Economy + Business - The Conversation

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

A group of businessmen in a black and white photo.

The oil market that sets today’s gas prices was invented in western Pennsylvania

Brian C. Black, Penn State

A man is covered in sticky notes, suggesting overwork.

A man is covered in sticky notes, suggesting overwork.

Why your boss matters more than remote or hybrid work when it comes to burnout and job satisfaction

Christos Makridis, Arizona State University; Institute for Humane Studies

Fewer Americans are getting help buying groceries from SNAP benefits as states grapple with the program’s cascade of changes

Tracy Roof, University of Richmond

A shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket.

A shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket.

Cities keep shelling out taxpayer money for sports stadiums, yet the economics almost never makes sense

Abigail Hall, University of Tampa and Aaron D. Wood, University of Tampa

Atlanta's baseball stadium, Truist Park, is shown on September 11, 2026, in a memorial field presentation before that day's game.

Atlanta's baseball stadium, Truist Park, is shown on September 11, 2026, in a memorial field presentation before that day's game.

US regulators want to make corporate earnings reports less frequent, but investors have doubts

Tzachi Zach, The Ohio State University

The chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, poses during a closing bell ceremony at the Nasdaq, with an American flag behind him.

The chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Paul Atkins, poses during a closing bell ceremony at the Nasdaq, with an American flag behind him.

How Trump’s crypto winnings undermined the industry’s push for looser regulation

Lee Reiners, Duke University

As presidential candidate, Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

As presidential candidate, Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

Read more Economy and Business articles

Iran war and the economy

A cartoon chart shows a line trending upward, with a figure of a person hanging onto an upward-pointing arrow at the top.

A cartoon chart shows a line trending upward, with a figure of a person hanging onto an upward-pointing arrow at the top.

Why fuel prices may go higher still

Joshua Busby, The University of Texas at Austin and Greg Pollock, Georgetown University

Trump speculates on diesel fuel export ban as high prices ripple across US economy

Vidya Mani, University of Virginia; Cornell University

Trains wait in a railyard as a truck passes on a road.

Trains wait in a railyard as a truck passes on a road.

Oil and gas industry expected surplus – but war brought shortage instead

John Patrick Schoeneman Jr., Oklahoma State University

A person stands next to a truck holding a fuel-dispensing nozzle.

A person stands next to a truck holding a fuel-dispensing nozzle.

Oil and gas industry expected surplus – but war brought shortage instead

John Patrick Schoeneman Jr., Oklahoma State University

A person stands next to a truck holding a fuel-dispensing nozzle.

A person stands next to a truck holding a fuel-dispensing nozzle.

Oil shortages escalate from wars in Iran and Ukraine, with few signs of relief

Amy Myers Jaffe, New York University; Tufts University

People stand on a street next to many metal cylinders.

People stand on a street next to many metal cylinders.

Read more about the war in Iran

Economics

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, wearing a grey suit and a blue tie, speaks at a news conference in Washington on July 29, 2026.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, wearing a grey suit and a blue tie, speaks at a news conference in Washington on July 29, 2026.

US consumers and businesses are now facing a future of more expensive borrowing

John W. Diamond, Rice University

American women in communities with ample broadband access lose less time waiting for services, reducing time poverty

Mattia Caldarulo, Rochester Institute of Technology; Andrea Hetling, Rutgers University, and Gregory Porumbescu, Rutgers University - Newark

Many women wearing blue jeans and white T-shirts standing in a long line.

Many women wearing blue jeans and white T-shirts standing in a long line.

US-Canada trade war deepens as Trump revives Depression-era trade tool – what’s at stake for consumers and the midterms

Kent Jones, Babson College

Two flags – one red and white with a red maple leaf, the other with white stars on a blue background and red and white stripes – wave next to a bridge with cars on it.

Two flags – one red and white with a red maple leaf, the other with white stars on a blue background and red and white stripes – wave next to a bridge with cars on it.

The US sells more to Brazil than it buys – but Trump is slapping steep tariffs on its exports anyway

Filipe Mendonça, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) and Henrique Menezes, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB)

Shipping containers, cargo cranes and port facilities make for a colorful vista with the sea and mountains in the background.

Shipping containers, cargo cranes and port facilities make for a colorful vista with the sea and mountains in the background.

Labor votes: Discontent will accompany blue‑collar voters to the polls in the midterms

Robert Forrant, UMass Lowell

A man in suit and tie shakes hands with a man wearing a ball cap on stage.

A man in suit and tie shakes hands with a man wearing a ball cap on stage.

Read more about economics

Subscribe to our Global Economy and Business newsletter

Insight in your inbox, every week

Business

A male hiker with a large backpack stands over a body of water surrounded by plunging cliffs.

A male hiker with a large backpack stands over a body of water surrounded by plunging cliffs.

The tourism industry is slowly waking up to solo travelers’ needs

Peter McGraw, University of Colorado Boulder

It’s OK if managers step in to help their sales staff – but not too much

Daniel E. Chavez, University of Tennessee

A couple considers buying fruit at a grocery store, with bananas in the background, while a smiling manager offers help.

A couple considers buying fruit at a grocery store, with bananas in the background, while a smiling manager offers help.

Florida’s proposed property tax amendment will require trade-offs – and some residents could end up with higher costs

Abigail Hall, University of Tampa

real estate tax bill

real estate tax bill

Why employers still place a premium on people skills, not AI, when they make hiring decisions

Murugan Anandarajan, Drexel University and Cuneyt Gozu, Drexel University

A Georgia Tech student in a light coral shirt, Michael Oh-Yang, shakes hands with company representatives at a job fair in Atlanta.

A Georgia Tech student in a light coral shirt, Michael Oh-Yang, shakes hands with company representatives at a job fair in Atlanta.

AI data center boom is leaving consumer electronics short of chips − even though they don’t use the same kinds

Vidya Mani, University of Virginia; Cornell University

an irridecent rainbow pattern reflects off a shiny surface covered with repeated patterns of rectangles of various sizes

an irridecent rainbow pattern reflects off a shiny surface covered with repeated patterns of rectangles of various sizes

Read more about business

Work

A young man with glasses looks confused and exasperated as he sits in front of a computer, while two colleagues discuss something behind him.

A young man with glasses looks confused and exasperated as he sits in front of a computer, while two colleagues discuss something behind him.

Gen Z communicates differently in the workplace, but older colleagues can still decode them

Jeff LeBlanc, Boston University

The typical gig worker is changing – and struggling more than ever to make ends meet

Jacob Lederman, University of Michigan Flint

A Doordash worker with a face mask rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City during the COVID pandemic.

A Doordash worker with a face mask rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City during the COVID pandemic.

Layoffs tied to AI hurt worker productivity – and the reason may surprise managers

Mark Ma, University of Pittsburgh

An advertisement in San Francisco, Calif., for the AI company Artisan depicts a smiling woman against a purple background and reads: "Artisans won't complain about work-life balance."

An advertisement in San Francisco, Calif., for the AI company Artisan depicts a smiling woman against a purple background and reads: "Artisans won't complain about work-life balance."

Why it’s more important than ever to jump-start entrepreneurial careers from the college classroom

Raghupathy Sivakumar, Georgia Institute of Technology

A collage photo shows cash bills and a graduation cap sitting atop an American flag, with a computer keyboard in the upper right corner.

A collage photo shows cash bills and a graduation cap sitting atop an American flag, with a computer keyboard in the upper right corner.

Why working-class people account for around 1% of lawmakers in the US – and only 2% in the average democracy around the world

Noam Lupu, Vanderbilt University and Nicholas Carnes, Duke University

A smiling man clasps hands with another man holding a 'Troy Jackson' campaign sign at a political rally.

A smiling man clasps hands with another man holding a 'Troy Jackson' campaign sign at a political rally.

Read more about work

Finance

An older man looks at a paper statement, with a confused expression, in front of his laptop.

An older man looks at a paper statement, with a confused expression, in front of his laptop.

AI is supercharging money scams – here’s what you can do to protect yourself

Pawan Jain, University of Michigan Flint

Trump administration is withholding more than $1B in Medicaid funds from California and Minnesota, in latest example of weaponizing real and imagined fraud

Ben Zdencanovic, University of Cambridge

Agents, many wearing jackets or vests emblazoned with 'FBI,' exit a building with what appears to be a trove of documents.

Agents, many wearing jackets or vests emblazoned with 'FBI,' exit a building with what appears to be a trove of documents.

Personal bankruptcy filings are soaring in 2026, signaling growing economic distress

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

An outstretched arm pokes through a pile of paper, holding a white flag signaling surrender.

An outstretched arm pokes through a pile of paper, holding a white flag signaling surrender.

Got money questions? How to get chatbots to give you accurate answers

Pawan Jain, University of Michigan Flint

A hand holds two coins in front of a laptop keyboard.

A hand holds two coins in front of a laptop keyboard.

Your bank’s AI just blocked your payment – what can you do?

Pragati Awasthi, Drexel University

A blue Visa credit card rests on a grey laptop.

A blue Visa credit card rests on a grey laptop.

Read more about finance

Philanthropy and nonprofits

Two large protrusions made of concrete stand atop a large construction project with many workers milling about.

Two large protrusions made of concrete stand atop a large construction project with many workers milling about.

Is it illegal for the president to spend ‘patriotic’ donations on a White House ballroom or anything else?

Ellen P. Aprill, University of California, Los Angeles

Trump administration’s Freedom 250 organization allegedly misdirected donors away from bipartisan America250 charity

Sarah Webber, University of Dayton

Fireworks go off against a dark sky with the word 'freedom' projected onto a monolith in the foreground.

Fireworks go off against a dark sky with the word 'freedom' projected onto a monolith in the foreground.

Foundations can outlive their charitable missions – and that’s a problem

Thomas Adam, University of Arkansas

Bill Gates looks contemplative while sitting in front of a window.

Bill Gates looks contemplative while sitting in front of a window.

A little-remembered Gilded Age millionaire helped make milk safe for American kids through his ‘retail giving’

Leslie Lenkowsky, Indiana University

This black and white photo is of a girl holding a bottle of milk and a basket outside a doorway.

This black and white photo is of a girl holding a bottle of milk and a basket outside a doorway.

Nonprofit fraud: Amid high-profile prosecutions, an accountant explains what’s really going on

Sarah Webber, University of Dayton

A man stares blankly ahead while walking and being videoed by a woman in a red dress.

A man stares blankly ahead while walking and being videoed by a woman in a red dress.

Read more about philanthropy and nonprofits

Most read this week