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China's GDP is growing faster than expected. What does that mean for trade talks?

Apr 17, 2019
The White House had argued that a weakening Chinese economy would give the U.S. an advantage in negotiations.
Vendors inside a fruit store wait for customers in Beijing in February. 
Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images

5 things to know about GDP

Jan 30, 2019
Here's what those numbers reveal — and don't reveal — about the U.S. economy.
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The problem with missing economic data

Jan 25, 2019
Because of the partial government shutdown, some agencies may not be able to release key economic reports on time.
Because of the partial government shutdown, some agencies may not be able to release key economic reports on time.
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Snowball effect of the government shutdown to impact the economy

Jan 14, 2019
As the ripple effects of the government shutdown begin, the impact on the economy will not just be the lost productivity of government workers. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

After a strong year, GDP likely headed for a dip in 2019

Dec 21, 2018
Despite the drama around the Federal Reserve hiking interest rates, financial markets gyrating and stock indexes tanking, we got a snapshot of the whole economy this morning. The final reading on third-quarter gross domestic product was slightly lower than expected at a 3.4 percent annual growth rate. Marketplace’s Mitchell Hartman explains why this year’s very strong […]

How will we know we're in a recession?

What the National Bureau of Economic Research looks for when analyzing the business cycle.
In this photo illustration, a man looks at a graph representing the 12-month decline of the FTSE 100 share index on Oct. 7, 2008, in London.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Consumer spending increases again. How long will that last?

Oct 29, 2018
U.S. consumer spending rose for a 7th straight month in September, according the the Commerce Department. Economists expect that trend to continue despite slow wage growth.  

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Consumer spending increases again. How long will that last?

Oct 29, 2018
U.S. consumer spending rose for a 7th straight month in September, according the the Commerce Department. Economists expect that trend to continue despite slow wage growth.  

Midterms: Is it the economy, stupid?

Aug 16, 2018
You may have heard this phrase: “It’s the economy, stupid. ” And it usually is. Parties in power tend to do better when the economy is humming along, and voters are more likely to give them the boot when the economy’s not doing so hot. With low unemployment, a booming stock market and strong growth, […]
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, May 29, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. 
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

All tariff pain is local

Aug 8, 2018
Another $16 billion of tariffs on imports from China will take effect in a couple weeks — Aug. 23 to be precise. That announcement came from office of the U.S. Trade Representative yesterday. Semiconductors and various plastics are on the list. The reaction from China was swift and predictable in this tit-for-tat thing we’ve got going […]