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finance

More property tax relief needed | Kendall Cotton

Sen. Wylie Galt recently proposed a ballot initiative to cap property taxes, currently labeled BI-11. I welcome this proposal. It seems to be recognition from our leaders that the property tax shifts passed by the 2025 Legislature were inadequate to provide the scale of permanent property tax relief Montanans

You don’t get to pick your judge | Brandon Ler

In response to the Held v. Montana decision, the Legislature took action this past session to reform the Montana Environmental Policy Act. I was proud to sponsor one of those reforms because MEPA directly impacts how we develop our natural resources, produce energy, and build the infrastructure our state depends

Finance professionals say the AI skills gap is widening

(The Center Square) – A new survey from the CQF Institute found 76% of finance professionals believe their academic training did not adequately prepare them for the artificial intelligence skills required in the workforce. The CQF Institute, a global quantitative finance membership organization based in London, reported 88% of quantitative finance

Stocks up, oil down over week on guarded optimism for Iran

Stocks up, oil down over week on guarded optimism for Iran

Wall Street stocks rose sharply over the week and oil prices fell as a fragile truce was struck between the United States and Iran, with ceasefire talks due to start in Islamabad on Saturday. For the week, all three major US indices advanced by more than three percent. Oil prices

US budget deficit remains steady in first quarter of 2026

The US budget deficit remained virtually stable during the first three months of 2026, as increased revenue -- primarily from income taxes and customs duties -- offset an acceleration in spending. Between January and March, the deficit stood at $164 billion, $4 billion higher than in the same period a year earlier,

Mortgage Rates Move Lower as Economic Outlook Worsens

Mortgage Rates Move Lower as Economic Outlook Worsens

Mortgage interest rates improved slightly this week, though that's not much comfort given the state of the world. In truth, it's actually a sign of how negative the economic outlook's becoming. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 6.

WATCH: More than $600 million stolen from SNAP in 2025

(The Center Square) – About $607 million was stolen from EBT accounts in 2025, according to a new report. Propel, an EBT benefits tracking program, found large amounts of benefit theft from cards used as a part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Among people whose benefits were stolen,