Ad for now think its like this:
1/ Starting money. Nothing else.
2/The bug with the bancrupcy is fixed and it’s only time till things get better.
There is no economy per say at this moment, there is the base for economy where a settlement produces goods then starts a caravan.
To get things up or back to normal you will need to see the caravans safely arrive, defend the settlements from raids, help the patrols.
Package deliveries do no effect but the caravan quests might be spawning additional caravans and that is good. Settlements have no money dependency at the moment so it does not matter how many things you sell buy or what jobs you deliver.
3/It depends on the well being of a settlement, and that depends on how many caravans arrive. If the roads are safe the shops will get better equipment, if the caravans get rided and destroyed you will get nothing or basic stuff. You could see sometimes high end items from the start, it is random.
Tho correct me if I’m wrong.