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By MATT OTT, Associated Press Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer confidence weakened slightly in October as Americans remain anxious about their future financial prospects.

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The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell by 1 point to 94.6 in October from an upwardly revised September reading of 95.6. Economists were expecting the reading to come in unchanged from the previous month. One year ago, the reading was 109.5.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market dipped by 2.9 points to 71.5, remaining well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. read more

Since the start of the government shutdown, thousands of flight delays have bottlenecked travel at major U.S. airports due, in no small part, to staffing shortages.

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Air traffic controllers and other TSA workers are considered essential, which means they’ve been required to work since Oct. 1, when the shutdown began. Like other essential federal government workers, controllers are expected to clock in — without pay — until the shutdown ends.

It’s no secret that workers prefer to get paid for their labor, which has led to some calling out sick. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has threatened to fire the “problem children” workers who don’t show up — estimated to be around 10% of controllers. read more

By Sarah Foster, Bankrate.com

If it feels harder to get ahead right now, that’s because it is. Many Americans are navigating a “worst-of-both-worlds” economy: a cooling job market on one side and stubborn inflation on the other.

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Prices aren’t rising as rapidly as they once were when the U.S. economy roared back after the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, the largest share of workers in four years (62 percent) say that their paychecks have not kept pace with increases in their household expenses due to inflation over the past 12 months, according to Bankrate’s annual Pay Raise Survey. read more

By Andrew Dehan, Bankrate.com

If you remember the turmoil of the global financial crisis, hearing that foreclosure activity is up might make your knees weak and palms sweaty. I know I can’t help it.

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  Average long-term US mortgage rate drops to 6.19%, lowest level in more than a year

After reading recent reports of climbing foreclosures, I spoke with experts ranging from real estate data companies to non-profit debt counselors to foreclosure auction sites. Their opinion? The national foreclosure rate is still quite low.

So take a deep breath. This isn’t 2008. The housing market isn’t about to crash. The picture is much more complex than one statistic lets on. Here’s why they aren’t panicking and neither should you. read more

By Sarah Foster, Bankrate.com

Andy Challenger is the person businesses call when it’s time to let workers go. And for the past year and a half, his phone hasn’t stopped ringing.

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A third-generation outplacement consultant at Challenger, Gray & Christmas — the firm his grandfather founded in the 1960s after his own layoff — Challenger has heard a variety of reasons over the past few months for trimming headcount. Companies looking to cut staff after the pandemic-era hiring boom. Executives debating how to integrate artificial intelligence. Businesses worrying about eating the cost of higher tariffs. Firms tightening their belts in a slowing economy. read more