October jobs report: US hiring rebounds with 531,000 jobs added

The October 2021 U.S. jobs report showed employers stepped up their hiring, adding a solid 531,000 jobs — the most since July.

US salaries grew more last quarter than they have in 2 decades

The Labor Department said Friday that pay increased 1.5% in the third quarter. That’s up sharply from 0.9% in the previous quarter.

Ports of LA, Long Beach to fine firms over container backlog

In an effort to ease congestion, the ports will start fining shipping companies whose cargo containers linger for too long at marine terminals.

California’s unemployment fraud reaches at least $20 billion

State officials blamed nearly all of that fraud on a hastily approved expansion of unemployment benefits by Congress that let people who were self-employed get weekly checks from the government with few safeguards to stop people from getting benefits who were not eligible to receive them.

Thanksgiving dinner may be more expensive as holiday staples in short supply

While most will likely be able to get their hands on a turkey for Thanksgiving this year, shoppers could be shelling out more cash for it as well as other holiday staples — largely due to supply chain bottlenecks.

California hiring slows in September; jobless rate at 7.5%

In California, new coronavirus cases are at their lowest point since the start of the pandemic, schools have fully reopened and the more generous unemployment benefits from the federal government have expired — all signs of what should have been a robust economic recovery in September.

US budget deficit reaches $2.77 trillion in 2021, its 2nd highest ever

The U.S. budget deficit totaled $2.77 trillion for 2021, the second highest on record but an improvement from the all-time high of $3.13 trillion in 2020.

Grocery shoppers feel the hit as food prices skyrocket nationwide

According to data from the Consumer Price Index, food prices rose 4.6% since September 2020. Meat prices were up 12.6%, fish and seafood prices rose by 10.7%.

Procter & Gamble combats inflation with price hikes in most categories

Procter & Gamble, like many other companies, has hiked prices on consumers in order to offset rising costs that have occurred due to supply-chain issues and a shortage of materials and labor coming out of the pandemic.

Climate change: US report targets economic risks from extreme weather

A new White House report addresses how the U.S. economy could be affected by climate change, including extreme heat, flooding, storms and wildfires.

US unemployment claims fall to lowest level of COVID-19 pandemic

U.S. unemployment claims dropped 36,000 to 293,000 last week, the lowest level since the start of the pandemic, the Labor Department said.

Social Security checks to increase by 5.9% in 2022 as inflation jumps

The Social Security COLA amounts to $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates released by the Social Security Administration.