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McDonald's Suffers Biggest US Sales Hit Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Here's Why McDonald's Suffers Biggest US Sales Hit Since COVID-19 Pandemic Began: Here's Why
McDonald's Suffers Biggest US Sales Hit Since Covid-19 Pandemic Began: Here's Why Sales at McDonald's experienced their sharpest drop since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as companies struggle to navigate chaotic economic conditions in the US. McDonald's sales in the US fell 3.6% in the first quarter of 2025, the company said in its earnings report on Thursday, May 1. The drop marks the fast food giant's steepest quarterly decline since the second quarter of 2020, when US sales plummeted by 8.7% as the pandemic forced restaurants worldwide to temporarily close. The slump was more than double what economists expected and came as inflation, tariffs, and…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Xbox Console, Game Prices Rise As Trump's Tariffs Hit Gamers: Here's What You'll Pay Xbox Console, Game Prices Rise As Trump's Tariffs Hit Gamers: Here's What You'll Pay
Xbox Console, Game Prices Rise As Trump's Tariffs Hit Gamers: Here's What You'll Pay Xbox video games, consoles, and accessories are now more expensive as gamers navigate higher production costs and mounting trade pressure from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. The Xbox Series X now costs $599.99, up from $499.99, Microsoft announced on Thursday, May 1. The cheaper Series S 512GB model is up to $379.99, while the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition console price jumped to $729.99. Some new, first-party games are expected to cost $79.99 by the holiday season. "We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given ma…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump
Unemployment Claims Surge, GDP Shrinks As Recession Fears Rise Under Trump Unemployment claims unexpectedly rose as the US economy shrank amid President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, further escalating concerns of a coming recession. Initial unemployment claims jumped to 241,000 for the week ending Monday, April 26, according to Department of Labor data released on Thursday, May 1. That's the largest weekly number since February and 18,000 more than the prior week. The surge pushed the four-week moving average to 226,000 first unemployment claims. The 241,000 claims were also well above the Dow Jones estimate of 225,000, CNBC reported. Continued…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump
US Economy Shrinks, Private Jobs Report Disappoints As Trump's Tariffs Spark Financial Slump The US economy shrank during President Donald Trump's first three months back in office, breaking a three-year growth streak as imports surged ahead of his trade wars. Real gross domestic product fell at an annual rate of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Wednesday, April 30. It marked the first quarter of negative growth since early 2022. The economic contraction is a dramatic drop from the 2.4% GDP growth the US experienced in the fourth quarter of 2024. The shrinking was largely due to a 41.3% spike in imports …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence
Economic Expectations Sink To 14-Year Low As Trump's Tariffs Crush Consumer Confidence Consumer confidence has continued its sharp decline in 2025 as President Donald Trump's tariffs fueled Americans' pessimism about the economy, jobs, and their own incomes. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index dropped 7.9 points to 86.0 in April, the nonprofit said in a news release on Tuesday, April 29. This marked the fifth straight decline and the lowest reading since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Expectations Index, which tracks views of the next six months, plunged 12.5 points to 54.4 – its lowest level since October 2011. That's far b…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
New Stance On Tariffs By One Of America's Biggest Grocery Store Owners Could Protect Prices New Stance On Tariffs By One Of America's Biggest Grocery Store Owners Could Protect Prices
New Stance On Tariffs By One Of America's Biggest Grocery Store Owners Could Protect Prices Albertsons Companies is warning its suppliers: don't expect to pass tariff costs on to us, and definitely don't think we'll pass them on to our shoppers. In a letter sent to suppliers in March 2025, Albertsons told vendors that, with few exceptions, it "is not accepting cost increases due to tariffs," according to reporting by BoiseDev. The grocery giant further advised that any tariff-related surcharges added to invoices without prior approval could cause disputes and payment delays. Supermarket News and Grocery Nerd confirmed that suppliers seeking an exception must submit a detailed…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
Trump Sinks To Lowest 100-Day Approval In 80 Years, Poll Shows Trump Sinks To Lowest 100-Day Approval In 80 Years, Poll Shows
Trump Sinks To Lowest 100-Day Approval In 80 Years, Poll Shows Donald Trump just made history — but not the kind he wanted. A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll shows Trump’s approval rating has sunk to 39 percent just 100 days into his second term, the lowest for any president at this point in office in more than 80 years, according to a report released Sunday, April 28. The poll, conducted nationally, paints a grim picture for the former president as Americans grow increasingly nervous about the economy.  Seventy-two percent believe Trump's policies are likely to cause a recession soon, while 73 percent already say the economy is in bad sh…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Approve Of Trump's Handling Of Economy: New Poll Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Approve Of Trump's Handling Of Economy: New Poll
Here's Percentage Of Americans Who Approve Of Trump's Handling Of Economy: New Poll A new poll finds what Americans think about how President Donald Trump is managing the economy as he nears the 100-day mark of his second non-consecutive term. Just 37 percent of respondents said they support Trump’s approach to economic issues, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday, April 23.  That marks a sharp drop from the 42 percent approval rating measured shortly after his Monday, Jan. 20 inauguration, and the lowest economic approval level Trump has recorded in either term. The survey highlights growing unease over Trump’s aggressive economic strategy, which …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Going Broke Scarier Than Death For Many Americans, New Study Says: Here's Why Going Broke Scarier Than Death For Many Americans, New Study Says: Here's Why
Going Broke Scarier Than Death For Many Americans, New Study Says: Here's Why Nearly two in three Americans worry more about running out of money than dying, according to a new survey. Allianz Life released its 2025 Annual Retirement Study on Tuesday, April 22. The life insurance provider found that 64% of US adults fear going broke more than death. That fear cuts across generations but is most common among Gen Xers in their 40s and 50s, with 70% saying they worry about outliving their savings. Millennials followed at 66%, while 61% of baby boomers said they share the same concern. The biggest financial concerns were inflation, taxes, and Social Security. "Wit…

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by Chris Spiker
Politics
Trump's Approval Rating Shifts In Survey By Top-Rated Pollster Measuring Tariff Response Trump's Approval Rating Shifts In Survey By Top-Rated Pollster Measuring Tariff Response
Trump's Approval Rating Shifts In Survey By Top-Rated Pollster Measuring Tariff Response A new national poll from a top-rated research firm shows public opinion shifting after President Trump nears the three-month mark of his second term. The latest survey by AtlasIntel, conducted Wednesday, April 10, through Sunday, April 14, among 2,347 US adults, found that 52 percent disapprove of Trump’s performance, while 46 percent approve — a net approval rating of minus 6 points.  That marks a continued slide from March, when Trump’s net rating was minus 5 points, and February, when he briefly held a positive rating of plus 0.6. ATLAS POLL – DONALD TRUMP APPROVALThe latest Atl…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Volvo Slashing Up To 100 MD Jobs As Trump's Tariffs, Low Demand Rattle Automakers Volvo Slashing Up To 100 MD Jobs As Trump's Tariffs, Low Demand Rattle Automakers
Volvo Slashing Up To 100 MD Jobs As Trump's Tariffs, Low Demand Rattle Automakers Up to 800 workers are being laid off at Volvo plants across the mid-Atlantic as concerns grow about the US auto industry due to President Donald Trump's tariffs. Volvo Group North America will lay off 550 to 800 employees, a company spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Voice on Friday, April 18. The layoffs will happen at plants in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The Swedish automaker cited the need to adjust to worsening economic conditions. "Heavy-duty truck orders continue to be negatively affected by market uncertainty about freight rates and demand, possible regulatory chang…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Panic Buying Shrinks US Vehicle Supply As Trump's Tariffs Set Up Summer Price Hikes Panic Buying Shrinks US Vehicle Supply As Trump's Tariffs Set Up Summer Price Hikes
Panic Buying Shrinks US Vehicle Supply As Trump's Tariffs Set Up Summer Price Hikes The US supply of new and used vehicles is quickly declining after car shoppers rushed to make purchases before President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs shook the auto industry, setting the stage for a costly summer. New-vehicle stock fell to 2.69 million units by Tuesday, April 1, according to auto data company Cox Automotive. That was down 10.2% from the start of March and 2.4% lower than the same time in 2024. Buyers flooded showrooms in the final week of March, driven by seasonal trends and fears of price hikes tied to Trump's rapidly changing tariffs. "With import tariffs no…

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by Chris Spiker