Business

Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

IN BRIEF

Keesler Federal disburses Christmas savings

Keesler Federal Credit Union has disbursed 2009 Christmas Savings account proceeds totaling $4,217,642.00 to 16,162 of its members. Keesler Federal’s Christmas Savings is a program designed to help members save for the holidays.

Keesler Federal Credit Union has 14 branches in South Mississippi and three branches at U.S. Air Force installations in the United Kingdom.

Senate extends aid for homeless, jobless

The Senate has voted to give the jobless up to 20 weeks of additional unemployment benefits and significantly expand a tax credit program aimed at getting buyers back into the dormant housing market.

The strong Senate vote for the legislation is a recognition that the government still needs to do more to keep the economic recovery from faltering. If enacted, workers in some of the harder-hit states would be eligible for nearly two years of benefits. The bill also provides tax relief for businesses that have been losing money. It now goes back to the House.

ISM’s service sector index grows in October

The U.S. service sector grew for a second straight month in October, but at a slower pace than in September, as a broad economic recovery creeps along.

The Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday that its service index dipped to 50.6 last month from 50.9. Any reading above 50 signals growth. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected a 51.5 for the index that tracks the country’s hospitals, retailers, financial services companies and truckers.

JPMorgan settlement worth more than $700M

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has agreed to a settlement worth more than $700 million over federal regulators’ charges that it made unlawful payments to friends of public officials to win municipal bond business in Jefferson County, Ala.

— Staff, wire reports