Worker Pay in U.S. Climbed at Faster Pace in Third Quarter
Washington — Wages and salaries rose in the third quarter at a faster pace as the U.S. labor market continued to make progress. The 0.6 percent advance followed a 0.2 percent increase in the previous quarter that was the smallest in data going back to 1982, a Labor Department report showed Friday. The employment cost index, which also includes benefits, also rose 0.6 percent, matching the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey....
We Can Hear You Now
San Francisco — Like a lot of teenagers, Aanya Nigam reflexively shares her whereabouts, activities and thoughts on Twitter, Instagram and other social networks without a qualm. But Aanya’s care-free attitude dissolved into paranoia a few months ago shortly after her mother bought Amazon’s Echo, a digital assistant that can be set up in a home or office to listen for various requests, such as for a song, a sports score, the weather,...
Many Americans One Crisis Away From Ruin
With people less worried these days about losing their jobs, Americans are feeling much better about their finances. Yet after the bills are paid, many people struggle to keep extra cash in the bank. Roughly one in four, or 29 percent, of Americans don’t have money set aside to cover emergencies, up from 26 percent last year, according to an annual survey from Bankrate.com. The findings pointed to the lowest saving rates seen in five...
Nasdaq Record Extends on Google
New York — The Nasdaq composite index rose Friday to an all-time high for a second day after Google jumped on better-than-estimated earnings, while a decline in energy shares muted gains in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Google soared 16 percent, the most in more than seven years, and Facebook added 4.5 percent to a record. The Nasdaq Internet index gained 2.6 percent. The S&P 500’s energy group dropped 1.1 percent as...
Panera Is Latest to Cut Artificial Additives
When Panera Bread said last week that it would drop artificial additives from its menu, it joined a blitz of restaurants responding to customers’ desire for healthier food. Chipotle said recently that it would eliminate genetically modified ingredients, while McDonald’s pledged to use antibiotic-free chicken. Their efforts reflect a new industry reality: Instead of counting calories, today’s diners are often focused more on eating...
