Economy

Pump jacks at the Belridge oil field in California's Kern County. Oil prices are expected to remain low in 2016 and economic growth is projected to pick up slightly, forecasters say.

No Crystal Ball? Here's Help With 2016 Economic Forecasts

3:13pm December 21, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Investors might wish for a device to peer into the future, but they must settle for economic forecasters. For 2016, most forecasters are seeing signs pointing toward more profits and jobs.

What problem can't be solved with a pair of comfortable walking shoes and an in-ground pool? As it turns out, there are a lot of them.

Economy

The Diminishing Middle — And Why That Widens The Gap Between Us

2:02pm December 21, 2015

by Michel Martin

In light of a recent Pew study that says most Americans are no longer middle-class, NPR's Michel Martin argues that when the middle thins, the ends of the spectrum must yell just to hear each other.

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Economy

The Fed Raised Interest Rates So What Happens Next?

2:00pm December 21, 2015

The Federal Reserve hasn't raised short-term interest rates since 2006. Renee Montagne talks to David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution

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While the days of sharing mixed tapes and audio cassettes may be long gone, exchanging playlists doesn't have to be.

Economy

Need A Last-Minute Gift? Don't Want To Buy Stuff? All Tech Has Ideas

10:56am December 21, 2015

Sometimes, they say, the best things in life aren't things. In that spirit, we've come up with a few ideas of last-minute presents for your plugged-in friends and family that don't involve shopping.

Stonegate Bank's Pompano Beach, Fla., location, shown here, announced it is setting up a correspondent banking relationship with a Cuban financial institution.

Little Florida Bank Goes Where Behemoths Fear To Tread: Cuba

5:15pm December 18, 2015

by Greg Allen

Middlemen, messy currencies and questions galore allude to the price of banking in Cuba — but that's not stopping Stonegate, the first to offer customers a debit card they can use across the strait.

How The Heck Do You Pay Off Your College Loans?

2:12pm December 18, 2015

by Eric Westervelt

It's easy for parents and students to get lost in the college loan and debt jungle. Yet another plan aimed at helping students reduce debt burden takes effect this month. Will it help?

U.N. Security Council Takes Aim At Islamic State's Funding Sources

10:24am December 18, 2015

It's hoped the plan will disrupt the financing of ISIS. Renee Montagne talks to Matthew Levitt, a former senior official in the Treasury Department's terrorism and financial intelligence branch.

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Oil Industry Ups And Downs Price Out Longtime Residents Of Fracking Towns

6:48pm December 17, 2015

by Marie Cusick

The sudden ups and downs of the oil and gas industry can feel like whiplash for rural communities seeing an influx of workers. Affordable housing has been a challenge. With the current slowdown in drilling, rental prices have dropped, but they're still much higher than they were pre-boom, leaving low-income and senior people still struggling to find a place they can afford.

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Yes, this is a story about the budget â read on.

Winners And Losers Tucked Inside The Spending And Taxing Bills

5:59pm December 17, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

Conservatives don't like the price tag and liberals don't like the priorities. Still, Congress is making quick progress on a massive legislative push affecting government spending and business taxes.

The price of oil is displayed in downtown Midland, Texas, in February. Across the state, drilling budgets have been cut and companies have laid off workers.

Massive Downsizing In Oil Sector Brings Acute Pain For The Holidays

1:38pm December 17, 2015

by Andrew Schneider

The holiday season can be stressful, but for energy workers, December is turning out to be especially tough. Oil and gas firms have laid off close to 56,000 Texans in the past year.

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