All Economy
‘Really out of control.’ America digs in for inflation fight.Too many people chasing too few goods. That’s the price-hike world that Americans are struggling to cope with – and a key question is: for how long?
First LookTightrope walk: Fed hikes interest rates, but risks recessionFriday’s inflation report leaves the Federal Reserve promising to do whatever it takes to curb inflation. Wednesday’s rate hike – three-quarters of a point – is the steepest since 1994, increasing the likelihood of recession, say analysts.
Gas price spike: Who’s to blame and how can we fix it?As surging gas prices raise questions of blame, the issue of responsibility is arising in another sense too: how to better shape our energy future.
First LookA bear market is back. What does it all mean?Losses pushed the S&P 500 down into a bear market this week, as economic concerns – fed by rising interest rates, war in Ukraine, and China’s slowdown – led investors to pull back from a range of stocks.
For Ukrainian economy, westward tilt has grown since 2005 revolutionThe backdrop for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is partly economic: A people long tethered to Russia increasingly look toward the European Union.
First LookHoney, who shrunk the toilet paper?As COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift, manufactures around the globe are still feeling the pinch. Rising production costs have forced companies to look for new ways to maintain profits, and it’s costing consumers more for less product.
‘Stop fighting Mother Nature.’ How farmers adapt to extreme weather.With scientists forecasting extreme weather as a new normal, farmers are looking to regenerative practices that can build resilience into their soil.
Behind bitcoin plunge: Question of trust lingers for cryptocurrencyAt root, money or currency is built around trust. Will it be worth its promised value? Cryptocurrency faces that test but doesn’t show signs of withering.
Why Fed says fighting inflation is Job 1, despite recession riskIndicators point toward the economy cooling, but 40-year-high inflation remains untamed. This creates a delicate balancing act for policymakers.
Work from home? Alabama towns say ‘Come on down.’The work-from-anywhere boom may be a boon to small towns struggling with population decline, with a surge in programs to pay for new residents.
FocusAmazon, Starbucks, and beyond? Young workers fuel union drives.Coming of age during a pandemic that put a priority on collective well-being, a young generation of workers is rekindling labor movement passions.
First LookBig play: US Soccer to pay its women's and men's teams the sameThe U.S. Soccer Federation has become the first American national governing body to agree to pay its men’s and women’s teams equally, including World Cup prize money. The move ends years of often acrimonious negotiations after the women’s team sued.
First LookHow US interest rate hike will affect developing economiesThe Federal Reserve is hoping to raise interest rates just enough to slow the economy and bring inflation under control but not enough to tip the U.S. economy into another recession. But emerging and developing economies remain vulnerable to rate-hiking central banks.
Task for Fed officials: Thread a needle on inflation, recessionGiven current economic uncertainty, the Federal Reserve’s decisive response to inflation today may need to be balanced by caution.
First LookWhere is my order? How start ups are coming to the rescue.Future supply chain interruptions are inevitable, say industry analysts. In response, a growing group of startups and logistics firms is using artificial intelligence to make sure no shampoo bottle or bicycle gets left behind.
First LookAmazon union loses Staten Island vote after earlier successThe nascent Amazon Labor Union suffered a blow on Monday as workers at a Staten Island Amazon facility rejected unionization. The vote comes after the ALU successfully unionized another Amazon facility in the borough last month.
Cover StoryPost-pandemic city: What does ‘downtown’ mean in a world of hybrid work?Downtowns designed to serve a 9-to-5 workforce mull a makeover as workers embrace hybrid working models.
First LookCar living: College students hit hard by US housing crunchAmid the U.S. housing shortage, college students are feeling the squeeze as rent prices soar. To cope, students are opting for longer commutes or sleeping in their cars until more affordable options become available close to campus.
States ask people to return mistaken pandemic relief payments. Is it fair?What’s the fair way forward after the government makes a mistake? State agencies are grappling with how to handle millions of cases of overpaid pandemic unemployment benefits.
FocusWar’s economic fallout: A tech-worker exodus from three nationsRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a damaging exodus of talented workers. The effects could be much more severe for Russia and Belarus than for Ukraine.
