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FINANCIAL MARKETS
Global shares rise as worries recede on Iran, US tensions
TOKYO (AP) — Global shares mostly rose today as worried receded that the United States and Iran might be stepping closer to the edge of war.
France's CAC 40 slipped 0.2%, while Germany's DAX added nearly 0.1% in early trading. Britain's FTSE 100 was little changed, down less than 0.1%.
In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.5%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.8%. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.9%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng is up 0.3%, while the Shanghai Composite inched down nearly 0.1%.
Wall Street is expected to open higher, with Dow futures up 0.1% and S&P 500 futures up 0.2%.
PLANE CRASH-WARNINGS
Airlines facing scrutiny for flying in Iran after barrage
UNDATED (AP) — Despite warnings to avoid flying over Iran and the Persian Gulf, several airlines continued to do so, including a Ukrainian airliner that crashed and killed 176 people. Western officials say that an Iranian missile, possibly fired by accident, likely brought down the plane earlier this week. Just a few hours before the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration issued emergency orders prohibiting American pilots and airlines from flying over Iran, the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman.
Foreign airlines aren’t bound by FAA directives, but they often follow them. In this case, however, several large international carriers — including Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Aeroflot — continued to fly in and out of Tehran after Iran fired missiles at military bases inside Iraq that house U.S. troops. They still were flying after the FAA warning, and after the Ukrainian jetliner crashed, according to data from Flightradar24, which tracks flights around the world.
BOEING-PLANE-DOCUMENTS
Boeing papers show employees slid 737 Max problems past FAA
UNDATED (AP) — Newly released Boeing documents show company employees knew about problems with flight simulators for the now-grounded 737 Max jetliner and talked about misleading regulators.
Boeing says the employee comments in emails and text messages released to Congress are unacceptable and don't reflect the company. Boeing said the statements “raise questions about Boeing’s interactions with the FAA” in getting the simulators qualified.
The 737 Max is still grounded after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed a total of 346 people. Boeing is still working to update software and other systems on the plane to convince regulators to let it fly again.
BOEING 737-MAX-KANSAS
Grounding of 737 Max takes growing toll on Kansas suppliers
WICHTA, Kan. (AP) — The suspension of production of the Boeing 737 Max is taking a growing toll on suppliers in Kansas, where more than 40 aerospace companies provide parts and services for production of that aircraft. Wichita bills itself as the “Air Capital of the World” for its concentration of aerospace manufacturers. It is home to parts maker Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc., the city's largest employer, which this week asked employees if they would take voluntary buyouts.
Dozens of smaller aerospace companies, mostly clustered in south-central Kansas, are also beginning to shed jobs.
Boeing expects to temporarily shut down production of the Max, which has been grounded for nearly 10 months, after two crashes killed 346 people.
ECONOMY-EMPLOYMENT REPORT
US employers expected to have added 160,00 jobs in December
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. job market appears to be entering 2020 on a solid footing.
A survey by data provider FactSet shows economists expect that today's jobs report will show job gains of 160,000 in December. The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 3.5%.
But key in the report will be whether the decade-plus expansion causes average hourly earnings to climb above the 3.1% annual gain seen in November. That would be a sign that employers are having to pay more to attract workers.
Expectations for the employment report were amplified by Wednesday's report from the payroll processor ADP that private companies added 202,000 jobs in December.
UAW-CORRUPTION
UAW president says he's clean, rejects 'scurrilous' claims
DETROIT (AP) — The president of the United Auto Workers is denying wrongdoing after a newspaper reported he's under scrutiny in a federal investigation of union corruption. In a letter to staff, Rory Gamble said he “absolutely never requested or received any cash or kickback" from vendors who were hired to supply union-branded clothes and trinkets.
The Detroit News said investigators are looking at financial connections between a union vendor and UAW leadership.
Gamble was a UAW vice president when he was picked in December to lead the union after the sudden resignation of Gary Jones.
Ten people with ties to the UAW have been charged in the corruption investigation; eight have pleaded guilty, including the widow of a union vice president. Three people who worked at Fiat Chrysler have been convicted.
TV-PEAK RISES
Growth in number of TV series 'bananas,' network boss says
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A TV executive who has been tallying the growth in TV series says it has reached a point of being certifiably “bananas.”
FX chief John Landgraf said at a TV critics meeting Thursday that the estimated number of scripted programs exceeded 500 for the first time. Landgraf is credited with coining the phrase “peak TV” and has often warned that more is not better.
Landgraf says there were 532 scripted drama and comedy series in 2019 on all platforms, including broadcast, cable and streaming.
That's a 7 percent increase over 2018. When FX started its tracking in 2010, there were 216 shows.
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