US Retail Sales Rose Slightly in September, Adding to Months of Big Gains

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants rose slightly in September as resilient consumers moderated their spending after splurging over the summer. Sales increased 0.2% last month from August, the Commerce Department said, in a report delayed more than a month because of the government shutdown. The retail sales figures suggest that Americans…MORE

Consumer Confidence Slides as Americans Grow Wary of High Costs and Sluggish Job Gains

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers were much less confident in the economy in November in the aftermath of the government shutdown and amid weak hiring and stubborn inflation. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dropped to 88.7 in November from an upwardly revised October reading of 95.5, the lowest reading since…MORE

Trump EPA Moves to Abandon Rule That Sets Tough Standards for Deadly Soot Pollution

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is seeking to abandon a rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution, arguing that the Biden administration did not have authority to set the tighter standard on pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources. The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule last year that imposed strict…MORE

ByHeart Baby Formula From All Lots May Be Contaminated With Botulism Bacteria, Tests Show

The makers of ByHeart infant formula say tests of products tied to a botulism outbreak show that all of the company’s products may have been contaminated. Laboratory tests of 36 samples of formula from three different lots showed that five samples contained the type of bacteria that can lead to the rare and potentially deadly…MORE