Stock Market Simulation chart moves to Monday

The weekly Hawaii Stock Market Simulation chart that typically runs in Sunday’s business section is being moved to Monday this week due to space constraints.

The interactive SMS program helps Hawaii students learn how the U.S. market system works and tracks how they invest in a hypothetical portfolio.

American Air to close pilot base as retirements thin ranks

American Airlines will close a crew base in San Francisco after unusually large numbers of pilot retirements left staffing levels "critically short."

American said last week it would cut fourth-quarter seating capacity by 3 percent, in part because of the pilot shortage. In September and October combined, 240 pilots retired, more than 10 times the normal monthly average.

The retirements are putting new pressure on American, the third-biggest U.S. carrier, to conclude negotiations with pilots on a new contract. The Allied Pilots Association has said it won’t waive scheduling rules to help ease the staffing shortage without a new labor agreement.

American hasn’t set a date for shutting down the base, said Missy Cousino, a spokeswoman for the Fort Worth, Texas-based company. About 270 of American’s 8,700 pilots are based in San Francisco, Cousino said. The union set the number at more than 300, including pilots on leave.