RETAIL SALES SOAR IN WAKE OF HURRICANES
Americans increased their spending at retailers last month by the most in two and a half years, driven by strong auto sales as residents of hurricane-ravaged areas replaced destroyed cars.
Retail sales rose 1.6 percent in September, after slipping 0.1 percent in August, the Commerce Department said Friday. Auto sales jumped 3.6 percent, the most since March 2015. Gas sales climbed 5.8 percent, the most in four and a half years, likely reflecting price spikes after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Ford will check Explorer SUVs.
DETROIT» Responding to consumer concerns about exhaust fumes, Ford is offering to inspect and repair Explorer SUVs at no cost to owners.
Ford maintains the vehicles are safe, but said it’s making the repairs available in response to customer concerns about exhaust odors and carbon monoxide.
“Our investigation has not found carbon monoxide levels that exceed what people are exposed to every day,” Ford spokesman Mike Levine said.
Facebook takes on food delivery.
Facebook is the latest to offer food delivery services. Facebook says ordering for takeout or delivery is complicated. It promises to help save time by bringing existing food-delivery services into its app and partnering with some restaurants directly. It has a lot of competition in GrubHub, UberEats, Amazon and niche delivery services like Caviar.
Wells Fargo profits fall 18%.
NEW YORK
» Wells Fargo’s third-quarter profits took a beating this quarter, falling 18 percent, after the bank had to set aside about $1 billion for legal expenses related to its mortgage practices before the financial crisis.
IRS suspends Equifax contract.
WASHINGTON» The IRS suspended a $7.25 million contract with the credit reporting company Equifax Friday after members of Congress complained the tax agency had awarded a no-bid contract to a company that recently had a massive data beach.
The IRS had contracted with Equifax to validate the identity of taxpayers communicating with the agency on the telephone or through its website.
“Given that Equifax failed to secure their own systems and provide timely notifications of a massive security breach, they should have never been an option for hire by the IRS,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, RUtah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Boeing sales to Iran safe for now.
Boeing and Airbus will benefit from President Donald Trump’s decision not to re-impose sanctions against Iran. The two companies can continue doing business with Iranian airlines that are desperate for new planes. Both have announced deals with Iranian airlines that, if finalized, could cover nearly 300 planes worth $40 billion. That represents a small fraction of business for Boeing and Airbus.
4 Disney World hotels to allow dogs.
LAKE BUENA
FLA.» Four hotels at VISTA,
Walt Disney World Resort will allow guests to bring dogs beginning Sunday.
The hotels near Orlando, Florida, are Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney Port Orleans Resort-Riverside, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The Yacht Club adds $75 to daily room rates for canine guests, the other three, $50.
Rigs decline. HOUSTON»
The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by eight this week to 928. That’s up from the 539 rigs that were active a year ago.
Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes said Friday that the number of rigs in Colorado was unchanged.