BUSINESS NEWS DIGEST | Boardman Nissan to add Saturday hours
Boardman Nissan to add Saturday hours
BOARDMAN
Boardman Nissan, 7809 Market St., will offer Saturday hours at its parts-and-service center beginning April 9, dealership officials said Tuesday.
The center’s Saturday hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There will be no change to the dealership’s showroom hours, which are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays.
Brown testifies
YOUNGSTOWN
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, testified at a U.S. International Trade Commission hearing Tuesday to determine the effects of subsidized Chinese aluminum- extrusion imports on the U.S. aluminum industry.
Youngstown-based Aerolite Extrusion Co. petitioned the commission on the case. Two other Ohio companies, Hydro Extrusions of Sidney and Kaiser Aluminum of Heath, also petitioned the ITC.
Including Aerolite, eight Mahoning Valley companies could be impacted by the commission’s decision. The other seven are Pennex Aluminum, Leetonia; Star Extruded Shapes, Canfield; General Extrusions Inc., Youngstown; BRT Extrusions, Niles; Zarbana Industries, Columbiana; Astro Shapes, Struthers; and Extrudex Aluminum, North Jackson.
Honda, Toyota hit by parts shortage
DETROIT
Shortages of auto parts from Japan are hitting Honda and Toyota’s North American operations.
Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday said it wants its U.S. car dealers to stop ordering more than 200 replacement parts made in Japan because it’s worried about running out of them. Honda Motor Co. said it will cut production temporarily at its North American auto factories starting today because of shortages.
Industry analysts expect many automakers to run into shortages because supply factories in Japan were damaged by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Several automakers already have been forced to cut production. Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. and others have stopped taking orders for certain paint colors because a specialized pigment factory hasn’t been able to come back on line.
US consumer confidence drops
NEW YORK
Rising prices at the gas pump and in grocery aisles are starting to crimp shoppers’ outlook.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply from a three-year high in February, reversing five-straight months of improvement.
The decline raises questions about Americans’ ability and willingness to spend in coming months.
The index fell more than expected to 63.4 from a revised 72.0 in February. Economists expected 65.4, according to FactSet.
The drop was the steepest since the 10.1-point plunge from January 2010 to February 2010, when the U.S. stock market was hammered by worries about Greece’s national debt.
Vindicator staff/wire reports