Trump credits tariffs, announces military $1,776 'Warrior Dividend'

 

Washington — President Donald Trump told the nation on Wednesday that tariffs and passed legislation have driven investment and economic growth, and announced a $1,776 'Warrior Dividend' payment to about 1.45 million service members before Christmas. The Pentagon later confirmed the one-time payment will be distributed as a housing allowance...

U.S. Posts Mixed Jobs Figures; Unemployment Rate Rises

 

WASHINGTON The U.S. added 64,000 jobs in November and lost 105,000 in October, the Labor Department reported Tuesday after delays from a 43‑day federal shutdown. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent, the highest since 2021. The October decline reflected about a 162,000 drop in federal payrolls as many employees...

Municipal and State Tax Changes Affect Revenue, Ballots Approaching

 

United States. State and local governments reported revenue shifts this week as officials proposed and approved tax changes. Louisiana's Revenue Estimating Conference recorded a $217 million revenue excess after 2024 income and corporate tax cuts, officials said. Wichita and Hutchinson officials proposed sales tax increases tied to property tax relief...

Nationwide Gas Prices Drop Ahead Of Holiday Travel

 

United States. National and state-level reports show gasoline prices fell across multiple regions this week as AAA and GasBuddy data recorded multi-week declines. Florida, Utah, Michigan, Montana and Wyoming reported lower averages, with local variations in metro areas and counties. EIA data noted rising gasoline supply and mixed production figures...

Federal subsidies, regional breaks prompt urgent water actions

 

United States. Researchers and municipal authorities reported multiple water-related developments this week: a study found the federal government charges large agricultural water agencies far lower wholesale prices than cities in California, Arizona and Nevada; Waterbury, Connecticut, experienced a major water main break causing widespread outages and prompting distribution centers and...

U.S. Jobless Claims Rise; Continuing Claims Fall Again

 

WASHINGTON, The Labor Department reported Thursday that initial U.S. unemployment benefit applications for the week ending Dec. 6 rose by 44,000 to 236,000, exceeding analysts' 213,000 forecast. Continuing claims for the prior week ending Nov. 29 dropped by 99,000 to 1.84 million, the lowest since mid-April. Reporters noted applications as...

Poll shows sharp declines in Trump's approval ratings

 

Washington — A new AP‑NORC poll this week found President Donald Trump's public approval for handling the economy has fallen to 31%, down from 40% in March, and his immigration approval declined to 38% from 49%. The survey also showed support for his handling of crime dropped from 53% to...

States Report Divergent September 2025 Employment Outcomes

 

United States state employment reports released this week show mixed labor-market signals for September 2025. State labor departments reported varied unemployment rates—Connecticut 3.8%, Ohio 4.8%, Oregon 5.2%, Indiana 3.7%, Pennsylvania 4.1%, San Diego County 4.9%—and divergent payroll changes, with losses in leisure, manufacturing and health care in some areas and...

Washington Fed Cuts Rates, Signals Pause Ahead Now

 

Washington. The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points Wednesday, lowering the federal funds target to 3.50–3.75 percent after a two-day FOMC meeting. Chair Jerome Powell said officials will wait to see and flagged a higher bar for future reductions while projecting one additional cut next...

U.S. Federal Reserve Cuts Rates Amid Rising Uncertainty

 

Washington — The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, lowering the target range to 3.5 to 3.75 percent. Jerome Powell-led Federal Open Market Committee said uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated, job gains have slowed, and downside risks to employment have risen....