Rents in April in the U.S. were up 25% compared to 2019, report says

Rents in April in the U.S. were up 25% compared to 2019, report says

We want to hear from readers who have stories to share about the effects of increasing costs and a changing economy. If you’d like to share your experience, write to [email protected]. Please include your name and the best way to reach you. A reporter may be in touch. Americans looking for housing in April faced median…

Three ways to close the retirement gap for Black, Latino savers

Three ways to close the retirement gap for Black, Latino savers

Automatic enrollment in retirement accounts and help with emergency savings efforts are among the moves that would help close the gap on retirement savings among Black and Latino employees, a new study found. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black and Latino workers, in particular, experienced greater pay cuts and job loss, leaving little room to consider…

Durbin: ‘Everything is on the table’ in response to Clarence Thomas revelations

Durbin: ‘Everything is on the table’ in response to Clarence Thomas revelations

Revelations about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s financial disclosures get “worse and worse by the day,” Sen. Dick Durbin said Sunday, and “everything is on the table” when it comes to establishing a code of ethics for the high court. Speaking Sunday morning on CNN’s “State of the Union” with host Jake Tapper, the Illinois…

California task force approves reparations potentially worth billions of dollars

California task force approves reparations potentially worth billions of dollars

After a sometimes contentious day-long meeting Saturday, California’s reparations task force approved a sweeping set of recommendations — including potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in monetary reparations — for repair and restitution for harms experienced by African Americans as a result of slavery and the state’s subsequent policies and practices. The task force was…

Cannabis company offers jobs to laid-off Burger King employees in Michigan

Cannabis company offers jobs to laid-off Burger King employees in Michigan

A cannabis business operating in Michigan said it would hire laid-off Burger King employees to roll marijuana joints for $16 an hour, although the job picture remains mixed in the cannabis sector depending on the state. As Shryne Group Inc.’s Stiiizy cannabis business expands in Michigan, the company has offered to hire hundreds of Burger…

Tech companies ramping up AI efforts while cutting ethics teams ‘might not be a good look,’ feds warn

Tech companies ramping up AI efforts while cutting ethics teams ‘might not be a good look,’ feds warn

The Federal Trade Commission continued its crusade against deceptive uses of artificial intelligence Monday, suggesting that companies could face trouble by simultaneously misleading customers using AI and cutting back on ethicists who advise businesses on how to use the technology responsibly. The warning comes as large technology companies reportedly have been laying off staffers who…

This group that opposes marijuana legalization is trying to ‘take back 4/20’

This group that opposes marijuana legalization is trying to ‘take back 4/20’

While advocates for marijuana use 4/20 day in part to reiterate their call for nationwide legalization, their opponents are marking the weed holiday in a different way. One group that’s against legalization — Smart Approaches to Marijuana — is running a conference on Thursday in Washington, D.C., that’s dubbed the 2023 SAM Summit & Good…

U.S. housing starts decline in March as apartment construction cools

U.S. housing starts decline in March as apartment construction cools

The numbers: Construction of new homes fell 0.8% in March to a rate of 1.42 million due to slower work on apartment buildings, leaving prospective buyers with limited options. Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had forecast a 1.4 million rate of new housing starts. That’s the number of homes that would be built…

‘It’s a really isolating experience’: How to support your Muslim colleagues during Ramadan

‘It’s a really isolating experience’: How to support your Muslim colleagues during Ramadan

Shaina Zafar woke up around 4:50 a.m. in New York City, cooked some eggs and ate them with a bagel and coconut water before imsak, a time to stop eating and drinking. She prayed and set her intentions for the day before the sun rose. Zafar, the co-founder and chief marketing officer of JUV Consulting,…

Conservative boycott could create a backlash to the Bud Light backlash

Conservative boycott could create a backlash to the Bud Light backlash

After Bud Light’s recent partnership with a transgender influencer, sales of the beer may take a hit as a result of conservative calls for a boycott — or they may get a boost from other people buying more of the product in response. But whatever the effect, analysts say, it will likely evaporate quickly. What’s…

J.P. Morgan flagged large Epstein withdrawals before his 2008 conviction, lawsuit alleges

J.P. Morgan flagged large Epstein withdrawals before his 2008 conviction, lawsuit alleges

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. was reportedly aware that the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was paying underage girls to be brought to his home, years before he was convicted in 2008, according to a lawsuit filing released on Wednesday. The court filing is part of an amended lawsuit filing initially brought last year by…

It’s CPI day: ‘Calmer inflation means lower mortgage rates — eventually’ and food inflation slowed in March, but some items are still up by 36%

It’s CPI day: ‘Calmer inflation means lower mortgage rates — eventually’ and food inflation slowed in March, but some items are still up by 36%

Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Amazon workers’ serious-injury rates still double those of other warehouse workers, study shows A new report, which found slight improvement in Amazon injury rates, coincides with a shareholder resolution calling for an independent health-and-safety audit. Read More Food inflation slowed in March, but some items are still up…

Opinion: How women can achieve greater financial literacy and take control of their money

Opinion: How women can achieve greater financial literacy and take control of their money

Holding a life insurance policy is a key step toward improving your financial health and building generational wealth. It’s something everyone should have, but men still outpace women in terms of purchasing life insurance. Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) data indicates that while 78% of women consider personal finances very important, only 31%…

Women are less likely to get more money when negotiating a starting salary

Women are less likely to get more money when negotiating a starting salary

April is National Financial Literacy Month. To mark the occasion, MarketWatch will publish a series of “Financial Fitness” articles to help readers improve their fiscal health, and offer advice on how to save, invest and spend their money wisely. Read more here. Ask and you shall receive — unless you’re female, apparently. A new survey from the Pew Research Center finds…

How much do you need to earn to afford a $500,000 home and with the unemployment rate now at 3.5%, is this your last chance to jump ship?

How much do you need to earn to afford a $500,000 home and with the unemployment rate now at 3.5%, is this your last chance to jump ship?

Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Women are less likely to get more money when negotiating a starting salary 5 tips to overcoming the gender ‘ask gap’ to get paid what you deserve at a new job Read More Are you financially fit? Take a quiz and learn more about your money, retirement planning…

MarketWatch’s 2023 Financial Literacy Quiz is here and what is the standard deduction for 2022

MarketWatch’s 2023 Financial Literacy Quiz is here and what is the standard deduction for 2022

Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. $1.50 for a sandwich? Why Masters concession prices are so low. The famous pimento cheese sandwich is only $1.50, and no food item costs more than $3. Read More How you and your partner can have a fighting chance to stop arguing about money Couples who disagree about…

Should there be age limits to drive? Dick Van Dyke’s accident raises questions.

Should there be age limits to drive? Dick Van Dyke’s accident raises questions.

Those are the questions many are likely asking in light of the news that the legendary 97-year-old actor Dick Van Dyke was in a car crash last month in Malibu, Calif. According to reports, Van Dyke’s silver Lexus collided with a gate, and the actor suffered minor injuries. He appeared to be the driver and…

‘Trapped in the gap’: Many middle-income seniors earn too much for affordable housing but not enough to pay market rates

‘Trapped in the gap’: Many middle-income seniors earn too much for affordable housing but not enough to pay market rates

Deb Morgan, 74, made the decision in 2021 to sell her home in Aiken, S.C., and move closer to her son in Cincinnati. While the booming real-estate market helped her get more for her South Carolina home than she imagined, the market also worked against her when finding a new place to live. Morgan didn’t…