Business category, Page 3
Cloudy future for bourbon has Jim Beam closing Kentucky distillery for a year
Bourbon maker Jim Beam is halting production at one of its distilleries in Kentucky for at least a year as the whiskey industry navigates tariffs from the Trump administration and slumping demand for a product that needs years of aging before it is ready. Jim Beam said the decision to...
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio on mission to investigate concession prices at sporting events
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio can’t stomach the prices fans are paying for hot dogs and other concessions at professional sporting events. Deluzio, D-Fox Chapel, introduced a bill directing the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a nationwide study of concession pricing practices. U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York,...
Trump administration suspends 5 wind projects off the East Coast, cites national security concerns
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday suspended leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction along the East Coast due to what it said were national security risks identified by the Pentagon. The suspension, effective immediately, is the latest step by the administration to hobble offshore wind in...
China to impose up to 42.7% provisional tariffs on EU dairy products
HONG KONG — China will impose up to 42.7% of provisional tariffs on dairy products including milk and cheese imported from the European Union, its Commerce Ministry said Monday. The elevated duties, which take effect Tuesday, were based on preliminary results from an investigation opened by China’s Commerce Ministry in...
U.S. tech enabled China’s surveillance empire. Now Tibetan refugees in Nepal are paying the price
KATHMANDU, Nepal — The white dome of Boudhanath rises like a silent guardian over the chaotic sprawl of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, crowned by a golden spire that pierces the sky. Painted on each of the spire’s four sides are the benevolent eyes of the Buddha — wide, calm, and unblinking...
Amazon launches Western Pa. same-day delivery facility
The first-ever Amazon same-day delivery facility in Western Pennsylvania has launched in Imperial — aligning with last-minute holiday shopping. The fulfillment center is 191,000 square feet, and it will bring over 100 full- and part-time jobs across Allegheny County, according to Amazon. “The opening of this new facility in Imperial...
TikTok signs deal to form new U.S. unit with investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake
SAN FRANCISCO — TikTok has signed agreements with three major investors — Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX — to form a new TikTok U.S. joint venture, ensuring the popular social video platform can continue operating in the United States. The deal is expected to close on Jan. 22, according to...
U.S. jobless claim applications fell by 13,000 last week as layoffs remain low
WASHINGTON — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell by 13,000 last week, remaining in the same historically healthy range of the past few years even as concerns grow about the health of the labor market. The number of Americans applying for jobless claims for the week ending Dec. 13 declined...
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are awarding $5 million to a leader in neurodiversity education
NEW YORK — Mega billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, former news anchor Lauren Sánchez Bezos, are awarding $5 million to the founder of a neurodivergent student support network, a recognition that the lesser-known recipient credits to the students powering his fast-growing movement for more inclusive classrooms. “I...
What Americans think about giving cash as holiday gifts
NEW YORK — Welcome to exhausted America 2025: Most adults are more than a little fine with doling out cash as gifts, and many plan to be asleep before midnight on New Year’s Eve, according to a new AP-NORC poll. About 6 in 10 Americans say cash or gift cards...
Warner Bros. asks investors to reject takeover bid from Paramount Skydance
NEW YORK — Warner Bros. is telling shareholders to reject a takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, saying that a rival bid from Netflix will be better for customers. “We strongly believe that Netflix and Warner Bros. joining forces will offer consumers more choice and value, allow the creative community to...
John Dorfman: 5 flattened stocks — Biggest losers of 2025
Every December, I scrutinize the biggest losers in the stock market year-to-date. My thought is there might be gold in the rubble. In 2025, here are the five worst performers (through Dec. 12) among all U.S. stocks with a market value of at least $5 billion. • Trade Desk Inc....
Hyundai and Kia will repair millions of vehicles under a deal to fix anti-theft technology
Automakers Hyundai and Kia must offer free repairs to millions of models under a settlement announced Tuesday by Minnesota’s attorney general, who led an effort by dozens of states that argued the vehicles weren’t equipped with proper anti-theft technology, leaving them vulnerable to thefts. Under the nationwide settlement, the companies...
Kraft Heinz names new CEO to oversee its breakup
Steve Cahillane, the food and beverage industry veteran behind Kellogg’s recent split, has been tapped by Kraft Heinz to manage its pending breakup. The packaged food giant with dual headquarters in Pittsburgh and Chicago announced Cahillane’s hire as CEO on Tuesday. He’ll start Jan. 1, replacing Carlos Abrams-Rivera after about...
Chipotle eyes Irwin as 1st Pa. site of its new design
A nationwide Mexican food chain is planning to make Irwin the first site in Pennsylvania with an updated interior design for its restaurants. Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to build a restaurant next year at the site of the Denny’s along Route 30, said Bill Zuccarello, construction manager for Chipotle. The...
U.S. gained 64K jobs in November but lost 105K in October; unemployment rate at 4.6%
WASHINGTON — The United States gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration, the government said in delayed reports. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, highest since 2021. Both the October and November job creation numbers,...
For more than 4 decades, Thomas Jewelers has given shine to Sewickley
Justin Thomas spent time at his father’s jewelry store as a 12-year-old, where he learned how to change watch batteries, taking in all the information about the inner workings of these timepieces. His expertise has expanded past making a watch tick again as he helps fashion precious metals into beautiful...
Ford scraps fully-electric F-150 Lightning as mounting losses and falling demand hits EV plans
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is pivoting away from its once-ambitious electric vehicle plans amid financial losses and waning consumer demand for the vehicles in lieu of investment in more efficient gasoline-engines and hybrid EVs, the company said Monday. The Detroit automaker, which has poured billions of dollars into electrification...
Con Alma seeks donations to keep the doors open and the jazz playing
Please don’t stop the music. That’s the plea from owners of a popular live jazz restaurant venue with the launch last week of a GoFundMe campaign. They have a fundraising goal of $150,000 to pay off mounting business-related bills. Con Alma is the only jazz bar and restaurant in Downtown...
U.S. tariffs are having an uneven effect on holiday prices and purchases
NEW YORK — The Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, California, turns into a winter wonderland every holiday season. Green garlands, giant nutcrackers, baubles and bows go up in early November on the historic downtown building that houses the gift shop. Inside, customers can choose from over 500 different...
Kevin Hassett says Federal Reserve can reject Trump’s views if he is chair
WASHINGTON — A leading candidate to be President Donald Trump’s choice for Federal Reserve chair said that he would present the president’s views to Fed officials for their consideration but they could reject them if they chose when making decisions on interest rates. Kevin Hassett, in an interview Sunday on...
Splurge Boutique delivers warm welcome, unique finds in O’Hara
The welcome is always warm for shoppers visiting Splurge in Fox Chapel Plaza. Owner Kym Pelcher of Fox Chapel greets every customer with the same upbeat energy. “I always try to be real positive and I have a sign that says ‘No Drama Please’ and we greet every customer. I...
Disney invests $1B in OpenAI in deal to bring characters like Mickey Mouse to Sora AI video tool
Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and will bring characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Luke Skywalker to the AI company’s Sora video generation tool, in a licensing deal that the two companies announced on Thursday. The agreement makes the Walt Disney Co. the first major content licensing...
U.S. jobless benefit applications jump to 236,000, but continuing claims are lowest since April
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week, but the total number of those collecting benefits fell to the lowest level in eight months. U.S. jobless claim applications for the week ending Dec. 6 climbed by 44,000 to 236,000 from the previous week’s 192,000, the...
Federal Reserve cuts key rate but signals higher bar for future reductionsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months, a move that could attract ire from President Donald Trump, who has demanded steep reductions to borrowing...
