Business coverage for Spokane and the Inland Northwest - Spokesman.com

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Business briefs: Auto, furniture sales give retailers a boost

April 15, 2014 on Page A10 WASHINGTON – U.S. retail sales in March rose by the largest amount in 18 months, led by strong gains in sales of autos, furniture and a number of other products. …
Chances of IRS audit lowest in years

April 15, 2014 on Page A10 WASHINGTON – As millions of Americans race to meet today’s tax deadline, their chances of getting audited are lower than they have been in years. Budget cuts and new responsibilities … 4

Secret scores, data used to size up, market to consumers

April 15, 2014 on Page A10 Consumers won access to their credit scores more than a decade ago, after advocates voiced concerns over errors and lending bias. But most people remain in the dark about hundreds … 1
Google offering Glass for limited time

April 15, 2014 on Page A10 SAN FRANCISCO – A lot more people are about to get a chance to buy Google Glass, the Internet-connected eyewear that has become the hottest accessory in geek fashion. Google …
Northwest wheat

April 15, 2014 on Page A11 Soft white Cash bid Change April 7.49-7.71 up 0.19-0.11 May 7.54-7.64 up 0.19-0.04 Hard red winter (ordinary percent protein) Cash bid Change April 8.45-8.50 up 0.18-0.19 Hard red winter (11.5 …
Small businesses waiting around in tax limbo

April 13, 2014 on Page E1 Small businesses are in limbo as they wait for Congress to make decisions that could save them a lot of money. Bills in Congress would extend tax deductions widely used …
Sore athletes keep Mike Lauffer’s physical therapy business running

April 13, 2014 on Page E1 It’s said you can tell someone is a runner if A) they can correctly pronounce “plantar fasciitis” B) they have a favorite ice pack, and C) they have a physical …

Samsung packs on features on its new Galaxy S5 phone

April 13, 2014 on Page E2 There’s a lot to like about Samsung’s new Galaxy S5 smartphone – among them, its relative lack of features. The company’s new flagship smartphone has plenty of innovations, including water …
BBB Tip of the Week: Safety measures against cyber attacks

April 13, 2014 on Page E2 For those who like to follow the latest celebrity gossip, a simple Internet search may spell disaster. Cyber criminals quickly shift their malicious websites to celebrities who are trending in …
Motley Fool: Nike’s strong performance makes it a stock worth watching

April 13, 2014 on Page E2 Nike (NYSE: NKE) stock has averaged annual gains of 18 percent over the past 20 years, and despite its market value topping $65 billion, the company isn’t done growing. Nike’s …
Business beat

April 13, 2014 on Page E2 Have an item for Business Beat? Send it to businessbeat@ spokesman.com. Accounting
Week ahead in business

April 13, 2014 on Page E2 Wednesday Connect with the Elect: Your Spokane City Council - Greater Spokane Incorporated presents an opportunity to hear about plans for the coming year from three Spokane City Council members: …
KXLY, parks department land deal in the works

April 12, 2014 on Page A1 A land deal is in the works that could expand soccer fields on the South Hill in exchange for opening more property along South Regal Street to retail development. Owners … 50
Coldwater Creek files for bankruptcy, will close stores

April 12, 2014 on Page A1 Coldwater Creek Inc., the Sandpoint clothier that blended women’s apparel and lifestyle into a successful venture, filed for bankruptcy Friday. The company plans to sell off inventory at a discount, … 7
Fees taking bite out of 401(k)s

April 12, 2014 on Page A8 WASHINGTON – It’s the silent enemy in our retirement accounts: high fees. And now a new study finds that the typical 401(k) fees – adding up to a modest-sounding 1 … 1
Stocks fall on jitters over earnings, tech rout

April 12, 2014 on Page A8 NEW YORK – Investors drove the stock market lower for a second straight day Friday as they grew anxious that earnings growth was faltering. Weaker results at JPMorgan Chase dragged … 1
Detroit’s deal with two banks gets OK from bankruptcy judge

April 12, 2014 on Page A8 DETROIT – Detroit can move ahead with a plan to settle a ruinous multimillion-dollar debt with two banks for $85 million, a judge said Friday as he also urged the … 1
G-20 sets five-year global growth goal

April 12, 2014 on Page A8 WASHINGTON – Finance officials of the world’s major economies are expressing confidence that they can meet an ambitious goal of boosting global growth by $2 trillion over the next five … 1
Northwest wheat

April 12, 2014 on Page A9 Soft white Cash bid Change April 7.30-7.60 down 0.02-unchanged May 7.35-7.60 up 0.03-unchanged Hard red winter (ordinary percent protein) Cash bid Change April 8.28-8.32 down 0.03 Hard red winter (11.5 …
Providence medical center in Spokane Valley nearly ready for patients

April 12, 2014 on Page B1 Providence Health Care opens its large outpatient surgery center and medical clinic this month in Spokane Valley. Formally called Providence Medical Park Spokane Valley, the two-story facility starts accepting patient … 1
Coldwater Creek files for bankruptcy, liquidation

April 11, 2014 SANDPOINT — The women’s clothing retailer Coldwater Creek has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to find a potential buyer or a source of capital to help fund … 30
Boeing to move 1,000 engineering jobs out of Washington state

April 11, 2014 on Page A10 SEATTLE – Boeing will transfer another 1,000 engineering jobs from the Puget Sound area to Southern California by the end of next year, the company told employees Thursday. In the … 22
Nasdaq hit hard as investors flee tech stocks

April 11, 2014 on Page A10 NEW YORK – The high-flyers are laying the stock market low once again. Investors turned against biotech, Internet and other once-soaring stocks Thursday, driving the Nasdaq composite index to its …
Business briefs: Spokane.com for sale after auction fails

April 11, 2014 on Page A10 The owner of the Web domain Spokane.com failed to find a buyer in a recent auction. Skip Hoagland, who lives in Hilton Head, S.C., tried to sell the domain name …
Home to popular hot sauce doing slow burn over odor

April 11, 2014 on Page A10 LOS ANGELES – A small Southern California town has turned up the heat on the makers of the wildly popular Sriracha hot sauce, telling them that if they can’t keep …
GM expands recall; suspends two engineers

April 11, 2014 on Page A10 General Motors announced Thursday it will take a $1.3 billion write-down to cover the cost of repairs related to faulty ignition switch recalls and placed two engineers at the center …
Northwest wheat

April 11, 2014 on Page A11 Soft white Cash bid Change April 7.32-7.60 down 0.07-0.04 May 7.32-7.60 down 0.07-up 0.06 Hard red winter (ordinary percent protein) Cash bid Change April 8.31-8.35 down 0.11 Hard red winter …
Airlines’ on-time rate plunged in February

April 11, 2014 on Page A12 DALLAS – The bad news for travelers is that U.S. airlines posted terrible on-time numbers and record cancellations in February, as winter storms fouled operations at several large airports. The …
Groups negotiating to end megaloads lawsuit

April 10, 2014 on Page A7 BOISE – Idaho Rivers United and the Nez Perce Tribe are in mediation with the U.S. Forest Service to end a lawsuit concerning megaloads on U.S. Highway 12 in North …
In brief: New Lucky Friday mineshaft should be completed in 2016

April 10, 2014 on Page A7 MULLAN, Idaho – Work on a new shaft at the Lucky Friday Mine is more than 60 percent complete, and should be finished in fall 2016, officials said. Owner Hecla …