CenterPoint Energy seeks rate increase
CenterPoint Energy plans to file a rate increase request this month with the Arkansas Public Service Commission, a company spokesman said.
CenterPoint, which has about 415,000 natural gas customers in Arkansas, indicated Thursday in a filing with the commission that it would seek a rate change.
It has been almost nine years since CenterPoint last requested an increase in rates for its cost of doing business, such as its labor and supplies, said Alicia Dixon, a spokesman for the Houston-based firm. At that time, the commission approved a rate increase of less than 5 percent.
CenterPoint is not allowed to mark up the price of the natural gas it delivers, Dixon said.
She said she was not certain how much CenterPoint will adjust its rates.
In August, CenterPoint announced it wanted to increase rates in Minnesota by about 6 percent.
-- David Smith
Christmas cookbook will benefit charity
Dillard's Inc. is offering a special edition of the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook again this year to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The 288-page book is being offered by the Little Rock-based retailer for the eighth year. The book is filled with recipes and decoration ideas for Christmas and seasonal gatherings. It is available in Dillard's stores nationwide and online at www.dillards.com.
The Ronald McDonald House program provides families with a place to stay while their children receive treatment at nearby hospitals, according to the news release.
"Our continued relationship with RMHC gives all of us at Dillard's an enormous sense of pride. We look forward to another successful fundraiser this year and are honored to support the Ronald McDonald Houses in our communities," Denise Mahaffy, senior vice president of Dillard's, said in a statement.
-- Jessica Seaman
State index off 1.23 with 11 stocks down
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, slipped 1.23 to 333.70 Friday.
Eleven stocks declined and seven advanced.
ArcBest rose 3.6 percent in average trading.
Murphy Oil was up 1.5 percent in active trading.
Dillard's fell 2.7 percent on light volume.
Murphy USA lost 2 percent on low volume.
For the week, all 18 stocks gained ground.
Murphy Oil climbed 17.4 percent for the week
USA Truck rose 14.5 percent for the week.
Total volume of the index on Friday was 21 million shares. The average daily volume for the week was 20.2 million shares.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 10/10/2015