BUSINESS DIGEST ||

Member discount

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown/ Warren Regional Chamber is offering, for the first time, a multiyear discount to new business- and entrepreneur-level members through Sept. 30.

Businesses that purchase a two-year membership will save 10 percent on dues, while those that commit to three years will save 15 percent.

The chamber has about 2,600 members and more than 100 annual events.

Call Becky Litowitz, customer-service manager, at 330-744-2131, ext. 1219, or email Becky@regionalchamber.com for additional information.

New product

VIENNA

Millwood Natural, a Millwood Inc. brand, recently launched its Compost Filter Sock – a colorful tube of mulch you might see lying off the side of the road when passing by a construction site.

The socks are used to control stormwater runoff and erosion from direct water flow and sediment deposits.

They are manufactured at the company’s Vienna pallet repair facility, which will see an increase in production and overall revenues.

Auto sales up

The Mahoning Valley’s July new- and used-auto sales increased year-over-year, according to registration report data released by the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealer Association.

There were 5,016 vehicles sold in July, up 637 from 4,379 reported in July 2016.

For the year, the Valley has seen 35,114 sales, up 4,191 from 30,923 vehicles at this time last year.

Procter & Gamble takes calculated risk with ‘Talk’ ad

Procter & Gamble is taking a calculated risk with its new ad that features black mothers speaking to children about racial bias. The consumer products maker says it knew there might be a backlash – and indeed, the ad has been criticized as being anti-police or anti-white. But the company says it thought the ad would be worth it.

J.C. Penney results extend a gloomy week for retailers

NEW YORK

Sales at established J.C. Penney stores faded again during its most recent quarter, capping a gloomy week for U.S. retailers.

Penney’s stock sunk below $4 Friday morning, an all-time low for the 115-year-old retailer.

Wis. Republicans tie Foxconn incentives to job numbers

MADISON, Wis.

Republicans who control the Wisconsin Assembly have made a series of adjustments to Gov. Scott Walker’s Foxconn incentives bill.

The Taiwanese electronics giant plans to build a plant in southeastern Wisconsin that the company says could employ up to 13,000 people.

Assembly Republicans introduced revisions to the bill Friday. The new version of the package retains the tax breaks but ties them to the number of jobs created that pay at least $30,000.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1237.780.00

Aqua America, .71 33.60 -0.34

Avalon Holdings,2.31-0.21

Chemical Bank, .2745.81-0.73Community Health Sys.7.451.38

Cortland Bancorp, .2817.50-0.40

Farmers Nat., .1613.30 0.00

First Energy, 1.44 32.170.13

Fifth/Third, .5226.11-0.27

FirstMerit Corp.,– –

First Niles Financial, .1211.000.00

FNB Corp., .4812.99-0.09

General Motors, 1.5234.930.05

General Electric, .9225.20-0.10

Huntington Bank, .28 12.72-0.09

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.70 -0.05

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9291.42-0.77

Key Corp, .3417.52-0.10

LaFarge, .34– –

Macy’s, 1.51 20.62-0.05

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 157.021.26

PNC, 2.20128.05-0.94

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60157.89-3.26

Stoneridge 16.29 -0.27

United Comm. Fin., .12 8.78-0.08

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