Caitlin Clark is No. 1 pick in WNBA draft, going to the Indiana Fever, as expected

[ad_1] Caitlin Clark admitted she was a bit nervous before being chosen with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, even though it was no surprise. “I dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to soak it in,” Clark said. The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career, and she will now try and…

Wholesale prices rose 0.2% in March, less than expected

[ad_1] A measure of wholesale prices increased less than expected in March, providing some potential relief from worries that inflation will hold higher for longer than many economists had expected. The producer price index rose 0.2% for the month, less than the 0.3% estimate from the Dow Jones consensus and not as much as the 0.6% increase in February, according to a release Thursday from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, on a 12-month basis, the PPI climbed 2.1%, the biggest gain since April 2023, indicating pipeline pressures…

A crucial report Wednesday is expected to show little progress against inflation

[ad_1] Shoppers are seen in a Kroger supermarket on October 14, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia.  Elijah Nouvelage | AFP | Getty Images A closely watched Labor Department report due Wednesday is expected to show that not much progress is being made in the battle to bring down inflation. If so, that would be bad news for consumers, market participants and Federal Reserve officials, who are hoping price increases slow enough so that they can start gradually cutting interest rates later this year. The consumer price index, which measures costs for…

Key Fed inflation gauge rose 2.8% annually in February, as expected

[ad_1] Inflation rose in line with expectations in February, likely keeping the Federal Reserve on hold before it can start considering interest rate cuts, according to a measure the central bank considers its more important barometer. The personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy increased 2.8% on a 12-month basis and was up 0.3% from a month ago, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Both numbers matched the Dow Jones estimates. Including volatile food and energy costs, the headline PCE reading showed a 0.3% increase for the month and…