Business News

(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. economy expanded significantly more than initially estimated over a recent three-month period, suggesting robust growth despite uncertainty set off by President Donald Trump's tariff policy, federal government data on Thursday showed.The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.8% in the second quarter in the government's final estimate, besting a 3.3% rate issued in its second estimate and far exceeding a 3% initial estimate.The figure marked a sharp […]

A close-up of a Starbucks coffee shop sign on September 8, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) (NEW YORK) -- Coffee giant Starbucks will lay off workers and close stores as part of a $1 billion restructuring plan, CEO Brian Niccol said in a memo to employees on Thursday.The company will slash 900 employees at its stores in North America, Niccol said. The store closures will amount […]

(WASHINGTON) -- Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned a recent uptick of inflation, alongside a hiring slowdown, poses a "challenging situation" for central bankers as they aim to steer the U.S. economy through a "turbulent period."The Fed, which opted to cut interest rates last week, is guided by a dual mandate to keep inflation under control and maximize employment. Speaking at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, in Providence, Rhode […]

(NEW YORK) -- The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, opting for its first interest rate cut this year in an effort to revive the flagging labor market.The central bank delivered a policy long-sought by President Donald Trump, though the size of the rate cut all but certainly fell short of Trump's desired outcome. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a […]

(NEW YORK) -- The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is set to unveil its latest decision on the level of interest rates, hoping to guide the economy through a topsy-turvy stretch of slow hiring and rising inflation.The high-stakes announcement marks a flashpoint in the monthslong pressure campaign directed at the Fed by President Donald Trump.In recent weeks, Trump has moved to fire one member of the Fed's board of governors and […]

(WASHINGTON) -- Twelve policymakers at the Federal Reserve are set to take a high-stakes vote this week on the nation's benchmark interest rate, attempting to steer the economy through a stormy bout of slow hiring and rising inflation.In a highly unusual circumstance, however, two of the policymakers stand in limbo – uncertain if they will vote at all – with little more than 48 hours before the announcement.In recent weeks, […]

(NEW YORK) -- Mortgage rates have fallen rapidly in recent months, offering homebuyers an opportunity for some borrowing relief if they move ahead with the big-ticket purchase.The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at 6.35%, dropping from 6.5% over the week ending on Thursday, which amounted to the largest one-week drop in mortgage rates this year, FreddieMac data shows. As recently as January, the average 30-year fixed […]

(NEW YORK) -- Consumer prices rose 2.9% in August compared to a year ago, marking an uptick in price increases as President Donald Trump's tariff policy intensified. The reading matched economists' expectations.The fresh inflation data indicated an acceleration from a 2.7% inflation rate recorded in the month prior, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Price increases remain below the 3% rate recorded in January, the month Trump took […]

lvcandy/Getty Images (NEW YORK) -- Wholesale prices unexpectedly dropped in August, clocking in lower than economists expected and defying concerns about a tariff-induced spike in costs suffered by suppliers.Producer prices fell 0.1% in August, rolling back some of a sharp increase in wholesale prices that took hold in the previous month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday.Since President Donald Trump began escalating tariffs earlier this year, the monthly wholesale-price measure has drawn close […]