Luxury home sales soar as US recovery favors wealthy buyers
Luxury home sales in the U.S. are soaring faster than lower-cost segments as remote work, brimming stock portfolios and rising listings give wealthy buyers an edge.
Walmart to again close its US stores on Thanksgiving Day
NEW YORK — Walmart says it will close its U.S. stores on Thanksgiving for the second consecutive year.
Maui resident launches 1st Hawaii-based ride-share company
WAILUKU — A Maui resident has launched the only Hawaii-based, locally owned ride-share company in the state last month, officials said.
Genetically modified salmon head to US dinner plates
INDIANAPOLIS — The inaugural harvest of genetically modified salmon began in late May after the pandemic delayed the sale of the first such altered animal to be cleared for human consumption in the United States, company officials said.
Indie bookstores avoid the worst — so far — from pandemic
NEW YORK — Through the first year of the pandemic, the country’s independent booksellers have — so far — avoided disaster.
Hawaiian Airlines ends service from Oahu to Molokai, Lanai
WAILUKU, Maui — Hawaiian Airlines is ending service between Honolulu and the rural islands of Molokai and Lanai in Maui County.
Rising up: Hawaiian Kine Trading Co. wins Mahi‘ai Scale-up competition
Hawaiian Kine Trading Co. is the winner of the 2021 Mahi‘ai Scale-up business plan competition, which helps established local farms and food system organizations grow their businesses.
Retailers see confusion, conflict over mask mandates
HONOLULU — Retailers in Hawaii say the state’s mask mandate is creating confusion and conflict among customers, many of whom come from different states to vacation in the islands.
Small Business Matters: The Chamber of Commerce ‘type’
We all use stereotypes. They’re shortcuts that help us easily categorize people so we don’t have to think so hard, we don’t have to evaluate new interactions over and over again based on new information. If we stereotype, then the new, rushing at us fast and complicated, can just be likened to perceptions we formed back when we identified what we thought was a similar “type.” Avoids all that thinking. In a lot of ways, it’s a survival mechanism that our ancestors probably developed to survive. If it’s coming at you with teeth and they look like the same kind of teeth that endangered you last week, think about it the same way, and run. There’s nothing wrong, and a lot right, with that. The trouble is that we often face situations not requiring split section reactions that could benefit from a little analysis.
Inflation is back: How high and how long will prices go up?
Used car and truck prices jumped 10% between March and April, the largest increase in nearly 70 years. Airfares and hotel rates rose about as much. And consumers paid significantly more for computers, shoes, furniture, sporting equipment and a host of other goods and services.
Weak jobs report could spur, slow Biden’s huge money package
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s promised economic comeback hit a speed bump Friday with the April jobs report, which found modest job gains of 266,000 that complicated his $4 trillion push on infrastructure, education and children.
China trade surges as global demand recovers from pandemic
BEIJING — China’s trade with the United States and the rest of the world surged by double digits in April as consumer demand recovered, but growth appeared to be slowing.
Lumber prices are sky high: Here’s what it means for homeowners and homebuyers
Home prices are soaring, pushed higher by a combination of record-low mortgage rates, strong demand from buyers and a lingering lack of new construction.
3D printing’s new challenge: Solving the US housing shortage
A new generation of startups wants to disrupt the way houses are built by automating production with industrial 3D printers.
US wages and benefits jump as economy reopens
WASHINGTON — Wages and benefits grew quickly for U.S. workers in the first three months of the year, a sign that businesses are starting to offer higher pay to fill newly-opened jobs.