BC-Business News Digest

Business News at 1:50 p.m.

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All times EDT.

TOP STORIES:

APPLE-EVENT

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple unveils two new smartphones, an electronic payment system and a smartwatch — marking its first major entry in a new product category since the iPad's debut in 2010. The new iPhones have bigger screens, and will allow developers to design apps that can be viewed differently when the phone is held horizontally. By Michael Liedtke and Anick Jesdanun. SENT: 1,090 words, photo.

STRONGER DOLLAR

NEW YORK — In the world of currencies, the dollar is starting to look like a safe home in a tough neighborhood. A strengthening U.S. economy, combined with a gloomy outlook for growth elsewhere in the world, is pushing the U.S. currency sharply higher. The dollar is up 6.4 percent against a group of major currencies since the start of May and has risen in three of the past four months. The U.S. currency climbs to its highest level in six years against the Japanese yen, and it's trading at its highest level in 14 months against the euro. A continued run-up could mean lower prices for imported cars and crude oil. On the other hand, it could also crimp profits for U.S. companies as their goods become pricier overseas. By Steve Rothwell. SENT: 890 words, photos.

AUTOS-SMART PARKING

DETROIT — With a thumb swipe on a smart phone, your car soon will be able to drive into a parking deck, find an open spot and back into a space — all by itself. The fully-automated system is still about a decade away, so valet jobs are safe for now. But the benefits are plenty. Drivers will save time searching through vast decks for open spaces, and parking lots can squeeze more vehicles into limited space, raising more revenue. By Tom Krisher. SENT: 620 words, photos, video.

CARS-RECALL LIMBO

DETROIT — In July, two scary notices arrived in Amaris McGee's mailbox. They came from General Motors, and told her the gray 2005 Chevy Malibu she drives to work every day is being recalled for safety problems. Neither problem can be fixed yet because the parts aren't ready. Like millions of others caught in GM's massive recall crisis, McGee faces a tough question: keep driving and hope the safety problems don't affect her, or rent a car until the dealer gets parts, which can take months or even a year? Tips on how to handle an auto recall when parts aren't ready. By Tom Krisher. SENT: 820 words, photos, glance.

With:

— CHRYSLER-MINIVAN PROBE — A man's complaint that his Chrysler minivan stalled unexpectedly after refueling has brought an inquiry from U.S. safety regulators. SENT: 210 words.

SCOTLAND-BRITAIN'S RISKS

BERWICK-UPON-TWEED, England — All Gavin Jones has to do is scan the shelves of his impossibly quaint shop on England's border with Scotland to know he'll have a big problem if the Scots declare independence next week. There are teddy bears in Campbell clan tartans and shelves of shortbread from Scotland — just above the red jams made in England. After independence, the Scottish goods would be subject to import duties, and customers would likely pay in two different currencies. Business in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England's northernmost town, could soon be crushed by bank transaction costs. "If Scotland chooses independence, it changes our concept of local," he said. "There are then barriers put in place." By Martin Benedyk and Danica Kirka. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

With:

— BRITAIN-ECONOMY — Bank of England Governor Mark Carney signals that Britain's interest rates could start rising early next year. SENT: 130 words.

MARKETS & ECONOMY:

WORLD ECONOMY-SURVEY

WASHINGTON — The Great Recession officially ended more than five years ago. Yet the feeling of many people around the world can be summarized in one word: Gloom. In a survey of 48,643 people in 44 countries out Tuesday, the Pew Research Center found that 60 percent say their own country's economy is performing poorly. By Paul Wiseman. SENT: 380 words.

JOB OPENINGS

WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. job openings remain near the highest level in 13 years in July, and companies also stepped up hiring that month to the fastest pace in nearly seven years, two signs the job market is slowly healing. By Christopher S. Rugaber. SENT: 540 words, photo.

FINANCIAL MARKETS

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks slip slightly lower in midday trading, putting the market on track for its second loss in a row. By Ken Sweet. SENT: 550 words, photo. UPCOMING: 700 words by 5 p.m.

INDUSTRY:

TRUMP ENTERTAINMENT-BANKRUPTCY

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Trump Entertainment Resorts files for bankruptcy and threatens to shut down the Taj Mahal Casino Resort, which would make it the fifth casino to close this year. The company owns Trump Plaza, which is closing in a week, and the Taj Mahal, which has been experiencing cash-flow problems and had been trying to stave off a default with its lenders. The company said the Taj Mahal could close Nov. 13 if it doesn't win salary concessions from union workers. By Wayne Parry. SENT: 730 words, photo.

OIL EXPORTS-GASOLINE PRICES

A study commissioned by the Brookings Institution is the latest to suggest that exporting U.S. crude would lower the price at the gas pump by lowering global oil prices. U.S. refiners and some politicians oppose lifting the 1970s-era restrictions. By Jonathan Fahey. UPCOMING: 500 words by 3 p.m.

UPS PLANE CRASH

WASHINGTON — A fatal UPS cargo plane crash last year was caused by a series of pilot errors, a federal safety board concludes. Investigators said the pilots were likely suffering fatigue but more stringent work-hour regulations wouldn't have prevented the accident. Such tightened rules are being sought by the pilots' union and are being resisted by UPS. By Joan Lowy. SENT: 780 words, photo.

With:

— PILOTS-DRUGS — Tests of pilots killed in plane crashes over more than two decades show an increasing use of both legal and illegal drugs, including some that could impair flying, according to a draft study by the National Transportation Safety Board. SENT: 420 words.

WORLD TRADE CENTER-DEVELOPMENT

NEW YORK — Developer Larry Silverstein and other rebuilding officials discuss progress at the World Trade Center site. By Rachelle Blidner. UPCOMING: Developing from 3:30 news conference, 400 words by 6 p.m.

— NIKE-RICE VIDEO — Nike is severing its business ties to Ray Rice a day after he was let go by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL following the release of a video showing him striking his then-fiancee in February. SENT: 130 words.

— MCDONALD'S-SALES — McDonald's says a key global sales figure fell 3.7 percent in August, driven lower as the world's biggest hamburger chain's unit that includes the Asia-Pacific region dropped 14.5 percent due to a food-safety scandal in China. SENT: 410 words, photo.

— SWEDEN-IKEA — Ikea, the world's largest furniture retailer, says its sales are growing globally, with China now its fastest growing market. SENT: 130 words.

— GERMANY-LUFTHANSA STRIKE — A union representing Lufthansa's pilots say they will walk off the job at Munich airport for eight hours, preventing departures by Germany's biggest airline from its second-busiest airport. SENT: 140 words.

— DELPHI-CEO RETIRES — Auto parts maker Delphi Automotive says CEO Rodney O'Neal will retire on March 1 of next year.

CONGRESS-EXPORT-IMPORT BANK — Speaker John Boehner says the House will extend the authority of the Export-Import Bank this month and it may be done as part of a government-wide funding bill needed to prevent a shutdown at month's end. SENT: 370 words.

— MICRON CEO PLANE CRASH — Federal investigators say the likely causes of an airplane crash that killed Micron CEO Steve Appleton in 2012 are a reduction in engine power during takeoff and Appleton's ill-fated decision to turn around rather than make an emergency landing. SENT: 150 words. UPCOMING: Will be updated.

TECHNOLOGY & MEDIA:

ELECTRONIC ARTS-RICE VIDEO

NEW YORK — Video game publisher Electronic Arts is removing former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice from its recently released Madden NFL 15 title, the latest company to pull its support for the player. By Ken Sweet. SENT: 120 words. UPCOMING: Will be updated.

— EUROPE-GOOGLE — Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and a panel of experts held the first of seven public sessions to help the company define how it should enforce a new "Right to be Forgotten" under which Europeans can seek the removal of seemingly irrelevant or embarrassing search results. SENT: 330 words.

— JAPAN-RAKUTEN-EBATES — Rakuten Inc. says it plans to buy U.S. based cash-back site Ebates for $1 billion, part of a series of overseas acquisitions aimed at building what the Japanese e-commerce company says will be the "world's largest product line-up." SENT: 350 words.

INTERNATIONAL:

— CHINA-FOREIGN BUSINESS — Beijing needs to speed up economic reform and curb the dominance of state companies or risk an economic slowdown and a possible crisis, the biggest European business group in China says. SENT: 470 words.

— GREECE-PORTUGAL-BAILOUT — Portugal's prime minister says he supports Ireland's bid for an early pay back of bailout loans to the International Monetary Fund, but added his country could only take a similar initiative if market conditions further improved. SENT: 130 words, photos.

— POLAND-US-TRADE — Poland's Deputy Economy Minister says a mission she will lead to New York will seek deals in the food, gas and investment sectors. SENT: 140 words.

— IRAN-RUSSIA — Russian officials travel to Iran's capital to boost economic ties between the two countries. SENT: 120 words.

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CENTERPIECE

Euro woes

The falling euro is great news for U.S. tourists visiting Europe. Not so much for U.S. businesses. Consider Harman International, the Connecticut-based company that makes loudspeakers, in-dash navigators for automobiles and other equipment. It gets nearly a third of its revenue from Germany, more than it does from the United States. If Harman sells 1,000 euros of equipment in Germany to BMW today, it's worth $1,290 after translating it into dollars. But that's $25 less than those same 1,000 euros were worth just last Wednesday. UPCOMING: Graphic expected by 6 p.m.

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

Burlington raises outlook

Shares of Burlington Stores rise after the discount retailer boosted its full-year earnings outlook. UPCOMING: Graphic expected by 6 p.m.