Against the Grain Many economists and market watchers started the year expecting an economic downturn as high inflation, and high interest rates, threatened to weigh on consumer spending and investments. But so far, they’ve been rather wrong. Despite these ongoing headwinds, as well as geopolitical upheaval, the U.S. economy has stayed the course – and…Read more
Spooky Spending Spooky Season is getting scarier for Americans, and definitely for their wallets. Halloween spending is set to reach an unprecedented $12.2 billion in 2023, according to the National Retail Federation‘s annual survey. For reference, last year’s total sat at $10.6 billion. This is partly driven by increasing enthusiasm over the holiday: 73% of…Read more
Rising Costs Healthcare in America is not exactly known for being cheap. But it has only gotten even more expensive this year. The annual cost of an employer-sponsored family health insurance plan just hit an average of almost $24,000 — up 7% from last year, according to a survey from health non-profit KFF. Who Pays…Read more
