Economy

Filter

Homebuilders step up construction of single-family homes as 30-year mortgage rate eases below 7 percent

By Alex Veiga, Associated Press

Homebuilders are stepping up construction of single-family homes following a steady decline in mortgage rates and broad expectation among economists that home loan borrowing costs will ease further next year.

Right-wing social media platform Parler plans to relaunch early 2024

By Associated Press

The right-wing friendly app, which was temporarily booted offline following the Jan. 6 insurrection, has been offline since April after it was purchased by the digital media conglomerate Starboard.

Study shows AI image-generators are being trained on explicit photos of children

By Matt O'Brien, Haleluya Hadero, Associated Press

The Stanford Internet Observatory found more than 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse in a database used to train leading AI image-makers.

Thousands take to the streets to protest austerity measures of Argentina’s new president

By Debora Rey, Almudena Calatrava, Associated Press

Protests have kicked off in Argentina against the austerity and deregulation measures announced by newly elected President Javier Milei, whose government has also warned against blocking streets.

U.S. animal shelters are overcrowded with pets from families facing economic woes

By Michael Hill, Associated Press

Operators believe the influx of more animals is due largely to higher pet care costs and housing issues. And they're in crisis mode as they try to reduce the kennel crush.

Congressional Budget Office projects lower inflation and higher unemployment into 2025

By Fatima Hussein, Associated Press

The office's Current View of the Economy from 2023 to 2025 report, released Friday, estimates that the unemployment rate will hit 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 and remain close to that level through 2025.

Airbnb agrees to pay $621 million to settle a tax dispute in Italy

By Associated Press

Airbnb said in a statement on Wednesday that it was working on introducing new tools that would allow hosts to have their taxes withheld automatically by Airbnb and paid to the Italian authorities on their behalf.

U.S. homelessness up 12 percent to highest reported level as rents soar and pandemic aid lapses

By Kevin Freking, Associated Press

Federal officials Friday said soaring rents and a winding down of coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans.

U.S. officials confiscate over 1.4 million illegal e-cigarettes from overseas manufacturers, including the maker of Elf Bars

By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration pegged the value of the e-cigarettes seized at Los Angeles Airport at $18 million.

WATCH: Biden delivers remarks on lowering prescription drug prices during visit to NIH

By Amanda Seitz, Associated Press

Hundreds of thousands of older Americans could pay less for some of their outpatient drug treatments beginning early next year, the Biden administration announced Thursday.