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Latest Stories

Data shows more loans are being rejected — but why?

Nov 19, 2024
The New York Federal Reserve found that rejection rates for loan applications are higher than they were in 2023 for credit cards, auto loans, mortgages and refinances.
Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, said lower-income borrowers are having the most trouble with credit card and auto loan applications.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

International students contribute record amount to U.S. economy

Nov 19, 2024
Roughly half of international students are from China or India — and many are grad students or recent graduates permitted to work on a student visa for a time after graduation.
Around 6% of all university students in the U.S. are international, according to the Institute of International Education.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

As winter holidays loom, retailers prepare for cautious holiday spending

Nov 18, 2024
The earlier, deeper discounts could mean retailers are a bit anxious.
Some retailers are already offering Black Friday discounts.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

How economic inequality has and hasn't changed since the pandemic

Nov 18, 2024
From 2019 to 2022, total U.S. household wealth grew 25%., but there's lots of evidence that Americans are disenchanted with this economy.
Post-pandemic wealth inequality hasn't been what Wall Street expected.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Why the U.S. dollar is strengthening

Nov 18, 2024
The dollar has appreciated almost 3% since the presidential election. In general, it’s because investors can make more money with dollars.
Investors want U.S. dollars because they can make more money with them than other currencies.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The secrets of Walmart's success? Groceries, low prices and a popular e-commerce platform.

Nov 18, 2024
Walmart's Q3 earnings should be good, analysts say. The retail giant has executed effectively in multiple areas.
Walmart's grocery business has contributed to its earnings strength.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Closing the gender gap in angel investing

How women-owned companies are getting vital seed funding.
20 years ago, women-led companies represented only about 3% of all the companies that got this funding, said Loretta McCarthy. "Fast forward to 2023, that number has grown to about 45%."
VioletaStoimenova via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

How to get noticed by angel investors

A veteran angel investor shares how she evaluates potential investment opportunities.
"We’re on the bleeding edge of technology and markets, and some are going to work and some are going to fail. So you have to get comfortable with that," said Deb Kemper at Golden Seeds Venture Fund.
Courtesy Golden Seeds

Higher-income consumers are still spending it up. The rest? Not so much.

Nov 18, 2024
And economists wonder how long those who are better-off can even keep it up.
Discretionary spending in October was driven by employment and wage growth, said Kathy Bostjancic at Nationwide Mutual.
Kena Betancur/Getty Images

Would changing the Fed's inflation target help people afford homes?

Nov 15, 2024
The trick is finding inflation's sweet spot — too much or too little can lead to a lot of problems for the economy and consumers.
If the Fed allows inflation to go up to 4%, then mortgage rates will rise, says Michael Klein, an economics professor at Tufts University.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images