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Day: October 26, 2023

Federal "Buy American" rules could be stalling infrastructure projects

by Savannah Maher
Oct 26, 2023
Rules to boost the domestic economy now apply to broadband and water equipment. Delays and higher costs can be part of the trade-off.
The Gila River Indian Community develops projects to conserve water. Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said federal rules requiring the use of American-made construction materials can be an obstacle.
SafakOguz/Getty Images
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GDP grew 4.9% in Q3, the highest since 2014. How'd we get here?

by Matt Levin
Oct 26, 2023
The answer will be pretty familiar: consumer spending, and lots of it.
A majority of GDP growth came from people splurging on concerts, restaurants and durable goods.
Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images
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From e-commerce to brick and mortar

by Richard Cunningham
Oct 26, 2023
After years selling on Etsy, Mimi Striplin of The Tiny Tassel in South Carolina saw a "need to create a space for people that looked like me.”
The Aneris Collective
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In tight labor market, businesses practice "strategic retention"

by Elizabeth Trovall
Oct 26, 2023
Economists at the Dallas Fed reported some evidence of “labor hoarding” in the latest Beige Book.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Undergraduates flock to associate degree and certificate programs

by Stephanie Hughes
Oct 26, 2023
They're cheaper and quicker than earning a bachelor's degree. When students complete their courses, jobs will likely be waiting for them.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured a North Carolina community college in June. Many students are choosing to forgo the bachelor's degree path to a career.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
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Germany's economy stumbles, once again making it the "sick man of Europe"

by Leanna Byrne
Oct 26, 2023
Business activity in Germany contracted for a fourth straight month in October. Experts are labeling Europe’s largest economy the "sick man of Europe."
The International Monetary Fund expects Germany's economy to contract 0.3% this year. Above, the banking district skyline of Frankfurt.
Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images
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Education in personal finance is on a tear — and there’s a payoff

by Stephanie Hughes
Oct 26, 2023
There’s research that shows students who take financial education courses make smarter decisions about money.
Econ and personal finance teacher Sharon Paul stands next to a poster in her classroom showing different notes of currency.
Stephanie Hughes/Marketplace
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Food insecurity climbed in 2022 as pandemic aid ended

by Kimberly Adams
Oct 26, 2023
Nearly 13% of U.S. families struggled to put food on the table that year, according to the USDA — 5 million more households than the year before.
Nearly 5 million more households experienced food insecurity in 2022 than the year before. Above, a halal food distribution drive in Brooklyn.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Interest rates for retail credit cards reach all-time high

by Kristin Schwab
Oct 26, 2023
Rates now average nearly 29%, according to Bankrate. By comparison, the typical rate for a standard Visa or Mastercard is around 21%.
iStock/Getty Images
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