WEEK IN REVIEW
Monday Seasonal workers get boost
The Department of Homeland Security said it would allow 15,000 more seasonal workers into the country, helping industries that rely on work from H-2B visa holders such as fisheries, hospitality and landscaping. Employers can apply, provided they can prove their businesses would suffer “irreparable harm” if they cannot employ immigrant workers under the H-2B program.
New CEO for Sysco
Sysco Corp. president and chief operating officer Tom Bené will replace Bill DeLaney as CEO effective Jan. 1, the Houston-based company said.
Trump to cut trade deficit
President Donald Trump vowed to boost U.S. manufacturing by cutting the $64 billion trade deficit with Mexico as he showcased products made in all 50 states — everything from a firetruck to a baseball bat.
Health care is top concern
A Bloomberg News poll found that 35 percent of those surveyed called health care the most important challenge facing the nation, by far outstripping all other issues. It marks the first time health care has topped the poll since it was included in July 2010.
Tuesday Local rent deals to wane
All those free-rent specials landlords have been using to lure tenants to their brand-new buildings might not be around for long. “Inside the Loop, you can find certain properties with three months free rent,” Mark Taylor, senior managing director for the Houston office of CBRE, said during a quarterly market presentation. But, he added, “can you get that in a year? No way.”
Harley to cut workforce
Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle maker President Donald Trump has praised for its U.S. manufacturing presence, is cutting workers as younger American consumers buy fewer bikes than baby boomers. The company is eliminating about 180 production jobs at its plants this fall, union officials said.
Daimler recalls diesels
Daimler is seeking to head off a growing crisis over potential emissions cheating by voluntarily recalling more than 3 million Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles in Europe. The plan, which involves a software patch and avoids complex component fixes, will cost the automaker about $255 million, the Stuttgart, Germany-based company said.
Hispanics shopping less
Target Corp. CEO Brian Cornell is sounding alarm bells over the state of Hispanic shoppers in the U.S. — a key growth demographic for many retailers and consumer brands. “The Hispanic consumer in the U.S. is shopping much less,” Cornell said at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech event in Aspen, Colo. “They are staying home. They are going out less often.”
China blocks WhatsApp
The last of Facebook’s major products that still worked in China was disrupted by the government, as Beijing broadly tightened its controls over the internet. The product, WhatsApp, a messaging app used across the globe, was partly blocked by Chinese filters.
Wednesday Weak forecast hurts United
Though it reported solid financial results, United Airlines’ stock tumbled after a weak summer forecast. Despite the intense public outcry the carrier suffered following a viral video of a bloodied passenger being dragged from his seat, United’s second-quarter financial results surpassed Wall Street’s expectations.
Big judgment overturned
A state appellate court overturned a $535 million judgment against Houston’s Enterprise Products Partners, which had been sued by Energy Transfer Partners in a case with undertones of the landmark Pennzoil v. Texaco court battle of the 1980s.
Kind er Morgan ups dividend
Houston pipeline giant Kinder Morgan said it will significantly boost its dividend and launch a $2 billion stock buyback as the company continues to climb out of the oil bust.
Mountains of plastic
Industry has made more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic since 1950, and plastics don’t break down like other man-made materials, so three-quarters of the stuff ends up as waste in landfills, littered on land, and floating in oceans, lakes and rivers, according to the research reported in the Science Advances journal.
Hospital executive to leave
Craig Cordola, a longtime Memorial Hermann Health System executive, is leaving to head operations at Ascension Texas, a network of hospitals in Austin and Waco, officials with both institutions said.
Thursday
Academy Sports + Outdoors laid off 100 employees at its Katy headquarters, citing the need for greater efficiency as the sporting goods market grows more competitive in Houston and elsewhere. The company said the changes will allow it to invest more heavily in its stores and customer service.
Sears turns to Amazon
Struggling Sears announced it will begin selling its full line of Kenmore appliances on Amazon, significantly expanding distribution of a brand that, until now, was largely only sold through Sears.
Carrier cuts 300 workers
More than 300 Carrier Corp. workers were being laid off from the company’s Indianapolis factory as part of an outsourcing of jobs to Mexico that drew criticism last year from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Friday Texas adds 40,000 jobs
Texas employers added more than 40,000 jobs in June, speeding a slow recovery from the oil downturn as drillers continue to hire rapidly to bring new production online.