Walgreens will use its $9.41 billion takeover of rival Rite Aid to spread its philosophy on making drugstores destinations for customers looking to stay healthy or buy beauty products.

The nation’s largest drugstore chain also is expected to flex its beefed-up negotiating muscle to wring better deals from drugmakers and other suppliers. But experts say those discounts won’t automatically trickle down to consumers.

In fact, customers may not see a huge impact on their wallets if the deal announced Tuesday evening goes through. But they will likely see some store closures or name changes and fewer brand choices after Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. adds the nation’s third-largest drugstore chain to its portfolio.

Fed says it might raise key rate in December

The Federal Reserve is keeping its key short-term interest rate at a record low in the face of a weak global economy, slower U.S. hiring and subpar inflation. But it signaled the possibility of a rate hike in December.

A statement the Fed issued Wednesday said it would monitor the pace of job growth and inflation to try to determine “whether it will be appropriate to raise the target range” for its benchmark rate at its next meeting.

It marked the first time in seven years of record-low rates that the central bank has raised the possibility that it could raise its key rate from near zero at its next meeting.

Affordable medicine is top health concern

Americans from across the political spectrum are worried about the cost of prescription drugs for serious diseases, following weeks of news coverage about companies hiking prices for critical medicines.

Keeping drugs for cancer, hepatitis, HIV and other conditions affordable is the top health priority for Democrats, Republicans and independents, according to a poll released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Overall, 77 percent of those surveyed said the issue was their No. 1 health concern, reflecting recent outrage over drug pricing that has spilled over into the presidential campaign.

Slow economy may be ready to run again

The U.S. economy has resembled an especially dizzying roller-coaster ride this year, with a hurtling dive followed by a steep climb leading to yet another slide.

Today, when the government issues its first of three estimates of growth in the July-September quarter, it’s expected to show an economy slumping from global weakness and reduced corporate stockpiling — but poised to rise again.

Economists’ consensus forecast, according to FactSet, is that the economy eked out just a 1.7 percent annual growth rate last quarter, a subpar pace by any standard.

Amgen reports 50% higher quarterly profit

Amgen trounced Wall Street expectations with a 50 percent jump in third-quarter profit, due to lower expenses and higher sales for nearly all the biologic drugmakers’ medicines.

A day after receiving an impressive fourth drug approval in the past year, the maker of injected osteoporosis treatment Prolia on Wednesday raised its 2015 profit forecast and issued an even higher one for 2016.

Facebook board told to answer pay claims

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Inc.’s controlling shareholder, and the company’s board must face an investor’s claims that the world’s largest social network improperly allowed directors to set their own pay in 2013, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Andre Bouchard ruled Tuesday.

The ruling clears the way for a trial of shareholder Ernesto Espinoza’s allegations the company improperly allowed directors to award themselves excessive pay in 2013. That year, Facebook’s board paid nonemployee directors an average of $461,000 in stock, exceeding industry peers by as much as 43 percent, according to Espinoza’s complaint.

Recall system for faulty tires is ‘broken’

WASHINGTON » Only about 1 in 5 defective tires is being removed from the road through a safety recall process, a federal accident investigations board said Tuesday.

The recall system is “broken” because manufacturers are unable to contact most tire owners to warn them, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board. Another 24 percent of recalled tires end up being taken off the road for other reasons, such as damage or normal wear and tear. But more than half — 56 percent — of recalled tires remain in use, the board said.

The problem is that there is no requirement for most tire dealers to register the tires they sell with the manufacturer, the board said.

Independent dealers — those not owned or controlled by tire makers — sell about 92 percent of the tires sold directly to consumers, the board said.

GM pulling 1.4M vehicles for oil leaks

DETROIT » For the third time in seven years, General Motors is recalling cars that can leak oil and catch fire, in some instances damaging garages and homes.

The recall, which covers 1.4 million vehicles dating to the 1997 model year, is needed because repairs from the first two recalls didn’t work. More than 1,300 cars caught fire after they were fixed by dealers, the company said.

In addition, GM will notify owners of 500,000 more cars that were not repaired in the previous recalls, spokesman Alan Adler said. The latest recall, mainly in North America, includes: the 1997-2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Regal; the 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala; the 1998 and 1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue; and the 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

On The Move

» JLL has promoted Deven Higa to vice president of the company’s retail brokerage group. He has been with JLL for eight years, advising clients on development and merchandising strategies to help increase the value of their assets. Higa currently oversees agency leasing for properties such as Kings’ Shops, Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center and Windward Mall.

» Shriners Hospitals for Children-Honolulu has announced that pediatric orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Moroz has joined its staff. While his primary focus will be on pediatric spine surgery and scoliosis, Moroz maintains competency in all areas of pediatric orthopedic surgery. He has worked for more than 20 years in nongovernmental organizations and relief organizations, including in Nepal, Bhutan, Tanzania, Kenya and Canada’s far north.

Ship Ahoy!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures:

Honolulu Harbor