Business & Economy
Local and national biz, jobs, and the economy
The $2 Billion Public Asset RI Business Runs On
A federally funded satellite system costing taxpayers about $6 per American each year underwrites Rhode Island's ports, courier fleets and offshore wind sector — and an estimated $1.4 trillion in private-sector gains nationally.
The AI Price War Just Reached Your Business
Slower U.S. growth adds to Rhode Island squeeze
No Rate Relief: Fed Holds as Tariff Bill Arrives
Rhode Island Weighs the Cost of Data Centers
Rhode Island lawmakers are weighing data center tax incentives against requirements that developers pay for grid upgrades, as AI drives rapid growth in electricity demand.
Anthropic's China Complaint Meets Its Own Piracy Past
Anthropic accuses a Chinese rival of illegally copying its AI model — the same month it finalized a $1.5 billion settlement for building that model on pirated books.
WPRI Owner’s $6.2B Expansion Faces New Test
Nexstar, the owner of Providence’s WPRI-TV, must answer allegations that it violated an order keeping Tegna independent while a federal antitrust case proceeds.
AI model rush brings cheaper options to Rhode Island
Anthropic’s lower-priced Claude Opus 5 capped a 15-day burst of major AI releases, expanding choices for Rhode Island users. Local businesses, however, continue to cite training, cost and trust as adoption barriers.
Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Merger; RI Sits Out Suit
A federal judge has temporarily paused Paramount Skydance's $110 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery amid a 12-state antitrust lawsuit — but Rhode Island's attorney general isn't among the plaintiffs and hasn't said why.
The Washington Post's Millionaire Tax Math Doesn't Add Up — And Rhode Island Should Know the Difference
The Washington Post framed Massachusetts' wealth tax as an economic warning for Rhode Island, but the actual revenue figures tell a different story of billions collected.
Left at the Altar: How Rhode Island's New Cannabis Law Resets the Licensing Queue for Out-of-State Suitors
A newly signed state law cancels all pending cannabis dispensary applications and removes residency requirements, resetting Rhode Island's market for out-of-state competition.
Rhode Island's Young Buyers Already Live the National Housing-Wage Gap
New national data confirms what Rhode Island renters and buyers already knew: the gap between home prices and young people's wages hasn't been this wide since the mid-2000s housing bubble — and the state's own numbers may be worse than the national average.
Job Cuts Soar to 20-Year High Amidst Economic Headwinds
US job cuts have surpassed 1 million this year, the most since the pandemic, as hiring plans sink to a decade-low. Corporations from Amazon to UPS are slashing jobs, citing automation and the cost of Trump-era tariffs. Discover the forces colliding to create a crisis for the American worker.
Main Street Massacre: Trump's Tariffs Leave Small Business Owners Facing Ruin
While Trump claims foreigners are paying for his trade war, a new report reveals a devastating truth: you are. His tariffs amount to a hidden $2,500 tax on every American, and they're pushing small businesses to the brink. Read the stories of owners who say their country has turned on them.