Passed to consumers: JetBlue Airways is raising checked bag fees as soaring fuel costs push airlines to pass expenses onto travelers. Fees will increase by up to $9 during peak periods, with airfare also climbing globally. The move signals broader pressure on the airline industry as rising fuel pri ces reshape pricing strategies. Read the full story from CNBC.  March uptick: U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly rose in March on slightly more upbeat views of current business and labor market conditions. The Conference Board’s gauge increased to 91.8, from a revised 91 reading in February, data out Tuesday shows. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a reading of 87.9. Read more from Bloomberg. A subscription may be required.  A new role: The former CEO of British oil company BP is jumping into the American artificial intelligence boom. Bernard Looney is taking on the CEO role at Prometheus Hyperscale, a data center developer that hopes to funnel tens of billions of dollars into two projects in Wyoming and another in Texas. Read more from The Wall Street Journal. A subscription may be required.  ...read more read less