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The price of limiting trade with China
China's exports to the U.S. are down a third year over year. That’s a significant drop, reflective of President Trump’s punishing tariff agenda. Although China’s overall export growth has slowed, it …
Published on 2 weeks ago
Jobs report warning signs
Paltry job creation was the headline item in the latest jobs report. But dig a little deeper, and warning signs show up all over: long-term unemployment, Black unemployment and Hispanic unemployment …
Published on 2 weeks, 3 days ago
What about the regional Feds? What do they do?
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors has gotten a lot of attention lately — President Trump is attempting to remove one member and has nominated another. But there’s more under the central bank umb…
Published on 2 weeks, 4 days ago
Slo-mo jobs growth
Job growth has slowed this summer as employers ride out President Trump's economic shakeups. Thanks to uncertain tariffs, funding cuts, and the immigration crackdown, most companies aren’t eager to h…
Published on 2 weeks, 5 days ago
Short-term corporate borrowing climbs
“Commercial paper” is a type of short-term debt that’s paid off much faster than a typical corporate bond. It’s kinda like an afternoon snack — perhaps not great for you, but it’ll hold you over unti…
Published on 2 weeks, 6 days ago
No, private data can't replace the BLS
As the Trump administration strips away federal data collection agencies' funding and pressures statisticians to produce positive reports, we might wonder whether private data can fill in the gaps. U…
Published on 3 weeks ago
Sticky inflation, Fed drama and the rise of 'cute' debt
Core inflation rose to 2.9% in July, according to the latest PCE data — the Fed's preferred inflation gauge — marking its highest level in months. But despite stubborn inflation and falling consumer …
Published on 3 weeks, 3 days ago
What's really going on in the Trump economy?
The U.S. economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter of the year, with GDP revised up to an annualized 3.3% from April through June. We take a closer look at what's driving those numbers,…
Published on 3 weeks, 4 days ago
The relationship between consumer mood and spending? It's complicated
On Tuesday, the Conference Board reported a slight drop in consumer confidence, driven by worries about available jobs and future incomes. But a dip in confidence doesn't always mean people spend les…
Published on 3 weeks, 5 days ago
Can the president remove a Fed governor?
Late Monday, President Trump announced plans to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors over unproven allegations of mortgage fraud. The move is part of his months-long effort to…
Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago