Economy

While some new drugs entering the market are driving up prices for consumers, drug companies are also hiking prices on older drugs.

Prescription Drug Costs Driven By Manufacturer Price Hikes, Not Innovation

5:15pm January 07, 2019

by Alison Kodjak

A recent study shows the cost of brand-name drugs is rising — not because of expensive new therapies entering the market but because manufacturers are raising prices on existing drugs.

Economy

Jobs, Inflation And The Phillips Curve

5:02pm January 07, 2019

The Fed chair and his two predecessors speak at a big conference about Friday's stellar jobs report, and why, despite what the Phillips Curve might predict, they're not too worried about inflation

Why This Charity Has Stopped Asking For Money

3:58pm January 07, 2019

by Nurith Aizenman

In 2017, No Lean Season raised nearly $12 million to help farmhands in Bangladesh travel to the city to find jobs when fields lay fallow. Now they're saying "no" to donations. What happened?

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The Capitol and Washington Monument are seen at dawn on Monday.

Not Expecting Back Pay, Government Contractors Collect Unemployment, Dip Into Savings

3:24pm January 07, 2019

by David Welna

One expert estimates millions of contractors in the federal workforce won't receive back pay when the shutdown ends.

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Chinese shoppers spend their time next to a bench painted with the U.S. flag at the capital city's popular shopping mall in Beijing. During trade talks this week, the two sides face potentially lengthy wrangling over technology and the future of their eco

U.S.-China Trade Talks Restart Ahead of March Deadline

8:16am January 07, 2019

by Matthew S. Schwartz

The U.S. has imposed a quarter trillion dollars in tariffs on Chinese goods since the trade war started last year.

U.S. Farmers Face Planting Season Without A Resolution To Trade War

6:31am January 07, 2019

by Madelyn Beck

The U.S. trade war with China has cost farmers billions. Government bailouts have helped keep many farms solvent, but thoughts are turning to this year's planting season.

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How NPR Listeners Are Feeling Effects Of Government Shutdown

5:21pm January 06, 2019

As the partial government shutdown continues for a third week, listeners across the country are feeling its effects. Two listeners share their stories.

Some Homebuyers Turn To 'Rent-To-Own' As A Way To Enter Housing Market

6:21pm January 04, 2019

by Ben Paviour

The cost of buying a house is getting more expensive as mortgage rates continue to inch up and many markets see increases in value. Some prospective buyers are turning to 'rent-to-own' as one way to enter the market despite the risks.

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Economy

Economists On Screen, Episode 4: Stockholm

4:46pm January 04, 2019

by Cardiff Garcia

The miniseries Stockholm tells the story of a group of friends, one of whom is a frontrunner for the Nobel Prize in economics. But there's a problem: he's dead

Worker Kelly Coman inspects an F-150 pickup on the assembly line at a Ford plant in Dearborn, Mich. Some indicators point to a slowdown in manufacturing, but the sector added 32,000 jobs in December.

U.S. Adds Stronger-Than-Expected 312,000 Jobs; Unemployment Rises To 3.9 Percent

4:07pm January 04, 2019

by Avie Schneider

The economy added 312,000 jobs in December — topping analysts' expectations of 180,000 jobs added. Unemployment climbed as more people felt confident enough to quit their jobs and look for new ones