On the Record / Feb. 20, 2014
Hires/Promotions/Honors Twelve attorneys from Phillips Lytle were honored by the New York State Bar Association for their pro bono work under the auspices of the Empire State Counsel Program. The...
View ArticleSignet Jewelers to buy Zale Corp.
NEW YORK – The largest U.S. jewelry chain on Wednesday decided to put a ring on its much smaller rival, creating a $6 billion jewelry juggernaut with expansive reach in North America.Signet Jewelers,...
View ArticleClearView Social raises $400,000 for social media software, advisory services
The newest tenant in the Z80 Labs high-technology business incubator in downtown Buffalo has raised $400,000 in seed capital to finance a new software and consulting business designed to help law...
View ArticleStocks slip as investors made uneasy by Fed’s talk of raising...
NEW YORK – Stocks fell Wednesday as investors were left uneasy by news that Federal Reserve policymakers were willing to start raising short-term interest rates sooner than previously expected.The...
View ArticleU.S. housing construction down 16 percent in January
WASHINGTON – U.S. home construction fell in January for a second month but the weakness in both months reflected severe winter weather in many parts of the country. The expectation is that housing...
View ArticleAnalysts say low inflation is holding back economic recovery
WASHINGTON — Since the Great Recession ended 4½ years ago, Americans have struggled with high unemployment, static pay and a slow economy. Yet they’ve had one thing in their favor: low inflation.Well,...
View ArticleHeating bills are higher than last year, but they could be much worse
The frigid winter is costing you each time your furnace kicks on.So far, the cold temperatures have tacked on almost $100 to the average Western New Yorker’s heating bill, compared with what they paid...
View ArticleFacebook pays $19 billion for WhatsApp
Facebook, the world’s largest social network, agreed to acquire mobile-messaging startup WhatsApp for as much as $19 billion in cash and stock, seeking to expand its reach among users on mobile...
View ArticleBank eyes purchase of land parcel in Olean for mortgage facility
Months after the collapse of plans to purchase and redevelop a former Olean elementary school into a new regional operations and mortgage loan processing facility, Community Bank System is trying...
View ArticleTracing shoppers via smartphones, retailers collect data but cause privacy...
WASHINGTON – Should shoppers turn off their smartphones when they hit the mall? Or does having them on lead to better sales or shorter lines at the cash register?Retailers are using mobile-based...
View ArticleArea manufacturers gained in January
Not even the nasty January weather could keep Western New York’s manufacturers down.After slumping in December, local manufacturers said business picked up again last month, even with the cold and...
View ArticleDespite volatility, bitcoins slowly gaining acceptance
A streetwear clothing store in Bergenfield, N.J., will sell you a camouflage hoodie for about 0.10862 bitcoin. It’s received bitcoins for online orders, but so far no one has walked into the...
View ArticleBusiness offers financial advice for middle class
When Liz Davidson told friends 15 years ago that she was quitting her job running a hedge fund, they thought she was misguided.Then Davidson revealed her new career plan, and they thought she was...
View ArticleFirst solar plant opens amid doubts it will succeed
NIPTON, Calif. – The Ivanpah solar power plant stretches over more than 5 square miles of the Mojave Desert. Almost 350,000 mirrors the size of garage doors tilt toward the sun with an ability to...
View ArticleSewage-derived fuel powers dream for greener autos
Jack Brouwer isn’t bothered by the bouquet of biosolids.Brouwer, a scientist at the University of California at Irvine, pioneered a method for deriving pure hydrogen from human waste, food scraps and...
View ArticleMixed responses to minimum wage hike seen
WASHINGTON – A popular Democratic proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, championed by President Obama, might reduce total employment by 500,000 workers by the second half of 2016. But...
View ArticleGibraltar’s profits rise on higher sales, cost-cutting
Gibraltar Industries’ fourth-quarter profits topped analyst forecasts, as the Hamburg construction products manufacturer’s sales strengthened by 9 percent.And while Gibraltar executives said they...
View Article30-year fixed mortgage rates rise for a second week
Mortgage rates for 30-year U.S. loans climbed for a second week, cutting into affordability as the housing recovery shows signs of cooling.The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage was 4.33...
View ArticleStocks rise as manufacturing expands
NEW YORK – The pendulum swung again for stocks on Thursday.The stock market got a boost Thursday from a couple of encouraging signs that the economy could pick up after a winter slump. That wiped out...
View ArticleHearthstone Manor to close next month
The unexpected closing of the Hearthstone Manor left engaged couples, meeting planners and community groups scrambling Thursday to find a replacement venue for their events, but wedding industry...
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