Economy

A 'help wanted' sign is displayed in a window of a store in Manhattan, New York City, on Dec. 2, 2022. U.S. employers added an unexpectedly strong 517,000 jobs in January, showcasing the labor market is red-hot. The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in more than half a century.

U.S. employers added 517,000 jobs last month. It's a surprisingly strong number

10:27am February 03, 2023

by Scott Horsley

U.S. employers added 517,000 jobs in January, as the unemployment rate fell to 3.4% . The job market remains tight, despite signs of a slowing economy.

Crowd watches as city officials speak about the Winston Weaver fire at a community meeting.

Two-thirds of Winston Weaver fire relief money went undistributed by the city, raising questions about outreach

3:17pm February 02, 2023

by April Laissle

Two-thirds of the city funding set aside to ease the financial burdens of the Winston Weaver Fertilizer plant fire was never distributed to residents.

A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which SNAP beneficiaries use to pay for food, is displayed at a grocery store in 2019 in Oakland, Calif. SNAP emergency allotments are ending after this month and have already ended in some parts of the country.

SNAP recipients will lose their pandemic boost and may face other reductions by March

5:04am February 02, 2023

by Kaitlyn Radde

Congress ended the temporary benefit meant to help low-income households with pandemic-era hardships. A huge increase in Social Security benefits may mean some households see further SNAP reductions.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference after the Fed's meeting on Nov. 2, 2022, in Washington, D.C. The Fed raised interest rates by a quarter percentage point on Wednesday, its smallest increase in 11 months.

Economy

The Fed raises interest rates by only a quarter-point after inflation drops

8:00pm February 01, 2023

by Scott Horsley

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter-percentage point as part of its ongoing effort to fight inflation. Price hikes have begun to ease, but the Fed says inflation is not yet tamed.

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Credit card logos are seen on a downtown storefront as a pedestrian passes in Atlanta in 2012.

Miss a credit card payment? Federal regulators want to put new limits on late fees

1:13pm February 01, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to cap late fees at $8. Banking groups say the proposal would result in higher costs for consumers.

Economy

Inflation is coming down but the Fed isn't about to declare victory just yet

7:17am February 01, 2023

The Federal Reserve is expected to continue its crackdown on inflation by raising interest rates, but only by a quarter percentage point. That would be the smallest rate hike since last March.

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Morning news brief

6:54am February 01, 2023

President Biden meets with House Speaker McCarthy to discuss the debt ceiling, thousands are expected to attend Tyre Nichols' funeral in Memphis, the Fed is expected to raise interest rates again.

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A look at how inflation may be starting to ease

6:14pm January 31, 2023

by David Gura

There has been a string of negative news about the economy this month — but nonetheless, stock and bond markets are headed for big gains in January. What gives?

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How the pandemic changed the rules of personal finance

5:34pm January 31, 2023

by Paddy Hirsch

A new book says the Great Resignation was really the Great Reshuffle.

Economy

The Fed kicks off a 2-day meeting with another interest rate hike expected

10:09am January 31, 2023

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Ken Kuttner, economics professor at Williams College, about the Federal Reserve's next expected interest rate hike. It would mark the eighth increase since March of 2022.

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