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A family shops for Halloween candy at a Walmart Supercenter on October 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty ImagesJust because the Federal Reserve is nearing its inflation goal doesn't mean the problem is solved, as the high price of goods and services across the U.S. economy continues to pose a burden for individuals, businesses and policymakers.Recent price reports on goods and services, despite being a bit stronger than expected, indicate that the rate of inflation over the past year is getting close to the central bank's 2% target.In fact, Goldman Sachs recently estimated that when the Bureau of Economic Analysis later this month releases its figures on the Fed's favorite price measure, the inflation rate could be close enough to get rounded down to that 2% level.But inflati...

Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesCompany: Air Products and Chemicals (APD)Business: Air Products and Chemicals is an industrial gases company. It's focused on serving energy, environmental and emerging markets. Its base business provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing and food. Air Products also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates clean hydrogen projects supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the heavy-duty transportation and industrial sectors. In addition, it provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally. Air Products has operations in approximately 50 countri...

President Donald Trump talks to the press outside the White House, July 19, 2019, left, and Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to mark the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, at the vice president's residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, Oct. 7, 2024.Getty Images (L) | Reuters (R)Prescription drug costs. Abortion rights. The future of Obamacare. The fast-approaching presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump could lead to a huge range of outcomes for patients on those issues and others in the sprawling U.S. health system.Both candidates are pledging to make care more affordable in the U.S., an outlier in the developed world due to its higher health-care spendi...

People hold sings during a strike rally for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) at the Seattle Union Hall in Seattle, Washington, on October 15, 2024.Jason Redmond | AFP | Getty ImagesBoeing and its machinists' union have reached a new contract proposal, the union said Saturday, a deal that could end a more than month-long strike that has hobbled the manufacturers' production.The ratification vote is set for Wednesday.Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su met with both parties earlier this week.  "With the help of Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su, we have received a negotiated proposal and resolution to end the strike, and it warrants presenting to the members and is worthy of your consideration," the International Association of Machinists and ...

Visitors check out Nvidia's AI technology at the 2024 Apsara Conference in Hangzhou, China, on September 19, 2024.Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesNvidia, Google, Microsoft and dozens of other tech companies are descending on Las Vegas next week to showcase artificial intelligence tools they say will save doctors and nurses valuable time. Sunday marks the official start of a health-care technology conference called HLTH, which is expected to draw more than 12,000 industry leaders this year. CNBC will be on the ground. Based on the speaking agenda and announcements leading up to the conference, AI tools to conquer administrative burdens will be the star of this year's show. Doctors and nurses are responsible for mountains of documentation as they work to keep up with patient records, inter...

A Macy's store is seen at Herald Square on December 11, 2023 in New York City.Michael M. Santiago | Getty ImagesInflation may have cooled, but retailers are still staring down a holiday season with plenty of uncertainty.Several hard-to-predict factors will influence consumers' spending, as they deck the halls and look for the perfect gifts. Volatile weather, election distraction and a deal-hunting mindset may shape the season. And fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas than last year will put shoppers on the clock.Yet there's reason for optimism for retailers: Shoppers are feeling more upbeat and plan to spend more compared with last holiday season, according to an annual survey by consulting firm Deloitte and a separate forecast by the National Retail Federation.Holiday spending in...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, September 25, 2024. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader | ReutersIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar will not halt the "Axis of Resistance" and that Hamas would live on."His loss is undoubtedly painful for the Axis of Resistance, but this front did not cease advancing with the martyrdom of prominent figures," Khamenei said in a statement. "Hamas is alive and will remain alive."Sinwar, the architect of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, was killed on Wednesday in a gunfight with Israeli forces after a year-long manhunt, and his death was announced on Thursday."He was a shining face of resistance and struggl...

The political action committee funded by billionaire Elon Musk to help re-elect former U.S. President Donald Trump is struggling in some swing states to meet doorknocking goals and is investigating claims that some canvassers lied about the number of voters they have contacted, according to people involved in the group's efforts.The difficulties, in pivotal battleground states including Wisconsin and Nevada, come as the group, America PAC, races to enlist voters behind the Republican candidate in the final two weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Four people involved in the group's outreach told Reuters that managers warned canvassers they are missing targets and needed to raise the number of would-be voters they contact.Alysia McMillan, who canvassed for the PAC in Wisconsin, said field orga...