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Economy

Vox’s coverage of the economy. Analysis of inflation, the housing market, economic booms, recessions, and everything in between.

The latest in Economy

The winners and losers of the Biden economy
Politics

Younger workers have done well under Biden. Fast food fanatics have not.

By Eric Levitz
How much can we actually control inflation?How much can we actually control inflation?
Audio
Unexplainable

The mystery of inflation may be rooted in psychology.

By Noam Hassenfeld
What if quitting your terrible job would help the economy?What if quitting your terrible job would help the economy?
Future Perfect

Should people who quit get unemployment benefits?

By Oshan Jarow
Why Americans hate inflation — and its cureWhy Americans hate inflation — and its cure
Future Perfect

Other countries have social safety nets. The US has debt.

By Dylan Matthews
Biden is on track to beat inflation and lose the presidencyBiden is on track to beat inflation and lose the presidency
Politics

The data on prices is getting better, but the public’s disapproval of the president remains unchanged.

By Eric Levitz
Biden’s overlooked campaign to protect Americans from Big BusinessBiden’s overlooked campaign to protect Americans from Big Business
Politics

Many Americans are focused on inflation, but from Big Tech to junk fees, Biden is advancing a pro-consumer agenda.

By Nicole Narea
What’s really happening to grocery prices right nowWhat’s really happening to grocery prices right now
Money

Target and Walmart are talking about their price cuts. How big of a deal is it?

By Whizy Kim
Red Lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimpRed Lobster’s mistakes go beyond endless shrimp
Audio
Today, Explained podcast

Does the restaurant's bankruptcy signal rough seas ahead for casual dining chains?

By Denise Guerra and David Pierce
High interest rates probably aren’t going away anytime soonHigh interest rates probably aren’t going away anytime soon
Economy

The Federal Reserve will give an announcement on interest rates during its May meeting Wednesday.

By Nicole Narea
Why we keep seeing egg prices spikeWhy we keep seeing egg prices spike
Money

How corporate greed plays a role in making bird flu outbreaks — and egg prices — worse.

By Whizy Kim
Trump’s team keeps promising to increase inflationTrump’s team keeps promising to increase inflation
2024 Elections

Voters trust Trump to lower prices, even as his advisers put forward plans for increasing Americans’ cost of living.

By Eric Levitz
Tell the truth about Biden’s economyTell the truth about Biden’s economy
Economy

Exaggerating the harms of inflation doesn’t help working people.

By Eric Levitz
Want a 32-hour workweek? Give workers more power.Want a 32-hour workweek? Give workers more power.
Future Perfect

German labor history has some tips on how the US could reduce its workweek.

By Oshan Jarow
How AI could explode the economy
Future Perfect

And how it could fizzle.

By Dylan Matthews
Uber-style pricing is coming for everythingUber-style pricing is coming for everything
Money

More and more industries are adopting “dynamic pricing” — and consumers aren’t happy.

By Whizy Kim
Biden isn’t advertising America’s record oil boomBiden isn’t advertising America’s record oil boom
Climate

Biden is not “waging war” on American energy. He’s boosting it.

By Nicole Narea
Biden’s vs. Trump’s economy, in 8 chartsBiden’s vs. Trump’s economy, in 8 charts
Politics

The gaps between perception of the economy and the reality, explained.

By Nicole Narea
A utopian strand of economic thought is making a surprising comeback
Future Perfect

It was once normal for economists to imagine a world with less work. What happened?

By Oshan Jarow
What Biden could do to bring grocery prices downWhat Biden could do to bring grocery prices down
Economy

Here are some levers the administration can pull to rein in food inflation.

By Noel King and Miles Bryan
China’s new economic growth plan isn’t really a plan at allChina’s new economic growth plan isn’t really a plan at all
World Politics

Xi Jinping is ignoring the country’s biggest economic problems.

By Nicole Narea
Older Americans are working longer. Some want to; others have to.Older Americans are working longer. Some want to; others have to.
Money

How long will baby boomers keep working? For some, the answer is forever.

By Whizy Kim
A European grocery chain is boycotting high prices. Could it happen in the US?A European grocery chain is boycotting high prices. Could it happen in the US?
Money

Inflation is cooling, but food companies keep raising prices.

By Whizy Kim
We can still make a good economy much betterWe can still make a good economy much better
Future Perfect

The end of the “vibecession” doesn’t mean we should stop questioning the economy.

By Oshan Jarow
A booming economy might not save the Biden campaignA booming economy might not save the Biden campaign
Economy

Americans are feeling better about the economy, yet the president’s approval rating is lower than ever.

By Eric Levitz
Do we really live in an “age of inequality”?Do we really live in an “age of inequality”?
Future Perfect

Why economists are reconsidering the scale of the rise in US inequality.

By Dylan Matthews
Trump says a lot of stuff about the economy. What would he actually do?Trump says a lot of stuff about the economy. What would he actually do?
2024 Elections

Trump says he’d be better for the economy. Voters do, too. But would he?

By Emily Stewart
The Stanley water bottle craze, explained
Culture

The Stanley brand is selling more than a tumbler.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Are $18 Big Macs the price of falling inequality?Are $18 Big Macs the price of falling inequality?
Politics

Even socialists are bristling at the rising cost of fast food.

By Eric Levitz
It’s okay to be optimistic about the economy next yearIt’s okay to be optimistic about the economy next year
Economy

A recession didn’t come in 2023 and it might not in 2024, either.

By Emily Stewart
We dined out less this year — but it wasn’t just about the price
Money

The shifting value of going out to eat.

By Whizy Kim
So it’s come to this: We might have to worry about the deficitSo it’s come to this: We might have to worry about the deficit
Money

America rarely has its financial ducks in a row. Does it finally matter?

By Emily Stewart
Black and Latino Americans haven’t experienced the same economy as everyone elseBlack and Latino Americans haven’t experienced the same economy as everyone else
2024 Elections

For these families, the last few years’ economic tumult has been particularly pronounced.

By Christian Paz
Pandemic savings helped keep the economy afloat. What happens when they’re gone?Pandemic savings helped keep the economy afloat. What happens when they’re gone?
Policy

Savings won’t save the economy for much longer, but higher wages might.

By Abdallah Fayyad
Why buying a house in the US is so hard right nowWhy buying a house in the US is so hard right now
Play
Video

Charting America’s homeownership problem.

By Adam Freelander
It’s just a tip
Money

You can say no to the tipping tablet. That doesn’t mean you should.

By Emily Stewart
Lant Pritchett wants rich countries to let the people come
The 2023 Future Perfect 50

Pritchett is advocating for immigration reform and thinking big about global development economics.

By Dylan Matthews
The annoying — and hard to solve — problem of stolen packages
Money

A thoroughly modern nuisance for consumers, shippers, and retailers alike.

By Whizy Kim
We’ve been fighting poverty all wrongWe’ve been fighting poverty all wrong
Future Perfect

The success of the expanded child tax credit shows why anti-poverty programs should be unconditional.

By Oshan Jarow
Wages are rising. Jobs are plentiful. Nobody’s happy.Wages are rising. Jobs are plentiful. Nobody’s happy.
Economy

It’s a good time to be a worker and a bad time to be a consumer — the problem is most people are both.

By Emily Stewart