WEEK IN REVIEW
Monday Waiting for a doctor
It takes less time for a new patient to see a doctor in Houston than the national average, but a health care study also finds the percentage of physicians who accept Medicaid and Medicare remains much lower than in other major cities, a survey said.
The rich get richer
Houston’s richest 13 people mostly got richer in 2017 as all but one on Forbes’ annual ranking of the world’s billionaires saw their wealth rise over the last year.
Less for Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo suffered a nosedive in openings of new checking accounts during February, an indication that a scandal over bogus accounts lingers over the company, the bank reported.
Tuesday Tax breaks for plant
A $10 billion petrochemical complex north of Corpus Christi can move forward after a local school board faced down community opposition and unanimously approved millions of dollars in tax breaks sought by Exxon Mobil and Saudi Basic Industries Corp.
Doubts about Sears
Sears Holdings Corp. acknowledged “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating. The retailer added so-called going-concern language to its latest annual report filing, suggesting that weak earnings have cast a pall on its future as a business.
Price cuts for iPads
Apple said it was cutting prices on two iPad models and introducing red iPhones, but the company held back on updating its higher-end iPad Pro tablets.
Market confidence?
The confidence many investors and businesses have shown in President Donald Trump’s promise to ignite economic growth was tested as major market indicators fell more than 1 percent, led by a sell-off in financial stocks.
Francesca’s results
Houston-based specialty chain Francesca’s reported fourth-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations as retailers across the board grapple with changing shopping habits.
Wednesday Enbridge chopping jobs
Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge said it was cutting 1,000 jobs, largely in Houston and Calgary, after completing its $28 billion acquisition of Houston’s Spectra Energy this year.
Targa moving offices
Houston-based midstream energy company Targa Resources is moving its offices to 811 Louisiana, the renovated downtown tower once occupied by Shell in a lease that represents the largest to be signed so far this year, according to Colvill Office Properties.
Tillerson’s emails
Exxon Mobil Corp. may have lost as much as a year’s worth of emails that former CEO Rex Tillerson used to discuss climate change risks and other issues under the alias “Wayne Tracker,” a lawyer for New York state told a judge.
Tracking your movements
A Google Maps location monitoring feature began rolling out in an update to the Google Maps mobile app, meaning users will be able to broadcast their movements to friends and family. It’s the latest test of how much privacy people are willing to sacrifice in an era of rampant sharing.
Thursday Kinder Morgan pipeline
Kinder Morgan is planning a pipeline project coming from the booming Permian Basin, but it will transport natural gas rather than oil. The pipeline would run from Waha in West Texas to the Agua Dulce near Corpus Christi.
Free-standing clinics
A Rice University study examined the proliferation of free-standing emergency rooms, which to the uninformed patient can look a lot like their lower-cost storefront cousin the urgent-care clinic. But the average overall cost of a visit to a free-standing clinic can be 15 times higher than the average visit to an urgent-care clinic, an analysis of three years of insurance claims found.
Friday Keystone XL approved
The Trump administration resurrected a long national fight around the Keystone XL pipeline when it approved a cross-border permit to allow construction of the $8 billion project.
Halliburton adding jobs
Halliburton is adding 2,000 U.S. jobs by the end of March and ramping up activity faster than anticipated to try to match surging oil field growth. This is easily the largest announced American hiring spree by an energy company in three years.
From staff and wire