PODCAST: New B of A fees, delivery waiting times
Here in the U.S., the number of people applying for unemployment benefits dipped again last week to 351,000 — that’s a four-year low. We also just found out that consumer spending in January was flat after adjusting for price increases of things like gas. Manufacturing activity grew more slowly in February as factories received fewer new orders and paid higher prices for raw materials.
Bank of America is reportedly currently testing different fee models — including monthly charges of anywhere from $6 to $25. This comes after a pushback last year against a $5 monthly debit card fee.
In tech news, online review site Yelp will start selling stock to the public tomorrow.
News this morning that the official unemployment rate in the 17 countries that use the euro hit 10.7 percent in January. That’s the highest level since the euro was created in 1999. A panel convened by a securities dealers’ association has ruled that the restructuring of Greece’s government debt is not yet a credit event.
The U.N. Human Rights Council voted today to condemn the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The council says the regime’s attacks against its own citizens may amount to crimes against humanity.
According to the Wall Street Journal, more than half of adults say they’ve used a vacation day or sick day to just wait around for a delivery. But that could change. The Journal reports there’s a trend afoot: companies are trying to calm customers by decreasing the wait window to two hours, and letting people know when the delivery truck gets close.
And finally, a man in Brazil who tried to use a fake ID to open a bank account and got caught. Not because the ID card looked fake — but because the photo on it was that of actor Jack Nicholson. Brazilian police say there is no resemblance between the suspect, who is 41. Nicholson is 74.
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