Dec 12 Inflation is painfully high, but some relief may be coming By Stan Choe, Cathy Bussewitz, Associated Press Prices have dropped on global markets for crude oil and natural gas, which is filtering into lower prices at the pump and for home heating. That should keep inflation somewhat in check, even if prices keep rising elsewhere in the… Continue reading
Nov 29 How rising prices affect people differently, and what it says about the economy By Chloe Jones Inflation rates, especially for food prices, have spiked quickly and are being felt hardest by those earning lower wages. These price increases have led many people to believe the economy is in a bad place, but experts say the opposite. Continue reading
Nov 26 Stores kick off Black Friday but pandemic woes linger By Anne D'Innocenzio, Associated Press Retailers are expected to usher in the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season Friday with bigger crowds than last year in a closer step toward normalcy. But the fallout from the pandemic continues to weigh on businesses and shoppers’… Continue reading
Nov 22 Amid lost jobs, middle class Afghans slide into poverty By Lee Keath, Associated Press Many Afghan families who once had steady, stable incomes have plummeted into desperation, uncertain of how they will pay for their next meal. Continue reading
Nov 18 U.S. jobless claims drop seventh straight week to 268,000 By Paul Wiseman, Associated Press The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the seventh straight week to a pandemic low 268,000. Continue reading
Nov 14 Watch 9:21 How Maine is transforming who pays for recycling By Hari Sreenivasan, Sam Weber For years, Americans have been encouraged to recycle, but global changes to the market for recycled material has led to a realization that just because that symbol is on the package or it’s placed in a blue bin, doesn't necessarily… Continue watching
Nov 13 Watch 10:29 Busy shops, fewer workers: Portland grapples with post-pandemic reality By Christopher Booker, Sam Weber Last year, Portland, Maine, was struggling to prepare for an economic winter of uncertainty. A push of late fall warmth had given downtown restaurants and businesses a boost following a dreadful summer. One year later, the story has changed entirely… Continue watching
Nov 10 How the supply chain caused current inflation, and why it might be here to stay By Craig Austin, The Conversation Inflation soared 6.2% in October from a year earlier, the fastest pace since 1990. Continue reading
Oct 29 Wages jump by the most on records dating back 20 years By Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press Wages and salaries jumped in the three months ending in September by the most on records that date back 20 years as companies are forced to offer higher pay to fill a near-record number of available jobs. Continue reading
Oct 04 WATCH: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai addresses ‘complex and competitive’ trade with China By News Desk U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a speech Monday that the nation's trade relationship with China is "one of profound consequence."… Continue reading