LGBT artist uses art to express politics, gender identity
By Grace Austin and Zhu Zhu Artist Brad Leslie is known for his landscape and portrait paintings. But following last November’s presidential election, his work has taken a more political turn. Leslie’s latest work, on display at the Center on Halsted in Boystown, showcases a unique point of view as a gay man and working […]
Consumer price increase slows
By Zhu Zhu The consumer price index increased 0.1 percent in February, a sharp slowdown from the 0.6 percent jump in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The February increase was the smallest one-month rise in the seasonally adjusted all-items index since July 2016, mainly due to a decreased gasoline index.
Small business optimism remains near 43-year high
By Zhu Zhu Small business optimism fell slightly, but remained near its highest level in 43 years, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. The index fell 0.6 points to 105.3 in February from 105.9 in January. It was the third straight month of readings above 105, a surge that began after the election […]
This business endures by staying the same
By Zhu Zhu There is a barbershop at 1579 Maple Ave. in Evanston that’s been there since 1925. It’s long-lasting because the owner (who doesn’t work there) keeps it a friendly “family-type” business. It is Jay’s Barbershop. Jay Rogosich started there 52 years ago after he graduated from barber school. Rogosich passed away in July […]
Brexit slows Jones Lang LaSalle’s growth
By Zhu Zhu Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (NASDAQ: LAP) is expected to continue modest growth despite a Brexit-induced slowdown in both commercial and residential real estate needs in its key region, Europe. Analysts are conservative about the company’s 2017 performance after the company reported lower profits in last year’s fourth quarter that missed their expectation. […]
Tokyo real estate prices rise ahead of 2020 Olympics
By Zhu Zhu Since Tokyo was selected as the host city of the 2020 Olympics Games more than three years ago, home prices in the city have been increasing. Whether those increases will continue is an open question. Residential property and condo prices in Tokyo have risen—16 percent and 27 percent respectively—since Sept. 2013, when […]
Akihabara-Tokyo’s ‘Anime Town’
By Zhu Zhu Photo at top:Crane machine at Akihabara,Tokyo. (Zhu Zhu/MEDILL)
Fewer millennials buy homes though wages rise
By Zhu Zhu An improving job market and rising wages in 2016 had housing experts and economists predicting that millennials, those between the age of 20 and 36, would soon start doing what generations before them have done at their age: get married and buy a home. But those key markers of adulthood, especially buying […]
Home builder D.R. Horton soars on better-than-expected earnings
By Zhu Zhu Shares of D.R. Horton Inc., the largest U.S. homebuilder, surged nearly 6 percent Tuesday, as earnings and revenues handily beat analysts’ expectations. Profit in the quarter ended Dec. 31, soared 31 percent to $206.9 million, from $158.9 million in the year-earlier quarter, far surpassing the analysts’ concensus expectation of $179.8 million. The […]
Holiday shoppers went online-but not all of them
By Zhu Zhu With the ease of online shopping, there was no surprise that online sales, up 13.2 percent in December from the year-ago month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, lifted total December retail sales by 4.3 percent. Passersby interviewed in downtown Chicago illustrate why.
