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^FINANCIAL MARKETS
Asian stocks climb, lifted by upbeat talk on China-US trade
BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher in Asia today after upbeat comments from President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials on the status of trade negotiations with China.
The Kospi in South Korea led gains, climbing 1.2%, helped by gains in technology companies overnight on Wall Street. Australia's S&P ASX 200 added 0.4%. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong picked up 0.2%, while the Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.1%. India's Sensex skidded 0.4%.
Tokyo's markets were closed for a holiday for the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito.
Shares rose in Taiwan, Singapore and Bangkok but fell in Jakarta.
Yesterday on Wall Street, the S&P 500 closed above 3,000 points for the first time in a month and is now within 0.7% of its all-time high set on July 26. It gained 0.7% to 3,006.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% to 26,827.64. It was weighed down by a 3.8% drop in Boeing shares, which followed a 6.8% slide on Friday.
The Nasdaq climbed 0.9% to 8,162.99, while the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks picked up 1%, to 1,550.14.
^EXXON-CLIMATE LAWSUIT
Exxon trial probes how oil giant accounts for climate change
NEW YORK (AP) _ New York's attorney general is accusing Exxon Mobil of lying to investors about how profitable the company will remain as governments impose stricter regulations to combat global warming.
The lawsuit, which is set to go to trial today, claims the Texas energy giant kept two sets of books to make the company appear more valuable to investors. Exxon denies the allegations, calling them politically motivated, and says the company looks forward to being exonerated in court.
^CALIFORNIA-GAS PRICES
California governor wants investigation of high gas prices
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's governor has asked the attorney general to investigate why the state's gas prices are so high, pointing to a new report suggesting big oil companies are "misleading and overcharging customers" by as much as $1 per gallon.
Name brand retailers — including 76, Chevron and Shell — often charge more because they say their gasoline is of higher quality. But a new analysis from the California Energy Commission could not explain the price difference, concluding "there is no apparent difference in the quality of gasoline at retail outlets in the state."
The commission said California drivers paid an average of 30 cents more per gallon in 2018, with the difference getting as high as $1 per gallon in April of this year. The result is California drivers paid an additional $11.6 billion at the pump over the last five years.
^COURT SYSTEM-HACKED
Man sentenced for hacking LA court system
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who hacked Los Angeles County court computers, sent 2 million malicious phishing emails and stole hundreds of credit card numbers has been sentenced in Los Angeles.
Oriyomi Aloba received a 12-year federal prison sentence Monday. Authorities say the 33-year-old Katy, Texas, resident hacked the Superior Court computer system in 2017, compromised one worker's email account and used it to send out phishing emails that obtained email addresses and passwords from hundreds of other workers.
Their accounts were then used to send out 2 million emails pretending to be from American Express, Wells Fargo and other companies to obtain banking and credit card information.
Prosecutors say Aloba's hacking substantially disrupted the court system at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars.
^BUFFETT DIVESTMENT-CALIFORNIA
California won't approve sale of Berkshire Hathaway insurer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) _ California regulators say they won't approve the sale of one of Berkshire Hathaway's smaller insurance companies, and they may revoke its state license if the deal goes forward.
The California Department of Insurance said Monday that Applied Underwriters failed to get approval to move its California Insurance Co. subsidiary's headquarters to New Mexico beforehand.
And California hadn't completed its review of the Applied Underwriters sale when the company applied to change the California Insurance Co.'s domicile to New Mexico.
^JPMORGAN-HIRING
JPMorgan to push to hire more with criminal records
NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase & Co. is announcing an expansion of its policy to hire more people with criminal records, potentially giving more former offenders a second chance to find work.
The bank said it plans to spend $7 million to support programs in Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, New York City, Nashville, Tennessee, and Delaware that work with people with criminal backgrounds to develop career skills. The bank already stopped putting questions about a person's criminal background on its applications and each year hires 2,100 people in the U.S. with criminal backgrounds.
JPMorgan also plans to add the issue to its public policy agenda. It will also push financial and federal regulators to allow more hiring of those with criminal backgrounds.
^MACY’S-FUR
Macy's to stop selling real fur by end of fiscal year 2020
NEW YORK (AP) — Macy's says it will stop selling real fur by the end of its fiscal year 2020 at its namesake stores, Bloomingdale's, as well as at its discount outlets.
As part of the announcement, the department store chain says it will close its fur vaults and salons. In statement, Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette says company representatives have regularly met with the Humane Society of the United States and other non-governmental groups.
Macy's store label brands are already fur free. The Cincinnati-based retailer says that the rise of new fabric technology like faux fur will make the transition easier. Macy's follows such companies as Ralph Lauren and Burberry in dropping real fur.
Macy's fiscal year 2020 will end in early 2021.
FILM-RISE OF SKYWALKER-TRAILER
Final 'Rise of Skywalker' trailer debuts
NEW YORK (AP) — The final trailer for the "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" debuted Monday, offering a fleeting glimpse of the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia embracing Daisy Ridley's Rey.
The spot generally struck an elegiac note of finality. "The Rise of Skywalker," which opens Dec. 20, is the last chapter in the now nine-part Skywalker saga. Even C-3PO appears wistful, saying he's taking "one last look at my friends" presumably before the film's climactic showdown.
Of course, "Star Wars" is light years away from ending. Multiple new trilogies are being developed. The series "The Mandalorian" will soon debut on Disney's streaming service, Disney Plus.
Monday's trailer coincided with tickets going on sale. Atom Tickets said "Skywalker" sold more tickets in its first hour than any movie in its seven-year history.
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