Economy

The consumer price index accelerated at a faster-than-expected pace in March, pushing inflation higher and likely dashing hopes that the Federal Reserve will be able to cut interest rates anytime soon. The CPI, a broad measure of goods and services costs across the economy, rose 0.4% for the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), at a rates decision news conference in Frankfurt, Germany, on Thursday, March 7, 2024.  Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The European Central Bank on Thursday held interest rates steady for a fifth straight meeting and gave its clearest signal yet of an upcoming rate cut,

In this article JPM Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT JPMorgan Chase CEO and Chairman Jamie Dimon gestures as he speaks during the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing on Wall Street firms, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 6, 2023.  Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon

A sign advertising units for rent is displayed outside of a Manhattan building on April 11, 2024 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images The early data is in for the path of inflation during the first three months of 2024, and the news so far is, well, not good. Pick your poison.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – DECEMBER 04: Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock, speaks at a roundtable discussion titled: “Financing the New Climate Economy,” during which he described the urgent need for a “new financial landscape” for funding investments into the global energy transition on day five of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference at Expo City

In this article LEVI BOOT Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Beyonce leaves the Luar fashion show at 154 Scott in Brooklyn during New York Fashion Week on February 13, 2024 in New York City.  James Devaney | GC Images | Getty Images Western boots have a new protector in Beyoncé. The country fashion staple’s

Plane contrails streak across the sky over Regent Street on February 15, 2024 in London, England.  Dan Kitwood | Getty Images LONDON — U.K. gross domestic product rose 0.1% in February, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday, providing another sign of a return to sluggish economic growth this year. The month-on-month figure was

A measure of wholesale prices increased less than expected in March, providing some potential relief from worries that inflation will hold higher for longer than many economists had expected. The producer price index rose 0.2% for the month, less than the 0.3% estimate from the Dow Jones consensus and not as much as the 0.6%

Container ships from international trunk lines, including those from Europe, Africa, India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia, are loading and unloading containers at the container terminal of the Qianwan Port Area of Qingdao Port in Qingdao, China, on April 4, 2024.  Nurphoto | Getty Images The World Trade Organization on Wednesday said that it expects global

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during afternoon trading on April 09, 2024 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images As recently as January, investors had high hopes that the Federal Reserve was about to embark on a rate-cutting campaign that would reverse some of the most

Gas prices are displayed at a gas station on March 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.  Scott Olson | Getty Images A closely watched Labor Department report due Wednesday is expected to show that not much progress is being made in the battle to bring down inflation. If so, that would be bad news for consumers,

A man checks the label of a vitamins jar at a Costco Wholesale store on April 3, 2024 in Colchester, Vermont.  Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images Small business confidence hit its lowest level in more than 11 years for March as proprietors worried that inflation is still very much a problem. At a time when

The sun rises behind the Empire State Building on the day of the solar eclipse in New York City on April 8, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey.  Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images Today marks a total solar eclipse that is expected to cross the United States as millions of

Mohamed Aly El-Erian, chief economic advisor for Allianz SE.  Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. Federal Reserve has become too data dependent and has lost sight of its overall strategy, Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, said Friday. The economist told CNBC that a longer-term, more strategic outlook could see policymakers settle on a

Job creation in March easily topped expectations in a sign of continued acceleration for what has been a bustling and resilient labor market. Nonfarm payrolls increased 303,000 for the month, well above the Dow Jones estimate for a rise of 200,000 and higher than the downwardly revised 270,000 gain in February, the Labor Department’s Bureau

The U.S. labor market surprised economists with its strength once again, adding more than 300,000 jobs in March, with a few key sectors continuing to fuel its growth. Health care and social assistance were the top sector for job gains — a common theme in recent years — adding 81,300 jobs. Government and leisure and

In this article LW Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT A McDonald’s crew member prepares french fries in Miami, Florida. Getty Images It’s a timeless question at fast-food counters: Do you want fries with that? Responders continue answering affirmatively at a higher-than-average rate, a top potato supplier indicated. It underscores the resilience of consumer spending,

We’re Hiring, Part-time heroes wanted, sign at entrance to Target Store, Queens, New York. Lindsey Nicholson | Universal Images Group | Getty Images The unemployment rate among Black Americans jumped in March, according to data released Friday by the Department of Labor. Black unemployment rose to 6.4% last month, up from 5.6% in February. That’s