Industry / ExplainerThe digital economy still needs a physical grid
Behind every server is a chain of generation, transmission, and delivery.
OCTOBER 17, 2026 · EDITION 01THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, IN CONTEXT.
The big picture / Markets
America’s economy runs on the cost of capital
From Wall Street to Main Street, the price of money connects decisions that can look worlds apart.
Read the full story ↗
NEW YORK, NY · CHRIS LINNETT / UNSPLASHcloser look.
02 / Industry
The digital economy still needs a physical grid
03 / Business
A profitable business can still need cash
Across the economy
Explore all stories ↗Industry / Explainer
Industry / ExplainerA factory order is the beginning of a story
Orders, shipments, and inventories each reveal a different part of American manufacturing.
Economy / ExplainerThe jobs picture is bigger than one number
Employment, unemployment, and participation answer related—but different—questions.
Business / ExplainerA profitable business can still need cash
The income statement is only one window into a company’s financial life.
Markets / ExplainerA bond’s coupon is not its market yield
The payment written into a bond and the return implied by its price need separate attention.
Business / ExplainerThere is more than one American mortgage rate
The offer a borrower receives depends on the loan, the property, and the borrower.
Our perspectiveThe headline is only
The headline is only
the starting point.
What changes for a business, a household, or a city? We connect the language of markets to the decisions that shape the American economy.
Our launch edition explores that approach through eight source-linked sample explainers.
Inside the publication ↗