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Consumer uncertainty slows April auto sales

New vehicle sales in April fell approximately 15% in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties compared to the same time last year, the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association reported this month. Franchised dealers in the tricounty area sold 2,442 new vehicles last month compared to 2,854 in April 2025. For the year, 8,752 vehicles left Valley lots, a 2.8% drop from 2025. The association’s 21-county region fared slightly better. Member dealerships sold 2,109 fewer new vehicles in April compared to their April 2025 performance of 23,124 for a drop of 9.12%. Looking at ...

Do these four things before buying a hybrid in 2026

Does the high price of gas have you considering a hybrid for your next vehicle? We don’t blame you, especially if you drive a lot. Fortunately, there are lots of hybrids to choose from, and many don’t cost much more than their non-hybrid counterparts. But to recoup the extra cost of a hybrid the quickest and start saving money, we don’t recommend purchasing just any hybrid. The car experts at Edmunds outline four tips that will give you the tools you need to find a hybrid that will maximize your savings. Aim for hybrids with the shortest payback periods New hybrids ...

Stock markets worldwide drop from records as worries about oil prices rattle the bond market

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market fell from its records Friday and joined a worldwide drop for stocks after higher oil prices sent a shiver through the bond market. Stocks that had been caught up in the euphoria around artificial-intelligence technology led the way lower. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% from its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 537 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.5% from its own record. Technology stocks tumbled in a sharp turnaround from their meteoric rises for much of the year, which had carried markets ...

Dividend announcements

Staff report The board of directors of Kimberly-Clark Corporation declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.28 per share. The dividend is payable in cash on July 2, to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 5. Kimberly-Clark has paid a dividend for 92 consecutive years and has increased its dividend for 54 consecutive years. CONSUMERS BANCORP The board of directors of Consumers Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Consumers National Bank, declared a quarterly dividend on the outstanding shares of the corporation’s common stock in the amount of $0.21 per ...

Manufacturing business in Valley makes acquisition

Staff report Ashore Manufacturing Group, headquartered in Berlin Center, has completed its acquisition of Concept-4, a precision machine shop focused on tool and die operations with deep roots in the Mahoning Valley. The transaction marks a new chapter for the business, with full retention of existing staff, continuation of all current operations and a roadmap for modernization and growth. The company, in a news release earlier this week, said the acquisition was led by Zachary Woods and Chris Thomas, Ashore’s founder. Concept-4 was owned by Mike Pence Sr., a lifelong ...

New state unemployment claims remain steady

Staff report Ohioans filed 4,717 initial unemployment claims last week, which was 341 more than the previous week. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Ohioans filed 40,632 continued unemployment claims last week, which was 961 fewer than the previous week. The total number of claims filed from May 3-9 was 45,349. Ohio’s unemployment rate in March was 4.1%. The national unemployment rate in March was 4.3%. Ohio’s labor force participation rate in March was 62.1%. The national labor force participation rate in March was 61.9%. These statistics were shared with ...