First Place toy drive

First Place toy drive

YOUNGSTOWN

First Place Bank is collecting new, unwrapped toys at all of its offices through Wednesday as a part of the bank’s “Lifting Hearts” holiday toy drive.

On Friday, First Place Bank and United Way employees will deliver the gifts to the local Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown, which was selected as the recipient in an online voting campaign.

First Place Bank also will make a monetary donation to the Salvation Army and Big Brothers Big Sisters, the runners-up in voting.

Stocks mixed after 3-day downturn

The rally that has driven stocks to record highs paused this week as investors tried to figure out where things are headed next.

Stocks were mixed Friday and posted their second weekly loss in a row. Indexes reached record highs as recently as Monday, but then declined.

How come? Investors may be nervous that stocks are overpriced, that stock prices have grown faster than justified by profits. They may be worried about conflict with Iran, or the debate over federal spending. Some are worried the Federal Reserve will decide next week to reduce its economic stimulus, which has boosted stock prices.

“It’s a hiatus,” said Frank Fantozzi, CEO of money management firm Planned Financial Services. “I really think there’s nothing economically wrong.”

Wholesale prices fall for 3rd month

WASHINGTON

U.S. wholesale prices dropped in November for the third-consecutive month, pushed down again by cheaper gasoline and lower home heating-oil costs. But excluding volatile energy costs, inflation mostly was stable.

The producer price index, which measures prices before they reach the consumer, declined 0.1 percent last month, the Labor Department said Friday. This comes after similar decreases in October and September.

Overall wholesale prices have risen just 0.7 percent in the past 12 months.

Excluding energy and food prices, so-called core wholesale prices increased 0.1 percent in November and 1.3 percent over the past 12 months.

Leaders press for vote on Boeing offer

SEATTLE

National, state and local political leaders called for a vote Friday on a proposed contract between Boeing and Puget Sound machinists, even though local union leaders already have rejected the company’s latest offer in the high-stakes negotiations to keep thousands of jobs in the state.

The contract would secure work on Boeing’s new 777X airplane at a time when 22 states are competing for those jobs. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that union membership gives each worker a say in his or her future and they should have the opportunity to exercise that right.

Leaders in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers publicly differed Friday on whether to bring Boeing’s latest contract offer to a vote, exposing tensions within the union over how to handle the negotiations.

Vindicator staff/wire reports