Homeowners spend on renovations and repairs despite the uncertain economy and higher prices

Homeowners spend on renovations and repairs despite the uncertain economy and higher prices

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. homeowners are spending more on home renovation projects, bucking a broader pullback by consumers amid diminished confidence in the economy.

Sales at building materials and garden supply retailers rose 0.8% last month from March, the biggest gain since 2022, and were up 3.2% from April last year. At the same time, U.S. retail sales overall rose 0.1%, a sharp slowdown from March.

The trend comes even as prices for home improvement products have been rising.

The cost of home repairs and remodeling climbed by nearly 4% in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to Verisk’s Remodel Index. The strategic data analytics firm tracks costs for more than 10,000 home repair items, from appliances to windows.

Recent price increases appear to be driven primarily by labor costs and don’t appear to reflect the ongoing trade war that the Trump administration is engaged in with major U.S. trading partners like Mexico, China and Canada.

“We haven’t seen panic buying from contractors or investors concerned about the impact tariffs might have on future costs, or labor rates being driven up by stricter enforcement of immigration policies,” Greg Pyne, vice president of pricing for Verisk Property Estimating Solutions, said in a report earlier this month. read more

Apple has had few incentives in the past to start making iPhones in US

Apple has had few incentives in the past to start making iPhones in US

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Lashing out at Apple’s plans to make most of its U.S. iPhones in India, President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to slap a 25% tariff on the popular device unless the tech giant starts building the product in its home country — a move that still seems unlikely to happen any time soon, if ever.

Apple for decades has been building most of its devices in China, where it has invested tens of billions dollars massive factories that rely on a vast network of local suppliers. The company’s reliance on a crucial pipeline outside the U.S. thrust the technology trendsetter into the crosshairs of Trump’s trade war.

In response to Trump’s tussle with China, Apple CEO Tim Cook said earlier this month that most iPhones sold in the U.S. during the March-June period would come from India. Although Trump in late April decided to temporarily exempt the iPhone and other electronics from most of his initial tariffs, Cook said the trade war would end up costing Apple an additional $900 million during the March-June period. read more

Controversial rock mine plan in Everglades gets county approval

Controversial rock mine plan in Everglades gets county approval

Palm Beach County’s commissioners on Thursday night voted 6-0 to approve a controversial rock mining project in the Everglades Agricultural Area, south of Lake Okeechobee.

Known as The Southland Water Resource Project, the mine was proposed by the contracting firm Phillips & Jordan and would be dug on farmland currently used by the U.S. Sugar Corp. and Okeelanta Corp.

County approval was sought to mine limestone for more than 30 years at the 8,600-acre site, which is currently farmland and sits about 15 miles southwest of Belle Glade.

The project still needs to be reviewed by the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the two agencies responsible for Everglades restoration and water management in South Florida.

Proponents of the mine suggest that the resulting quarry will function as water storage for nearly 40 billion gallons of Lake Okeechobee overflow.

But the plan has stirred considerable concern among conservation groups, including Audubon Florida, the Sierra Club and Captains for Clean Water. read more

FAA gives SpaceX a green light to launch Starship again after last flight’s destruction

FAA gives SpaceX a green light to launch Starship again after last flight’s destruction

SpaceX’s last two efforts to make progress on its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket ended with streaks of debris hurtling across the sky. The Federal Aviation Administration, though, is now satisfied it’s safe for SpaceX to try again.

The FAA on Thursday announced the in-development rocket that launches from Starbase, SpaceX’s Texas site, can return to flight. The decision comes after the agency closed its investigation into a March 7 test flight resulting in the destruction of the rocket’s upper stage that could be seen across the East Coast and into the Caribbean.

It was a near mirror of a January attempt, with both explosions seen in videos captured from Florida, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos.

“The FAA conducted a comprehensive safety review of the SpaceX Starship Flight 8 mishap and determined that the company has satisfactorily addressed the causes of the mishap, and therefore, the Starship vehicle can return to flight,” the FAA stated in a press release. “The FAA will verify SpaceX implements all corrective actions.” read more

Edmunds: How to get the best auto deals this Memorial Day weekend

Edmunds: How to get the best auto deals this Memorial Day weekend

By JOSH JACQUOT

Memorial Day weekend has long been one of the busiest times of year for car dealerships. Many car shoppers decide to pull the trigger on that long-considered purchase because of the major sales promotions and the symbolic start of summer. But things are a little different this year.

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Because of tariffs on offshore-built vehicles and components, confusion is setting in. Shoppers are rightly wondering: Will prices go up? Are the deals real? Should I buy now or wait?

Here’s some good news. With a little strategy and timing, you can score a great deal this Memorial Day weekend and avoid potential price hikes in the months ahead. Here are five tips from the experts at Edmunds that will help you decide and get the best deal. read more