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How to know when a recession has begun
By one common definition, the U.S. economy is on the cusp of a recession. Yet that definition isn’t the one that counts.
On Thursday, when...
Fed set to impose another big rate hike this week to fight inflation
Conflicting signs about the health of the U.S. economy have thrust the Federal Reserve into a difficult spot.
With inflation raging at a four-decade high,...
Louisiana unemployment rate falls to 3.8% in June
Louisiana posted a 3.8% unemployment rate last month, its lowest June rate since the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking in 1976,
Number of Americans filing initial jobless claims hits eight-month high
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week rose to the highest level in more than eight months in what may be...
Mortgage demand drops as interest rates cool hot housing market
The ailing mortgage market is only getting worse as higher interest rates and inflation hammer American consumers, CNBC reports.
Mortgage demand dropped more than 6%...
Louisiana still home to nation’s highest combined sales tax rate
The Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation ranks Louisiana as having the highest combined state and local sales tax rate in its Midyear 2022 report, matching the foundation’s ranking from earlier this year.
US initial jobless claims reach highest level in nearly eight months
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week hit its highest level in nearly eight months, but the total number of those collecting benefits fell.
CNBC ranks Louisiana as 48th best state for business
Louisiana came in at No. 48 in CNBC’s annual Top States for Business ranking, beating out just Alaska and Mississippi.
CNBC ranked states based on...
US inflation reaches 40-year high of 9.1% in June
Surging prices for gasoline, food and rent catapulted U.S. inflation to a four-decade peak in June, further pressuring households and likely sealing the case...
Strong jobs report for June likely means more interest rate hikes
America’s employers added 372,000 jobs in June, a surprisingly strong gain that will likely spur the Federal Reserve to keep sharply raising interest rates to cool the economy and slow price increases.
Holding the line against inflation
With the economy recovering from the pandemic, Capital Region businesses are now dealing with inflation and the possibility of a recession.
U.S. initial jobless claims reach highest level in nearly six months
More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week and while layoffs remain low, it was the fifth consecutive week
Detailing why Fed raised rates higher than expected
Federal Reserve officials feared that high inflation could become entrenched in the economy and concluded that they may need to push interest rates higher...
US job openings fell in May but still outnumber those looking for work
Job openings fell sharply in May but still far outnumbered the people looking for work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports this morning.
Louisiana first quarter GDP drops 4.3%, greater than national decline
Louisiana’s real gross domestic product decreased at an annual rate of 4.3 percent during the first quarter of this year, a larger drop than the national GDP,
US unemployment claims continue to drop
Slightly fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, reflecting a robust job market despite rising job cuts in some sectors
Fed chair: ‘No guarantee’ anti-inflation measures won’t hurt job market
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says there's “no guarantee'' the central bank can tame runaway inflation without hurting the job market.
Baton Rouge metro unemployment rate ticks upward in May
Unemployment in the Baton Rouge metro area ticked up to 3.2% in May, from 3.1% the month before
US economy slipped 1.6% to start year
The U.S. economy shrank at a 1.6% annual pace in the first three months of the year, the government reported this morning in a slight downgrade from its previous estimate for January-March quarter
Why the current economy looks so weird
The job market is strong, but layoffs are happening. Businesses are pessimistic, but consumers are still spending.
If you're having a hard time figuring out...
