US Economy News

Unemployment rates, inflation, GDP. Making sense of the most relevant economic indicators can be daunting. The Balance not only keeps you updated, but helps you understand what to watch for while navigating these uncertain times.
People eat outside during the lunch hour at a restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue in the Capitol Hill neighborhood on May 21, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Retail Sales Rise Again, Despite Higher Prices
Traveler doing check-in at airport before international business travel
Inflation Rate Slows to 8.3% in April
Man Filling Up Gas Tank
Gas Prices Break New Record After Brief Reprieve
Client in store with electric gardening tools
Inflation Rate Finally Seen Slowing (a Tad)
Custom illustration featuring a figurative depiction of a female worker and job applications.
Economy Adds 428,000 Jobs, Chugs Toward Full Recovery
Figurative custom illustration of the Federal Reserve walking a tightrope.
Federal Reserve Uses Entire Arsenal on Inflation
Colleagues discussing at desk in creative office.
Private Sector Has Slowest Hiring Month of Pandemic Era
Sales clerk scanning grocery items on flatbed scanner at store checkout counter with customer standing by at the counter.
Earning the Federal Minimum Wage Is Worth 17% Less Now
Couple reading paperwork in new house.
Home Prices March Higher; Job Openings Hit Record Again
Engineers discuss at a CNC machine
Labor Shortages Slowing Growth, Manufacturers Say
Chef preparing food for customers.
If Your Pay Rose Faster Than Prices, You’re Lucky
Woman Looking At Blouse While Out Shopping
Measure of Core Inflation Improves Slightly
Image of laptop screen with the words 'Release of Reserves' being searched
Oil Dictionary: Your Guide to the Jargon
Custom illustration showing a figurative chart line with photo images of cash, an ATM, a soldier on top of a tank, and grocery aisles.
Economy Shifts Into Reverse as GDP Declines 1.4%
Kitchen staff preparing food
Some Low-Wage Workers Are Staying Ahead of Inflation
Man with Coffee Mug and Laptop
Houses Got Pricier Again in February
Woman looking concerned at gas pump
Gas Prices Are Already Ticking Back Up
Engineer and Welder in Factory
Jobless Claims Stay Low, Mortgage Rates Climb
Woman Making Purchase at Store
Inflation Takes a Toll on Retail Sales
Young woman refueling her car at a gas station.
Gas Prices Were Actually Higher in the Past
Man worker with face mask and gloves working in warehouse, driving forklift.
Wholesale Prices Jump in Worrisome Sign for Inflation
Woman grocery shopping with inflation prices going up behind her.
Inflation Accelerates to 8.5%—But Is It the Peak?
Traders on NYSE
Are We Heading Into a Recession? How Bad Would It Be?
Courier checking the parcel for delivery.
Jobless Claims Haven’t Been Lower in a Half Century
Man Purchasing Gas
Why Are Gas Prices So Different in Different Places?
Business people shaking hands in the office.
Workers Are Coming off the Sidelines
People in a Meeting
US Maintains Momentum, Adding 431,000 Jobs in March
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Inflation Erodes Wage Gains, Eats Into Spending
Laptop computer screen showing a search function and the term 'Soft Landing.'
Recession Dictionary: Your Guide to the Jargon
Customer Service Rep Helping Someone
US Continues to Add Private-Sector Jobs in February
Asian couple sign contract at a table.
Job Openings Are Still Abundant, Home Prices Accelerate
Worried Woman at Laptop
New Unemployment Claims Drop to Fresh 52-Year Low
Person paying at a gas station
US Gas Prices Are Starting To Fall, Except in California
Man on the Phone With Bank
Rising Rates Curb Mortgage, Refinancing Applications
Women using mobile phone on road trip
Ready to Drive 55? Group Proposes Gas-Saving Measures
People Going Over Paper Work With Broker
Fewer Homes Sell in February as Mortgage Rates Rise
Asian Woman Sitting With Laptop Computer
Jobless Claims Fall Again, More New Houses Are Started
Woman holding credit card and looking at laptop.
Fed Lifts Benchmark Interest Rate, as Expected
Young woman paying cashier in clothing store.
Retail Sales Rise, But Modestly, as Shoppers Step Out
Falling Like a Feather
Gas Prices: Up Like a Rocket, but Down Like a Feather
Close up of a forklift driver working in a warehouse.
Supply Chain Dictionary: Your Guide to the Jargon
Woman pumping gas
After Skyrocketing, Gas Prices Level Off
Datawrapper chart
Inflation Bites More at Grocery Stores Than Restaurants
Surprised black man looks at receipt total with food in mall.
Inflation Burns Even Hotter, Rising to 7.9%
Gas station sign
The Price of Punishing Putin: More Pain at the Pump
woman filling up car at the gas station
Banning Russian Oil Will Likely Mean Higher Gas Prices
OTC -- Wage Gap
The Black-White Wage Gap Just Won’t Die
Man in Facemask Making Financial Transaction
Breaking Down SWIFT Sanctions and What They Mean
An inspection engineer and a technician in a factory.
Job Market Gains Momentum in February as Omicron Fades
As Prices Rise, Ends Aren't Meeting
As Prices Soar, More People Struggle to Make Ends Meet
Man Looking at Smartphone
Jobless Claims Unwind Omicron Uptick, Mortgage Rates Fall
Worker Securing Vehicle on Platform
High Auto Prices Could Spur Unfair Repos, Agency Says
People who fled the conflict in Ukraine arrive on the Romanian side of the border, on March 1, 2022 in Isaccea, Romania.
Fed Stays Course on Anti-Inflation Interest Rate Hikes
Couple travelers with medical masks on hotel reception talking to male receptionist.
February Saw Solid Private Sector Job Growth, ADP Says
Jerome H. Powell, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
Russia-Ukraine War Complicates Fed’s Inflation Fight
Inflation Bites
The New Reason to Stay Home: Higher Food Prices
Cropped shot of young Asian woman carrying a shopping basket, standing along the dairy aisle, reading the nutrition label on a bottle.
Consumer Spending Rises Despite Inflation, End of Aid
Business people with masks co-working in an office.
Jobless Claims Get Back on Track, New Home Sales Drop
Woman Checking Her Stocks
Why Russia and Ukraine Matter to the Stock Market
Couple With Real Estate Agent
Home Prices Soar, Inflation Makes Consumers Gloomier