The political strength of the president is often determined by their control of congress. In a divided government, Biden could be at the mercy of a Republican-led legislative branch, but the Georgia run-off elections could change that

August has seen strong gains in the housing market, particularly in the US’ southern States

Major coal producers are suffering from the adverse effects of inflated extraction costs, energy efficiency measures and mounting public hostility. Matt Timms asks whether the resource is losing its lustre

The Texan economy has been propped up for years by a thriving oil industry. But with gas prices rapidly falling, economists have warned the southern US state is a wild card for 2015