Ohio jobless rate increased in June


July 23, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Ohio jobless rate increased in June

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s unemployment rate has gone up for the first time since early 2010, rising to 8.8 percent in June from 8.6 percent in May.

The state’s Department of Job and Family Services says the increase came even as employers added more jobs. Payrolls outside of farms grew last month by 10,600.

The department says the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in June was 517,000, up from 508,000 in May.

Government entities lost the most jobs in the state last month, while services were the big gainers.

For the third-straight month, the state reported lower unemployment than the nation. The U.S. jobless rate for June was 9.2 percent, compared with Ohio’s 8.8 percent. Ohio unemployment had fallen steadily for 14 months until May, when the rate was flat.

Unemployment figures for the Mahoning Valley will be released Tuesday.

Valley dealerships will display Volts

BOARDMAN

The Chevrolet Volt will soon be on display at dealerships in the Mahoning Valley.

Sweeney’s Chevrolet, 8010 Market St., allows customers to place orders for the hybrid-electric vehicle on its website, www.sweeneycars.com, and says that as earlier as next week, it will be one of many local dealerships with a demo Volt customers can drive.

The Volt, which starts at $41,000 before incentives, was given a 60 miles-per-gallon combined overall fuel- economy equivalent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A break at the pump? Don’t count on it

The chances for late-summer discounts at the gas pump are looking pretty slim.

Americans are paying about 15 cents more for a gallon of gas now than they did over the July Fourth weekend and nearly $1 more than a year ago. The national average for a gallon of regular was $3.695 a gallon Friday, up 0.6 cent overnight, according to AAA, Wright Express and the Oil Price Information Service.

In a rare twist, California drivers aren’t paying the highest prices in the lower 48 states. That unwelcome distinction belongs to the Northeast. Refinery and import issues have tightened supplies there, while gas is more plentiful in California, according to Fred Rozell, retail pricing director at OPIS.

Source: Apple is mulling Hulu bid

san francisco

Apple Inc. is in talks to potentially bid for video-streaming service Hulu, a person close to the situation said Friday. The person, who isn’t authorized to discuss the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity.

Hulu is owned by Disney, News Corp., Comcast Corp. and Providence Equity Partners.

The online video service streams movies and TV shows from broadcasters ABC, Fox and NBC to computers and — for a monthly fee — to a number of Web-connected mobile devices.

Vindicator staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .62, 22.24 —.16

Avalon Holdings,2.7499—.06

Clear Channel, .63 59.85 .43

Cortland Bancorp, 7.25.10

Farmers Nat., .12, 4.66 —.19

First Energy, 2.20, 44.36—.17

FirstMerit Corp., .64,16.75 —.11

First Niles Financial, .32,7.50.00

First Place Fin., .67—.03

FNB Corp., .48,10.28—.11

General Motors,30.10.14

General Electric, .60,19.04—.12

Motors Liquidation, .0422.00

Huntington Bank, .04, 6.14.05

JP Morgan Chase, 1.00,42.19—.10

Key Corp, .12,8.41.01

LaFarge, 14.36 .04

Macy’s, .40, 30.50.56

Parker Hannifin, 1.48, 87.45—1.04

PNC, 1.40,56.59—.18

RTI Intl. Metals,34.31—.24

Simon Prop. Grp.,3.20,121.85.58

Stoneridge 14.16 —.20

United Community Fin. 1.22.00

Selected prices at 4 p.m. Friday. Provided by Stifel Nicolaus. Not to be construed as an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any security.