We break down complex business news to help you understand how money moves in Chicago and how it affects you.
Trump's company won't ban private foreign deals during his presidency a break with first term policy
“The scale of corruption will be orders of magnitude greater than what we saw in the first Trump administration,” said government ethics lawyer Kathleen Clark of Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. People trying to win Trump’s favor now could provide “massive influxes of cash through ‘investments’ in Trump crypto and real estate ventures.”
Money guides
While it’s too early to tell when home loans will become more affordable, even a modest drop can make refinancing an attractive option.
Got a consumer problem? Help is out there. Keep this list for the next time you have an intractable issue with a retailer or service provider.
It’s not uncommon to receive an unexpected windfall this time of year thanks to a bonus from work or a tax refund. Whatever the circumstances, it’s easy to make costly mistakes.
When big storms hit, basements fill with stormwater and sewage. But there are steps that you and also government can take to help stay above water.
Pocketbook Issues
A lot of people find themselves unable to make their credit-card payments, and some end up in default. It’s a tough situation. But here are some concrete steps you can take to at least minimize the damage.
Egg prices overall are up 39.6% since last year. The Sun-Times visited 14 grocers in various neighborhoods from Big Oaks to Edgewater, Morgan Park to Midway, and Bucktown and Austin to see what consumers were paying.
The federal Department of Veterans Affairs changes mean some vets are entitled to an extra year of college payments — 48 months instead of 36. But that’s not eough, say lawyers for James Rudisill, who successfully argued that the VA wrongly shortchanged him.
If approved, tens of millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices could file claims and receive up to $20 per Siri-equipped device.
Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated.
A man in Chicago with a troubling symptom underwent a common procedure at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Then he wanted to know why the hospital charged nearly three times its own cost estimate.
Housing & Development
The real estate companies kept rents high with RealPage’s software and by sharing information, the antitrust complaint says.
Jimmy Carter, whose official state funeral will be held Thursday in Washington, D.C., was introduced to Chicago at a South Shore church during the 1976 presidential campaign. He later returned to work on a Habitat for Humanity project in West Garfield Park, where his impact is still being felt today.
Even as migrants find permanent housing, the city’s problem persists with its lack of adequate affordable options and resources to help, experts say.
Commerical real estate firm Avison Young named Chicago one of its markets to watch in 2025, as industry experts see companies attracted to areas like the West Loop.
John Cooper, of Lincolnshire, bought the mansion for $9.5 million Dec. 10, according to his hometown newspaper in Nebraska, the Lincoln Journal Star.
It would be the grocery chain’s seventh location in Chicago.
Small business news
The popular video app is arguing before the Supreme Court on Friday, after a unanimous federal appeals court upheld the ban last month.
The company’s gluten-free snacks include crackers and cookies with flour made of almonds and flax seeds.
Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others have also rolled back diversity programs.
Holiday is celebrated in Chicago annually with traditions including the hunt for Rosca de Reyes sweet breads at Mexican bakeries.
The one-stop wedding shop offers everything from dresses and desserts to flowers and photographers. The event continues Sunday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s office warns alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade.
More business news
The changes worry advocates for vulnerable groups, who say Meta’s decision to scale back content moderation could lead to real-word harms. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday the company will “remove restrictions on topics like immigration and gender that are out of touch with mainstream discourse.”
The Citizens Utility Board calls the proposal a “money-grab.” If approved, the hike would be a state record, consumer advocates say. A typical monthly bill would rise by about $7.50. Nicor serves more than 2 million customers in northern Illinois and the suburbs.
Gov. JB Pritzker slammed House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch for not calling for a full vote on a bill he backed to enact statewide restrictions, and said members of his staff “were berated” by opponents of the bill at a heated caucus meeting.
Sales of the weedlike substances have increased, in part thanks to a loophole in federal law, prompting smoke shops that sell unregulated products to minors to pop up.
Nippon Steel had promised to invest $2.7 billion in U.S. Steel’s aging blast furnace operations in Gary, Indiana, and Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley.
Chicago Mascot Co.'s creative work took center stage in college football’s 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl. Benny the Bull; the Cubs, White Sox and Bears mascots; hot dogs; pretzels; pickles — even milkshakes — have all come to life thanks to the company’s talented staff.
President Joe Biden has rejected the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel.
Severe weather patterns and a massive technology outage made it a difficult 2024 for airlines, according to data company Cirium’s CEO.
La medida marca el séptimo y último aumento del salario mínimo del estado, como parte de la legislación que el gobernador JB Pritzker firmó en 2019.
Los defensores dicen que es la protección más sólida del país para quienes cuidan a niños, padres ancianos y otros miembros de la familia, incluyendo aquellos con discapacidades.
Twice in the last decade Illinois voters have approved advisory referendums recommending a 3% income tax surcharge on millionaires. The path forward after voters approved the referedum again last month remains uncertain.
The move marks the seventh and final hike of the state’s minimum wage, as part of legislation Gov. JB Pritzker signed in 2019.
Shares bought by women and minority investors are expected to help cover $250 million in financing Bally’s permanent casino at Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, slated to open in 2026.
El proveedor de artículos para fiestas se declaró en bancarrota en 2023.
The rule follows years of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies alleging links between talc-based baby powder and cancer.
Advocates say it’s the country’s strongest protection for people caring for children, aging parents and other family members, including those with disabilities.
Retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The strike began Friday in Los Angeles, Chicago and Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle.
The filing arrives two weeks after the trading of company shares was suspended by the New York Stock Exchange.
The party supply retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
The strike is affecting Starbucks in three cities — Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles — and could spread.
The impact on residential bills will vary as a result of the Illinois Commerce Commission decision, which consumer advocates called “a step in the right direction.”
The change, upending the traditional model of how homes are bought and sold, are still in their infancy. Many buyers remain unaware of changes to one of the largest purchases in their lifetime and how it affects them.