WASHINGTON (AP) — American lawmakers are using a trip to South Korea and Japan to explore how the United States can tap those allies’ shipbuilding expertise and capacity to help boost its own capabilities. The U.S. commercial shipbuilding accounted for 0.1% of global capacity in 2024, while China produced 53%, followed by South Korea and…… MORE
Fatal Explosion at U.S. Steel’s Plant Raises Questions About Its Future, Despite Heavy Investment
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The explosion this week at U.S. Steel’s Pittsburgh-area plant has reignited debate about its future. The Clairton plant is part of a long-standing steelmaking tradition in the Mon Valley and faces uncertainty despite recent investments. Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel promised continued operations, but the explosion that killed two workers…… MORE
Retail Sales Rise 0.5% in July as Some Shoppers Step Up Purchases Ahead of Tariffs
NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers spent at a healthy pace in July, particularly at the nation’s auto dealerships, even as President Donald Trump’s tariffs start to take a toll on jobs and lead to some price increases. But the figures also underscore how uncertainty around the expansive duties is pushing shoppers to step up their…… MORE
Federal Reserve Officials Are Divided Over Competing Concerns
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve policymakers will be debating whether stubborn inflation or slower hiring is the bigger problem for the economy as they prepare for an annual conference in Jackson, Wyoming, next week and a crucial policy meeting in September. Weak job gains since April have led some officials to support a rate cut.…… MORE
United Health Group Shares Climb as Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Discloses Stake in the Insurer
Shares of UnitedHealth Group are surging before the market open Friday as Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it recently purchased shares of the beleaguered insurer. Berkshire Hathaway bought around 5 million shares of UnitedHealth last quarter, according to a regulatory filing. The stock was valued at about $1.57 billion. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press.…… MORE