Sluggish US jobs report clears the way for Federal Reserve to cut interest rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hiring by America’s employers picked up a bit in August from July’s tepid pace, and the unemployment rate dipped for the first time since March in a sign that the job market may be cooling but remains sturdy. Employers added a modest 142,000 jobs, up from a...

Trump suggests tariffs can help solve rising child care costs in a major economic speech

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump suggested to business leaders Thursday that his plans to increase tariffs on foreign imports would solve seemingly unrelated challenges such as the rising cost of child care in the U.S. The GOP presidential nominee promised to lead what...

CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger says shoppers would see lower prices after merger

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The chief executive officers of Kroger and Albertsons insisted Wednesday — under questioning from the federal government — that merging would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart, Costco and...

Even bargain chains see spending pullback as higher prices squeeze more Americans

Dollar Tree is slashing its full-year earnings and sales forecasts as its customers continue to struggle with higher prices and spend less. Shares tumbled more than 20% Wednesday after hitting a 52-week low on the prior day. The biggest one-day sell-off for Dollar Tree shares in...

The Fed welcomes a 'soft landing' even if many Americans don't feel like cheering

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Jerome Powell delivered a high-profile speech last month, the Federal Reserve chair came the closest he ever had to declaring that the inflation surge that gripped the nation for three painful years was now essentially defeated. And not only that. The Fed's...

Stock market today: Wall Street climbs as S&P 500 closes out fourth straight winning month

Stocks on Wall Street finished broadly higher Friday as the market closed out its fourth straight winning month with solid gains. A late-afternoon rally helped stocks bounce back from a midafternoon slide. The S&P 500 rose 1%, with about 76% of the stocks in the index notching...

Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge shows price pressures easing as rate cuts near

WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation measure closely tracked by the Federal Reserve remained low last month, extending a trend of cooling price increases that clears the way for the Fed to start cutting its key interest rate next month for the first time in 4 1/2 years. Prices rose just...

Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge shows price pressures easing as rate cuts near

Inflation fell to 2.2% in Europe, clearing the way for a European Central Bank rate cut in September

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 European Union countries that use the euro fell sharply to 2.2% in August, opening the door for the European Central Bank to cut interest rates as the ECB and the U.S. Federal Reserve prepare to lower borrowing costs to support growth and jobs. ...

Inflation in the 20 EU countries that use the euro falls to 2.2%, opening way for a central bank rate cut in September