BUSINESS DIGEST || Unemployment rate increases in Ohio

Unemployment rate increases in Ohio

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in April, up from 5.1 percent in March. Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased 13,600 over the month, from a revised 5,491,400 in March to 5,477,800 in April.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 302,000, up 8,000 from 294,000 in March. The number of unemployed has increased by 15,000 in the past 12 months from 287,000.

Huntington plan

COLUMBUS

Huntington Bancshares Inc. on Friday announced a five-year lending, investment and philanthropy plan to continue strengthening the economic prosperity of the people and communities the company serves, as it merges with FirstMerit Corp.

As part of its established track record of partnerships, Huntington will fund total investments and loans of $16.1 billion to underserved borrowers and communities and small businesses, supporting quality of life for families and opportunities within the region’s workforce from 2017-2021.

Wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .129.11—.01

Aqua America, .71 31.60 .12

Avalon Holdings,2.01.05

Cortland Bancorp, .2815.43.00

Farmers Nat., .129.15 —.06

First Energy, 1.44 32.29—.06

Fifth/Third, .5218.28.14

FirstMerit Corp., .6822.46 .01

First Niles Financial, .208.80.00

FNB Corp., .4813.08.23

General Motors, 1.5230.57.25

General Electric, .9229.56.20

Huntington Bank, .28 10.23.01

iHeartMedia Inc.,.80 —.01

JP Morgan Chase, 1.7663.51.12

Key Corp, .3012.48.09

LaFarge, .3417.57 .00

Macy’s, 1.44 31.29.42

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 109.47.47

PNC, 2.0488.19.31

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.40195.131.28

Stoneridge 15.00 .00

Talmer Bank, .20 19.37.22

United Comm. Fin., .10 5.99.09

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