A Look At The Wealth And Income Gap, By ZIP Code
A newly released report says some areas of the U.S. have recovered from the Great Recession much more than others.
ECONOMY
Head-Scratcher Alert: Jet Fuel Prices Are Falling And Airfares Are Rising
Airlines have been paying the lowest prices in years for jet fuel. Nevertheless, fares are rising and many fuel surcharge fees remain. Traveler advocates are angry but airlines say labor costs are up.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez On The Movement To Raise Minimum Wages
NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez about the movement to increase minimum wages at the local level.
Alabama Lawmakers Fight Minimum Wage Increase In Birmingham
In Alabama, the city of Birmingham voted to increase its minimum wage to $10.10. Lawmakers in the state legislature said "not so fast." Now there's a battle underway as the Republican-controlled legislature tries to stop the state's largest city from increasing its hourly wages.
Oil Producing Nations Struggle To Cope With Falling Prices
U.S. consumers are enjoying extremely low gasoline prices, but the big drop in oil prices is causing hardship in nations that depend on oil production to fund their governments and social programs. NPR takes a look at which oil producing countries are hurt most and how they're coping.
Risky Shadow Banks Become Campaign Fodder For Democrats
Bernie Sanders says he wants to break up too-big-to-fail banks. But Hillary Clinton says the real risks to the financial system lie in lightly regulated corners of the economy known as shadow banks.
It's Been A Brutal Season For Winter Tourism In The Northeast
Big fluctuations in temperature and a shortage of snow for ski areas has hit the area hard. In New York's Adirondack Mountains, businesses are hurting and workers are losing their jobs.
First U.S. Factory OK'd For Cuba Aims To Plow A Path Into 21st Century
Two businessmen — one of whom was born in Cuba — have been granted permission to build the first U.S. factory on the island nation since 1960. They plan to produce small tractors for Cuban farmers.
Upbeat White House Report Points To More Jobs, Higher Wages
But this year's assessment from the Council of Economic Advisers also notes that slow growth in countries such as China has limited demand for U.S. exports.
Why Money Is Pouring Out Of China
Despite an uptick this week, the value of China's currency has been sliding since August. What does all this mean for China's slowing growth and the global economy?