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1. McWhinney acquires Thompson Denver
Colorado-based real estate investor and developer McWhinney acquired the 216-room Thompson Denver for an undisclosed price, Mile High CRE reports. The luxury hotel opened in February 2022 and was previously owned by T2 Development, according to CoStar data.
“Thompson Denver is an ideal addition to growing our portfolio of lifestyle hotels in Denver,” said Omar Palacios, chief hospitality officer at McWhinney. “From upgrading and relaunching The Crawford at Union Station to the ground-up development and construction of The Maven at Dairy Block, McWhinney has a proven track record of elevating locations and continually investing in and improving the quality of Denver’s hospitality offerings."
2. One-third of Ireland loses power due to storm
The New York Times reports that a third of Ireland is without power after a powerful storm swept through with record-breaking winds. A gust of wind was recorded at 114 mph in western Ireland, breaking an Irish record set in 1945.
Storm Éowyn is also affecting travel across Ireland, Scotland and northern England, the newspaper reports.
Ireland's National Transport Authority suspended all public transport on Friday, and English train company Northern Rail is urging people to avoid traveling on Friday and Saturday. Hundreds of flights were also grounded on Friday across Ireland and Britain.
3. Hotel designers incorporate Pantone's color of the year
Pantone's color of the year for 2025 is Mocha Mousse, a warm, soft brown color. Hotel designers said they often use Pantone's yearly selection by integrating it into accent walls, upholstery, throw pillows or decor items, HNN contributor Laura Koss-Feder reports.
"Following trends is important, but we look at the long-term and how we can bring our brands to life in a way that speaks to guests and provides owners with a beautiful and profitable space," said David Kellam, vice president of architecture design and construction at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. "Color of the year trends are indicative of what the greater population is looking for, and over the last several years we’ve seen hotels gravitate towards earthy tones like Mocha Mousse because they elicit calming effects for guests."
4. Bank of Japan hikes interest rates
The Bank of Japan increased interest rates on Friday by a quarter point to 0.5%, the highest level since 2008, the New York Times reports. This was the third interest rate hike in under a year, the most since 1989.
Economists believe a tightening monetary policy could help the country in the long term.
“There were many areas of inefficiency and a world with inflation brings those out into the open,” said Ayako Fujita, the chief economist at JPMorgan Securities Japan.
Raising interest rates was in some ways like “opening Pandora’s box,” she said, “but ultimately we believe Japan will be left with new, more productive economic growth.”
5. US unemployment claims continue to rise
Applications for U.S. jobless claims rose this past week as the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits is at its highest level in more than three years, the Associated Press reports.
Applications increased by 6,000 to 223,000 for the week ending Jan. 18, according to the Labor Department. This was more than the 219,000 that analysts projected, the AP reports.