Hershey, PA
Business
Hershey Raising Candy Prices By Double Digits: Here's Why Hershey Raising Candy Prices By Double Digits: Here's Why
Hershey Raising Candy Prices By Double Digits: Here's Why Hershey is significantly raising prices on candy products as global shortages fuel a large spike in cocoa costs. A spokesperson for The Hershey Company confirmed the double-digit price increases to the Daily Voice on Wednesday, July 23. The decision is tied to rising ingredient costs, not President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs that have increased prices of other consumer goods. While the eastern Pennsylvania company said it will hike prices, Halloween candy won't be affected. "We're committed to delivering the treats consumers love while continuing to invest in making our products …

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
Business
Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why
Beef Prices Soar To All-Time Highs During Summer Cookout Season: Here's Why Hot weather isn't the only thing hitting summer cookouts – beef prices are also on the rise. The average price of a pound of ground beef hit a record high of $6.10 in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's 13.7% higher than the average in June 2024. Uncooked steak climbed 8% to $11.49 per pound, according to the Associated Press. The surging beef costs come as the US cattle herd has fallen to its smallest size since 1951, with the US Department of Agriculture reporting just 86.7 million cattle and calves nationwide as of Wednesday, Jan. 1. David Anderson, a liv…

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
News
Health Insurance Premiums Take More From CT Paychecks Than Most States, Study Says Health Insurance Premiums Take More From CT Paychecks Than Most States, Study Says
Health Insurance Premiums Take More From CT Paychecks Than Most States, Study Says Health insurance premiums are taking a big portion of many Northeast residents' paychecks, while some are losing much less of their incomes, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Health Insurance on Thursday, July 10. The study ranked all 50 states by how much residents spend on silver-tier health insurance plans as a share of median household income. Premiums rose 6% for individual plans and 7% for family plans in 2024, continuing a recent trend of dramatic increases. "Inflation has driven up health i…

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by Chris Spiker
Garnet Valley, PA
News
National Egg Prices Soar Due To California Law, DOJ Lawsuit Claims National Egg Prices Soar Due To California Law, DOJ Lawsuit Claims
National Egg Prices Soar Due To California Law, DOJ Lawsuit Claims National egg prices are climbing — and the U.S. Department of Justice says California is to blame, according to a federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday, July 9. The lawsuit targets Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and other California officials over what the DOJ calls unconstitutional laws that violate the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause. The challenged regulations restrict out-of-state farmers from using commonly accepted, lower-cost egg production methods — driving up prices for American consumers, the DOJ claims. “These liberal policies are crushing American families,…

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by Jillian Pikora
Arlington, VA
Business
Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs On Japan, South Korea As Global Trade Deals Deadline Nears Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs On Japan, South Korea As Global Trade Deals Deadline Nears
Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs On Japan, South Korea As Global Trade Deals Deadline Nears President Donald Trump will impose 25% tariffs on imports from Japan and South Korea, just two days before a pause on his "liberation day" duties is set to expire. Trump released screenshots of letters announcing the new tariffs on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, July 7. The letters were addressed to Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Both letters say the US will begin charging the new tariff rate on Thursday, Aug. 1. "Please understand that these Tariffs are necessary to correct the many years of Japan's Tariff, and…

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by Chris Spiker
Roseland-Essex Fells, NJ
Business
Private Sector Loses Jobs For First Time Since 2023 Amid Trump Tariffs, Inflation: ADP Private Sector Loses Jobs For First Time Since 2023 Amid Trump Tariffs, Inflation: ADP
Private Sector Loses Jobs For First Time Since 2023 Amid Trump Tariffs, Inflation: ADP Private employers lost more jobs than they added for the first time in more than two years, as new data shows Americans pulling back on spending under the weight of inflation and President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. Businesses lost 33,000 jobs in June, according to the ADP National Employment Report released on Wednesday, July 2. That was the first monthly drop since March 2023 and behind May's downwardly revised figure of 29,000. June's numbers came in far below Wall Street's expectations, with Dow Jones economists forecasting a gain of 100,000 jobs, CNBC reported. "Though…

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
Business
Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why
Ground Beef Prices Surge To Record High Before Fourth Of July Cookouts: Here's Why If you plan on enjoying a burger on the Fourth of July, it may be more expensive than ever. The retail price of a pound of ground beef hit a record high of $5.98 in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's up by 18 cents from April and a 16.2% increase from the May 2024 average of $5.15. An American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) survey puts the retail price even higher, now averaging $6.67 a pound. Feeding 10 people a standard Independence Day cookout – including burgers, chicken, beans, and potato salad – costs about $70.92, or $7.09 a person. While the …

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
Lifestyle
Inflation, Trump Tariffs Hurting Americans' Fourth Of July Plans, Survey Finds: Here's How Inflation, Trump Tariffs Hurting Americans' Fourth Of July Plans, Survey Finds: Here's How
Inflation, Trump Tariffs Hurting Americans' Fourth Of July Plans, Survey Finds: Here's How The stars and stripes may fly high on the Fourth of July, but most Americans say they're feeling financially grounded in 2025. WalletHub conducted a survey, along with compiling facts and figures, about how the US will celebrate Independence Day in 2025. The studies were released on Wednesday, June 25. The personal finance website found that 79% of Americans believe the country's independence is threatened by the rising federal debt. More than half are adjusting their Fourth of July plans because of inflation, high prices, and a shaky economy under President Donald Trump's sweepin…

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
News
More Travelers Using Credit Card Perks Amid Trump Tariffs, Study Says: Here's How More Travelers Using Credit Card Perks Amid Trump Tariffs, Study Says: Here's How
More Travelers Using Credit Card Perks Amid Trump Tariffs, Study Says: Here's How As summer travel heats up and President Donald Trump's tariffs weigh on Americans, many vacationers are looking to credit card perks to reduce costs. WalletHub released two studies about rental car and travel insurance benefits on Tuesday, June 24. About 43% of Americans said Trump's tariffs will push them to explore credit card travel benefits. These sometimes overlooked perks can add up to big savings, especially for residents in high-cost states across the Northeast. "Tariffs and inflation have travelers feeling a bit antsy, and many are turning to long-overlooked credit …

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by Chris Spiker
Arlington, VA
Business
Inflation Ticks Up, Spending Slips As Trump's Tariffs Tighten Grip On Economy Inflation Ticks Up, Spending Slips As Trump's Tariffs Tighten Grip On Economy
Inflation Ticks Up, Spending Slips As Trump's Tariffs Tighten Grip On Economy Consumer spending cooled in May as inflation crept higher, signaling new pressure on Americans' wallets amid President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. The Federal Reserve's primary inflation reading, the personal consumption expenditures price index, rose 0.1% in May to an annual rate of 2.3%, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data released on Friday, June 27. Those increases matched ones forecasted by Dow Jones economists, CNBC reported. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, rose by 0.2% in May to 2.7%, slightly ahead of the 0.1% and 2.6% forecasts. Th…

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by Chris Spiker
Arlington, VA
Real Estate
New Home Sales Sink In May, Supply Hits Three-Year High As Trump Tariffs Strain Market New Home Sales Sink In May, Supply Hits Three-Year High As Trump Tariffs Strain Market
New Home Sales Sink In May, Supply Hits Three-Year High As Trump Tariffs Strain Market New home sales plunged in May while housing supply surged to a three-year high, as rising prices, growing inventory, and the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs deepened the US housing slowdown. Sales of new single-family homes fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 623,000 in May, the US Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development said on Wednesday, June 25. That's down 13.7% from April and 6.3% from May 2024. The total also fell far below Wall Street's expectations. The Dow Jones had forecasted 695,000 sales for May, CNBC reported. The actual figur…

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
Business
McDonald's, Krispy Kreme End Doughnut Partnership As Chains Face Sales Slumps McDonald's, Krispy Kreme End Doughnut Partnership As Chains Face Sales Slumps
McDonald's, Krispy Kreme End Doughnut Partnership As Chains Face Sales Slumps The Krispy Kreme "red hot" light is about to turn off at McDonald's. Krispy Kreme and McDonald's are ending their deal to sell the popular doughnuts at the fast-food restaurant, the companies announced on Tuesday, June 24. The partnership will officially end on Wednesday, July 2. The move ends plans to expand Krispy Kreme doughnuts to McDonald's locations nationwide by 2026. "Ultimately, efforts to bring our costs in line with unit demand were unsuccessful, making the partnership unsustainable for us," Krispy Kreme CEO Josh Charlesworth said. The companies launched a pilot progr…

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by Chris Spiker