Latest reporting and updates from the business desk.
Oil prices jumped about 5% Thursday morning as Hurricane Isaias forced more than a quarter of U.S. Gulf oil production offline while escalating attacks on tankers intensified concerns about Middle East supply. Brent crude climbed to $105.20 per barrel and U.S. crude reached $92.75 as two major supply risks hit the market simultaneously.
U.S. farm-sector debt is forecast to reach a record $605.1 billion in 2026, but Agriculture Department officials say the total may not fully capture rapidly growing borrowing from suppliers, cooperatives, equipment companies, fintech firms and other nontraditional lenders. Researchers are now trying to determine how large that blind spot has become as farm credit conditions tighten and bankruptcy filings rise.
U.S. hiring slowed sharply in September, with employers adding only 29,000 jobs, far below economists' expectations of roughly 90,000. The unemployment rate increased to 4.2%, August payroll growth was revised lower and July was revised into negative territory, adding to evidence of a cooling labor market ahead of the Federal Reserve's October meeting.
President Donald Trump announced plans Wednesday for up to $200 billion in South Korean investment across major U.S. projects, including $54 billion for Alaska LNG, eight nuclear power plants and a roughly 6-gigawatt gas-fired power project in Texas.
WSSC Water says electricity has been restored to its Potomac Water Filtration Plant after an early-morning power failure disrupted production, but all 1.9 million customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are still being asked to restrict water use while crews restart the plant and stabilize the distribution system. The outage occurred while one of the plant’s two independent power feeds was already out of service for scheduled Pepco maintenance.
The Trump administration is offering to loan energy companies up to 40 million barrels of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as higher fuel prices and disruptions tied to the wars involving Iran and Russia continue to pressure global energy markets.
U.S. stock-index futures moved lower Monday morning as crude oil climbed above $108 a barrel after President Donald Trump rejected Iran's proposal to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, renewing concerns about inflation and higher interest rates.
The Westmoreland County coroner was called to the Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Monessen Sunday after a person was reportedly pinned between two pieces of machinery, according to county emergency officials.
Columbia Gas Transmission says repair work remains underway after a natural gas leak was detected at the Saunders Creek Regulator Station in West Virginia. The Mountaineer XPress capacity restriction is expected to remain in effect through the Sept. 26-28 weekend trading period.
The White House denied a report that the Trump administration was preparing a 90-day ban on U.S. diesel exports, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright said officials are instead discussing ways to keep more diesel in the country without reducing gasoline and jet-fuel production.
President Donald Trump said he supports restricting U.S. diesel exports as his administration considers a full or partial ban aimed at addressing record-high fuel prices, though top energy officials have warned the move could create new supply problems.
Air Transport World has named Pittsburgh International Airport its 2027 Airport of the Year, recognizing the airport's new terminal, international route growth, airline partnerships and investments in technology and passenger experience.
Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade of Iranian ports, a proposal that has already helped push oil prices below $100 a barrel.
Chick-fil-A says nine new locally operated restaurants are planned from Mars to Johnstown through 2028, expanding a Western Pennsylvania network that currently includes 20 locations.
Tariffs and critical-material supplies are on the agenda in U.S.-China negotiations, issues with a direct connection to Westmoreland County through manufacturers including Kennametal, which has warned that Chinese tungsten supply and trade restrictions can affect its costs.
Negotiators are discussing reducing or removing China’s 15% tariff on U.S. liquefied natural gas, a change that could strengthen export demand for Appalachian producers, but no agreement has been announced and a tariff cut would not guarantee a surge in Chinese purchases.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate reached its lowest level in more than two years in August as employment and the labor force hit record highs, but job gains remained concentrated in a handful of industries.
A House-passed proposal would push large data centers to cover more of the grid costs they create, as Frederick County extends its pause on new projects and Maryland regulators confront rising electricity demand.
A new federal sanctions law gives the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian energy, creating a new layer of supply-chain risk for manufacturers across the Pittsburgh region.
The White House extended a restriction requiring a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B workers entering from abroad, a policy with potential consequences for Maryland's technology, research, life-sciences and engineering employers.
Four new proposed FAR rule packages published September 18 would rewrite major portions of the federal procurement rulebook, a potentially important change for Maryland's dense network of government contractors and subcontractors.
A new quarterly federal forecast will publish anticipated HHS purchases of covered personal protective equipment, giving domestic manufacturers more visibility into future government demand but not guaranteeing contracts.
The retailer says its Ross Township location will close Sunday after it was unable to continue under its current lease terms or find another suitable nearby site.
Neighbors asked a judge to pause development of the massive Middlesex Township project while zoning challenges move forward.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced June 30, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced June 10, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced May 07, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced May 01, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced May 01, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced April 15, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced March 25, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced March 13, 2026.
A sourced brief on an FTC action announced February 17, 2026.
