Business News in Brief

NATION

Dollar surges back

NEW YORK — The dollar came surging back Thursday as stock markets slipped, gaining strongly against the British pound after the Bank of England said it was extending its program of boosting the money supply.

The British pound dropped to $1.6776 in late trading from $1.7020 late Wednesday in New York. The pound bottomed at $1.6750, nearly 1.7 percent off its most recent 10-month high hit Wednesday morning. The 16-nation euro dropped to $1.4340 in late trading from $1.4433 late Wednesday in New York. It too hit a fresh high for the year Wednesday at $1.4446.

The dollar also rose to 95.43 Japanese yen from 94.99 yen late Wednesday, gained to 1.0656 Swiss francs from 1.0603 francs, and rose to $1.0788 Canadian dollars from $1.0693.

REGION

Free plumbing checkup

YOUNGSTOWN — A local plumbing company, Mr. Rooter Plumbing, is offering free video-camera checkups of drain lines to homeowners. Under the program, technicians check the condition of the pipes, and if there are no problems such as cracked, crushed or misaligned pipes or root intrusion, they will give homeowners a letter stating their findings.

“Homeowners can show this plumbing checkup to prospective home buyers,” said Joe Nuskievicz of the Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Youngstown franchise. While technicians are in the home, they also can check fixtures to ensure the plumbing passes the home inspection.

The checkup also is valuable to prospective home buyers. It lets them know the pipes were recently examined with a camera, and the fixtures and faucets are working properly, Nuskievicz said.

Inventor to speak

LIBERTY — Amy Murry of North Lima, creator of RingGo Deals, an innovative type of discount cards and holder that can be used by businesses and organizations, is the speaker at the Youngstown & Warren Inventors Association on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Liberty Township administration building, 1315 Church Hill-Hubbard Road.

Murry will relate her experience in taking an idea to a marketable product. The meeting is open to the public, and there is no charge to attend.

From Vindicator staff and wire reports