• Fed's favorite inflation gauge rises faster than expected in March

    An inflation measure closely watched by the Federal Reserve rose faster than expected in March as high prices continue to weigh on millions of Americans. The personal consumption expenditures index showed that consumer prices rose 0.3% from the previous month, according to the Labor Department, in line with expectations. On an annual basis, prices climbed 2.7% – higher than both the 2.6% forecast from LSEG economists and the 2.5% reading recorded the previous month. In another sign that progress...

  • Fed’s Powell: Elevated inflation will likely delay rate cuts this year

    Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that persistently elevated inflation will likely delay any Fed interest rate cuts until later this year, opening the door to a period of higher-for-longer rates. “Recent data have clearly not given us greater confidence” that inflation is coming fully under control and "instead indicate that it’s likely to take longer than expected to achieve that confidence,” Powell said during a panel discussion. “If higher inflation does persist,” he said, “we can...

  • Milwaukee’s Rents Among Fastest Rising In U.S.

    Up 6.4% in past year, 10th highest hike among metro areas in nation.

  • The Pentagon’s 30-Year Lobbying Swindle

    For decades, corporations have used taxpayer-funded fellowship opportunities to help them secure billion-dollar defense contracts.

  • Gold and bitcoin demand is surging as U.S. debt rises

    Concern about the rapidly rising U.S. government debt is partly behind recent surges in gold prices and bitcoin, even as the Treasury market so far remains relatively sanguine about the country’s fiscal path, market observers say. The U.S. budget deficit widened to $1.7 trillion in fiscal year 2023 and is on track to reach $2.6 trillion by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. U.S. government debt held by the public, meanwhile, is on pace to reach a record 106% of gross domestic...

  • Fed’s Beige Book Cites Weak Discretionary Spending

    Eight times each year the Fed publishes what’s known as the Beige Book — a qualitative take from each of the 12 federal bank districts. The assessments cover everything from auto loans to commercial real estate, and critically, a broad assessment of the state of the economy, with a nod toward consumer-related activity too. This […]

  • Fed Chair Powell says there has been a 'lack of further progress' this year on inflation

    Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the U.S. economy, while otherwise strong, has not seen inflation come back to the central bank’s goal, pointing to the further unlikelihood that interest rate cuts are in the offing anytime soon. Speaking to a policy forum focused on U.S.-Canada economic relations, Powell said that while inflation continues to make its way lower, it hasn’t moved quickly enough, and the current state of policy should remain intact. “More recent data shows...

    • CNBC

    Fed Chair Powell says there has been a 'lack of further progress' this year on inflation

    Powell said that while inflation continues to make its way lower, the

    • CNN

    The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge just moved in the wrong direction

    Inflation remained stubbornly high last month, but it hasn’t stopped Americans from spending. The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — a closely watched inflation gauge favored by the Federal Reserve — accelerated to 2.7% for the year ended in March, according to data released Friday by the Commerce Department. That rate was above economists’ expectations for a 2.6% gain and landed above February’s reading of 2.5%. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3%, unchanged from the pace seen in...

  • Fed’s Williams Still Expects Rate Cuts to Begin This Year

    Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said the central bank will likely start lowering interest rates this year if inflation continues to gradually come down.

    • KHON2

    Your favorite Starbucks might sound different next year: Here’s what that means

    Starbucks is looking to make its stores a bit more conducive to coffee talk.

  • Your favorite Starbucks might sound different next year: Here’s what that means

    Starbucks is looking to make its stores a bit more conducive to coffee talk.