AP Business SummaryBrief at 10:30 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a solid 236,000 jobs in March, suggesting that the economy remains on solid footing despite the nine interest rate hikes the Federal Reserve has imposed over the past year in its drive to tame inflation. The unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, just above the 53-year low of 3.4% set in January. At the same time, some of the details of Friday’s report from the Labor Department raised the possibility that inflationary pressures might be easing and that the Fed might soon decide to pause its rate hikes. Average hourly wages were up 4.2% from 12 months earlier, down sharply from a 4.6% year-over-year increase in February.

As streamers cut costs, TV shows — and residuals — vanish

Over the past few months, many streaming companies have started eliminating some of their own shows from their library. It helps save the companies money but brings criticism that they are sidelining marginalized voices, shortchanging creatives out of already slimmer residual paychecks and offering fewer options to customers. These issues have increased tension between executives and writers ahead of union contract negotiations that could lead to a significant work stoppage this spring. Streaming companies say they never promised that shows would live forever. In a hyper-competitive, changing market, they say, each streamer is trying to balance ample offerings with sheer survival.

Yields, expectations for rate hike rise after jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) — Yields finished higher in a shortened trading day for the U.S. bond market following a highly anticipated report on the job market. The U.S. stock market was closed in observance of Good Friday, as were many markets across Europe. That left the U.S. bond market as one of the few open to react to the latest jobs update, which showed hiring slowed more than expected but remained resilient last month. Not only did Treasury yields rise, so did bets for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in May at its next meeting. The 10-year yield climbed to 3.40%.

US probes crash involving Tesla that hit student leaving bus

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. road safety regulators have sent a team to investigate a crash involving a Tesla that may have been using a partially automated driving system when it struck a student who had just exited a school bus. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Friday it will probe the March 15 crash in Halifax County, North Carolina, that injured the 17-year-old student. The State Highway Patrol says the driver of Tesla Model Y failed to stop for the bus, which was displaying all of its activated warning devices. Sending special investigation teams to crashes means that the agency suspects the Tesla was operating on systems that can handle some aspects of driving. Tesla says these are driver-assist systems and that drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.

Tesla cuts prices on all models, 3rd cut this year

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla cut prices on its entire U.S. electric vehicle model lineup for the third time this year in an apparent effort to lure more buyers amid rising interest rates. The cuts that appeared Friday on Tesla’s website ranged from $5,000 per vehicle for Tesla’s slower-selling more expensive models, the S large sedan and the X big SUV. The company lopped $2,000 off the price of the Y small SUV, its most popular model, and added a lower-cost dual-motor version priced at $49,990. The 3 small sedan saw a $1,000 price cut. The moves come as Tesla’s first-quarter sales grew 36% but fell short of analysts’ expectations.

Washington shutters pot businesses due to old pesticide

SEATTLE (AP) — Cannabis regulators have halted operations at several outdoor pot farms and processing facilities on a stretch of former fruit orchards in north-central Washington state. Testing found high levels of chemicals related to a dangerous pesticide used decades ago. The sweeping action announced Thursday night has renewed concerns about pesticides in marijuana. It also has put dozens of people at least temporarily out of work. The businesses are in an area where fruit growers used the cancer-causing pesticide DDT before the U.S. banned it in 1972. Officials are working to identify any products the tainted marijuana was used in. They have asked the affected companies to issue recalls.

Regulators say railroads must examine how they build trains

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say railroads need to re-examine how they assemble their trains. The call comes after string of derailments in recent years that were partly caused by the way empty and loaded cars were mixed together with locomotives. Heavy cars at the back of a train can push and pull against empty cars in the middle of a train as it goes over hills and around corners. Those forces have become more of a problem as the industry increasingly relies on longer trains with a mix of all kinds of freight aboard. The Federal Railroad Administration cited six derailments since 2021 where those forces were a factor.

FAA says leaky faucets are a safety problem on Boeing 787s

Boeing has had several production problems with its 787 Dreamliner planes over the last couple of years, and now you can add leaky lavatory faucets to the list. Federal regulators say it’s a safety issue because the water can get into electronic equipment bays and damage critical parts. The Federal Aviation Administration proposed Friday to order airlines to conduct repetitive inspections under lavatory floors, and if necessary, replace faucet assemblies. The inspections would apply to 140 planes in U.S. fleets. Airlines use the Boeing 787 on longer flights including many international ones. Boeing has struggled with production flaws with the planes.

City to pay $500K to settle bikini barista dress code suit

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A legal battle over a dress code for bikini baristas at coffee stands is ending after a city north of Seattle agreed to pay $500,000 to the owner and employees who sued over it six years ago. The Daily Herald reports that the Everett City Council voted this week to authorize the settlement agreement with Jovanna Edge and employees. Plaintiffs had been seeking over $3 million in damages and attorney fees. Under the agreement, the city will no longer dictate that baristas wear at least tank tops and shorts and will align dress code rules with an existing lewd conduct standard that makes it a crime to publicly expose too much of one’s private parts.

IRS pledges more audits of wealthy, better customer service

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is outlining how it plans to use an infusion of $80 billion for improved operations. The agency is pledging to invest in new technology, hire more customer service representatives and expand its ability to audit high-wealth taxpayers. The money comes from the Democrats’ landmark climate change and health care bill that was signed by President Joe Biden last summer. Some Republicans have suggested, without evidence, that the money would help create a mob of armed auditors to harass middle-class taxpayers. But new IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel says the plan won’t include spending for new agents with guns.