Business & Markets — August 30, 2026

Economists debate the economy's shape. The post-pandemic consensus that the U.S. economy is K-shaped has evaporated, with economists now debating whether C-shaped or E-shaped better describes shifting conditions.

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Meta settlement pressures rivals. Meta's $18 billion teen-safety settlement over Instagram and Facebook puts TikTok, YouTube, and Snap on notice. Meta is urging competitors to adopt the same child-protection rules.

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U.S. hiring slows again. A summer slowdown in hiring and fewer help-wanted ads suggest job seekers face a tougher market this fall, after employment rose early this year.

MarketWatch's assessment extends beyond the recent data, with the outlet reporting that the cooling trend is unlikely to reverse anytime soon. That outlook marks a shift from the start of the year, when a burst of new employment had suggested the labor market was regaining momentum before conditions softened over the summer, leaving fewer openings for those searching for work.

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Warsh raises September rate-hike odds. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's Jackson Hole speech cited frustration with sticky inflation, lifting September rate-hike odds to roughly 50-50 -- his most hawkish signal since taking the role.

The remarks, delivered at the Fed's annual Jackson Hole economic conference, offered Warsh's most detailed account to date of how he views the central bank's fight against inflation, according to AP News. The outlet framed the speech as raising the stakes for the Fed's next policy meeting, giving markets and Fed watchers their clearest read yet on his thinking ahead of the September decision.

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