Government revises 4th quarter GDP up slightly to 4.3%
In this Oct. 29, 2020 file photo, a passer-by walks past stoves on display at a Home Depot location, in Boston. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday, March 24, 2021, that orders for durable goods declined last month for the first time after nine consecutive monthly gains including a sizable 3.5% rise in January. GDP in the October-December quarter rose from an estimate last month of an 4.1% rate. AdEconomists believe all the government relief measures will boost GDP in the current January-March quarter to 5% or higher. โThe economy is poised for robust growth,โ said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodyโs Analytics.
Orders for manufactured goods tumbled 1.1% last month
The Commerce Department reported Wednesday, March 24, 2021, that orders for durable goods declined last month for the first time after nine consecutive monthly gains including a sizable 3.5% rise in January. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)WASHINGTON โ Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods slumped 1.1% in February with demand in a key sector that tracks business investment also dropping. Orders had been rising for nine consecutive months, including a sizable 3.5% jump in January, according to the Commerce Department. The category that covers business investment dropped 0.8% in February following solid gains of 0.6% in January and 1.5% in December. AdThe report Wednesday showed that excluding transportation, orders would still have fallen by 0.9% in February.
Orders for U.S. durable goods climb 3.4% in January
Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket goods shot up 3.4% in January 2021, pulled up by surge in orders for civilian aircraft. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)WASHINGTON โ Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket goods shot up 3.4% in January, pulled up by surge in orders for civilian aircraft. Orders for civilian aircraft and parts jumped 389.9%. Excluding transportation equipment, which can bounce wildly from month to month, durable goods orders were up a solid 1.4%. AdA category economists watch for hints at future investment -- orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft โ rose 0.5%.
US durable goods orders show modest 0.2% December gain
Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticketed manufactured goods rose a moderate 0.9% in November with a key category that tracks business investment plans showing a gain. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)WASHINGTON โ Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rose a modest 0.2% in December, held back by a big drop in the volatile aircraft sector. Economists had expected total orders would post a stronger advance of around 1% in December but noted that the overall gain was held back by the big drop in aircraft orders. Excluding transportation orders, total orders rose 0.7% in December, and that followed a 0.8% rise in November. โThe December data are signaling still strong but slower growth in both business investment and equipment spending.โ
Nearly 190,000 ceiling fans recalled because blades detach, fly off
More than 190,000 have been recalled because the blades were detaching while in use. There is a recall on the Mara ceiling fan in matte white, matte black, black, and polished nickel finishes. King of Fans, the Florida company that made the fans, says it received 47 reports of the blades disconnecting. According to CNN, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said two of those reports said a detached fan blade hit someone. If you have this fan, you are urged to immediately stop using it and contact the company for a replacement.
Fans exclusively sold at Home Depot recalled due to blades detaching during use, company says
HOUSTON โ King of Fans is recalling its Hampton Bay Mara ceiling fan due to an injury hazard, according to the company. The recall involves the Hampton Bay 54-inch Mara Indoor/Outdoor ceiling fans in the following finishes: matte white, matte black, black and polished nickel. The company was made aware of the defect after receiving 47 reports of the blades detaching from the fans. The company also received two reports of the fan blade hitting a consumer and four reports of the blade causing property damage. The company is asking all consumers to immediately stop using the ceiling fans and inspect the fans using the instructions at www.kingoffans.com/MaraRecall.htm.
Orders for big-ticket manufactured goods up 0.9% in November
Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods increased a weak 0.4% in August following a much larger July gain. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)WASHINGTON โ Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticketed manufactured goods rose a moderate 0.9% in November with a key category that tracks business investment plans showing a gain. The November gain in orders for durable goods, items expected to last at least three years, followed stronger gains in recent months including a 3.8% rise in October, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. A key category that serves as a proxy for business investment spending rose a modest 0.4% in November following much stronger gains of 3.6% in October and 3.9% in September. Analysts are concerned that business investment could begin to fade if the resurgence of the coronavirus curtails demand.
Man wanted in connection to opening 27 fraudulent accounts at Home Depot
Police in West University Place are trying to track down the man accused of using other peopleโs personal information to open fraudulent credit card accounts at Home Depot. Detective Matthew Sutton said Sutterley used the names, birthdays and social security numbers of other people to open 27 accounts at Home Depot. According to investigators, Sutterley did time behind bars for a similar crime and was released in February of this year. Police said the fraudulent accounts have now been closed and the victim said Home Depot told her she would not be responsible for the charges. Investigators are still trying to figure out how the victimsโ personal information was obtained and what happened with the items that were purchased.
Home Depot agrees to $17.5m settlement in 2014 data breach
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) BOSTON โ Home Depot has reached a $17.5 million settlement with the attorney generals of 46 states and the District of Columbia over a 2014 data breach that exposed the payment card information of some 40 million customers. The Massachusetts Attorney Generalโs office detailed the settlement in a statement Tuesday, saying Home Depot agreed under its terms to employ a full-time chief information security officer among other measures. Cybercriminals hacked into Home Depotโs self-checkout point-of-sale systems using a third-party vendorโs username and password and installed malware that harvested the customer data from April through September 2014.
DIY: Is peel and stick tile worth the money?
Houston โ You can buy peel and stick tile just about anywhere these days: Amazon, Target, Hobby Lobby and Home Depot. It is made to look just like real tile, without the cost or the labor of installing it. What we purchased: In Home Peel & Stick Backsplash Tile from AmazonCost: $14.41 for four 10-inch tiles. โAnd your seam lines wonโt be as good or clean as if you used real tile or glass. Up close, you can tell itโs not real tile; but it looks great from a couple of feet away.
Check the attic: Artifical Christmas tree recall
HOUSTON We know you're not thinking about Christmas right now, but if you bought your tree at Home Depot last year, you need to keep reading. Nearly 100,000 Home Accents Holiday artificial Christmas trees are under recall. The tree is fine, but manufacturers say the foot-pedal controller can overheat and burn you or possibly start a fire. Willis Electrics toll-free number is 866-210-5958. Call from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, or reach out online and click on the recall tab for more information.
As you shop for the apocalypse, stores are paying a price
Americans grabbing groceries and fixing up their homes during the coronavirus pandemic have propped up top retailers' sales. That is costlier for them than if shoppers buy in stores because companies have to pay for logistics and delivery fees. To be sure, the higher sales retailers are experiencing as people stock up on groceries and other essential goods could help alleviate the pressure. This should drive continued sales growth and help leverage the higher costs." Target said Wednesday that sales at stores open for at least one year grew 10.8% during the quarter compared with the same period last year.