China's trade surplus surges 20% to a record $1.2 trillion, even with Trump's tariffs China's trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the U.S. under President Donald Trump's onslaught of higher tariffs. The Associated Press
What Trump's fight with Powell could mean for the Fed's future President Trump has been trying to bully the Federal Reserve into cutting interest rates. It's a gambit that could lead to more inflation. John Ketchum
Inflation steadies but it's still higher than many would like Inflation didn't get worse in December. But it didn't get better. Prices were up 2.7% a year ago. A drop in gasoline prices was more than offset by rising grocery and electricity bills. Scott Horsley
What to know about Trump's ugly feud with the Federal Reserve A Justice Department probe of the Federal Reserve marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration's effort to bend the independent central bank to the president's will. Scott Horsley
How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s Who gets to be a parent has been reshaped by IVF: Single women in their 40s are increasingly opting to become moms. Janet W. Lee
DOJ subpoenas Federal Reserve in escalating pressure campaign The Justice Department has subpoenaed the Fed over chair Jerome Powell's testimony over the central bank's headquarters renovation. Powell calls it part of a pressure campaign over interest rates. Scott Horsley
How are U.S. oil companies responding to Trump's plans for Venezuela? President Trump met with oil executives on Friday. Trump wants major investments in Venezuela. He announced a near-term plan to control Venezuelan oil sales. Camila Domonoske
Hiring slows in December to end the weakest year of job growth since the pandemic U.S. employers added 50,000 jobs in December, according to a report from the Labor Department Friday. Measured annually, job gains in 2025 were the slowest since 2020. Scott Horsley
Austin built a lot of housing fast. Rents fell. What could Seattle learn? While rents kept rising in many big cities, including Seattle, rents in Austin, Texas, have been on the decline for the last three years. That raises a simple question: Why is Austin an outlier? And is there anything Seattle could copy? Joshua McNichols
It's not just oil: How else Wall Street might benefit from Trump's Venezuela actions Oil companies and their shareholders may benefit from President Trump's military action in Venezuela — but it also could benefit many other U.S. investors. Maria Aspan
