America’s employers added a strong 272,000 jobs in May, a sign that companies are still confident enough in the economy to keep hiring.
Business
Local, state and national business news from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
The number of debt-laden public companies worldwide is growing – including 2,000 in U.S. alone
So-called ‘zombies’ are just stumbling by on the brink of survival, barely able to pay even the interest on their loans and often just a bad business hit away from dying off for good.
More people are living in Maine and working remotely for out-of-state employers
Jobs and worksites that increased in tandem before the pandemic are now diverging: The number of workplaces now exceeds job growth, according to a Maine Department of Labor report.
Watch: Leeds vineyard blooming like never before at budding business
WillowsAwake Winery looks for bountiful harvest with more vines coming into full production.
Businesses air concerns about proposed rules of new paid family leave program
Some companies that plan to offer their own programs object to paying into the state program during its 16-month startup period. The 1% payroll tax is split evenly between employers and their workers.
SpaceX’s mega rocket, on its fourth attempt, completes test flight without exploding
The mega Starship rocket returned to Earth after blasting off from Texas and making an hourlong flight.
Europe Central Bank jumps ahead of the Fed in lowering rates, but future cuts may be limited
The ECB cut its key interest rate by a quarter of a point, moving ahead of the Reserve as central banks around the world lean toward lowering borrowing costs.
U.S. antitrust enforcers will investigate leading AI companies Microsoft, Nvidia and OpenAI
The entire AI industry has also relied heavily on Nvidia’s specialized semiconductors to power AI applications.
Boeing’s astronaut capsule arrives at space station after thruster trouble
The company plans to keep Starliner at the space station for at least 8 days before guiding it to a landing in the western U.S.
Energy company wants Maine to use its port instead of Sears Island for offshore wind hub
Competition for Maine’s offshore wind port is sharpening with Sprague Operating Resources proposing Mack Point as an alternative to the state’s preferred site on nearby Sears Island.