Between the elections, the fiscal cliff, and the endless battles over taxes, expenditures, and budget issues both big and small, 2012 has been a difficult year. But, amid all the sound and fury, there have also been promising developments on the financial front. Here's a look at a few of our favorite money stories of this year.
Unemployment rates declined last month in more than half of the 372 largest U.S. cities, further evidence of steady improvement in the job market. The Labor Department says rates fell in 201 metro areas. They rose in 116 and were unchanged in 55.
North Dakota topped Gallup's list of best places to find jobs last year, followed by other states rich in natural resources, such as South Dakota and Alaska. Meanwhile, Nevada, New Jersey and California were the worst states for job hunters.
Americans who are unemployed or underemployed are three times as likely to fall behind on their bills as those who are fully employed, according to a Gallup Poll released Tuesday.
The U.S. economy has strengthened, but not enough for the government to pare down its bond-buying program, according to the latest Fed minutes. In late 2010, investments rose and the job market improved -- but the housing market remained depressed.
Retailers and shipping companies are adding fewer new jobs than they did a year ago. One reason: employers began shopping for seasonal workers earlier than usual, boosting hiring in October. But if holiday retail sales hold up, it could equal more hiring in December.
Americans who have been jobless for long periods are keenly awaiting congressional action on the latest extension of benefits. With a midnight deadline looming, some 2 million people face losing their only source of income.
U.S. unemployment fell during the last half of October, indicating that the government-measured unemployment rate over the next month may drop to its lowest levels in more than a year.
Two consecutive months of sales gains among the nation's retailers may provide just enough confidence to trigger increased seasonal hiring this year. Even so, pre-recession hiring levels aren't likely.
After falling for three straight months, unemployment rates rose in most U.S. metropolitan areas in June. Is this growing joblessness more evidence of a double-dip recession?
With his health care insurance overhaul sidelined for the time being, President Obama has turned his focus to lowering the nation's stubbornly high unemployment rate. For millions of jobless Americans, that shift comes none to soon.
