Regional Business Digest

REGION

Gierings Ice Cream reopens in Mineral Ridge

MINERAL RIDGE — Gierings Ice Cream, serving custard and hardserve ice cream, has reopened its retail store at 3114 Main St. The ice cream shop had formerly been located at 10829 Main St. in Middletown. A couple of years ago, the retail division of the business closed as it focused on selling its products wholesale.

WORLD

China is top importer of Japanese goods

HONG KONG — China displaced the U.S. as the biggest importer of goods from Japan for the first time ever in July, according to government data.

Shipments to China were up 16.8 percent to 1.29 trillion yen ($11.8 billion) in July, while those to the U.S. fell 11.5 percent to 1.28 trillion yen, marking the 11th consecutive month of declines, the Ministry of Finance said Thursday. Shipments to the euro zone were up 4.1 percent.

Overall Japanese exports climbed 8.1 percent in July after falling for the first time in more than five years in the previous month, when they softened 1.8 percent. Imports jumped 18.2 percent to a record 7.54 trillion yen, following a 16.4 percent rise in June.

Vindicator staff and wire reports