GASOLINE
Prices at the pump fall
Drivers are breathing a sigh of relief in Massachusetts. The price of gasoline in the state is down 3 cents this week. AAA Northeast said Monday its weekly survey found self-serve regular selling for an average of $2.84 per gallon, a decrease from $2.87. That’s 1 cent below the national average of $2.85. The average price of gasoline in Massachusetts is 66 cents higher than it was a year ago. AAA found regular gas in the state selling for as low as $2.69 per gallon to as high as $2.96. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
ENVIRONMENT
Seattle bans plastic straws
Looking for a straw to sip your soda? It’s no longer allowed in Seattle bars and restaurants. Neither are plastic utensils, in a push to reduce marine plastic pollution. Businesses that sell food or drinks won’t be allowed to offer the plastic items under a rule that went into effect Sunday. The Seattle Times reported that it’s believed to be the first major US city to ban single-use plastic straws and utensils in food service. Seattle Public Utilities said a 2008 ordinance has phased out various plastic products from the food industry. Businesses can use compostable utensils, straws, and cocktail picks. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
INVESTMENTS
Vanguard to drop commissions on most exchange-traded funds
The cost of investing keeps dropping. Vanguard said Monday it will stop charging commissions to trade most of its competitors’ exchange-traded funds. Vanguard currently allows customers to make online trades of 77 of its own ETFs without commissions. Now, it plans to extend the practice to nearly 1,800 ETFs from BlackRock, Charles Schwab, State Street Global Advisors, and other rivals in August. Karin Risi, director of Vanguard’s retail investor group, said some ETFs won’t be included, such as those that use borrowed money to supercharge their returns and others Vanguard considers not suited for long-term investors. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
ONLINE
Yelp doesn’t have to remove posts against law firm
Online review site Yelp.com cannot be ordered to remove posts against a San Francisco law firm that a judge determined were defamatory, a divided California Supreme Court ruled Monday in a closely watched case that Internet companies warned could be used to silence online speech. In a 4-3 opinion, justices agreed, saying removal orders such as the one attorney Dawn Hassell obtained against Yelp ‘‘could interfere with and undermine the viability of an online platform.’’ — ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANUFACTURING
Factories expanded at a fast pace in June
American factories expanded at an unexpectedly fast pace in June, another sign of strength for US industry. But US manufacturing will have to contend in coming months with uncertainty over trade and a strengthening dollar. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchase managers, said its manufacturing index rose last month to 60.2. That’s the highest level since February and up from 58.7 in May. Anything over 50 signals growth, and US factories are on a 22-month winning streak. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
RETAIL
Big European supermarket chains team up
Tesco and Carrefour, two of Europe’s biggest supermarket chains, are teaming up to wring better deals out of suppliers as traditional retailers battle increased competition from Internet traders. The two companies on Monday announced plans to form a ‘‘long-term strategic alliance’’ that will govern relations with global suppliers and include joint purchasing of the stores’ own-brand goods. The tie-up comes as even the biggest retailers come under intense pressure from Internet rivals, with convenience and low prices persuading more people to shop online through sites like Amazon. Carrefour, France’s biggest supermarket chain, has more than 12,300 stores in 30 countries, and British giant Tesco has 6,800 outlets in eight countries. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUTOMOBILES
Tesla officially tops 5,000 Model 3s in week
Tesla Inc. made 5,031 lower-priced Model 3 electric cars during the last week of June, surpassing its often-missed goal of 5,000 per week. But the company still only managed to crank out an average of 2,198 per week for the quarter. Tesla reported making 28,578 Model 3s from April through June, according to its quarterly production release on Monday. The Model 3, which starts at $35,000, is the key to turning Tesla from a niche maker of expensive electric cars to a profitable, mass-market automaker. The company badly needs cash from the compact cars to deliver on CEO Elon Musk’s promise to post a net profit and positive cash flow in the third and fourth quarters. The company has had only two profitable quarters in its 15-year history. To hit the 5,000-per-week mark, Tesla had to erect a fourth assembly line under a tent outside its Fremont, Calif., factory, and Musk had to spend nights in the plant working out bugs with automation and other problems. The company now says it expects to hit 6,000 Model 3s per week by late August, with its Model 3 assembly line under the plant’s roof reaching 5,000 on its own. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
RETAIL
Macy’s to open about 60 Bluemercury stores
Macy’s Inc., pleased so far with the performance of Bluemercury, is pushing for more. The cosmetics brand, acquired by Macy’s for $210 million in 2015, will open about 60 new standalone stores through 2019 — maintaining the chain’s expansion pace. More will open inside existing Macy’s locations, underscoring how Bluemercury has become a key part of the department store’s strategy to defend its turf from online competitors and the rise of chains such as Ulta Beauty Inc. and Sephora. The growth will bring Bluemercury’s store count to about 220. Most of the locations will be in areas where the brand doesn’t already have a presence, according to cofounder Barry Beck. He highlighted smaller cities and towns such as Raleigh, N.C., Corona Del Mar, Calif., and Jupiter, Fla. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
SOCIAL MEDIA
Uganda imposes tax on users of social media
A new tax on social media has taken effect in Uganda, angering many who see the revenue measure as an attack on free speech. A tax on users of sites such as Facebook was first proposed by longtime leader Yoweri Museveni, who complained of online gossip in a March letter that urged the finance minister to raise money ‘‘to cope with the consequences.’’ In addition to the usual data fees, social media users now must pay upfront a daily levy equivalent to about 5 cents to access everything from WhatsApp to Twitter. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
GOVERNMENT
Hawaii bans sunscreen that contains chemicals harmful to coral reefs
From Banana Boat to Coppertone, major sunscreen brands will soon have to revamp their products or stop selling them in Hawaii. State lawmakers passed legislation in May that would ban skin-care companies from selling and distributing sunscreens on the islands that contain two chemicals deemed damaging to coral reefs. The bill is opposed by various companies and business associations and even some dermatologists, who worry that the ban may discourage people from wearing sunscreen at all. But Governor David Ige, a Democrat, is expected to sign the bill this week, making Hawaii the first state to enact legislation designed to protect marine ecosystems by banning such sunscreens. The bill, SB 2571, states that the chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate, ‘‘have significant harmful impacts on Hawaii’s marine environment and residing ecosystems.’’ — WASHINGTON POST
