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The February consumer price index is out — inflation was 3.2% year over year. That’s just a smidge higher than January. Still, prices in some sectors are down from a year ago. We’ll dig into the data, from price drops in furniture to still waters in apparel. Plus: the state of banking one year after the SVB fiasco and the future of addiction treatment in Oregon. 

The Federal Reserve decided that our inflation goal is 2% annually. It hasn’t hit that level, but prices are relatively stable and the economy’s going strong, with a hot labor market and a growing GDP. In this episode, is the landing we have soft enough? Plus, inventory stories: Retailers have recovered from that early COVID supply backlog and more vehicles on dealers’ lots mean a different sales pitch.

When supply chains were backed up early in the pandemic, some businesses bulked up on warehouse space. Now that inventory is no longer a problem, what to do with the excess? And in the art world, some nonprofits are trying to buy real estate, which comes with benefits and financial hurdles. Also in this episode: COVID habits shape restaurant hiring and a bakery deals with rising costs.

A big antitrust law goes into effect today in the European Union. The Digital Markets Act is an effort to regulate Big Tech companies like Apple and Google. It’s designed to make the internet more competitive, but enforcement may prove tricky. Also in this episode: new retail subscriptions, the latest Beige Book insights, and a cowboy-skier-friendly sport.

One of many differences between President Joe Biden and and former President Donald Trump? How they talk about the Federal Reserve. While the central bank is supposed to be nonpartisan, that hasn’t stopped politicians from trying to influence it. In this episode, the Fed’s delicate political independence. Also in this episode: the cooling — but not cold — job market, an end of an era for middle-class retail, and a review of the IRS’ Direct File tax-filing system.

Stocks close higher; investment meant to stabilize NYCB; job openings unchanged in January; private sector adds 140,000 jobs.

The U.S. produces more crude oil than any other country, but the number of active oil rigs has fallen by nearly 70% since 2014, the Energy Information Administration reports. How can that be? The answer is a combination of innovation and financial pressure. Plus, the non-alcoholic beverage market booms, the U.S. Patent Office decides AI can’t be credited as an inventor and household debt burdens are on the rise.

From “Oppenheimer” to “Poor Things,” 2023 boasted a bevy of Oscar-buzzworthy films. The ceremony isn’t till Sunday, but today  we asked New York Times critic at large Wesley Morris for his best actor, actress and picture picks. He also talked about the life of a critic and how he goes about preparing to review a movie. Plus, testing is becoming more common in hiring.

The monthly mortgage payment on a typical U.S. home has nearly doubled since 2020, a Zillow report found. With mortgage rates hovering around 7%, that isn’t likely to improve much in the near future. Plus: Bitcoin investors finally see a thaw, new guidelines encourage the federal government to hire military spouses and a Chinese coffee chain’s apparent recovery from an earnings report scandal.

January’s personal consumption expenditures report showed that prices were up 2.4% from the same time last year, suggesting that  inflation remains in a cooling trend. The report also found that incomes jumped 1% last month — the biggest monthly gain in three years. Plus, why some customers with high-yield savings accounts aren’t getting promised rates, what Chinese electric vehicle tech could mean for national security and how Florida farmworkers are enforcing heat protection standards.