Business

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Union membership grew in 2020 despite havoc in jobs market

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Despite historic job losses during the pandemic, the percentage of U.S. workers who are members of a union rose to 10.8% in 2020, the most significant increase in years, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday.

News > Business

Carnival Cruise line extends pause through end of April

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Carnival Corp.'s flagship cruising brand extended its pause on U.S. departures through the end of April and shelved operations in Australia through mid-May amid lingering pandemic concerns.

News > Business

Amazon presses for in-person voting for unionization during a pandemic

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Amazon wants the upcoming unionization election at its Bessemer, Ala., warehouse to be held in-person, arguing against National Labor Relations Board guidance to hold mail-in balloting in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

News > Business

Stocks slip on Wall Street as worldwide rally takes a pause

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Wall Street was tapping the brakes on its record-setting rally this week, as markets worldwide take a pause on Friday.

News > Business

Existing home sales rise in 2020 to highest in 14 years

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Sales of existing homes rose 0.7% in December, pushing the entirety of 2020 to a pace not seen in 14 years and providing one of the few bright spots for a U.S. economy mired in a global pandemic.

News > Business

Google threatens to pull search engine in Australia

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Google on Friday threatened to make its search engine unavailable in Australia if the government went ahead with plans to make tech giants pay for news content.

News > Business

Denver-based Mercer Global Advisors acquires Hart Capital Management

Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Denver-based Mercer Global Advisors Inc. has acquired Hart Capital Management Inc., a wealth management firm headquartered in Spokane with an office in Coeur d’Alene.

News > Business

New jobless claims in state, Spokane County decline for second week in a row

Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Jobless claims in the state dropped for the second week in a row as seasonal layoffs in construction resulted in fewer new benefit applications, according to the Washington state Employment Security Department.

News > Business

About 150 laid-off Ponderay newsprint workers granted federal assistance

Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

USK, Wash. – About 150 Ponderay Newsprint Company employees laid off this summer were determined to be eligible for special federal benefits granted workers who have lost their jobs partially due to foreign competition.

News > Local business

Business beat

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Architecture

News > Business

Judge says Amazon won’t have to restore Parler web service

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

Amazon won't be forced to immediately restore web service to Parler after a federal judge ruled Thursday against a plea to reinstate the fast-growing social media app, which is favored by followers of former President Donald Trump.

News > Business

Stocks drift to mixed close; S&P 500 ekes out another record

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

Stocks were drifting around their record highs on Wall Street Thursday, as earnings season ramps into higher gear.

News > Business

Burger inflation builds with corn surge shrinking cattle lots

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

Pricey burgers are coming to a store near you.

News > Business

U.S. long-term mortgage rates slip; 30-year loan at 2.77%

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

U.S. long-term mortgage rates slipped this week while remaining at record-low levels.

News > Business

Union Pacific delivered 3% more freight as economy recovered

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

Union Pacific's fourth-quarter profit chugged ahead as shipping volume improved for the first time since before the coronavirus pandemic slowed the economy to a crawl last year.

News > Business

U.S. home construction jumps 5.8% in December to 1.67 million

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

U.S. home construction jumped 5.8% in December to 1.67 million units, a 14-year high that topped the strongest annual showing from the country's builders in 15 years.

News > Business

U.S. jobless claims decline to a still-high 900,000

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to 900,000, still a historically high level that points to ongoing job cuts in a raging pandemic.

News > Business

Amazon offers assist with U.S. COVID-19 vaccine distribution

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 21, 2021

Amazon is offering its colossal operations network and advanced technologies to assist President Joe Biden in his vow to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations to Americans in his first 100 days in office.

News > Business

Local restaurant owners urging state to consider 50% indoor dining capacity

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 20, 2021

Restaurateurs say 25% indoor dining capacity is a start, but 50% is needed to sustain operations, employees

News > Business

Spokane Ag Expo going virtual for both exhibits and speakers

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 20, 2021

While organizers of the Spokane Ag Expo and Farm Forum are plowing ahead with this year's show, both exhibitors and guests will have to display and follow along on a computer.

Union membership grew in 2020 despite havoc in jobs market

Carnival Cruise line extends pause through end of April

Amazon presses for in-person voting for unionization during a pandemic

Stocks slip on Wall Street as worldwide rally takes a pause

Existing home sales rise in 2020 to highest in 14 years

Google threatens to pull search engine in Australia

Denver-based Mercer Global Advisors acquires Hart Capital Management

New jobless claims in state, Spokane County decline for second week in a row

About 150 laid-off Ponderay newsprint workers granted federal assistance

Business beat

Judge says Amazon won’t have to restore Parler web service

Stocks drift to mixed close; S&P 500 ekes out another record

Burger inflation builds with corn surge shrinking cattle lots

U.S. long-term mortgage rates slip; 30-year loan at 2.77%

Union Pacific delivered 3% more freight as economy recovered

U.S. home construction jumps 5.8% in December to 1.67 million

U.S. jobless claims decline to a still-high 900,000

Amazon offers assist with U.S. COVID-19 vaccine distribution

Local restaurant owners urging state to consider 50% indoor dining capacity

Spokane Ag Expo going virtual for both exhibits and speakers

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