Friday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here’s a look at Friday’s business headlines with Monica Malpass.
Companies making moves to accommodate pet owners
Americans continue to spend big on pet pampering— and non-pet companies are eager to grab some of those cat and dog dollars.
“The Wall Street Journal” reports Hilton is adding hundreds of pet-friendly hotels, while snack maker Clif Bar has unveiled a line of jerky treats for pooches.
FTC proposes banning noncompete clauses
If federal regulators get their way, your boss will no longer be able to make you sign a noncompete agreement.
Approximately 30 million workers are bound by the clauses, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The government says the agreements are a major drag on people who wish to change jobs in the same industry.
Remote work, ‘Zoomtowns’ could save housing market
Remote work could help support the housing markets of smaller towns.
Economic Innovation Group analysis suggests newly popular locations in the Sun Belt and South are “best-equipped to build cheap housing.” It could also help drive down rent prices in bigger cities.
December jobs report due Friday
Friday’s jobs report is expected to show that the U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in December, with the unemployment rate holding steady for the third-straight month at 3.7%.
Analysts expect the report to show that workers are still not returning to sectors hit hard by the pandemic, such as leisure and hospitality, public service, and child care.
If the number shows the labor market is too tight, it could mean more interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.
ZF unveils self-driving shuttles
ZF has unveiled self-driving shuttles it says will “enable the operation of autonomous transport systems in densely populated areas with no need for segregated or dedicated shuttle lanes” while making an important contribution to decarbonization.
The self-driving shuttles will move people in a wide range of environments, from airports to university campuses to inner-city areas.