Oil prices surge; 1970s lessons reduce global vulnerability

 

Washington — Oil markets pushed gasoline, diesel and jet fuel prices higher this week after renewed war in the Middle East disrupted supply expectations, lifting global benchmark crude and prompting immediate retail fuel price increases across the United States, Europe and Asia, while shipping and aviation operators reported rising operating...

Iran conflict pushes U.S. inflation, dents consumer confidence

 

Washington. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 3.3% year-on-year in March, driven principally by a 21.2% monthly surge in gasoline prices tied to disruptions from the Iran conflict. The agency released the data this week, showing core CPI at 2.6%, up from 2.5% the prior...

Tribal stations sell cheaper gas amid Iran war

 

Fort Collins, Colo. — Drivers this week traveled to tribally owned gas stations to buy cheaper fuel as pump prices rose after conflict involving Iran began in February. Junelle Lewis drove to the Tulalip Reservation and filled her Suburban at Tulalip Market for $4.84 per gallon, about $0.75 less than...

Gas spike drives largest inflation rise in years

 

Washington — Consumer prices rose sharply in March as gasoline prices spiked following conflict-related tensions in the Middle East, federal readings and economist surveys showed this week; monthly consumer prices increased about 0.9%, and year-over-year inflation rose to roughly 3.3–3.4%, according to Labor Department data. Federal Reserve officials and economists said...

U.S. March CPI Surges; February PCE Rises, Data Show

 

Washington — The U.S. Labor Department reported consumer prices jumped 0.9% in March, after a 0.3% rise in February, while the Commerce Department previously recorded a 0.4% increase in the PCE price index for February, according to government releases this week. The monthly increases pushed annual CPI to 3.3% and annual...

US GDP Slows To 0.5% In Fourth Quarter

 

Washington. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the U.S. economy grew at a 0.5% annualized rate in the fourth quarter (October–December), revising down from a prior 0.7% estimate and attributing much of the slowdown to a 43-day federal government shutdown that cut spending. The revision reduced full-year 2025 growth to 2.1%,...

U.S. Jobless Claims Rise to 219,000 Amid Ceasefire

 

WASHINGTON — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits rose by 16,000 to 219,000 for the week ending April 4, the Labor Department reported Thursday, exceeding FactSet expectations of 210,000 and following the prior week's 203,000 filings; this data arrived before a Tuesday ceasefire announcement. Oil prices fell to about $95 a barrel...

SNAP Strain: Food Banks Surge, Retailer Convicted Nationwide

 

Tempe, Arizona, food banks reported a marked increase in clients through March 2026 as staff and nonprofit leaders said rising prices and adjustments to food assistance pushed more people to seek help, with one Tempe pantry serving about 16,000 different people compared with 9,500 last year. Cleveland authorities on March 25,...

Cleveland Fed official signals possible interest-rate shift

 

Washington. Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said Monday in an Associated Press interview that the Federal Reserve could raise its benchmark interest rate if inflation remains persistently above the central bank’s 2% target, even while expressing a preference to keep rates unchanged for some time. Her...

U.S. Local Gas Prices Rise Amid Supply Concerns

 

United States: Regional reports show mixed weekly pump movements this week as Toledo, Columbus, Green Bay, Tampa and Peoria recorded changes in retail gasoline; GasBuddy surveys placed the national average at $4.06 per gallon on Sunday while local averages ranged roughly from $3.68 to $4.26. Analysts and agencies reacted this week,...