BUSINESS DIGEST ||

FMV plans rally

YOUNGSTOWN

Frackfree Mahoning Valley will have a Youngstown rally today for its participation in a national day of action titled “Hands Across Our Land.”

FMV will have its rally to help raise awareness of the dangers and risks of fracking waste, injection wells and induced earthquakes from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on the public area at the bridge near the entrance of the B&O Station Banquet Hall, 530 Mahoning Ave.

Huntington merger

COLUMBUS

Huntington Bancshares Inc. recently announced it has closed its acquisition of FirstMerit Corp. and is operating as one company, having merged FirstMerit Bank into The Huntington National Bank.

Approved by both boards of directors Jan. 25, Huntington’s acquisition of FirstMerit grows the company to about $100 billion in assets, the largest bank in Ohio by deposits, and nearly 1,000 branch locations across the eight states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Both Huntington and FirstMerit customer relationships after the closing will continue business as usual through 2016, with customers kept informed about pending 2017 branch and account conversions and timing of previously announced branch consolidations and closings of certain locations.

Cisco to lay off 5,500

san francisco

Cisco Systems is laying off 5,500 employees as the internet gear maker scrambles to adapt to a technology upheaval that has triggered similar cutbacks to other storied tech companies.

The shake-up announced Wednesday means about 7 percent of Cisco’s roughly 74,000 workers will lose their jobs beginning this summer.

Airlander takes off

LONDON

A blimp-shaped, helium-filled airship considered the world’s largest aircraft flew for the first time Wednesday with a short but historic jaunt over an airfield in central England. Engines roaring, the 302-foot Airlander 10 rose slowly from Cardington airfield.

A hybrid of blimp, helicopter and airplane, it can stay aloft for days at a time and has been nicknamed the “flying bum” because of its bulbous front end.

500+ evacuated from burning ship

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

More than 500 passengers and crew were evacuated from a burning ship about a mile off Puerto Rico’s north coast Wednesday, and many required medical care, though there were no reported fatalities or life-threatening injuries.

The fire burned as hundreds slid down emergency slides from the Caribbean Fantasy, a combination cruise and ferry ship. U.S. Coast Guard boats then carried passengers into San Juan’s harbor as helicopters whirred overheard. Other agencies and even private vessels joined in the effort as firefighters were ordered to abandon the ship for their safety.

The fire erupted in the engine room and apparently had been burning for some time before the alarm was sounded.

Staff/wire report

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1210.360.07

Aqua America, .71 31.500.24

Avalon Holdings,3.050.12

Cortland Bancorp, .2815.050.05

Farmers Nat., .169.46-0.02

First Energy, 1.44 32.840.42

Fifth/Third, .5219.520.11

FirstMerit Corp., .6821.610.37

First Niles Financial, .128.260.00

FNB Corp., .4812.21-0.03

General Motors, 1.5231.850.14

General Electric, .9231.290.10

Huntington Bank, .28 9.660.02

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.25-0.05

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9265.890.18

Key Corp, .3412.190.02

LaFarge, .3417.570.00

Macy’s, 1.51 40.41-0.29

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 124.360.25

PNC, 2.0485.780.11

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.40213.972.40

Stoneridge 17.150.00

Talmer Bank, .20 22.44-0.09

United Comm. Fin., .10 6.71-0.02

Selected prices from Wednesday’s 4 p.m. close.