Americans
How the No. 2 pencil became a uniquely American school supply staple
For generations of Americans, a sharpened No. 2 pencil has represented childhood and coming of age. Still a fixture of back-to-school shopping lists, it outlines a child’s first letters, erases their mistakes and lets them doodle in the margins when they daydream. For decades, sweaty hands clutched the ridged yellow wood on test day. “Bring […]
Wholesale price inflation slows last month as gas, food costs fall
WASHINGTON | Wholesale inflation dropped last month as gas prices reversed some of their Iran war spike and other costs also cooled, a sign that consumer inflation could grind lower in the months ahead. The Labor Department’s producer price index — which captures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 4.7% in July from a […]
Inflation cooled last month as gas prices fell, though costs remain elevated
WASHINGTON | U.S. inflation slowed last month and a measure of underlying price pressures also cooled, suggesting higher oil and gas prices from the Iran war are only having a limited impact on broader costs in the economy. Consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year ago, down slightly from 3.5% in June, the […]
Americans’ confidence in US economy fell this month as Iran conflict sent gas prices back up
WASHINGTON | Americans’ confidence in the economy fell this month as gas prices resumed their climb after the U.S. and Iran stepped up their fighting. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 90.8 in July from 92.2 in June. Consumers view of current business and labor market conditions fell by […]
House OKs bill to make daylight saving time permanent; Colorado stands ready. Senate next
WASHINGTON | There will be no turning back the clock if the House has its way. The House passed a bill Tuesday that would make daylight saving time permanent. Proponents, including the White House, argued the change would provide more daylight during the times that Americans are most active. The vote was 308-117. Colorado state […]
Most Americans see freedoms under threat but core to nation’s identity, AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON | Most Americans believe civil liberties like the right to vote are under threat, according to a new AP-NORC poll, while also continuing to agree that the rights expressed in the nation’s founding documents are still core to American identity. The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that most […]
The cheesehead hat is a sunny nod to America’s ‘Hold my beer’ exuberance
Americans long have leavened their powerful global image with goofiness, a cheerful confidence that can deflect international wonder over certain strains of ignorance into a smile. Behold, for example, the cheesehead hat. Made of sofa foam and sunny yellow defiance, the hat was created in the late 1980s in response to the taunting faced by […]
Key inflation gauge worsens as Americans’ income and spending power erodes
WASHINGTON | A key inflation gauge accelerated in April to the highest level in three years, squeezing Americans’ finances and creating political challenges for President Trump and congressional Republicans with midterm elections just five months away. Inflation jumped to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from 3.5% […]