All articles tagged with #households
Amid a heat wave in Europe, only about 19% of homes have air conditioning and space cooling accounts for roughly 0.8% of household energy use—far lower than the U.S. (~6%) and Canada. Adoption is rising, especially in warmer countries like Italy (over 50% of households), but northern countries lag (France ~28%, Germany ~6%, the U.K. ~4%), leaving the elderly most at risk during extreme heat.
The Federal Reserve Board’s Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025, based on the SHED survey from Oct. 2025, shows overall financial well-being holding steady near 2024 levels (73% report being okay or comfortable; 63% could cover a $400 emergency), with persistent price concerns (price increases remain a top worry, major concern down to 53%). The labor market appears solid but softer than last year (42% worry about finding/keeping a job; 8% quit; 7% laid off). AI adoption in the workplace is rising—about one in four workers used generative AI in the prior month, with 81% saying it saves time and could boost careers. The full report, data, and visuals are available from the Fed."
Rising fuel costs around the world are lifting living expenses and fueling economic concerns, impacting transportation and energy use while pressuring household budgets and prompting policy responses to stabilize markets.
A NY Fed study finds tariffs enacted in 2025 raised the average tariff to 13% and that roughly 90% of the higher costs are paid by U.S. firms and consumers, as exporters kept prices steady and passed tariffs through to buyers. Other analyses (Kiel Institute, NBER) report near-100% pass-through to import prices; Tax Foundation estimates a typical household paid about $1,000 in 2025 and $1,300 in 2026, with an effective tariff rate of 9.9%—the highest since 1946—suggesting limited net benefits from the tariff policy.
Eligible households in Michigan will receive $550 checks as part of a $1 billion tax cut plan signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The Lowering MI Costs Plan includes rolling back the retirement tax and increasing the Working Families Tax Credit. The checks will be mailed on a rolling basis to qualified families who filed their 2022 tax return, providing financial relief and support for bills, food, and school supplies.
Households and hedge funds are increasingly investing in the Treasury market as yields on short-term bills and longer-dated bonds rise. The Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes have attracted both individual investors and hedge funds, leading to a surge in their share of Treasury purchases. Despite the bond selloff, households have bought around $1.5 trillion of Treasury debt, with an estimated 3.6 million new accounts opened on TreasuryDirect last year. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve's share of the Treasury market has decreased as it raised interest rates and reduced its balance sheet.