Electric cars

US regulators looking into Tesla suspension problems

The nation’s top auto safety regulator said Thursday that it was looking into a series of suspension failures involving Model S luxury cars made by Tesla Motors, and that it had warned the company to refrain from encouraging customers not to report safety concerns. The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, learned that at least some Tesla customers who experienced suspension failures were asked to sign confidentiality agreements about the issue, an agency spokesman, Bryan Thomas, said in a statement. Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The safety regulator is examining the Model S suspension — the springs, joints, and other components that connect a car to its wheels — for possible defects that could be causing premature failures. — NEW YORK TIMES

FINANCE

Lawyer says his client just wasn’t that bright

The lawyer for former Barclays Plc trader Jonathan Mathew said his client only had “average intelligence’’ and asked jurors to separate him from better educated co-defendants accused of manipulating benchmark rates. “Truth be told, Jonathan Mathew is no mathematical genius, he’s not a brilliant man, nor was he cherry picked by Barclays’’ from a premier school, the lawyer, Bill Clegg, said in his closing argument Thursday in London. “The danger is you just lump him in with the others.’’ The speech came toward the end of a two-month trial in which Mathew is accused with fellow ex-traders Alex Pabon, Stylianos Contogoulas, Jay Merchant, and Ryan Reich of conspiring to fix the London interbank offered rate, a benchmark tied to trillions of dollars in securities and loans, between 2005 and 2007. Another former trader, Peter Johnson, has pleaded guilty to the charge. Mathew’s lawyer reminded the jury how his client rose through the ranks after joining Barclays at the age of 19 without attending university. That’s in contrast to the other defendants who have degrees from prestigious colleges, including Princeton University. — BLOOMBERG

MORTGAGES

Rates fall after three weeks of increases

Long-term US mortgage rates fell this week after three straight weeks of increases. The drop followed a surprisingly weak employment report that deepened doubts about the economy. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage slipped to 3.60 percent from 3.66 percent last week. That is well below its level a year ago of 4.04 percent. The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages declined to 2.87 percent from 2.92 percent. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

ENTERTAINMENT

The circus welcomes tech under the big top

Now that Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus has retired its iconic elephants, executives under the big top say they must do more to draw a younger generation of fans, many of whom are glued to their smartphones and screens. So Feld Entertainment, the company that owns the circus, is rolling out an app along with a new space-themed show. The app allows people to take circus-themed selfies that will be broadcast live during the show and can be shared on social media. Users also can play games, buy tickets, and interact with performers once inside the stadium or tent. Users also earn points and compete against others. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

UNEMPLOYMENT

Fewer seek benefits

Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, a sign that employers are hanging on to workers despite a sluggish economy. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment aid fell by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 264,000. The less volatile four-week average dropped by 7,500 to 269,500. Weekly jobless claims have come in below the historically low level of 300,000 for 66 straight weeks, the longest such streak since 1973. The total number of people collecting unemployment benefits slipped below 2.1 million last week to the lowest level since 2000; it’s down 7.5 percent from a year ago. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

AVIATION

Air France cancels flights as pilots plan to strike

Air France will cancel about a quarter of all flights on Saturday after pilot unions rejected the airline’s latest proposals for ending a labor dispute, hampering travel for fans attending the 2016 European soccer championship in the country. Air France-KLM Group’s French arm will only operate 70 percent to 80 percent of scheduled services on Saturday, the start of what pilots have said may be a four-day strike. Management and unions have been meeting for days in an effort to avert a walkout. With no agreement seen soon, the airline is preparing passengers for cancellations less than 48 hours before the strike is set to begin. The work stoppage, the second by the Paris-based airline’s pilots in two years, prompted the carrier’s KLM sister brand to take the unprecedented step of publicly criticizing it as “destructive.’’ The strike is scheduled to start a day after the Euro 2016 opening game on Friday between France and Romania. The tournament’s final is slated for July 10 in Paris. — BLOOMBERG

HOME DELIVERY

Amazon to deliver groceries in London, a first outside the US

Amazon.com Inc. is joining the fray in one of the world’s most cutthroat grocery markets. The e-commerce giant said Thursday its Amazon Fresh food delivery business will now be available to users of its Prime membership plan in central and east London, the first time the service has been offered outside the United States. Customers will be able to order from a catalog of about 130,000 items, including those of major brands as well as independent local producers. Same-day delivery will be available, allowing shoppers to order at lunchtime for a delivery as soon as 5 p.m. the same evening. — BLOOMBERG

BENEFITS

Buffalo school board eliminates cosmetic surgery benefit from teachers’ contract

The Buffalo school board has voted to do away with a cosmetic surgery benefit for teachers. As part of next year’s budget, board members voted Wednesday night to eliminate a health insurance rider that covers procedures such as chemical peels. The board instead earmarked the $5 million budget item for teacher salaries. The cosmetic surgery rider has been in place for decades. It remains part of a teachers’ contract that expired in 2004 but is still in effect because the district and teachers haven’t been able to agree on a new contract. The union has said it’s willing to give up the rider as part of a new agreement. — ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUTOMOTIVE

German prosecutors investigate VW manager for impeding emissions probe

German prosecutors said Thursday that they were investigating whether a Volkswagen manager encouraged employees to destroy or remove documents last year, shortly before the Environmental Protection Agency publicly accused the carmaker of illegally manipulating US emissions tests. Volkswagen employees have told investigators that a person in a supervisory position sent clear signals in August 2015 that they should remove evidence. While the person wasn’t explicit, “everyone understood,’’ said Klaus Ziehe, a spokesman for the state’s attorney in Braunschweig, Germany. The investigation, previously reported by several German news organizations, could raise the stakes for Volkswagen, which is already under intense scrutiny by authorities in the United States, Germany, and other countries. — NEW YORK TIMES