Neither a borrower nor a lender be. If you’ve been reading the news lately, this other famous line from Hamlet probably rings true. The current financial crisis is putting a strain on one of America’s favorite sources of easy funds: credit cards. Even before the crisis hit, some banks were raising fees and establishing “penalty rates” for late payment; now those already high … [Read more...] about Credit where it’s due
Business End
The biggest business news of the week, at least in the Aloha State, is Hawaiian Telecom filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The telecommunications giant, which employs 1,400 people and serves just under 300,000 customers, reported a $34 million third quarter loss. That brings HawTel's total losses for the year past the $100 million mark. "[This] filing allows the … [Read more...] about
Hawaii was hit with 18 "mass layoffs" in September and October resulting in over 1,800 people losing their jobs, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. "Mass layoffs," defined as 50 or more workers going jobless for at least 30 days, were initiated at over 2,000 companies nationwide last month. That's the worst October the U.S. workforce has endured since … [Read more...] about
October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s one thing to put up pink ribbons or offer a bit of good-sounding lip service, which many did, but the Hard Rock Cafe in Lahaina took the next step, raising over $12,000 for Maui cancer patients through a series of benefit events. Any time a company, even a big one that some may see as a sign of cultural homogenization, puts its … [Read more...] about
Halloween was a less spooky day than many that preceded it for a number of Hawaii-based companies. The big winner was perennial Business End whipping boy Maui Land & Pineapple—ML&P saw its stock rise almost 15 percent on Friday to close at $15.50 per share. Other in-state outfits—including Hawaiian Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary Hawaiian Airlines, Alexander & Baldwin, Central … [Read more...] about