• Pre-Christmas sales indicate consumers feel good about the economy.

That’s the finding of a University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment.

It beat economists’ expectations of a drop in December.

• The net worth of US households rose to record highs in July, August and September.

Economists credited higher property and stock prices as families’ wealth rose 1.9% or $2.07 trillion to $109.04 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. No details were given of how that wealth is distributed between households.

• Poverty rates shrank as median-household income improved, according to the latest 5-year Census Bureau estimate. The poverty rate fell to 14.6% in the years 2013 through 2017, compared with 14.9% in 2008-2012. The improvement occurred during the longest economic expansion ever and the previous figures were while the economy was in the 2007-2009 recession.

• Hiring has slowed but November pay growth matched the highest rate in almost 10 years and joblessness remains low. The US Labor Department said payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 155,000 in November and unemployment remained at 3.7% .

Employers added 12,000 fewer jobs than previously estimated yet hired an average of 206,000 people a month.

Have drugs, will travel

Before long, you may not have to leave home unless you need to go to work.

Everybody seems to be delivering almost anything you want – even small businesses contracting with delivery services.

The latest is Walgreens Express. It is working with FedEx to give next day delivery.

The cost is $4.99 a delivery.

Walgreens promises to have an Express pickup line in its stores, too.

P.S. You can get the Chronicle home delivered in print or in an emailed edition at no extra charge. Just call 359-7633.

Quality car repair

Lexington Christian Brothers Automotive has opened at 148 Old Cherokee Road.

The first CBA in Lexington is owned and operated by Joshua Standridge.

The Lexington CBA celebrated the store’s opening Dec. 10 by offering complimentary oil changes to the first 100 customers.

Real estate

• RockBox has leased retail space at 929 N Lake Drive in Lexington. It will be a part of the newly-renovated 30,000-square-foot Northlake Village shopping center.

The space is planned for a Charlotte-based fitness establishment.

Colliers International’s J.P. Scurry, CCIM, Scottie Smith and Paige Bryant represented the landlord.

• 300 Summerset Drive, Chapin, sold from Johnny A. Moore and Susan S. Moore to Michael Kanwisher and Morgan Kan-wisher $755,000

• 170 E. Drake Road, Gilbert, sold from Deborah A. Carigan to Robert Charron and Luis Burunat $725,000

Mobile home parks sold

• 3941 Charleston Highway, West Columbia, from Rolling Meadows I, LLC to Granite Rolling Meadows, LLC $8,450,560

• 4801 and 4901 Sunset Boulevard, Lexington, from Rolling Meadows I, LLC to Granite Victorian Lakes, LLC $4,696,935

Small Business of the Year

Larry and Virginia Gates, owner/operators of FLOOR PRO, received the 2018 Small Business of the Year award.

FLOOR PRO provides quality textile cleaning and restoration solutions for businesses and homes.

Their cleaning division covers carpets, tile/grout, furniture, area rugs and hardwood floor refinishing. Their restoration division handles water, fire and smoke damage, along with mold remediation.