As Russia creeps closer to the Eastern border of Ukraine, the world is watching and waiting to see what will happen. Talks last week with NATO and the United States did nothing to squelch the skirmish, and no one knows quite what Vladimir Putin has in mind. Besides the geopolitical uncertainty, the effect on the stock market is also in question.
With Omicron barreling through the country, now more than ever the issue of vaccination is resurfacing. Truly, most hospitals are reporting that the vast majority of those hospitalized with Covid-19 are unvaccinated, but for those unwilling to get the shot, there is another issue. Many employers are mandating vaccinations for their employees, and for those refusing to get vaccinated, more than their health is currently at stake.
Surprisingly, despite the fact that the pandemic has been raging for two years, many businesses in America are finding economic success. From the bleak picture formulated in March of 2020, this positive economic news is a welcome surprise for entrepreneurs and workers alike. By changing their business models and leaning in to the niches the pandemic has offered, many companies are meeting with success.
The news is filled with the Omicron variant, which came sweeping through the nation at the most inopportune time, right before the holidays. On the heels of the Delta variant, many people have been forced back into isolation and quarantine. But for holiday shoppers, it was business as usual (and then some), and numbers were good despite the turbulent pandemic news. Americans are learning to live within the variants that keep popping out, and the shopping trends this holiday season bear that out.
For two years, the pandemic has upended life as we know it, but there is one part of the economy that has come out ahead. The private equity realm rebounded from a miserable first half of 2020, and with the ball rolling in a positive direction, they have never looked back. Private equity deals are crushing previous deals and it looks as though the good fortune will continue into the new year.
With the trend toward remote working, office buildings have been left behind while their workers stay home, like dinosaurs rising out of the mist. And with so much of the country still locked in a debate about when and if workers might return to business as usual, the question of what to do with the giant skyscrapers and complexes left behind is of utmost importance. Odds are that the office lifestyle as we knew it is gone forever, and developers will need to get creative to make the best use
As the pandemic continues to surge its way around the globe and back again, creating new variants and disrupting everything from daily life to the supply chain, it has also dipped its hand into the inflation and cost-of-living sector. The cost of everything from crude oil to simple groceries has skyrocketed around the world, and the ramifications of inflation have been felt in many of the world’s most popular cities. Although the United States remains for the most part an economical choice with a high standard of living, there are
For workers who have spent a lifetime paying into a pension program, the countdown to retirement is usually a joyful time. But with the unpredictability of the economic world, especially in terms of the ramifications of the pandemic, and past risky financial moves by employers managing pension accounts, the idyllic retirement scene many workers have hoped for might not come to fruition.
Whether you are trying to stay in a hotel, get your roof fixed, or even eat out at your favorite restaurant, you have probably noticed the lack of workers. There is one glaring reason employers have so many gaps in their staff: There are not enough immigrant workers. The combined effects of the Trump administration shunning immigrants, along with the understandable closing of the border because of the pandemic, have left companies begging for help.
If your turkey and stuffing fixings are costing you more this year as you prepare for the holiday of Thanksgiving, you are not alone. At a 30 year high, inflation has reared its ugly head just as the holidays are approaching, and for those who were already struggling to make ends meet, trips to the grocery store and gas pump will find them tightening their belts even further. Unfortunately, the inflation is not slated to end any time soon.
As learning gaps continue to grow across the United States, there is one gap in education that legislators are finally addressing: the need for high school students to learn about personal finance.
Like a pebble thrown into a pond, the pandemic continues to send out ripples that are affecting the daily life of the consumers across the United States. The country is experiencing a phenomenon of severe labor shortages coupled with the highest wages in 20 years, and experts are not quite sure which way the pendulum will swing when all the dust settles. One thing is for certain: employers are straining their creative and monetary resources in order to keep their business afloat.
Crude oil prices are topping the charts at levels not seen in years. With the glut of oil stockpiled during the pandemic shutdown, getting the crude oil commodities back to an even keel has been difficult. And now that more fuel is needed with winter coming, crude oil is difficult to find. Oil prices are through the roof as global commodity prices have spiked, and experts are predicting a drought of fossil fuels to get the world through the winter.
You have probably noticed a shortage of your favorite items in the grocery stores these days, and although there are many reasons that the broken supply chain is causing empty store shelves, the most far-reaching reason is that there are not enough truck drivers to get items to the shelves.
With seemingly harmless games like “What is Your Favorite Color?” and “What Does Your Name Mean?” Facebook has garnered an enormous following of people seeking connections, relaxation, and information. But recently the harsher side of Facebook is under scrutiny, with whistleblower Frances Haugen telling the world that the safety of children is at risk. Social media companies need to forego endless profits in favor of safety, and algorithms are the way to do that.
Chinese real estate developer, Evergrande Property Services Group, has a predicament on their hands. After amassing $300 billion of debt in the real estate sector, the Chinese government is cracking down on debt since 2020, and Evergrande is struggling.
International events of this past weekend have proven yet again that politics and business don’t mix. With China taking on a larger role in the world of trade in the past several years, and also looking to get their due as a global superpower, innocent entrepreneurs have been used as pawns in their political plans. Governments need to be careful to separate business from politics so that uninvolved people do not bear the weight of a country’s desire for trade.
The American economy has been through the wringer for more than 18 months. And just when things started looking up, the Delta variant reared its ugly head to derail the positive movement of the economy from early in the summer. Fortunately, with schools opening and college students going back to school, the economy received a boost in retail sales that is leaving America in the positive column, despite the setbacks.
At a time when many companies are in crisis, the story for business owners has become even bleaker with the retirement of many Baby Boomers who have chosen to leave the workforce.
Americans are amid a job crisis that is affecting businesses throughout the country, no matter the type or scope of work they do. Although there are many people who are out of work, and many jobs that are open, there is currently a mismatch between the unemployed and the skills needed to fill the open jobs in our country.
When a 20-year war comes to an end, not with a bang but a whimper, it seems as though the Stock Market might react to that major event. But whether the length of the war or the distance from America, when United States President Joe Biden ended the war with Afghanistan a few weeks ago, calling for the removal of all the troops, the Stock Market really didn’t budge.
American troops have been in Afghanistan for 20 years, keeping the Taliban quiet and helping the Afghan people live with some sense of autonomy and peace. They have also served as a deterrent to terrorist groups that wish harm to America and the rest of the world.
Compared to the rest of the world, some believe Americans are putting in too much time at the office. In Finland, for instance, workers have a 6.6 hours workday, and in Germany there are laws in place so that Germans don’t exhaust themselves at work. But America is lagging in the race to work-life balance.
Although there is much good news about people getting back to work and the country’s economy rebounding after the Covid-19 shutdown, one sector that is still struggling is that of small business owners trying to find skilled workers. Small businesses have openings and there are workers applying, but there is still a disconnect between what companies need and who is applying.
Simone Biles shocked the world this week by choosing her own mental and physical well-being over her pursuit of a gold medal. And in doing so, she reignited the conversation about mental health in our country. Though progress has been made in stamping out the negative stigma of mental health, the backlash Biles received shows the world that we still have a long way to go in understanding mental health needs and how to help people who struggle.
As the Olympic torch burns bright and the world stops to witness how nations come together in the pool, on the track, and in a gym, I am reminded about the important role sports have played in my own life, namely soccer (the most widely played sport in the world).
The current 5.9% unemployment rate, compared to 3.5% before the pandemic, shows that the country is still suffering from joblessness. But the situation becomes more unusual because there are plenty of job openings and a plethora of workers. Unfortunately, the workers who need jobs are not a suitable match for the jobs that are open. Because of this unbalanced equation, the country is finding it difficult to get back on track.
Although people spent much of the pandemic wishing that the world could return to normal, now that vaccines are administered and people can return to the office, not everyone is in a big hurry to do so. In fact, most workers who can work from home favor the idea of doing so for at least part of each week. Companies are trying to determine the best way to cater to their employees while still fostering creativity and innovation.
The economy has faced a long road to equilibrium, considering the way the pandemic has pounded it over the last 15 months. But recent reports are all bringing positive news, with many growth indicators back on track and most all showing signs of recovery.
Revering football stars is nothing new, but when the stars have a platform of 300 million Instagram followers, whatever they say or do can become gospel. And for chiseled Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, his stance on sugary drinks has shaken the world of Coca-Cola this week. With all eyes on the European Championship, one moment of passion by a fit football phenom has taken $4 billion away from Coke’s market cap.