Fayetteville events boost use of Airbnb
FAYETTEVILLE -- Visitors in Fayetteville for commencement ceremonies resulted in a record number of Airbnb guests, according to booking data for May 9-11 from the company.
Property owners affiliated with the home-sharing broker welcomed 1,230 guests, earning Fayetteville hosts $156,000 over three days. Guest arrivals climbed 50% over the same weekend a year ago, Airbnb said in a news release.
"Graduating from college is an exciting moment for students and their loved ones and we're glad the Airbnb community helped welcome friends and family to Fayetteville to celebrate this achievement," said Laura Spanjian, Airbnb public director for the southwest region.
In addition to several graduation programs, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville hosted this year's Southeastern Conference Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships and a baseball series against Louisiana State University.
-- Nathan Owens
Trade dispute hits Canadian soybeans
Canadian soybean shipments are being held in Chinese ports for inspections, an apparent victim of tensions spurred by the arrest of a top Huawei executive last year.
Members of Canada's soybean association were informed by Chinese importers that two cargoes will be held at the port of entry until a number of tests for plant pathogens have been performed. That's part of heightened scrutiny of all shipments of soybeans to China.
"It has come to our attention that there are strengthened inspection measures occurring for Canadian products at ports in China," Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in an emailed statement Friday. "We are seeking further details from China."
The more stringent inspections, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, come after China revoked the canola seed import licenses of two Canadian exporters and after China detained two Canadians. That came after the December arrest in Canada of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that he believes Canada is being used as a pawn in the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China. Last weekend, Bibeau attended the G-20 agricultural ministers' meeting in Japan where she raised the issue with her Chinese counterpart Han Changfu.
-- Bloomberg News
Index slips by 3.47 to close at 417.16
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, fell 3.47 to close Friday at 417.16.
Dillard's shares rose 1.8%. Thirteen stocks fell, led by ArcBest's decline of 4.1% percent and Murphy Oil Corp.'s decline of 3.5% percent.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 05/18/2019