We're quickly closing the books on 2021 and some folks are saying it can't come soon enough. What a year. Thanks for being with us and here's what we've got for you in the business news headlines:

• Armed guards in Midwestern grocery stores;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

As we wind down 2021 Wall Street is seeing light trading but still some healthy gains. Thanks for coming by for the business news headlines for today. Here's what we've got for you today:

• The Dow hit another positive session and why;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

We're clearly on the downward drive of 2021 but still there is always breaking news from the world of business. Today we'll start out talking about the Santa Rally and some surprising news from Apple.  Let's go:

• The Santa Rally stalled and why;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Welcome back and we hope you had a meaningful Christmas Weekend. Us? We were here sharing some of the best long-form business interviews of the past several years and doing our Sunday Business Week in Review on News/Talk 1540 KXEL in Iowa. No rest for the wicked...huh?  Here's what we have for you today:

• Strong retail data out moved the markets;

Those stories plus we climb into our Way-Back Machine to listen to a remarkable conversation about getting consumers "emotionally engaged" with your product or service. My guest is Gabor George Burt and we'll dig deep into how to make this happen and why it's important for your business. To listen, just click here. 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Several years ago we sat down with author and lecturer Gabor George Burt to chat it up about his book Slingshot and how businesses can get consumers emotionally attached to their product and service. While all of this deals with building solid relationships and sounds easy...there is a method. This piece aired this past Sunday on News/Talk 1540 KXEL in case you missed it.  Step into our Way-Back Machine for this conversation: 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Yes, we're on it even on Christmas Eve. Here Jeff Pitts the managing editor of Cityview Magazine is in to chat it up about a host of things going on mostly next week. But there are still light shows to see tonight and then some Iowa Wild Hockey next week. Some Drake games some trivia and the Bucs hit the ice as well. It's Friday Fun even on Christmas Eve. Enjoy and have a great Christmas. 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

The business news headlines kick off with a sobering statistic on this the day before Christmas Eve. Thanks for being with us. A programing note: The markets are closed tomorrow (Friday) and so, sorta, are we. However we'll be posting up some long form business interviews that you can listen to as you make your way to Grandmother's House.  For today:

• A sobering statistic about the U.S. life expectancy;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

There was plenty of positive business news today as we edge ever closer to the Christmas holiday.  And, a programing note: Because the markets are closed on Friday we'll also be taking a breather BUT...watch out Twitter Feed as we'll be loading up with plenty of great long-form business interviews some several years old but still interesting stories. For today:

• The FDA did something big today;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

It was a dramatic reversal on Wall Street today as the major averages all surged higher. Why? Two strong reasons. Also some new rules for employers and we'll tackle that story first. Thanks for being with us again today.

• Got 100+ employees? The Labor Department has a message;

Thanks for listening! 

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Welcome back to the Monday before Christmas 2021. It will be a shorter week of trading on Wall Street and today the markets tanked yet again. Here's what we've got for you today:

• What prompted the sell off today;

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.