Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the cost of living continues to outpace earnings, leaving many Americans struggling to make ends meet.

Before the pandemic hit in 2020, the typical mortgage payment was under $900. Fast forward five years and that monthly payment has surged 106%. Here's a look at why.

The switch to inflation-adjusted salaries will automatically take effect after the next election unless lawmakers and the governor reject it.

Stocks swung lower Friday after the White House confirmed it will impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China beginning tomorrow.

The following are selected examples of doors slammed in Black Americans’ faces:

The nonpartisan advocacy group The Senior Citizens League predicts the 2026 COLA will be 2.1%, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI-W, the index used to calculate the annual increase. December’s CPI-W came in at 2.8%. Getty Images

An inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve rose slightly last month, the latest sign that some consumer prices remain stubbornly elevated, even as inflation is cooling in fits and starts.

The central bank needs to see further progress on inflation or weakness in the labor market to resume interest rate cuts.

“The Fed’s prognosis is for a slower pace of monetary easing moving forward, as the economy is doing well and prices are only slowly returning to target in an environment of great uncertainty,” said Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. “These data support that strategy.”

Consumers have demonstrated a high tolerance for the increasing price tag of attending live events, also known as “funflation.”

The numbers: Wages and benefits for American workers continued to decelerate in the fourth quarter, the Labor Department said Friday. The employment cost index rose at a 3.8% clip in the 12 months ending in December, down slightly from a 3.9% rate in the prior quarter. It is the lowest year-over-year gain since the third quarter of 2021.