All Economy
First LookHow young people are responding to the COVID-19 economyThe pandemic has frustrated a generation young people looking to launch their careers. Against all odds, many have found innovative ways to join the labor market, especially through freelancing and entrepreneurship.聽
In US-Mexico border towns, pandemic hits businesses especially hardPandemic restrictions have upended the connections that have long tethered聽businesses and consumers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
From home offices to space exploration, some 2020 trends were positiveOut with the bad. In with the new. That鈥檚 the way many felt as 2020 ended. Yet there were positive trends we might actually want to聽carry forward.
First LookWhy US stock markets closed out 2020 at record highsThe S&P 500 and Dow Jones indexes hit record highs Friday in a volatile year that rebounded after big losses in March.聽
First LookBoeing gets a boost as its 737 Max returns to US skiesAmerican Airlines is the first of several carriers to put the previously grounded plane, now cleared by safety regulators, back in service.聽
鈥楢m I going to be evicted?鈥� Answer now may hinge on Congress.Jucosta Wilson and her husband face a court date just before Christmas over possible eviction. Millions of other renters are also at risk.
First LookSeasonal holiday jobs shift from storefronts to warehousesWith online shopping taking off, seasonal holiday jobs in North America and Europe 鈥� typically in-store sales roles 鈥� have shifted to other retail positions such as delivery drivers, warehouse workers, and order pickers.
Cover StoryWhy traditional retailers have the checkout bluesPandemic shopping has remade the retail landscape, and more disruption may lie ahead.
The human touch: Choosing handcraft over machinesHandcrafted furniture and pottery from ShackletonThomas is world-renowned. The human touch gives peace to the artists and beauty to their creations.聽
First LookSmall-scale landlords, renters both struggling during pandemicThe extended unemployment benefits that have kept 12 million people afloat are scheduled to expire Dec. 26. On New Year鈥檚 Day, a national ban on renter evictions is set to lapse.聽Both landlords and renters are facing a looming housing abyss.聽
For 鈥婤iden the top economic priority is clear. It just isn鈥檛 easy.Like Barack Obama, Joe Biden will arrive at the White House amid an economic crisis. Unlike in 2009, Congress鈥� power balance will be razor thin.
First LookJanet Yellen, an economic-crisis veteran, to lead US TreasuryJanet Yellen, the former Federal Reserve chair, is slated to lead the Treasury Department under president-elect Joe Biden, becoming the first woman to hold that role. She鈥檒l face high unemployment and an economy battered by COVID-19.
Ski resorts expect a busy season. Can they find enough workers?A pandemic-related visa ban has cut off the typical flow of young workers from abroad at U.S. ski facilities. So this year, the hiring push is local.
First LookCashless kids: Banks prepare for a new generation of spendersBanks have offered child savings accounts for years. But as e-commerce grows, banks and startups are trying to capture the youth market with apps and debit cards for kids. Parents say it gives them greater oversight and opportunities to teach money management.
First LookAmerica First? China leads Asia into biggest free-trade deal.China and 14 other countries agreed Sunday to set up the world鈥檚 largest free-trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP.
First LookThe world is changing. Will central banks change, too?Global economic priorities and norms are shifting as climate change and social issues 鈥� exacerbated by a pandemic 鈥� change consumer habits. Central banks are rethinking their roles as they ponder why monetary policy is not working the way it once did.
First LookFlorida, a Trump stronghold, also voted to increase minimum wageFlorida voters handed the state's 29 Electoral College votes to President Donald Trump on Election Day. They also voted in favor of raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026, which Republicans and business interests had heavily opposed.
Corporations pledge to fight racial inequality. Will it work?If the U.S. could close racial gaps in areas such as wages and college access, the economy would add $5 trillion of economic activity,聽Citibank says.聽
First LookHas Thanksgiving lost its gobble? Farmers face small gatherings.Thanksgiving Day usually includes large, indoor group events with plenty of older relatives. But this year things are almost certainly going to be different. For turkey farmers and grocers, it's hard to predict what customers will want to dish up.
Why Midwest farmers are sticking with TrumpFarmers in battleground Midwest states remain staunch supporters of President Trump, who has provided federal aid to offset losses in farm exports.聽
