Economy

A customer shops for holiday gifts in a Target store on Dec. 21 in Austin, Texas. Holiday shopping was up 3.1% over 2022, a lower figure than the pandemic years but still a healthy one, economists say.

Economy

Holiday spending is up. Shoppers are confident, but not giddy

5:12am December 27, 2023

by Becky Sullivan

Consumer spending from Nov. 1 through Christmas Eve rose 3.1% year over year, new data show, a figure in line with the decade leading up to the pandemic and another positive sign for the economy.

Biden doesn't seem to be benefiting politically from relatively strong economy

5:12am December 27, 2023

The state of the economy can determine presidential elections — but that doesn't mean President Biden is getting credit for positive changes.

A person holds a sign at a rally to raise the federal minimum wage, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 4.

Minimum-wage workers in 22 states will be getting raises on Jan. 1

8:57am December 26, 2023

by D. Parvaz

While that's great news for the almost 10 million workers affected, 20 other states still pay minimum-wage workers the federal rate of $7.25 an hour.

How to do a financial reset

6:42pm December 25, 2023

by Marielle Segarra

The Great Money Reset author Jill Schlesinger says if you're considering a reset, it helps to crunch the numbers, see what your finances look like, what might be possible for you and when.

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The toll the war in Gaza has taken on the West Bank economy

6:10pm December 25, 2023

The war in Gaza has taken a huge toll on the West Bank economy. Businesses have closed, tens of thousands can't work in Israel and analysts warn a continued decline could spark more violence.

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Most homes for sale in 2023 were not affordable for a typical U.S. household

2:34pm December 24, 2023

by Jennifer Ludden

The share of affordable homes plunged 40% from before the pandemic, according to a new analysis. The biggest drops were in smaller cities, where wages could not keep pace with spiking mortgage rates.

Getting a tax credit for buying a new electric vehicle will soon be simpler

5:53pm December 22, 2023

by Camila Domonoske

Getting the $7,500 tax credit for a new electric vehicle is about to get a lot simpler – you get it as a discount off the car. But fewer cars might be eligible as requirements grow stricter.

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Prices in the U.S. have fallen for the first time in more than three years

5:24pm December 22, 2023

by David Gura

The news about the U.S. economy keeps getting better. Friday, we learned that prices have actually fallen, and Americans have continued to spend — even with higher interest rates.

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Kensington White, an aspiring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, asked Santa Luke for "numchuks" for Christmas.

After 38 years on the job, Santa Luke still has time for everyone. Yes, you too

12:54pm December 21, 2023

by Bill Chappell

We spent a day soaking up the low-key magic made by Luke "Santa Luke" Durant, who draws large crowds — young and old — to storied Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore.

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Student loan forgiveness isn't dead yet, and other takeaways from 2023

9:27am December 21, 2023

by Cory Turner

What to make of all the student loan news this year? We have three takeaways, and a literary analogy (it's NPR afterall).