July home sales up

July home sales up

COLUMBUS

The number of single-family homes and condominiums purchased in July in Ohio reached a “best-ever” level for the month, according to Ohio Association of Realtors. The increase is a 0.4 percent increase over the same period a year ago.

Ohio’s July Pending Home Sales Index of 153.5, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 0.4 percent from July 2016 (152.9). Activity in July fell 6 percent from the pace of agreements reached in June (163.2).

Workers join union

EAST LIVERPOOL

The behavioral health coordinators at East Liverpool City Hospital have voted to join the Ohio Nurses Association. The tally shows 91 percent of the votes were in favor of joining the union. Registered nurses at the hospital were already union members.

US unemployment claims rise slightly

WASHINGTON

More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the numbers remained low and consistent with a healthy job market.

The Labor Department said Thursday that 236,000 people filed claims for jobless aid, up from 235,000 a week earlier. The less volatile four-week average slipped by 1,250 to 236,750, the lowest since May. The number of Americans collecting unemployment checks fell slightly to 1.94 million, down 9.5 percent from a year ago.

US consumer spending up 0.3 percent in July

WASHINGTON

Consumer spending increased in July at the fastest pace in three months, while incomes grew by the largest amount since February, both encouraging signs for future economic growth.

Consumer spending rose 0.3 percent in July, the best showing since April, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. It followed 0.2 percent advances in both May and June. Incomes in June grew 0.4 percent, the best showing since February. The strength came from a strong 0.5 percent rise in wages and salaries, reflecting the healthy 209,000 gain in employment in July.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1243.960.87

Aqua America, .71 33.40-0.03

Avalon Holdings,1.970.06

Chemical Bank, .2745.360.23Community Health Sys. 7.64 0.31

Cortland Bancorp, .2817.750.00

Farmers Nat., .1613.650.40

First Energy, 1.44 32.600.00

Fifth/Third, .5226.14-0.16

FirstMerit Corp.,--

First Niles Financial, .1210.520.00

FNB Corp., .4812.69-0.02

General Motors, 1.5236.530.71

General Electric, .9224.560.27

Huntington Bank, .28 12.58-0.09

iHeartMedia Inc.,1.450.00

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9290.81-0.50

Key Corp, .3417.21-0.07

LaFarge, .34--

Macy’s, 1.51 20.76-0.07

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 160.830.41

PNC, 2.20125.31-0.48

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60156.86-0.16

Stoneridge 16.560.21

United Comm. Fin., .12 9.090.16

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