Politics & Economy

Economic and political news and analysis from MarketWatch on the White House, the Federal Reserve, the SEC and more.

Ilhan Omar
Trump takes fresh swipe at Fed as he defends fans who chanted ‘send her back’
MarketWatch - By Robert Schroeder
President Donald Trump took a fresh swing at the Federal Reserve over interest rates on Friday, as he defended supporters who chanted that a …
Minimum Wage
Bernie Sanders’ staff doesn’t make the $15 minimum wage he’s campaigning on
MarketWatch - By Lia Eustachewich
Bernie Sanders’ campaign staffers claim they’re really getting berned — by not being paid the $15-an-hour minimum wage the democratic socialist …
Gender
Berkeley to ban ‘manhole’ and other gender-specific words
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — There will be no manholes in Berkeley, Calif. City workers will drop into “maintenance holes” instead. Nothing will be manmade …
ESPN
ESPN host Dan Le Batard calls his own network ‘cowardly’ for not tackling ‘send her back’ Trump rally
MarketWatch - By Nicole Lyn Pesce
This ESPN host called foul on his own network, which has pivoted away from political topics over the past year to stick solely to sports. Dan Le …
Brad Parscale
Trump-branded straws sold as alternative to ‘liberal’ paper version
MarketWatch - By Robert Schroeder
If you’re “so over” paper straws, you have company in the Trump campaign — and can shell out $15 to show it. The president’s re-election campaign …
Robert Mueller
Democrats to focus Mueller questioning on obstruction of justice
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee who will question former special counsel Robert Mueller next week plan to focus on a …
Banking
Opinion: Are central banks losing their big bet?
MarketWatch - By Mohamed A. El-Erian
ZURICH, Switzerland (Project Syndicate) — In recent years, central banks have made a large policy wager. They bet that the protracted use of …
Interest Rates
Americans still upbeat about the economy, consumer sentiment survey shows
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
The numbers: A measure of consumer confidence rose slightly in July and clung near a 15-year peak even in the face of rising economic headwinds that …
Donald Trump
Trump piles on Fed after Williams slip-up
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
President Donald Trump on Friday kicked the Federal Reserve when it was down by highlighting a communication snafu from New York Fed President John …
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel criticizes Trump’s comments and sides with U.S. congresswomen
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about Democratic lawmakers of color, saying …
Interest Rates
Trump tweets he liked Fed's Williams' 'first statement' better than second
MarketWatch - By Robert Schroeder
President Donald Trump on Friday tweeted that he liked a speech by New York Federal Reserve President John Williams better than a statement that …
Minimum Wage
Democrats back bill for $15 minimum wage, draw battles lines ahead of 2020 election
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
House Democrats passed a bill this week to double the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, but Americans who work for low wages shouldn’t …
Ilhan Omar
‘Welcome home, Ilhan!’ chant rings out as Rep. Omar gets hero’s welcome in Minnesota
MarketWatch - By Mike Murphy
A day after a crowd of Trump supporters chanted “Send her back!” at a North Carolina rally, Rep. Ilhan Omar received a hero’s welcome Thursday at the …
NAFTA
Why Ratification of the New Nafta Is Stalled
MarketWatch
The Trump administration, which negotiated the new Nafta deal, also known as USMCA, has not yet submitted the initiative to Congress for formal …
Joe Biden
Biden-Harris, Sanders-Warren highlight second round of Democratic debates
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
ATLANTA — The second set of summer Democratic presidential debates will feature a rematch with a twist, plus the first showdown of leading …
Antonin Scalia
Trump to nominate Eugene Scalia, late Supreme Court justice’s son, for labor secretary
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will nominate lawyer Eugene Scalia, the son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin …
Jerome Powell
Fed’s wisest strategy is to cut interest rates at first sign of economic distress, Williams says
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
Given that its benchmark interest rate is so close to zero, the most effective strategy for the Federal Reserve is to cut rates at the first sign of …
Interest Rates
New York Fed downplays Williams's speech, calling it 'academic' and not about July policy meeting
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
The New York Fed on Thursday played down the importance of President John Williams' speech earlier in the day that was interpreted by the market as …
EPA
EPA refuses to ban pesticide linked to brain damage
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency rejected a key legal challenge Thursday to a pesticide linked to brain damage in children, saying …
Michael Cohen
Court records reveal Trump camp’s effort to bury stories about Stormy Daniels
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
NEW YORK — Court records released Thursday show that President Donald Trump took part in a flurry of phone calls in the weeks before the 2016 …
Iranian
Trump says U.S. warship destroyed an Iranian drone
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says a U.S. warship destroyed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions between the …
U.S. Dept. of Defense
Trump vows ‘strong look’ into Pentagon cloud contract that could go to Amazon
MarketWatch - By Robert Schroeder
President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed to take a “strong look” into a Pentagon cloud-computing contract that could go to either Amazon or …
Anime
Suspect screaming ‘You die!’ kills 33 at anime studio
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) — A man screaming “You die!” burst into an animation studio in Kyoto, doused it with a flammable liquid and set it on fire Thursday, …
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren targets ‘vampires’ in attack on private-equity industry
MarketWatch - By Robert Schroeder
Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Thursday unveiled a proposal for new rules on private-equity firms, likening companies to vampires as she took her latest …
Ideology
Opinion: A neuroscientist explains how politicians and the media use fear to make us hate without thinking
MarketWatch - By Arash Javanbakh
People have always used fear for intimidation of the subordinates or enemies, and shepherding the tribe by the leaders. Recently, it appears that …
United States
U.S. leading economic index posts biggest drop since 2016
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The leading economic index fell 0.3% in June to mark the biggest decline in three years, suggesting U.S. growth is likely …
Steven Mnuchin
Mnuchin says White House and Congress have agreed on ‘top-line’ spending levels
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON—Congress and the Trump administration have agreed on overall spending levels and raising the U.S. government’s borrowing limit for two …
Business
Philadelphia Fed manufacturing gauge rebounds in July to highest level in a year
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
The numbers: The Philadelphia Fed said Thursday its gauge of business activity in its region rebounded strongly in July after hitting its lowest …
Jobless Claims
Jobless claims rise 8,000 to 216,000 in mid-July, but no sign layoffs are rising
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
The numbers: Applications for unemployment benefits rose slightly in mid-July, but the rate of layoffs clung to exceedingly low levels that show the …