New data comes after Republicans’ midterms losses – which were largely seen as a rebuke of the party over high prices

US inflation rose 0.4% from September to October, slightly above expectations but still a cooldown in price increases as the cost of gas dipped during the month.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics did not release the usual year-over-year inflation figure as part of the consumer price index (CPI), which measures the price of a basket of goods and services, as data was not collected in October 2025 during the government shutdown.

‘Low-hire, low-fire’ labor market shows sluggish growth but few layoffs, with an interest rate hike expected in December

The US added 165,000 jobs to the economy in October, a sign of resilience in the labor market amid ongoing war in the Middle East and inflation, according to new data released on Friday.

Economists had said the labor market has been stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” state, in which job growth is sluggish but layoffs also remain low, but October’s data surpassed economist expectations. The unemployment rate went down slightly to 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.

Nearly $2tn shaved off Nasdaq value as worries of curbs to AI datacenters ripple across bourses

The Nasdaq share index had its worst day in 19 months after slumping 5.5% on Thursday amid growing signs that the artificial intelligence industry will face tougher regulation because of the midterm election results.

As Wall Street sustained widespread losses, the Nasdaq composite tumbled into “correction territory” – more than 10% below its recent record high – with more than $2tn shaved off its value by the end of trading Thursday. The tech-heavy index had its biggest one-day fall since Donald Trump announced his “liberation day” tariffs on US trading partners in April 2025.

Exclusive: Letter sent to department and agency heads signals Democrats will look to investigate Trump officials

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A group of Democratic lawmakers are asking leaders in the Trump administration to preserve records in accordance with federal law or risk criminal penalties after voters across the country gave Democrats control of Congress.

In a letter sent out to department and agency heads on Wednesday morning, Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House committee on education and workforce who is expected to become chair next year, noted the requirements to “collect, retain and preserve records that document the ‘transaction of public business’ or contain ‘informational value’ under the Federal Records Act of 1950”.