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A look at how tariffs, deportations and more of Trump鈥檚 proposals could affect housing costs
Americans hand over a huge chunk of their paycheck for a roof over their heads. Policymakers are looking out for indications of what President-elect Donald Trump plans to do to ease housing costs next year after an election where voters were laser-focused on the economy. Housing accounted for聽32.9%聽of consumers鈥 spending in 2023, making it the […]
Fed鈥檚 recent rate cuts could improve borrowing options for state and local government projects
The Federal Reserve鈥檚 second consecutive key rate cut could mean more than just lower borrowing costs for the average consumer 鈥 state and local governments stand to benefit, too. Lower interest rates may bring changes for housing development, tax revenue, debt refinancing and bread-and-butter projects like roads, water and sewer, state and local government officials […]
Fed cuts interest rates heading into end of Biden White House and looking to Trump鈥檚 2nd term
The Federal Reserve cut its key rate on Thursday 鈥 one of many factors that will decide what kind of economy Americans remember from President Joe Biden鈥檚 final days in office and what聽 President-elect Donald Trump is left with at the start of his second term. The Federal Reserve cut the rate by a quarter […]
Unemployment ticks down, labor market remains strong, latest numbers show
A month before voters cast their ballots, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a聽report聽showing a strong labor market with growing wages, a lower unemployment rate, and the addition of 254,000 jobs to the economy. Eighty-one percent of registered voters say the economy is key to their vote for president this fall,聽according to聽a September Pew […]
US dockworkers strike over wages and automation in fight that could lead to shortages
ELIZABETH, N.J. 鈥 Tens of thousands of dockworkers went on strike from Texas to Maine on Tuesday to demand higher wages and a ban on all automation at ports in a move that could snarl supply chains only a month ahead of the presidential election. The International Longshoremen鈥檚 Association union and the United States Maritime […]
When business is booming but daily living is a struggle
This five-day series explores the priorities of voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as they consider the upcoming presidential election. With the outcome expected to be close, these 鈥渟wing states鈥 may decide the future of the country. ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. 鈥 The signs on the empty historic buildings envision an […]
The Fed says its long-awaited rate cut is apolitical, even close to the presidential election
The Federal Reserve鈥檚 first key interest rate cut in four years coincides with another major four-year event: the homestretch of the presidential election. Fed Chair Jerome Powell downplayed the central bank鈥檚 role in the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump last week, in announcing the half-percentage point cut in its […]
Inflation has slowed, but the economy remains a big issue for voters in picking a president
Inflation hit a three-year low last month, just as the presidential election is heating up. But the high cost of housing and other necessities will keep the economy central to both of the major campaigns, as seen this week in the first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The Consumer Price Index, a measure […]
States are pushing back with anti-labor laws as union popularity grows, policy experts say
Growing union organizing across the country has triggered an anti-labor legislative response in some states, but cities and counties are increasingly pushing back, a new聽report聽found. The report, released this month聽by the New York University Wagner Labor Initiative and Local Progress Impact Lab, a group for local elected officials focused on economic and racial justice issues, […]
US credit card debt continues to rise as housing and other costs remain high for the lowest earners
Americans are racking up credit card debt as they struggle to keep up with the cost of living, and experts say those who earn the least are the hardest hit. Total credit card balances rose 5.8% from a year ago, to $1.14 trillion,聽according to聽a recent New York Fed report. Equifax credit files through June show […]
A look at how federal plans could make the costs of housing more affordable
As renters and would-be homeowners struggle with the high cost of housing, the Biden administration has announced policies to address this strain on household budgets. That includes $100 million in funding for a program to incentivize affordable housing production and streamlining loan application processes to expedite building more housing. Some of those proposals 鈥 such […]
Senators urge better access to disability payments for Long COVID patients
Several U.S. senators have聽called on聽the Social Security Administration to take steps to make it easier for people with Long COVID to access disability benefits, actions that disability rights advocates and patients say are desperately needed. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), […]