A display of Halloween products for sale in West Covina, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2025. Frederic J. Brown/Getty ImagesHalloween is a fun, scary time for children and adults alike – but why does the holiday seem to start so much earlier every year? Decades ago, when I was young, Halloween was a much smaller affair, and people didn’t start preparing until mid-October.
skynesher/GettyWhen we talk about diversity in business, it’s usually in moral or social terms – fairness, inclusion and representation. But our new research suggests diversity also pays off in a very practical way: helping companies make better financial and investment decisions.
Oscar Wong/Getty ImagesYou check prices online for a flight to Melbourne today. It’s $300. You leave your browser open. Two hours later, it’s $320. Half a day later, $280. Welcome to the world of algorithmic pricing, where technology tries to figure out what price you’re willing to pay.
Musicians busking in Galway. Jon Chica/ShutterstockThe Irish government has announced that a pilot scheme providing artists and creatives with a weekly stipend of €325 (£283) will be made permanent. The scheme, which was first introduced in 2022, was launched in an attempt to mitigate the growing financial instability many in the creative industries face.
sirtravelalot/ShutterstockScrapping stamp duty may sound like a quick fix to Britain’s housing crisis, but there’s reason to believe it would barely move the needle on affordability – while costing the Treasury billions.
Renewable energy is expanding, but a fossil fuel phaseout appears to still be far in the future.
FEMA's buyout program helped homeowners in Houston after Hurricane Harvey's widespread flooding in 2017. AP Photo/David J. PhillipDangerous flooding has damaged neighborhoods in almost every state in 2025, leaving homes a muddy mess.
Shutterstock/Miss.CabulElon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, is about to launch the early beta version of Grokipedia, a new project to rival Wikipedia.
GaudiLab/ShutterstockMany of us will have experienced the rage that comes with being badly treated at work – and maybe even felt the instinct to pack up and leave. Bad bosses, belittling treatment or poor pay could be behind these kneejerk emotions. But, while most employees swallow their anger and get back to work, some walk out in a way that tells their employer exactly how they feel. Welcome to the world of “revenge quitting”.
Canadian lumber waits for shipment in a sawmill's yard. Andrej Ivanov/Getty ImagesLumber, especially softwood lumber like pine and spruce, is critical to U.S. home construction. Its availability and price directly affect housing costs and broader economic activity in the building sector. The U.S.
