Toyoko House closes

Toyoko House closes

YOUNGSTOWN

The Tokyo House, 1907 South Ave., a well-loved Japanese restaurant on the South Side, has closed. The owners of the restaurant, Can and Hin Dao, have announced their retirements.

Christopher’s to host final party

YOUNGSTOWN

Christopher’s at the End of the Tunnel, 100 E. Federal St., will have its final party Dec. 28. The business owners said in a Facebook post they have outgrown the downtown spot and will continue to operate their catering and food-truck businesses.

US hiring slows; jobless rate still 3.7%

WASHINGTON

U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs in November, a slowdown from recent months but enough to suggest the economy is expanding at a solid pace despite sharp gyrations in the stock market.

The Labor Department said Friday the unemployment rate remained 3.7 percent, nearly a five-decade low for the third straight month. Average hourly pay rose 3.1 percent from a year ago, matching the previous month’s figure, which was the best since 2009.

The economy is expanding at a healthy pace, but rising trade tensions, ongoing interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve and weakening global growth have roiled financial markets. Analysts expect growth to slow but remain solid in 2019 as the impact of last year’s tax cuts fade.

Hiring in November was led by health care firms with 40,100 jobs and professional services with 32,000 gains. Manufacturing companies hired 27,000 new workers, the most in seven months, but construction firms cut back, adding just 5,000 jobs, the fewest in five months. Hiring also slowed in restaurants, bars and hotels.

November’s job gains are down from October’s robust 237,000. Hiring has averaged 195,000 a month for the past six months, modestly below an average of 212,000 in the previous six.

Most recent data shows Americans increased their spending in October by the most in seven months, and their incomes grew by the most in nine months. Consumer confidence remains near 18-year highs, and both manufacturing and services companies expanded at a healthy pace in November.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDEND CLOSE CHANGE

Alcoa Inc., 28.82‚àí0.81

Aqua America, .20 35.390.37

Avalon Holdings,2.940.040

Chemical Bank, .2844.250.41

Community Health Sys, .214.62‚àí0.010

Cortland Bancorp, .1121.25‚àí0.35

Farmers Nat., .0712.850.020

First Energy, .36 39.230.15

Fifth/Third, .1625.59‚àí0.37

FNB Corp., .1211.25‚àí0.060

General Motors, .3834.69‚àí1.01

General Electric, .127.01‚àí0.34

Huntington Bank, .11 13.42‚àí0.21

JP Morgan Chase, .56103.29‚àí1.85

Key Corp, .1116.73‚àí0.38

Macy’s, .38 31.69‚àí0.68

Parker Hannifin, .76157.04‚àí6.26

PNC, .75126.56‚àí2.68

Simon Prop. Grp., 2.88188.42‚àí2.17

Stoneridge 24.63‚àí0.74

United Comm. Fin., .06 8.93‚àí0.15

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