markets

A cotton harvesting tractor plucks up cotton on an Arkansas farm. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Wes Ward to continue as agriculture secretary under Huckabee Sanders

BY: - December 12, 2022

Wes Ward, Arkansas’ current agriculture secretary, will continue in that role in the administration of Gov.-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders, according to a Monday press release. “I look forward to continuing to invest in our strong, dynamic agriculture industry as the secretary of agriculture,” Ward said in the release. “Governor-elect Sanders shares my deep appreciation for […]

A carpenter stands atop of a building frame.

4 takeaways on housing ahead of inflation report

BY: - November 9, 2022

Housing costs, including rental prices, are on the path to stabilizing but evidence of this won’t show up in inflation measures anytime soon, economists say. The latest Consumer Price Index numbers, which are used to measure inflation, come out on Thursday morning. But the survey used to measure shelter, a large component of inflation, lags […]

COMMENTARY
Federal ReserveBank Board Chairman Jerome Powell contemplates a response to questions on Nov. 2, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Fed inflation fight raises risks of both recession and financial crisis

BY: - November 7, 2022

There is wide agreement among economists and market observers that the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes will cause economic growth to grind to a halt, leading to a recession. Less talked about is the risk of a financial crisis as the U.S. central bank simultaneously tries to shrink its massive balance sheet. As expected, […]