News in brief

Wal-Mart effort adds 130,828 vets to rolls

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has hired 130,828 military veterans since introducing its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment on Memorial Day 2013.

The retailer, which on Tuesday updated the status of its initiative, also said 15,176 veterans have been promoted to jobs with higher pay and more responsibility during the three-year period.

Wal-Mart's program guarantees a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran who is within 12 months of active duty. Wal-Mart's initial goal was to hire 100,000 veterans by the end of 2018, but the commitment has been expanded to 250,000 by the end of 2020.

In addition to the program update, Wal-Mart announced that the Walmart Foundation would award $2.6 million in grants to two nonprofit organizations supporting the reintegration of veterans to civilian life. The American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach Program will receive a $1 million grant for an employment placement assistance program, while Swords to Plowshares will receive $1.6 million to enhance employment and training programs for veterans in California and Texas.

-- Robbie Neiswanger

LR hospital gets spot on best-in-U.S. list

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock has been named to the 2016 list of 100 Great Hospitals in America by Becker's Hospital Review.

Becker's Hospital Review, a monthly hospital industry publication, recognizes hospitals with a "strong history of medical innovation, providing top-notch care to patients, leading clinical advancement with forward-thinking research or holding an irreplaceable spot in their communities." Among the nationally known hospitals to make the list were Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore; the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.; Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston; and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

"It is an honor to be included on this prestigious list of hospitals and health systems," CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell said in a news release.

-- Chris Bahn

Speculation on Fed leads index up 4.85

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 4.85 to 316.10 Tuesday.

"The major averages closed sharply higher as investors stepped in to buy amid increasing expectations for the Fed to raise rates as soon as June," said Bob Williams, senior vice president and managing director of Simmons First Investment Group Inc. in Little Rock.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 05/25/2016

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