ECONOMY

President Jimmy Carter signs emergency natural gas legislation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 2, 1977. An oil crisis contributed to a period of double-digit inflation in the 1970s.

Think Inflation Is Bad Now? Let's Take A Step Back To The 1970s

1:14pm May 29, 2021

by Scott Horsley

Prices are jumping as the economy rebounds from the pandemic, but the Biden Administration and the Federal Reserve say a return to 1970s-style inflation is unlikely.

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What You Need To Know About Biden's Budget

10:10am May 28, 2021

Biden plans to unveil a budget Friday showing a huge expansion of spending. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget about what we know.

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Marissa Lovell had hoped to buy her small Boise, Idaho, rental home until the price shot up by nearly $100,000 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Homebuyers Squeezed As Western States See Prices Double Or More In Last Decade

9:32am May 28, 2021

by Kirk Siegler

The pandemic has made the housing market even tighter in the mountain West, where first-time buyers are trying to decide whether this is just the future or a bubble headed eventually for a bust.

About 400,000 more women than men have left the workforce since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. They shoulder the bulk of caregiving duties, which are especially difficult if employers are not supportive.

Women Left Their Jobs To Be Caregivers. A Business Coalition Wants Companies To Help

7:21am May 26, 2021

More women than men left the workforce during the pandemic, many because they had to care for children. A business council wants companies to take the lead in expanding child care and elder care.

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Cryptocurrency Has Raised Environmental Concerns — Local Governments Are Stepping In

4:44pm May 25, 2021

by Megan Myscofski

Even before Elon Musk got woke to how much dirty power Bitcoin consumes, local governments were moving to regulate crypto miners. Public pushback will be likely as crypto is branded carbon-intensive.

Is There Really A Truck Driver Shortage?

2:47pm May 25, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

The nation's big trucking employers have been arguing for decades that there's a trucker shortage. Is it really a shortage or something different?

Communities Worry About What Will Happen When Eviction Ban Is Lifted

8:24am May 25, 2021

by Kirk Siegler

About 10,000 households in the area of Spokane, Wash., are behind in rent. Some people finally returning to work face homelessness as the state and federal eviction ban is expected to end next month.

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Economy

Life Kit: Buying A House In An Impossible Market

5:07pm May 23, 2021

by Chris Arnold

If you're in the market to buy a home, NPR's Life Kit has some advice for how to navigate this seemingly impossible market.

Economy

IRS Cracking Down On Tax Fraud

10:03am May 22, 2021

by Scott Hor

The Biden administration has ambitious spending plans — ones that rely on taxpayers to pay their share. We look at a plan to modernize the IRS to make collecting those taxes possible.

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A staff member wearing a mask serves customers at a restaurant in San Mateo, Calif., on May 17.

Restaurants Are Welcoming Back Diners, But Say Mask Rules Have Them Relying On Trust

8:27am May 21, 2021

by Rachel Martin

The National Restaurant Association is recommending to its members that employees continue to wear masks until the government clarifies how the guidance applies to a requirement to keep workers safe.

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