Economy

Passengers walk through the terminal as they head to their flights at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., on Dec. 23, 2015.

As Oil Plummets, Cheap Jet Fuel Means Better Travel Deals

7:03pm January 20, 2016

by Chris Arnold

Cheap oil doesn't just mean cheaper gas prices; it also means cheaper jet fuel. That's led to a big drop in airfares. It's good news for travelers — and for airlines, which have struggled for years.

Queue Listen Now

Gun Stocks Up, But Activists Move To Expand Anti-Investment Push

2:29pm January 20, 2016

by Joel Rose

Instead of pushing for new gun laws, anti-gun activists want supporters to pull big gun retailers like Wal-Mart from their investment portfolios. But experts say it might not be effective.

Queue Listen Now

Despite Slower Growth, China's Economy Is Undergoing Major Changes

2:29pm January 20, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews Yukon Huang, senior associate in the Asia program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about how China's economy is changing.

Queue Listen Now

The effects of opioid abuse can go unnoticed at work.

Opioid Abuse Takes A Toll On Workers And Their Employers

1:50pm January 20, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

Many employers who test for drugs don't screen employees for opioids. Yet opioid abuse is linked to problems with workplace productivity and safety.

Queue Listen Now

In Oklahoma, Low Energy Prices Drive State Budget Crisis

4:34pm January 19, 2016

by Joe Wertz

Low energy prices are good for consumers but bad for some businesses — and the states that rely on them. Oklahoma lawmakers say there may be a "revenue failure" soon. The state has a $900 million budget hole.

The Tesoro Refinery at Nikiski in Kenai, Alaska, in 2008.

Alaska Faces Budget Deficit As Crude Oil Prices Slide

4:13pm January 19, 2016

by Rachel Waldholz

Alaska may overhaul the way it spends its oil wealth. While the state has a lot of oil, the price of oil has dropped so much that the state now has a $3.5 billion deficit — two-thirds of its budget.

Queue Listen Now

Once Upon A Time, Congress Cut Deficits; Now CBO Says That's Over

4:02pm January 19, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

Back in the old days, say 2011, political leaders talked about, and acted upon, worries involving federal borrowing. But a new CBO report shows deficits surging — even as political attention drifts.

IMF Lowers Its Growth Forecast For The Global Economy

2:52pm January 19, 2016

by Jim Zarroli

Advanced economies are doing OK, but a sharp slowdown is plaguing much of the developing world, the IMF's latest report says.

Economy

What The Drop In Commodity Prices Means For The U.S. Economy

2:25pm January 19, 2016

Steve Inskeep talks to David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, about the long-term precipitous declines in commodity prices.

Queue Listen Now

In 2015, China's GDP grew at its slowest rate in a quarter of a century, feeding expectations that new stimulus policies will be enacted. On Tuesday, containers were transported at a port in eastern China's Jiangsu province.

China Reports Slowest Economic Growth In 25 Years

1:01pm January 19, 2016

by Bill Chappell

Not since the fallout from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has China's economy grown at such a slow pace: at just below 7 percent last year.