Latest Economy News

Stock market today: Dow rallies to a record after a blockbuster jobs report

Oct. 04, 2024 17:06 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rallied Friday after a surprisingly strong report on the U.S. job market raised optimism about the economy. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% and got close to its all-time high set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 341 points, or 0.8%, to set...

How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 10/4/2024

Oct. 04, 2024 16:23 PM EDT

U.S. stocks closed higher after a surprisingly strong U.S. jobs report raised optimism about the economy. The S&P 500 added 0.9% Friday and neared its all-time high set on Monday. The Dow climbed 0.8% and reached its own record. The Nasdaq rose 1.2%. Banks, cruise-ship operators and other...

US adds a robust 254,000 jobs and unemployment dips to 4.1% in sign of still-sturdy labor market

Oct. 04, 2024 12:36 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a surprisingly strong 254,000 jobs in September, easing concerns about a weakening labor market and suggesting that the pace of hiring is still solid enough to support a growing economy. Last month’s gain was far more than economists...

Stock market today: Oil prices jump again on worries about the Middle East as Wall Street fades

Oct. 03, 2024 16:20 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Crude prices jumped Thursday on worries that worsening tensions in the Middle East could disrupt the global flow of oil, while U.S. stocks pulled back further from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% amid a shaky week that’s knocked the index off its all-time...

US job openings rise to 8 million as labor market remains sturdy

Oct. 01, 2024 18:03 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in August as the American labor market continued to show resilience. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that employers posted 8 million vacancies in August, up from 7.7 million in July. Economists had expected openings to be...

Inflation in Europe falls below 2% and opens the way for faster rate cuts

Oct. 01, 2024 06:31 AM EDT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro fell to 1.8% in September, below the European Central Bank's target of 2% for the first time in more than three years as falling energy prices give consumers relief from a burst of inflation that at one point reached into...

Stock market today: Wall Street sets more records to close a winning September and third quarter

Sep. 30, 2024 17:07 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street closed its latest winning month and quarter with more records on Monday. The drift higher for U.S. stocks followed a wild start to the week for financial markets in Asia, where Japanese stocks tumbled and Chinese indexes soared. The S&P 500 climbed...

Fed Chair Powell says the US economy is in 'solid shape' with gradual rate cuts coming

Sep. 30, 2024 16:48 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled Monday that more interest rate cuts are in the pipeline but suggested they would occur at a measured pace intended to support a still-healthy economy. His comments, at a conference of the National Association for...

China factory surveys show economy weakening, as Beijing steps up support

Sep. 30, 2024 07:22 AM EDT

China's economy weakened further in recent weeks, according to surveys released Monday, signaling the need for more support as the government ratchets up stimulus. The Caixin purchasing managers survey showed new manufacturing orders fell at the fastest pace in two years in...

Money Gambians send home from Europe is a lifeline for their families but the sacrifices take a toll

Sep. 28, 2024 00:08 AM EDT

KWINELLA, Gambia (AP) — Binta Bah met her husband last year on a dating app and instantly fell in love. They spent hours every day glued to their mobile phones and soon got married on a video call. But they've met in person only once, when Suleyman Bah came home to Gambia for a...