Business
Who Decides If the US Is in a Recession
No government agency declares a recession. A committee of eight economists at the NBER does — and not by the two-quarters-of-GDP rule most people cite.
Section
Business
Markets, money, work and the economics behind the headlines.
5 stories
Business
How Do Interchange Fees Work, and Who Actually Pays
Your rewards are a share of a fee the shop paid. Debit interchange is capped by regulation, credit is not, and the difference is invisible at the terminal.
Business
How Does FDIC Insurance Work, and Who Pays for It
The limit everyone quotes has a third clause almost nobody reads, and the fund behind it comes from the banks rather than the federal budget.
Business
How Inflation Is Measured, and Why It Feels Wrong
A quarter of the most-watched economic statistic in the world is an estimate of rent that homeowners never pay. How the index is built, and why it lags what households feel.
Business
How Big Should Your Emergency Fund Really Be?
Three to six months of expenses is the standard advice. Here is how to work out the number that actually fits your income, your job and your obligations.