Lower jet-fuel costs mean higher profits for Southwest Air, United
By Xiumei Dong United Continental Holdings, Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. both reported big fourth quarter earnings jumps Thursday, as the two carriers continue to benefit from falling oil prices. In the latest quarter, Southwest’s net income climbed to $536 million, or 82 cents per diluted share, from the $190 million, or 28 cents per […]
Fueling winter boat sales has Chicagoans dreaming of summer
By Xiumei Dong Even though the temperature dropped below the 10s this holiday weekend, the freezing weather didn’t stop people from dreaming about outdoor summer fun on a boat. Consumers shop for new boats at Chicago Boat, RV & Sail Show. (Xiumei Dong & Qingwei Chen/MEDILL) “It’s just a great time, 2016, I am really […]
Fed rate hike spurs jump in mortgage applications
By Xiumei Dong Mortgage applications jumped last week, a trade group reported Wednesday, as consumers rushed to refinance their homes before interest rates move higher. For the week ending Jan. 8, total applications increased 21.3 percent from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association survey, reaching the second […]
