China's consumers cautious about economy as top officials meet

Jul 15, 2024
Growth is being held back by weak domestic demand and a real estate crisis.
Customers are sparse at a newly opened coffee shop in central Shanghai.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

Climate change is expensive, and it could add to overall inflation

Jul 11, 2024
High temperatures can lead to price spikes and headline inflation, a study finds. Sarah Kaplan of The Washington Post explains.
Global olive oil prices have surged after extreme heat and drought in Europe last year cut production nearly in half, says Sarah Kaplan of The Washington Post.
Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images
As Americans wait for the Fed to cut interest rates, inflation continues its downward trend.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Why are Gen Xers worried about retirement?

Jul 10, 2024
According to a new survey from BlackRock, only 60% of Gen Xers say they are on track to have enough retirement savings. And time is running out -- the oldest of them are reaching retirement age.
Unlike younger generations, Gen Xers are struggling to save money for retirement.
Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images

Health care openings still hot amid cooling job market

Jul 9, 2024
People who left during during the pandemic are still being replaced. Providers struggle to fill the gaps as demand steadily rises.
Demand for workers is still strong in the health care industry, partly driven by demographic aging.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Stocks are up, but so are consumer prices. What's the connection?

Jul 8, 2024
Investors are often wary of inflation. But those higher prices can bring benefits to companies.
Inflation has eased, the Federal Reserve has held interest rates steady and stocks have been making new highs.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

More Americans are traveling abroad, thanks to a strong dollar

Jul 8, 2024
The dollar is more than 10% stronger than it was three years ago.
More Americans are traveling abroad as a strong U.S. dollar gives consumers more spending power.
J. David Ake/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

As labor market cools, job seekers must apply early and often

Jul 8, 2024
Also, make sure their resumes are computer friendly.
More Americans want to work, according to latest reports, but that does not mean everyone is being hired.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Labor Department's June report showed a cooling job market

Jul 5, 2024
We know the labor market is slowing, but by how much? And what does that mean for wage growth?
Economists are awaiting the release of the June jobs report, which will provide updates on the nation's labor market. Above, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies before the Senate Banking Committee.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

A closer look at wage measures hints at why consumers still feel gloomy

Jul 4, 2024
Average wage growth has slowed in recent months, though according to the May jobs report, it’s still ahead of inflation.
"While wages have grown across the board, we've actually had the strongest wage growth among the lowest earners," says Valerie Wilson at the Economic Policy Institute.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images