TODAY'S HEADLINES | APRIL 18, 2012

First Community Corp. boosts Q1 profit 40%

The Lexington-based holding company for First Community Bank reported net income for the first quarter of 2012 rose 40% to $799,000, compared to $570,000 in the year-earlier quarter. Total assets and loans decreased, but total deposits grew for the quarter.

Westinghouse pioneers welding process in Hartsville

Westinghouse Electric Co. has been awarded a contract to apply the Underwater Laser Beam Welding process at Progress Energy's Robinson Nuclear Plant in Hartsville. The process results in a shorter implementation schedule, among other benefits, the company said.

Q1 foreclosure activity down nationally, up for S.C.

South Carolina saw increased foreclosure activity, while national numbers for the first quarter were down to the lowest point since the fourth quarter of 2007. Low national numbers may be hiding the future wave of high foreclosure activity, according to RealtyTrac.

USC hosts financial workshop for women

A free money management skills workshop is set for 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The workshop will be held at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia. It is limited to the first 30 registered participants.

Ports authority board briefed on port’s business

The S.C. State Ports Authority board heard a detailed report on the port’s business, the impact of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project and a state bill that would add the Charleston Harbor deepening project to the state’s capital improvement bonds.

Port sees highest monthly container volume since 2008

The S.C. State Ports Authority handled roughly 77,000 pier containers in March, the highest monthly volume it has had since October 2008. CEO Jim Newsome said the statistic is a push toward the authority’s goal to get container volumes to the levels of fiscal year 2008, when the ports authority logged roughly 972,000 pier containers.