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WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a healthy number of jobs last month, yet slowed their hiring enough to potentially help the Federal Reserve in its fight to reduce raging inflation. The economy gained 315,000 jobs in August, a still-solid figure that pointed to an economy that remains resilient despite rising interest rates, high inflation and sluggish consumer spending. Friday’s report from the government also showed that the unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, up from a half-century low of 3.5%. Yet that increase was also an encouraging sign: It reflected a long-awaited rise in the number of Americans who are looking for work. “It’s a very positive report and still holds open the possibility for a soft landing,” said Ellen Gaske, an economist at PGIM Fixed Income, referring to the Fed’s goal of slowing the economy enough to cool inflation without going so far as to cause a recession. Prices are rising at nearly the fastest pace in 40 years, which has handed congressional Repu...

Family grocery bills are on the rise with higher prices for most items, accentuated by significant increases in the cost of eggs, chicken, bacon and beef. But unless shoppers are taking notes, it can be hard to really see which items are seeing the biggest spikes. NBC News is monitoring the average point- of -sale prices and how much those prices have changed since July 2021 for six popular supermarket items: orange juice , eggs, chicken breasts , fresh ground beef, bacon and bread. Readers can use this interactive chart to see how the price they have paid for groceries differs from the national average or from the prices shoppers paid in other major metro areas. The goal is to track the impact of inflation on consumers’ wallets during the pandemic and as the economy reopens. The White House has said inflation is on the rise and here to stay. The NBC News grocery price tracker is one measure of the outcomes of President Joe Biden's economic policies for everyday people. The Federa...