Dow swings 425 points, ends day slightly lower

Stocks swung from gains to losses and almost back again on Tuesday.

The U.S. market opened the day higher, getting a boost from encouraging news on hiring and small-business confidence. The market then swooned in the afternoon as oil closed lower. The pendulum then swung back late in the day as oil gained in after-hours trading and stocks ended with small losses.

From peak to trough, the Dow Jones industrial average swung 425 points.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index eased 5.23 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,023.03. The Dow fell 27.16 points, or 0.15 percent, to 17,613.68. The Nasdaq composite slipped 3.21 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 4,661.50.

Jay credit union returns $435,000 to its members

For the 10th consecutive year, Otis Federal Credit Union in Jay returned more than $435,000 in interest refunds and bonus dividends to its more than 10,000 members. On New Year’s Day, the credit union gave back 10 percent of the interest paid on loans in 2014, and paid a 10 percent bonus on earned dividends, according to a release from the credit union.

“We are owned and operated by and for our members; they are why we exist and, in the true spirit of cooperatives, they are the ones who should share in the success of their organization,” said Roland Poirier, president and CEO of the credit union.

Job openings rise 2.9%, most since January 2001

The rapid hiring that made 2014 a stellar year for job gains shows no sign of slowing down.

U.S. employers advertised the most job openings in nearly 14 years in November, the Labor Department said Tuesday. That suggests businesses are determined to keep adding staff because they are confident strong economic growth will create more demand for their goods and services.

Job openings rose 2.9 percent to 4.97 million in November, the most since January 2001. More job vacancies generally lead to more hiring.

In April, Aetna will raise minimum wage to $16

Aetna Inc., the nation’s third-largest health insurer, said it would increase its minimum wage to $16 an hour in April.

The move would boost the pay of about 5,700 workers, according to the company.

The average minimum-wage employee will see a pay increase of 11 percent.

Beginning in 2016, the Hartford, Conn., insurer also plans to cover more of the health care costs of 7,000 workers.