Wages

Diane Swonk, chief economist with Mesirow Financial, discusses the latest retail earnings.

Some economists predict immigration reform will have little effect on wages -- and might even bring higher pay.

Alan Krueger, chair of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, weighs in on the government's December jobs report

Economist Paul Krugman talks about a new direction in 'the technology universe' that has taken shape over the last decade.

Workers at state-run companies in China are riding pretty high. Beyond standard salaries, there are often a lot of perks for state workers, including mortgage payments, groceries, fancy cars. And it's all tax free.

A study by the Economic Policy Institute has found that for men and women between 23 and 29, the average income dropped between 7 and 11 percent in the past decade.

The dip in unemployment and job claims indicate optimism -- but wages fell sharply for the majority of American workers last year in a way that they haven't since 2007.

Macroeconomic signs point to a brighter future, but average Americans are still struggling with the basics.