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By PAUL WISEMAN, Associated Press Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers’ mood improved slightly this month, with worries about inflation easing a bit, but remains gloomy.

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The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index, released Friday in a preliminary version, rose to 53.3 early this month from a final reading of 51 in November. The index beat the 52 mark that economists had forecast but is down considerably from 71.7 in January.

Consumers’ evaluation of current economic conditions slipped slightly, but their expectations for the future brightened somewhat. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation changed little in September, likely easing the way to a widely expected interest rate cut by the central bank next week.

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  U.S. consumer sentiment improved this month but remains subdued, the University of Michigan reports

Prices rose 0.3% in September from August, the Commerce Department said Friday, in a report that was delayed five weeks by the government shutdown. It matched the increase recorded during the previous month. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2% in September from August, the same as August, and a pace that if it continued for a year would bring inflation closer to the Fed’s 2% target. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high on Friday.

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  U.S. consumer sentiment improved this month but remains subdued, the University of Michigan reports

The S&P 500 added 0.2% and finished just 0.3% shy of its record closing level, which was set in October. It had briefly topped the mark during the day, before paring its gain.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 104 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.

The modest moves capped a quiet week for Wall Street, offering a respite following weeks of sharp and scary swings. read more

You probably can think of a million reasons you’re too anxious to leave your job right now. It seems like no one is hiring. Companies that are won’t meet your pay requirements. And what if you make a change and then get laid off?

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  U.S. consumer sentiment improved this month but remains subdued, the University of Michigan reports

The mood is dark. In the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Expectations released Nov. 7, consumers said they believe it’s increasingly likely the unemployment rate will rise in the next 12 months, and they’ll struggle to find a job if they lose their current one. That pessimism has some people clinging to their jobs for dear life. read more

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and MATT OTT, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix struck a deal Friday to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the Hollywood giant behind “Harry Potter” and HBO Max, in a $72 billion deal that would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.

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If approved by regulators, the merger would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership — and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm, which has released popular titles such as “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game.” read more