Passenger traffic up
at LR airport in July
Passenger traffic at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field climbed 8.65 percent in July compared with the same month in 2017.
A total of 207,879 passengers went through the state's largest airport last month compared with 191,325 in July a year ago, according to the latest data from Clinton National.
The increase was more than double the 4.08 percent jump in passenger traffic the airport saw in June and the largest increase since April, when passenger traffic rose 6.72 percent.
The airport saw 1,223,317 passengers in the first eight months of 2018, a 3.41 increase compared with the same period last year when 1,182,945 passed through the airport.
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport at Highfill also continues to enjoy robust passenger traffic in 2018.
It reported 147,265 passengers in July, a 14.16 percent jump. For the year, Northwest Arkansas Regional has seen 897,523 passengers, or 7.4 percent more than in the same period in 2017.
-- Noel Oman
Walmart teams up
with insurer on plan
Walmart Inc. and health insurer Anthem Inc. will partner to let customers on Anthem's Medicare Advantage plans buy over-the-counter drugs from the retailer's stores and website at reduced costs.
Starting in January, shoppers can use their plan allowances to buy over-the-counter medications and health-related items such as first-aid supplies, support braces and pain relievers.
Indianapolis-based Anthem said in a news release Monday that the initiative will reduce out-of-pocket costs for senior citizens and make over-the-counter drugs and services more accessible.
"We believe that programs like this can make a tremendous difference for healthcare consumers who often live on a fixed income or are managing chronic medical conditions," Felicia Norwood, president of Anthem's government business division, said in the release.
Sean Slovenski, senior vice president of health and wellness for Walmart's U.S. division, said in the release that the Bentonville-based retailer "is committed to making healthcare more affordable and accessible."
-- Serenah McKay
Arkansas Index rises
2.28, ends at 460.96
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, hit a record intraday trading high of 461.69 before closing up 2.28 Monday at 460.96.
All but three Arkansas Index stocks gained ground.
"The major U.S. stock market indexes moved higher on Monday as tensions appear to have eased over United States and China trade talks," said Chris Harkins, managing director with Raymond James & Associates in Little Rock.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 08/21/2018