Stacey Vanek Smith
Stories
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National
American companies report surprisingly high spending from shoppers despite inflation
Recession? What recession? The Fed is still cautious, but big brands — Kimberly-Clark, Hilton, Visa, Chipotle, Coca-Cola — are singing praises to shoppers who seem un-swayed by their higher prices.
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What my $30 hamburger reveals about fees and how companies use them to jack up prices
New fees are being tacked onto hotel bills, airfare, restaurant checks and pretty much everywhere else. It's another form of inflation and it's costing consumers $65 billion a year.
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National
The Fed's hot pause summer gets an ice bath: Interest rates rise again
After taking a pause last month, the Fed got back to raising interest rates. Many are now saying a "soft-landing" is within our sights
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National
Fees added to bills are costing consumers billions. Now, regulators are cracking down
The rise of fees on hotel bills, bank bills, restaurant bills and everywhere else has regulators cracking down. Turns out, they are just inflation in disguise.
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Got tipping rage? This barista reveals what it's like to be behind the tip screen
The rise in tipping has many customers fuming, but one worker who depends on tips says most customers misunderstand what they are — and shares what it feels like when people don't tip.
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World
She had a dream job. Now, she's part of a massive brain drain hammering Russia
Hundreds of thousands of people under age 35 are estimated to have fled Russia since the invasion. It's one of a handful of major challenges Russia's economy faces this year.
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Bank fail: How rising interest rates paved the way for Silicon Valley Bank's collapse
Silicon Valley Bank invested billions of dollars in super safe U.S. government bonds. But that choice exposed to the bank to a whole other set of risks.
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Credit Card Nation: How we went from record savings to record debt in just two years
U.S. consumers had the highest savings rate on record in 2020 and credit card debt was plummeting. Now our savings is gone and debt is surging. What happened?
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National
Many Americans have exhausted their savings as credit card debt hits a record high
Credit card debt is at a record high, climbing nearly 19% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Many Americans have exhausted their savings and are now deep in the hole trying to cover the cost of living.
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Is the economy headed for recession or a soft landing?
Are we in a recession? It seems like a straightforward question, but the data tells conflicting stories.