Stronger Dollar Surges on Rising U.S. Rate Expectations and Global Risk Aversion
The U.S. dollar climbed to its strongest level in more than a year as investors increasingly bet that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates again and sought safety amid a sharp selloff in technology stocks. The dollar index rose to 101.71, its highest level since May 2025, as markets priced in a more hawkish […]
Strong Labor Market Forces Goldman to Drop 2026 Fed Rate-Cut Expectations
Goldman Sachs now expects the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged through the rest of 2026, delaying its forecast for the next U.S. rate cut until 2027. The bank changed its outlook after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data suggested the economy and labor market remain too resilient for the Fed to ease policy soon. The […]
Financial Adulthood Feels Out of Reach for Gen Z and Millennials Facing High Prices and Low Wages
Many young Americans are struggling to reach financial independence as the cost of living rises faster than their wages, leaving them stuck between work, debt, rent, family support and uncertainty about the future. Young adults are entering adulthood in an economy that looks stable in some headline numbers but feels deeply unaffordable in daily life. […]
JPMorgan Warns U.S. Economy May Lose Its “Goldilocks” Moment as Oil Fuels Inflation
JPMorgan economists are warning that the U.S. and global economy may be moving away from the best-case “Goldilocks” scenario investors had hoped for in 2026. That scenario — where inflation cools while growth remains strong — now looks increasingly unlikely. The bank says the Iran war and the related surge in oil prices are likely […]
Rising Gas Prices Hit Poorer Americans Hardest and Deepen the Wealth Divide
Rising gasoline prices are widening the economic gap between wealthy and lower-income Americans, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The study found that the latest gas price spike, driven by the conflict involving Iran and disruptions in global energy markets, is affecting households very differently depending on income. While wealthier […]
Trump Taps Minnesota Economist Christopher Phelan to Lead White House Economic Council
President Donald Trump has nominated University of Minnesota economist Christopher Phelan to serve as his chief economic adviser, filling a key White House vacancy at a moment when economic policy is under heavy political and financial scrutiny. Phelan would become the new head of the Council of Economic Advisers, or CEA, if confirmed by the […]
Fed Faces Growth-and-Inflation Squeeze, but Powell Signals No Rush to Move
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank is in a position to wait and watch how the expanding Iran war affects inflation and the broader economy, signaling that policymakers do not yet see a need to change interest rates even as new risks emerge. Speaking at Harvard University on March 30, Powell […]
Gold Exports Record Drive Sharp Narrowing in U.S. Trade Deficit
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in January as exports surged to a record high and imports edged lower, a shift that—if sustained—could make trade a positive contributor to economic growth in the first quarter. The Commerce Department said the overall trade gap in goods and services fell 25.3% to $54.5 billion. Economists had expected […]
Fed Beige Book: Growth Holds Up But Shoppers Resist Price Increases
The Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book offered a cautiously positive read on the U.S. economy, describing modest growth, stable employment, and continued—but potentially easing—price pressures across much of the country. Based on surveys and interviews gathered through late February, economic activity “rose a bit” in recent weeks, with 7 of the Fed’s 12 districts expanding […]
Middle-Class Squeeze: Most Americans Say a New Car and a First Home Are Out of Reach
A new Washington Post–ABC News–Ipsos survey finds that many Americans feel they can cover today’s basics but still can’t reach the milestones that define “getting ahead”—especially buying a home and purchasing a new car. The poll paints a picture of an economy where the stock market and consumer spending may look steady, yet households say […]
