U.S. retail sales

rose last month

Americans spent a bit more at retailers last month, providing a small boost to the economy just as the Federal Reserve considers how much to cut its key interest rate. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that retail sales ticked up 0.1% from July to August, after jumping the most in 18 months the previous month. Online retailers, sporting goods stores, and home and garden stores reported higher sales. The data indicate that consumers are still able to spend more despite the cumulative impact of three years of excess inflation and higher interest rates.

Wall Street awaits

interest rate cut

U.S. stock indexes remained stuck in place as Wall Street made few big moves ahead of what’s expected to be the first cut to interest rates in more than four years. The S&P 500 edged up by less than 0.1% Tuesday. It remains 0.6% below its all-time closing high set in July, and it briefly rose above that mark during the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped less than 0.1% from its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite edged up by 0.2%. Treasury yields rose ahead of Wednesday’s announcement by the Federal Reserve on where it’s taking interest rates.

Companies abandon

LGBTQ+ efforts

More than two decades ago, a national LGBTQ+ rights group decided to promote change by grading corporations on their workplace policies. The Human Rights Campaign initially focused its Corporate Equality Index on ensuring that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer employees did not face discrimination in hiring and on the job. Just 13 companies received a perfect score in 2002. By last year, 545 businesses did. But the scorecard itself has come under attack in recent months by conservative activists who targeted businesses as part of a broader pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Ford, Harley-Davidson and Lowe’s are among the companies that announced they would no longer participate in the index.

Bouillon cubes may

curb malnutrition

In Nigeria and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, many households have limited access to nutrient-rich foods due to rising costs and the impact of climate change on agriculture and food systems. The resulting micronutrient deficiencies have led to a public health crisis, one especially affecting children and women. If public health advocates and the Nigerian government have their way, malnourished households in the West African nation soon will have a simple ingredient available to improve their intake of key vitamins and minerals. Government regulators on Tuesday are launching a code of standards for adding iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12 to bouillon cubes at minimum levels recommended by experts.

— Bulletin wire reports