U.S. & WORLD / CATEGORY
Business
Current developments, their context, and questions still open.
US
Gas is $4.27 and diesel $6.35 heading into Election Day, up 41% and 71% in a year
Gasoline has fallen for five straight weeks. Diesel has risen for two. Refiners are reporting surging margins, and the next official price data lands on Election Day.
US
Alphabet lost $500 billion in a day even as revenue rose 25%; investors balked at doubled AI spending
Its quarterly capital spending more than doubled to $51.4 billion. Intel fell 29% the next day, and the Nasdaq ended the week down 2.9% on Friday alone.
US
Before the midterms, unemployment rose to 4.2% and inflation to 3.7%
Both rose in September. Stock gains measure a different part of the economy from household budgets.
US
September consumer inflation reaches 3.7% over 12 months
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.6% monthly increase and a 3.7% annual increase in the September CPI.
US
U.S. unemployment rises to 4.2% as payroll growth slows
The share of the civilian labor force unemployed rose from 4.1% in August to 4.2% in September; monthly payroll job gains slowed from 133,000 to 29,000.