ECONOMY

Thriving Black-owned businesses 'righting the wrongs of the past' in rural Mississippi

7:13pm December 03, 2021

by Kirk Siegler

In one of the poorest rural regions of the country's poorest state, a Black entrepreneur is helping Black owned businesses open and thrive even during the pandemic.

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Do the rising wages in the U.S. make a difference if prices are going up too?

5:18pm December 03, 2021

Although workers across the country have seen an increase in wages, the cost of things like gas and food have also risen. This has left workers wondering if these raises are real or just an illusion.

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Restaurants, like this McDonald's in Miami Beach, Fla., have been big engines of job growth.

Hiring slowed sharply in November, even before omicron, with 210,000 jobs added

5:18pm December 03, 2021

by Scott Horsley

Hiring slowed sharply last month, even as the unemployment rate fell to 4.2%. Data from the Labor Department suggest the economy was losing steam even before the appearance of a new COVID-19 variant.

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Economy

Omicron variant could become another speedbump on the road to economic recovery

8:25am December 03, 2021

by Scott Horsley

The latest jobs report from the Labor Department will be a snapshot of the job market before the arrival of the new coronavirus variant.

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The U.S. government's port envoy says container backlog is being cleared

6:05am December 03, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to John Porcari, port envoy of the White House's Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, to see how he's facilitating the supply of goods in the holiday season.

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In this file photo, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a speech about AI and gaming.

Economy

FTC sues to block big semiconductor chip industry merger between Nvidia and Arm

9:29pm December 02, 2021

by Bobby Allyn

The regulator says the deal would give the combined company too much power, hurt competition and raise prices for consumers. It comes as a global shortage of chips wreaks havoc on the economy.

How inflation affects low-income people

4:24pm December 02, 2021

by Laurel Wamsley

Low-income people are especially affected by inflation, economists say. While some are struggling with the rising prices of gas, food and rent, the pay for some low-wage jobs is rising.

How to find personal gifts without buying new during the holiday season

1:24pm December 02, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with writer Annaliese Griffin about her efforts to avoid buying anything new during the holidays.

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Inflation means recreating 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' for 2021 will cost more

6:24am December 02, 2021

by Scott Horsley

Partridge prices are flat this year, but a pear tree will cost you more. Compared to overall inflation, though, the gifts in the song could be a relative bargain.

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Parcels jam a conveyor belt at the United States Postal Service sorting and processing facility in Boston.

If you want your holiday package to arrive on time, here are the deadlines to know

6:01am December 02, 2021

by Jonathan Franklin

To all those holiday present procrastinators out there (you know who you are): Be sure to ship that holiday gift sooner rather than later to get those presents to their destination before December 25.