Dec 15 Is the 30% rule for rent still relevant? Here's what experts think By Hannah Grabenstein For most "everyday people," the 30% rule remains useful, but it comes with several caveats, experts say. Continue reading
Dec 14 Watch 6:44 New book 'Dirtbag Billionaire' tells story of Patagonia's unconventional founder By John Yang, Kaisha Young, Andrew Corkery Surveys consistently rank Patagonia as one of the most reputable brands in America, not just for its outdoor gear, but also for being good environmental stewards. The story of both the company and its iconoclastic founder is told in a… Continue watching
Dec 13 Watch 3:55 How tariffs on China are making the holiday season less merry for shoppers By John Yang, Veronica Vela, Claire Mufson, Laine Immell This year it might not be the Grinch who threatens to steal Christmas, but tariffs. According to an analysis by Lending Tree, if Trump’s tariffs had been in place last year, they would have increased consumer costs by $28 billion… Continue watching
Dec 12 Consumers aren't having a very merry holiday season, AP-NORC poll finds By Josh Boak, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Associated Press Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally. Continue reading
Dec 11 Watch 7:43 Why private credit is creating major concerns among economists By Paul Solman, Ryan Connelly Holmes Investors and economists are warning about a piece of the financial system that could pose a risk that is potentially similar in ways to the housing crash that preceded the financial crisis in 2008. It’s part of what's been called… Continue watching
Dec 11 Watch 5:57 A new U.S. tariff could double the price of Italian pasta By Deema Zein, Maea Lenei Buhre, Sam Weber, Jenna Bloom Italian cuisine gained a new honor this week when it became the first gastronomic style to be recognized as “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO, the United Nation's cultural body. But American cooks face a new potential tariff that may double… Continue watching
Dec 11 Weekly unemployment benefit applications rise to 236,000 as labor market concerns persist By Matt Ott, Associated Press The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week, but remain in the same historically healthy range of the past few years despite growing concern over the health of the labor market. Continue reading
Dec 10 Watch 5:46 Federal Reserve cuts interest rates amid mixed economic data and divisions in its ranks By Amna Nawaz, Diane Lincoln Estes The Federal Reserve cut interest rates Wednesday for the third time in a row, but left big questions about any additional rate cuts in the future. The Federal Open Market Committee voted to cut its benchmark rate by a quarter… Continue watching
Dec 10 As expected, Wall Street rises closer to its all-time high after the Fed cuts rates By Stan Choe, Associated Press Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can boost the economy and goose prices for investments, even if they also can worsen inflation. Continue reading
Dec 10 WATCH: Powell holds news briefing after Fed decision to cut interest rates By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press In a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year. Wednesday’s cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Continue reading