Why one of Asia's poorest countries grows Japan's cash

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Style

Japan has long harvested a shrub called mitsumata for its money supply. But when mitsumata started dying out, Japan frantically searched for alternatives to make yen.

A Costco shopper is suing, saying members deserve a slice of any tariff refunds

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Economy
Customers walk in the parking lot outside a Costco store on December 02, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Costco is suing the government over tariffs, and now Costco is getting sued.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

The 25 happiest cities in the US in 2026, ranked

Tech Insider : Economy, Travel, Business
An empty Niles blvd in Fremont California allows the old buildings to show their beauty.
Fremont, California, was ranked the happiest city in the US in a recent study.

John Roche/Shutterstock

The K-shaped economy is more split than ever — and it's showing up in groceries, credit cards, and the workplace

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy, Business
people shopping at a grocery store in new york city
Lower-earning Americans are cutting back on some grocery spending, while higher earners are buying meats and fruits.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

I talked to over 100 grandparents — they say their role is wildly different than they expected

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Sports
Collage of grandparents
Many of America's grandparents are taking on more responsibilities, from caring for grandchildren full-time to providing more financial assistance.

Maggie Shannon, Annie Flanagan and Mike Kai Chen for BI; Courtesy of Susan Freeman and Noe Parenteau

Dorenne Simonson didn't anticipate being a mother again — especially not at 66.

Map shows gas prices have risen above $3 a gallon in every US state — the first time since 2023

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Style
A map of the 50 US states in blue. The darkest blue states, like Florida and California, have the highest average gas price.
Gas prices have been climbing across the US. Now, no state has an average price below $3, according to AAA.

Business Insider/Randy Yeip

Millions of student-loan borrowers are at heightened risk of getting incorrect bills, watchdog says

Tech Insider : Economy, Business
College graduation
The Department of Education should bolster its oversight over federal student-loan servicers, the Government Accountability Office said.

Sean De Burca/Getty Images

Inflation held steady in February as expected

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy, Business
A person at a grocery store
The Bureau of Labor Statistics published new consumer price index data on Wednesday.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Surging oil costs pour fuel on the return-to-office debate

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy, Business
A person walks past a gas station in New York
A person walks past a gas station, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in New York.

Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press

The 'Chinese Dream' is shrinking. That's bad news for the global economy.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Travel
A urban scene in China.

Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

2025 was another strong year for China's economy — on paper.

Beijing reported the world's second-largest economy hit its 5% GDP growth target for the year. Exports held up. Industrial output stayed resilient.

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