Hearing held on fuel-economy rules
DEARBORN, Mich. -- Automakers on Tuesday sought flexibility in fuel-economy rules at a public hearing on a proposal by President Donald Trump's administration to roll back those standards. Environmental groups, meanwhile, blasted the government's plan.
At a hearing in Dearborn, Mich., home to Ford Motor Co. and just miles from the General Motors and Fiat Chrysler home offices, industry officials repeated two themes: They'll keep working to make cars and trucks more efficient, but they may not be able to meet existing standards because people are buying more trucks and SUVs.
Environmental groups, though, urged the government to scrap its plan to roll back the standards, instead asking that it keep in place the ones that were reaffirmed in the waning days of the Barack Obama administration. They said the technology to meet the standards at low costs is available, and they accused the Department of Transportation of twisting numbers to justify the rollback.
Nearly 150 people were scheduled to testify at the hearing.
In 2016, for the first time since the latest standards started, the auto industry couldn't meet them without using emissions credits earned in previous years, said Steve Bartoli, vice president of fuel economy compliance for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The reason is because relatively low gas prices are leading people to buy more trucks and SUVs rather than fuel-efficient cars, he said.
Last year, cars made up only 36 percent of the U.S. new-vehicle fleet, something that wasn't expected when the current requirements were put in place six years ago, he said.
-- The Associated Press
Apple stole secrets, Qualcomm says
SAN FRANCISCO -- Qualcomm has accused Apple of stealing proprietary software and sharing it with the chipmaker Intel as part of a scheme to reduce Apple's reliance on Qualcomm technology.
The claim, made in documents filed in California Superior Court in San Diego on Monday night, adds to allegations Qualcomm leveled last year and escalates a broad legal battle that has been raging between the two technology giants since early 2017.
Qualcomm said Apple had engaged in a "multiyear campaign of sloppy, inappropriate and deceitful conduct to steal Qualcomm's information and trade secrets" to help improve the performance of Intel chips so they could match Qualcomm products.
The material taken included computer source code, software-development tools and log files providing data about the performance of Qualcomm products, according to the filing.
An Apple spokesman on Tuesday referred to statements the company has issued since it began the legal struggle by suing Qualcomm in early 2017 over patent royalties that handset makers are required to pay the San Diego-based company. Apple argues that Qualcomm's business practices are illegally harming Apple and the entire tech industry.
In court documents, Apple has complained that Qualcomm has failed to provide evidence of any stolen information even though Apple has provided extensive access to corporate records. Qualcomm, in turn, accuses Apple of dragging its feet on providing information needed to bolster Qualcomm's allegations.
An Intel spokesman declined to comment.
-- The New York Times
Unions' strike felt across Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Unions called a nationwide strike Tuesday to protest Argentina's economic crisis, and walkouts grounded airline flights, paralyzed bus and train lines and forced the closure of the main agricultural port.
Many workers stayed home as the strike made commuting a puzzle, and some demonstrators blocked highways. Banks, courts and many schools and shops didn't open. Many hospitals offered only emergency services, most Argentine flights were canceled, and garbage wasn't picked up.
The stoppage was led by labor unions protesting one of the world's highest inflation rates and austerity measures ordered by President Mauricio Macri. They include the slashing of subsidies on utility rates, layoffs of state workers, new taxes on exports and the eliminations of several ministries.
Consumer prices are rising at an estimated 40 percent annually, and Argentines are growing increasingly frustrated over a more than 50 percent fall in the peso's value this year.
-- The Associated Press
Consumer confidence at 18-year high
WASHINGTON -- U.S. consumer confidence shot up to an 18-year high in September -- good news for retailers as the holiday shopping season approaches.
The Conference Board, a business research organization, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index climbed to 138.4 in September from 134.7 in August. This month's reading was the highest since September 2000.
The index, benchmarked at 100 in 1985, measures consumers' assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. Both improved in September.
"These historically high confidence levels should continue to support healthy consumer spending and should be welcome news for retailers as they begin gearing up for the holiday season," said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board's director of economic indicators.
The U.S. economy grew at an annual pace of 4.2 percent from April through June, the fastest rate in nearly four years. The unemployment rate is at 3.9 percent, near a 50-year low.
-- The Associated Press
Winery aiding peer after grape heist
IRONTO, Va. -- Despite the theft of nearly its entire crop of grapes, a Virginia winery will be able to raise a glass of its 2018 vintage to a new friendship.
The Roanoke Times reported Washington state's Alexandria Nicole Cellars has offered to donate the replacement for more than 2 tons of grapes stolen from Firefly Hill Vineyards two weeks ago.
Firefly co-owner Allison Dunkenberger said the winery received in-state offers, too, despite the rain that hurt this year's crop. But the Pacific Northwest had a great grape year, and her husband is set to fly out this week to help harvest them.
No leads on the theft have been reported. Virginia Department of Agriculture spokesman Elaine Lidholm said grape heists have happened in France and California but were previously unheard of in Virginia.
-- The Associated Press
Business on 09/26/2018