Indicators of the Week is back! On today's episode, we discuss Red Lobster's bankruptcy, the rancid vibes of the U.S. economy, and a surprising shift in vices among Americans.
A new report from the Fed shows little change in family finances over the last year, but rising prices remain a big worry. And parents of children under the age of 18 feel worse off than a year ago.
Inflation eased last month, according to a report Wednesday from the Labor Department, which means people feeling stretched by high prices and high borrowing costs could feel a little relief soon.
Credit card delinquencies rose in the first three months of the year. That's a sign of the growing financial stress that some families are feeling in an era of rising prices and high interest rates.
Social Security's finances have improved slightly in the last year. But the popular retirement program still faces big challenges including the threat of automatic benefit cuts in less than a decade.
The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady this week — and possibly for months to come — as policymakers try to sort through mixed signals about the U.S. economy.
The U.S. launched the Paycheck Protection Program in April 2020 to save jobs and businesses from the worst effects of the pandemic. Today on the show, a post-mortem on the controversial program and whether it fulfilled its objective. Also, we hear from one company that voluntarily paid back its PPP loan — with interest — even though it could have qualified for forgiveness.
U.S. employers added 353,000 jobs in January — far more than forecasters expected. The sizzling job market is good for workers but could cause the Federal Reserve to postpone a cut in interest rates.
The U.S. economy grew substantially faster in the final months of 2023 than forecasters had expected. For all of last year, the economy grew 3.1% — defying forecasts of a likely recession.
U.S. employers added 216,000 jobs in December, as the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. The labor market proved resilient in 2023, despite rising interest rates.
The author of the 'Sahm Rule' is less worried about rising unemployment this time, even though October's rate was up 0.5% from a recent low...a jump typically associated with the onset of recession.
A report from the National Association of Realtors shows the average home buyer this past year had a six-figure income. Others face challenges in a period of high prices and costly home loans.
The U.S. economy continues to defy gravity, growing rapidly despite high interest rates. Consumer spending is powering the expansion, but it's not clear how long that can last.
A new survey from the Federal Reserve finds that family finances overall improved in recent years, despite the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic.
