Author: Leslie Stewart

Although the sluggish U.S. labor market showed some signs of a potential slowdown this year, job creation exceeded subdued expectations, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.Nonfarm payrolls rose by a seasonally adjusted 115,000 jobs in the month, down from an unusually strong March of 185,000, but above the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 55,000. The unemployment rate remains at 4.3%, further proof that the labor market is reaching the point where only moderate job creation is needed to stabilize the unemployment rate, given little growth in the labor force.Average hourly wages, another closely watched indicator of the health of…

Consumer sentiment hit an all-time low in early May due to soaring gasoline prices due to the Iran war, according to a University of Michigan survey on Friday.The school’s most notable consumer survey recorded a preliminary score of 48.2, which was a 3.2% decrease from April’s all-time high and a 7.7% decrease from the previous year. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expected a reading of 49.7.The main driver of the continued downward trend in consumer attitudes was inflation concerns.This trend continued with a 9% decline in the Current Conditions Index, “due to heightened concerns about high prices, both in personal…

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday blocked a new congressional map drawn by Democrats from taking effect, in a major boost for Republicans as they look to protect their narrow House majority in the midterm elections. Subscribe to read this story without ads Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Weeks after Virginia narrowly approved the plan in a statewide vote, a court ruled that Democratic lawmakers did not meet the procedural requirements to get a constitutional amendment written to pave the way for redrawing district lines to appear on the ballot. Democrats wanted a map designed to give…

IE11 is not supported. For the best experience, please visit our site in a different browser.Tornado hits Mississippi01:54Cubs and White Sox fans gather to celebrate kidney donation01:27Analyzing Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged suicide note01:36Currently playingMultiple passengers from cruise ship returned to US02:05to the nextSpencer Pratt clashes with rival at LA mayoral debate01:50Rubio’s high-stakes meeting with Pope Leo01:29New positive case of hantavirus from cruise ship02:41Sick passengers evacuated from cruise ship due to hantavirus outbreak02:06Military family calls medical company05:58In memory of Ted Turner02:03President Trump optimistic about possibility of deal with Iran01:50Suicide note believed to be Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide note released01:30New video shows driver fighting…

Not so long ago, U.S. employment growth of less than 100,000 jobs per month meant a weak labor market and a possible recession. But we don’t need more, because that’s about all there is to keeping unemployment stable and the Fed at bay.When the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases April payrolls at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, it is expected to increase by just 55,000 jobs. Although weak compared to recent economic conditions, it is enough to keep unemployment at a relatively low 4.3%.Overall, while the labor market has undoubtedly cooled, the situation is generally stable and resilient despite…

Investor Paul Tudor Jones said Thursday that incoming Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is not considering cutting interest rates and may instead want to consider raising them.”Do you think he’s going to cut rates? There’s no chance of that,” Jones said in a wide-ranging interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”Warsh has made no secret of his belief that central banks should consider lowering interest rates. The Fed’s benchmark overnight rate currently ranges from 3.5% to 3.75%, where it has been since December.Warsh sees a path to relief, but he faces the most dissenting Federal Open Market Committee meeting in nearly 34…

His bill would also direct the National Institute of Corrections to provide education and technical assistance to state and local correctional facilities to train staff on the risks of placing pregnant women in restrictive housing and restraints. Research on policies targeting pregnant women’s care in these facilities will also be necessary. The bill would also require basic care, including meals, for pregnant women in federal custody. vitamins; bedding; clothing. Support services. Screening and treatment for dangerous risk factors. And the plan is to deal with serious complications. In most cases, the bill would prohibit federal agencies from placing pregnant women…

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the FBI from returning more than 600 boxes of 2020 general election ballots seized from an election site in Fulton County, Georgia, this year.Subscribe to read this story without ads Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In a 68-page order, U.S. District Judge J.P. Bouley said there was not enough evidence to prove that the rights of county employees, a legal standard in the case, were “callously ignored.” The court ruled that the county had not demonstrated a need for the ballots or would be irreparably harmed without them.At the same time,…

Prices are displayed on a gas station sign in Washington, DC, USA on May 1, 2026.Annabelle Gordon ReuterLow-income consumers are compensating for higher gasoline prices by buying less, while higher-income consumers are not changing their behavior at all despite rising costs, according to a study released Wednesday by the New York Federal Reserve.In fact, during the energy price spike in March, households with annual incomes of less than $40,000 saw the smallest increase in gas spending of all income groups. The group accelerated nominal gas spending by just 12%, but this was the result of a 7% reduction in consumption,…

A new lawsuit filed against film director James Cameron and the Walt Disney Company alleges that Cameron used the facial features of a then-14-year-old actress as the basis for one of the main characters in the film Avatar. Subscribe to read this story without ads Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by actress Qualianka Kircher, alleges that in 2005, when she was 14 years old, Cameron “extracted her facial features” from a photo of her portraying Pocahontas in the film “The New World” and “instructed the design team to use them as the basis…