1) In its quest to deliver packages to customers, Amazon has received FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approval for its Amazon’s Prime Air, an aerial package delivery system using drones. This allows Amazon to operate unmanned aerial drones in the US on a trial basis. This means the aerial robots can deliver packages outside the operator’s visual line of sight. Amazon announced it’s aerial drone plans in 2013, but hardware and safety issues have been major challenges for the company, with the first successful drone delivery in 2016. The robot aircraft are helicopter like machines that can hover and fly forward powered by electricity with a range of 15 miles. They can deliver packages weighing under five pounds in 30 minutes or less.
2) United Airlines is abandoning its domestic flight change fees forever, so if you have to change your plans and need to change your flights, it no longer will cost you. Previously, a change fee cost the consumer $200 for all economy and premium cabin tickets within the U.S. Furthermore, there’s no limit on how many times you can adjust your flight for free. Additionally, customers can get same day standby for free, which had cost $75, starting on January 2021.
3) As trade relations with China worsen, large companies are pulling out of Red China. These are big name companies known to virtually everyone such as Hasbro, Nike, Apple, Google/Alphabet, Dell, HP, Samsung, LG Electronics, Stanley Black & Decker, Zoom, Intel, Old Navy/Gap, Sharp, Adidas, Puma, Kia Motors, Sony, Nintendo and Hyundia Motors as well as lesser know companies. Reasons cited are the disrupted supply chains, the ongoing US-China trade war with little resolution in the near future, tariffs on Chinese exports so companies are moving to other Asian countries to export from there under a different country name. Also fears of inadvertently using slave labor (political reeducation inmates) leaving a company embroiled in political controversy domestically, with adverse effects on their sales.
4) Stock market closings for – 31 AUG 20:
Dow 28,430.05 down 223.82
Nasdaq 11,775.46 up 79.82
S&P 500 3,500.31 down 7.70
10 Year Yield: down at 0.69%
Oil: down at $42.82