Latest Economic policy News

Stock market today: Meta climbs and Microsoft falls as most stocks rise on Wall Street

Jan. 30, 2025 13:23 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Meta Platforms and most other U.S. stocks are rising Thursday following a rush of profit reports from some of the country’s most influential companies, but drops for Nvidia and Microsoft are keeping the market in check. The S&P 500 was up 0.3% in afternoon...

U.S. economy grows solid 2.3% in October-December on eve of Trump return to White House, 2.8% in '24

Jan. 30, 2025 11:15 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A humming American economy ended 2024 on a solid note with consumer spending continuing to drive growth, and ahead of what could be a significant change in direction under a Trump administration. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic...

European Central bank cuts benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point to boost stagnant economy

Jan. 30, 2025 10:42 AM EST

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank cut its key interest rate on Thursday to boost an economy that’s struggling to grow as consumers burned by inflation warily eye price tags and businesses try to navigate political turmoil in leading economies France and Germany. ...

Ontario leader calls for snap election to fight Trump’s threatened tariffs

Jan. 29, 2025 18:28 PM EST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The leader of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, on Wednesday triggered a snap election, saying he needs a strong four-year mandate to fight the tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump. Doug Ford, leader of the Progressive...

Fed hold rates steady, sees inflation as 'elevated,' as Powell declines comment on Trump

Jan. 29, 2025 18:26 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday after cutting it three times in a row last year, a sign of a more cautious approach as the Fed seeks to gauge where inflation is headed and what policies President Donald Trump may pursue. ...

White House rescinds federal funding freeze amid legal battle, widespread confusion

Jan. 29, 2025 17:45 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has rescinded a plan for a sweeping pause on federal grants and loans totaling potentially trillions of dollars after it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. The push set off panic and confusion across the country and raised the...

William E. Leuchtenburg, eminent presidential historian and Ken Burns consultant, dies at 102

Jan. 29, 2025 15:54 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — William E. Leuchtenburg, a prize-winning historian widely admired for his authoritative writings on the U.S. presidency and as the reigning scholar on Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, has died at 102. Leuchtenburg died Tuesday at his home in Chapel Hill, North...

Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, vows to sell his business interests in 90 days

Jan. 29, 2025 12:33 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Billionaire financier Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Commerce Department, said Wednesday that he would sell all of his business holdings within 90 days. “I will divest, I will sell all of my interests, my business interests, all of...

After talking tough during campaign, Trump appears to ease up on China at start of presidency

Jan. 29, 2025 00:16 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the campaign trail last year, President Donald Trump talked tough about imposing tariffs as high as 60% on Chinese goods and threatened to renew the trade war with China that he launched during his first term. But now that he's back in the White House, Trump...

US consumer confidence dips again to start the year, according to business group

Jan. 28, 2025 11:54 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence dipped for the second consecutive month in January, a business research group said Tuesday. The Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index retreated this month to 104.1, from 109.5 in December. That is worse than the...