Economy : NPR https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1017 NPR news on the U.S. and world economy, the World Bank, and Federal Reserve. Commentary on economic trends. Subscribe to NPR Economy podcasts and RSS feeds. en Copyright 2017 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sun, 10 Dec 2017 07:46:46 -0500 https://media.npr.org/images/stations/nprone_logos/npr.png?s=200 Economy https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1017 Labor Abuses After Harvey The rains after Hurricane Harvey flooded more than 100,000 homes in the Houston area. Now, thousands of day laborers are working nonstop and are also worried about getting paid. Sun, 10 Dec 2017 07:46:46 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/10/569716774/labor-abuses-after-harvey?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/10/569716774/labor-abuses-after-harvey?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The rains after Hurricane Harvey flooded more than 100,000 homes in the Houston area. Now, thousands of day laborers are working nonstop and are also worried about getting paid.

]]> Allison Lee Loopholes In The GOP Tax Plan NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to tax lawyer and former George W. Bush administration official Greg Jenner about potential loopholes in the Republican tax plan. Sun, 10 Dec 2017 07:46:46 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/10/569716767/loopholes-in-the-gop-tax-plan?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/10/569716767/loopholes-in-the-gop-tax-plan?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to tax lawyer and former George W. Bush administration official Greg Jenner about potential loopholes in the Republican tax plan.

]]> Gaming The Tax Code Experts predict the new rules in the proposed tax overhaul will lead to many complexities in the tax code. And that likely means new opportunities for tax lawyers to find ways to game the system. Sat, 09 Dec 2017 07:56:26 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569601000/gaming-the-tax-code?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569601000/gaming-the-tax-code?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy Experts predict the new rules in the proposed tax overhaul will lead to many complexities in the tax code. And that likely means new opportunities for tax lawyers to find ways to game the system.

]]> Jim Zarroli What's Behind Bitcoin's All-Time High Value The value of digital currency bitcoin has skyrocketed. But what is bitcoin and is it just a bubble? Timothy Lee of Ars Technica explains to NPR's Scott Simon. Sat, 09 Dec 2017 07:56:26 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569600952/whats-behind-bitcoin-s-all-time-high-value?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569600952/whats-behind-bitcoin-s-all-time-high-value?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The value of digital currency bitcoin has skyrocketed. But what is bitcoin and is it just a bubble? Timothy Lee of Ars Technica explains to NPR's Scott Simon.

]]> How The GOP Tax Bill Would Affect Community Colleges The tax overhaul making its way though Congress includes some provisions that worry Jose Adames, president of El Centro College, a community college in Dallas. NPR's Scott Simon asks him why. Sat, 09 Dec 2017 07:56:26 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569600942/how-the-gop-tax-bill-would-affect-community-colleges?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/09/569600942/how-the-gop-tax-bill-would-affect-community-colleges?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The tax overhaul making its way though Congress includes some provisions that worry Jose Adames, president of El Centro College, a community college in Dallas. NPR's Scott Simon asks him why.

]]> Worker Shortage Could Dampen Economy The U.S. job market has bounced back from a hurricane related slowdown this fall. But with unemployment hovering near 4 percent, a worker shortage could damper future economic growth. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:22:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569516164/worker-shortage-could-dampen-economy?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569516164/worker-shortage-could-dampen-economy?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The U.S. job market has bounced back from a hurricane related slowdown this fall. But with unemployment hovering near 4 percent, a worker shortage could damper future economic growth.

]]> Scott Horsley Tax Bill Favors Adding Robots Over Workers, Critics Say They say the Republican tax proposals encourage companies to buy robots instead of hiring people and creating jobs. Some employers and economist say the bill should promote training instead. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:01:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569118310/tax-bill-favors-adding-robots-over-workers-critics-say?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569118310/tax-bill-favors-adding-robots-over-workers-critics-say?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy

They say the Republican tax proposals encourage companies to buy robots instead of hiring people and creating jobs. Some employers and economist say the bill should promote training instead.

(Image credit: Chris Arnold/NPR)

]]> Chris Arnold FACT CHECK: President Trump's Record On Jobs And Stocks President Trump bragged this week about job gains and a rising stock market. So what are the facts? Fri, 08 Dec 2017 14:54:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569451704/fact-check-president-trumps-record-on-jobs-and-stocks?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569451704/fact-check-president-trumps-record-on-jobs-and-stocks?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy

President Trump bragged this week about job gains and a rising stock market. So what are the facts?

(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

]]> Scott Horsley November Jobs Report: Economy Adds 228,000 Jobs; Unemployment Steady U.S. jobs growth has averaged 174,000 per month so far in 2017, compared to an average monthly gain of 187,000 in 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:32:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/08/569370879/november-jobs-report-economy-adds-228-000-jobs-unemployment-steady?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/08/569370879/november-jobs-report-economy-adds-228-000-jobs-unemployment-steady?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy U.S. jobs growth has averaged 174,000 per month so far in 2017, compared to an average monthly gain of 187,000 in 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says.

]]> Bill Chappell How Reagan's Tax Cuts Fared For some perspective on the current tax bill speeding through Congress, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to David Wessel of the Brookings Institution about the last major tax cuts, in the 1980s. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 05:11:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569345901/how-reagans-tax-cuts-fared?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/569345901/how-reagans-tax-cuts-fared?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy For some perspective on the current tax bill speeding through Congress, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to David Wessel of the Brookings Institution about the last major tax cuts, in the 1980s.

]]> Generation Z May Not Want To Own Cars. Can Automakers Woo Them In Other Ways? Selling cars to the group that follows the millennials won't be easy. Instead of just making cars, automakers are trying to make a move, whether it's car-sharing, ride-hailing or self-driving. Fri, 08 Dec 2017 05:11:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/568362029/generation-z-may-not-want-to-own-cars-can-automakers-woo-them-in-other-ways?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/08/568362029/generation-z-may-not-want-to-own-cars-can-automakers-woo-them-in-other-ways?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy

Selling cars to the group that follows the millennials won't be easy. Instead of just making cars, automakers are trying to make a move, whether it's car-sharing, ride-hailing or self-driving.

(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

]]> Natalie Bettendorf Florida Set To Launch Country's First Private High-Speed Train Service The $3 billion project is the first privately funded high-speed rail system in the U.S. Trains will begin running along the state's busiest corridor from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale this month. Thu, 07 Dec 2017 16:25:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/07/569183423/florida-set-to-launch-countrys-first-private-high-speed-train-service?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/07/569183423/florida-set-to-launch-countrys-first-private-high-speed-train-service?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy

The $3 billion project is the first privately funded high-speed rail system in the U.S. Trains will begin running along the state's busiest corridor from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale this month.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Brightline)

]]> Samantha Raphelson What The White House Wants In Tax Overhaul The White House is making a push for the Republican tax overhaul effort. Rachel Martin talks with Marc Short, White House director of legislative affairs and deputy assistant to the president. Thu, 07 Dec 2017 07:15:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/07/569056218/what-the-white-house-wants-in-tax-overhaul?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/07/569056218/what-the-white-house-wants-in-tax-overhaul?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The White House is making a push for the Republican tax overhaul effort. Rachel Martin talks with Marc Short, White House director of legislative affairs and deputy assistant to the president.

]]> Bitcoin's Rising Value Could Be Good News, But Might Not The price of Bitcoin has skyrocketed more than 1,200 percent this year. That's got people talking about the digital currency and wondering why it has climbed so high and whether its rise is a bubble which will burst. Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:33:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/06/568920321/bitcoins-rising-value-could-be-good-news-but-might-not?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/06/568920321/bitcoins-rising-value-could-be-good-news-but-might-not?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy The price of Bitcoin has skyrocketed more than 1,200 percent this year. That's got people talking about the digital currency and wondering why it has climbed so high and whether its rise is a bubble which will burst.

]]> Uri Berliner Wildfires Exacerbate Chronic Homelessness In Northern California Residents who lost homes in the wildfires two months ago are adding to the chronic homelessness problem in the city of Santa Rosa, where more than 3,000 people were already living on the streets. Wed, 06 Dec 2017 14:36:00 -0500 https://www.npr.org/2017/12/06/568857057/wildfires-exacerbate-chronic-homelessness-in-northern-california?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy https://www.npr.org/2017/12/06/568857057/wildfires-exacerbate-chronic-homelessness-in-northern-california?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=economy

Residents who lost homes in the wildfires two months ago are adding to the chronic homelessness problem in the city of Santa Rosa, where more than 3,000 people were already living on the streets.

(Image credit: Jae C. Hong/AP)

]]> Samantha Raphelson