Wednesday’s business headlines

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here’s a look at Wednesday’s business headlines.

Rent

Indianapolis has seen some of the biggest increases in rent in the nation.

Real Page says the year-over-year gain is more than 13%.

The average rent in the third quarter locally with $1,053 a month.

College

College enrollment was supposed to bounce back this fall.

Instead, more students opted out.

In fact, college enrollment notched the largest two-year decline in 50 years.

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center says the number of undergraduate students in college is now down 6.5% compared to two years ago.

Experts blame COVID and the high cost of college.

United Airlines

United Airlines says unvaccinated pilots cost the airline $700,000 a week.

That’s to provide paid leave for unvaccinated pilots.

United said an extension of a temporary restraining order would “impose irreparable and significant harm on United. It would also be unfair to United’s vaccinated employees.”

Cigarette

Cigarette sales in the U.S. climbed last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first annual increase in two decades.

The FTC says major manufacturers sold 203.7 billion cigarettes in 2020.

The theory is that Americans took to smoking amid the stresses of the pandemic lockdowns.