Champagne sales surge at New Year — but labor abuses and tariffs have clouded the industry

Bulgarian grape harvesters work in the vineyards of Chateau de Meursault in Meursault, in the Burgundy region of central-eastern France, on August 26, 2025. (Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP) (Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE/AFP via Getty Images) Arnaud Finistre | Afp | Getty Images It’ll come as no surprise that sales of Champagne peak in … Read more

Here’s how AI could influence the Fed’s economic outlook

Members of the Federal Reserve rate-setting committee say they are factoring increased labor productivity into their economic forecasts as artificial intelligence technology becomes more widely adopted. Fed Chair Jerome Powell addressed this topic in his December news conference, saying that in past technology waves “there’s always been more work and higher productivity and incomes have … Read more

AI was behind over 50,000 layoffs in 2025 — here are the top firms to cite it for job cuts

Sad female worker carrying her belongings while leaving the office after being fired Isbjorn | Istock | Getty Images Layoffs have been a defining feature of the job market in 2025, with several major companies announcing thousands of job cuts driven by artificial intelligence. In fact, AI was responsible for almost 55,000 layoffs in the … Read more

New York AG sues UPS for allegedly shorting Christmas season workers’ wages

New York Attorney General Letitia James accused delivery giant UPS of cheating seasonal holiday workers out of millions of dollars in legally owed wages, according to a new lawsuit filed Monday. James’ office said that an investigation “found that for years, UPS has shortchanged seasonal workers who keep the company running during peak holiday demand … Read more

The case for more Fed rate cuts could rest on a ‘systematic overcount’ of jobs numbers

In the Federal Reserve’s battle between fighting inflation and limiting unemployment, the latter side carried the day Wednesday and could also have an edge heading into 2026 if labor market weakness becomes more evident through an apparent overcounting of jobs numbers. In the immediate term, worries over the employment situation meant a vote, albeit divided … Read more

Hassett likely next Fed chair, but most think Trump should nominate someone else, CNBC Fed survey shows

While markets expect Kevin Hassett to be named the next Federal Reserve chair, he is pointedly not the choice of respondents to the CNBC Fed Survey. The December survey shows 84% believe President Donald Trump will tap Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, to head the central bank. But only 11% think that’s what the … Read more

Layoff announcements top 1.1 million this year, the most since 2020 pandemic, Challenger says

A sign at a NYS Department Of Labor job fair at the Downtown Central Library in Buffalo, New York, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty Images Announced job cuts from U.S. employers moved further ahead of 1 million for the year in November as corporate restructuring, artificial intelligence and … Read more

November private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000, led by steep small business job cuts, ADP reports

A hiring sign is displayed in the window of a business in Manhattan on Nov. 27, 2025 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images The U.S. labor market slowdown intensified in November as private companies cut 32,000 workers, with small businesses hit the hardest, payrolls processing firm ADP reported Wednesday. With worries intensifying … Read more

Bad jobs report caused by shutdown, deportations — not tariffs, Lutnick says

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday denied that the Trump administration’s tariff policies were to blame after a new report showed a surprise drop in private payrolls in November. Instead, Lutnick argued on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” that the government shutdown temporarily slowed small-business activity. He added that the federal efforts to enact mass … Read more

At age 16, he spent $23 to buy a website domain. 9 years later, his blue-collar business brings in $1.3 million a year

Zames Chew and Amos Chew are the co-founders of Repair.sg. Courtesy of Repair.sg Growing up, Zames Chew thought he wanted to work a white-collar role at a company like Google, but his career took a different turn. Today, the 26-year-old runs the Singapore-based handyman service Repair.sg, alongside his 24-year-old brother and co-founder, Amos Chew. In … Read more