Economy

Filter

Why the Federal Reserve must remain above political influence

By Michael W. Klein

President Donald Trump on Friday again encouraged the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

U.S. adds 130,000 jobs in August amid trade war

By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press

The Labor Department reported Friday that the unemployment rate remained 3.7%, near the lowest level in five decades.

The hotter the planet grows, the less children are learning

By Nsikan Akpan

Every 1-degree-Fahrenheit increase in average temperature reduces student learning by 1 percent, a study finds.

Federal Reserve survey says growth is steady despite Trump’s trade wars

By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press

In the Fed's latest report on economic conditions nationwide, hiring increased modestly in most industries, though manufacturing employment declined in some areas.

New French tax turns Trump and tech giants into strange bedfellows

By Courtney Vinopal

What does French rosé have in common with American software? Both are wrapped up in a brewing trade scuffle between the U.S. and France, which has spawned an unlikely alliance between the Trump administration and major American tech giants.

Incoming European Central Bank head defends low interest rates

By David McHugh, Associated Press

During hearings in the European parliament Wednesday, Lagarde said the job requires both a commitment to the basic mandate to keep prices stable and the "agility" to come up with new ways to meet unforeseen trouble.

YouTube fined $170 million for violating kids’ privacy law

By Rachel Lerman, Marcy Gordon, Associated Press

The FTC has been investigating YouTube for the way it handles the data of kids under 13. Young children are protected by a federal law that requires parental consent before companies can collect and share their personal information.

Damage estimates don’t capture the full cost of climate change-fueled disasters

By Gary W. Yohe, The Conversation

To understand the true economic costs of an extreme weather event, it’s important to consider all the investment that is being “crowded out” or lost to cover rebuilding costs.

Latest U.S., Chinese tariff hikes take effect in trade war

By Christopher S. Rugaber, Associated Press

The latest tariff increases could affect the prices Americans pay for some clothes, shoes, sporting goods and other consumer items in advance of the holiday shopping season.

Why you shouldn’t be afraid to talk to your health insurer

By Philip Moeller

Your health insurer knows more about your coverage than anyone, including the often inscrutable rules about what’s covered and how much you pay for coverage in premiums, annual deductibles and co-pays.