John Ydstie

Companies like Wal-Mart say tax cuts are making it possible for them to boost wages. But other economic factors could also be contributing to pay increases.

Wal-Mart plans to share part of its savings under the new tax law with its employees. The giant retailer announced today it is boosting its starting wage to $11 an hour and handing out bonuses to most of its employees.

"Baby Bonds" are back in the news. Two professors presented their idea to do something about widening inequality to an economics conference. They suggest creating an education trust fund for each newborn. The grants — ranging from $500 to $50,000 — would be on a sliding scale tied to household income.

Germany runs huge trade surpluses. The U.S. hasn't seen one in decades. President Trump accuses the Germans of cheating, without offering specifics. But a number of factors fuel German export prowess.

Every year, about half a million young Germans enter the workforce through apprenticeship training programs. They provide a steady stream of highly qualified industrial workers.

Manufacturing accounts for 24 percent of the German economy. In the U.S., it's only 11 percent. What makes German manufacturing so strong and resilient?

Policymakers increased a key rate for the third time this year. The quarter-point move indicates the Fed is confident in the economy as it continues to recover from the financial crisis.

Jerome Powell's confirmation hearing went smoothly, putting him closer to being confirmed as the Federal Reserve's next chairman. He suggested he'll continue the policies pursued under Janet Yellen.

In an effort to sell their tax plan, Republicans in both House and Senate have touted the benefits for the middle class. But a close review of the plans reveals that such claims are misleading.

The House tax plan differs significantly from the version being sculpted in the Senate. Both plans seem to agree that a big corporate tax cut is needed. The president wants a tax measure by Christmas.

Both tax proposals in the House and the Senate would add about $1.5 trillion to the nation's debt over the next 10 years. That's a big concern for many economists and some lawmakers.

President Trump has named Federal Reserve Gov. Jerome Powell to head the U.S. central bank. If confirmed by the Senate he will succeed Janet Yellen, the first woman to serve in the Fed's top post.

President Trump is expected to announce his pick to lead the Federal Reserve Thursday. Advisers have been hinting it will be Jerome Powell, who is currently a member of the Fed's Board of Governors.

President Trump could ask Janet Yellen to stay on as Fed chair, but other names are also circulating. Will the next chief lead the central bank to boost rates more quickly than currently planned?

The Federal Reserve in October will begin unwinding the extraordinary stimulus it used to battle the Great Recession. That means that over the long run, rates on car loans and mortgages could go up.

The dollar is down nearly 10 percent since the beginning of the year. That's bad news if you're a tourist traveling to Europe but great news if your U.S. company sells goods overseas.

The U.S. Census Bureau released a trio of reports Tuesday on income, poverty and health insurance coverage. All three measures showed improvement. Real median household income increased by 3.2 percent in 2016 over the previous year, and now stands at just over $59,000. The official poverty rate fell for the second year in a row to 12.7 percent.

Many employers complain about not being able to find workers with the right skills, but experts says some of these employers aren't trying very hard.

Private-sector firms are pitching in to help Harvey victims. Walmart and its foundation pledged at least $1 million to the Red Cross and other relief agencies. The Home Depot Foundation did the same.

Employers added 209,000 jobs to payrolls last month, according to the government's jobs report released Friday morning. The unemployment rate ticked down a notch to 4.3 percent, matching a 16-year low.