All Economy
First LookThe U.S. economy looks strong. But can it maintain this pace?Sustained by easing restrictions and government aid, the U.S economy rose 6.5% last quarter and is on track to show the strongest calendar-year growth since 1984. But the threat of inflation remains as some consumer prices skyrocket.
First LookPay raise! Demand for employees in US drives hourly wage to $15.Amid a surge in consumption, employers are increasingly advertising a baseline $15 hourly wage to fill restaurant and retail jobs. Though many workers still earn less, market forces are prompting an increase in wages that advocates say will reduce inequality.
First LookWill interest rates finally rise? Fed Reserve debates this week.This week, the US Federal Reserve will discuss its strategy for dialing back policies that have kept interest rates ultra-low to encourage economic growth during the pandemic. The talks come as concerns grow over rising inflation, which some analysts say will be temporary.聽
First LookOPEC and allies find common ground after crude oil disputeA new OPEC policy agreement shifts the number of barrels of crude oil certain countries can produce. Under the new production limits, the UAE will be able to produce up to 3.5 million barrels of crude oil a day, beginning in May 2022.聽
As birthrates dip, some conservatives warm to the child tax creditThe expanded child tax credit passed by Democrats speaks to conservative values too: supporting families and countering a declining birthrate.
Gen Z writes its own rules for financial securityGen Z is rewriting economic rules for financial security, making social justice a priority. Its strategies range from investing to policy ideas.
FocusGeneration left behind? Millennials work to shed that financial label.For millennials, financial hardships have been many. Yet they are finding progress and hope, even if the gains are uneven.
The ExplainerTaking on Big Tech: What the Federal Trade Commission can doIs it possible to rein in the vast marketplace clout of Big Tech firms with antitrust rules? Lina Khan at the Federal Trade Commission is a believer.
First LookWorkers prefer their homes. Can businesses entice them back?After a year and a half of remote work, employees remain reluctant to return to workplace commutes. While some businesses are implementing a hybrid system, the trend has raised concerns about equity as remote working favors the privileged.
First LookWhere is my patio table? Supply delays leave consumers waiting.Demand for patio furniture is booming, but orders may not arrive until well after the summer. A shortage of workers, truckers, and raw materials are affecting not just the outdoor furniture market but the U.S. economy at large.聽
Going cashless? Not everyone has an app for that.As more and more businesses go cashless, many Americans don鈥檛 have a bank account or the conveniences that come with it.
First LookHelp wanted: Businesses turn to teens amid scramble to fill jobsAs businesses rebound from the pandemic, many older Americans have been slow to respond to the flurry of job openings, leading to unusually high employment rate among teenagers. But how long will this trend last?
First LookFewer working-age people could slow economy but lift wagesThe number of working-age people in the U.S. shrank in 2020 鈥� a first. Unless that changes, the economy could suffer but workers may find opportunity.
First LookTax havens no more? 130 nations agree to 15% global minimum tax.In what has been lauded as 鈥渢he most important international tax agreement in a century,鈥� 130 countries have agreed to a global minimum tax of at least 15% for multinational firms, in an effort to prevent them from dodging taxes.
First LookPay day! Upstate NY tests monthly $500 payments.Select residents of Ulster County, New York, who earn less than $46,900 per year, have started receiving monthly $500 payments as part of a pilot program testing the efficacy of universal basic income (UBI).聽聽
First LookWhy used cars are suddenly costing more than when they were newWith the production of new cars in the U.S. slowed by a chip shortage and factory closures, the price of used cars has skyrocketed. The timeline for how long this price reset will last is unclear and depends on when the inventory for new cars rebounds.聽
How your cloud data ended up in one Virginia countyFormer farmlands near the nation鈥檚 capital have become 鈥淒ata Center Alley,鈥� the nation鈥檚 biggest hub of internet data storage.
Taxes and the rich: America鈥檚 history of favoritism and crackdownsAre聽the rich taxed too lightly? The question isn鈥檛 new, but leaked tax records of billionaires may be swinging the pendulum again.
Climate conundrum: Tax on emissions is pragmatic but unpopularJoe Biden is seeking an unprecedented level of U.S. reductions in greenhouse gas emissions 鈥� yet shying away from one major tool for doing that.
First LookIn El Salvador, rural community offers glimpse at crypto economyEl Zonte, a fishing village on El Salvador鈥檚 coast, has been using cryptocurrency for the past year. Supporters of the currency point to the village as a demonstration of how bitcoin could help the country where 70% of people do not have bank accounts.
