Politics & Economy

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

By MarketWatch

U.S. Navy
Trump says U.S. ‘locked and loaded’ as Iran blamed for Saudi attack
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A weekend drone attack on Saudi Arabia that cut into global energy supplies and halved the kingdom’s oil production …
4 hours ago
trump news update
Democrats tell Trump that stronger background checks are a must in any gun-control bill
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democratic leaders warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any proposal on gun control must include a House-passed …
5 hours ago
Brett Kavanaugh
Democratic candidates call for Brett Kavanaugh’s impeachment after new allegation
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — At least three Democratic presidential candidates are calling openly for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the …
6 hours ago
Ilhan Omar
Ilhan Omar defends herself after son of 9/11 victim slams her at Ground Zero
MarketWatch - By Shawn Langlois
‘It’s important for us to make sure that we are not forgetting the aftermath of 9/11, [when] many Americans found themselves now having their civil …
7 hours ago
Bahamas
Still reeling from Dorian, Bahamas faces another tropical storm
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
Officials temporarily suspended aid efforts and closed a couple of small airports in the Bahamas on Saturday as Tropical Storm Humberto threatened to …
1 day ago
Hamza bin Laden
White House says Osama bin Laden son killed in US operation
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
The White House announced Saturday that Hamza bin Laden , the son of the late al-Qaida leader who had become an increasingly prominent figure in the …
1 day ago
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia shuts down about half its oil output after drone strikes spark fires
MarketWatch - By Jared Malsin and Summer Said
Saudi Arabia is shutting down about half of its oil output after apparently coordinated drone strikes hit Saudi production facilities, people …
1 day ago
Economics
3 things to watch as Fed meets on interest rates next week
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
After six weeks of market swings, the Federal Reserve is set to meet in a period of relative calm, at least if you don’t count a president breathing …
1 day ago
China
Things are looking up for the economy, but you can’t get too cozy in the Trump era
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
The U.S. and China are trying to tone down trade tensions, the Federal Reserve is ready to cut interest rates and Americans are still spending plenty …
1 day ago
Cloture
Opinion: Killing off the filibuster would end the Senate’s undemocratic pretensions
MarketWatch - By Daniel Wirls
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is the latest Democrat to argue an arcane Senate rule governing debate stands in the way of passing a progressive agenda, such …
2 days ago
Ideas
Workers would get dividends and voting power under this radical profit sharing idea
MarketWatch - By Jonathan Burton
Americans are working hard, but employers aren’t necessarily working for them. Now a radical idea to guarantee U.S. workers a cut of their company’s …
2 days ago
Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley blasts government’s budget deficit: ‘We don’t have an endless bank account’
MarketWatch - By Victor Reklaitis
Count Nikki Haley among those saying they’re worried about runaway spending in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration’s former U.S. ambassador to …
2 days ago
Tariffs
Democratic presidential hopefuls say they wouldn’t toss Trump’s China tariffs right away
MarketWatch - By Elisabeth Buchwald
The ten Democratic candidates on stage at Thursday’s debate wasted no time bashing President Donald Trump on issues like health care, immigration and …
2 days ago
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
#BoycottABC trending after the network aired an ad showing AOC’s photo on fire during the Democratic debate
MarketWatch - By Nicole Lyn Pesce
Viewers are threatening to boycott ABC after the network aired a political advertisement that featured a burning photo of New York Rep. Alexandria …
2 days ago
Economics
U.S. consumer sentiment rebounds modestly in September
MarketWatch - By Greg Robb
The numbers: The University of Michigan said its consumer-sentiment index rebounded modestly in September to a reading of 92 from a three-year low of …
2 days ago
Retail
Retail sales get big lift from auto purchases as consumers drive U.S. economy forward
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
The numbers: U.S. retail sales got a big boost in August from purchases of new autos and building supplies, but most other stores reported weak or …
2 days ago
Democratic Party
2020 Democrats highlight importance of HBCUs at presidential debate
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) — Thursday’s presidential debate wasn’t just an opportunity for the leading Democratic candidates to make their case to voters. It was …
2 days ago
House Judiciary Committee
House lawmakers request Apple, Facebook emails in antitrust probe
MarketWatch - By Ryan Tracy
Congress is ramping up its probe into the tech industry, with House lawmakers demanding emails and executive communications from four technology …
2 days ago
United States
U.S. business inventories climb 0.4% in July
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Business inventories in the U.S. rose 0.4% in July after no change in the prior month, the Commerce Department said …
2 days ago
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson to meet with European Commission President Juncker to break the Brexit impasse
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will hold face-to-face talks next week in a …
2 days ago
Mario Draghi
German tabloid likens ECB’s Draghi to Dracula as Bundesbank president adds criticism
MarketWatch - By Steve Goldstein
Not everyone’s a fan of the European Central Bank’s package of easing measures delivered Thursday. The German tabloid Bild put a photo of ECB …
2 days ago
China
China exempts U.S. agricultural products from tariffs after reports of potential interim trade deal
MarketWatch - By Clive McKeef
China made further concessions to the U.S. on international trade on Friday, adding agricultural products like soybeans and pork to the list of …
2 days ago
Ivanka Trump
Opinion: Trump puts his own financial interests first when he badgers the Fed to cut interest rates to zero
MarketWatch - By Rex Nutting
Wall Street pros have a term for people who recommend whichever actions will make them the most money: Talking their book. When your broker calls out …
3 days ago
United States
Import prices drop again after oil prices fall, U.S. farmers also suffer from price declines
MarketWatch - By Jeffry Bartash
The numbers: The cost of imported goods fell sharply in August owing to a decline in petroleum prices, indicating the U.S. is facing little price …
2 days ago
Soybeans
China to lift punitive tariffs on U.S. soybeans, pork
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) — China will lift punitive tariffs imposed on U.S. soybeans and pork in a trade war with Washington, a state news agency said Friday, in …
2 days ago
Soybeans
China to exclude soybeans, pork from tariffs: report
MarketWatch - By MarketWatch
China's Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council will exclude some agricultural products including soybeans and pork from the additional …
2 days ago
Pensions
Massive transport strike paralyzes Paris over pension reform
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — A massive strike paralyzed Paris public transports on Friday as unions protested a sweeping pension reform by French President Emmanuel …
2 days ago
Guns
New Zealand plans further restrictions to gun ownership
MarketWatch - By Associated Press
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Six months after a gunman killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques, New Zealand’s government is planning further …
2 days ago
Beto O'Rourke
Texas representative tweets Beto O’Rourke that his ‘AR is ready for you’
MarketWatch - By Ben Feuerherd
A Republican lawmaker from Texas told Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke that his own “AR” is ready for him after O’Rourke said he would …
2 days ago