The markets have rallied this year as investors believe inflation will continue to ease and that the economy will avoid a recession – but it could end in tears.
U.S. employers added 517,000 jobs in January, as the unemployment rate fell to 3.4% . The job market remains tight, despite signs of a slowing economy.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter-percentage point as part of its ongoing effort to fight inflation. Price hikes have begun to ease, but the Fed says inflation is not yet tamed.
The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.9% in the final three months of last year — a surprisingly strong finish. But growth is expected to slow in 2023, and possibly even reverse.
Research shows an increase in crime is caused in part by economic stress, and that stress is caused by a variety of things. Right now in Georgia two things are major contributors: inflation and the automation of jobs that were once performed by people.
Annual inflation continued to ease, cooling to 6.5% in December, but prices are still climbing at a rapid rate, meaning people have to work longer and harder to keep the same standard of living.
More Americans are leaning on their credit cards to cope with rising prices. And as interest rates continue to climb, that debt is getting more and more expensive.
Boy, have we talked a lot about inflation. It affected every part of our lives (and the economy) in 2022. Here are some of its highest highs and lowest lows. (It wasn't all bad news!)
Food banks and nonprofits say inflation has hurt fundraising and made it hard to handle a surge in demand. One CEO says the need is close to the height of the pandemic.
Partridge prices were flat this year, but the cost of pear trees jumped more than 25%. PNC bank has run the numbers on all 12 days of Christmas, as it calculates its annual holiday price index.
Inflation may be slowing, but prices are still climbing much faster than Americans are used to. The Federal Reserve's dramatic steps to bring it to heel appear to be working - somewhat.
