Business & Economy: U.S. trends in inflation, rates, housing, markets, companies, consumer behavior, and personal finance. Clear breakdowns of economic changes and their practical effects on households and small businesses nationwide.
Benefits went up in January. But higher Medicare premiums, a new federal scheduling overhaul that took effect March 7, and unresolved tax complications from the Social Security Fairness Act are changing what Gulf Coast retirees actually take home — and how hard it is to get answers. According to the Social Security Administration’s official COLA … Read more
According to the latest employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of Americans working two or more jobs has increased noticeably in early 2026. While the U.S. labor market remains relatively strong by historical standards, economists say the rise in multiple-job holders reflects growing financial pressure on many households. For millions … Read more
The administration calls it “revitalizing federalism.” Political scientists at Oxford’s Publius call it a paradox. What is actually happening in 2026: the federal government is offloading responsibilities to states — in healthcare, education, and emergency management — while cutting the funding states depend on to carry them out. According to the annual review of American federalism published … Read more
Factories shed 98,000 jobs in the first full year of the current administration. The Supreme Court struck down emergency tariffs in February 2026. Manufacturing construction spending declined 6.7% in the first three quarters of 2025. The sector is caught between long-term structural pressures and short-term policy uncertainty. 98,000 -Manufacturing jobs lost in Trump’s first full … Read more
A median health insurance increase of 11 percent is hitting small businesses for 2026 — on top of rising commercial property, auto, and liability costs. For operations already running on thin margins, the compounding effect is becoming a question of survival. 11% – Median health premium increase for small group plans (KFF/Peterson, 318 insurers) 32% … Read more
Overall grocery inflation is slowing — but that headline hides the real story. Beef is up 15% year over year. Sugar and candy are up 5.7%. Non-alcoholic beverages are up 4.5%. And the average American family now spends $170 a week on groceries, up from $120 in 2020. By Elena Tran · Staff Reporter, Economy … Read more
The IRS confirmed the federal tax filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15, 2026, and the agency expects to process about 164 million individual returns this season. As of early March, the average refund stood at $3,676 — up 10.6% from the same point in 2025 — driven in part by new deductions under the One … Read more
Local elections have historically drawn only 15–27% of registered voters. In cities that moved their elections onto federal election dates, turnout has tripled or quadrupled overnight — sometimes on the same ballot where turnout in the same city was under 15% the previous cycle. A structural reform, not a change in civic culture, is responsible … Read more
Employee health insurance. Commercial auto. Cyber liability. Property coverage. All four are rising simultaneously — and for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the combined pressure is at its highest point in over a decade. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found health insurance costs hit harder than any other business expense last … Read more
Grocery prices in the United States continue to rise in 2026, leaving many households wondering why their weekly shopping bills remain so high even as overall inflation has slowed. From coffee and meat to canned goods and packaged snacks, several everyday products are becoming noticeably more expensive. While inflation is part of the story, economists … Read more