Finance & Economy

Markets, banking, and the economic forces shaping Pennsylvania.

Susquehanna Valley Bank Reports Record Small-Business Lending Quarter

Loans to businesses with fewer than 50 employees rose 22 percent, driven largely by demand from Harrisburg-area contractors and food producers.

State Pension Fund Posts Solid Returns but Funding Gap Persists

Strong investment performance narrowed the shortfall facing the commonwealth's public employee retirement system, though officials caution the gap remains large.

Turnpike Authority Sells $600 Million Bond Backed by Toll Revenue

The bond sale funds bridge repairs across the eastern corridor and comes as toll revenue growth slows for the first time in five years.

Pennsylvania Exporters Weigh Currency Swings Against Tariff Costs

Manufacturers shipping machinery and specialty steel overseas say currency volatility is now as disruptive to margins as tariff policy itself.

Keystone Federal Credit Union Opens Fourth Branch in Scranton

The member-owned lender is betting on Northeastern Pennsylvania's slow but steady manufacturing rebound with a new branch near the Scranton business district.

Erie's Port Sees Cargo Volume Grow as Great Lakes Shipping Shifts

Rising freight costs on rail and trucking routes are pushing more regional manufacturers to route goods through the Port of Erie.

Regional Chambers Offer a Cautiously Optimistic 2026 Economic Forecast

A joint panel of Lehigh Valley and Berks County business groups projects modest growth, with hiring concentrated in healthcare and logistics.

Reading Renaissance Fund Raises $14 Million for Downtown Storefronts

The investment vehicle is buying and renovating vacant commercial buildings in Reading's core, betting that ground-floor retail can anchor a broader recovery.

Cryptocurrency Miners Eye Shuttered Coal Plants for Cheap Power

Developers are in talks to reactivate decommissioned power infrastructure in coal country to host energy-intensive mining operations.