All The New Economy

What will the US economy do in 2015? Here are economists' best guesses on the job market, stocks, housing, and more in the New Year. 

Small business loans totaled $4.1 billion in 2013, and banks have nothing against small business owners. But according to research, they are currently getting short changed when it comes to their credit cards and checking accounts. But why?

The wealth gap between upper and middle income US families is now at its widest point in at least 30 years, according to a Pew study released Wednesday. Rich Americans have begun to regain the wealth lost during the Great Recession, while lower and middle income families lag behind. 

Retail sales rose 0.7 percent in November – their biggest monthly gain in eight months despite a relatively weak Black Friday weekend. Cheap gas prices and higher wages helped fuel the November retail sales growth. 

The economy added 321,000 jobs last month, its best performance in nearly three years and nearly 100,000 over what analysts had expected. It was also the biggest month for wage gains since the summer, and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.8 percent. 

An Israeli start-up is trying to modernize the antiquated world of freight logistics with tools inspired by Internet travel sites, such as instant quotes and automated bookings. But the company's innovations face enormous inertia within the industry. 

The '12 Days of Christmas' gifts will set your true love back $27,673.21 this year – a 1 percent increase from last year, according to PNC Wealth Management. The  '12 Days of Christmas price increase' was mostly driven by high poultry prices, especially geese. 

Existing home sales picked up an unexpected 1.5 percent to a 5.26 million annualized pace in October, according to data released Nov. 20 by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). It was the fastest rate for existing home sales since September of last year. 

The past year’s published increase in tuition and fees across all kinds of US colleges and universities rose at a slower rate than the average for the past five, 10 and 30 years. And today’s students are going into less debt to pursue their degrees.

Retail sales in the US increased an unexpected 0.3 percent in October as falling gas prices freed up discretionary spending, according to the Commerce Department. The strong retail sales report left retailers optimistic about the crucial holiday shopping season. 

The economy added 214,000 jobs in October, ticking the unemployment rate down to 5.8 percent – a new six-year low. Many of the supporting figures in the October jobs report, including a dip in long-term unemployment and a small increase in labor participation, were also cause for optimism.  

The Federal Reserve announced the end of its landmark quantitative easing program Wednesday, and investors found the Fed's overall policy statement more hawkish than expected. Here are the highlights of today's Federal Reserve policy statement.  

Home prices in 20 US cities rose 5.6 percent year-over-year in August, according to Case-Shiller's monthly home price index. The price slowdown is contributing to a housing market that should look more and more appetizing to prospective buyers, but are most in a position to take advantage? 

New home sales increased just 0.2 percent in September, and a big increase for August was revised considerably downward. Despite the slow growth, September marked the highest level for new home sales in six years. 

Social Security payments for 64 million retired American workers will increase 1.7 percent in 2015. That means the typical retiree will get an extra $22 per month, receiving a $1,328 average monthly Social Security payment and $15,936 annually.

Existing home sales rose 2.4 percent to an annualized pace of 5.17 million in September, according to the National Association of Realtors. In a hopeful sign for the housing market, the existing home sales report showed families are stepping up purchases, while the share of investors is trending downward.

Retirement income isn't adequate in 49 of 50 states, according to a recent survey, adding to a rash of conflicting information about how financially ready (or not) Americans are for their retirement years. So are we in the midst of a retirement crisis? Or is all the hand-wringing overblown? 

Retail sales fell 0.3 percent in September, stoking worries about the strength of the economy in the early run-up to the ever-important holiday shopping season. The disappointing retail sales report once again raised questions about American consumers' spending power in the face of stagnant wage growth. 

The three countries that produce almost 60 percent of the world’s cocoa production are neighbors to Ebola-stricken Liberia and Guinea. That could mean less chocolate and higher prices. 

The CEO of DICK's Sporting Goods apologized to McKenna Peterson, who noticed that there were no female athletes in company's latest basketball catalog.