Was it a strong finish to the 2023 job market? The Labor Department has an answer
The Labor Department delivers its final jobs report of 2023 Friday morning. The job market held up well last year, despite rising interest rates.
Economy
More people snagged new cars in 2023
Early in the pandemic, car lots were nearly empty. But in 2023, the U.S. auto industry sold more cars than it has since 2019.
The U.S. Mint releases new commemorative coins honoring Harriet Tubman
The designs featured on the coins honor Tubman's life and her work as an abolitionist and social activist. The coins include $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins and half-dollar coins.
Where the Republican presidential candidates stand on the economy
GOP presidential hopefuls know that the economy is an important issue — if not the top issue — for voters. That means it's a big talker on the campaign trail and a focus area for winning votes.
The national debt tops $34 trillion — a record high. How worried should we be?
NPR's Leila Fadel talks with Stony Brook University professor of economics Stephanie Kelton about some potential benefits of the nation's $34 trillion of debt.
Attitudes about the economy are much better than they were this time last year
The economic outlook has improved considerably from this time last year, when many forecasters were predicting a recession in 2023.
To tackle poverty, more states will offer bigger child tax credits in 2024
The new benefits take a cue from a pandemic success story — when an expanded U.S. child tax credit briefly cut child poverty in half. Some states include immigrants and index credits to inflation.
Morning news brief
This year is set to be a consequential one in U.S. politics. The U.S. economy performed better than many expected — what's ahead for 2024? Companies working on climate solutions are embracing AI.
The U.S. economy performed better than expected in 2023. A 2024 preview
Will the economy continue to bubble like freshly-popped champagne, or will we suffer a hangover from inflation and high interest rates. Forecasters expect somewhat slower growth and lower inflation.
22 states are raising their minimum wages in the new year
NPR's Rob Schmitz asks Jeannette Wicks-Lim of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, about minimum wage hikes that go into effect in the new year in states, counties, and cities.