Bumbo Baby Seats recalled after skull fractures reported

About 4 million Bumbo Baby Seats are being recalled after nearly two dozen reports of infant skull fractures. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says babies can wiggle out of the floor seats. About 1 million of the molded foam seats were recalled in October 2007 for additional warning labels against placing the Bumbo seats on raised surfaces, such as tables or kitchen counters.

Since the first recall, CPSC and Bumbo International of South Africa have learned of at least 50 incidents in which babies fell from Bumbo seats while they were being used on raised surfaces. CPSC says another 34 babies fell from the seats while they were being used on the floor or at an unknown elevation. In all, there were 21 reports of skull fractures to infants.

Consumers are asked to stop using the seats and contact Bumbo for a free repair kit that includes a restraint belt and instructions on how to safely use the seat. The repair kit can be ordered by visiting www.recall.BumboUSA.com or calling (866) 898-4999.

The Bumbo floor seats were sold at Babies R Us, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from August 2003 through August 2012.

Retailer Ikea to start chain of budget hotels in Europe

Best known for its budget flat-pack furniture, Scandinavian retailer Ikea is planning to launch a chain of budget hotels in 100 locations across Europe.

The first two hotels are expected to open in Germany in 2014. Other locations earmarked for hotels include Belgium, the Netherlands, the Nordic countries, Britain and Poland.

“We’re aiming to spread all over Europe,” said Harald Muller, a Brussels-based business development manager of Inter Ikea’s property division. Although the chain won’t use Ikea’s name or furniture, it will engrain the Ikea philosophy of “good quality at a reasonable price,” he said.

“Aside from that, guests won’t really recognize Ikea in it at all,” he said, but the hotels will have a Scandinavian “feel” because the interior will be made by Nordic designers.

Sales of Ford vehicles fall as Europe economies struggle

Ford Motor Co.’s problems in Europe are worsening because of the region’s faltering economy.

The company said Thursday that auto industry sales in the region through July were the lowest in 17 years as automakers battled for sales in a declining market.

Ford sold 83,100 vehicles last month in 19 European countries, down 12.3 percent from a year earlier. For the first seven months of the year, sales were down 10.6 percent.

Total industry sales fell 7.1 percent through July, the lowest level since 1995, Ford said.

Dollar falls against the euro amid mixed signs from U.S.

The dollar fell against the euro Thursday after jobs and housing data painted a mixed picture of the U.S. economy.

The euro rose to $1.2362 in late trading Thursday from $1.2290 late Wednesday. The British pound rose to $1.5740 from $1.5687.

The dollar fell to 0.9717 Swiss franc from 0.9773 Swiss franc. The dollar rose to 79.25 Japanese yen from 78.88 yen.

— From news service reports

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