News in brief

Little Rock-based CARTI loses $1.5M in second half of '17

CARTI recently reported a net loss of $1.5 million for the last six months of 2017, compared with $2.6 million in losses for the same period of 2016.

The numbers were filed with the Electronic Municipal Market Access system, as required of the nonprofit cancer-treatment center because of the $49 million in public bonds issued for construction of its new treatment center. The center, in west Little Rock, opened in November 2015 and cost $90 million.

CARTI, formerly known as Central Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute, reported total expenses, minus depreciation and bad debts, of $92.2 million. CARTI had budgeted those expenses at $86 million.

The center reported that oncology drugs cost $5.1 million more than was budgeted. It also reported a transfer of $1.5 million of investments to support operations.

CARTI hired a new chief executive officer, Adam Head, in September. In 2016, CARTI hired Berkeley Research Group, out of Baltimore, for a yearlong project in straightening out its books.

-- Stephen Steed

Library system, bank plan fiscal seminars

The Central Arkansas Library System and Arvest Bank are hosting a series of financial literacy classes to help promote personal fiscal responsibility.

The hourlong seminars are free and open to the public.

The sessions include a home-buying seminar at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Terry Library at 2015 Napa Valley Drive in Little Rock; two sessions of understanding credit, at 6 p.m. March 20 at the Dee Brown Library, 6325 Baseline Road in Little Rock, and 6:30 p.m. April 12 at the Terry Library; and basic banking at 6:30 p.m. March 29 at Maumelle Library at 10 Lake Pointe Drive.

More information is available by calling Tameka Lee at (501) 918-3048 or visiting CALS.org.

-- David Smith

Arkansas Index dips 0.66, ends at 415.23

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, dropped 0.66 to 415.23 Monday.

"After four days of declining, stocks rallied on higher oil prices and investors viewing tariff threats as a U.S. negotiating tactic and not a done deal," said Chris Harkins, managing director with Raymond James & Associates in Little Rock.

P.A.M. Transportation shares rose 5.9 percent on Monday.

Shares of USA Truck fell 6.7 percent.

Total volume for the index was 28.9 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 03/06/2018

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