WEATHER ALERT
Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs reportU.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation.
US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown
Read full article: US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdownAmerica’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls.
Powell: Fed's independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisions
Read full article: Powell: Fed's independence from politics is vital to its interest rate decisionsChair Jerome Powell said the Federal Reserve’s ability to set interest rates free of political interference is necessary for it to make decisions to serve “all Americans” rather than a political party or political outcome.
A top Fed official leans toward December rate cut but says it depends on economic data
Read full article: A top Fed official leans toward December rate cut but says it depends on economic dataA top Federal Reserve official says he is leaning toward supporting an interest rate cut when the Fed meets in two weeks but that evidence of persistent inflation before then could cause him to change that view.
US consumer price increases accelerated last month with inflation pressures resilient
Read full article: US consumer price increases accelerated last month with inflation pressures resilientConsumer price increases accelerated last month, the latest sign that inflation’s steady decline over the past two years has stalled.
Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits falls again and hovers near 7-month lows
Read full article: Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits falls again and hovers near 7-month lowsThe number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining near seven-month lows.
Federal Reserve officials signal cautious path for rate cuts amid still-high inflation
Read full article: Federal Reserve officials signal cautious path for rate cuts amid still-high inflationWith inflation still elevated, Federal Reserve officials expressed caution at their last meeting about cutting interest rates too quickly, adding to uncertainty about their next moves.
Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures
Read full article: Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressuresChair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve will likely cut its key interest rate slowly and deliberately in the coming months, in part because inflation has shown signs of persistence and the Fed’s officials want to see where it heads next.
The number of Americans filing for jobless claims falls to lowest level in 6 months
Read full article: The number of Americans filing for jobless claims falls to lowest level in 6 monthsThe number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in six months last week as layoffs remain at relatively healthy levels.
Trump's economic agenda for his second term is clouding the outlook for mortgage rates
Read full article: Trump's economic agenda for his second term is clouding the outlook for mortgage ratesDonald Trump’s election win is clouding the outlook for mortgage rates even before he gets back to the White House.
Frustrated Americans await the economic changes they voted for with Trump
Read full article: Frustrated Americans await the economic changes they voted for with TrumpFed up with high prices and unimpressed with an economy that by just about any measure is a healthy one, Americans demanded change when they voted for president.
Slightly more Americans apply for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at low levels
Read full article: Slightly more Americans apply for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at low levelsThe number of Americans applying for jobless aid ticked up last week but layoffs remain at historically low levels.
Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate by a quarter-point amid postelection uncertainty
Read full article: Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate by a quarter-point amid postelection uncertaintyThe Federal Reserve cut its key rate by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises for fifth straight week
Read full article: Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises for fifth straight weekThe average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the fifth straight week, returning to its highest level since early August.
US applications for jobless benefits fall as layoffs remain at historically healthy levels
Read full article: US applications for jobless benefits fall as layoffs remain at historically healthy levelsFewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs remained at historically healthy levels despite elevated interest rates.
US applications for jobless benefits fall, but continuing claims rise to highest level since 2021
Read full article: US applications for jobless benefits fall, but continuing claims rise to highest level since 2021The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week, but the total number of those collecting benefits rose to its highest level in almost three years.
Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economy
Read full article: Wealthier Americans are driving retail spending and powering US economyIt’s a trend that has surprised many: Why, despite being squeezed by high prices, have Americans kept spending at retail stores and restaurants at a robust pace.
US filings for jobless applications retreat back to recent ranges after big jump due to hurricanes
Read full article: US filings for jobless applications retreat back to recent ranges after big jump due to hurricanesThe number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week came back down to more recent ranges after a big jump the week before due to hurricanes in the Southeast.
US consumer sentiment slips in October on frustration over high prices
Read full article: US consumer sentiment slips in October on frustration over high pricesAmericans’ outlook on the economy soured a bit after two months of small gains, according to the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, released Friday.
US jobless claims hit 258,000, the most in a year. Analysts point to Hurricane Helene, Boeing strike
Read full article: US jobless claims hit 258,000, the most in a year. Analysts point to Hurricane Helene, Boeing strikeThe number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week jumped to its highest level in a year, which analysts are saying is more likely a result of Hurricane Helene — and the Boeing strike — than a broader softening in the labor market.
Home listings climb in nation's priciest markets as locked-up inventory starts to shift
Read full article: Home listings climb in nation's priciest markets as locked-up inventory starts to shiftThe recent pullback in mortgage rates and expectations of further easing next year may be motivating more U.S. homeowners to list their home for sale.
US inflation reaches lowest point in 3 years, though some price pressures remain
Read full article: US inflation reaches lowest point in 3 years, though some price pressures remainInflation in the United States dropped last month to its lowest point since it first began surging more than three years ago, adding to a spate of encouraging economic news in the closing weeks of the presidential race.
Stock market today: Wall Street slides after Treasury yields climb back above 4% and oil rises
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street slides after Treasury yields climb back above 4% and oil risesU.S. stocks slid after Treasury yields hit their highest levels since the summer and oil prices continued to climb.
More Americans file for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain historically low
Read full article: More Americans file for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain historically lowThe number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose modestly last week but remains at healthy levels.
Stock market today: Oil prices jump again on worries about the Middle East as Wall Street fades
Read full article: Stock market today: Oil prices jump again on worries about the Middle East as Wall Street fadesCrude prices jumped on worries about worsening tensions in the Middle East, while U.S. stocks pulled back further from their records.
Fed Chair Powell says the US economy is in 'solid shape' with gradual rate cuts coming
Read full article: Fed Chair Powell says the US economy is in 'solid shape' with gradual rate cuts comingFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has signaled that more rate cuts are in the pipeline, though their size and speed will depend on the evolution of the economy.
Fed's favored inflation gauge shows cooling price pressures, clearing way for more rate cuts
Read full article: Fed's favored inflation gauge shows cooling price pressures, clearing way for more rate cutsThe Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure provided the latest sign that price pressures are easing, a trend that is expected to fuel further Fed interest rate cuts.
The Fed sees its inflation fight as a success. Will the public eventually agree?
Read full article: The Fed sees its inflation fight as a success. Will the public eventually agree?With its larger-than-usual half-point cut to its key interest rate last week, the Federal Reserve underscored its belief that it’s all but conquered inflation after three long years.
Stock market today: Wall Street closes its record-setting week mixed as FedEx slumps and Nike jumps
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street closes its record-setting week mixed as FedEx slumps and Nike jumpsU.S. stocks drifted around their all-time highs, as a record-setting week for Wall Street closed on a quieter note.
US home sales fell in August despite easing mortgage rates, more homes on the market
Read full article: US home sales fell in August despite easing mortgage rates, more homes on the marketSales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in August to the slowest annual pace in nearly a year even as mortgage rates eased and the supply of properties on the market kept rising.
Wall Street soars to records as Dow leaps 500 in a rate-cut rally that swept the world
Read full article: Wall Street soars to records as Dow leaps 500 in a rate-cut rally that swept the worldWall Street romped to records as a delayed jubilation swept markets worldwide following the Federal Reserve’s big cut to interest rates.
The Federal Reserve is finally lowering rates. Here's what consumers should know
Read full article: The Federal Reserve is finally lowering rates. Here's what consumers should knowThe Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate from its 23-year high, with consequences for debt, savings, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of borrowing by consumers and businesses.
Federal Reserve signals end to inflation fight with a sizable half-point rate cut
Read full article: Federal Reserve signals end to inflation fight with a sizable half-point rate cutThe Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates that helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for consumers.
Stock market today: Most of Wall Street edges lower after Fed delivers a big cut to rates
Read full article: Stock market today: Most of Wall Street edges lower after Fed delivers a big cut to ratesMost of the U.S. stock market edged lower after the Federal Reserve kicked off its efforts to prevent a recession with a bigger-than-usual cut to interest rates.
US retail sales ticked up last month in sign of ongoing consumer resilience
Read full article: US retail sales ticked up last month in sign of ongoing consumer resilienceAmericans spent a bit more at retailers last month, providing a small boost to the economy just as the Federal Reserve considers how much to cut its key interest rate.
US consumer sentiment ticks higher for second month but remains subdued
Read full article: US consumer sentiment ticks higher for second month but remains subduedAmericans’ outlook on the economy improved for the second straight month in September, bolstered by lower prices for long-lasting goods such as cars and furniture.
Stock market today: Wall Street’s best week of 2024 closes with indexes near their records
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street’s best week of 2024 closes with indexes near their recordsU.S. stocks closed their best week of the year with more gains and climbed to the cusp of their records.
Wholesale inflation mostly cooled last month in latest sign that price pressures are slowing
Read full article: Wholesale inflation mostly cooled last month in latest sign that price pressures are slowingU.S. wholesale price increases mostly slowed last month, the latest evidence that inflation pressures are cooling enough for the Federal Reserve to begin cutting interest rates next week.
Stock market today: Wall Street falls sharply to close its worst week in nearly 18 months
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street falls sharply to close its worst week in nearly 18 monthsAnother rout hit Wall Street after an update on the U.S. job market came in weak enough to add to worries about the economy.
Sluggish US jobs report clears the way for Federal Reserve to cut interest rates
Read full article: Sluggish US jobs report clears the way for Federal Reserve to cut interest ratesHiring by America’s employers picked up a bit in August from July’s tepid pace, and the unemployment rate dipped for the first time since March in a sign that the job market may be cooling but remains sturdy.
Applications for US jobless benefits fall to 2-month low as layoffs remain at healthy levels
Read full article: Applications for US jobless benefits fall to 2-month low as layoffs remain at healthy levelsThe number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to its lowest level in two months last week, signaling that layoffs remain relatively low despite other signs of labor market cooling.
Stock market today: Most of Wall Street slips as S&P 500 stays on track for worst week since April
Read full article: Stock market today: Most of Wall Street slips as S&P 500 stays on track for worst week since AprilMost U.S. stocks fell following a mixed round of data on the economy, keeping them on track for their worst week since April.
Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge shows price pressures easing as rate cuts near
Read full article: Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge shows price pressures easing as rate cuts nearAn inflation measure closely tracked by the Federal Reserve remained low last month, extending a trend of cooling price increases that clears the way for the Fed to start cutting its key interest rate next month for the first time in 4 1/2 years.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage eases to 6.35%, its lowest level in more than a year
Read full article: Average rate on a 30-year mortgage eases to 6.35%, its lowest level in more than a yearThe average rate on a 30-year mortgage eased for the second week in a row and remains at its lowest level in more than a year.
Stock market today: Dow Jones Industrial Average inches up to another record high in mixed trading
Read full article: Stock market today: Dow Jones Industrial Average inches up to another record high in mixed tradingThe Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up to another record high on a mixed day of trading for Wall Street.
How to prepare for the Fed's forthcoming interest rate cuts
Read full article: How to prepare for the Fed's forthcoming interest rate cutsThe Federal Reserve is poised to cut its benchmark interest rate next month from its 23-year high, with consequences for consumers when it comes to debt, savings, auto loans and mortgages.
Stock market today: Wall Street rallies near its record heights as 'time has come' for cuts to rates
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street rallies near its record heights as 'time has come' for cuts to ratesU.S. stocks rallied closer to their records after the head of the Federal Reserve finally said out loud what Wall Street has been expecting for a while: Cuts to interest rates are coming soon to help the economy.
Powell at Jackson Hole: 'The time has come' for the Fed to soon begin reducing interest rates
Read full article: Powell at Jackson Hole: 'The time has come' for the Fed to soon begin reducing interest ratesWith inflation nearly defeated and the job market cooling, the Federal Reserve is prepared to start cutting its key interest rate from its current 23-year high, Chair Jerome Powell said Friday.
U.S. applications for unemployment benefits inch up, but remain at historically healthy levels
Read full article: U.S. applications for unemployment benefits inch up, but remain at historically healthy levelsThe number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose modestly last week, but remains at healthy levels Jobless claims rose by 4,000 to 232,000 for the week of Aug. 17, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
Stock market today: Wall Street weakens ahead of a highly anticipated speech
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street weakens ahead of a highly anticipated speechU.S. stocks closed lower as Wall Street counted down to its main event for the week, a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell coming up on Friday.
Fed minutes: Most officials favored a rate cut in September if inflation continued to cool
Read full article: Fed minutes: Most officials favored a rate cut in September if inflation continued to coolMost Federal Reserve officials agreed last month that they would likely cut their benchmark interest rate at their next meeting in September as long as inflation continued to cool.
Stock market today: Wall Street climbs to push its winning streak to 8 days, longest of the year
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street climbs to push its winning streak to 8 days, longest of the yearU.S. stocks climbed, and Wall Street pulled closer to its record heights following its roller coaster of a summer.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage ticks up to 6.49%, near its lowest level in more than a year
Read full article: Average rate on a 30-year mortgage ticks up to 6.49%, near its lowest level in more than a yearThe average rate on a 30-year mortgage edged higher this week, holding close to its lowest level in more than a year.
US unemployment claims fall 7,000 to 227,000 in sign of resiliency in job market
Read full article: US unemployment claims fall 7,000 to 227,000 in sign of resiliency in job marketThe number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, another sign that the job market remains resilient in the face of high interest rates.
Stock market today: Wall Street leaps, and S&P 500 rallies 1.6% as US shoppers drive the economy
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street leaps, and S&P 500 rallies 1.6% as US shoppers drive the economyWall Street rallied close to its record heights after data showed the U.S. economy is holding up better than expected.
Stock market today: Wall Street ticks higher after inflation data clears the way for cuts to rates
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street ticks higher after inflation data clears the way for cuts to ratesWall Street ticked higher after the latest update on inflation came in almost exactly as economists expected.
US wholesale inflation cooled in July in sign that price pressures are continuing to ease
Read full article: US wholesale inflation cooled in July in sign that price pressures are continuing to easeWholesale price increases in the United States eased in July, suggesting that inflation pressures are further cooling as the Federal Reserve moves closer to cutting interest rates, likely beginning next month.
Stock market today: Wall Street holds relatively steady ahead of big tests coming later in the week
Read full article: Stock market today: Wall Street holds relatively steady ahead of big tests coming later in the weekU.S. stocks drifted through a quiet day to finish mixed, as markets around the world stabilized following a wild week.
Fewer Americans file for jobless benefits last week, but applications remain slightly elevated
Read full article: Fewer Americans file for jobless benefits last week, but applications remain slightly elevatedThe number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell last week but remain at slightly elevated though not troubling levels.
Calm returns to Wall Street, and stocks bounce back after their worst drop in nearly 2 years
Read full article: Calm returns to Wall Street, and stocks bounce back after their worst drop in nearly 2 yearsStocks rose on Wall Street as calm returned to the market a day after its worst drop in nearly two years.
Japan's share benchmark soars nearly 11% a day after massive sell-offs that shook Wall Street
Read full article: Japan's share benchmark soars nearly 11% a day after massive sell-offs that shook Wall StreetJapan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index has soared more than 10% a day after it set markets tumbling in Europe and on Wall Street, while other world markets appeared to have settled after the rollercoaster ride that started the week.
The Fed's high rates spur fear of slowdown, yet recession signals have so far proved wrong
Read full article: The Fed's high rates spur fear of slowdown, yet recession signals have so far proved wrongThe turmoil shaking global financial markets reflects a sudden fear that the Federal Reserve may have held its key interest rate too high for too long, heightening the risk of a U.S. recession.
The number of Americans filing for jobless claims hits highest level in a year
Read full article: The number of Americans filing for jobless claims hits highest level in a yearThe number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits jumped to its highest level in a year last week, even as the labor market remains broadly healthy.
Stock market today: Worries about the economy hit Wall Street, and the Dow drops nearly 500 points
Read full article: Stock market today: Worries about the economy hit Wall Street, and the Dow drops nearly 500 pointsU.S. stocks tumbled after weak data raised worries the Federal Reserve may have missed its window to cut interest rates before undercutting the economy’s growth.
Stock market today: Asian benchmarks are mixed as Tokyo sips on strong yen
Read full article: Stock market today: Asian benchmarks are mixed as Tokyo sips on strong yenJapan’s index has plunged, as the U.S. dollar sank against the yen, and regional investors digested the rally on Wall Street that came on hopes U.S. cuts to interest rates will be arriving soon.
Paychecks grew more slowly this spring, a sign inflation may keep cooling
Read full article: Paychecks grew more slowly this spring, a sign inflation may keep coolingPay and benefits for America’s workers grew more slowly in the April-June quarter than in the first three months of the year, a trend that could keep price pressures in check and encourage the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve.
U.S. job openings fall slightly to 8.2 million as high interest rates slowly cool a hot labor market
Read full article: U.S. job openings fall slightly to 8.2 million as high interest rates slowly cool a hot labor marketU.S. job openings fell slightly last month, a sign that the American labor market continues to cool in the face of high interest rates.
Federal Reserve is edging closer to cutting rates. The question will soon be, how fast?
Read full article: Federal Reserve is edging closer to cutting rates. The question will soon be, how fast?Two years after launching an aggressive fight against inflation and one year after leaving its benchmark interest rate at a near-quarter-century high, the Federal Reserve is expected to signal this week that it will likely reduce borrowing costs as soon as September.
Fewer Americans file for jobless claims as applications remain at elevated, but not troubling levels
Read full article: Fewer Americans file for jobless claims as applications remain at elevated, but not troubling levelsFewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, but applications remained at recently elevated, though not troubling levels.
Stock market today: Asian stocks fall after a torrent of profit reports leaves Wall Street mixed
Read full article: Stock market today: Asian stocks fall after a torrent of profit reports leaves Wall Street mixedAsian stocks are lower as markets digest Japanese and Australian business data, while U.S. stocks held relatively steady as earnings reporting season ramped up for big companies.
More Americans apply for jobless benefits as layoffs settle at higher levels in recent weeks
Read full article: More Americans apply for jobless benefits as layoffs settle at higher levels in recent weeksU.S. filings for unemployment benefits rose again last week and appear to be settling consistently at a slightly higher though still healthy level.