Poll: Fans to spend $14B on Super Bowl
Consumers will spend $14.1 billion to watch Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation.
The retail trade organization's estimates spending will be down from about a year ago, when consumers devoted $15.5 billion for the game. It is the first dip in Super Bowl spending since 2010.
The survey said 79.5 percent of Super Bowl-related spending will be on food and beverages, while 10.7 percent will go toward team apparel or accessories. Decorations (7.7 percent), televisions (7.7 percent) and furniture (3.3 percent) are also planned purchases.
The survey, which was conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics and asked 7,591 consumers about their plans, also estimated that 188.5 million viewers will watch Sunday's Super Bowl.
-- Robbie Neiswanger
Oil-firm Vanguard files for bankruptcy
A Texas oil and natural gas business that owns reserves in the Arkoma Basin in Arkansas has filed for bankruptcy protection, the firm said Thursday.
Vanguard Natural Resources LLC, a publicly traded firm based in Houston, voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Scott Smith, the firm's chief executive officer, said Vanguard was affected by depressed commodity prices over the past two years.
After the announcement, Vanguard closed at 37 cents a share Thursday, down more than 62 percent, in trading on the Nasdaq exchange. About 30 million shares were traded, more than 10 times its average volume.
Vanguard purchased assets in the Arkoma Basin in Arkansas and Oklahoma for $434 million in 2012.
-- David Smith
Index surges 5.20 with P.A.M. in lead
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, climbed 5.20 to 362.97 Friday.
All but four stocks gained ground.
P.A.M. Transportation jumped 5.6 percent in light trading.
Home BancShares rose 3.8 percent on low volume.
For the week, winners and losers were evenly divided.
Acxiom rose 7.8 percent for the week.
USA Truck fell 8.8 percent for the week.
Total volume for the index was 25 million shares. The average daily volume for the week was 24.7 million shares.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 02/04/2017