January 2025Policy & rates
A more expensive start to the year
Prices picked up, hiring continued, and the Fed kept borrowing costs on hold.
Read the monthly recap ↗Monthly recaps. Everyday language.
The economy.
Your money.
Made simple.
What changed in the economy—and why should you care? Plain-English monthly recaps that connect the headlines to everyday life.
Explore the monthly recaps ↓The Simple Dollar / The archive21 ISSUES
2025
— 2026
— 2026
Big headlines.
Simple explanations.
January 2025 — September 2026Simple explanations.
01 / What changed02 / What the numbers mean03 / Why it matters to you
Latest recap / September 2026
The Fed raised rates as inflation stayed elevated.
A quarter-point rate increase, a modest jobs report, and the difference between data released in September and data describing September.
Read the latest issue ↗3.75–4.00%Fed target range after September’s meeting.
A bank-lending benchmark, not your personal loan rate.
A bank-lending benchmark, not your personal loan rate.
September CPI is pending as of October 6. Each issue explains what is known and what is still missing.
January 2025 — September 2026
A little clarity, every month.
21 sourced U.S. economic recaps. Read from January 2025 onward, find a month, or follow a topic. All recaps were prepared and published in October 2026.
February 2025Prices & jobs
Inflation cooled. Prices still rose.
A smaller price increase brought some relief, while the job market kept expanding.
Read the monthly recap ↗March 2025Policy & rates
A price dip and a stronger hiring report
Overall prices edged down for a month, while employers added jobs and the Fed held rates.
Read the monthly recap ↗April 2025Prices & jobs
Tariffs made the economic picture harder to read
New trade measures changed the outlook even as the month’s inflation reading remained modest.
Read the monthly recap ↗May 2025Policy & rates
A quiet inflation month, with rates still on hold
Monthly inflation slowed, jobs increased, and the Fed kept its policy rate unchanged.
Read the monthly recap ↗June 2025Policy & rates
Inflation picked up again
Prices rose faster than in May, while the Fed waited and the initial jobs report showed gains.
Read the monthly recap ↗July 2025Policy & rates
Hiring slowed while tax rules changed
The initial payroll gain was smaller, inflation stayed above zero, and a major law was enacted.
Read the monthly recap ↗August 2025Prices & jobs
A tougher combination: rising prices, little hiring
Monthly inflation accelerated while the initial payroll report showed only a small gain.
Read the monthly recap ↗September 2025Policy & rates
The Fed cut rates, but the squeeze remained
Borrowing policy eased even as annual inflation reached 3% and the unemployment rate stood at 4.4%.
Read the monthly recap ↗October 2025Policy & rates
A rate cut during a gap in economic data
The Fed eased again while the shutdown interrupted key monthly reports.
Read the monthly recap ↗November 2025Prices & jobs
The reports returned, with an important catch
Inflation and jobs data reappeared after the shutdown, but comparisons needed care.
Read the monthly recap ↗December 2025Policy & rates
The year ended with another rate cut
The Fed eased policy, prices kept rising, and reported hiring remained modest.
Read the monthly recap ↗January 2026Policy & rates
A calmer price report opened 2026
Annual inflation eased, employment rose, and the Fed paused after its late-2025 cuts.
Read the monthly recap ↗February 2026Prices & jobs
A job decline needs context
Payrolls fell in the first estimate, while annual inflation stayed at 2.4%.
Read the monthly recap ↗March 2026Policy & rates
An energy surge pushed inflation higher
Prices jumped as energy costs rose sharply, while the jobs report showed a rebound.
Read the monthly recap ↗April 2026Policy & rates
Price pressure continued beyond March
Inflation remained elevated, with energy making another substantial contribution.
Read the monthly recap ↗May 2026Prices & jobs
Annual inflation reached 4.2%
Another month of rising energy prices added pressure, while employers continued hiring.
Read the monthly recap ↗June 2026Policy & rates
A price drop brought relief—with limits
Falling energy costs pulled the overall index down, while hiring was modest.
Read the monthly recap ↗July 2026Policy & rates
Calmer inflation, softer payrolls
Prices rose only slightly, while payrolls edged lower and the Fed kept rates steady.
Read the monthly recap ↗August 2026Prices & jobs
Hiring improved, but prices sped up again
The payroll estimate rebounded while gasoline helped lift monthly inflation.
Read the monthly recap ↗September 2026Policy & rates
The Fed raised rates as inflation stayed elevated
A policy-rate increase, modest job growth, and spending data defined the latest recap.
Read the monthly recap ↗No recaps match. Try another year, topic, or search.
Why The Simple Dollar?
Understanding
comes first.
Financial news can feel like a different language. The Simple Dollar explains monthly U.S. economic changes for readers who want to understand the headlines without already knowing the jargon.
Each recap starts with what changed, explains the numbers, and connects them to ordinary questions about prices, work, saving, and borrowing.
This archive was researched and drafted with AI assistance in October 2026. Historical month labels describe the period covered; they are not backdated publication dates. The project is independent and is not affiliated with Finance Watch or other publications using a similar name.
For AP economics students
Connect class
to the headlines.
Find the AP Macro and AP Micro concepts behind each monthly recap. Read a real example, apply a model, and check your reasoning with an original practice question.
Open the AP study hub →Read the numbers with confidence
Three terms, simply explained.
Inflation
A change in the average price of a basket of goods and services. Slower inflation usually means prices rise more slowly; it does not mean they fall.
Explore BLS price data ↗Payrolls & unemployment
Payrolls count jobs at employers. The unemployment rate measures the share of the labor force without a job who are available and actively looking. They come from different surveys.
How BLS measures employment ↗The Fed’s policy rate
A target range for overnight lending between banks. It influences wider borrowing and savings rates, but it is not the rate on every mortgage or credit card.
How the Fed explains it ↗Check the linked source releases for the underlying numbers. Archived figures may later be revised. This site is for education and discussion, not personalized financial advice.