CPI Is Cooling But What About Inflation?

Published on February 18, 2026

Stripping out more volatile food and energy prices, core CPI prices rose 0.3 percent month on month. The annual core CPI dropped from 2.6 percent in December to 2.5 percent, the lowest reading since April 2021.

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US Department of Labor to probe California’s Unemployment Insurance program to address fraud and improper payment concerns

February 18, 2026
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced steps it will take to address fraud and improper payment concerns related to California’s Unemployment Insurance program. In a letter to California’s Employment Development Department, the Labor Department cited the state’s poor performance in key areas, including an increasing improper payment rate, insufficient timeliness of payments, and

The Office Market Is as K-Shaped as the US Economy

February 18, 2026
We’ve seen upper-income consumers power consumption growth over the past year even as middle-income and working-class households become more restrained. The message from the office market is starting to sound similar.