John Ydstie

For the first time in years, all of the major U.S. airlines are doing well. American Airlines Group said its second-quarter profits were the highest in the company's history. American...

The Affordable Care Act was the subject of two conflicting court opinions Tuesday. One upheld the subsidies that help middle- and low-income people afford health insurance; the other rejected them.

It's been four years since Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law. On the anniversary of this sweeping overhaul of financial regulations, Republicans have released a report that argues th...

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is on Capitol Hill, delivering her semi-annual economic report to Congress. Yellen expressed concern that labor force participation remains weak and...

Free market Republicans want to shut down the Export-Import Bank, claiming it is a rancid example of crony capitalism. The fight has laid bare a sharp philosophical split within the GOP.

The economy faces great risks from climate change, according to a study by a bipartisan group of former business leaders and public officials. It predicts harsh consequences if action isn't taken.

The Iraq crisis could draw the U.S. and Iran into an uneasy alliance. To sort out the regional dynamics, Steve Inskeep talks to Shadi Hamid, a fellow at the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution

The Federal Open Market Committee is announcing changes to its massive bond-purchasing program. The announcement will mark the second news conference of Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's tenure.

Volatile weather has led to supply and price shocks that have rippled through 16 industries dependent on corn. From the meat industry to the ethanol industry, prices are higher for consumers.

The May jobs report showed steady job creation. Payrolls expanded by 217,000, and unemployment held steady at 6.3%. And there was a milestone: The U.S. economy now has slightly more j...

The Labor Department released its monthly employment report on Friday. The economy added 217,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3 percent.

The Obama administration has proposed rules for limiting greenhouse gases, but many of the details must still be set by states, leaving utilities unsure about specifics they'll be expected to achieve.

Ending the four-decade ban on U.S. crude oil exports would lower gasoline prices, create jobs and boost government revenues, according to a study by the energy arm of IHS, a global consulting firm.

The component of Obamacare that requires employers to provide health insurance has been delayed twice. Now, groups on both sides of the political spectrum are arguing to get rid of it altogether.

Is the story of rising inequality presented by Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century an exaggeration? A Financial Times editor said as much recently. Now, the argument has begun.

Income inequality is a big problem, many economists agree. But they also say some level of inequality is necessary for capitalism to work.

Inequality in the U.S. has risen to levels not seen since the 1920s. The top 1 percent pocket more than 20 percent of the nation's income, and ...

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

We all recognize the mantra of Snow White's evil stepmother. But what, exactly, is she asking? In the Grimm Brothers' German original, she asks who's the most beautiful in the land. But in English, it's a little more complicated.

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The University of Chicago economist won the Nobel Prize in 1992 for broadening the horizons of economics, using economic analysis to explore social issues. Becker died Saturday at the age of 83.

Three states go to the polls Tuesday, starting what will be an eight-week stretch of primaries in the U.S. For a look at the intra-party political landscape, NPR's Charlie Mahtesian has this overview.

The April jobs report shows a labor market on the mend. Employers added 288,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate fell to 6.3 percent, partly because of a decline in the size of the labor force.