economy News

Viewpoint: Federal and State Civil Immunity from COVID-19 Lawsuits

Hundreds of COVID-19 lawsuits have been filed across the country and business leaders say liability immunity is necessary in order to protect against abusive and meritless lawsuits. The stakes are high. Big and small businesses alike are targets for opportunistic …

As S.C. Hospitality Industry Grows, So Do New Coronavirus Numbers

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s hard-hit hospitality industry in May clawed back some of the jobs lost amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as businesses across the state continue to reopen — and new COVID-19 case numbers continue to soar. On …

Insurance, Economy, Tariffs Weigh on Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway Inc on Saturday said its quarterly operating profit fell more than analysts expected, as weakness in insurance underwriting, a slowing economy and trade woes weighed on the conglomerate run by billionaire Warren Buffett. Berkshire’s auto insurer Geico suffered …

Farm Deluge Starts to Seep Into America’s Fragile Rural Economy

From 100 feet up in the air, Indiana crop duster Robert Sneberger gets a better view than most of how cornfields are faring. This season, the picture is bleak. Instead of the stretching green stalks he normally sees at this …

Insurance Industry Leaders Believe Ongoing Budget Battles Will Harm U.S. Economy

Leaders of the property/casualty insurance industry believe Washington’s ongoing budget fracas will have an effect on the U.S. economy, according to a survey conducted by the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) at its 17th annual Property/Casualty Insurance Joint Industry Forum, held …

Report: Police in Illinois Stop Fewer People

The number of traffic stops across Illinois has dropped by nearly 6 percent and the number of ticketed motorists has dipped about 11 percent, according to a published report Sunday. The Chicago Tribune analyzed state data on traffic tickets from …

Report: SoCal Quake Would Rattle Economy

A new study says a big Southern California earthquake would rattle the region’s economy as well as its buildings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says a magnitude-7.8 quake would affect hundreds of thousands of businesses and millions of workers …