Report: Average American Household Has More than $10,000 in Credit Card Debt

Empty Wallet

The average American household credit card balance as of the third quarter of 2024 was about $10,757 after adjusting for inflation, according to a new study.

The personal-finance website WalletHub on Friday released its new Credit Card Debt Study, which found that consumers added $21 billion in debt during the third quarter of 2024.

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U.S. Economy Added 227K Jobs in November, Annual Jobless Rate Increased Slightly to 4.2 Percent: Feds

Job Interview

The Labor Department reported Friday the number of new jobs in the U.S. economy increased in November, compared to the previous month, while the unemployment rate increased slightly to the annualize rate of 4.2%

The economy in November added 227,000 new, non-farm jobs, compared to 36,000 in October, according to the department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The November number exceeded Wall Street expectations of 214,000 new jobs. 

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China’s Digital Strategy: Cyber-Espionage and Biometric Surveillance in Global Technological Expansion

Agriculture Robot

by J.V. Caro   China’s infiltration into agricultural IoT (Internet of Things) networks represents a critical yet underexplored dimension of its global technological strategy. Through key players such as Huawei and Alibaba Cloud, Beijing has embedded IoT technologies into agricultural systems in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. These initiatives, often…

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Agency Allows Tens of Thousands of Bureaucrats to Work Remotely for Years as Trump Return Looms

Remote Work

A Biden administration appointee agreed to a new contract with a government employee union that will allow tens of thousands of bureaucrats to work remotely for years ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House, according to Bloomberg News.

Recently-departed Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O’Malley signed off on a new deal last week with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) — which represents about 42,000 SSA employees — that will extend remote work availability into 2029, according to Bloomberg News. The incoming Trump administration and the newly-minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), are poised to target work-from-home policies for government employees as part of a broader push to rein in the federal government and eliminate bureaucratic bloat.

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U.S. Steelmakers Back Trump’s Tariff Plans amid Steep Foreign Competition

Trump and Steel Workers

Some U.S. steelmakers are supporting President-elect Donald Trump’s proposals to place tariffs on China, Mexico and other countries, according to The Wall Street Journal.

American steel companies are calling for Trump to reintroduce tariffs on steel from the U.K., Japan and the EU amid concerns of foreign competitors being involved in unfair market practices, according to The WSJ. Some U.S. steel executives were supportive of steel tariffs under the previous Trump administration, with some steelmakers saying the tariffs helped to boost profits, The WSJ reported.

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Amazon Workers Worldwide Strike Black Friday over Issues of Pay, Working Conditions

Amazon Workers

Workers at Amazon went to strike Black Friday demanding higher pay and better working conditions. 

The strike is expected to through so-called Cyber Monday, the end of long holiday weekend in which retailer offer discounts to shopper ahead of the Christmas shopping season.

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U.S. Farm Industry Groups Want Exemption from Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans

Farm Workers

U.S. farm industry groups are seeking an exemption from President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans once he takes office.

The groups argue that mass deportations could disrupt the nation’s food supply chain.

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Auto Giants Scrambling to Slash Costs as Massive Bet on EVs, Self-Driving Fizzles

Auto Factory

Major automobile companies are attempting to cut costs associated with electric vehicle (EV) lines and autonomous cars after spending heavily on both, according to CNBC.

Companies such as General Motors (GM), Stellantis and Ford are taking drastic measures aimed at reducing costs, such as enacting layoffs and making production cuts, according to CNBC. Automakers have invested billions of dollars into self-driving cars and EVs, with many now facing prolonged returns on their investments and slow EV adoption, CNBC reported.

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