Key Insight: Kevin Hassett, a top White House economist and possible successor to Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve, said political independence is critical to the Fed and the lack of independence drives inflation. What’s at stake: President Trump has embarked on a campaign to gain a voting majority on the Fed’s Board […]

Most California homes were built long before the state required that they be constructed to withstand wildfires. Now, sellers of older homes in high-risk areas must disclose to potential buyers not only a dwelling’s susceptibility to fire but what they’ve done to address those vulnerabilities. As climate change intensifies natural disasters, states across the US have been mandating

Scott Bessent is studiously trying to avoid the fate of the last Treasury secretary who picked a Fed chair for President Donald Trump and now finds himself banished from the inner circle. To escape Steven Mnuchin’s fate, Bessent — who begins interviewing candidates for the role this month — must balance Trump’s demands for a