BRIEFCASE
RETAIL: Bon-Ton gives away gift cards to shoppers
Boston Store, Younkers and other department stores operated by Bon-Ton Stores Inc. will give away gift cards valued from $5 to $500 to the first 400 customers at the door on Wednesday when stores open at 7 a.m., the company said Tuesday. One person at every location will receive a $500 gift card, Bon-Ton said. An entrance at each store will be designated with signs for the gift card promotion. In all, the retailer said it will distribute $1 million worth of gift cards in the pre-holiday event.
HEALTH: Humana to buy share of home care business
Humana will buy part of Kindred Healthcare’s home health business, the latest example of a health insurer growing more involved in the delivery of health care on top of handling the bills for it. The insurer said Tuesday it will pay about $800 million in cash for a 40% stake in the business, which serves about 130,000 patients daily and brings in about $2.5 billion in revenue annually. Humana said the deal will help it manage chronic conditions, keep costs down and improve health.
HOUSING: Homebuilding pace picks up speed
Construction of new homes increased 3.3% in November — with the gain largely coming from singlefamily houses being built at the strongest pace in more than a decade. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that builders broke ground on homes last month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.3 million units.