Finance & Economy
Markets, banking, and the economic forces shaping Pennsylvania.
Downtown Pittsburgh Office Vacancy Pushes Owners Toward Conversions
With vacancy near 28 percent, several Grant Street tower owners are studying residential conversions instead of waiting out the office market.
Community Colleges Add Financial Literacy Requirement for Graduation
Three Pennsylvania community colleges are piloting a required personal-finance course after data showed many graduates struggled with basic budgeting and credit.
Liberty Bell Trust Partners With Local Fintech to Speed Up Loan Approvals
The Philadelphia-based bank says a new underwriting platform cuts small-business loan decisions from two weeks to under 48 hours.
Rising Costs Push More School Districts Toward Property Tax Increases
Special education and transportation costs are outpacing state funding growth, forcing suburban Philadelphia districts into difficult budget votes.
Accounting Firms Across Central Pennsylvania Struggle to Staff Tax Season
A shrinking pipeline of new CPAs is forcing small firms to turn away clients or lean harder on outsourced preparers during peak season.
Natural Gas Royalty Payments Rise for Northeastern Landowners
Higher regional gas prices are pushing royalty checks up for thousands of Susquehanna and Bradford County landowners for the first time in three years.
Municipal Bond Demand Stays Strong as Infrastructure Needs Pile Up
Investor appetite for Pennsylvania municipal debt remains healthy even as more small municipalities line up to borrow for water and road projects.
Lehigh Valley Warehouse Job Growth Slows After Years of Rapid Expansion
After a decade of explosive logistics-sector hiring, employment growth in the region's warehouses has flattened, prompting new questions about the local economy's reliance on the sector.
Pennsylvania-Based Public Companies Post Mixed Earnings This Quarter
Industrial and healthcare firms headquartered in the state outperformed forecasts while several regional retailers missed targets.