Stocks fall…So do McDonald’s sales…Trump casinos file Ch. 11

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are lower in early trading on Wall Street, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 index back below 2,000 points. Home Depot shares fell after the company confirmed that its payment systems had been hacked, potentially exposing millions of shoppers who used credit and debit cards at its stores. Annie’s soared after the maker of rabbit-shaped mac and cheese agreed to be acquired by General Mills.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald’s says a key global sales figure fell 3.7 percent in August. The unit that includes the Asia-Pacific region dropped 14.5 percent due to a food-safety scandal in China. In the U.S., the sales metric fell 2.8 percent. It dipped 0.7 percent in Europe.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Trump Entertainment Resorts has filed for bankruptcy and threatened to close the Taj Mahal Casino resort in November if it can’t get concessions from its unions. The company filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, today, saying it has liabilities of more than $100 million and assets of no more than $50,000. The firm runs two Atlantic City casinos, the Trump Taj Mahal and the soon-to-close Trump Plaza. The bankruptcy is the fourth for the company or its corporate predecessors.

DETROIT (AP) — A man’s complaint that his Chrysler minivan stalled unexpectedly after refueling has brought an inquiry from U.S. safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will look into the problem that could affect 160,000 Dodge Grand Caravan minivans from 2007 and other model years. The agency says it will study how often the problem happens and whether it occurs in other similarly equipped minivans.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are saving more than ever for college, but the average amount still doesn’t come close to getting a person a degree. The College Savings Plans Network says the average college savings or prepaid tuition account known as a “529” plan is now worth about $20,671. That’s almost double what these accounts were worth during the dog-days of the recession. But the group says that would only cover the first year at a public college or university.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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