services for members of Congress, citing the partial government shutdown that has hobbled travel across the country. The services include airport escorts and specialized customer service for lawmakers. The Capital Desk, a dedicated reservations line that helps members book trips at...
O’Connor sees NFL Draft spotlight as chance to shed steel-town perceptions
Appearances are a top priority for Pittsburgh officials ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Just this week, Pittsburgh police started a citywide sweep of abandoned vehicles. City public works crews are also putting in overtime to clean up Downtown Pittsburgh ahead of the event, which runs from April 23-25 and...
Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trialVideo
LOS ANGELES — Meta and YouTube must pay millions in damages to a 20-year-old woman after a jury decided the social media giant and video streamer designed their platforms to hook young users without concern for their well being. The California jury’s decision Wednesday in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit could influence...
New Mexico jury says Meta harms children’s mental health and safety, violating state law
SANTA FE, N.M. — A New Mexico jury determined Tuesday that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms, a verdict that signals a changing tide against tech companies and the government’s willingness to crack down. The landmark...
Judge questions Pentagon’s motives for labeling Anthropic as a security threat in battle over AI
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge weighing the merits of the Pentagon’s designation of rising Silicon Valley star Anthropic as a security threat repeatedly questioned the government’s reasons for vilifying the company following a dispute over how its artificial intelligence technology can be used in war During a 90-minute hearing...
High oil and gas prices could outlast Trump’s war with Iran
WASHINGTON — As the war with Iran began to send oil and gas prices soaring around the world, President Donald Trump shrugged off the fallout as a temporary setback for the U.S. economy. “When this is over,” he told reporters this month, “oil prices are going to go down very,...
Pa. House votes to boost state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029
The state House voted Tuesday afternoon to boost Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029. Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. “If you work hard, you shouldn’t have to worry about your next meal or having a roof over your head. Pennsylvania needs a...
John Dorfman: Defense stocks could explode upward again
Even if armed hostilities in Iran and Ukraine stop in 2026, three things still will be true. • Iran will still hate the United States. • Vladimir Putin’s vision for Russia will be expansionist. • Members of NATO will feel uneasy about the strength of their alliance with the United...
Chances of a Federal Reserve rate hike fade as inflation worsens
WASHINGTON — The jump in gas prices stemming from the war in Iran has had another impact that may also affect many Americans’ finances: Higher interest rates. Longer-term interest rates have risen quickly since the war began Feb. 28, pushing up the cost of mortgage loans, auto loans, and business...
Young graduates face the grimmest job market in years
In January, an administrator from the career center at the University of Delaware posed a question on a private message board for educators: “Has anyone else noticed a decrease in employer fair registration for their spring events?” Responses came swiftly. “We are definitely seeing similar issues!” “It seems the current...
Sheetz to hire 500 employees across Pennsylvania
Sheetz plans to hire 500 new employees at its stores across Pennsylvania. The hiring day takes place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at all of Sheetz’ 315 locations in the commonwealth, the company said in an announcement. Sheetz got its start in Altoona in 1952. Each of...
Trump administration bans import of new foreign-made routers, citing supply chain and security risks
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has banned imports of new, foreign-made routers citing supply chain vulnerability and cybersecurity risks. The newest addition to the U.S. “covered list” targets consumer-grade routers, the boxes that connect home computers, phones and smart devices to the internet. The list is a catalog of communications...
Highmark lost $175M in 2025, battered by high insurance claims
Highmark took a $175 million net loss last year as rising health insurance usage battered the Pittsburgh-based company. Financial results released Tuesday also showed a $674 million operating loss for Highmark, even as revenue rose year-over-year to $32 billion from $29 billion. Highmark Health Plans, the organization’s insurance division, was...
Retirees, should you take RMDs early in the year or wait?
Within a given year, is there any advantage to taking your required minimum distributions as soon as you can, or taking it down to the wire and pulling the distribution in late December? Or is it better to take monthly or quarterly withdrawals? Here are three timing approaches to consider,...
New Kensington gift shop sells quirky, handmade 1-of-a-kind itemsVideo
Racks of quirky totes and custom tumblers now fill a small New Kensington storefront — but two years ago, The Bag Lady began with a single handmade Halloween trick-or-treat bag designed in honor of a deceased loved one’s birthday. Now, The Bag Lady owner Heather Naugle, a Penn Hills resident,...
Kalshi and Polymarket rush to ban insider trading as senators move to curb prediction markets
NEW YORK — Kalshi and Polymarket, the two biggest prediction market platforms, rushed to institute new industry guardrails on Monday after two key senators announced legislation that could severely curtail the industry’s prospects. Kalshi said it would ban political candidates from trading on their own campaigns, and it would preemptively...
Trump administration to pay French company $1B to walk away from U.S. offshore wind leases
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration will pay $1 billion to a French company to walk away from two U.S. offshore wind leases as the administration ramps up its campaign against offshore wind and other renewable energy. TotalEnergies has agreed to what’s essentially a refund of its leases for projects off...
Legal pressures mount on Namdar for Pittsburgh Mills mall maintenance
With spring weather could come accountability for Pittsburgh Mills mall owner Namdar Realty Group. At least that’s what Frazer Zoning Officer Bill Payne is hoping for. “Since all the roads and all the other code enforcement stuff were on the exterior of the property, and with all the weather and...
Despite spiking oil prices, there’s no talk of a boom in Texas oil country
MIDLAND, Texas — Drill rigs towered in dormant clusters along the main highway through Odessa, Texas. The bartender at a popular oil country bar complained of a noticeable slowdown. Workers in stained shirts from the nearby oil fields winced at the high price of diesel. “I’m not feeling good about...
