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Fresh inflation data to show if cooldown has continued

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Fresh inflation data on Wednesday will show whether the U.S. has extended a monthslong stretch of progress in the fight to slow price increases.

The latest price reading is set to arrive within days of a dramatic bout of market turmoil triggered in part by heightened pessimism about the chances of a “soft landing,” in which the U.S. averts a recession while inflation returns to normal levels.

The unrest on Wall Street followed a weaker-than-expected jobs report that indicated the economy may be slowing down more quickly than previously known.

Economists expect prices to have risen 3% in July compared to a year ago. That figure would leave the inflation rate unchanged from June but still well below the 3.5% year-over-year rate recorded in March.

Inflation has cooled for four consecutive months, reversing a surge in prices that took hold at the outset of 2024. Price increases have slowed significantly from a peak of more than 9%, but inflation remains a percentage point higher than the Fed’s target rate of 2%.

Since last year, the Federal Reserve has held interest rates at their highest level in more than two decades. High borrowing costs for everything from mortgages to credit card loans have helped slow the economy and lower inflation, but the policy risks tipping the U.S. into a recession.

The chances of an interest rate cut at the Fed’s next meeting in September are all but certain, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment. Market observers are split roughly down the middle about whether the Fed will impose its typical cut of a quarter of a percentage point or opt for a larger half-point cut.

The Fed is guided by a dual mandate to keep inflation under control and maximize employment. In theory, low interest rates help stimulate economic activity and boost employment; high interest rates slow economic performance and ease inflation.

A monthslong stretch of good news for inflation alongside bad news for unemployment has prompted the Fed to give additional consideration to its goal of keeping Americans on the job, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said last month.

“For a long time, since inflation arrived, it’s been right to mainly focus on inflation. But now that inflation has come down and the labor market has indeed cooled off, we’re going to be looking at both mandates. They’re in much better balance,” Powell said at a meeting of The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.

“That means that if we were to see an unexpected weakening in the labor market, then that might also be a reason for reaction by us,” Powell added.

The weak jobs report released earlier this month appeared to align with that hypothetical situation described by Powell.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., in late July, before the jobs report, Powell said the central bank may reduce interest rate cuts in September, depending on economic performance.

“We’ve made no decisions about future meetings and that includes the September meeting,” Powell said. “We’re getting closer to the point at which we’ll reduce our policy rate, but we’re not quite at that point yet.”

The biggest car auctions of 2024 are about to happen. Will recession fears damper excitement among buyers?

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Are a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider and a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California enough to convince wealthy collectors to shell out millions of dollars at California’s Monterey Car Week?

As thousands descend on Monterey and Carmel for the world’s largest car event, deep-pocketed collectors have pulled back their spending on vintage and classic cars in the past year. Some insiders worry the recent stock market turmoil and murmurs of a potential recession may have convinced interested buyers to instead wait out the uncertainty.

Five auction houses — RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Mecum, Broad Arrow and Gooding & Company — have assembled more than 500 vintage and rare cars for serious collectors and enthusiasts to bid on starting Thursday. Some cars could fetch $5 million, or even $30 million. At least 150 may soon be worth seven figures.

“We have all seen a tougher market in 2024. The market is normalizing after pent-up demand during COVID,” Bryon Madsen, president of RM Sotheby’s, told ABC News. “Geo-political events have more influence on the mindsets of buyers [than] any economic indicators. The U.S. election, regardless of who wins, will have an impact.”

RM Sotheby’s is offering 201 cars this year, nearly the same number as 2023. Twenty cars could sell in the $2 million to $5 million range, Madsen said, noting that a 1995 Ferrari F50 “could do well above its estimate” of $4.5 million to $5 million.

“Investing in cars … has proven positive over several decades,” he said. “Automobiles have long been regarded as alternative assets, as well as an inflation hedge. Cash exists with the buyers in this market.”

According to Hagerty Automotive Intelligence, this year’s Monterey auctions could rake in a combined $459 million. Last year the auction receipts totaled $403 million, down from $471 million in 2022.

McKeel Hagerty, the CEO of Hagerty, an automotive enthusiast brand that also owns Broad Arrow, said once-in-a-lifetime consignments, such as the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider from Gooding & Co., will draw strong demand and bidding. He said he’s optimistic that buyers will spend as usual when the cars roll up to the auction stage.

“The stock market volatility can be correlated with Monterey sales … sometimes these market conditions result in folks pulling back and waiting while sometimes they encourage enthusiasts to deploy capital in nonpecuniary ways,” he told ABC News. “The classic car market is about 10% below its December 2022 peak so it’s already had a healthy reset.”

He added, “Why not own, drive and enjoy a classic if stock market returns are going to be flat? We’re just going to have to wait-and-see a few more days.”

Even the rising cost of buying a hotel room is Monterey and paying hundreds — if not thousands — for a ticket to the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours or The Quail have done little to dissuade enthusiasts from attending these famous events, according to Bring a Trailer founder Randy Nonnenberg.

“I hear people saying, ‘I am coming, I missed it last year,'” he told ABC News. “It’s not a financial decision … people will find a way to come to Pebble. Automakers are using Monterey as the primary place to release cars and that brings a different audience and a different energy. There are way more eyes on Monterey than in the past and bigger visibility leads to bigger auction results.”

Sandra Button, chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, pointed out that automotive fans will make the pilgrimage to Pebble “even in a year when car values are going down.”

She said she tries to make her show “accessible as much as possible” to all enthusiasts and attendance on Sunday could reach 20,000, on par with previous years. Moreover, there will be 215 cars on the show field — including 50 from outside the country — a sign, she said, that investors are returning to Pebble in force.

“We sold out on hotel rooms and VIP tickets,” she told ABC News. “The collectors are getting younger and there’s a generational shift happening. The balance of cars shown is shifting to post war. There is a 125-year span of cars on the field — that has never happened before.”

Eric Minoff, a vice president at Bonhams, said 2024 could still be a banner year for car auctions, even though prices have been flat since January. Last year Bonhams sold a 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta for $30.25 million, the top-selling car that entire week. Minoff said he hopes he can replicate that success this year.

“If the COVID period taught us anything, it’s that there’s value to get away from everywhere else,” he told ABC News. “Cars give you an opportunity to escape everything else that’s going on. There are plenty of folks still eager to buy cars.”

Tropical Storm Ernesto’s winds strengthen to near-hurricane force as it departs Puerto Rico

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The center of Tropical Storm Ernesto passed within 40 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico, producing strong winds and heavy rain overnight.

More than 300,000 customers were without power in Puerto Rico, according to LUMA, a service provider.

The storm was moving Wednesday morning away from Puerto Rico and was nearing hurricane strength with sustained winds of 70 mph. Hurricane force winds begin at 74 mph.

On Culebra island, east of Puerto Rico, sustained winds of 68 mph was reported with gusts up to 86 mph. A METAR Observation Station at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico reported a sustained wind of 48 mph and a gust of 74 mph.

Tropical storm warnings were issued for Puerto Rico and a hurricane watch was in effect for the British Virgin Islands.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi had warned residents to stay home starting on Tuesday evening, when the tropical storm-force winds are forecast to reach the island. Total rainfall could reach up to 10 inches in some spots.

A flash-flood warning had been issued for parts of Puerto Rico early Wednesday morning, with several inches of rain already causing flash flooding. Heavy rain and gusty winds will continue in Puerto Rico into the afternoon as Ernesto moves away.

Sudan at ‘breaking point’ amid civil war as US-mediated cease-fire talks set to begin

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — The U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan has said U.S.-mediated cease-fire talks between warring Sudanese parties are set to go ahead this week, despite pending confirmation of participation from the Sudanese Army.

The talks are set to begin Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, and will be co-hosted by Switzerland and Saudi Arabia with additional observation from the African Union, Egypt, the United Nations and the United Arab Emirates, a senior U.S. official told ABC News.

“The time for peace is now,” said U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello on Tuesday ahead of talks aimed at ending the now 16-month war between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces Paramilitary group (RSF), along with its allied militias.

“The RSF delegation has arrived in Switzerland,” Perriello said on social media early on Wednesday. “Our U.S. delegation, and the collective international partners, technical experts, and Sudanese civil society, are still waiting on the SAF. The world is watching.”

Perriello said in the days leading up to the talks that the facilitators had had “extensive engagement” with the SAF, but still had not been given confirmation that representatives would arrive in Switzerland.

“We will move forward with every effort possible with our international partners to reach an action plan, a concrete action plan, about how we can advance that cessation of violence and the full humanitarian access and, monitoring and enforcement mechanism,” he said. “These are long past due.”

The talks come as the U.N. warns the situation in Sudan has reached a “catastrophic breaking point,” with a declaration of famine in Sudan’s North Darfur, recent widespread flooding and unabated combat between warring parties compounding on what was already “one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory.”

New figures from the International Office for Migration (IOM) show displacement in Sudan continues to soar, with almost 11 million people now internally displaced — many of whom have already been displaced twice, or more.

“Tens of millions of Sudanese face either full on starvation or acute hunger,” said Perriello. “There are more refugees and displaced people than the entire population of Switzerland just from Sudan alone right now.”

In Sudan’s Sennar State, where the RSF has advanced amid reports of widespread killings, lootings and human rights abuses, over 700,000 people have been displaced.

“Without an immediate, massive, and coordinated global response, we risk witnessing tens of thousands of preventable deaths in the coming months. We are at breaking point, a catastrophic, cataclysmic breaking point,” said Othman Belbeisi, IOM’s Regional Director for Middle East North Africa.

The northeast African nation was plunged into chaos in April 2023 as tensions between Sudan’s military and the notorious paramilitary group RSF boiled over as forces loyal to the two rival generals battled for control of the resource-rich nation following talks over a planned transition to civilian rule.

Fighting began on April 15, 2023, in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, before spreading across the country. The combat between warring parties has continued to rage in areas of North Darfur, Al Jazirah state, Sennar State, West Kordofan and other areas.

The civil war has left almost 16,000 dead in its wake and at least 33,000 injured according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Local groups, however, warn the true toll is likely much higher.

The U.S. invited warring parties to cease-fire talks last month. The talks are the latest in a string of yet-successful initiatives aimed at ending the war as regional and international efforts to end the conflict intensify.

They aim to build off the Jeddah negotiations, which were co-facilitated with Saudi Arabia. The talks are not set to address broader political issues, the U.S. State Department said.

“The US and our partners stand with the Sudanese people in pushing forward with all efforts to produce a cessation of violence and expanded humanitarian access now,” said Perriello.

What to know about biological aging and maintaining your health as you grow older

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A growing body of research suggests that age is more than just a number.

Regardless of how many birthdays you’ve celebrated, your overall health may depend on the resilience and vitality of your cells.

It’s a concept known as biological, or epigenetic, aging.

Biological aging explained

“Chronological age is what the calendar tells us,” Elissa Epel, PhD, a professor in the department of psychiatry & behavioral sciences at the University of California, San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, told ABC News.

Biological age looks beyond the calendar to provide clues for how well someone’s health stands the test of time.

Researchers commonly analyze a process called DNA methylation, which involves chemical alterations of gene expression, without any changes to the actual genetic sequence itself. As this pattern shifts, it is reflected in the age of the cells.

Genetic factors intertwine with environmental factors, such as pollutants and toxins, and lifestyle habits, like diet and exercise, to alter DNA methylation and influence cell function.

The idea is that everything can have an impact at the cellular level, which could potentially have implications for predicting disease risk and longevity.

Watching the clock

To test for biological age, scientists use advanced tools known as epigenetic clocks.

Developed a little over a decade ago by UCLA researcher Steve Horvath, PhD, epigenetic clocks use blood, skin, or saliva samples to analyze specific patterns in the DNA, called methylation marks, and then compare them against chronological age, as well as to a database containing information from other individuals.

Evaluating various body systems, Horvath found that even healthy tissue next to a breast cancer tumor, for example, was about 12 years older than the rest of the body.

“We can’t change our genes, but we can change how much they are activated or silenced,” said Epel, also the director of the Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center in San Francisco, adding that, “the patterns of methylation, like doors being open or closed, change dramatically with age.”

Until recently, epigenetic clocks have primarily been used in the lab, but a few are now available to consumers. Some have price tags upwards of $500.

Consumer tests can offer insights into lifestyle changes that might help slow biological aging, though experts are still evaluating their accuracy and utility.

If you could turn back time

Epel and her team recently found that women who followed a diet with healthy nutrients such as folate and magnesium, showed signs of younger biological age, while women who consumed diets higher in added sugar were found to have older biological ages.

These findings were independent, in that more sugar meant more accelerated biological age, even if a woman’s overall diet was healthier, but sticking to a healthier overall diet was associated with slower cellular aging, even in those who consumed more added sugar.

Another team of researchers similarly looked at diet, with an eight-week twin study, where one twin followed a vegan diet while the other continued eating meat.

The “vegan” twins had lower age markers in different body systems compared to their meat-eating identical twin, and even more compelling, they had a decrease in their biological ages among multiple epigenetic clocks.

“Our health is not necessarily set in stone, it’s changing all the time, and so within the realm of our own individual spaces, we have some power, in terms of, the health behaviors that we choose to engage in, and those can have an impact on our epigenetic health,” Dorothy Chiu, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UCSF, told ABC News.

Looking to the future

Understanding biological aging can be empowering. But it’s just as important to remember that it is not the end all, be all, Epel cautions.

“We don’t suggest individuals go out and get tested and think they’ve determined how long they are going to live,” she said. “It’s one source of information, and it’s not definitive in any way, especially since it changes.”

The main takeaway is that day-to-day habits can potentially influence health right down to the cellular level. Any steps, even small steps, towards staying healthy may have benefits.

While we can test biological age for some insights into how well someone is aging, for now, the best way to stay healthy is to keep up to date with screenings and follow the evidence-based recommendations from your healthcare provider.

Routine blood tests are not reliable for diagnosing long COVID, study finds

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Current routine blood tests are not a reliable way of diagnosing long COVID, according to a new study.

The researchers, who published their findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal on Monday, examined if a COVID-19 infection led to changes in routine blood biomarkers, such as platelet counts or protein in the urine, that may be predictive of long COVID.

The study is part of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) RECOVER Initiative, which seeks to better understand, diagnose, prevent and treat the condition.

“Our challenge is to discover biomarkers that can help us quickly and accurately diagnose long COVID to ensure people struggling with this disease receive the most appropriate care as soon as possible,” said Dr. David Goff, director for the division of cardiovascular sciences at the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in a statement.

“Long COVID symptoms can prevent someone from returning to work or school, and may even make everyday tasks a burden, so the ability for rapid diagnosis is key,” the statement continued.

Long COVID occurs when patients still have symptoms at least four weeks after they have cleared the infection. In some cases, symptoms can be experienced for months or years.

Symptoms vary and can include fatigue, difficulty breathing, headaches, brain fog, joint and muscle pain and continued loss of taste and smell, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Long COVID most often occurs in people who had severe illness, but anyone can develop the condition. People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 may be at higher risk of developing long COVID, according to the CDC.

Scientists are not sure what causes long COVID but have identified risk factors including having underlying conditions or experiencing multi-system inflammatory syndrome due to COVID. There have also been studies concerning whether long COVID patients have blood biomarkers different from those who were infected with the virus but didn’t develop long COVID.

For the study, researchers looked at more than 10,000 adults enrolled in the RECOVER Adult Cohort at 83 sites across the U.S. between October 2021 and 2023. Of the group, more than 8,700 had previously been infected with COVID.

Participants completed a set of surveys, a physical examination and 25 standard laboratory blood and urine tests. The participants were then followed routinely over the next two years, taking follow-up surveys and follow-up lab tests.

Researchers detected “markedly few differences in biomarkers between those with prior infection and those without,” according to a press release.

One difference the team did find is that, compared to people without prior COVID infections, those with prior COVID infections were associated with small increases in HbA1c, which measures average blood sugar levels over two to three months to screen for diabetes. However, these increases disappeared after participants with pre-existing diabetes were excluded.

There were also slightly elevated levels of uACR, which measures the amount of albumin and creatinine in urine to help identify kidney damage, in long COVID patients. However, these differences were only seen in a small group and this damage may have occurred during their initial infection, the team said.

“Future work will use RECOVER’s biobank of cohort samples such as blood and spinal fluid, to develop more novel laboratory-based tests that help us better understand the pathophysiology of long COVID,” Dr. Kristine Erlandson, a professor of medicine and infectious disease at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, said in a statement.

One dead, two injured after man drives through strip club following argument

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(TAMPA, Fla.) — One man was killed and two other men were injured when a man drove his semi-truck into a strip club after getting kicked out of the establishment following an argument with several patrons, officials said.

The incident occurred at 4:19 a.m. Tuesday when officers responded to reports of a vehicle that had crashed through the entrance of Emperors Gentlemen’s Club at 5718 E. Adamo Drive in Tampa, Florida, according to a statement from the City of Tampa.

“Upon arrival, officers found the truck had crashed into the front area of the building that leads to the entrance,” city officials said in their statement. “Witnesses reported the driver had just been kicked out of the club and then returned to drive the truck into a group of people standing at the entrance.”

An adult male was killed in the crash and two other adult males were injured but are expected to survive their injuries, according to the City of Tampa.

The driver was taken into custody and is currently hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

“This is an unbelievably tragic and completely avoidable incident,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “We will work to get justice for the victims and their families. We are thinking of all those impacted including the innocent bystanders who witnessed this horrific ordeal.”

City officials say that charges are expected to be forthcoming, and that the investigation is currently ongoing.

Lightning strike injures two near Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, National Park Service says

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Two people were flown to George Regional Hospital in Utah on Monday after being struck by lightning while visiting the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, according to the National Park Service.

In a statement released on Tuesday, authorities said that two women — aged 22 and 23 years old, one from the Netherlands and one from Australia — “sustained injuries” in the lightning strike while standing near the rim of the famed Horseshoe Bend, along the Colorado River in Arizona.

“Classic Air Medical and City of Page Fire Department quickly responded to assist National Park Service Rangers with on scene patient care,” the statement said. “Both victims were flown to St. George Regional Hospital in Utah by Classic Air Medical helicopters.”

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area straddles the Utah-Arizona state border. The National Park Service warned that thunderstorms “are most frequent and severe” during the monsoon season for both states, typically mid-June through September in Arizona and July through September in Utah.

“If you hear thunder, you are at risk of getting struck by lightning and should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle or building,” the National Park Service said. “Visitors are advised to use caution while visiting exposed outdoor areas and be aware of changing weather conditions.”

Hawaiian man charged after police discover homemade bomb near Maui school

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A 47-year-old man has been arrested in connection with several improvised explosive devices found on the Hawaiian island of Maui, police said.

Robert Francis Dumaran made his initial appearance in court in Hawaii on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii. Dumaran is charged with possessing an unregistered destructive device and attempting to damage property by means of an explosive, according to an unsealed criminal complaint.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Dumaran’s preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 27. He is being held without bail, the office said.

Authorities said they have been grappling with a series of homemade bombs — described by the FBI as IEDs — found on Maui, hidden in trash cans and elsewhere disguised in baskets. There have been multiple explosions on the island over the past week attributed to the devices, authorities said.

The first IED was discovered on July 23 by Maui Police Department officers responding to a call about a suspicious item close to the Kahului Elementary School. The bomb was made up of explosive powder, a battery and shrapnel. Investigators said they found Dumaran’s fingerprints on “clear packing tape” used to build it.

The unsealed complaint noted that “multiple IEDs” of similar design were detonated along Kaamana Street in Kula, Hawaii, on Aug. 7. Another device exploded on Aug. 8, damaging a passing car, while another was attached to a guardrail before detonating and “caused considerable damage to the guardrail and vicinity,” per the complaint.

The criminal complaint notes that the investigation is still ongoing, and Dumaran may yet face further charges.

Dumaran has been investigated previously, investigators said. The complaint said police searched his home in January 2022 and found custom fireworks, ammunition and other components that could be used to create IEDs. This is when authorities obtained his fingerprints, the complaint said.

Fingerprints and cell-tower data aided the police in their investigation, they said. Dumaran’s cellphone was found to be in the area of the Kahului Elementary School the day the IED there was discovered, as well as close to Kaamana Street days before devices were found there, the complaint said.

The unsealed complaint details Dumaran’s text conversations with an unidentified third party. In them, the defendant allegedly says that he wanted to set off explosions to “make me feel better.”

Donald Trump to deliver remarks on economy as he campaigns in North Carolina

August 14, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump is set to deliver remarks on the economy in North Carolina on Wednesday as the campaign works to recenter its campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The election’s coming up, and the people want to hear about the economy,” Trump said during an interview with Elon Musk on X Monday, directly blaming the Biden-Harris administration for the current state of the economy.

The economy has been one of the Trump campaign’s central election issues this cycle — the former president often spending a considerable amount of time discussing inflation, gas prices and the job market.

“I just ask this: Are you better off now, or were you better off when I was president?” Trump said Monday night as he was wrapping up his conversation with Musk.

Last week, Trump blamed the Biden-Harris administration for the recent stock market crash and called it a “Kamala crash” — making unfounded claims that the crash happened because people have “no confidence” in Harris, while experts pointed to concerns about the health of the U.S. economy and the Federal Reserve’s long wait to cut interest rates as among key reasons for the crash.

Trump has also claimed that if Harris wins in November, there could be a “Great Depression” on par with that of 1929.

On the campaign trail, Trump, even as he rails against the economy under the Biden administration, has announced sparse details on specific economic policy proposals for his possible second administration, often offering his signature “Trump tax cuts,” “Trump tariffs” and “drill, baby, drill” — a boost for the oil and gas industry — as solutions to most economic problems.

In recent weeks, however, he has touted two new policies: a proposal to eliminate taxes on tip wages and Social Security for seniors.

While campaigning in Las Vegas in June, Trump made a direct appeal to Nevada’s hospitality industry workers by announcing that the tax cuts would be the “first thing in office” he would do.

Harris also recently advocated for the same policy, drawing criticisms from Trump and his allies who called her “Copy Cat Kamala.”

“Copy Cat Kamala Harris proved she has no plan or ideas of her own to fix the economic pain and suffering that she personally inflicted on the American people for the last four years,” the campaign said in a statement.

Harris is also expected to make her first major policy rollout this week since jumping into the race with an economic policy speech.

Harris’ speech will detail her plan to “lower costs for middle-class families and take on corporate price-gouging,” a campaign official said.

The two dueling policy speeches come as the economy remains a central focus in the race to the White House for both campaigns.

Trump’s speech on Wednesday may also offer a more focused approach to contrast his vision with Harris as supporters have cautioned Trump away from personal attacks against Harris.

Both candidates have room to improve their reliability on economic issues, according to a recent CNBC poll from August, in which 40% of poll respondents said they would be better off financially if Trump wins, 21% said if Harris wins, and 35% responded saying their financial situation would not really change.

Several Trump supporters suggest the recent rise in prices at the grocery store or gas station as a reason they’re behind the former president, and younger voters are also concerned about home buying despite the president’s lack of control of mortgage rates.

“At the end of the day, we have got a lot of work to do to turn this country around. We need to secure the borders. We need to fix inflation. We need to make house prices affordable again,” Dante Bernard, a Trump supporter attending Trump’s Atlanta rally this month, told ABC News. “Less insulting and talking about people’s race or identity and more policies 100%. Let’s focus on politics. Let’s stop the name-calling.”

“It’s all about freedom, small government, less taxes. $2 gas – does everyone remember when it was $2 gas? Remember $2 Trump?” said Dan Bawler, from Carson City, Nevada, praising Trump administration policies.

Democratic voters who spoke with ABC News also say they’re concerned about the economy.

“The economy for my children, my grandchildren — I want to see them flourish and do well in a healthy economy,” said James Allen, a Democratic voter from Roanoke, Virginia.

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