{
  "id": 3921692,
  "title": "El récord de ganancias corporativas en EEUU contrasta con la caída de las prestaciones laborales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/el-record-de-ganancias-corporativas-en-eeuu-contrasta-con-la-caida-de",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-28T08:08:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Expansion ES",
    "slug": "expansion-es",
    "url": "https://www.expansion.com/economia/financial-times/2026/08/28/6a9140a9468aebe1378b458b.html"
  },
  "original_language": "es",
  "account": "The record corporate profits in the United States contrast sharply with the decline in labor benefits. Corporate profits in the U.S. have reached a historic record while workers' share of national income has fallen to historic lows, fueling discontent among many Americans and a growing political reaction. Pre-tax profits reached an annualized $4.8 trillion in the second quarter, or 18% of national income, the highest since the post-World War II era. Employees' participation through wages and benefits fell to 60%, the lowest level since the 1950s. Regardless of the indicator used, workers have received an increasingly smaller proportion of national income in terms of remuneration over time, Abiel Reinhart, a JPMorgan economist, affirmed. And the other side of the coin is: where does that income go? A large part of it reflects in corporate profit margins. This marked contrast highlights a growing division that has become a political fracture in Donald Trump's America, where voters are expressing their growing discontent with the economy's direction and leaning towards more populist policies on both ends of the political spectrum. The surge in this year's profits has pushed U.S. stocks to historic highs, as the AI boom fuels massive profits for large tech firms and Trump's war against Iran drives fuel prices and the margins of oil giants. The strong performance of U.S. companies has also benefited pension funds, which have been favored by high stock prices and dividends. However, this corporate bonanza is increasing inequality in the United States, benefiting mainly the richest Americans who receive much of their income from investments, while middle- and low-income households depend more on their wages. Inflation has also surpassed wage growth, causing real hourly earnings to fall by 0.2% in July compared to the previous year. The profits that the richest are recording far exceed the gains - if any - of the lowest incomes, Elizabeth Pancotti, vice president of policy at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive think-tank, noted. What we see today is that there are two distinct economies: one for those whose primary income comes from investments and passive income... and another for typical workers who clock in daily. Trump implemented drastic tax cuts that primarily benefit companies and the richest Americans, while cutting funding for social assistance programs such as food stamps. The growing gap between corporate wealth and the savings of low-income Americans has sparked a growing reaction among voters outraged by the increasing inequality. Both political parties have adopted increasingly populist rhetoric, while Democratic Socialists of America have displaced moderates in Democratic primaries. In New York, Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral race by attacking corporate greed. Vice President JD Vance has used populist rhetoric in recent interventions, advocating for greater worker participation in corporate decision-making. Trump himself accused companies of obtaining abusive benefits and increasing prices. An IPS study published on Thursday revealed that chief executives of the largest U.S. companies with low wages saw their salaries increase by 41% between 2019 and 2025: for the average worker, the figure did not exceed 21% above the wage increase, while the increase in prices reached 26% during that period. Workers have been gradually losing power in the U.S. corporate arena since the early 1980s as union membership declined and companies outsourced more jobs to external suppliers. However, the decline in the share of income going to work has accelerated in the last five years and especially in the last 12 months. Experts have pointed out that it was difficult to assess whether this acceleration was the result of a new structural change - such as the impact of artificial intelligence - or more temporary factors, such as high inflation and the aftermath of the pandemic. For decades, there has been a shift in the balance of power from work to capital in the U.S., Anna Stansbury, an economics professor at MIT Sloan School of Management, affirmed. It seems unlikely that what is happening now can be used to deduce a major structural change in power beyond the constant and ongoing trend we have been observing for a long time, she added.",
  "summary": "Las ganancias han registrado el mayor porcentaje del ingreso nacional desde el periodo posterior a la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Leer",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}