All Economy
Need emergency cash? Payday loans aren鈥檛 your only alternative.At a time when gig jobs or small paychecks keep many Americans on financial edge, credit unions and small banks are among those offering small loans that don鈥檛 come with sky-high fees.
Trump鈥檚 deregulation drive is epic in scale and scope. And yet ...The overall trend in government rulemaking remains relentlessly up 鈥� and Trump is stirring controversy by overturning environmental and consumer protections.
First LookRecord high: Dow Jones bursts through 25000 pointsThe milestone came five weeks after its first close above 24000. Some analysts predict more gains considering strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings.聽- The ExplainerStock market: Just how strong is it, as Dow crosses 25000?Since the start of the bull market in 2009, the S&P 500 index is up about 300 percent, after a strong 2017. Many market strategists see a further rise in the new year, but stocks look pricey.
First LookStrong holiday sales buoy retail store stock pricesMastercard reported US shoppers spent over $800 billion during the season, more than ever before. Between Nov 1 and Dec 24, holiday sales in brick-and-mortar and online retail stores rose 4.9 percent, the fastest year-on-year pace of increase since 2011.
Lower taxes spur growth, Trump says. The historical record isn鈥檛 so simple.President Trump鈥檚 newly signed tax-cut measure has already prompted some corporations to make wage-hike and investment promises. Yet the Reagan era and other history offers cautionary evidence on taxes and growth.
First LookHome prices surge 6.2 percent in a strong economySeattle saw the biggest annual gains as prices have shot up 12.7 percent since October 2015.聽
First LookUS lawsuit accuses Facebook ads of unfairly targeting younger workersThe聽Communications Workers of America filed a lawsuit against companies including Amazon, T-Mobile, and Cox Communications for using Facebook to micro-target recruiting ads toward younger workers, alleging that this is form of age discrimination.
First LookUber to face new regulations as top EU court classifies it as taxi serviceThe European Court of Justice has ruled that Uber, which describes itself as an information services provider, is a taxi service and should be regulated as one. The ruling may hold wider ramifications for how app services like Uber are regulated in Europe.
Tax cut arrives, and Americans ask what鈥檚 in it for them 鈥� and for countryMost Americans can expect a modest tax cut, but changes in deductions and other measures will create new winners and losers, especially in later years.聽
First LookBricks-and-mortar grocery stores hope to edge out Amazon with curbside pickupAmazon's purchase of Whole Foods rocked the US grocery industry and traditional stores to look for new ways to keep customers shopping. Many have turned to curbside pickup that combines the ease of online shopping and skipping lines with more flexibility with fresh foods.聽
First LookDisney buys most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billionIn efforts to compete with other tech companies in the entertainment business, Disney is buying聽a large part of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox, including film and television studios, cable and international TV businesses.
First LookFCC poised to roll back net neutrality rulesDespite protest from consumers and corporations such as Facebook, the Federal Communications Commission is set to reverse net neutrality rules that bar internet service providers from favoring certain internet content.
As interest rates rise, will borrower prudence, too?Interest rates have stayed so low for so long, consumers and investors may have forgotten what happens when rates go up. The Federal Reserve's rate boost Wednesday and prospects for 2018 increases may change mind-sets.聽
Why today's bitcoin bubble recalls tulip mania and the dot.com crazeThe digital currency draws throngs in South Korea and Japan, and US regulators have OK'd bitcoin futures. But the bubble could end badly for investors, with uncertain ripple effects.
On Tybee Island, a glimpse of why flood insurance is a vexing US challengeCongress faces a Dec. 8 deadline to mend a federal flood insurance program that runs chronic imbalances in an era of rising flood risks and densely populated coastal areas.
Shopping becomes a hybrid experience, as stores and smartphones intersectEven in era of rising e-commerce, consumers still want the physical-store experience. And mobile phones have become the bridge between both worlds.
First LookInsurers face new challenges after long series of natural disastersFollowing a season of hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes around the world, customers and governments are facing rising insurance rates.聽 Experts suggest that insurance companies should re-evaluate their repricing strategies as disasters become more common.聽
First LookZimbabweans facing a currency shortage look to bitcoin for solutionA growing number of Zimbabweans are turning to bitcoin as a stable form of currency as their own 'zollars' hyperinflate and become increasingly worthless. But the investment still comes with high risks.
First LookCould other nations follow France's example and export their culture as a brand?The Louvre Abu Dhabi is the most recent example of France selling its food, luxury fashion, and fine art as a recognizable聽lifestyle abroad.聽
