>>Wall Street's Wild Week Winding Down
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed sharply lower on Thursday as tariffs and threats of tariffs stoke concerns among investors. The S&P 500 finished just over ten-percent off of its record close to end the day in market correction territory. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 537 points to 40-813. The S&P 500 lost 77 points to 55-21. The Nasdaq dropped by 345 points to 17-303.
>>Trump Threatens 200% Tariff On EU Alcohol Products
(Washington, DC) -- President Trump says he will place a 200-percent tariff on all alcoholic products from the European Union. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said it would be in response to a 50-percent tariff on Whiskey implemented by the EU. The President said the union was created for "the sole purpose of taking advantage of the U.S." He added the tariff will be great for champagne and wine businesses across the country. It all comes after both the EU and Canada responded with tariffs of their own yesterday after Trump placed some on steel and aluminum imports.
>>Dollar General Warns Low-Income Americans Are Suffering More
(New York, NY) -- Dollar General warns that low-income Americans' financial conditions are getting worse. The retail chain has more than 20-thousand stores primarily in rural areas and its "core customers" earn under 40-thousand dollars a year. CEO Todd Vasos said on an earnings call yesterday that many of Dollar General customers report they have only enough money for basic essentials. Some even have to forgo basic necessities. This after inflation finally cooled in February for the first time in five months, but other costs like housing and health care remain expensive.
>>Watchdog Group Raises Flag About FAA's Business With Starlink
(Washington, DC) -- A watchdog group is raising concerns about whether the FAA's business with Elon Musk's Starlink violates conflict of interest laws. The Campaign Legal Center wrote in a letter to the Transportation Department's inspector general that Musk "blatantly and improperly influenced" the FAA's work with Starlink. It's come under criticism recently after reports that the Trump administration was considering cancelling Verizon's two-point-four-billion dollar contract in favor of Musk's satellite communications firm.
>>Donatella Versace Stepping Down
(Milan, Italy) -- Donatella Versace is stepping down as the brand's chief creative officer after nearly 30 years. Starting in April, she'll take on a new role as chief brand ambassador. Dario Vitale, who previously worked with Prada's Miu Miu, will step in as the new creative director, with reports swirling that the Prada Group is close to buying Versace.
>>Americans To Spend Billions On St. Patrick's Day
(Dublin) -- St. Patrick's Day is this Monday and consumers will be digging into their pots of gold to celebrate. The National Retail Federation says they expect over 60 percent of Americans to celebrate the holiday, and they'll each spend an average of 43 dollars on the celebration. That comes out to around seven-billion dollars.
