Economy Jan 06 Hiring slows in December as worker shortage still presents challenges Friday's jobs report signaled good news for those who are worried about a recession and inflation. It also capped a very strong year for the jobs market overall with more than 4.5 million new jobs created in 2022. That's the…
Economy Dec 26 Millions of ‘unbanked’ Americans lack adequate access to financial services It's not well known, but about 4.5% of U.S. households are unbanked, meaning no one in the house has a checking or savings account. The rate declined during the pandemic because people opened accounts to receive government stimulus funds. But…
Economy Dec 22 Small retailers find ways to adapt amid pandemic and online shopping convenience The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of retail in cities across the country with small and independent businesses bearing the brunt of closures. And this winter, many have seen a drop in demand from last year. But owners, and…
Economy Dec 08 How suburban zoning rules are stifling development and causing rents to spike The cost of housing has risen dramatically over the last several years, helping drive levels of inflation not seen in decades. One key factor is that in many places, building has not kept up with demand. The suburban counties of…
Economy Dec 02 Tech industry hit with massive layoffs as other employers add jobs The latest jobs report is further confirmation of a labor market that may be slowing down but has proven more resilient than many have expected. Many sectors are continuing to add jobs, but that's not true in the tech sector,…
Economy Nov 02 How interest rate hikes impact bonds and stock prices With the sixth interest hike this year, it's been decades since the Federal Reserve has acted this aggressively to slow inflation. Markets reacted strongly to Fed Chair Jay Powell saying rates will be higher than previously expected. Swings tied to…
Nation Oct 13 Will the bump in Social Security benefits be enough to offset inflation? For older Americans and retirees, there was some helpful news to accompany the latest inflation report. Americans taking Social Security will see an 8.7% bump in their benefits. That's starting in January thanks to the 2023 cost of living adjustment,…
Economy Oct 11 The major factors driving up the cost of food Another report on the pace of inflation in the U.S. is due later this week and there's some hope that it's slowing. But most people have noticed higher prices at the grocery store on everything from dairy to meat to…
Economy Oct 07 Jobs report shows economy, employment market cooling as questions of recession remain The September jobs report shows the economy and employment market cooling but remaining steady. The labor market added 263,000 jobs, but that's down from the first half of the year when roughly 400,000 jobs were created a month. Stocks sank…
Nation Sep 21 As Fed raises interest rates to combat inflation, central banks around the world follow The Federal Reserve raised interest rates once again, adding to the sharpest series of hikes since the 1980s. So far, the Fed has increased rates by three points this year and Chair Jerome Powell says there's more to come. Other…