Economy

Economy

The national debt tops $34 trillion — a record high. How worried should we be?

7:20am January 03, 2024

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.

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Attitudes about the economy are much better than they were this time last year

5:28pm January 01, 2024

by Scott Horsley

The economic outlook has improved considerably from this time last year, when many forecasters were predicting a recession in 2023.

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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed a tax relief package on Oct. 4. Among other things, it expanded a child and family tax credit.

To tackle poverty, more states will offer bigger child tax credits in 2024

5:28pm January 01, 2024

by Jennifer Ludden

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.

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Morning news brief

5:12am January 01, 2024

by Rob Schmitz

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.

Economy

The U.S. economy performed better than expected in 2023. A 2024 preview

5:12am January 01, 2024

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.

Economy

22 states are raising their minimum wages in the new year

7:53am December 31, 2023

by Rob Schmitz

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.

An appliance market in Xi'an, China, where Jiang has a construction equipment rental company. He says economic conditions are worse now than during the pandemic, when he started the appliance business, and he isn't selling as much as he used to.

A year after China ended its harsh COVID policies, it's struggling to rebound

5:01am December 31, 2023

by John Ruwitch

A year ago, China lifted its draconian COVID restrictions. Many expected the country to bounce back quickly. That hasn't happened.

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Economy

The crypto comeback

5:15pm December 30, 2023

by Adrian Ma

At the start of the year, the market for cryptocurrencies was in the midst of a monthslong crash. But as we close out 2023, some digital currencies are surging.

Economy

Where life got pricier & cheaper in 2024

8:19am December 30, 2023

How did the cost of life in America change this year? Prices overall continued to climb, though more slowly than they had been. And some actually fell.

Bankruptcies were up this year, in spite of the U.S.'s improving economy

6:13pm December 29, 2023

by Bobby Allyn

Corporate bankruptcies were up in 2023, reaching one of the highest levels in the past decade. Rising interest rates, high debt loads and inflation pushed a growing number of firms to the brink.

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