Economy

Visitors walk toward Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

Economy

Some Disneyland Employees Struggle To Pay For Food, Shelter, Survey Finds

6:10pm February 28, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

More than two-thirds of unionized workers at Disneyland in California tell surveyors that they are food insecure at the place advertised as the "happiest place on earth."

Economy

More Band For Your Buck

4:07pm February 28, 2018

To understand the Trump administration's approach to trade tariffs, look no further than the humble rubber band.

Though Prices Aren't As High As Before, West Texas Enjoys Oil Revival

7:01am February 28, 2018

by Mose Buchele

The U.S. is on track to surpass Saudi Arabia and Russia next year to become the world's biggest oil producer — pumping out more crude than at its peak nearly half a century ago.

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Most workers are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, which allows up to 12 weeks of leave per year to care for family members. But that leave is unpaid. Now, Republicans are making paid family leave a legislative policy.

Lawmakers Agree On Paid Family Leave, But Not The Details

7:36pm February 27, 2018

by Yuki Noguchi

Passage of paid family leave laws in states like Washington is spurring federal lawmakers from both parties to float their own proposals, but so far support is not bridging party lines.

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Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testifies Tuesday before the House Financial Services Committee in Washington. "My personal outlook for the economy has strengthened since December," he said.

New Fed Chief Sees Interest Rates Continuing To Rise As Economy Strengthens

7:36pm February 27, 2018

by John Ydstie

The central bank remains on track to boost rates gradually, Jerome Powell told Congress on Tuesday in his first testimony as Fed chairman. He said he has seen the economy picking up since December.

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Education Department Wants To Protect Student Loan Debt Collectors

6:48pm February 27, 2018

The Trump administration is considering a policy change to prevent states from making tough demands of companies that collect student loan debt, according to an internal document obtained by NPR.

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Positive pregnancy tests can also be a positive indicator for the future of the economy, according to new research published by The National Bureau of Economic Research.

Pregnancy Rate Might Predict Future Recessions, Researchers Suggest

6:05pm February 27, 2018

by Camila Domonoske

Conventional wisdom holds that fertility rates go down in response to an economic downturn. But a new study found that conception rates begin to drop before a recession actually begins.

Boats sail on the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, last October. Tensions between Egypt and upstream Nile basin countries, Sudan and Ethiopia, have flared up again over the construction and effects of a massive dam being built by Ethiopia on the Nile River.

In Africa, War Over Water Looms As Ethiopia Nears Completion Of Nile River Dam

4:09pm February 27, 2018

by Samantha Raphelson

Ethiopia hopes the electricity generated by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will boost economic development, while Egypt is concerned its neighbor will gain control over the flow of water.

Economy

The Case For Overshooting

4:02pm February 27, 2018

We have a new Federal Reserve Chair. His name is Jay Powell. Here's what we can expect.

Chevrolet Camaros are lined up at General Motors' Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Michigan in 2015. Automakers in the U.S. say if costs go up as a result of a renegotiated NAFTA, they would be less competitive.

Automakers Say Trump's Anti-NAFTA Push Could Upend Their Industry

8:21pm February 26, 2018

by Sonari Glinton

As the administration seeks to redo the North American Free Trade Agreement, the industry is watching the talks closely. Automakers say changes could drive up costs, making them less competitive.

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