US Trade Deficit Swells in December as Imports Surge; Labor Market Holding Steady

The U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in December amid a surge in imports, and the goods shortfall in 2025 was the highest on record despite President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign manufactured merchandise. The second straight monthly deterioration in the trade deficit reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday suggested that trade made little or … Read more

Feeling Broke in a Steady Economy? Here’s What’s Happening

Inflation ticked down to 2.4%, the unemployment rate fell, and U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, whose reports economists view as the “gold standard” of data. On paper, the economy appears to be stabilizing. But many Americans say they’re struggling to afford groceries, and even high-income earners … Read more