Average rate on 30-year loan rises to 3.40 percent
WASHINGTON >> The average U.S. rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was little changed this week, staying slightly above its record low. Cheaper mortgages are helping drive a modest housing recovery.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan rose to 3.40 percent from 3.39 percent last week. Five weeks ago the rate touched 3.36 percent, the lowest level on records dating to 1971. The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage slipped to 2.69 percent. That’s down from 2.70 percent last week and close to the record low of 2.66 percent reached three weeks ago.
The average rate on the 30-year loan has been below 4 percent all year. It has fallen further since the Federal Reserve started buying mortgage bonds in September to encourage more borrowing and spending.
Hawaiian Tel head joins Alaska Air board
Eric Yeaman, president and CEO of Hawaiian Telcom, has been appointed to the board of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group Inc.
Yeaman, who will serve on the board’s audit committee, joined Hawaiian Telcom in 2008 and reorganized the company and returned it to profitability by reducing its debt by more than $800 million.
"Along with his deep financial expertise, he’ll bring a distinct perspective from Hawaii, a region that represents one-fifth of Alaska Airlines’ network," Alaska Chairman Bill Ayer said.
Hawaiian Air tops U.S. carriers in punctuality
Hawaiian Airlines once again led the nation’s carriers in flights that arrive on time.
The state’s largest airline had a punctuality rate in September of 96.4 percent, to exceed the industry average by 13.1 percentage points. In addition, none of its 6,005 scheduled flights were canceled, also earning it the No. 1 ranking in that category, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report issued Thursday.
Hawaiian ranked third in fewest oversales, or passengers denied boarding, for the third quarter, at 0.14 percent for every 10,000 passengers. Numbers in this category are only released on a quarterly basis.
In other categories, Hawaiian was eighth out of 15 carriers for fewest mishandled-baggage reports, with 2.64 per 1,000 passengers, or a total of 1,891 reports for 717,237 passengers.
The airline also was eighth for fewest consumer complaints: 1.05 per 100,000 passengers, or eight out of 760,633 passengers.
Foodland helping Hurricane Sandy victims
Foodland Super Market Ltd. and Western Union Foundation are matching customer donations dollar for dollar up to $100,000 to aid Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts.
The local grocery chain announced Thursday that it will double the money that customers donate at checkout and send it directly to the American Red Cross. The "Hurricane Sandy Relief" matching gifts program will run through Nov. 30 at Foodland and Sack N Save stores statewide.
Separately, Foodland is encouraging customers to join its efforts to reduce the use of plastic and paper bags, especially in light of the plastic bag ban that takes effect on Hawaii island Jan. 17.
Customers now may choose to receive three HawaiianMiles for every reusable bag used when grocery shopping at Foodland, Sack N Save and Foodland Farms stores. The 5-cent-a-bag credit still will be available to customers as an alternative.
Customers also are encouraged to "Take the Bag Challenge" and pledge to use reusable bags on every visit. Those who bring their own bags for 10 visits through Jan. 30 will be rewarded 100 Bonus Maika’i Points. Those who make the pledge also will receive a free Foodland reusable bag when they spend $25 or more.
Windows 8 supports Hawaiian language
Microsoft’s recent launch of Windows 8 includes tools for writing in the Hawaiian language.
The Windows 8 operating software includes a Hawaiian keyboard layout, many fonts containing the diacritical marks used in Hawaiian, and other localized resources such as the ability to show days of the week and months in Hawaiian.
The staff of Ka Haka ‘Ula o Ke‘elikolani College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaii at Hilo worked with Microsoft on the software.
Theme parks, cruise ships lift Disney’s net
LOS ANGELES » The Walt Disney Co. said Thursday that its net income in the latest quarter rose 14 percent because of an uptick in revenue driven by higher consumer spending at its theme parks and on its cruise ships.
The results were announced a week after Disney said it would buy Lucasfilm Ltd. and revive the "Star Wars" franchise with a new trilogy starting in 2015.
Net income in the three months to Sept. 29 rose to $1.24 billion, or 68 cents a share, from $1.09 billion, or 58 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 3 percent to $10.78 billion.
The parks and resorts division was helped by the launch of its newest cruise ship, the Disney Fantasy, in March and the opening of a new section at Disney California Adventure called Cars Land in June.
On the Move
Chaminade University has selected David O. Carter as its director of the forensic science program as well as associate professor of forensic science. He was previously an assistant professor and associate professor of forensic science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2006 until 2012.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced the completion of the 2012 e200 Emerging Leaders initiative. Fourteen small-business owners conducted their final presentations before a panel of business consultants, business executives, bankers and entrepreneurs. The 2012 graduates include Charlie Bright, BF Enterprise dba Makiki Bank Shop; Wendy Chang, Pacific Commercial Services; Nowell Dudoit-Alana, Kalaka Nui; Liane Fu, the Wine Stop; Byron Goo, the Tea Chest; Clinton Goo, Goko Restaurant Enterprises dba Sizzler Restaurants; Ann Kutaka, InForm Design; Stanley Lau, Hawaii Tech Support/HTS Information Systems; Mylene Reyes, R&M Reyes Enterprise; Theresa Schenk, Schenk Specialized Services; Bernadette Shafer Robins, Shafer’s Roofing; Iris Terashima, ITerashima Environmental Services; Bill Wong, AAC-Pacific; and Michael Yasui, Corporate Environments International.
