BUSINESS BRIEFS
Honolulu fourth costliest city

Advertiser Staff

Honolulu was the fourth-most expensive place to live in the nation last quarter behind Manhattan, Jersey City and San Francisco, according to the non-profit ACCRA's cost-of-living survey.

Honolulu had a cost-of-living index of 154.4, compared with the national average of 100. Manhattan's index was 219. San Francisco was 181.

Groceries, gasoline and electricity were more expensive in Honolulu than in any of the 307 areas surveyed.

Cyanotech gets Nasdaq reprieve

Kona-based Cyanotech Corp. is no longer under threat of being kicked out of the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the company said.

The microalgae producer said it received a letter from Nasdaq on Wednesday notifying the company that it could remain listed because Cyanotech's shares closed at a bid price of $1 or more for 13 consecutive trading days.

Meeting slated on cruise rules

The state Department of Health's Environmental Health Administration will hold a public meeting Dec. 11 on proposed changes to an agreement on environmental practices between the state and the North West CruiseShip Association.

The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the State Capitol auditorium. For information, call 586-4344.

Entrants sought for competition

The University of Hawai'i is accepting team registrants for its fifth-annual business plan competition. The winner of the 2004 competition will get $25,000 out of a total $50,000 in prize money.

Each team must have at least one UH student. Registration runs through Jan. 23. For information, call 956-5083 or e-mail pace@cba.hawaii.edu.