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Wall Street ticks higher as hot US inflation cools further

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street closed higher Thursday after a report showed inflation slowed again last month, bolstering hopes the Federal Reserve may take it easier on the economy through smaller hikes to interest rates. While the report on U.S. inflation was clearly encouraging, stocks had already rallied earlier this week in anticipation of exactly such data. The numbers were in line with forecasts on many points, and analysts warned investors not to get carried away by them. The S&P 500 rose 13.56 points, or 0.3%, to 3,983.17. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 216.96 points, ...

American Airlines, Walt Disney rise; KB Home, Logitech fall

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Thursday: Walt Disney Co., up $3.48 to $99.81. Activist investor Nelson Peltz is fighting for a seat on the board of the media giant, which owns ABC, ESPN and Disney Studios. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., up $5.22 to $87. The chipmaker beat analysts’ fourth-quarter earnings forecasts. American Airlines Group Inc., up $1.49 to $16.83. The airline raised its fourth-quarter revenue and profit forecasts following a busy holiday travel period. Logitech International SA, down $11.49 to ...

Big Tech’s drop means more balance for S&P 500, 401(k)s

NEW YORK (AP) — The biggest companies have less of a stranglehold on the stock market — and likely on your 401(k). The 10 most valuable U.S. stocks now account for less than a quarter of the S&P 500, 24.4%. That’s down from 30.4% in late 2021, and it’s the lowest proportion in the rankings at the end of each month since the pandemic began reordering the economy in February 2020. A big reason for the drop in the stock market’s top-heaviness is the dramatic fall for the Big Tech stocks that had come to dominate it. Tesla and Meta, Facebook’s parent company, have both lost ...

Lewistown physician receives MROCC recertification

LEWISTOWN — Dr. John W. Gehman, of Juniata Valley Occupational Health was recently recertified as a Medical Review Officer (MRO). Gehman is the Medical director and Medical Review Officer at Juniata Valley Occupational Health, located at 110 Electric Avenue. JVOH provides drug and alcohol testing for area employers, truck drivers, and for individual needs. Dr. Gehman was re-certified by the Medical Review Officer Certification Council (MROCC), an independent physician-based certifying body that conducts a rigorous and extensive application process and written credentialing ...

Green Leaf slashes staff, cuts jobs

By Rachel Foor Altoona Mirror Green Leaf Medical LLC will permanently lay off 73 employees at its Saxton facility effective Feb. 28, according to a warning the company gave to the state Department of Labor and Industry. The layoff will affect more than half of the facility’s employees across all departments and positions, according to a person familiar with the Saxton facility who spoke to the Mirror on condition of anonymity. Green Leaf said in a statement Dec. 30, that the reduction in its workforce at the Saxton facility was necessary in order to “meet the appropriate ...

US stocks gain ground ahead of inflation, earnings updates

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose in afternoon trading on Wall Street Wednesday as investors get ready for a highly anticipated inflation update and several big corporate earnings reports later in the week. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% as of 2:20 p.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 158 points, or 0.5%, to 33,863 and the Nasdaq rose 1.2%. Every major index is on track for weekly gains in what has been a strong start to the year following a dismal 2022. Retailers and technology stocks had some of the biggest gains. Home Depot rose 2.1% and Microsoft gained 2.2%. Airlines climbed ...