>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after Wall Street closed higher yesterday despite investors' concerns over tensions in the Middle East. The markets reflected some good news on the job front as the latest data from ADP showed the private sector added 143-thousand jobs in September. That's higher than economists' estimates and came just a day before this morning's report on weekly jobless claims. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 39 points to 42-196. The S&P 500 gained less than a point to 57-09. The Nasdaq added 14 points to 17-925.
>>Dock Strike Spurring Shortage Fears
(Hampton, VA) -- The strike by U.S. dockworkers appears to be prompting some panic buying. The strike has closed down ports along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico leaving thousands of shipping containers on the docks. Ships remain idling offshore while there are reports that some retailers are seeing a greater demand for things like paper products and disinfectant sprays. Officials say the strike will affect prices on imports like fruit and alcohol.
>>United Airlines Passes Inspection With The FAA
(Chicago, IL) -- United Airlines is getting a pass from the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA announced Wednesday that it's finished its safety investigation into the airline without finding any significant flaws. United has been under scrutiny since last spring, when it was plagued by safety-related incidents like a stuck rudder and a plane losing a tire on takeoff. The FAA says it's ending its enhanced oversight of the airline as well.
>>Vance Non-Committal On Honoring Federal Grant To GM For EVs
(Wright Township, MI) -- Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is not committing the possible Donald Trump administration to honoring a grant to General Motors to build electric vehicles. He was asked about it in two campaign stops in Michigan yesterday. The Biden administration has granted GM 500-million-dollars to convert a former Cadillac sedan assembly plant to make electric vehicles. Vance says the grant "came along with some really ridiculous strings and no protections for American jobs."
>>Apple To Release New iPhone SE Early Next Year
(Cupertino, CA) -- For the first time since 2022, Apple plans to release a new iPhone SE. The lower-priced, entry-level smartphone is expected to be available early next year. At about the same time, the company is also expected to unveil a new iPad Air.
>>Levi Strauss May Sell Its Dockers Brand
(San Francisco, CA) -- Levi Strauss says it's considering the sale of its Dockers brand. It's been underperforming and the company is forecasting fourth-quarter revenue that's below expectations. Levi Strauss introduced the Dockers brand in 1986, selling khakis as an alternative to denim. Years later, they have since fallen out of fashion. Sales of Dockers were down 15-percent in the third quarter. Levi Strauss says it's looking to focus more on its Levi's brand and Beyond Yoga activewear.
