AETNA REVEALS HIV STATUS IN MAILINGS

PHILADELPHIA» Two legal organizations say health insurer Aetna revealed the HIV status of patients in several states by mailing envelopes with a large, clear window that showed information on purchasing HIV prescriptions.

The Legal Action Center and the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania say some patients’ relatives and neighbors learned of their HIV status as a result.

Aetna says “this type of mistake is unacceptable” and that the company is reviewing processes to ensure it never happens again.

Patients were in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

China responds to U.S. trade sanctions.

BEIJING» China sharpened its rhetoric over Trump administration efforts to investigate its trade practices, vowing Thursday to use any means necessary to defend the country and its companies.

Apple to build data storage centers in Iowa. DES

IOWA» Iowa approved MOINES, a deal Thursday to give Apple $208 million in state and local tax breaks to build two data storage centers near Des Moines and to create at least 50 jobs — a pact that critics quickly panned.

Home sales slip in July.

WASHINGTON» Americans retreated from buying homes in July as sales fell to their lowest level of the year. Sales of existing homes slipped 1.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.44 million. Despite the monthly decline, sales are 2.1 percent higher than a year ago. But fewer homes are coming onto the market, and the shortage is hurting sales levels.

Jobless aid requests up.

WASHINGTON» Slightly more Americans applied for jobless aid last week. Still, the number of people seeking benefits remained close to historic lows. The Labor Department says weekly unemployment applications rose by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 234,000. The less volatile four-week average fell 2,750 to 237,750.

30-year mortgage rate dips to 2017 low.

WASHINGTON» The benchmark 30-year mortgage rate is at a new low for the year, touching its lowest level since last November. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the rate on 30year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 3.86 percent from 3.89 percent last week. The rate on 15-year, fixed-rate home loans remained at 3.16 percent this week.