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Economy Tuesday, September 29, 2026
More oil out of the Gulf translating to lower prices
The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges fell after three straight increases. The post More oil out of the Gulf translating to lower prices appeared first on FreightWaves.
The World Runs on Diesel
That’s why consumers are angry at its high price.
Affordability and accountability top priorities if Democrats take House, Jeffries says
The latest polling shows Democrats with a solid shot of regaining control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. If they do, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could become Speaker of the House, with debates over the economy, government spending, and President Trump's agenda…
Army officially lifts hiring freeze, resumes civilian hiring
The Army said the hiring freeze afforded the service the ability to “make significant progress in optimizing and rebalancing” its civilian workforce.
Trump’s Student Loan Rules Finally Hold Higher Education Accountable. The Left is Furious.
The Trump administration put some reasonable limits on federal student loans, and the Left is having a fit about it. According to a Department of Education rule finalized in July, schools will now need to prove that their degrees are paying off for students to ensure that they remain eligible for…
White House Weighs Red-Dyed Diesel Relief as Fuel Prices Soar
The U.S. federal government has come up with an alternative to a diesel fuel export ban that could alleviate the price pain at the pump by boosting the availability of a tax-free sort of diesel. That’s according to unnamed sources quoted by Reuters this week. It is unclear if the idea is a…
Consumer confidence drops to 12-year low
Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story Consumer confidence dips to lowest level since 2014 Consumer confidence dipped in September to its lowest level in a dozen years, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. © Nam Y. Huh…
3 Reasons a Ban on Diesel Exports Won’t Work
On the latest episode of The Heritage Foundation podcast “The Power Hour,” host Jack Spencer talks energy with Heritage Foundation Executive Vice President Derrick Morgan. In this excerpt, Morgan explains why a potential ban on diesel exports to lower U.S. diesel prices is a bad idea. This…
Cutting gas taxes becomes bipartisan issue as both parties rush to address rising costs
Texas this week became the latest state to target fuel prices surging due to the Iran war, as both sides of the aisle seek to leverage the issue on the campaign trail ahead of the November elections. Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) issued a 30-day disaster declaration over soaring diesel prices, a problem…
Traders expecting a back-to-back rate hike from the Fed in October may have gotten ahead of themselves
New York Fed’s John Williams says “there is no need for urgency” after the central bank’s September hike.
US ban on $1bn of Canadian goods takes effect in Trump’s latest retaliation
Trump retaliated against Canada's counter-tariffs on $20bn worth of US imports by banning $1bn of Canadian goods.
Consumer confidence drops to lowest level in more than a decade
Consumer confidence dipped in September to its lowest level in a dozen years, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The board’s consumer confidence index fell to 81.9 last month, down 6.7 points from August. That marked the lowest point for the metric since 2014, when consumer sentiment was…
Prediction market traders think the U.S. added more jobs in September than economists estimate
The higher-than-consensus expectations are a bet that the U.S. had another strong month of job growth.
The Fed's main inflation measure will be released Wednesday. Here's what to expect
Data is expected to show ongoing price pressures and consumers who nevertheless continue to spend.
Trump to visit Texas plant to tout manufacturing agenda
President Donald Trump will tour Peterbilt Motors’ Denton, Texas, factory Thursday to promote tariffs and other policies aimed at expanding U.S. manufacturing. The post Trump to visit Texas plant to tout manufacturing agenda appeared first on FreightWaves.
Supply Chain Economy: Why Consumer Sentiment is CRASHING Despite Growth
The economy is expanding, yet consumer sentiment is dipping below Global Financial Crisis levels. Dr. Jason Miller breaks down the surprising disconnect, revealing how everything from AI CapEx and rising interest rates to local NIMBYism and GLP-1 drugs are shaping the freight market. Discover…
States take matters into their own hands to curb record-high diesel prices
States are taking emergency steps to ease record-high diesel prices caused by conflicts abroad as the White House continues to weigh its own measures. Texas and Georgia announced emergency measures Monday aimed at reducing diesel prices, which affect the transportation and agricultural sectors…
Diesel Hits Record High, Driver Pay Up 50%
Diesel prices soaring to new highs, driver pay increasing, and operating costs up 40-50% since 2019 are reshaping the freight landscape. David Parker of Covenant Logistics Group joins us to break down the latest SONAR data, discussing everything from tight drayage capacity to the surprising impact…
U.S. Taps Strategic Oil Reserve Again as Diesel Tops $6
The U.S. Department of Energy will offer another 40 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as gasoline and diesel prices remain elevated nearly seven months into the Iran war. The barrels will be offered through an exchange, marking the final tranche of the 172 million…
Whatever Happened to Trump's Housing Affordability Executive Order?
The Trump administration revises wonky federal regulations to reduce home construction costs.
Americans' opinion of economy drops to lowest level since 2014
Americans' confidence in the economy sank to the lowest level in more than a decade this month as prices remain elevated and wages stagnate amid the ongoing Iran war.
5 Takeaways From The New US-China Tariff-Relief Product Lists
5 Takeaways From The New US-China Tariff-Relief Product Lists Authored by Arthur Zhang via The Epoch Times, The United States and China have released product lists covering about $30 billion in imports in each direction that could receive lower tariffs under an agreement reached after Chinese…
Massive layoffs rock Disney as new CEO slashes hundreds of jobs
The Mouse House is downsizing again.
Consumer optimism slides to lowest since 2014 as fears escalate over rising prices and jobs
The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index tumbled to 81.9, a decline of 6.7 points and a reading well below the forecast for 89.
The hidden messages the bond market is sending about the AI boom and the stock market
Author and FT correspondent Robin Wigglesworth tells MarketWatch about how bonds build the modern financial system, and what they are currently saying about and inflation, government debt and the financial markets.
The ‘swamp’s’ biggest growth industry is lobbying
Lobbying spending reached record levels during President Trump's second term due to his administration's expansive tariffs, industrial policies, and regulatory changes.
Three pedestrians mowed down as car smashes into California grocery store
The incident happened at a Food 4 Less on Garvey Avenue in El Monte around 7:30 a.m.
You might be shocked by how many stocks are in a bear market right now
The S&P 500 was trading within 2 percentage points of its record closing high on Tuesday, but dig a little bit deeper, and things are looking far less rosy.
Education Department extends deadline for student loan interest rate discount
The Trump administration announced it will extend the deadline for federal student loan borrowers to sign up for autopay and get a reduced interest rate.
Chicago City Council demands Brandon Johnson make ‘real savings,’ not tax tricks in city budget
A bloc of Chicago City Council members is demanding that Mayor Brandon Johnson pursue spending cuts and other permanent savings before raising taxes or relying on unapproved state revenue to close the city’s projected $882.4 million budget gap. The aldermen, who call themselves the City Council…
Home prices up 1.9% annually in July — energy, fuel costs loom
Seattle recorded the largest annual decline for the second consecutive month
Bruce Blakeman unveils plan to effectively wipe out NY income taxes for many households
Blakeman’s long-awaited proposal would effectively wipe out income taxes for households in 45 of New York’s 62 counties, he said.
America's Canadian import restrictions come into force. Here are the products barred from entry
President Donald Trump says he expects Ottawa to concede to its demands on trade in the coming weeks, but Canadian officials insist they won't sign a bad deal.
Property Play: Homeowners are sitting on record equity – and not using it
U.S. homeowners have more housing wealth than ever before, thanks to fast-rising home prices over the last several years. But they aren't spending much of it.
Gina Raimondo thinks AI ultimately will create jobs. It's the initial mass layoffs wave that worries her
No one knows what AI will mean for jobs long-term, but the layoffs are likely to hit first without proper planning, says former US Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo.
Iran Talks Take the Heat Out of the Oil Rally
Oil prices ease as renewed Iran talks and recovering Saudi exports temper supply fears. Europe’s LNG Buying Spree Comes With the Clock Ticking - Europe is finally ramping up imports of liquefied natural gas ahead of the winter heating season, following a disappointing summer when deliveries were…
Job openings are low and hiring is weak. Why the U.S. labor market won’t get better soon.
War, high gas prices, rising interest rates and AI are keeping a lid on U.S. job creation.
Medicare Advantage plans will be cheaper next year. Here’s the new cost.
Medicare beneficiaries can change their coverage during open enrollment, which begins Oct. 15.
As Affordability Crisis Grows Under Trump, Workers Are Losing Half Their Income Gains to Debt Payments
Research published Tuesday shows that more than half of the income gains seen by the typical American worker since 2022 has been swallowed by debt payments, as high and still-rising costs of housing, groceries, utilities, and other essentials force families to turn to credit cards and other…
FICO Crashes Most Since 2004 As Pulte's Mortgage Score Shakeup Threatens Its Moat
FICO Crashes Most Since 2004 As Pulte's Mortgage Score Shakeup Threatens Its Moat Fair Isaac, the company that produces FICO scores, saw its shares crash the most in 22 years early Tuesday in cash trading after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte announced on X that a…
Record Plunge In Real-Estate Job Opening Sends JOLTS Sharply Lower, Hints At Ugly Jobs Report
Record Plunge In Real-Estate Job Opening Sends JOLTS Sharply Lower, Hints At Ugly Jobs Report After five straight months of JOLTS beats earlier in the year, including two blowout prints for April and May and zero misses since 2025, the June JOLTS report was a surprising miss (despite the…
Major Economic Indicators Latest Numbers
Consumer Price Index (CPI): +0.4% in Aug 2026 News Release Historical Data Unemployment Rate: 4.1% in Aug 2026 News Release Historical Data Payroll Employment: +162,000(p) in Aug 2026 News Release Historical Data Average Hourly Earnings: +$0.10(p) in Aug 2026 News Release Historical Data Producer…
GOP Senator Alleges Defamation Over Ad Featuring Pregnant Mom He Sued for Unpaid Medical Debt
Attorneys representing Sen. Roger Marshall on Monday accused Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton of producing a "defamatory" ad centered on a former patient who was arrested for missing court dates related to unpaid medical debt owed to the Kansas Republican. In a letter sent to Hamilton…
Millions who need flood insurance the most don’t have it as flawed federal program raises prices
As climate change increases the risk of flooding across many parts of the United States, fewer people are buying flood insurance
Spain announces plan to ease housing crisis amid outcry over eviction of 87-year-old
Measures, which need to be approved in Congress, include extending ban on evictions of vulnerable people Spain’s Socialist Workers’ party-led coalition government has approved a range of measures aimed at easing the country’s housing crisis, including extending a ban on evictions of vulnerable…
AI Is Repricing Capital Before It Reprices The Economy
AI Is Repricing Capital Before It Reprices The Economy Authored by Cory Frank via RealClearMarkets, Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve raised the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, to 3.75 to 4 percent. Inflation remains elevated even as economic activity continues to…
'Worse Than COVID': Consumer Confidence Crashes In September
'Worse Than COVID': Consumer Confidence Crashes In September The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index plunged in September (-6.7pt to 81.9) - the lowest headline print since April 2014. The Present Situation Index fell sharply, while the Expectations Index slipped further into negative…
U.S. ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, from motorcycles to booze, goes into effect
The ban amounts to barely a ripple in $880 billion worth of annual two-way trade between the two northern neighbors. But it marks another ratcheting up of President Donald Trump's second-term trade war with America's longtime ally and trading partner.
The Hidden Tradeoffs of a U.S. Diesel Export Ban
With diesel prices at record highs, restricting U.S. diesel exports has an obvious appeal. Keep more American-made diesel at home, increase domestic supply, and take some pressure off farmers, truckers, construction companies, and ultimately consumers. President Donald Trump endorsed the idea this…
Don’t Ban Diesel Exports
Trump’s proposed solution to rising diesel prices would backfire economically and geopolitically.
US Home Prices Are Rising At Their Fastest Pace In Over A Year, But...
US Home Prices Are Rising At Their Fastest Pace In Over A Year, But... Amid soaring mortgage rates, new home prices falling rapidly, and collapsing homebuilder confidence, US home prices in America's 20 largest cities rose for the fourth straight month in July (according to the latest - admittedly…
Jim Cramer's top 10 things to watch in the stock market Tuesday
Reuters got a look at Anthropic's IPO filing, and OpenAI scrapped a model release over safety concerns.
Meta launches Muse for Small Business as Zuckerberg pushes beyond consumer AI market
Following the success of its Muse personal AI agent, Meta is introducing a specialized version for small businesses.
From motorcycles to booze, US ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports goes into effect
U.S.-Canada relations, already tense, are likely to deteriorate further after the United States went ahead early Tuesday with a decision to ban nearly $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles
Soaring costs in Iran could spur more diplomacy between Tehran and Washington
Economic strains are one reason Iran has agreed to the latest measure of diplomacy with the United States, as officials fear unrest due to spikes in the cost of living The post Soaring costs in Iran could spur more diplomacy between Tehran and Washington appeared first on The Times of Israel.
Oura Shelves $2.2 Billion IPO Despite Strong Demand As Listing Delays Mount
Oura Shelves $2.2 Billion IPO Despite Strong Demand As Listing Delays Mount Smart ring maker Oura has shelved its planned US IPO, becoming the latest high-profile company to postpone a listing amid mounting market uncertainty. The Fed’s recent rate hike, the prospect of another increase in late…
EU Eyes Methane Rule Retreat As Energy Crisis Deepens; IEA Floats Another Emergency Oil Dump
EU Eyes Methane Rule Retreat As Energy Crisis Deepens; IEA Floats Another Emergency Oil Dump The European Union is considering postponing methane emissions requirements for imported oil and gas to help boost energy supplies, with the Northern Hemisphere winter just months away. Energy prices in…
US ban on Canadian alcohol, dairy products and motorcycles takes effect as trade dispute escalates
Donald Trump's ban on nearly $1 billion worth of Canadian goods has come into force, further escalating a trade dispute between the longtime allies.
India Unlikely to Ditch Russian Oil Despite Trump's 100% Tariff Threat
India cannot and likely will not replace all the Russian crude oil it is importing despite the threat of 100% tariffs on its products in the United States, according to analysts. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act…
"Brace for losing everything": Farm crisis fears grip GOP in Iowa
Iowa is on the verge of a farm crisis that threatens to wreck the agricultural heart of the state and hurt the fortunes of Republicans at the top of the midterm ticket, GOP strategists acknowledge. Why it matters: Democrats could win in several once-reliably Republican states in November, but…
She Left After Waiting Hours in the Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway.
Autumn Daniels went to the hospital with a severe migraine. After four hours in the waiting room, she left to try a different facility — but the ER still charged her.