Chicago spent less than $160 million on a host of programs including affordable housing, mental health, violence prevention, youth job programs and help for unhoused Chicagoans through Dec. 31, 2023, according to reports to the federal government.

According to a report from the New York Federal Reserve Bank, the real net worth of white individuals outgrew that of Black and Hispanic individuals by 30 percentage points and 9 percentage points respectively, from the first quarter of 2019 through the second quarter of 2023.

For first-generation individuals, building wealth can be intimidating. And while learning how to navigate finances can be challenging, it is possible. Giovanna González has made it her life’s mission to teach others how to tackle their finances while unpacking cultural and systemic barriers.

“The Biden administration has put in place the most extensive set of policies and investments to benefit the middle class and grow the economy that our country has seen in my lifetime,” Yellen said in a speech before the Economic Club of Chicago.

The temporary Bally’s casino in River North’s Medinah Temple brought in just over $3 million in tax revenue last year. That’s almost $10 million short of what former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration projected.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. said it’s working with outside counsel and the audit committee of the company board to complete an investigation of accounting practices within its nutrition business and it pulled guidance for the unit.

The S&P 500, which is the main measure that professional investors use to gauge Wall Street’s health, rallied 1.2% to 4,839.81. It erased the last of its losses since setting its prior record of 4,796.56 at the start of 2022.

The 44,000-square-foot, $42 million facility will be dedicated to chocolate and nut testing and research, according to a company press release.

The proposed change by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would potentially eliminate billions of dollars in fee revenue for the nation’s biggest banks, which were gearing up for a battle even before Wednesday’s announcement. 

Friday’s government report showed that December’s job gain exceeded the 173,000 that were added in November. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7% — the 23rd straight month that joblessness has come in below 4%.

After two years of above-average gas prices, next year is expected to bring relief at the pump for drivers, according to GasBuddy’s annual fuel price outlook report released Thursday.

There was some good news this year. According to Mastercard Spending Pulse, retail shopping was up about 3% this holiday season compared to last year. 

The extended hours come after more than three months since the temporary casino’s grand opening. The hours at the casino were originally from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Some downtown businesses are seeing a slight dip in the average amount spent per transaction during this holiday season, indicating consumers might be more sensitive to prices due to factors like record high credit card debt and interest rates, according to the Chicago Loop Alliance.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection this week suspended international rail traffic at two Texas crossings “in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody” as the agency strains to keep up with a surge of migrants at the United States’ southwestern border.

Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that U.S. consumer prices slid 0.1% last month from October and rose 2.6% from November 2022. The month-over-month drop was the largest since April 2020 when the economy was reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.