Finance

The latest on developments in financial markets (all times local): 4:00 p.m. Stocks are closing higher Friday as a lackluster report on hiring increases the odds the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in the coming months. Investors are also hoping the U.S. and Mexico can reach a deal on trade that avoids tariffs on […]

Home prices in 2018 climbed 4.5%, while incomes grew 3.2%, according to CoreLogic real estate figures and government wage data released Friday. The gap suggests that affordability is worsening. Still, this gap appears to be narrowing relative in much of the country as gains in average hourly earnings have risen as the unemployment rate has

U.S. hiring slowed in May as employers added just 75,000 jobs, a sign that businesses have become more cautious in the face of slowing global growth and widening trade conflicts. The tepid job growth, along with rising pressures on the economy, makes it more likely that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in the coming

U.S. productivity grew at a strong 3.4% rate in the January-March quarter, the best showing in more than four years, the Labor Department reported Thursday. It was an encouraging sign that productivity may finally be improving after a long stretch of weakness. The first quarter gain was more than double the 1.3% increase in the

“It’s a great tool,” Ms. Gehringer said of the account. While ABLE programs offer investments like mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, most also offer traditional interest-bearing savings accounts and checking accounts with debit cards that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. That gives people who are uncomfortable with putting their money at risk

The Labor Department will release its estimate of hiring and unemployment for May at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. The monthly report provides a snapshot of the American economy. Analysts on Wall Street are predicting a gain of about 175,000 jobs, according to Bloomberg, compared with an increase of 263,000 in April. The unemployment rate is

With a small pension and Social Security, he said, he and his wife are “just getting by.” “It’s devastating,” Mr. Adair said. “You go through the stages just like dying. First you can’t believe it. You’re so sure and your wife is so sure, and even the recruiter is. Then you get mad.” By the

FUKUOKA, Japan — An unending trade war between the United States and China. President Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on Mexico. A potential clash with Europe over cars and agriculture. Escalating trade disputes spurred by the president’s affinity for employing tariffs as his diplomatic weapon of choice have cast a pall over the global

The U.S. trade deficit shrank in April, but the politically sensitive deficit with China moved higher. The Commerce Department said Thursday that the gap between the goods and services the U.S. buys and those it sells abroad fell 2.1% to $50.8 billion in April from March. Exports fell 2.2% to $206.8 billion on a big

When you go to the doctor, there’s an expectation that she will act in your best interest. You don’t expect to be prescribed costly pills because the office is getting a commission from the drug company, when a healthier diet will do the trick. The next time you get a financial checkup or make an