GameStop stock explained: Here’s what short selling is and why it’s shaking up Wall Street

Amid the recent astronomical surge in value of shares of struggling companies like GameStop and AMC, trading strategies like short selling and short squeezing have been trending all over social media, leaving many scrambling to keep up. Here’s what you need to know to understand what’s going on.

GameStop stock price frenzy: What to know

Trading volume has surged in shares of GameStop, AMC Entertainment, as well as Bed Bath & Beyond and BlackBerry, stunning Wall Street firms betting that those stocks would fall.

US economy shrank 3.5% in last year after growing 4% last quarter

Stuck in the grip of a viral pandemic, the U.S. economy grew at a 4% annual rate in the final three months of 2020 and shrank last year by the largest amount in 74 years.

Unemployment claims drop; still at 847,000 as pandemic rages on

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a historically high 847,000 last week, a sign that layoffs remain high as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage.

Walz budget hikes taxes on Minnesota's top earners, adds funding for schools and riot-damaged businesses

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz proposed a $52.4 billion, two-year budget that includes tax hikes on the state's highest earners and corporations to pay for education funding increases and money for riot-damaged businesses.

Terms for $1,400 stimulus checks could change, what to know

President Joe Biden on Monday said he was open to negotiating terms for a pending round of economic impact payments, which may indicate that fewer individuals would end up qualifying.

Janet Yellen wins Senate approval to become 1st female Treasury secretary

Janet Yellen has been confirmed as Biden’s treasury secretary in an overwhelming Senate vote, the first woman to hold the job in the department's 232-year history.

Biden signs executive order for government to buy more US goods

President Joe Biden signed on Monday an executive order that aims to boost government purchases from U.S. manufacturers, according to administration officials.

Biden administration looks to 'speed up' efforts to put Harriet Tubman on $20 bill

The Biden administration is exploring ways to expedite getting Harriet Tubman’s image on the $20 bill, an Obama-era endeavor that stalled during the Trump administration.

Winning $1 billion Mega Millions ticket sold at Michigan grocery store

A Michigander is the lucky winner of the third-largest lottery prize in U.S. history after buying the ticket at a grocery store in a suburb of Detroit.

Biden's Treasury secretary nominee Janet Yellen clears Senate committee

The Senate Finance Committee has approved President Joe Biden’s nomination of Janet Yellen to be the nation’s 78th Treasury secretary.

Mega Millions jackpot soars to $1 billion amid slow sales

The jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery game has grown to $1 billion ahead of Friday night’s drawing after more than four months without a winner.

Unemployment claims fall to a still-high 900,000

Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, lowering claims to 900,000, still a historically high level that points to further job cuts in a raging pandemic.

Wall Street stocks rally to records on Inauguration Day 2021

U.S. stocks are rallying to records Wednesday on encouraging earnings reports and continued optimism that new leadership in Washington will mean more support for the struggling economy.

'American Rescue Plan': Here's what's in Biden's COVID-19 relief plan

President-elect Joe Biden is proposing a $1.9 trillion plan to expand coronavirus vaccinations, help individuals and jump-start the economy.

$15 an hour minimum wage: Biden pushes for urgent increase amid COVID-19 pandemic

During his announcement of the “American Rescue Plan,” President-elect Joe Biden pushed for the minimum wage in the United States to be raised to at least $15 an hour.