International Business News - HI http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif A First Hawaiian Bank study predicts that Hawaii's economy will continue to deteriorate before an upward swing in 2010. The report by Hawaii Pacific University professor Leroy Laney was presented to an annual business forum. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081120/report-hawaiis-economy-headed-for-harder-times.htm Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:59:43 EST Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, fresh from an economic development trip to Asian nations, said Wednesday the rapport he and Gov. Linda Lingle were able to build during their excursions will help improve Hawaii's economy. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081120/aiona-asia-trips-will-improve-hawaiis-economy.htm Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:29:11 EST Hawaii's tax collections are falling with the economy. The state Department of Taxation reports that tax collections fell 1.4 percent from July through October compared to last year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081119/hawaiis-tax-collections-drop-as-tourism-slumps.htm Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:27:48 EST The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism believes financial conditions in U.S. and international markets will hit harder in Hawaii next year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081119/updated-forecast-sees-hawaiis-economy-slowing.htm Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:57:22 EST Japan's two largest airlines plan to slash the fuel surcharge on tickets between Japan and Hawaii by 34 percent starting Jan. 1. Hawaii tourism officials hope the move by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways will encourage more Japanese tourists to visit. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081118/japanese-airlines-plan-to-cut-fuel-surcharge.htm Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:13:15 EST The first South Korean tourists without visas are arriving in the United States. Sixteen South Korean visitors traveled to Hawaii on Monday under a new visa waiver program, which will allow people from the Asian nation to use a passport rather than a visa. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081117/korean-tourism-to-us-expected-to-jump.htm Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:50:59 EST Hawaii foreclosure filings tripled last month amid the ongoing economic downturn, research firm RealtyTrac said Thursday. There were 395 foreclosure filings in October, up from 131 the same month last year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081113/hawaii-foreclosures-to-triple-last-month.htm Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:26:31 EST Hawaiian Airlines is acquiring a third new widebody Airbus A330-200 aircraft to join two others announced two weeks ago. The company said it has negotiated delivery of two of the new aircraft in the second quarter of 2010. That would begin Hawaiian's transition to a new long-range fleet two years earlier than originally planned. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081113/hawaiian-airlines-adding-another-plane-to-fleet.htm Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:13:46 EST Hawaii health officials are warning consumers about Nestle Nesquik Strawberry Powder that may contain small fragments of aluminum. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that Nestle USA is voluntarily recalling its 21.8-ounce strawberry powder. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081111/nestle-strawberry-powder-recalled.htm Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:24:09 EST Construction jobs in Maui County have dropped 12 percent since March as the nation's financial crisis deepened and weighed on the housing market. A report by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization said Valley Isle construction jobs fell by more than 500, to 4,500. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081107/maui-construction-jobs-sink-12-percent.htm Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:49:23 EST Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona will be separately heading to five Asian nations next week to talk up Hawaii as a travel destination just as the state's tourism industry suffers a serious downturn. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081107/hawaiis-lingle-aiona-make-asia-trips-next-week.htm Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:19:46 EST The state agency that promotes tourism to Hawaii said Tuesday it would pay its disgraced former president more than $290,000, most as a "resignation payment," after he was heavily criticized for forwarding offensive e-mails to friends from his work computer. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081105/hawaii-tourism-authority-pays-ex-ceo-290-000.htm Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:02:10 EST Hawaiian Telcom Communications Inc. has postponed a $26 million interest payment, prompting Standard and Poor's to cut its credit rating to "D"--the agency's lowest rating. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081105/hawaiian-telcom-postpones-26m-interest-payment.htm Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:49:25 EST Gov. Linda Lingle said Thursday that state government and businesses are in for a tough 2009 because of the economic downturn that the Council on Revenues now predicts will decrease state tax revenues by another $75 million. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081031/lingle-predicts-difficult-2009-for-state-business.htm Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:25:37 EDT Hawaii will have to make even deeper budget cuts as its projected deficit increased by $75 million. The state Council on Revenues revised its forecast of general fund revenue growth Wednesday, adjusting it to negative 0.5 percent, down from 1 percent. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081030/hawaii-budget-deficit-increases-by-75-million.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:24:21 EDT Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is laying off 20 employees from its tourism-related business, one result of the decline in Hawaii tourism. State officials say 20 percent fewer visitors arrived in Hawaii in September than the same month last year. There has been a 9.3 percent drop in visitors so far this year compared to the same period last year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081028/september-tourism-arrivals-plummet-in-hawaii.htm Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:34:35 EDT Hawaii hospitals suffered operating losses of $150 million last year and expect the situation to worsen in the near future. "This has been sort of a tough year and it looks like we're headed into tougher times," said Richard Meiers, head of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii. "We've got a lot of challenges ahead of us." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081024/hawaii-hospitals-report-losses-of-150-million.htm Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:38:56 EDT More Hawaii homeowners than ever are finding they can't keep up with their mortgage payments. A monthly record 594 home foreclosures were logged in September, more than four times as many as in September 2007, California-based research firm RealtyTrac reported Thursday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081024/hawaii-foreclosures-increase-sharply-in-september.htm Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:35:47 EDT Hawaii gas prices plummeted to as low as $2.89 per gallon Tuesday at one chain, while prices everywhere else hovered about 90 cents higher on average. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081022/costco-slashes-hawaii-gas-prices-as-oil-costs-fall.htm Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:28:28 EDT Seventy years after his first ride on Hawaii surf, Mickey Mouse is finally coming back to the islands. Disney's plan for a Hawaii hotel complex unveiled Thursday is far from another Disneyland, both in distance and concept. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20081017/disney-unveils-plans-for-hawaii-resort-hotel.htm Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:23:52 EDT