AP National Business

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Wednesday: Target, Lowe’s fall; TJX, Agilysys rise.

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican cardinal has shed light on a scandal that had sparked questions about the Vatican’s commitment to financial transparency and accountability. Cardinal Angelo Becciu testified Wednesday that Pope Francis himself ordered the resignation of the Vatican’s first auditor general, because the auditor no longer had

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery fell $2.81 to $109.59 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for July delivery fell $2.82 to $109.11 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery fell 22 cents to $3.72 a gallon. June heating oil fell 13 cents to $3.67 a gallon. June natural gas rose 7

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Convicted pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli was freed Wednesday from prison after serving much of a seven-year prison sentence for lying to hedge fund investors and cheating investors in a drug company. His attorney, Ben Brafman, said Shkreli, 39, was released early from a prison in Allenwood,

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that details of some of the conversations between the nation’s four largest railroads about their rates can now be included in lawsuits challenging billions of dollars they charged their customers. But the mixed ruling will also exclude some documents.

By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Joe Biden embarks for Asia on Thursday, he’s facing a new risk at home for the economy and his Democratic Party: a global slowdown caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the pandemic shutting down Chinese cities and factories. The world economy can’t cast U.S.

By AMIR VAHDAT Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A United Nations special envoy says that the sweeping U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran have badly impacted the country’s economy and worsened the humanitarian situation in the Persian Gulf nation. Alena Douhan, the U.N. special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures, told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday

GENEVA (AP) — After a nearly 2-1/2-year hiatus, the Swiss town of Davos is set to again host global elites from business, government and activist groups for the World Economic Forum. Russia’s war in Ukraine and climate change worries are expected to be on many minds at the event starting Monday as concern over the

LONDON (AP) — Google says its Russian subsidiary is planning to file for bankruptcy because it can’t pay staff and suppliers. Russian state media reported Wednesday that the U.S. tech company’s Russian subsidiary submitted notice of its intention to declare bankruptcy to a national registry. The company said in a press statement that the seizure

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Retail Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at a Target store in Christiansburg, Virginia, have withdrawn their request with federal union regulators for a union election. Such an election would have joined a wave of union organizing across the country at other retailers from Amazon to Starbucks. The petition was filed

By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations is significantly lowering its forecast for global economic growth this year from 4% to 3.1%. In a new report Wednesday, it says the war in Ukraine has triggered increasing global food and commodity prices and exacerbated inflationary pressures, upending the fragile recovery

By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States — and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. Increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are putting

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is urging member countries to quickly replenish their depleted stocks of ammunition and military equipment. It’s ready to offer financial incentives to those willing to work together to replace materiel, some of which has been sent to help Ukraine. Many of the EU’s 27 member countries have sent equipment

By HALELUYA HADERO Associated Press A state agency in New York has filed an administrative complaint against Amazon, alleging the e-commerce giant discriminated against pregnant and disabled workers by denying reasonable accommodations and forcing them to take unpaid leave. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Wednesday. Her office said Amazon employs in-house consultants who

By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — When Chandler Jones realized she was pregnant during her junior year of college, she turned to a trusted source for information and advice. Her cellphone. “I couldn’t imagine before the internet, trying to navigate this,” said Jones, 26, who graduated Tuesday from the University of Baltimore School

By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The wedding industry remains fraught with waste, but a growing contingent of brides and grooms is pushing for more sustainable changes, from the way they invite guests to the food they serve and the clothes they wear. The wedding resource The Knot estimates that more than

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s health minister says the government plans to spend another 830 million euros ($872 million) to buy new coronavirus vaccines that will allow the country to deal with a series of possible variants this fall. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Wednesday that the country “must be prepared for all eventualities” and wants

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. (AP) — A 168-year-old company in New Hampshire known for its handwoven, hardwood baskets is closing its factory and stopping production, partly because of an insect pest that has been destroying ash trees. The Peterboro Basket Company has been in business since 1854. The company said in a recent announcement that the baskets

By FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press BONN, Germany (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is warning that Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine has produced a sharp increase in food and energy prices that is contributing to a slowdown in growth and creating greater risk of global stagflation. Yellen, speaking in Germany, added that the U.S. is

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s executive arm moved Wednesday to jump-start plans for the 27-nation bloc to abandon Russian energy amid the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, proposing a nearly 300 billion-euro ($315 billion) package that includes more efficient use of fuels and faster rollout of renewable power. The European Commission’s investment initiative is meant

By SALLY FRENCH of NerdWallet Many major hotel chains are embracing all-inclusive offerings. For example, Hyatt recently announced an integration with AMR Collection brands, a group of about 100 all-inclusive resorts. Others, including Walt Disney World Resort, are workshopping the all-inclusive model, offering more specialized entertainment or outdoor access. These vacation packages are attractive to

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The pandemic vastly changed the way Americans spend money and now as they return to pre-pandemic behavior, they’re tripping up retailers again. That dynamic has only been intensified in recent months as inflation jumps sharply, and the latest financial report from Target underscore the challenges.

By RONALD MONTOYA Edmunds Wrapping a vehicle differs from a paint job since the decals can be removed later with no impact on the existing paint, assuming the wrap was maintained correctly. The designs include standard glossy colors, gradient colors, matte finishes, chrome metallic colors, company logos and full-on illustrations. The only limits are your

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Four EU countries plan to speed up the continent’s green transition and help wean it off Russian energy imports through a large new project to build wind farms in the North Sea. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday her country, together with Belgium, the

BEIJING (AP) — China said Wednesday that U.S. investigators haven’t released any information about the cause of a China Eastern Airlines jetliner crash in March after The Wall Street Journal reported its flight data recorder indicated someone pushed the Boeing 737-800 into a steep dive. American investigators confirmed to the Civil Aviation Administration of China

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s three governing parties plan to strip former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of his office and staff after he maintained and defended his long-standing ties with Russia despite the war in Ukraine. Schroeder’s own Social Democratic Party said Wednesday that lawmakers on the parliamentary budget committee had agreed to link some of the

By JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press GENEVA (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is launching a five-point plan to jump-start broader use of renewable energies as the U.N. weather agency reported that greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean heat, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification reached record highs last year. The World Meteorological Organization issued its State of the

By The Associated Press While Europeans bask in the warmth of spring, governments are in a race against winter. Europe is trying to cut use of Russian natural gas because of the war in Ukraine, but still find enough fuel to keep the lights on and homes warm before it gets cold again. That has

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s inflation rate has risen to the highest level in 40 years as Russia’s war in Ukraine fueled further increases in food and fuel prices. The Office of National Statistics says consumer price inflation accelerated to 9% in the 12 months through April. The agency says that’s the highest rate since 1982,

By LORNE COOK Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO envoys failed to reach a consensus Wednesday on whether to start membership talks with Finland and Sweden, diplomats said, as Turkey renewed its objections to the two Nordic countries joining. The envoys met at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels after Finland and Sweden’s ambassadors submitted written applications

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — Shares dropped sharply in Asia on Thursday after a broad retreat on Wall Street triggered by dismal results from major retailer Target that renewed worries over the impact of high inflation. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng led the declines, dropping 3.1%, while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index was

By OLEKSANDR STASHEVSKYI and CIARAN McQUILLAN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Nearly 1,000 last-ditch Ukrainian fighters who had held out inside Mariupol’s pulverized steel plant have surrendered, Russia said Wednesday, as the battle that turned the city into a worldwide symbol of defiance and suffering drew toward a close. Meanwhile, the first captured Russian

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 40-year-old woman who fell overboard off a cruise ship in southeast Alaska. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ali Blackburn says the effort ended Tuesday after searching for the woman for about nine hours. The search was conducted by boat and a helicopter

By SARAH RANKIN Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State regulators considering whether to approve Dominion Energy Virginia’s plans for a nearly $10 billion offshore wind farm are being asked to consider extra protections to shield customers from possible cost overruns and other project risks. No party to the regulatory proceeding is asking that the

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge says North Carolina regulators were wrong to reject a beer label that featured a silhouette of a naked man standing next to a campfire. The owners of Maryland-based Flying Dog Brewery argued that the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission violated their First Amendment rights by rejecting

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dozens of environmental and anti-nuclear organizations are opposing any attempt to extend the operating life of California’s last running nuclear power plant. A coalition that includes San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace, the Oregon Conservancy Foundation and the Ohio Nuclear Free Network say the Diablo

The Associated Press Stocks rose steadily throughout the day and ended with broad gains as traders got back to buying again after a mostly miserable few weeks on Wall Street. Tech giants like Apple and Microsoft were among the biggest winners, and video game maker Take-Two Interactive jumped after forecasting better results than analysts were

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday: United Airlines, Abbott rise; Walmart, Fluor fall.

GALT, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a suspect in a 1988 sexual assault and killing of a 79-year-old woman in a small Northern California community has been identified thanks to advanced DNA testing on scrapings from the victim’s fingernails. Galt Police Chief Brian Kalinowski said Tuesday that Terry Leroy Bramble was 32 years old when

WASHINGTON (AP) — The biggest U.S. union for flight attendants is backing Frontier Airlines’ bid to buy Spirit Airlines. The Association of Flight Attendants announced its position Tuesday. The union represents crews at both airlines, and says it has a deal that will protect flight attendants from furloughs during the merger process. JetBlue Airways is

NEW YORK (AP) — An autonomous vehicle technology company that partners with Ford and Volkswagen says it has started driverless operations in two of eight cities where it is developing its technology. Pittsburgh-based Argo AI has pulled drivers from its autonomous cars in Miami and Austin, though it is still in the testing phase. Its

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — At the center of the nationwide baby formula shortage is a single factory: Abbott Nutrition’s plant that has been closed for more than three months because of contamination problems. On Monday, U.S. officials announced a deal with Abbott that paves the way to restart production at

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery fell $1.80 to $112.40 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude for July delivery fell $2.31 to $111.93 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery fell 8 cents to $3.94 a gallon. June heating oil fell 11 cents to $3.80 a gallon. June natural gas rose 34

By DAVID PITT Associated Press PRAIRIE CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is the first state in the nation to require most gas stations to sell fuel with at least 15% ethanol under a bill signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Reynolds signed the bill Tuesday on a farm near Prairie City, about 20 miles east of

By The Associated Press Federal safety officials are moving to let United Airlines resume using about 50 planes that have been grounded since the engine of one of them blew apart over Denver last year. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Tuesday that it has approved Boeing’s outline of required fixes to the Boeing 777s, whose

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats have unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill to address the shortage of infant formula in the United States. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, says the bill would help the Food and Drug Administration take important steps to restore the

By REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The United States government is moving to ease a few economic sanctions on Venezuela in a gesture meant to encourage resumed negotiations between the U.S.-backed opposition and the government of President Nicolás Maduro. That’s according to two senior U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Federal authorities say bus drivers and charitable groups were among victims who lost $5 billion from private investment funds once worth $11 billion. Conspiracy, securities fraud and obstruction of justice charges were brought Tuesday against the former chief investment officer of a series of funds at

By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized a COVID-19 booster shot for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds, hoping an extra vaccine dose will enhance their protection as infections once again creep upward. Everyone 12 and older already was supposed to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest coronavirus

By THALIA BEATY Associated Press Ukraine is marrying some digital marketing tools with crowdfunding and other incentives for giving to keep global attention trained on its war efforts against the Russian invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tasked the minister of digital transformation Mykhailo Fedorov with setting up a new fundraising campaign to encourage donations to

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. retail sales rose 0.9% in April, a solid increase that underscores Americans’ ability to keep ramping up spending even as inflation persists at nearly a 40-year high. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that the increase was driven by greater sales of cars, electronics, and at

By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON (AP) — The British government says it will pass a law to scrap parts of the trade treaty it signed with the European Union less than two years ago. The move dramatically escalates a fight with the EU over post-Brexit trade. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Tuesday that the

MADRID (AP) — The land borders between Spain and Morocco at Spain’s North African enclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla have reopened after being closed for more than two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and later a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. People gathered at border crossings in both cities to witness the

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart reported stronger sales for the first quarter, but its profit took a beating as the nation’s largest retailer grappled with surging inflation on food and fuel and higher costs from a snarled global supply chain. The company also on Tuesday cut its full-year earnings

By LAURA MCMULLEN of NerdWallet When parents die, their adult children often must manage their financial affairs. Those kids and other caregivers are left in an unfortunate position if families don’t plan for this reality. On top of managing grief, adult children must guess at their parents’ wishes. And they may have to spend their

By FATIMA HUSSEIN and SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press BRUSSELS (AP) — Even as Western allies grapple with how to counter Russia’s assault on Ukraine, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is warning that they also must take a wary and united approach to checking China and its business practices. In a speech Tuesday to the Brussels

By MARI YAMAGUCHI Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government says it will begin allowing small package tours from four countries later this month before gradually opening up to foreign tourism for the first time since it imposed tight border restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. It says the tours will be allowed from Australia,

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s governing party has defeated a move in Parliament to urgently debate a motion that would censure President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the nation’s worst economic crisis. The prime minister said Sri Lanka only has enough gasoline for one day. It’s unclear when the motion

By MATT O’BRIEN and TOM KRISHER AP Business Reporters Tesla CEO Elon Musk says his deal to buy Twitter can’t “move forward” unless the company shows public proof that less than 5% of the accounts on the platform are fake or spam. Musk made the comment in a reply to another user on Twitter early

By BARBARA ORTUTAY, HALELUYA HADERO and MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writers Experts are calling for a broader discussion around livestreams after a white gunman killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. The self-described white supremacist mounted a GoPro camera to his helmet to stream his assault live on Twitch, the video game streaming platform.

By KEN MORITSUGU and DAVID RISING Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — Administrators at an elite Beijing university have backed down from plans to further tighten pandemic restrictions on students as part of China’s “zero-COVID” strategy after a weekend protest at the school. Graduate students at Peking University staged the rare, but peaceful protest Sunday over

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday after Wall Street rose and the Federal Reserve’s chairman said it will raise interest rates further if needed to cool inflation. Shanghai and Hong Kong declined. Tokyo and Seoul advanced. Oil prices rose to stay above $110 per barrel. On

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press An outbreak of avian flu is forcing farmers to cull their flocks and leading to concerns about even higher food prices. While it doesn’t pose a significant threat to humans, the outbreak is prompting a new wave of some of the same conspiracy theories that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.

By OLEKSANDR STASHEVSKYI and CIARAN McQUILLAN Associated Press KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Mariupol appeared on the verge of falling to the Russians on Tuesday as Ukraine moved to abandon the steel plant where hundreds of its fighters had held out for months under relentless bombardment in the last bastion of resistance in the devastated city.

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — Elon Musk’s ties to China through his role as electric car brand Tesla’s biggest shareholder could add complexity to his bid to buy Twitter. Other companies that want access to China’s huge market give in to pressure to follow Beijing’s positions on Taiwan and other issues.

SEATTLE (AP) — Two more defendants have pleaded guilty for their role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to manipulate the Amazon Marketplace e-commerce platform. Six people have been charged in the conspiracy, which federal prosecutors say involved paying bribes to get Amazon employees and contractors to leak confidential data and to use that data to grant

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company has revealed all the investment moves it made in the first quarter, when it spent more than $51 billion on stocks. But Buffett had already shared the biggest investments with Berkshire Hathaway shareholders at the company’s recent annual meeting. That means investors

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave the strongest hint yet Monday that he would like to pay less for Twitter than his $44 billion offer made last month. Musk told a Miami technology conference that a viable deal at a lower price would not be out of the question, according to a report

By BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Election Commission has decided not to take action against former President Donald Trump after commissioners deadlocked over whether his campaign broke the law by masking how it was spending cash during the 2020 campaign. The FEC notified the Campaign Legal Center of the outcome in

By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — BNSF railroad is tweaking its strict new attendance policy. But unions that have challenged the rules that took effect in February say the changes don’t go far enough. The railroad told employees that starting next month it will make several small changes in the formula

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Two months after the Berlin Wall fell, another powerful symbol opened its doors in the middle of Moscow: a gleaming new McDonald’s. It was the first American fast-food restaurant to enter the Soviet Union. But now, McDonald’s is selling its 850 stores in Russia and exiting the market in

The Associated Press Stocks ended another wobbly day mostly lower on Wall Street Monday, extending the market’s losing streak. The S&P 500 gave up an afternoon gain and ended down 0.4%. The benchmark index is on a six-week losing streak. Tech companies were among the biggest losers, pulling the Nasdaq down 1.2%. The Dow Jones

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Monday: JetBlue, Vulcan Materials fall; Carvana, ManTech rise.

The Associated Press Benchmark U.S. crude oil for June delivery rose $3.71 to $114.20 a barrel Monday. Brent crude for July delivery rose $2.69 to $114.24 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for June delivery rose 6 cents to $4.02 a gallon. June heating oil fell 1 cent to $3.91 a gallon. June natural gas rose 30

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — Bank of England Gov. Andrew Bailey has rejected criticism that the institution didn’t move quickly enough to quash inflationary pressures. He told a parliamentary committee on Monday that monetary policymakers weren’t able to predict wars. Bailey has come under sharp criticism in recent months as the annual

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A manager at an Arby’s fast food restaurant in Washington state has been accused of urinating into a milkshake mix that might then have been served to dozens of people. The Columbian newspaper reports police in Vancouver uncovered footage of the 29-year-old man peeing into a bag of milkshake mix as

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California’s landmark law requiring women on corporate boards is unconstitutional. The conservative legal group Judicial Watch sued over the law, saying it was illegal to use taxpayer funds to enforce a statute that violates the California Constitution by mandating

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, has donated $100 million to the Obama Foundation to fund scholarships for students pursuing careers in public service and includes multiple stipends for travel. Former President Barack Obama announced the new program called the Voyager Scholarship, with Chesky on Monday. The

By MONIKA SCISLOWSKA and FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press WARSAW, Poland (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has met with Ukrainian refugees and urged the need to confront Russian brutality as she visited Poland ahead of a meeting of finance ministers for the Group of Seven leading economies. Yellen on Monday applauded Poland for helping

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — It’s often said that fans at live concerts give the band a jolt of electricity. Coldplay wants to literally harness that. The pop superstars have added kinetic dance floors and energy-storing stationary bikes to their latest world tour, encouraging fans to help power the show

By JAVIER CÓRDOBA Associated Press SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — A ransomware gang that infiltrated some Costa Rican government computer systems has upped its threat. It now says its goal is to overthrow the government. The Russian-speaking Conti gang attacked Costa Rica in April, accessing multiple critical systems in the Finance Ministry including customs

By TOM MURPHY AP Health Writer The new chief health equity officer at CVS Health hopes she will have more influence in fixing care disparities before they land patients in the hospital. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun sees those disparities play out routinely as an emergency physician. She says she is focused on giving everyone a fair