Economy
Why CEOs are calm about tariffs in public — but ‘very discouraged’ in private
Business leaders are trying to engage in a delicate diplomacy with the White House — even as their companies brace for the impact of market volatility and tariffs.
As global tariff tensions rise, here’s the latest on U.S. trade with top partners
President Trump has upended global markets by imposing tariffs on imports from several of America's top trading partners. Here's what to know.
Trump threatens a 200% tariff on European alcohol
European wines, champagne and other beverages could face heavy tariffs if Trump follows through with this threat.
The U.S. buys electricity from Canada. Now it’s a focus of the trade war
As a trade war grew this week, Ontario's leader threatened a surcharge on Canadian electricity sold in some U.S. states. The episode highlighted the U.S. reliance on imported Canadian power.
Inflation eased a touch in February — but Trump’s tariffs cloud outlook
Consumer prices in February were up 2.8% from a year ago. That's a smaller annual increase than the previous month. But the president's trade war could put more upward pressure on prices.
Stocks sink again, as Trump doubles down on tariffs
Trump has long boasted about the market's performance under him. But now he seems to have other priorities.
He fled Syria’s war as a teenager. He went back to help launch a tech industry
Abdulwahab Omira escaped Syria's war with his family as a teenager. He recently returned as a Stanford graduate student and a budding entrepreneur, hoping to help jumpstart the country's tech industry.
As Trump downplays economic fears, this data show people feel differently
Economists look for signs that a recession may be approaching by monitoring consumer confidence and business sentiment — two indicators of uncertainty.
How reliable is the government’s economic data? Under Trump, there are real concerns
The disbanding of committees that consulted on government data — and comments from a senior official about changing how GDP is calculated — are raising alarm about the reliability of government data.
The job market is still pretty solid — but there are warning signs ahead
U.S. employers added 151,000 jobs in February, while the unemployment rate inched up to 4.1% from 4% in January.
Farmers strongly back Trump. A new trade war could test their loyalty
American farmers have stood firmly behind President Trump even when his trade policies hurt them. The latest trade war, which could be even worse for their sector, promises to test those ties again.
Trump is set to speak to crypto founders and investors at the White House on Friday
President Trump signed an order late Thursday creating a cryptocurrency strategic reserve using bitcoin seized through court proceedings, directing officials to find "budget-neutral" ways to grow it.
Five takeaways: China’s foreign minister slams Trump’s ‘two-faced’ policies
China's top foreign policy official addressed the escalating trade war with the U.S. and promoted China as an "anchor" on the global stage as America retreats from international involvement.
Trump’s latest tariff twist: a break for Mexico and Canada
Trump put 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. Markets tanked. And by Thursday, he had decided to broadly lift them.
At a housewares expo in Chicago, talk keeps turning to price hikes from tariffs
The Inspired Home Show in Chicago draws housewares industry insiders from all over the country to network and show off their latest gadgets. This year, they're making plans to cope with tariffs.
As Canadians cancel trips due to Trump, the U.S. tourism industry could lose billions
The Trump administration's attacks on its northern neighbor have been met with confusion and anger by some Canadians who are now cancelling their trips to the U.S. in protest.
China’s parliament opens with confidence about the economy despite tariffs, headwinds
China will aim for economic growth of around 5% this year, the same as last year. This comes despite deep domestic challenges and fresh tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S.
American businesses reel as Trump tariffs start to bite
Business owners across the U.S. worry they will also suffer the impact from President Trump's tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China.
Canada, China say fentanyl crisis is only a “pretext” for Trump’s new tariffs
Canadian and Chinese officials say they were already helping reduce fentanyl smuggling. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said fentanyl crossing the northern border is "near zero."
4 things to know about Trump’s plan for a ‘crypto strategic reserve’
The prospect of a federal strategic reserve is a major step in President Trump's vision to establish the U.S. as the crypto capital of the world and could be a game changer for the industry.
Trump says 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will go ahead
Trump's threats to put tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico have weighed on markets, even though there has been considerable uncertainty over whether he would make good on his threat.
Under Trump, Huntsville might finally gain Space Command. It could also lose much more
The 1,600 jobs Space Command would bring to the Rocket City might not make up for potential cuts to NASA and the Department of Defense.
Consumer confidence falls the most since 2021 over fears about inflation and tariffs
A report from the Conference Board shows Americans are increasingly worried about inflation, driven in part by President Trump's threats to impose new tariffs on imports.
From tariffs to spending, rounding up the Trump administration’s econ-related actions
Since taking office in late January, the Trump administration has been working at a galloping pace to reshape the government and economy. We have been doing our best to keep up and keep you informed.
IRS cuts over 6,000 jobs in the middle of tax season
The IRS is cutting more than 6,000 jobs this week, as part of the Trump administration's downsizing of the overall federal workforce. The job cuts at the IRS come in the middle of the tax-filing season.
Deep cuts to NIH funding would cause economic harm across Trump-friendly Alabama
Birmingham has become one of the country’s leading hubs for biomedical research. Banners downtown brag about the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s status in the top 1% of institutions for NIH funding, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars into the region.
Trump threatens reciprocal tariffs against other countries
President Trump is threatening to levy taxes on imports to match those other countries charge on U.S. exports.
Retailers including Trader Joe’s and Kroger have begun limiting egg purchases
Egg farmers have been plagued by widespread outbreaks of bird flu. Experts say it's hard to predict when the industry will bounce back from the illness' effects.
No relief: Inflation unexpectedly heated up last month
Inflation remained stubbornly high in January, as grocery, gasoline and shelter costs all rose. Egg prices saw their biggest price hike in almost a decade.
Federal Reserve’s Jerome Powell says there’s no need to rush on interest rate cuts
Powell was also asked about the high cost of home ownership and President Trump's trade policies, but as usual, the Fed chair tried to steer clear of politics.
Tourism in New Orleans remains strong despite terrorist attack. Will the trend last?
The Super Bowl is in town, and so far, fears that visitors would avoid the big game because of January’s attack on Bourbon Street have not rang true.
Why economists got free trade with China so wrong
The "China Shock" is revisited, and it raises questions about why economists failed to see the costs of free trade.
